geoharvey

Opinion:

¶ “US Commerce Department’s Solar Tariff Decision Imperils Clean Energy Boom” • The US Commerce Department issued a final determination that certain companies in Southeast Asia are circumventing duties imposed on Chinese solar products. Here is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. [CleanTechnica]

Solar panels (Asia Chang, Unsplash)

¶ “New Superfast Charging EV Battery From CATL Slams The Door On Gasmobiles” • EVs can help stop catastrophic climate change. Shifting transportation modes to walking, biking, and mass transit would help more, but car culture seems to be here to stay. The new 4C superfast charging EV battery from CATL could accelerate the EV trend. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Olive Oil Is In Trouble As Extreme Heat And Drought Push The Industry Into Crisis” • There is a crisis brewing in the olive oil industry. The scorching temperatures that swept southern Europe this summer claimed lives and led to intense wildfires, but they’re also very bad news for olive trees. Olive industry experts warning of potential shortages. [CNN]

Olive grove (David Boca, Unsplash)

¶ “Canada Wildfires: British Columbia Declares Emergency” • A state of emergency has been declared in Canada’s western British Columbia province, as a fast-moving wildfire threatens to burn more homes in the area around the city of West Kelowna. The McDougall Creek wildfire grew from 64 hectares (158 acres) to 6,800 hectares (168,000 acres) in 24 hours. [BBC]

¶ “25 Countries And 25% Of World Population Face Extremely High Water Stress” • Data from WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas show that 25 countries face extremely high water stress yearly, using up almost their entire available water supply regularly. About 4 billion people live in a highly water-stressed state for at least one month of the year. [CleanTechnica]

25 countries exposed to extreme water stress

¶ “Toyota Tsusho To Construct 25-MW Solar Power Plant In Benin” • Toyota Tsusho announced that it signed a contract with the Beninese Electricity Production Company, operating under Benin’s Ministry of Energy and Water, to establish a 25-MW solar plant. The project will be the first large renewable energy project in West Africa by a Japanese entity. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Ukraine’s Roadmap To Renewable Energy” • Many of the old coal-burning power plants in Ukraine have been bombed beyond repair, and the country wants not to rely on Russian fossil fuels in any event. So Ukraine will close all its coal plants by 2035 and transition to solar, wind, and heat pump technologies for a cost-effective and secure response. [Evwind]

Dunayskaya solar station (Activ Solar, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Business Rejects Coalition Fight Against ‘Reckless’ Renewables Rollout” • Business leaders and Australia’s three biggest energy companies will not back the Coalition’s push for the Albanese government to abandon its 2030 clean energy target as, David Littleproud and Peter Dutton attack the rollout of wind and solar across the country. [The Sydney Morning Herald]

¶ “Japanese Rally Against Ocean Discharge Of Contaminated Wastewater” • “It is morally wrong to discard one’s waste in another’s backyard,” said Tomoko Abe, a member of the Japan’s House of Representatives. Speaking of nuclear-contaminated wastewater, he argued that the vastness of the ocean doesn’t equate to an absence of impact. [Xinhua]

Anti-nuclear rally in 2011 (保守, public domain)

¶ “The Secret Nuclear Power Plant That Poisoned Russians For Decades” • It is a real safety threat when a dishonest or negligent government runs nuclear plants under desperate circumstances. A secret Russian site called Mayak is a monument to the dangers of nuclear power in the wrong hands. Two-thirds of the people in one village had radiatioin sickness. [Big Think]

US:

¶ “Hurricane Hilary Sparks Rare Storm Watch For California” • A Category 4 storm called Hilary is predicted to first make landfall in Baja California on Saturday morning. Forecasters say it will move on towards southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah as a tropical storm. It would be the first tropical storm to hit California in over 80 years. [BBC]

Hurricane Hillary rainfall forecast (NOAA image)

¶ “Feds Determine Five Chinese Solar Panel Companies Have Been Skirting US Tariffs” • After an investigation lasting over a year, officials concluded that five Chinese solar PV makers were skirting US tariff laws by routing their operations through four other Southeast Asian countries. Higher tariffs will be delayed until 2024 so installers can find other sources. [CNN]

¶ “NYC Rideshare Vehicles Must Be Either Zero-Emission Or Wheelchair Accessible By 2030” • New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission’s David Do announced proposed rules for “Green Rides.” They would transition the city’s rideshare fleet to either zero-emission or wheelchair accessible by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

EVs in a garage (Upgraded Points, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Regulators Approve GMP Request To Expand Home Energy Storage Program” • Green Mountain Power customers will have greater access to seamless, cost-effective home battery backup power after an order by the Vermont PUC. GMP may to lift the enrollment caps on its Powerwall and Bring Your Own Device home battery programs. [Vermont Business Magazine]

¶ “New York State Increases Clean Energy Storage Research Incentives” • Climate and renewable energy advocates suggest the New York State Build Public Renewables Act can help ensure New York achieves economy-wide carbon neutrality by the middle of this century. That scheme includes the construction of a green transmission grid. [pv magazine USA]

Have a famously fabulous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “From Policy To Prosperity: Solar Is Supercharging American Communities After One Year Of Energy Incentives” • Just twelve months after the Inflation Reduction Act became law, solar and storage companies have announced over $100 billion in private sector investments for over 155 GW of new solar capacity. This is just the tip of the iceberg. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaic landscape (Courtesy of Lightsource BP)

Science and Technology:

¶ “What Rapid Intensification Means For Hurricanes” • Heat provides fuel for storms. Higher sea surface temperatures and high ocean heat content play huge roles in rapid intensification. The climate crisis is forcing up ocean temperatures, which leads to rapid intensification. This leads to more major hurricanes, of Category 3 or higher. [CNN]

¶ “How Canada’s Wildfires Are Warming The Stratosphere” • Research has shown that wildfires’ likelihood and intensity have already increased due to human-caused global warming. There is still a lot we don’t understand about these powerful phenomena, however. Not least is the ability of wildfires to alter and disrupt climate systems long after they die out. [BBC]

Wildfire (Mike Newbry, Unsplash)

¶ “A Study With 300,000 Workers In The Nuclear Industry Suggests An Increased Risk Of Death From Cancer” • Prolonged exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation is associated with a higher risk of death from cancer than was previously thought, according to a study of nearly 310,000 nuclear industry workers in France, the UK, and the US. [EL PAÍS English]

World:

¶ “Snake season starts early as unusually high temperatures hit Australia” • Snakes are active in warm weather, and as Australia’s east coast experiences one of its warmest winters on record, snake season appears to have started early. The Australian Reptile Park has issued an “urgent warning” for people to be on the look out for venomous snakes. [CNN]

Venomous snake (Courtesy of the Australian Reptile Park)

¶ “Xi Jinping Is Building A Dream City. Devastating Floods Raise Questions About His Plan” • In 2017, China announced Xi’s plan of “1,000-year significance” to transform an area of crop fields and polluted wetlands 100 km (62 miles) south of Beijing into an eco-friendly, high-tech hub, Xiong’an. The area can flood, and some are questioning the plan. [CNN]

¶ “Yellowknife Evacuees Turned Away From Full Flights” • Angry residents of Yellowknife, who had waited in hours-long queues to board flights out on Thursday, were told by officials to try again on Friday or Saturday, the day the wildfire could reach the city. Canada’s two major airlines are also facing criticism over soaring air fares and rescheduling fees. [BBC]

Yellowknife (Gordon Leggett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Himachal Pradesh Floods: More Rain, Less Snow Are Turning Himalayas Dangerous” • A study found that mountains across the globe, including the Himalayas, are seeing increased rainfall at elevations where it has mostly snowed in the past. Worsened by unabated construction, heavy rains are frequently triggering disasters in India’s Himalayan region. [BBC]

¶ “Ford And SK On To Build $1.2 Billion Battery Materials Plant In Quebec” • Ford and China’s CATL made an unconventional deal on battery technology, but Ford is not placing all its eggs in one basket. It has forged ties with SK On, a South Korean battery company, to build a number of battery factories in the US, and at least one plant in Quebec. [CleanTechnica]

Quebec plant (Courtesy of Ford)

¶ “AGL Signs Up To Power Victorian Smelter As State Races To 95% Renewables” • AGL Energy signed a nine-year contract to supply aluminium giant Alcoa Australia with electricity for a smelter in Victoria. AGL is to supply roughly 50%, or 300 MW, of the power needed to run the smelter over a period from July 2026 until July 2035. [Renew Economy]

¶ “Baltic Power Secures Offshore Construction Permits” • Baltic Power has secured three building permits relating to 1200 MW of offshore wind capacity it is developing off the coast of Poland. The Pomeranian Voivode Dariusz Drelich issued a permit for the construction of 76 turbines in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Power also got two other permits. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (Vestas image)

¶ “France To Reduce Nuclear Power Generation Due To Heat Wave” • Two nuclear plants along the Rhone River in France may have to reduce power generation beginning this weekend due to a persisting heatwave, an official said. The high temperatures have increased the river water temperature above the thresholds for use in cooling. [La Prensa Latina]

US:

¶ “America’s Richest 10% Are Responsible For 40% Of Its Planet-Heating Pollution” • America’s wealthiest people are also some of the world’s biggest polluters, not only because of their massive homes and private jets, but because of the fossil fuels generated by the companies they invest their money in, a study published in the journal PLOS Climate shows. [CNN]

Rich (Charles C Collingwood, Unsplash)

¶ “Kentuckians Call On Regulators To Consider Climate Impacts Of LG&E’s Natural Gas Plants” • LG&E and Kentucky Utilities plan to retire nearly a third of their coal generation by 2028 and replace it with a mix of natural gas, solar, and battery storage. At a meeting, every commenter but one opposed plans to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. [Louisville Public Media]

¶ “Why electric bills are going up due to Vogtle” • You may have noticed a jump in your electric bill recently. The weather and higher fuel costs definitely play a role, but some of the hike is to pay for the expansion of Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro. Plant Vogtle’s new Unit 3 is operating, and Unit 4 is to be online soon. But they are billions over budget. [WRDW]

Have a comprehensively enchanting day.

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Opinion:

¶ “EVs Can Support Power Grid Reliability And Reduce Costs. Here’s How” • With so many recent power outages, the US grid does not inspire confidence. It’s natural to wonder how the grid will hold up as the country electrifies its economy. The California legislature is tackling this issue head-on with a bill that would help integrate EVs with the grid. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it. (UCS image)

¶ “What does Georgia’s just-opened nuclear reactor say about the industry’s future in the US?” • According to Georgia Power, Unit 3 at Vogtle can supply 1,100 MW, providing power to 500,000 homes and businesses. But because the reactor was so lavishly expensive, customers will soon be seeing their electric energy bills increase. [Yahoo News]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Transformational Fast-Charging LFP Batteries – Coming Soon” • The world’s largest battery producer, CATL, announced that it will soon to start productioin of an LFP battery that can charge at a superfast rate of 4C, the fastest ever for an LFP battery. The Shenxing battery and it will go into mass production by the end of 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Shenxing battery announcement (CATL)

¶ “ITM Launches 20-MW Electrolysis Module” • ITM Power has launched a 20-MW core electrolysis process module suitable for scaling up into large-scale electrolyser and green hydrogen projects. The Poseidon module has been engineered by ITM as a standardized module incorporating “real-world lessons learned from commercial projects.” [reNews]

World:

¶ “Hundreds Of Wildfires That Rage In Canada’s Northwest Territories Prompt Evacuations In What Officials Are Calling A ‘Crisis Situation’” • Hundreds of wildfires raging in parts of Canada’s Northwest Territories have prompted officials to issue evacuation orders and declare a state of emergency as the blazes threaten the capital city of Yellowknife. [CNN]

Firefighters (Government of the Northwest Territory)

¶ “Race To Evacuate City As Blaze Approaches” • One of the largest cities in Canada’s far north is being evacuated amid warnings that a wildfire could reach it by the weekend. The 20,000 residents of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, have until noon Friday to leave. Scientists say climate change increases the risk of wildfires. [BBC]

¶ “Mainstream, Ocean Winds Partner On Second Scots Floater” • Mainstream Renewable Power and Ocean Winds partnered to develop a site east of Shetland, bringing the total capacity of the Arven offshore wind farm to 2300 MW. The partnership is to develope one Arven site, with a capacity of 1,800 MW. Ocean Winds is developing the other alone. [reNews]

Floating offshore wind turbines (Ocean Winds image)

¶ “EVs Make The Mainstream News In Australia: 385% Growth In Pure EV Sales!” • You know EVs are making an impact when they feature on a national finance report. ABC News reported that battery EV growth in Australia is 385% higher than last year, plugin hybrids are up 24%, plugless hybrids remain stable, sales of combustion cars are down. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hysata To Build Next-Generation Hydrogen Electrolyser” • A pioneering, all-Australian hydrogen electrolyser technology is getting a chance to prove itself at a commercial scale. If it works, the project could alter the economics of renewable hydrogen production. The concept arose in a laboratory at the University of Wollongong. [Australian Renewable Energy Agency]

Old-style wind+hydrogen power (Longershanks, public domain)

¶ “Big Potential For Green Hydrogen In North Africa: Report” • By 2050 North Africa could become a leading exporter of green hydrogen with Europe its main market, according to a recent report from accounting consultancy Deloitte. The report projects the future of an industry still in its infancy, but it is growing because of the climate crisis. [France 24]

US:

¶ “Significant Impacts Of The Inflation Reduction Act And Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” • The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are revitalizing the US energy system by investing in American energy supply chains, clean energy job creation, emissions reduction, and consumer energy savings. [CleanTechnica]

Investment in America (From energy.gov)

¶ “2022 Was Another Big Year For Hybrid Power Plants in the US, Especially PV Plus Storage” • Improving battery technology and the growth of variable renewable generation are driving a surge of interest in “hybrid” power plants that combine. Examples include wind and solar generating plants that are co-located with batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Energy Jobs Have Increased In Nearly Every County” • The DOE released county-level data on energy employment across the country. The data show that energy jobs grew in nearly every US county in 2022. The release comes on the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, which has already spurred over $110 billion of clean energy investments. [CleanTechnica]

Ute solar workers (GRID Alternatives Tribal Program)

¶ “BPU Bumps Up Community Solar From Pilot To Full-Fledged Program” • With the aim of expanding access to solar energy, a New Jersey state agency made a pilot program created to make cleaner energy available to all households permanent . The Board of Public Utilities established the community solar program unanimously. [NJ Spotlight News]

¶ “Texas Counties Don’t Have The Power To Ban Solar Farms, Attorney General Finds” • The Texas attorney general’s office dealt a blow to a rural county that has been searching for ways to keep solar farms away. Residents in Franklin County had pushed county commissioners last year to impose a 180-day moratorium on commercial solar development. [The Texas Tribune]

Have a movingly gorgeous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Americans Want Sustainable Transportation Options, Not More Highways” • Americans want more sustainable choices for transportation, not more highways. A survey on Americans’ attitudes revealed strong interest in transportation options that prioritize walkable, bikeable, and transit-connected communities over highway expansions. [CleanTechnica]

Traffic jam (Aleksandr Popov, Unsplash)

¶ “Nuclear Facilities As Military Targets – The Zaporizhzhia Case An Overview” • For the first time in history, a nuclear plant is a military objective in a war. The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is being contested as a target in the war in Ukraine. It is a new and unprecedented situation for which the international community is unprepared. [Katoikos]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Sodium-Ion Battery Market To Surpass 2899 Million By 2030 Drives Due To Rising Industrial Use” • Global sodium-ion battery market is gaining traction as the focus shifts towards eco-friendly energy storage solutions. Sodium-ion batteries offer a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, reducing reliance on scarce resources and environmental harm. [Yahoo Finance]

Sodium-ion battery researcher (Tavo Romann, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Army Airlifts Hundreds To Safety From Fires In Northwest Territories” • More than 6,500 people were ordered to evacuate in parts of the Northwest Territories due to 236 active wildfires in the region. Some residents in the town of Hay River were forced to evacuate for the second time this summer. Others were in Hay River to shelter from Fort Smith. [BBC]

¶ “Multitrillion-Dollar Carbon Bubble? Climate Chief Warns World Leaders Over Fossil Fuel Plans” • The head of the IPCC says world leaders face a multitrillion-dollar threat by pushing plans for fossil fuel production. The UN climate panel estimated that fossil fuel investors could be at risk of losing $1 trillion to $4 trillion if governments limit global warming. [CNBC]

Offshore oil rig (Jan-Rune Smenes Reite, Pexels, cropped)

¶ “Europe Space Chief Warns Over Political Wavering On The Climate” • Europe’s top space official urged wavering politicians not to abandon European leadership on climate change. Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency said record heatwaves and wildfires are “really alarming” evidence of the pace of global warming. [Reuters]

¶ “Crude Oil Prices Will Increase Through 2024 As Demand Rises Above Supply, US EIA Says” • The US Energy Information Administration forecasts higher crude oil prices in the second half of 2023 and into 2024 in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook due to moderate but persistent inventory drawdowns with demand exceeeding supply. [CleanTechnica]

Past and expected Spot oil prices (EIA image)

