¶ “France Accused Of ‘Climate Denial’ As Green Funding Quietly Shrinks Following Blistering Heatwave” • Last month, France sweltered under a powerful heat dome. Weather agency Météo France said that new monthly highs had been logged at 352 weather stations. The highest temperature was 37.1°C. But France repeatedly cut its funding to deal with heat. [Euronews]
¶ “EU Invests In Ocean Monitoring As US Cuts Funding” • With underwater drones and ocean-focused satellites, the EU is expanding its monitoring network of Earth’s seas as climate change fuels heat waves and stronger storms. The move comes just as the Trump administration is planning severe cuts to a similar system in the US. [ABC News]
¶ “Donut Lab’s Manufacturing Is Different ” • Donut Lab’s latest video reveals a novel manufacturing method. Speculation has swirled around the methods and sources of Donut Lab’s batteries since their introduction. We now have news from them that supports the idea that the Finnish company was using a different manufacturing method. [CleanTechnica]
Motorcycle powered by Donut (Donut Lab image)
¶ “Chinese NEV Share Hits 63%. What’s Next?” • EVs are at new levels of market penetration in China. Chinese retail New Energy Vehicle (battery EV and plugin hybrid) market share estimates are 63% for May, while Chinese wholesale (including exports) reached 61%, according to Chinese Passenger Car Association, as reported in CnEVPost. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Energy, Water Use And Pollution Of AI And Data Centers Rival Most Countries” • The environmental footprint of data centers already rivals some of the world’s largest countries, a United Nations University report says. The report predicts their water and energy use will double in just four years as use of AI grows. So will their pollution. [MSN]
¶ “Levanta Renewables Achieves Financial Close For 166-MW Barotac Solar And BESS Project” • Levanta Renewables got Financial Close for the Barotac Solar Power and BESS (battery energy storage system) in the Visayas, Philippines. The project has a 166-MW ground-mounted solar PV plant integrated with an 80-MWh battery system. [Asian Power]
¶ “West Moberly And RES Win 210-MW Award” • West Moberly First Nations and RES have signed a 30-year energy purchase agreement with BC Hydro for the 210-MW Sweetwater Wind Project in British Columbia. West Moberly First Nations will hold a 51% ownership stake in the project through a wholly owned subsidiary, RES added. [reNews]
Wind turbine (RES image)
¶ “Paya Partners With Fourier On Hydrogen Long-Duration Energy Storage Project” • Payal Industrial Park in Dahej, Gujarat has partnered with Bay Area startup Fourier to deploy a long-duration hydrogen-powered energy storage system. This system can keep industrial operations running for 12 hours to a full week without grid power. [Fuel Cells Works]
¶ “EBRD Backs Romanian Battery Project” • The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is providing up to €44 million for a 127-MW, 254-MWh battery project in Romania. The Scornicești project is co-owned by R.Power and Eiffel Investment Group through its managed fund Eiffel Transition Infrastructure SLP, the bank said. [reNews]
Battery storage (EBRD image)
¶ “Japan Proposes Rebuilding Aging Nuclear Plants To Meet Power Demand” • A proposal outlined at a meeting on nuclear policy reflects a shift towards greater reliance on nuclear energy to help meet rising power demand and reduce expensive fuel imports. It calls for fourteen new nuclear power plants with have a combined capacity of about 16 GW. [MSN]
US:
¶ “Trump Delivers Boost To Coal Worth Hundreds Of Millions” • The Trump administration is putting $700 million into coal. Trump announced the move during remarks in the Oval Office, saying his administration is “taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, beautiful coal.” [The Hill]
¶ “Citing Cleaner, Cheaper Alternatives, Colorado Regulators Deny Xcel Energy’s $2.9 Billion Gas System Plan ” • Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission declined to approve much of Xcel Energy’s Gas Infrastructure Plan, which lays out the utility’s forecasted investments in methane gas infrastructure over the coming years. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “What War On EVs? New $230 Million LFP Battery Materials Factory Proposed For Texas” • For all the red-state rhetoric bandied about in Texas, the state has emerged as a premier energy transition showcase for wind and solar power, e-fuels, and clean tech manufacturing. Now two battery startups plan to make lithium iron phosphate there. [CleanTechnica]
Proposed LFP plant (EnergyX and Wildcat image)
¶ “Hyundai Steel To Significantly Reduce Emissions, Switch from Gas To Electric Heaters At Proposed Louisiana Plant” • Hyundai Steel updated its air permit application with plans to switch nine dirty industrial heaters at its proposed steel plant from gas-fired to electric. The company also said they would install more pollution controls. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Wind And Solar Are Saving Texans $20 Million A Day” • In Texas, more than a third of electricity came from wind and solar projects as early as the first half of 2022. This year, wind and solar capacity have both set records already. RMI estimates that, on average, wind and solar projects in Texas have avoided $20 million per day in fuel costs. [RMI]
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