World:
¶ “Spain’s Renewables Revolution Will Keep Energy Bills Low Even As Gas Prices Soar” • The Iran war has plunged the world into an energy crisis, in which the price of gas rose 55% immediately and has risen since. Spain has doubled its wind and solar capacity since 2019, adding over 40 GW of capacity. As a result, Spain’s electricity price is much less influenced by the ever-fluctuating cost of gas. [Euronews]
Andasol Solar Power Station (kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Oil Prices Go Past $100 Per Barrel As Iran Attacks Commerical Ships” • Iran been attacking shipping in the Middle East to create global economic pain, pressuring the US and Israel to end the war. Oil prices soared back above $100 and threats to bring down the global economy overshadowed a record release of strategic crude by the International Energy Agency. [Euronews]
¶ “IEA Approves Largest-Ever Oil Reserve Release Of Oil In Iran Crisis” • The 32-member International Energy Agency agreed unanimously to release 400 million oil barrels from its global strategic reserves in an attempt to prevent supply disruptions and ease market fears caused by Iran war shortages. The decision is an attempt to bring down oil prices. [Euronews]
Oil platform (Zach Theo, Unsplash)
¶ “Electric Car Average Price Falls €1,800 As Carmakers Release Affordable Models To Meet EU Target” • The average price of an electric car in the EU fell for the first time since 2020, driven by the release of more affordable models to comply with CO₂ goals. The EU target for 2030 is expected to result in EVs achieving price parity in all vehicle segments. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Scottish Utilities Outline £46 Billion Investment Ambition” • ScottishPower, SSE, Scottish Water, and Openreach have set out plans for a £46 billion infrastructure investment program in Scotland between 2025 and 2030. The investment will focus on energy, water, and digital infrastructure. It aims to help create more resilient communities. [reNews]
Wind turbine (Iberdrola image)
¶ “SECI Is Seeking Developers For 1 GW Of Round-The-Clock Renewable Power Supply” • Solar Energy Corp of India invited bids from developers to set up renewable energy projects on a build-own-operate basis to supply 1 GW of power on a round-the-clock basis. Energy storage systems will be a mandatory component of the projects. [pv magazine India]
¶ “BSO Takes Delivery Of CSOV Windea Carnot” • Bernhard Schulte Offshore took delivery of the commissioning service operation vessel Windea Carnot. The ship was built at Ulstein Verft in Norway on behalf of an institutional investor and turned over to owner Bernhard Schulte Offshore when complete. It is th the third of three sister ships. [reNews]
CSOV Windea Carnot (Ulstein Group image)
¶ “BNZ Signs PPAs For Cadiz Solar Plants” • BNZ has signed two power purchase agreements with European utilities for output of its Alamak and Alya solar plants in Cadiz, Spain. BNZ said the Alamak plant has capacity of 24.1 MW while the Alya facility’s capacity is 47.7 MW. Together the agreements cover around 150 GWh of energy annually. [reNews]
¶ “ACME Solar Signs PPAs For 450-MW, 1,800-MWh Assured Peak Power Project” • ACME Solar Holdings will supply 1,800 MWh of assured peak power (450 MW × 4 hours) during non-solar hours from renewable energy projects connected with the interstate transmission system in India, with 90% availability both monthly and annually. [pv magazine India]
Solar array in India (Acme Solar image)
¶ “Germany Won’t Return To Nuclear Power, Chancellor Says” • Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose party supports nuclear energy, said previous federal governments decided to phase out nuclear energy and changing that decision is not possible. “I regret this,” he said, “but it is the way it is, and we are now concentrating on the energy policy we have.” [DW.com]
US:
¶ “Inflation Held Steady In February, Then War With Iran Sent Gas Prices Surging” • Inflation held steady in February, keeping price increases at elevated levels in the weeks before the US-Israeli war with Iran sent fuel prices surging and stoked higher concerns about affordability. Prices were up 2.4% in February compared to the year before. [ABC News]
Gas station (Krish Parmar, Unsplash)
¶ “Gulf And Environment Groups Respond To Public Waters Sell-off To Oil Industry” • The Trump administration’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held its 80-million acre offshore oil-and-gas auction from New Orleans. Gulf and environmental groups responded to the administration’s latest large sell-off of public waters. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Did GM Just Use The EV1 To Troll Ford, Again? Or Tesla? Or Both?” • When the Ford Motor Company hit the brakes on its electrification plan last fall, General Motors was quick to remind everyone of its own commitment to electric cars. Surprisingly, the latest missive from GM News focuses on the restoration of a vintage GM EV1 electric car. [CleanTechnica]
GM EV1 (GM image)
¶ “Iran War Builds A Case For Clean Energy” • Despite all the attention given to coal producers, President Trump sure knows how to sell the American public on clean energy. His war in Iran has sent the price of petroleum fuels and natural gas sharply upward, with a ripple on coal. This makes wind and solar all the more attractive. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Bills To Boost Renewable Energy, Create Jobs, And Reduce Plastic Pollution Pass Committee” • Colorado’s House Energy & Environment Committee passed two environmental bills. One would streamline permitting for renewable energy projects on underutilized land. The other would set new guardrails to keep plastics out of waterways. [Colorado House Democrats]
Have a lovingly premeditated day.
geoharvey 