¶ “Plan For How Indonesia Will Spend $20 Billion To Transition To Cleaner Energy” • A plan for Indonesia to spend $20 billion to transition to cleaner energy was submitted to the government, its authors said. It aims to use the funds over the next three to five years to accelerate retirement of the nation’s coal plants and switch to renewable energy. [AP News]

¶ “Pacific Flicks Switch On 6-MW Solar Farm As Hybrid Plant Powers Up” • Pacific Energy has delivered a hybrid power station incorporating a 6 MW solar array fitted with 11,088 PV panels, a 2.4-MW battery energy storage system, and a 9.5-MW gas-fuelled power plant at Westgold’s Tuckabianna mine site near Cue in Western Australia. [PV Magazine]

Ribbon cutting (Pacific Energy image)

US:

¶ “News Outlets Went All In On Maui Fire Coverage. But Did They Miss A Key Part Of The Story?” • News media have given a lot of coverage to climate change. But research by the watchdog Media Matters shows only 4% of television news segments about the disaster, during a two-day period starting August 9, tied the catastrophe to climate change. [CNN]

¶ “Feds Ease Water Cuts On Colorado River After Blockbuster Winter” • Federal officials are easing water restrictions on the Colorado River next year, after above-average winter snowpack helped lift water levels at the nation’s two largest reservoirs. Lake Mead has shown “significant improvement” because of the good winter and water conservation efforts by states. [CNN]

Colorado River (Westwind Air Service, Unsplash)

¶ “Maui Wildfires Leave Trail Of Death And Destruction” • About 2,000 housing units have been secured to house thousands of Maui residents who lost homes. Hawaii Gov Josh Green said 402 hotel rooms and 1,400 Airbnb units will be available. Another 160 residents have volunteered to shelter displaced people, and 222 displaced families are already in housing. [CNN]

¶ “Electrify America Opens Solar Plant To Offset EV Charging” • Electrify America announced that a project has gone online: a solar power plant that puts enough renewable energy into the grid to more than make up for its EV charging sessions. The 75-MW Electrify America Solar Glow™ 1 solar PV project is in San Bernardino County, California. [CleanTechnica]

Solar farm (Electrify America image)

¶ “Switching To EVs And Clean Electricity Could Result In 89,300 Fewer Premature Deaths In The US” • The American Lung Association recently released “Driving to Clean Air: Health Benefits of Zero-Emission Cars and Electricity.” The report foresees America running on clean, renewable electricity and driving all-electric vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Launches Program To Provide Electricity To More Native American Homes” • The US Interior Department unveiled a program to bring electricity to more homes in Native American communities, as the Biden administration looks to funnel more money toward climate and renewable energy projects. It will be funded by an initial $72.5 million. [ABC News]

Have an overwhelmingly happy day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “From Cradle To Grave, EVs Have Fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions Than Gas Vehicles” • Cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions for a small gasoline SUV in 2020 were estimated to be 429 grams of CO₂ equivalentper mile, while the same size EV with 300 miles of range had 48% fewer GHG emissions, Argonne National Laboratory analysis shows. [CleanTechnica]

Comparing emissions (energy.gov)

World:

¶ “Alberta Will Never Comply With Federal Clean Power Grid Plan, Premier Vows” • Alberta will never comply with a Canadian government plan to phase out carbon emissions from power generation by 2035, Premier Danielle Smith said. She said a net zero power grid by 2050 would be too costly and carry the risk of blackouts. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Back To The Future For India’s Rice Farmers” • One farmer said, “Most of the people from the village are farmers but with major climatic changes we started facing a lot of problems. Our crops got destroyed because of unseasonal rains or scarcity of water.” Hybrid rice and heavy use of fertilizer make things worse. Some farmers are going back to old ways. [BBC]

Himachal Pradesh Rice field (7018412375, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “NASA Clocks July 2023 As Hottest Month On Record” • On average, July 2023 was 0.43°F (0.24°C) warmer than any other July in NASA’s record, and it was 2.1°F (1.18°C) warmer than the average July between 1951 and 1980. The primary focus of the GISS analysis is long-term temperature changes over many decades and centuries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BasiGo Introduces The E9 Kubwa Electric Bus, Which Is Specifically Designed For The Kenyan Marke” • After a successful pilot program supplying twenty K6 electric buses to public transport operators in Nairobi, BasiGo announced that it will introduce a 36-seater electric bus custom designed for the Kenyan market. [CleanTechnica]

BasiGo bus (BasiGo image)

¶ “Models Suggest Dropping Costs Of Solar And Wind Power In Africa May Make Hydro Power Obsolete” • A team of scientists affiliated with several institutions in Europe found, via modeling, that building dams to generate hydroelectricity in Africa may be not be a cost-effective approach in light of falling costs for solar and wind power. [Tech Xplore]

¶ “Solar Power Surges In Europe And Is Set To Double By 2030” • The EU is moving fast to deploy solar power in response to the energy crisis. A report by the lobby group SolarPower Europe found the bloc would have over 400 GW of solar power installed by the end of the decade, almost double the 208 GW of solar power produced today. [ZME Science]

Solar panels in Italy (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

¶ “Sri Lanka To Provide Solar Power To 25,000 Low-Income Households” • The Sri Lankan Cabinet approved a proposal to provide solar power to 25,000 low-income households, an official said. the National Housing Development Authority has selected 11,000 partially completed houses in fifteen housing projects to provide free solar power. [Xinhua]

US:

¶ “Montana Judge Hands Young Plaintiffs Significant Victory In Landmark Climate Trial” • A Montana judge handed a significant victory to more than a dozen young plaintiffs in the nation’s first constitutional climate trial, as extreme weather gets more deadly and scientists warn the climate crisis is eroding our environment and natural resources. [CNN]

Montana (Tony Reid, Unsplash)

¶ “How Much Water Is Left In The Colorado River? Scientists And Officials Are Scrambling To Find Out” • With a phenomenal winter snowpack, water levels on the Colorado River are going up for the first time in years. Some water restrictions are being lifted, but officials, farmers, and tribes are bracing for difficult negotiations to come on water rights. [CNN]

¶ “Biden’s Climate Law Has Led To 86,000 New Jobs And $132 Billion In Investment, New Report Says” • A year after Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act, it’s leading to a surge of clean energy projects and job creation, a report from Bank of America says. Over 270 new clean energy projects have been announced, creating more than 86,000 jobs. [CNN]

Wind turbines (Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar And Storage Companies Add Over $100 Billion To US Economy As A Result Of The Inflation Reduction Act” • Since the Inflation Reduction Act passed one year ago, US solar and storage companies have announced over $100 billion in investments, bolstering the US economy, analysis made by the Solar Energy Industries Association shows. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$50 Million To Enhance Water Infrastructure In The Upper Colorado River Basin” • The Interior Department announced $50 million over five years to improve water infrastructure and drought data collection in the Upper Colorado River Basin. This year, $8.7 million will support drought mitigation in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. [CleanTechnica]

Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming (Patrick Hendry, Unsplash)

¶ “California’s Power Grid Operator Prepares For Heat Wave, Possible Tight Conditions” • Another round of extreme heat is in the forecast, but will the hot temperatures stress California’s power grid? In short, California ISO, the grid operator, said no, but there could be scenarios where Californians may be asked to cut back on electricity usage. [CBS News]

¶ “Nuclear Plant Moratorium Bill Heads To Veto Session Fight In Illinois” • The veto of a law to end a moratorium on new nuclear power plant construction in Illinois sets up a battle in the fall veto session. In his veto message, Gov JB Pritzker appears to be saying the bill isn’t quite ready for prime time. Clearly people take their different sides and disagree. [WGLT]

Have a deservedly grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “UK Biomass Strategy Won’t Stop The Destruction Of North American Forests” • The growing wood pellet industry, driven by UK demand, is damaging some of the most important forests on the North American continent, and the biodiversity they support. The UK government has a new Biomass Strategy, but it has very little in it to improve the situation. [CleanTechnica]

Deforestation (Sebastian Pichler, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Nearly 40% Of Tesla’s Battery Material Suppliers Come From China” • Of the ten best selling plugin vehicles in the world, eight are Chinese models. The other two are Teslas, which can also be produced and sold in China. A lot of the EV battery minerals of the world are mined or at least processed in China. Here, we take a look at the implications. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “As The Earth Gets Hotter, Can Our Cities Get Cooler?” • Most years, lately, heat is the deadliest disaster. It kills an average of 490,000 people globally and causes severe health problems for many more. Deaths from heat are expected to grow by 50% by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. It can be at its worst in poor urban areas. [CleanTechnica]

One Solution to heat (CHUTTERSNAP, Unsplash)

¶ “Micron Technology Initiates Major Rooftop Solar Project In Singapore For Sustainable Operations” • Micron Technology, a prominent memory chip maker, is installing 36,000 solar panels on the roof of its Singapore plant and carport. This sustainable initiative aims to use renewable energy to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. [Solar Quarter]

¶ “Vestas Turbine Sets World Record” • Vestas’s V236-15 MW prototype wind turbine set a world record for the most power output by a single unit. The Danish manufacturer’s wind turbine racked up 363 MWh in 24 hours. The prototype was installed at the offshore Østerild National test center for large wind turbines in Denmark, in December 2022. [reNews]

V236-15 MW turbines (Vestas image)

¶ “Vehicle-To-Grid Tech Put To Test In SA Trial” • Flinders University has brought ten V2G chargers online, working with the Australian arm of French renewables developer Engie. They allow compatible EVs to be used as mobile batteries that can store and supply energy directly to the grid during periods of high demand. [pv magazine Australia]

UK:

¶ “UK Homes Install ‘Record Number’ Of Solar Panels And Heat Pumps” • British households are making more green energy upgrades than ever before, installing a record number of solar panels and heat pumps. Industry figures show there were more green energy installations in June alone than in any six-month period in previous years. [The Guardian]

Housing in Bristol (Louis Reed, Unsplash)

¶ “‘Change Is Needed’: Ofgem Chief Calls On Ministers To Rethink Energy Price Caps” • In what could herald a shake-up of Britain’s energy market, Ofgem’s Jonathan Brearley is calling on ministers to rethink the “very broad and crude” price control used to keep bills in check for the past four years, to find whether it is still fit for it purpose. [The Guardian]

¶ “Risks Of Further Delays At Hinkley Point C, EDF Warns” • EDF has admitted there is a risk of further delays to two nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point C due to construction setbacks. The French energy giants behind the new nuclear power station along the Somerset coast remarked last year that the plants may start 15 months late. [Somerset Live]

Hinkley C nuclear station (Gov.uk, Open government licence 3.0)

US:

¶ “When A ‘Fire Hurricane’ Hit, Maui’s Warning Sirens Never Sounded” • Dozens of survivors shared their stories of escape and loss with the BBC. Their stories help for piecing together a picture of the tragedy that unfolded when fires moving at a mile per minute consumed the town. Lahaina’s wildfires are the deadliest in the US in over a century. [BBC]

¶ “The US Passed A Major Climate Law One Year Ago. Here’s How It’s Going” • A year ago this week, the Inflation Reduction Act, the first major federal climate legislation in US history, was signed into law. The act is just the first step on the way for the US to meet its climate goals. But it has kicked off a stunning boom in clean energy. [Canary Media]

Wind turbines (Anna Jiménez Calaf, Unsplash)

¶ “Automakers Pursue Energy Reduction Efforts In Shift To Renewable Energy” • The Detroit Three automakers have taken actions to reduce their energy consumption to conserve on costs and help ensure a reliable energy supply as they move toward running their operations fully off renewable electricity sources in the coming years. [The Detroit News]

¶ “UAlbany, UConn And Utilities To Research Weather, Power Grid Needs” • One of the challenges in shifting to a carbon-free power grid is the weather. Researchers at Universities of Albany and Connecticut hope to get answers to questions about weather and energy through a consortium using expertise from both academia and utility companies. [Times Union]

Brandford House, UConn (Tomas Martinez, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Haven’t Summer’s Extreme Heat Waves Caused Any Blackouts?” • Florida is set to experience heat index values of up to 115°F this week. Persistent, scorching temperatures covered much of the Southwest, expanding into the Midwest and Northeast in July. Record after record was broken, but so far, the grid has not failed. Why? Renewables. [USA Today]

¶ “One Congregation Offers Case Study As Episcopal Church Works Toward 2030 Carbon Neutral Goal” • When the heat went out, so did the reluctance to end the dependence on fossil fuels at St Martin’s Episcopal Church in Davis, California. By 2021, St Martin’s had become carbon neutral, as certified by Interfaith Power & Light. [National Catholic Reporter]

Have a spectacularly easy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How Will EPA’s Proposed Power Plant Carbon Rule Impact Public Health?” • The US EPA has published a proposed rule that would limit carbon pollution from power plants burning fossil fuels, a move that is urgent, statutorily required, and long overdue. How does the power sector impact public health? “It’s all connected to fossil fuels.” [CleanTechnica]

Fossil fuel power plant (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

¶ “SA’s Energy Crisis Causing Economic Decline, Reluctance To Achieve Zero Emissions By 2050” • South Africa is facing an energy crisis that is killing the economy. One of the stumbling blocks is power struggles within the ruling party, disagrees internally on an Integrated Resource Plan, which causes delays for renewable energy projects. [SABC News]

¶ “Why Electric Car Tech Could Drive Down Power Prices” • What if every light in your home along with your television, computer, smartphone, swimming pool, and all cleaning, cooking, and cooling appliances could be powered by one source? And what if that source was the battery on wheels you parked in your garage each night? [The Driven]

Charging a car (Michael Fousert, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Reopen Palisades Nuclear Plant When We Have Wind And Solar?” • Even though the US nuclear industry has not built a single nuclear plant on schedule or on budget in the last 50 years, Michigan’s governor and Legislature are promoting nuclear subsidies, which could strangle renewable investments and raise Michigan’s electricity rates. [Bridge Michigan]

¶ “When Silence Is Not Golden” • Japanese authorities and the UN’s nuclear watchdog, International Atomic Energy Agency, have both said publicly releasing contaminated water was safe. But in nearby countries, fear that the release may contaminate food that are already stretched and worsen a future threaten by the climate change crisis, remains. [The Fiji Times]

Nuclear waste storage in Fukushima prefecture (Greenpeace)

World:

¶ “IEA And Oilprice.com See Peak Oil Happening This Decade” • Back in 2019 the International Energy Agency said it could see no sign of “peak oil” coming any time soon. In June, the IEA took another look into the future and announced “peak oil” was in fact on the horizon. Now, Oilprice.com said they expect demand for fossil fuels to peak in 2027. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Taking Flight With The Candela C-8” • The Candela C-8 is finally available for customers to purchase. Instead of a loud, inefficient combustion engine, the Candela C-8 has a torpedo-shaped C-Pod motor assembly. It is lifted out of the water on the hydrofoils for a smoother ride and around 80% less drag. It’s is super fast and super quiet. [CleanTechnica]

Candela C-8 moving really fast (Candela image)

¶ “Up To $6000 For Homeowners To Go Zero Carbon Under Greens Policy” • The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand wants to give homeowners up to $6000 for them to ditch gas and fossil fuels as part of its new plan for a multibillion-dollar Clean Power Payment for Kiwis. The grant would cover up to 25% of the cost of zero-carbon home upgrades. [1News]

¶ “More Wind Power Projects Charge Up Philippines” • Aboitiz Power Corp said its renewable energy arm Aboitiz Renewables, Inc, had entered a partnership with Vena Energy to invest in the latter’s 102-MW wind power project in Rizal and Laguna. The deal was signed early in July, and in the first week of August, the rollout plans started. [CleanTechnica]

Wind and solar in AboitizPower energy portfolio (Aboitiz image)

¶ “ACWA Sets Up Central Asia’s Largest Wind Turbine In Uzbekistan” • Acwa Power, a Saudi-listed company and a leader in energy transition, has installed the first wind turbine for its 500-MW Bash wind farm project, in Uzbekistan. The wind turbine manufactured by Envision is the largest of its kind in Central Asia with a capacity of 6.5 MW. [ZAWYA]

¶ “Companies Pay Almost €800 Million For Right To Build Offshore Wind Farms In German Tender” • Investors agreed to pay €784 million for the right to build wind farms at four sites in the North Sea in Germany’s latest offshore tender. The wind farms will have a total capacity of 1,800 MW and are expected to enter operation in 2028. [Renew Economy]

Offshore wind farm (BlueFloat Energy image)

¶ “China Leads The Rest Of The World In The Photovoltaic Sector” • From the resources of Rethink Energy, we learn that quarterly global solar installations appear to be growing at 50% per year. In the second quarter of 2023 alone, about 92 GW of solar power were installed globally. Of that, 51 GW, 55%, was installed in China. [Evwind]

US:

¶ “Updated 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook Increases Prediction To ‘Above Normal’ Level Of Activity” • Due to current ocean and atmospheric conditions, including record-warm sea surface temperatures, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has increased the prediction for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to an “above normal” level of activity. [CleanTechnica]

GOES-16 satellite image of Hurricane Don (NOAA image)

¶ “Maui Fire: 89 Killed As Governor Warns Of ‘Significant’ Death Toll Rise” • Eighty-nine people have been confirmed killed in the Maui fire that razed Lahaina. The number of victims could rise “significantly,”  Hawaii Governor Josh Green warned on Saturday, as forensic work continues to identify the victims. There are still hundreds unaccounted for. [BBC]

¶ “North Carolina Offshore Wind Surveys Have Protections For Right Whales” • Right whales are in rapid decline due to vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements. The whales face threats of noise pollution, malnourishment, and a need to adapt to climate change. Fortunately, offshore wind planning surveys will be done with protective measures in place. [CleanTechnica]

Have a sensationally relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Weren’t Maui Residents Warned Sooner?” • Local evacuations first took place on Tuesday, then an announcement came that the flames were “100% contained.” By the next day, however, fast-moving flames had engulfed Lahaina. Residents reported that strong winds knocked out the communications systems hours before the fires arrived. [BBC]

Lahaina fire damage (US Civil Air Patrol)

¶ “Pathways To Equity And Savings For Low-Income American Households” • Low-income Americans end up paying about four times more of their income on energy than non-low-income individuals. This year, federal housing departments are poised to alleviate more of these energy-related challenges and bring about greater energy equity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Review: Christopher Nolan’s Masterpiece ‘Oppenheimer’ a Reminder of Nuclear Power’s Horror” • Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, is quite compelling to the Del Mar-based Samuel Lawrence Foundation, a nonprofit deeply concerned about nuclear waste storage at San Onofre and the harmful effects of radiation on communities. [Times of San Diego]

Ad for the movie in Poland (Marek Mróz, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Yemen: Oil Salvaged From Abandoned ‘Time Bomb’ Tanker In Red Sea” • A “floating time bomb” oil tanker left adrift in the Red Sea has been drained of its cargo, the UN says. The vessel was abandoned off Yemen in 2015 after war broke out. It had over a million barrels of oil on board, and it was feared that the FSO Safer could cause a major spill. [BBC]

¶ “Mushrooms Are Being Farmed In Abu Dhabi’s Desert” • A startup in Abu Dhabi found a way to grow mushrooms in the middle of the desert. Below Farm grows “specialty mushrooms” such as king oyster, shiitake, and lion’s mane. Its managing director says the indoor farm is the first in the region to grow and sell high-end mushrooms. [CNN]

Mushroom and kale pizza (Marmellata Bakery image)

¶ “Share Of Renewables In KE Generation Likely To Reach 30% In Seven Years” • K-Electric, an electric utility in Karachi, foresees 30% renewable energy in its overall power generation in seven years. In the current energy mix KE imports 94% of its electricity from thermal sources. It gets 3% from local thermal plants and 3% from renewables. [Business Recorder]

¶ “Goulburn Community Solar Farm Sees Local Investors Take Action Against Climate Change And Power Bills” • Dimity Taylor owns a sheep farm near Goulburn, a small city in New South Wales. She calls the spinning shadows of the wind turbine blades beautiful and says the turbines sound like the ocean. Now she is one of a group happily investing in solar PVs. [ABC]

Wind farm in New South Wales (CSIRO, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “Maui Wildfires Death Toll Rises As Some Residents Return To Lahaina” • The death toll from this week’s wildfires in Maui has now reached 80, officials confirmed on Friday night. In addition, a press release announced, “Firefighters continue working to extinguish flare-ups and contain fires in Lahaina, Pulehu/Kihei and Upcountry Maui.” [CNN]

¶ “How Laws Designed To Protect The Environment Were Weaponized Against It” • After over 50 years of efforts to implement a toll program that would reduce emissions and congestion in lower Manhattan, the plan cleared a milestone in May, when the federal government released of an environmental assessment. Then New Jersey sued. [CNN]

Holland Tunnel entrance (Cesar Centeno, Jr, public domain)

¶ “16.8 GW Of Utility-Scale Generating Capacity In US In First Half Of 2023” • In the first half of 2023, developers added 16.8 GW of utility-scale generating capacity to the US power grid, our latest inventory of electric generators shows. Developers plan to bring an additional 35.2 GW of capacity online in the second half of the year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DOE Funds Two Direct Air Capture Carbon Removal Projects” • The DOE announced $1.1 billion in funding for two direct air capture projects, one in Texas and the other in Louisiana. The Washington Post reports they will be used to develop and test the machinery. In total, the Biden administration has earmarked $3.5 billion for US direct air capture projects. [CleanTechnica]

Carbon capture (Courtesy of Climeworks)

¶ “Vermont Renewable Energy Manufacturer Given Award For Excellence In Global Exporting” • When NRG Systems opened, it was just a tiny building in a field in Hinesburg. Now, it’s one of the world’s foremost exporters. The manufacturer of renewable energy tools received the President’s E Award in Washington, DC, for its excellence in global exporting. [WCAX]

¶ “Cordova And NREL Push The Envelope Of Microgrid Design” • Cordova, like so many other cities in Alaska, is not connected to a larger energy system. Its 2,700 residents live in a microgrid that copes with earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, and winter superstorms. Cordova is collaborating with NREL to create a model for microgrids. [CleanTechnica]

Cordova, Alaska (USDA Forest Service Alaska Region)

¶ “Maxeon To Build 3 GW TOPCon Cell And Module Plant In New Mexico” • Maxeon Solar Technologies has chosen the site for its first US factory. The new 3 GW facility will be built in Albuquerque. It will produce TOPCon PV-silicon cell technology and Maxeon’s proprietary shingled-cell Performance Line solar modules. [PV Magazine]

¶ “Pritzker Vetoes Bill That Lifted Moratorium On New Nuclear Power Stations” • Illinois’ moratorium on new nuclear powers will stay in place for now after Gov JB Pritzker vetoed a bill to lift the ban. The legislation would have invalidated a 1987 law that prohibited new nuclear power facilities until permanent waste storage was made available. [The Center Square]

Have a doubly ducky day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How To Ensure All North Carolinians Benefit From The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” • North Carolina is home to the second largest highway system in the country. Building them has been distructive to poor neighborhoods. Now the state has an opportunity to re-prioritize funds towards healthier and more sustainable alternatives. [CleanTechnica]

Light rail in Charlotte (Justin Ruckman, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

World:

¶ “Natural Gas Prices Are Spiking Again. Here’s Why” • Natural gas prices spiked again this week, just as Europe prepares for the heating season. The Offshore Alliance, which represents two Australian labor unions, has taken steps toward strike action at two of Chevron’s LNG sites. The strikes could shut down as much as 10% of global LNG production. [CNN]

¶ “Volkswagen Outsells Tesla In Germany, ID.3 Sales Surge In China” • Through the first seven months of 2023, Volkswagen sold slightly more electric cars in Germany than Tesla. According to Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority, Tesla outsold all rivals in the first six months of 2023, but strong sales in July put Volkswagen into the lead. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.3 (Courtesy of Volkswagen)

¶ “European Nations Join Azerbaijan In An Ambitious Green Project” • Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania have reached an agreement to push ahead with a project to generate green energy from renewable sources in Azerbaijan and to export the power to Europe through a subsea cable running under the Black Sea. [Oil Price]

¶ “India, The World’s Most Populated Country, Is On Track To Achieve Its Climate Goals: Report” • India has reduced its carbon emissions by 33% in 14 years. In a report filed to the UN, India says it is well on its way to achieving the goal it established for itself in the Paris climate accord: To reduce its carbon emissions by 45% from its 2005 levels by 2030. [Salon]

Solar plant in Uttar Pradesh (Citizenmj, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Putin Profits Off US, European Reliance on Russian Nuclear Fuel” • The US and its European allies are importing vast amounts of nuclear fuel from Russia, providing Moscow with hundreds of millions of dollars it can use for its war on Ukraine. The dependence on Russian nuclear products leaves the US and its allies vulnerable. [VOA]

US:

¶ “Ocean Heat Is Off The Charts, So Where Are The Hurricanes? Forecasters Warn A Change Is Coming” • Record ocean heat has set the stage for an active Atlantic hurricane season, but so far we have had no storms. There have been no tropical storms in the Atlantic basin in nearly a month, and none have come close to the US. That could soon change. [CNN]

Storm (Luka Vovk, Unsplash)

¶ “US Intelligence Community Boosts Focus On Climate Crisis, Supply Chains, Pandemics” • The US intelligence community is ramping up its focus on the dizzying and complex array of odd challenges that respect no global borders: Disruptions of supply chains, pandemics, extreme weather fueled by climate change, narcotics trafficking, and others. [CNN]

¶ “Maui Fires Death Toll Rises To At Least 55; Hundreds Have Been Evacuated; Biden Approves Disaster Declaration” • The death toll from fast-moving wildfires on Hawaii’s Maui island rose to at least 55 people, officials said. One blaze, which nearly destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, was said to be 80% contained earlier in the day. [CBS News]

Lahaina burning (USCG Hawaii Pacific District 14, public domain)

¶ “Robotaxi Companies Win: Can Operate 24/7 In San Francisco” • A hot topic in recent months has been the debate and political fight in San Francisco about whether to let robotaxis from Cruise and Waymo operate 24/7. After a six-hour hearing, members of the California Public Utilities Commission voted 3-1 in favor of the robotaxi companies. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “In A Surprise Move, Proterra Files For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection” • In a statement, Proterra said has voluntarily filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code in the District of Delaware in an effort to strengthen its financial position through a recapitalization or going-concern sale. The firm said it will continue to operate. [CleanTechnica]

Proterra bus (Courtesy of Proterra)

¶ “Cadillac Reveals The Escalade IQ 7-Passenger Electric SUV With 450-Mile Range” • Cadillac says it intends to sell only EVs by 2030. The Lyriq is getting close to deliveries. The Celestiq will be here in a couple of years. This week, Cadillac took the wraps off the first existing model to get a battery electric makeover, the Escalade IQ. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Videos Denying Climate Science Approved By Florida As State Curriculum” • Videos that compare climate activists to Nazis, portray solar and wind energy as environmentally ruinous, and claim that global heating is part of natural long-term cycles will be made available to young schoolchildren in Florida, after they were approved for use in public schools. [The Guardian]

“You mean they’re lying?” (Ben White, Unsplash)

¶ “Surge In US Thunderstorms Has Caused ‘Unprecedented’ $34 Billion In Insured Losses This Year” • In the first half of this year, waves of severe storms led to $34 billion in insured losses in the US, an unprecedented level of financial damage in such a short time, Swiss Re Group said. Climate change contributes to the frequency and severity of violent weather events. [CBC]

¶ “Cook County Announces First Off-Site PPA For Renewable Energy” • Cook County officials announced on August 1 its first power purchase agreement for renewable energy. Starting in March 2025, Cook County’s asset portfolio will source close to 24% of its electricity, about 49,000 MWh, from a new, off-site solar project in Illinois. [HF Chronicle]

Have a really magical day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Mirko Musa: Rescuing Rivers – And The World – With Help From Water Power” • Water power, including both hydropower and marine energy, is reliable and predictable. Mirko Musa, an R&D associate staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is working to make water power more versatile, cost-effective, and durable. [CleanTechnica]

Mirko Musa (Mirko Musa, ORNL, US DOE)

World:

¶ “How Indigenous Conservation Protects The Environment In Canada” • Using a “two-eyed seeing approach,” Dolcy Meness and other Nagadjitòdjig Akì guardians draw on indigenous knowledge and Western science to monitor impacts of extractive industries on their territory. Kitigan Zibi Anishinabegan is an Algonquin First Nation in Quebec. [BBC]

¶ “How This School In The Indian Desert Stays Cool Even In Extreme Heat” • In the north Indian desert town of Jaisalmer, temperatures can reach approximately 120°F (49°C) at the height of summer. Here, buildings have long been designed to adapt to the heat. New York architect Diana Kellogg used that tradition for the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School. [CNN]

Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School (Diana Kellogg Architects)

¶ “World’s Largest Lithium Mine Is In Australia” • Not long ago, people were discussing the scarcity of lithium. Now, most of the world’s lithium comes from Australia, which has bountiful reserves of hard rock spodumene. The world’s largest hard-rock lithium mine is the Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora Mine, in Western Australia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Spiro Secures $63 Million Financing Solution To Expand Its Fleet Of Electric Motorcycles, Batteries, And Swap Stations” • A leading African electric motorbike and clean energy provider, Spiro, has deployed over 9200 electric motorbikes in Benin, Togo, and Rwanda. Spiro says its riders have driven 80 million km and done 2 million battery swaps. [CleanTechnica]

Motorcycle and batteries (Courtesy of Spiro)

¶ “Renewable Energy Workers Say Alberta’s Pause Will Wipe Out Season Of Work” • Alberta’s United Conservative government said it directed the province’s utilities regulator not to approve any more renewable energy projects, citing what it says are rural and environmental concerns. The Alberta Utilities Commission is to hold an inquiry and report in February. [CBC]

¶ “Octopus, UKPN ‘Cut Bills With Excess Renewables’” • Octopus Energy has teamed up with UK Power Networks to offer free energy for households when there is excess renewable power. Participating customers will get free electricity to “power up” their homes when there is surplus electricity on the local grid from abundant renewables. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Octopus energy image)

¶ “Eight EU Countries On Track To Meet New NECP Solar Power Targets Before 2030” • Only 12 EU member states have updated their national energy and climate plans for 2030, though the deadline was June 30. Eight of them are set to meet the new targets for PV capacity at least three years earlier, SolarPower Europe said. [Balkan Green Energy News]

US:

¶ “Biden Is Campaigning As The Most Pro-Climate President While His DOJ Works To Block A Landmark Climate Trial” • As President Joe Biden touts his environmental record this week in the West, the US Department of Justice is waging a legal battle over whether a landmark youth climate lawsuit should even be allowed to go to trial. [CNN]

Kelsey Juliana (Out Children’s Trust, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “‘Like Something Out Of A Horror Movie’: At Least 6 Dead And Communities Decimated In Maui Wildfires” • At least six people have died in the wildfires that are ravaging parts of Maui, setting entire communities on fire and leaving behind apocalyptic scenes. The fires on Maui were fueled partly by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, 800 miles away. [CNN]

¶ “Extreme Heat Will Make Grand Canyon Visits Dramatically More Risky In The Future, Study Says” • Extreme heat fueled by climate change will significantly increase the risk of heat-related illness for the people who visit Grand Canyon National Park each year, a National Park Service study found. The increase could be 137% by 2100, in a worst case scenario. [CNN]

Grand Canyon (Omer Nezih Gerek, Unsplash)

¶ “Texas Power Use Hits Another Record During Heat Wave” • Demand for power in Texas hit a record high on Wednesday for the second time this week and ninth time this summer as homes and businesses used air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave. Energy analysts point out that wind and solar power have helped ERCOT meet record demand. [SaltWire]

¶ “Community Solar: Panels Without A Roof” • As the cost of solar decreases each year, all forms of solar are within reach of more people. One form, community solar, is growing especially fast. According to the National Renewable Energy Lab, capacity has grown by 121% year-over-year since 2010. That trend that is expected to continue. [CleanTechnica]

Concept of community solar (Massachusetts Clean Energy Center)

¶ “DFW Airport Breaks Ground On New Renewable Energy Plant In Continued Quest For Net-Zero Emissions” • Dallas-Ft Worth Airport (DFW) is rolling out its next phase of projects to aid its achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The airport broke ground on a wind-powered Central Utility Plant to replace an old plant powered by natural gas. [WFAA]

¶ “Solar Leads 16.8 GW US Grid Addition In First Half Of 2023” • The EIA released a report on the power grid’s growth and usage for the first half of 2023. Solar power led with 35% of all new installations, natural gas had 34% (there were also retirements), wind stood was 19%. Batteries took 11%. One nuclear reactor was installed seven years late. [Environment+Energy Leader]

Have a seriously carefree day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Red States, Do You Know That You’ve Benefited More From Climate Funding Than Blue States?” • Four-fifths of all the clean energy investments under the Inflation Reduction Act have gone to districts held by House Republicans, but every one of them voted last spring to repeal the incentives that encouraged those investments. [CleanTechnica]

Sign at project (Retrieved from Twitter)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Recycling Revival: Creative Problem-Solving For EV Battery Recycling” • Automated disassembly batteries is safer than simply shredding them, and it improves the quality and value of extracted materials such as copper and aluminum. “We like to talk about recovering the value instead of recycling,” said ORNL researcher Jonathan Harter. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Microalgae Vs Mercury” • In the search for ways to fight the methylmercury in global waterways, scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory discovered that some phytoplankton, forms of microalgae, are good at degrading the potent neurotoxin. The mechanism can be used to improve the prediction and accuracy of mercury-cycling models. [CleanTechnica]

Chlorella vulgaris (ORNL, US DOE)

World:

¶ “July Hit A Crucial Warming Threshold That Scientists Have Warned The World Should Stay Under” • The world got its first preview last month of what summer will be like at 1.5 degrees of global warming – a threshold that scientists warn the planet should stay under, yet one that it has flown increasingly close to in recent years. [CNN]

¶ “Amazon Nations Fall Short Of Agreement On A Goal To End Deforestation” • The eight countries that share the Amazon basin have fallen short of an agreed goal to end deforestation. At their first summit in fourteen years, they issued a joint declaration that created an alliance to combat deforestation, but it left the details of actions up to individual countries. [BBC]

Deforested area of Brazil (Ibama, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “New Zealand Is Partnering With Blackrock In Aim To Reach 100% Renewable Electricity” • New Zealand’s government said it will partner with US investment giant BlackRock in its aim to become one of the first nations to have its electricity grid run entirely from renewable energy. It is helping BlackRock launch a $1.2 billion investment fund. [PBS]

¶ “Why Renewable Energy Has The Potential To Power The Philippines’ Future” • The Philippines is facing the threat of an energy crisis. One sources of natural gas supplies a third of the power used by Luzon. It is expected to run dry by 2027, and the pressure is on the archipelagic nation to shift its reliance to renewable sources of energy. [Eco-Business]

Rural Luzon (AR, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “China Accused Of ‘Hypocrisy’ As Japan Is Set To Release Fukushima Wastewater” • China has criticized Japan’s plans to release radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, and it imposed restrictions on Japanese seafood imports. But nuclear plants across the world, including China, dump tritium into the sea constantly. [VOA News]

¶ “Queensland Halfway To Achieving 2030 Renewable Energy Target” • Queensland is on track to beat its renewable energy target of 50% renewable energy by 2030. With the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan in full swing, it’s expected the Sunshine State will connect a further 682 MW of new clean generation before the end of 2023. [pv magazine Australia]

Queensland (Carole Mackinney, Free Art License, cropped)

US:

¶ “NREL Workshop Hosts Experts To Envision Tomorrow’s Sustainable Mobility Systems” • Which energy-efficient mobility strategies will get us to the finish line in time? That question was the focus of a two-day workshop hosted by NREL, where thought leaders from industry, government, and academia discussed the challenges and opportunities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GM Unveils New Vehicle-To-Home EV Charging, But What About The Bolt?” • Bidirectional EV charging provides electricity ratepayers with more flexibility to coordinate their power needs at home with time-of-day discounts. It can mean that a vehicle can be used as an emergency home generator. GM is releasing it. But where is the Chevy Bolt? [CleanTechnica]

Bidirectional EV charging (Courtesy of GM, via email)

¶ “San Diego Launches Instant Permit Program For Residential Solar Projects” • San Diego launched an instant permit program for residential solar projects. The program, which is mandated by a state bill, allows residents to apply for solar and battery storage building permits for their home online and instantly receive approved paperwork. [FOX 5 San Diego]

¶ “This Group Of Former Coal Workers Just Did Something That’s Never Been Done Before In The US” • The first unionized fossil fuel workers are switching to offshore wind. New York’s Ravenswood Generating Station generates 2,480 MW, 20% of New York City’s electricity, using oil and natural gas. The plant is to replace 1,400 MW with offshore wind. [Yahoo News]

Ravenswood Generating Station (Taraqur Rahman, Unsplash)

¶ “US May Phase In Hydrogen Tax Credit In A Bid To Balance Industry, Activists” • John Podesta, a top climate adviser to President Biden, signaled the administration could phase in some requirements for a valuable new hydrogen tax credit in a bid to nurture an industry critical to decarbonizing industrial operations. [The Portland Press Herald]

¶ “Governor Newsom Announces New Strategy To Develop A Hydrogen Economy Of The Future” • Governor Gavin Newsom directed his Office of Business and Economic Development to develop California’s Hydrogen Market Development Strategy, with an all-of-government approach to building up a clean, renewable hydrogen market. [Gavin Newsom]

Have a generously empowered day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Will Electric Flying Taxis Live Up To Their Promise?” • If all goes to plan, Volocopter’s two-seater electric aircraft, VoloCity, will be carrying passengers around Paris in time for the 2024 Olympics. It will be the first service in Europe to use an electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft, but the company needs to show it has a market. [BBC]

VoloCity (Volocopter image)

¶ “Want to cope with heatwaves? Look to Japan’s creative cooling solutions” • Japan, a nation renowned for its design thinking and innovation, is armed with many ways to survive punishing heat. They love the AC as much as any heat-stricken country, but they also find respite in creative remedies, from electrically ventilated clothes to water-based rituals. [BBC]

¶ “Fanning The Flames: Wildfires Emit Potent Climate-Warming Organic Particles” • A study published in Nature Geoscience, found that wildfires are causing a much greater warming effect than had been accounted for by climate scientists. The study highlights an urgent need to revise climate models and update approaches for the changing environment. [CleanTechnica]

Smoke (Steve Brown, NOAA)

¶ “Nuclear Powered Cargoships ‘Wishful Thinking’ Says Precious Shipping Boss” • In Precious Shipping’s quarterly newsletter the company’s Managing Director Hashim particularly took issue with an article from Bloomberg last month that painted a vision of large nuclear-powered vessels. He called the idea of nuclear cargo ships “wishful thinking.” [Seatrade Maritime]

World:

¶ “Portugal Battles Wildfires Amid Third Heatwave Of The Year” • Firefighters in Portugal are battling to contain wildfires burning thousands of hectares amid soaring temperatures. Temperatures in excess of 40°C (104°F) are expected to hit much of the Iberian peninsula this week. In Portugal, Monday saw a temperature of 46.4°C (116°F) recorded in Santarém. [BBC]

After a wildfire in Portugal (Feli García, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Climate Change: The Record Summer That Scorched Asia” • Countries have pledged to keep the world from warming past 1.5°C. A recent report, compiled by nearly two dozen climate scientists, found that temperatures earlier this year were up by 2°C in many parts of Asia. The region is home to more than 4.5 billion people. [BBC]

¶ “Humans Emitting Carbon Dioxide 200 Times Faster Than Supervolcanic Eruptions That Caused Earth’s Most Severe Mass Extinctions” • Lead researcher Dr Qiang Jiang, a Curtin PhD graduate from Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the findings were vital to understanding how to prevent future climate disasters. [CleanTechnica]

Erupting volcano (Yosh Ginsu, Unsplash)

¶ “First Solar-Powered Battery Charging And Swapping Hub For Rural Mobility Launches In Kenya” • Rural areas of Africa have been badly underserved, especially in transport. That is starting to change. The first solar-powered battery charging and battery swapping hub for rural mobility has been launched in Kenya by the SUN-RUN partnership. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Breaking Through ‘Status Quo Bias’ With Co-Designed Solar Power Plants” • A group of Dutch researchers assessed the impact of including stakeholder input in the design process of solar power plants. It found that a co-designed approach may help counter the resistance of local inhabitants and result in more positive evaluations of the project. [PV Magazine]

Local involvment (US HUD image)

¶ “Solar Sector Backs Winser Report’s Plan To Overhaul Power Grid” • Trade body Solar Energy UK has welcomed the report by Electricity Grid Commissioner Nick Winser recommending ways to speed up infrastructure build time. The report proposes ways to halve the time for upgrades. There are 230 GW of projects currently in the queue. [Solar Power Portal]

¶ “Acciona Energia Proposes New 58-Turbine Nyaninyuk Wind Farm In Victoria” • A major energy company has revealed a proposal for a fourth wind farm in Victoria to meet the rising demand for clean energy. The Nyaninyuk wind farm would have 58 turbines, able to generate 330 MW. The wind farm is to be sited in the western part of the state. [ABC]

Wind turbines (Image supplied by BP)

¶ “Atlas Renewable Energy, Isagen To build 1-GW Solar PV In Colombia” • US-based Atlas Renewable Energy and Colombia-headquartered Isagen have partnered to develop, build and operate 1 GW of solar projects in Colombia. Isagen implied that the projects would be built and commissioned quickly, to meet Colombia’s clean power demand quickly. [PV Tech]

US:

¶ “Hydrogen Aviation Brings Together Georgia Democrat And Republican” • State officials in Georgia have answered the call to fight against renewable energy, but it seems not everyone got the memo. Georgia’s Senators, one Democrat and one Republican, support a national hydrogen aviation strategy and a regional green hydrogen hub. [CleanTechnica]

Hydrogen infographic (US DOE image)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “US Electric Co-Ops Invited To Apply For Renewable Energy Funding” • The USDA asked rural co-operatives to send letters of interest for a rural renewable energy systems fund. The scheme is for electric co-ops and will award funds on a competitive basis to cover 25% of the cost of a qualifying project that is finished by September 30, 2031. [Co-operative News]

¶ “Nucor Signs Agreement With NextEra Energy Resources To Support Solar Energy Development In Kentucky” • Nucor Corporation announced a power purchase agreement for 250 MW of electricity from Sebree Solar, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources. Sebree Solar is a 400-MW solar project in Henderson County, Kentucky. [PR Newswire]

Have a brilliantly enlightened day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Redefining America’s ‘Energy Communities’ Can Boost Clean Energy Investment Where It’s Needed Most” • Millions of people live in communities deeply dependent on the fossil fuel industry, facing both risks and opportunities of a low-carbon future. One benefit of the Inflation Reduction Act is to encourage investment in “energy communities.” [CleanTechnica]

Abandoned company store (Brian M Powell, CC-BY-SA, cropped)

¶ “Farmington, A City In Need Of A Jolt” • The good news these days about Farmington, New Mexico, is that the air is clear. Since the 1960s, the town’s giant smokestacks could be seen from miles away, and their dangerous emissions helped add the designation of “national sacrifice zone” to this area. Now, visitors come to see the view of the mountains. [Aspen Times]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Full Clean Ahead: Can Shipping Finally Steer Away From Fossil Fuels?” • Nearly half (43%) of all voyages made along the longest shipping corridor between China and the US could be powered by hydrogen without adding any fuel capacity or extra port calls, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. [The Guardian]

MV Sea Change, a zero-emissions ferry (All American Marine)

World:

¶ “Supermarkets To The Rescue – Coles Joins Virtual Power Plant” • Coles supermarkets has 846 stores throughout Australia. The company plans to install solar panels and batteries on 100 of its supermarkets and liquor stores. Now, all three of Australia’s big supermarkets, Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi, are working towards net-zero emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Opera Is Aiming For Net Zero Amid Worsening Climate Change” • Thoughts of a night at the opera typically include images of chandelier-filled theatres and arias performed in exquisite costumes against transportative stage sets. But recent years have seen opera companies working out strategies to reduce their carbon emissions. [BBC]

Sydney Opera House (Liam Pozz, Unsplash)

¶ “Malaysia’s Penang Development Corporation Expands Into Solar Energy For A Green Future” • The Penang Development Corporation, a state government agency, put forth plans to expand its presence in the renewable energy sector, focusing on solar energy, with the intention of making it one of its core businesses in the future. [Solar Quarter]

¶ “Solar Power: Expected To Eclipse Oil In 2023” • Renewable energy has become an increasingly important topic in recent years as we work towards a more environmentally-friendly and sustainable future. A recent Forbes article highlights an exciting trend toward solar power investment, which is set to eclipse oil this year. [Digital Journal]

Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

¶ “UK Grid Connections Branded ‘Greatest Obstacle’ To Net Zero Following Landmark Review” • Nick Winser, electricity networks commissioner, published his review of grid connections. He called for the “speeding up the delivery of strategic electricity transmission lines”, which he described as “challenging but vital and achievable.” [City AM]

¶ “Starmer Says Sunak’s Lack Of Investment In Wind Power Is A ‘Gift To Putin’” • Labour party leader Keir Starmer condemned the prime minister’s climate policies, saying the failure to invest in renewables such as wind turbines is a “gift to Putin.” He said the ban on onshore windpower means every family in the UK is paying £180 more for energy. [The Guardian]

Wind turbine (Raychel Sanner, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “World Bank To Help Fund 1,000 Mini Solar Power Grids In Nigeria” • The World Bank is aiming to help fund construction of 1,000 mini solar power grids in Africa’s biggest economy Nigeria in partnership with the government and private sector, according to the World Bank president Ajay Banga. Nigeria’s population is over 200 million. [News24]

US:

¶ “Glacier Basin Flooding Destroys Two Structures In Alaskan Capital Of Juneau And Prompts Local Emergency Declaration” • Record-breaking river flooding destroyed at least two structures in Juneau and prompted local evacuations. This was the result of a sudden outburst from a glacier-dammed lake that inundated the region, officials say. [CNN]

Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls, Juneau
(Enrico Blasutto, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “How Tesla’s Delicate ‘Dynamic Pricing’ Model Works” • Tesla has been breaking records this year, maintaining a 60% share of US EV sales. The company’s successes of 2023 can be attributed in part to its ever-changing prices and incentives, and company executives say the dynamic pricing model will be around for the foreseeable future. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Fisker Holds A Glitzy Reveal Event In SoCal” • Henrik Fisker laid on a glitzy Product Vision Day event last week, in which he presented three new EVs his company might manufacture someday, God willing and the creek don’t rise. For those who are interested, there is an extravaganza of 1 hour, 20 minutes, and 36 seconds that can be viewed. [CleanTechnica]

Fisker reveal event (Courtesy of Fisker)

¶ “Vineyard Wind Teams With Bristol CC On New Wind Power Lab Geared To Families And Students” • Imagine climbing the ladder of an offshore wind turbine all the way to the top, thanks to virtual reality. We can experience it in the new educational exhibit in Bristol Community College’s Wind Power Lab, a joint venture with Vineyard Wind. [SouthCoastToday.com]

¶ “Warming Climate Could Create Nuclear Waste Problems In Maine” • The Maine Yankee nuclear plant is closed. Its waste disposal site is safe from all possible flooding, sea level rise, tornadoes, lightning strikes and other natural disasters. For now. But climate change is making the Atlantic Ocean sea level rise and storms unpredictable. [Bangor Daily News]

Have an exuberantly merry day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Green Backlash? UK’S Leader Fuels Battle Over Driving – Which Could Signal A Coming Climate Fight” • Posing in a car once owned by Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak explained why he was launching a media blitz to burnish his own credentials as a champion of the average voter against state environmental overreach. [NBC News]

Protest (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “NOAA And NASA Spearheading Massive Air Quality Research Campaign This Summer” • Scientists from NOAA, NASA, and 21 universities from three countries are deploying state-of-the-art instruments in multiple, coordinated research campaigns this month to investigate how air pollution sources have shifted over recent decades. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Greta Thunberg Pulls Out Of The Edinburgh Book Festival Appearance After Accusing A Key Sponsor Of Greenwashing” • Climate activist Greta Thunberg canceled an appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival after accusing one of the festival’s main sponsors, investment management firm, Ballie Gifford, of maintaining ties to fossil fuels. [CNN]

Greta Thunberg (European Parliament, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “South Africa Imported $1.1 Billion (4.4 GWh) Of Lithium-Ion Cells And Batteries In First Six Months Of 2023!” • According to Gaylor Montmasson-Clair. South Africa imported $1.1 billion of lithium-ion cells and batteries in just the first six months of 2023! This a big jump from the $0.7 billion worth of cells and batteries imported in the whole of 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Pension Wealth In Peril!” • A recent Carbon Tracker report alerts us to the possibility that Pension wealth appears to be in Peril. The report, Loading the Dice against Pension Funds, says that the global financial system is in danger of having to support the stranded assets of fossil fuel companies as national economies go green. [CleanTechnica]

Pump jacks in storage (Larry D Moore, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “‘Top Renewables State’ NSW Swamped With Bids” • Newly crowned the best state for renewable energy investment, New South Wales is being swamped with bids to replace coal power with new infrastructure. The latest tender round aimed for solar, battery, and other power projects totalling 950 MW of capacity, but it drew bids for 3,100 MW. [CQ Today]

¶ “Installation Of Turbine Twice The Height Of London Eye Begins At World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm” • Wind turbines, each of 13 MW, are being installed 80 miles off the Yorkshire coast at the Dogger Bank Wind Farm. The work is being done by the largest jack-up turbine installation vessel, a Jan de Nul’s ship with a lifting capacity of 3,200 tonnes. [Marine Insight]

Jack-up ship (Dogger Bank Wind Farm image)

¶ “Australia Will Fall Well Short Of 82% Renewable Energy By 2030, Analysts Predict, As Problems Mount” • Plans for Australia to generate more than four-fifths of its power from renewable sources by 2030 are coming under pressure amid claims the country is way off track. Australia gets no more than 35% of its power from renewables now. [ABC]

¶ “Winter Heatwave In Andes Is A Sign Of Things To Come, Scientists Warn” • The record-breaking winter heatwave in the Andean mountains of South America has surged to 37°C (98.6°F), prompting local scientists to warn the worst may be yet to come as human-caused climate disruption and El Niño cause havoc across the region. [The Guardian]

Andes (Alexander Schimmeck, Unsplash)

¶ “Alberta Announces Six-Month Pause On Renewable Energy, Citing Rural Concerns” • Alberta’s conservative government is pausing all approvals in the province’s booming renewable energy industry in response to what it says are environmental and rural concerns. The pause affects solar and wind projects of more than one megawatt. [Red Deer Advocate]

US:

¶ “VinFast Breaks Ground At New North Carolina Factory Despite Perception Backlash, Expects Listing Soon” • Despite facing difficulties in the launch of its cars in the US, Vietnamese EV maker VinFast recently broke ground at its North Carolina EV facility. Once completed, the plant is expected to have an output of up to 150,000 electric cars annually. [CleanTechnica]

Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina

¶ “Entergy Arkansas To Offer Clean Energy Program Go ZERO” • Electric utility Entergy Arkansas received regulatory approval to provide a clean energy program for industrial and commercial customers looking to meet sustainability goals, according to a news release. Several businesses have already expressed interest in participating. [Talk Business & Politics]

¶ “A Proposed ‘Battle Plan’ For The Next Republican Presidency Includes Eliminating A Biden-Era Clean Energy Act That Has Funneled Hundreds Of Billions To Primarily Red States” • Red states like Oklahoma and Texas are the biggest beneficiaries of the Inflation Reduction Act, but such conservative groups as the Heritage Foundation oppose it. [Business Insider]

Wind turbines in Oregon (Steve Wilson, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Northwest: Electricity Demand To Rise Nearly 25% In Next Decade” • Demand for electricity in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana is projected to rise by nearly 25% within the next decade, according to an annual report on expected electricity demand. The report was published by the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee. [The News Guard]

¶ “SC’s Nuclear Fiasco: What’s Next In Saga Surrounding Fraud And Mismanagement At VC Summer” • Six years after South Carolina’s grand nuclear power ambitions came crashing down, federal prosecutors say they are not backing down in their attempt to hold accountable those they allege are responsible, despite a major setback. [Post and Courier]

Have a simply perfect day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Rishi Sunak’s Obscene Disregard For The Climate Will Damn Him Once He’s Flung From Power” • Ostensibly, Rishi Sunak is committed to the ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and the 2035 carbon-free electricity target. But underneath those commitments, he is doing everything he can to put himself on the side of those who oppose net-zero. [iNews]

Old hot rod (Pixy.org, CC0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Desiccants Allow Air Conditioners To Work Smarter, Not Harder” • Desiccants that remove moisture from the air may be important for cooling our homes and businesses in the future. Several companies are working on ways to dry air out before cooling it. They estimate this could cut the need for electricity for cooling by 50% to 80%. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Amazon Deforestation At Six-Year Low In Brazil After 66% Plunge In July” • Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 66% last month compared to July 2022 and is now at its lowest rate in six years, according to preliminary data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. Surveillance has increased and perpetrators are being fined. [CNN]

Amazon rainforest (Ivars Utināns, Unsplash)

¶ “Parts Of South America Are Sweltering Under A ‘Fierce’ Heatwave – And It’s The Middle Of Winter” • Southern Cone countries including Chile and Argentina are having summer-like conditions as a heat wave pushed temperatures higher than 38°C (100°F) in places. This is winter. One climatologist said the event is “rewriting all climatic books.” [CNN]

¶ “‘Dither And Delay’ Of UK Government On Electric Vehicles Risks Investment Essential To Transport Decarbonisation” • The UK government’s “dither and delay” moves relating to the zero emissions car and van mandate could risk billions of pounds worth of private investment going into the UK charging network, Transport & Environment said. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV (Siemens image)

¶ “Calls To Drill Below The Earth At Grangegorman To Source Geothermal Energy” • Greenhouse gas emissions that come from Technological University Dublin in Grangegorman could be halved by drilling boreholes into the ground on the campus and harvesting the geothermal energy that has been confirmed to be available there. [RTE]

¶ “Lithium Processing Pilot Plant In WA’s Pilbara To Bring Benefits To Community, Traditional Owners” • A Pilbara miner is trying to harness renewable energy to reduce carbon emissions from the lithium it produces. Pilbara Minerals announced a final investment decision for a joint-venture pilot facility with Calix Limited, an environmental technology company. [ABC]

Rendering of the Lithium plant (Pilbara Minerals)

¶ “Kenya Is Harnessing Sun’s Potential As Next Frontier In Its Renewable Energy Sector” • Kenya has seen a significant surge in solar power generation that experts hail as a game-changer for the East African country. Its abundant sunshine can potentially revolutionize its energy sector in terms of cost-effectiveness and scalability. [The North Africa Post]

¶ “EU Must Address Wasted Green Energy And Negative Prices, Solar Industry Warns” • The EU needs to address curtailment wasting solar energy and negative prices. A major concern for the industry is that solar power is increasingly being cut off from the grid in times of low demand, sometimes in favour of heavily-polluting coal power production. [edie]

Solar panels (Nuno Marques, Unsplash)

¶ “IAEA Finds No Explosives On Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Roofs” • The UN nuclear watchdog said it found no mines or explosives on the roofs of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The IAEA was only given access to the roofs of the reactor buildings and their turbine halls after a monthlong wait. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Offshore Wind Resources Could Meet 25% Of US Demand” • The US has one of the best offshore wind resources in the world, a new report from UC Berkeley, Energy Innovation, and Grid Lab finds. With good near-term policy actions, those resources could account for up to a quarter of US electricity generation in less than 30 years. [CleanTechnica]

Return to base (Arnold Price, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Batteries Now Can Replace Old Power Plants” • Most of the oldest fossil fuel power plants in the US are near or in cities, making it more urgent – and more difficult – to shut them down. Now, with the changes in rules announced by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, it will be much easier to replace them with battery storage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Flow Battery Code Is Starting To Crack: Red State Edition” • Georgia is now the proud home of its first ever utility-scale flow battery. The new battery will serve as a model for similar projects all over the country, even though Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is one of 19 Republican governors who signed up their states to the “Anti-ESG Alliance.” [CleanTechnica]

Flow battery (Stryten Energy image)

¶ “Four New Offshore Wind Power Projects Proposed For New Jersey Shore; Two Would Be Far Out To Sea” • Wind power developers have proposed four new projects for sites off the New Jersey Shore. The proposed projects would more than double the number of wind farms to be built off the state’s coast if they are approved by regulators. [ABC News]

¶ “Duke Energy Unveils Kentucky’s Largest Utility-Scale Rooftop Solar Site At Amazon Air Hub” • Kentucky’s largest rooftop solar array operates over 5,600 PV panels on the 800,000-square-foot Amazon Air Hub rooftop. This Duke Energy facility will feed up to 2 MW of solar power directly onto the electric grid, enough to power about 400 homes. [CSRwire]

Have a categorically constructive day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Unpacking The Reasons Why Republican Senators Oppose EPA Power Plant Rule” • In May, the EPA announced new carbon pollution standards for power plants to protect public health, reduce pollution, and deliver up to $85 billion in climate and public health benefits over two decades. Some 39 Republican US senators signed a letter opposing it. [CleanTechnica]

Power plant (Earth.com image)

¶ “Electric Vehicle Regulations And Laws: A Primer For Decision Makers” • It can be difficult to find easy-to-understand resources regarding the many EV policies and regulations. To save decision makers time, RMI compiled a series of factsheets that clearly and thoroughly outline existing regulations, their goals, who must comply, and what is required. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Devastating Wildfires Spur New Detection Systems” • Almost 900 forest fires were active in Canada during the week of July 17, burning a total of 10 million hectares. OroraTech, a German company, has eight satellites with special infrared sensors that monitor temperatures in grids of four-by-four meters. They can detect fires and issue warnings. [BBC]

Fire in British Columbia (BC Wildfire Service image)

¶ “Scientists Dig Into Wildfire Predictions, Long-Term Impacts” • Wildfires have grown in frequency, range, and intensity as the climate changes. Scientists the US DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are working on several fronts to better understand and predict these events and what they mean for the carbon cycle and biodiversity. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Activists Drape Rishi Sunak’s Mansion In Black Cloth To Protest His Climate Policies” • Five people were arrested after climate activists draped black cloth over British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s private mansion, in a protest against his policy to “max out” the UK’s oil and gas resources in the North Sea. The demonstrators were from Greenpeace. [CNN]

Rishi Sunak (The Conservative Party, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “The Chinese Town Engulfed By A Flood To Save Beijing” • As the flooding emergency in western Beijing turned deadlier at the beginning of this week, taking out bridges, washing away cars by the dozen, and wreaking havoc, the decision was made to divert the raging waters. They went to Zhuozhou, in Hebei Province, with force the locals didn’t expect. [BBC]

¶ “Ocean Heat Record Broken, With Grim Implications For The Planet” • The oceans hit their hottest temperature ever recorded as they soak up warmth from climate change. The implications for our planet’s health are dire. The average global sea surface temperature of 20.96°C, beating a 2016 record, according to the EU’s climate change service Copernicus. [BBC]

Ocean (Joseph Barrientos, Unsplash)

¶ “Jordan Plans To Introduce Regulations For Green Hydrogen Projects In Renewable Energy Push” • According to an official of Jordanian Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Jordan is set to introduce regulations for green hydrogen projects as part of a national strategy to expand renewable energy use and export green hydrogen to other nations. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “South Africa Now Has Over 10 GW Of Wind And Solar Generation Capacity” • South Africa has about 50 GW of electric generating capacity. It is dominated by Eskom’s coal power plants. They are old, they break down often, and the result is load shedding, blacking out large areas daily. The fastest way to deal with this is to install renewables. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines in South Africa (Kalle Pihlajasaari, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “China Pumps Out Coal Plants At Increasing Pace To Allay Power-Security Fears, Risking Climate Transition” • China is approving new coal power plants at an increasing pace to avoid power shortages and restart economic growth, Greenpeace says. This is raising alarm about the country’s ability to meet its stated decarbonization goals. [South China Morning Post]

¶ “Russians Force Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Workers To Get Russian Passports” • Ukraine’s General Staff reported, “In Enerhodar, temporarily occupied by Russian troops, the occupiers are forcing the plant’s staff to obtain Russian passports, threatening them with reprisals, in order to keep them working at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.” [Yahoo News]

Zaporizhzhia NPP (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “Tesla Owners: $25/Month In Texas For Overnight Charging (Unlimited)” • Starting with Texas, Tesla is spreading its wings as a retail electricity provider. Tesla is providing cost-effective electricity to its EV owners and Powerwall customers. The most attractive offer it is making is $25/month unlimited overnight vehicle or Powerwall charging. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Vehicles And The US Economy: A Win-Win Situation” • We know that electrifying vehicles will help the environment. What we haven’t heard much about is the positive influence that EVs will have on the US economy. New research indicates that EVs are going to be really, really good for the US economy, and for a variety of reasons. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning (WMrapids, public domain)

¶ “133 Self-Storage Rooftops In 3 US States Are About To Power Community Solar” • The largest US self-storage company, Public Storage, is working with rooftop developer Solar Landscape on a multi-state project that will see 87.5 MW of community solar installations on self-storage building rooftops in Maryland, New Jersey, and Illinois. [Electrek]

¶ “2023 Sees The Highest Second Quarter On Record For US Wind Power And Solar Installations” • The American Clean Power Association released a report showing that 5,218 MW of utility-scale solar, wind, and storage capacity were installed in Q2 2023. This makes it the second-highest second quarter for clean power installations. [Evwind]

Have an utterly delightful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How Offshore Wind Can Supply 25% Of US Electricity By 2050” • Currently, six turbines off the coast of Rhode Island account for the lion’s share of the US’s offshore wind energy production. But researchers believe massive offshore turbines could be producing more than 10,000 times as much energy in less than three decades. [Time]

Turbines off Block Island (Alex DeCiccio, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “MIT Engineers Develop Futuristic Battery Alternative With Cement And Carbon Black For Energy Storage” • Engineers at MIT developed a low-cost energy storage system using two of our most ubiquitous historical materials: cement and carbon black. The two materials can be combined with water to make a supercapacitor. [The Weather Channel]

¶ “High-Tech Pavement Markers Support Autonomous Driving In Tough Conditions, Remote Areas” • ORNL engineers and others are puting low-powered sensors in the reflective raised pavement markers that are already used to help drivers identify lanes. They published a paper saying the chips in the markers are effective when other means fail. [CleanTechnica]

Pavement marker (Carlos Jones, ORNL, US DOE)

World:

¶ “Great Barrier Reef Stays Off UNESCO ‘In Danger’ List But Hot El Niño Summer Looms” • Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence that suggests the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of another mass bleaching event this coming summer the UNESCO World Heritage Committee has decided not to add it to its list of sites “in danger.” Scientists question why. [CNN]

¶ “PM: I Care About Reaching Net Zero Carbon Emissions” • UK Prime minisiter Rishi Sunak faced criticism from environmental groups, and some of his own MPs, that he is not committed to tackling climate change. He insisted he cares about reaching net zero, and he said the UK would need to achieve net-zero in “a proportionate and pragmatic way.” [BBC]

Rishi Sunak meets Joe Biden (The White House)

¶ “Australia To Commence LFP Industry” • EVs need batteries. Batteries need cathodes. Australian mining needs to move up the value chain. All these needs will be met by Avenira’s LFP cathode manufacturing plant in Darwin, in the Northern Territory. It is expected that when it opens, it will be one of only three LFP cathode plants outside of China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric VTOL Aircraft – China’s New Technology Lead” • FutureFlight‘s Jennifer Meszaros says, “The Bao’an district of the vast city of Shenzhen in China’s Guangdong province is set to become a hub for advanced air mobility services, with its district government now having signed partnership agreements with three eVTOL aircraft developers.” [CleanTechnica]

EHang & GZDG Vertiport (Courtesy of EHang)

¶ “Tesla Rules Supreme In Europe (Europe EV Sales Report)” • Some 311,000 plugin vehicles were registered in June in Europe, which is up 42% year over year. Last month’s plugin vehicle share of the overall European auto market was 25% (17% full battery EVs). That result pulled the 2023 plugin vehicle share to 22% (15% for battery EVs alone). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “86 Airports In India Go Renewable, 55 Of Them Achieve 100% Renewable Power” • In a big move towards sustainable aviation, 86 airports in India are making strides in adopting green energy solutions. Out of these, 55 airports have achieved a remarkable milestone by ensuring that 100% of the energy they use comes from renewable sources. [SolarQuarter]

Indira Gandhi International Airport (Bharatahs, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “First Commercial Gravity-Based Energy Storage Tower Begins Commissioning” • Energy Vault announced that it is starting to commission its first commercial gravity energy storage system. Energy Vault says the gravity tower is to be fully commissioned in Q4 2023, as the world’s first gravity-based storage facility not based on pumped hydro. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Apraava Energy Secures Renewable Energy Transmission Projects In Rajasthan” • Apraava Energy, an integrated energy provider, has secured two interstate transmission projects in Rajasthan through tariff-based competitive bidding. The projects are part of a scheme to get 20 GW of power from renewable energy zones in Rajasthan. [pv magazine India]

Desert camp in Rajasthan (Ivy Aralia Nizar, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “New York In Danger Of Missing 2030 Emissions Target: Report” • New York must quicken its pace to achieve its 2030 renewable energy goals, a report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says. The state would have to add 6.5 GW of renewables to meet the 2030 target. That is more than half of what it has added in the last twenty years. [The Hill]

¶ “Fight Fire With AI? Artificial Intelligence Tackles Wildfires” • Pano AI is building out the largest blaze-detecting network in the Pacific Northwest, monitoring 2.4 million hectares (5.93 million acres) of land across California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana and using AI-based fire hazard detection and assessment in real time. [CleanTechnica]

Fire detected by AI cameras (Courtesy of Pano AI)

¶ “Texas Power Use Hits Record High For Seventh Day This Summer” • Power demand in Texas has hit a record high for the second day in a row and the seventh day this summer, as ongoing heat waves have kept air conditioning systems on. ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said it has enough resources to meet soaring demand. [Power Technology]

¶ “New Nuclear Power Plant Comes Online In USA” • The newest unit of Plant Vogtle is in operation. It was linked to the grid, with a capacity of 1,114 MW, the Energy Information Administration said Tuesday. The country now has at 93 operating commercial reactors, most of which were built between 1970 and 1990, according to the EIA. [Rigzone]

Have a gratifyingly appreciated day.

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Opinion:

¶ “No, US Offshore Wind Developers Aren’t Killing Whales, And Haven’t Been Given Permits To Do So” • Michael Barnard writes, “Today I saw some egregious nonsense about offshore wind and whales I had never seen before. Was I surprised? No, not at all.” Very wealthy people may disagree on politics, but they often can agree on spreading untruth. [CleanTechnica]

Block Island wind farm (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

¶ “So Not Only Are NIMBYS Delaying Our Essential Transition To Renewable Energy, They’re Also Taking Lots Of Money Out Of Our Pockets!” • The Boston Globe reports that the cost of the critically important New England Clean Energy Connect project increased by over 50% to 1.5 billion dollars while the developer battled NIMBYs for three years. [Mondaq]

¶ “NRG Energy’s Pivot Amid Power Sector Change” • Once a giant pure-play power producer, NRG Energy has cultivated a legacy of pioneering business models to withstand waves of change in the power sector. Its latest shift pivots from megawatts generated to customers served. Notably, it is selling nuclear and building renewable assets. [POWER Magazine]

South Texas Project nuclear plant (NRG Energy image)

¶ “Critical Issues Unaddressed As Takahama Reactor Restarted” • Japan’s oldest nuclear reactor was brought back online at the Takahama nuclear power plant in Fukui Prefecture on July 28 for the first time in 12 years. It left serious problems unaddressed, including the effectiveness of current evacuation plans in an emergency. [Asahi Shimbun]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Progress Reported On Proton Batteries, With Green Hydrogen Bonus” • In a proton battery, hydrogen is split from water and stored as protons at a carbon electrode. During the discharge cycle, proton batteries release their protons. They pass through a membrane to meet oxygen from ambient air, and that reaction produces water and power. [CleanTechnica]

Proton battery powering tiny fans (Courtesy of RMIT)

World:

¶ “Batteries For Hire Could Help Nigerians Ditch Generators” • Although Nigeria has vast energy reserves, more than 92 million of its people live without access to electricity, the International Energy Agency says. Those who are connected to the electricity grid experience frequent power cuts. A company called Reeddi is offering batteries for solutions. [CNN]

¶ “The UK Will Drill For More Oil And Gas In The North Sea” • The UK government announced plans to allow a big expansion of drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea in a move that green activists describe as a taking a “wrecking ball” to the UK climate commitments. He also announced plans for two carbon capture and storage sites in the North Sea. [CNN]

Idle oil rigs (Andy Beecroft, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “NTPC Renewable Energy Wins 550-MW Solar Project at Record Low Tariff” • NTPC Renewable Energy has achieved yet another significant milestone in India’s renewable energy sector by securing the Letter of Award for a 550-MW Solar Project. The project was awarded at the remarkably low tariff of ₹2.56/kWh (3.1¢/kWh). [GreentechLead]

¶ “Ukraine Fights To Build More Resilient, Renewable Energy System In Midst Of War” • Amidst Russia’s war, Ukraine’s power is still on. Crews from UkrEnergo are on call 24/7 to respond to targeted attacks on their grid and to address local communities’ needs quickly after a missile strike. Renewable energy can make the grid more resilient. [CleanTechnica]

Ukraine solar resource map (Billy Roberts, NREL)

US:

¶ “How The US Is Fighting Back Against Deadly Floods” • In early July, the state of Vermont was hit by historic flooding. Over nine inches of rain fell in some areas in a single day. And climate change is projected to bring more precipitation. Restoring key floodplains in Vermont could reduce flood-related damages by 20%, a study had shown in 2022. [BBC]

¶ “NREL Researchers Bring Technical Expertise To Communities Selected For Geothermal Heating & Cooling Initiative” • NREL will assist communities in Colorado (Carbondale), Vermont (Middlebury), and Alaska (Seward and Pilgrim Hot Springs, a remote community near Nome) to install district or networked geothermal technologies. [CleanTechnica]

Geothermal power in Iceland (David Elvar Masson, Pexels)

¶ “US BOEM Finalizes Wind Energy Areas In The Central Atlantic” • As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced three final Wind Energy Areas in Atlantic Ocean waters off Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Program Aims To Use Renewable Energy To Power Utah Communities By 2030” • A new program is aiming to get Salt Lake City and a number of other communities across the state of Utah powered using renewable energy by 2030. Utah Renewable Communities is a state-wide project partnering with the utility Rocky Mountain Power. [KSL NewsRadio]

Salt Lake City (Brent Pace, Unsplash)

¶ “US DOE Announces Over $450 Million To Increase Access To Rooftop Solar Power For Puerto Rico Residents” • The US DOE announced up to $453.5 million from the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund to increase residential rooftop solar PV and battery installations, with a focus to support Puerto Rico’s most vulnerable residents. [Department of Energy]

¶ “Vogtle Unit 3 Goes Into Operation” • Georgia Power declared that Plant Vogtle Unit 3 has entered commercial operation and is now serving customers and the State of Georgia. The new unit represents a long-term investment in the state’s energy future [which customers will have to pay down at high electric power prices – ghh] for decades to come. [WWNY]

Have a magnificently rewarding day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Republicans Can’t Get Out Of Their Climate Bind, Even As Extreme Heat Overwhelms The US” • Scientists say July will be the hottest month on record. And after years of skepticism and denial, a small number of Republicans are urging their party to get proactive on the climate crisis. But Republicans are living under the shadow of Donald Trump. [CNN]

Ghost forest (Sanjana’s MagicPix, Pexels)

¶ “Is Oppenheimer The Anti-Nuclear Movement’s Braveheart?” • The release of Braveheart in 1997 had an impact on Scotland’s cultural identity and politics. The independence movement and tourist industry have never looked back. ICAN, the International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons, hopes Oppenheimer will do the same sort of thing. [Scottish Left Review]

¶ “Could A Drastic Change In Atlantic Ocean Currents Leave Chicago High And Dry? Yes” • Last week’s heat wave was not a cheery time to think about the central US getting hotter and dryer. But researchers at the University of Copenhagen say that could happen if an important system of oceanic currents suddenly shuts down. [Chicago Sun-Times]

Atlantic Ocean (Colin Watts, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “World’s Tallest Wooden Wind Turbine Is Nearly Complete – And Its Creators Say It Makes Wind Power Way More Efficient” • Sweden’s Modvion is building a wood-based wind turbine for Varberg Energi. It will be the world’s tallest wooden turbine when completed. It will stand at 344 feet, with the blades, an Electrek report says. [Yahoo News]

World:

¶ “Canada wildfire: Firefighter dies tackling British Columbia blaze” • A third firefighter has died battling Canada’s worst wildfire season on record. So far this season, Canadian wildfires have burned about 30 million acres – more than the land area of South Korea or Cuba. Out of the 990 active fires in Canada, 613 are considered out of control. [BBC]

Firefighters (BC government image)

¶ “Greece Sees Its Most Intense Wildfire Emissions For July On Record” • The largest wildfires started by July 17 west of Athens and on the island of Rhodes, forcing nearly 20,000 people to evacuate, in the largest evacuation from a wildfire in the country. CAMS GFAS data show the highest July wildfire carbon emissions ever recorded for Greece. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Two-Wheelers In Indonesia” • Out of the 125 million motorcycles in use in Indonesia at the end of 2022, only 32,000 are electric. The Indonesian government intends to use a $455 million subsidy to encourage manufacture of 800,000 electric two-wheelers and the conversion of 200,000 petrol-powered scooters to electric. [CleanTechnica]

Alva CERVO (Alva CERVO image)

¶ “Indonesia’s Minister Of Energy Urges Swift Adoption Of Renewables, Emphasizing Solar And Wind As Key Solutions” • In response to the alarming impact of climate change, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif stressed the urgency of achieving a new target for renewable energy that is three times the current goal. [SolarQuarter]

Australia:

¶ “CETF Counters Long Lead Times With 200 MWh Battery ‘Hives’” • Clean Energy Transfer Fund, based in Queensland, plans to get around long lead times and major capital outlays of grid-scale renewables projects by use of hundreds of sub-5-MW battery units across Australia to create coordinated battery ‘hives’ of up to 200 MWh each. [pv magazine Australia]

Energy Storage (CETT image)

¶ “Vanadium Battery To Power Regional WA” • Horizon Power, Western Australia’s regional energy provider, bought a vanadium redox flow battery for a long-duration energy storage pilot in Kununurra. The 78-kW, 220kWh battery will enable Horizon Power to test the provision of 100% renewable energy over long periods. [Government of Western Australia]

¶ “Pocock Seeks To Impose Duty Of Care Over Climate Harm On Australian Government” • With July on track to be the world’s hottest month on record, the independent senator David Pocock will call for a duty of care in Australian law that would require governments to consider the impact of climate harm on young people in their decision-making. [The Guardian]

Uluru (Ondrej Machart, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “VinFast Breaks Ground At Its First US Factory In North Carolina” • North Carolina has also positioned itself to be a favorable place for businesses to come and has doubled down since the introduction of the most recent federal stimulus bill. VinFast, moving rapidly into the US market, broke ground at the site of its new factory in that state. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric School Bus US Market Study And Buyer’s Guide: A Resource For School Bus Operators Pursuing Electrification” • The updated 2023 Electric School Bus Market Study is a guide offering school districts and others an overview of the electric school bus market and a catalog that presents electric school bus models available. [CleanTechnica]

First electric school bus in California (Theurv, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Instant Permits Now Available For Residential Rooftop Solar Projects In SLO County” • Last week, the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Planning and Building announced that instant permits for residential rooftop solar projects are available through an automated application for permitting new residential rooftop solar systems. [Paso Robles Daily News]

¶ “Northland Transmission Line To Boost Reliability As Power Plants Are Replaced By Renewables” • Large cross-country transmission lines carrying clean energy from remote rural areas to population centers will be a key strategy for cutting emissions. The 180-mile-long Northland Reliability Project has a budget of $970 million. [Energy News Network]

Have a superbly admirable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Vacations As We Know It Are Over” • Terrified tourists on holidays in the Greek Islands this week came face-to-face with the future. The widespread and extreme weather conditions across southern Europe this summer are a wake-up call – a reminder that not even our vacations are insulated from the growing consequences of global heating. [CNN]

Vacation (Asad Photo Maldives, Pexels)

¶ “It’s The Summer Of Changed Climate. Get Used To It” • Here’s a hot take on the summer of 2023: The climate you grew up in is gone, replaced by something new and changing, but also fixedly different, where the Atlantic Ocean can hit hot-tub temperature, heat is a recurring public health concern, and people will have to adapt their way of living. [CNN]

¶ “Jennifer Sensiba: Why Is Chevy Bringing The Bolt Back?” • In a recent press release, Chevrolet announced that they’re bringing the Bolt back. Here, I want to cover some background, what we know so far, and why they’re doing this. Long story short: this is yet another example of EVs winning over consumers, despite considerable headwinds! [CleanTechnica]

2022 Chevy Bolt (Greg Gjerdingen, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Green Hydrogen Gets Greener With Record-Breaking Solar Device” • Rice University engineers have created a device that “turns sunlight into hydrogen” with a record-breaking level of efficiency. The device integrates innovative halide perovskite semiconductors with electrocatalysts in a single, durable, cost-effective and scalable device. [Oil Price]

World:

¶ “Europe Fires: How Canadair Pilots Battle The Mediterranean Blazes” • Amphibious Canadairs operate by scooping up water from either a lake or the sea and releasing it over fires. The vital role of these aircraft in particular was brutally highlighted last week when two pilots were killed fighting blazes on the Greek island of Evia. [BBC]

Canadair dropping water (Chiara Guercio, Unsplash)

¶ “Antarctica Is Missing An Argentina-Sized Amount Of Sea Ice, And Scientists Are Scrambling To Figure Out Why” • Much of the Northern Hemisphere is suffering record-breaking summer heat waves, but in the Antarctic winter, another terrifying climate record is being broken: The ice is 1.6 million sq km (0.6 million sq mi) below the record low set in 2022. [CNN]

¶ “July 2023 Set To Be Hottest Month On Record” • “According to the data released today, July has already seen the hottest three-week period ever recorded; the three hottest days on record; and the highest-ever ocean temperatures for this time of year,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told journalists at the UN headquarters in New York. [CleanTechnica]

Sea surface temps (Copernicus Climate Change Service at ECMWF)

¶ “The New Gold Rush In The Era Of Clean Energy” • Global investment in critical minerals increased by 30% in 2022, after a rise of 20% the year before. This was largely due to governments pushing a shift away from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives, which has fuelled the development of new renewable energy projects around the globe. [Oil Price]

¶ “Every Home On Steep 75-House New Hillside Site Above Matlock To Have Solar Panels” • Detailed plans to build 75 homes on a flood-hit site on the steep hillside in Derbyshire have been submitted to the Derbyshire Dales District Council. Every home would be given an EV charging point, solar panels, and solar hot water. [Derby Telegraph]

Home site (Image by Honey & Nineteen47)

US:

¶ “DOE Launches First-Ever ‘Cleanup To Clean Energy’ Initiative To Explore Generating Clean Energy On DOE-Owned Lands” • The US DOE kicked off its “Cleanup to Clean Energy” initiative, an effort to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands that were used previously in the nation’s nuclear weapons program into the sites of clean-energy generation. [energy.gov]

¶ “State Added 13,000 Clean-Energy Jobs In Past Year” • A report from Climate Power says that Arizona has added almost 13,000 clean-energy jobs in the past year from private investment. This number is good enough for the seventh place among states and evidence that the state is becoming a “powerhouse” for clean energy and EV production. [AZPM News]

Arizona (Mason Field, Unsplash)

¶ “Greenlink Power Poles On Collision Course With Treasures At Tule Springs Fossil Beds, Protectors Say” • Greenlink West is a $2.5 billion transmission line that will carry electricity from solar farms planned in the Nevada desert to cities. But Protectors of Tule Springs says there’s evidence of “significant” fossils in a park right in the project’s way. [8NewsNow.com]

¶ “Feds Clear Plant Vogtle To Fuel Second New Nuclear Reactor For Customers” • Federal regulators have approved plans to load radioactive fuel into a second new nuclear reactor in Georgia. The NRC said that Georgia Power Company and its co-owners can begin loading fuel into unit 4 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta. [Alabama Public Radio]

Have an enchantingly lovely day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Lessons From The ‘Living Without Russian Gas Miracle’” • Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU imported half its natural gas from Russia. Many warned that closing the gas pipes from Russia would lead to an economic recession and severe job losses. But when gas imports were cut by 85%, there was little loss. What happened? [CleanTechnica]

Tanker (Scott Tobin, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “The Nuclear Energy Trap” • Nuclear reactors are being pushed as an answer to global warming. But the problem is that they cannot survive it. That’s only the start of serious issues with the world’s newly found love affair with nuclear energy. This article examines the likelihood of nuclear energy as a fixit for global warming, or is it a victim? [Pressenza]

Science and Technology:

¶ “New Zinc Batteries Take On Dunkelflauten And Dendrites, Too” • More renewable energy is pouring into the grid, sparking the demand for new, low-cost energy storage. A European consortium has come up with a new solution that could fit the bill, in the form of grid-scale zinc batteries that double as green hydrogen generators. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Dan Meyers, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Inside Efforts To Avert Environmental ‘Catastrophe’ In The Red Sea” • Moored five miles off the coast of Yemen for more than 30 years, a decaying supertanker carrying a million barrels of oil is finally being offloaded by a UN-led mission, hoping to avert what threatened to be one of the world’s worst ecological disasters in decades. [CNN]

¶ “Sustainable Energy For South African School With Sun Exchange Solar Project” • Solar leasing platform Sun Exchange and power producer CVE South Africa announced the funding of a large solar-plus-battery project to provide clean power and load shedding relief to one of the largest technical high schools in South Africa. [CleanTechnica]

Previous Sun Exchange project (Courtesy of Sun Exchange)

¶ “BasiGo Partners With AC Mobility To Bring Electric Buses To Rwanda!” • Nairobi-based electric bus pioneer BasiGo has launched BasiGo Rwanda Ltd, a new entity focused on electrifying the public transport system in Rwanda. BasiGo has partnered with AC Mobility, Rwanda’s provider of automated fare collection systems for public transport. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Manitoba Plans To Use Wind Power To Double Or Triple Energy-Generating Capacity Over The Next Two Decades” • Manitoba plans to rely on wind farms and other forms of green power to boost generating capacity from 6,600 MW right now to somewhere between 10,000 and 16,000 MW by the 2040s, according to a new energy policy. [CBC]

Wind turbines (Arteum.ro, Unsplash)

¶ “UK Renewables Generation Hit Record Levels In 2022” • UK renewables generation has reached a record share of the energy mix, according to data from the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Renewables made up 41.5% of electricity generation, compared with 39.6% in 2021, as both wind and solar reached record levels. [Power Technology]

US:

¶ “Wind And Solar Are Propping Up The Texas Power Grid Amid A Brutally Long Heat Wave” • As Texas bakes under a sweltering heat dome this summer and people crank their air conditioners, the state’s energy demand has smashed records. But the power has stayed on and prices haven’t spiked tremendously. Thank wind and solar, energy experts say. [CNN]

Solar parking lot in Texas (ndiggity, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “DOT Proposes New Car Standards That Would Raise Fuel Economy Modestly And Push The Sale Of EVs” • The Biden administration proposed modest increases to fuel efficiency standards for the vehicles most Americans drive. The proposal fits alongside the administration’s push for increasing the share of electric vehicles on the roads. [CNN]

¶ “Heat Pumps And Floating Wind To Lead Zero Emissions Campaign In Maine” • When the people of Maine realized how much money they could save each winter by switching to heat pumps, they began installing them in record numbers. In fact, the Maine blew by a target of 100,000 heat pumps by 2025 two years ahead of schedule. [CleanTechnica]

Portland (Jeana Bala, Unsplash)

¶ “Scorching heat strains US air conditioning capacity” • Energy providers warn Americans to be frugal with air-conditioning this weekend, as intense heat and increased demand could lead to blackouts. Nearly 200 million Americans are under “dangerously hot conditions” alerts with temperatures expected to soar past 100°F (38°C) in several major cities. [BBC]

¶ “The First US Utility-Scale Offshore Wind Farm Just Got The First US-Built Offshore Substation” • The first US-built offshore substation is now standing at New York’s South Fork Wind, the first utility-scale offshore wind farm in US federal waters. South Fork Wind’s 1,500-ton, 60-foot-tall offshore substation came from Texas to New York by ship. [Electrek]

Installing the substation (South Fork Wind image)

¶ “More Extreme Heat Means More Risk For Our Power Grid, Experts Say” • Extreme heat like what hit the Chicago area this week can stress the power grid by spiking demand for electricity. As air conditioning units kick into high gear to keep homes and businesses cool, the high temperatures can cause problems at power stations, experts warn. [Daily Herald]

¶ “Federal Regulators Approve New Rules To Ease Backlogs” • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission finalized long-awaited new rules intended to reform how power generation projects get connected to the electric grid. FERC Chairman Willie Phillips said there are 2,000 GW of power projects stuck in interconnection queue. [Idaho Capital Sun]

Have an excitingly cool day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Collapse Of The Gulf Stream – An Epitaph For A Dying Planet” • University of Copenhagen scientists say there is ample evidence that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation could collapse as early as 2025 or as late as 2095. It is one of the climate tipping points scientists are most concerned about as global temperatures rise. [CleanTechnica]

Gulf Stream (RedAndr, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “The Latest Bad News About Koeberg Nuclear Power Station Is A Stark Reminder” • The Cape Chamber shares concerns about the reported work delays at Koeberg. They may further strain an already compromised national grid. The Western Cape will feel the strain in particular, should both nuclear reactors be offline simultaneously. [Cape Business News]

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Microbes That Could Protect Grapevines From Climate Change” • Vines whose roots had been exposed to one group of bacteria fared unexpectedly well in a heat experiment. They did not wilt or develop discoloured leaves, unlike some other plants. They barely showed any signs of heat stress in their cells. It was as if the heat hadn’t touched them. [BBC]

Vines with grapes (jose alfonso sierra, Unsplash)

¶ “Making Renewable, Infinitely Recyclable Plastics Using Bacteria” • Scientists engineered microbes to make ingredients for recyclable plastics, replacing finite, polluting petrochemicals with sustainable alternatives. The new approach shows that not only are renewable, recyclable plastics possible, but they can be superior to what we have. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “This Month Is The Planet’s Hottest On Record By Far – And Hottest In Around 120,000 Years, Scientists Say” • Vast swaths of three continents are baking under blistering temperatures and the oceans have heated to unprecedented levels. Scientists of two climate authorities are reporting even before July ends that it will be the hottest month on record by far. [CNN]

Heatwave (Pixy.org, CC0)

¶ “False Claims Of Bogus Heatwave Spread Online” • False claims suggesting that the BBC misreported temperatures in southern Europe were spread on social media. One GB News presenter accused the BBC of trying to “make people terrified of the weather” by reporting ground temperatures instead of the air temperatures. The accusation is debunked. [BBC]

¶ “Solar Energy Desalination Plants Increasingly Provide Water For Africa” • Desalination is moving to the heart of water supply for those countries in Africa with access to the sea or to salt lakes but little fresh water. The expansion of renewable energy sources across the continent will enable desalination without worsening greenhouse gas emissions. [CleanTechnica]

Desalination plant (Courtesy of KarmWater)

¶ “Africa Lithium Supply To Boom In Next Few Years” • When we think of the sources of lithium, we think of South America, Australia, and the US a bit – with processing in China, of course. We don’t think of Africa. However, Africa has resources, and the expectation is that the continent will be a much bigger source of lithium by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “AC Is Hard On The Planet. This Building Has A Sustainable Solution” • With 834 rental apartments along with commercial space, a building on Brooklyn’s waterfront is set to be the largest multifamily, residential building with “geothermal” heating and cooling system in New York State when it’s completed in late 2025, developer Lendlease says. [CNN]

1 Java Street building (Marvel and Lendlease image)

¶ “Supreme Court Clears Way For Mountain Valley Pipeline Construction To Proceed” • The Supreme Court cleared the way for construction of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline, granting an emergency request from project backers that is supported by Congress and the Biden administration. The order is a victory for West Virginia Sen Joe Manchin. [CNN]

¶ “If You Can’t Stand The Heatwave, Get A Heat Officer” • Only three cities in the US have appointed heat officers, but experts say they are quickly becoming key figures on the frontline of climate change. In Phoenix, where daily temperatures have soared above 110°F (43°C) every day for nearly a month, David Hondula is working nonstop. [BBC]

Chief heat officer Hondula educating residents (City of Phoenix)

¶ “Biden Harris Administration Opens Applications For States And Territories To Implement $8.5 Billion For Home Energy Rebates As Part Of Investing In America Agenda” • The US DOE announced it is accepting applications for states and territories to implement two Home Energy Rebate programs created by the Inflation Reduction Act. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Governor Mills Signs Bill To Create Jobs, Advance Clean Energy, And Fight Climate Change Through Offshore Wind” • Governor Janet Mills signed into law LD 1895, to procure up to 3,000 MW of offshore wind energy, allowing for critical port development, while protecting critical lobstering areas from development. [Maine.gov]

Floating offshore wind turbine (Untrakdrover, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Whitmer Signs Bills Boosting Solar Power, Allowing More Stringent State Regulation” • Gov Gretchen Whitmer signed six bills into law to boost solar power and to allow creation of state environmental rules more stringent than the federal standard. She says the bills advance her climate goals of reaching 2 million EVs driving in by 2030. [The Center Square]

¶ “Sparks Fly At Hearing On Georgia Power Project That Could Stick Ratepayers With Plant Vogtle Tab” • The debate about the Plant Vogtle expansion raged during the latest installment of state regulators considering the controversial nuclear expansion project, which has doubled in cost and taken seven years longer to build than initially planned. [Georgia Recorder]

Have an absolutely wonderful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Is The Decline Of Oil In Sight?” • The idea of “peak oil” has been around for decades. It foresees a peak in the amount of oil we can extract and an irreversible decline in production. Last month, the International Energy Agency recently announced that we may soon reach a different but related value: a peak in the global use of (or “demand for”) oil. [CNN]

Charging an EV (myenergi, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Renewable Solar Energy Can Help Purify Water And The Environment” • Chemists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have demonstrated that water remediation can be powered in part, and perhaps even exclusively, by renewable energy sources. Their method integrates solar energy into an electrochemical separation process. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Battery Swapping For Large Trucks – Is This The Way To Go?” • Mitsubishi Fuso has worked with Ample to collaborate on its battery swapping technology for large electric trucks. The focus has been on smaller “last-mile” electric delivery trucks rather than the larger, long-distance semi trucks you often see on the highway. [CleanTechnica]

Ample charging station (Screen shot from an Ample video)

World:

¶ “VW Partners With XPENG And Audi Partners With SAIC In China” • Volkswagen Group announced that it is investing close to $700 million into XPENG, providing a capital increase, and in exchange getting 4.99% of the company’s shares at $15 per share. Audi is forming a somewhat similar partnership with Chinese automaker SAIC. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Porsche Opens First ‘Charging Lounge’” • Porsche announced it is opening its first “Porsche Charging Lounge.” It said, “Porsche is planning to set up its own fast-charging stations along Europe’s most important routes, with a premium charging experience one expects of the brand.” The first Charging Lounge has six 300-kW fast chargers and four 22-kW chargers. [CleanTechnica]

Porsche’s first Charging Lounge

¶ “I Squared Capital To Build Up To 1 GW Of Solar Plants In Malaysia” • I Squared Capital, a leading global infrastructure investment manager, announced that HEXA Renewables, its portfolio company, signed a memorandum of understanding to develop up to 1 GW of hybrid solar photovoltaic projects in the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia. [Business Wire]

Australia:

¶ “Wholesale Electricity Prices Down Almost 60% A Year On From Australia’s Short-Lived Energy Crisis” • Emissions from Australia’s main electricity grid dropped more than 6% in the June quarter from a year ago to a record low for the period, and wholesale prices stabilized, according to the Australian Energy Market Operator. [The Guardian]

Wind turbines (Pixabay, Pexels)

¶ “Australia Is Touted As A Future Clean Energy ‘Superpower,’ But Research Suggests Other Nations Will Outperform Us” • An analysis by CSIRO found Australia was near the top of the pack on factors such as the quality of renewable resources. But we are not the world’s best, and others are nipping at our heels. There’s still much work to be done. [CSIRO]

¶ “Northam Green Hydrogen Hub Set To Supply Renewable Energy To Heavy Vehicles” • Buses, concrete mixers, road trains, and rubbish trucks powered by green hydrogen could hit West Australian roads in the next eighteenth months. The new green hydrogen plant could be the first in the country to produce green hydrogen for vehicles commercially. [ABC]

Infinite Green Energy hub (Infinite Green Energy image)

US:

¶ “Advocates Forced DTE To Cut Pollution, Invest In Clean Energy With Settlement Approved” • The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a settlement led by advocacy organizations that will require DTE Energy to emit less pollution and invest more in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and assistance to low-income ratepayers. [NRDC]

¶ “Lithium Extraction And Conversion From Geothermal Brines – Ten Projects Get $10.9 Million From US Government” • The US DOE announced $10.9 million for ten projects across nine states that will advance innovative technologies to extract and convert battery-grade lithium from geothermal brine sources within the US. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it. (US DOE image)

¶ “New Hampshire Communities Use Solar Power To Save Money And Build Resiliency” • With energy costs spiking over the past few years, cost-effective renewable energy has come back to the forefront in New Hampshire. More communities in the state are taking advantage of the power of the sun, generating their own power with solar panels. [WMUR]

¶ “Democrats Push More Resilient, Lower-Carbon Infrastructure At US Senate Climate Hearing” • The changing climate is hurting infrastructure and the national economy, members of the US Senate Budget Committee said. Members of both parties agreed on the need to speed up the approval process for large energy and infrastructure projects. [Iowa Capital Dispatch]

Wind farm (musicFactory lehmannsound, Pexels)

¶ “Legislature Approves Wind Power Procurement And Labor Standards Bill, Sending It To Mills” • Just before the legislative session wrapped up, the House and Senate gave final approval to a bill that adds labor standards to a measure that will shape the buildout of Maine’s budding offshore wind industry, sending it to Gov Janet Mills’ desk. [Maine Beacon]

¶ “No New Nuclear Facilities Along Vulnerable Coasts, Alaska Regulators Say” • Lt Gov Nancy Dahlstrom signed a package of regulations that dictate where small nuclear “microreactors” may be built in Alaska. An 18-wheeler can transport a microreactor. Such reactors must not be built in areas vulnerable to coastal flooding. [Alaska Public Media]

Have a classically comfortable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Misguided Push To Weaken Nuclear Safety Standards Is Gaining Steam” • Imagine a future where experimental nuclear reactors are scattered across the US landscape like so many Starbucks, in densely populated and rural areas alike. This is the future that many in the nuclear industry and their supporters are working overtime to achieve. [The Hill]

NuScale Power Voygr (NuScale image)

World:

¶ “$4.6 Billion Plant In South Africa Will Make ‘The Fuel Of The Future’” • In Nelson Mandela Bay, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, thousands of hectares of land could one day become the world’s largest green ammonia plant. While ammonia has many uses, as fertilizer and a chemical feedstock, green ammonia may become the fuel of the future. [CNN]

¶ “Crucial System Of Ocean Currents Is Heading For A Collapse That ‘Would Affect Every Person On The Planet’” • A vital system of ocean currents could collapse in a few decades if the world continues to pump out planet-heating pollution, scientists warn. The event would be catastrophic for global weather and “affect every person on the planet.” [CNN]

Atlantic Ocean (Jacob Buller, Unsplash)

¶ “Deadly Mediterranean Wildfires Kill More Than Forty” • The long heatwave shows no let-up, and temperatures are expected to rise above 44°C (111°F) in parts of Greece. The heaviest death toll so far is in Algeria, where the 34 victims included ten soldiers surrounded by flames in an evacuation in the coastal province of Bejaia, east of Algiers. [BBC]

¶ “Hyundai And Seoul National University Launch Battery Research Center” • Hyundai Motor Group and Seoul National University teamed up to open the Joint Battery Research Center at the highly regarded South Korean university. The aim: world domination. Or, well, in slightly less menacing terms, “global leadership in the battery field.” [CleanTechnica]

Building at Seoul National University (Maru4u, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “’Global China’ Is A Big Part Of Latin America’s Renewable Energy Boom, But Homegrown Industries Are Key” • Renewable energy’s rapid rise in Latin America is under Chinese influence. China’s government and banks have pushed the continent’s energy transition. Chinese companies produce about 90% of all wind and solar technologies installed there. [GreenBiz]

¶ “China Surpasses Renewable Energy Targets Five Years Ahead Of Schedule” • A report by Global Energy Monitor, an NGO that monitors wind and solar farms, China has exceeded its ambitious goals. The report reveals that China is set to double its renewable energy capacity by 2025, reaching a milestone of 1,200 GW of solar and wind capacity. [Microgrid Media]

Solar array in China (李大毛 没有猫, Unsplash)

¶ “Trafford Approves £750 Million Battery Storage Project” • In the UK, Carlton’s push for a £750 million battery energy storage system at Trafford Low Carbon Energy got planning permission from the metropolitan borough council. Carlton Power says its infrastructure project will be “the world’s largest” battery energy storage system. [Place North West]

US:

¶ “Florida Ocean Temps Surge To 100°F As Mass Coral Bleaching Event Is Found In Some Reefs” • Multiple reefs near the Florida Keys are completely bleached or dead in a grim escalation that took place in as little as two weeks, experts told CNN. A buoy in the Florida Bay hit 101.1°F at a depth of 5 feet, one of the highest temperatures ever recorded anywhere. [CNN]

Sailing at Key West (Jonathan Wheeler, Unsplash)

¶ “US Lawmaker Greg Casar Begins Thirst Strike Over Heat Laws” • A US congressman will go without food and water in a protest over a Texas law overriding protection for people who work outdoors in intense heat. More than 400 workers have died in heatwaves since 2011. There are no federal protections for workers exposed to heat. [BBC]

¶ “Another New Solar Cell Factory For The USA, Another Win For Bidenomics” • In the world of Bidenomics, clean power is a job-creating dynamo touching off a US manufacturing boom. The latest example is a new 2-GW PV cell factory that originally was supposed to be built in Germany. Instead its 350 jobs will go to Colorado Springs. [CleanTechnica]

New solar cell factory in Colorado (Courtesy of Meyer Burger)

¶ “Panasonic To Produce Higher-Energy-Density Batteries In USA With Silicon From Nexeon” • Panasonic says that it is always working to improve battery energy density to provide longer range for EVs. And naturally, Panasonic’s aim is to do so at lower cost. Now it plans to produce better EV batteries, starting in 2025, in De Soto, Kansas. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Stellantis And Samsung SDI Are To Build A Second Battery Gigafactory In USA” • StarPlus Energy is a joint venture Stellantis and Samsung SDI formed for a battery gigafactory that is to begin operations in the first quarter of 2025 in Kokomo, Indiana. Now they have announced a second US battery gigafactory that will open in 2027. [CleanTechnica]

Chrysler Airflow Concept (Courtesy of Chrysler)

¶ “Brightnight, Rivian, And The Nature Conservancy Unite To Transform Starfire Coal Mine Into Kentucky’s Largest Renewable Power Project” • The Nature Conservancy, Brightnight, and Rivian announced that Starfire Mine, once one of the largest US coal mines, will be the site of a solar energy center. Its capacity will be 800 MW. [The Nature Conservancy]

¶ “First Solar Secures An Order For An Alabama Project” • The Tennessee Valley Authority ordered 279 MW (DC) of thin film solar panels from First Solar for a solar project in Alabama. The Lawrence County Solar Project is expected to start commercial operation in 2027. It reflects TVA’s growing emphasis on solar in the region. [reNews]

Have a plausibly dreamy day.

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World:

¶ “Heat Waves In US And Europe Would Have Been ‘Virtually Impossible’ Without Climate Change” • Attribution analysis from the World Weather Attribution initiative shows that the searing heat in the US and southern Europe would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change, and it made China’s heat wave at least fifty times more likely. [CNN]

Sun in a heatwave (Raphael Wild, Unsplash)

¶ “Sub-Saharan 12-Country Supergrid Proposed By Researchers” • A transmission grid proposed in the journal Scientific Reports  stretches from Mali and Nigeria in West Africa, through Niger, Chad, and Sudan to Ethiopia in East Africa, then south through Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Mozambique, and finally to South Africa. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “8.5 GW Of Solar Parks Completed Under Govt Support Scheme” • Eleven solar parks with a combined capacity of  8.521 GW were completed and seven solar parks totaling 3.985 GW partly completed under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s scheme for “Development of Solar Parks and Ultra-Mega Solar Power Projects.” [pv magazine India]

200-MW PV plant in Gujarat (Engie image)

¶ “Exergy And Geothermal Engineering Sign Contract For UK’S First Deep Geothermal Power Plant” • Exergy International and Geothermal Engineering Ltd., the UK’s leading developer and operator of geothermal plants, signed a contract for the supply of a 3-MW gross capacity ORC power plant at a United Downs site in Cornwall. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “UAE To Work With COP28 Participants To Triple Global Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030” • The UAE will work with the participants of COP28 to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity and to double the production of hydrogen by 2030, according to Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. [The National]

Wind farm (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Says Nuclear Isn’t Part Of Its Energy Mix. Here’s Why” • Nuclear energy has never been part of Australia’s energy mix as it has abundant renewables, according to Chris Bowen, Australia’s minister for climate change and energy. Apart from being extremely expensive, it generates large amounts of waste and is an inflexible energy source, he said. [CNBC]

US:

¶ “Deadly Extreme Heat Is On The Rise In National Parks – A Growing Risk For America’s Great Outdoors” • Extreme heat appears to be killing people in America’s national parks at an alarming pace, highlighting both its severity and the changing calculus of personal risk in the country’s natural places as climate change fuels more weather extremes. [CNN]

Search and rescue personnel (Grand Canyon National Park)

¶ “Smoke From Hundreds Of Canadian Wildfires Blankets Northern Us Cities With Air Pollution” • Smoke from over 1,000 wildfires burning across Canada has wafted over the northern US, bringing poor air quality and pollution that threaten residents’ health. Chicago, Minneapolis, and Detroit are among top twenty most polluted cities in the world. [CNN]

¶ “How Desperate US Prisoners Try To Escape Deadly Heat” • Prisoners locked in cells without air conditioning are struggling as temperatures rise. So are the staff guarding them. On the countless blisteringly hot days, when temperatures climbed above 37.7°C (100°F), survival depends upon a mix of creativity and desperation to stay cool. [BBC]

Prison (Tom Blackout, Unsplash)

¶ “Colorado Adopts New Rules To Curb Methane Emissions” • The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission unanimously approved new standards that will directly tie the amount of oil and gas that companies can produce within the state to how well they measure and reduce the methane emissions from their operations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “It’s About Time! Oil & Gas Companies Will Have To Pay More For Drilling On Public Lands” • A rule was proposed by the Biden administration to raise the royalties fossil fuel companies pay to pull oil, gas, and coal from public lands. They’ll also be required to increase the bonds they hold by a factor of ten before they start drilling on public lands. [CleanTechnica]

Orphaned well (National Park Service)

¶ “Texas To Release Offshore Wind Kracken As Foes Sharpen Knives” • The Biden administration is forging ahead with plans for 3.7 GW of wind turbines in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas would have the lion’s share at over 2.4 GW. Get ready for a remix of the Clash of the Titans, as renewable energy stakeholders head for a showdown with the usual suspects. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Maine To Go All In On Offshore Wind” • The legislature of the state of Maine is expected to pass a bill that calls for getting 3 GW of electricity from offshore wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine by 2040. The measure also supports building port infrastructure and local supply chains to service projects in the gulf’s deep, frigid waters. [Canary Media]

Prototype floating wind turbine in the Gulf of Maine. (UMaine)

¶ “Keeping Contentious Nuclear Plant Open Could Cost Californians $45 Billion: Report” • If the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant stays online for two more decades, total costs to run the site could range from more than $20 billion to nearly $45 billion through 2045, according to analysis by the Environmental Working Group. [The Hill]

¶ “Massachusetts Senator Takes Victory Lap As State Blocks Radioactive Water Release From Nuclear Plant” • Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey applauded his home state for icing a private company’s plan to release about a million gallons of radioactive water into the Cape Cod Bay from a shuttered nuclear power plant. [Courthouse News Service]

Have a prudently blissful day.

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World:

¶ “India Says No To BYD Factory Plan” • In what may be a hint of troubles ahead for China as it seeks to become a global economic giant, India rejected a plan from BYD and Megha Engineering and Infrastructures to invest $1 billion to build an EV and battery factory. India and China have animosities, and security concerns may have been an issue. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Atto 3 (Courtesy of BYD South Africa)

¶ “G20 Bloc Fails To Reach Agreement On Cutting Fossil Fuels” • The Group of 20 major economies meeting in India failed on Saturday to reach consensus on phasing down fossil fuels after objections by some producer nations. Scientists and campaigners are exasperated by international bodies’ foot-dragging on action to curb global warming. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “GWEC Calls For More Ambition On Renewables Deployment” • More ambition on renewable energy is needed to reach net zero by 2050, the Global Wind Energy Council says. After the Clean Energy Ministerial, GWEC chief executive Ben Backwell said: “The outcome of the G20 Clean Energy Ministerial today gets us no closer to a net zero world by 2050.” [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (GWEC image)

¶ “Solar Power Has A Strong Case In Kenya Due To Its Favorable Weather And Position On The Equator” • Kenya is on the equator and has favorable weather. It does not suffer from the seasonality of many other areas of the world, giving it a massive opportunity for solar power to compete as a consistent and reliable source of power all year round. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “The Largest And Most Powerful Wind Turbine Ever Built Is Now Operational” • The world’s largest wind turbine constructed to date is now up and running and contributing to the power grid in China. The turbine is a MySE 16-260. The nomenclature designates a power capacity of 16 MW and a rotor diameter of 260 meters (853 feet). [ScienceAlert]

Turbine being installed (China Three Gorges Corporation image)

¶ “BASF, MingYang Plan Chinese Offshore Project” • BASF and Mingyang Smart Energy agreed to partner on building and operating an offshore wind farm in China. The wind farm will supply renewable energy electricity to BASF’s Verbund site in Zhanjiang, driving 100% green electricity supply and fostering sustainable, smart production. [reNews]

¶ “Remote Xhosa Community Pioneers Use Of Solar Power To Transport Tourists” • Bulungula Lodge in Nqileni Village, a rural community on the Wild Coast of South Africa, has pioneered eco-tourism since it opened in 2004. Solar panels were ten times as expensive then as they are now, yet the lodge has operated on solar power for almost twenty years. [SA Good News]

Hut at Bulungula Lodge (Bulungula Lodge image)

¶ “1040-MW UK Battery Receives Planning Consent” • Carlton Power has secured planning permission for a 1040-MW battery energy storage scheme at the Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park in Greater Manchester. The £750 million scheme will strengthen grid security and resilience in northwestern England and support the growth of renewable power. [reNews]

¶ “World’s Biggest Wind Power Projects Are In Crisis Just When World Needs Them Most” • Offshore wind projects are facing an economic crisis that cut billions of dollars in planned spending this week, just as the world needs clean energy more than ever. Affected offshore wind projects include some off the coasts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. [Mining.com]

Offshore wind power plant (Image by Iberdrola)

¶ “Fukushima Fish With 180 Times Legal Limit Of Radioactive Cesium Fuels Water Release Fears” • A fish living near drainage outlets at Fukushima Daiichi contained levels of radioactive cesium 180 times Japan’s safe limit. A total of 44 fish with cesium levels above the safe limit were found in the nuclear plant’s port between May 2022 and May 2023. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “Cruise Robotaxis Enter Miami” • GM’s robotaxi firm Cruise is slowly expanding, and its next market appears to be Miami. Aside from the fun combination of Miami and robotaxis, what is interesting about the news is how fast the Cruise robotaxi firm has been expanding. It has begun or expanded service in four cities since November. [CleanTechnica]

Robotaxi (Courtesy of Cruise)

¶ “Eight Solar Microgrids In San Diego To Deliver Clean Energy And Local Resilience” • Cost-saving solar microgrids are coming to eight public buildings in San Diego, with a substantial boost from Shell New Energies, a subsidiary of the British oil giant. San Diego has broken ground on the first the of eight microgrids it plans to install. [The Energy Mix]

¶ “What’s Driving Sudden Flare Of Solar Energy And Storage In Colorado?” • Colorado has had a lot of solar and other renewable energy projects that independent experts say are keeping it ahead of a fast-growing pack of successful green-development states. Accelerants are lucrative tax credits and grants from the Inflation Reduction Act. [Vail Daily]

Solar panels in Paradox Valley (Tony Webster, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “One Year Old US Climate Law Is Already Turbocharging Clean Energy Technology” • The US climate law that passed one year ago offers a 30% discount off this installation via a tax credit, and that’s helping push clean energy even into places where coal still provides cheap electricity. For one family in Frankfort, Kentucky, it was a good deal. [WWNY]

¶ “State Regulators To Hear Plant Vogtle Progress Report After Nuclear Expansion Stalled Again” • Georgia Power announced that a new nuclear reactor at Plant Vogtle is on its way to being fully operational in the coming months. The news comes several days before the utility faces another showdown over the project’s ballooning costs. [Georgia Recorder]

Have a charmingly providential day.

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Opinion:

¶ “’Relevant For India’: N-Power Too Expensive, Too Slow To Reach Net Zero In Australia” • An article in The Guardian said nuclear power is too expensive and slow to be part of Australia’s plans to reach net zero. This situation cannot be any better in the case of India, due to the huge population, constrained natural resources, and the high demand. [Counterview]

Nuclear plant (Indian Department of Atomic Energy, GODL)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Climate Records Tumble, Leaving The Earth In Uncharted Territory” • A series of climate records on temperature, ocean heat, and Antarctic sea ice alarmed some scientists who say their speed and timing is unprecedented. Heatwaves in Europe could break more records, the UN says. Scientists already fear some worst-case scenarios are unfolding. [BBC]

¶ “Why High Temperatures Can Make Planes Too Heavy To Take Off” • Our planet’s rising temperatures are making it harder for planes to take off at certain airports, posing yet another challenge for civil aviation. And as heatwaves become more frequent, the problem could extend to more flights, forcing airlines to leave passengers on the ground. [CNN]

Airplane (Stefan Fluck, Unsplash)

¶ “How Will Extreme Temperatures And Heatwaves Change How We Work?” • The World Meteorological Organization recorded the hottest week on record. The scorching temperatures have not abated as heatwaves continue in Europe, North America, Asia, North Africa and more. Many types of jobs will have to change to keep people safe. [BBC]

World:

¶ “Rhodes Fires Could Worsen As Thousands Flee Homes And Hotels” • Thousands of people have been evacuated from homes and hotels on the Greek island of Rhodes after wildfires engulfed large parts of the island. The island has been battling wildfires fanned by strong winds since Tuesday, as Europe deals with a challenging heatwave. [BBC]

Houses on Rhodes (Jacqueline O’Gara, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Four missing after extreme rainfall hits Canada” • Four people in Canada, including two children, have been reported missing in flooding caused by torrential rains in Nova Scotia, police have said. Officials say the heaviest rains to hit the Atlantic region in 50 years have triggered floods. Three months worth of rain fell in just 24 hours in some areas. [BBC]

¶ “Tesla Aims To Double Or Triple The Giga Berlin Production Capacity To 1 Million Cars Per Year” • If anyone is concerned about demand for Tesla vehicles leveling off or dropping, it certainly isn’t Tesla. Tesla is now requesting that the authorities in Germany approve a significant expansion of the already huge Giga Berlin factory. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Giga Berlin (Tesla image)

¶ “Batteries The Next Step For Billionaire St Baker’s Energy Ecosystem” • Trevor St Baker knows how to make money. He recently sold his coal-fired power generator in New South Wales, for 200 times what he paid for it. Now, he is investing in green energy, not because he wants to save the world, but because he wants to make money. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Italy’s Renewable Energy Sector Soars With 2.5 GW Of Additions In Six Months” • Reports indicate that in the first half of 2023, Italy added an impressive 2.5 GW of new renewable capacity. The Monthly Electricity System Report says domestic clean energy sources covered 44.3% of the nation’s electricity demand in June. [Microgrid Media]

Solar array in Italy (Balfabio, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Tensions Emerge Between State And Federal Governments Over Australia’s Energy Grid Roadmap” • Cracks in the unity of the nation’s energy ministers have emerged amid disquiet over a review of power grid plans and an effort by Australia’s federal government to force carbon offsets from big new gas fields on to the states. [The Guardian]

¶ “Queensland’s $62 Billion Green Energy SuperGrid Gambit” • Though Australia is a major coal producer, the government has approved several wind and solar power operations and expects the country to become a major green hydrogen hub in the next decade. And now the state of Queensland will become home to a SuperGrid, powered by renewables. [Yahoo Finance]

Solar array in Australia (Grahamec, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “State Subsidies For Buying A Tesla? Tesla Now Makes It Easier To Find What They Are” • Many articles about EV costs point out that aside from the US federal tax credit for EVs, various state incentives are also available. But which states? How much? What models or types of EVs qualify? Tesla has a tool at its website to answer for the cars it makes. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tehachapi Pass Makes Ideal Wind Energy Location” • The wind from the Mojave Desert rises to power one of the largest and most productive wind-energy investments on the planet. The series of wind farms known as the Tehachapi-Mojave Wind Resource Area consists of more than 5,000 turbines in a wide variety of sizes. [Tehachapi News]

Tehachapi windfarm (Alexandre Buisse, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “As Solar Harvesting Booms In Nevada, Conservationists Call For A State-Specific Development Plan” • With nearly 100 solar plant applications pending in Nevada, conservationists worry there isn’t an updated management plan specifically guiding utility-scale solar development. US and state governments have conflicting goals. [The Nevada Independent]

¶ “El Paso Electric Power Usage Hits Level Not Expected Until 2029 Because Of Heat Wave” • El Paso Electric has shattered power-consumption records four days in the last three weeks because of the heat wave gripping the region for over a month. El Paso Electric officials didn’t expect to hit the power peak levels of this summer until 2029. [El Paso Times]

Have a stunningly beautiful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Barbie Versus Oppenheimer: Two Diametrically Opposed Universes That Remind Us Of Two Existential Threats” • For the Greenpeace community, these two films echo past and present campaigns against very real existential threats: Barbie reveals the problems of deforestation and plastic pollution; Oppenheimer puts a focus on nuclear annihilation. [Greenpeace]

Einstein and Oppenheimer (US Defense Threat Reduction Agency)

Science and Technology:

¶ “There’s A Heatwave In The Sea And Scientists Are Worried” • The month of June and the first few days of July were hotter than any in recorded history, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Residents in the south of the US, southern Europe, and elsewhere have been enduring sweltering temperatures. But records are also being broken in the water. [BBC]

World:

¶ “China Is Drilling Some Of The World’s Deepest Holes In Hunt For Natural Resources” • Chinese engineers broke ground in the Sichuan Basin on a super-deep borehole to burrow far into the Earth’s crust, as the country steps up its search for natural resources. The hole will eventually reach 10,520 meters (34,514 feet) into the ground. [CNN]

Sichuan (Ourima, public domain)

¶ “Climate Records Tumble, Leaving Earth In Uncharted Territory” • A series of climate records for temperature, ocean heat, and Antarctic sea ice have alarmed some scientists who say their speed and timing is “unprecedented.” Studies are under way, but scientists already fear some of the worst-case scenarios are unfolding. [BBC]

¶ “Europe Heatwave: Temperatures To Soar In Greece As Fires Still Burn” • Greece is bracing for more intense heat over the weekend, with meteorologists warning that temperatures could climb as high as 45°C (113°F). It could turn into Greece’s hottest July weekend in 50 years. Meanwhile, firefighters are continuing to battle dozens of wildfires. [BBC]

Wildfire in Greece (Lotus R, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Colombia’s Largest EV Seller Announces Alliance With CATL” • In Colombia, a set of quite specific circumstances ended up with the largest EV distributor being Auteco, a local motorcycle company. This year, Auteco created a business line devoted to EVs. Auteco’s EV line struck a deal with CATL to service all EVs with CATL batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Self-Driving Truck Company Completes Successful Road Test In China” • The autonomous trucking company TuSimple has completed various entirely autonomous test drives on public roads in China. The company claims that this is actually the first time such a self-driving truck test was done without a human inside the truck. [CleanTechnica]

TuSimple Self Driving Truck

¶ “ACWA Power Inks MOU For 10 GW Of Wind Project in Egypt” • Global power developer ACWA Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority to develop 10 GW of windpower. Under the MOU, about 3,000 sq km of land near the city of Sohag will be alloted to ACWA for development. [Energy Capital & Power]

¶ “African Solar Panels Are Cost-Competitive With China” • Africa has only 1% of the world’s solar capacity, and about 600 million African people lack access to energy. But a report finds that solar module manufacturing in some African countries is “already cost competitive with equivalent manufacturing in China.” [Oil Price]

Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Heat Can Kill On The Job, And These Workers Are Dying” • From California to Florida, a record heat wave has caused dozens of deaths, filled some hospitals, and prompted governments to warn to avoid long exposure to heat. OSHO is charged to protect workers, but it can do little or nothing if a boss orders workers to toil in the searing summer sun. [CNN]

¶ “Inflation, Interest Rates And Whales: Why Offshore Wind Projects Are On The Rocks” • The offshore wind energy is a hot-button issue, but the US only has seven turbines out at sea. Two larger farms expected to be completed this year, but for years, delays prevented the fledgling US offshore wind industry from taking off, and it’s still hitting snags. [CNN]

Offshore windpower (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)

¶ “New Jersey Sues Over New York City’s Congestion Pricing Plan” • New Jersey is suing to stop New York City’s landmark congestion price plan to charge drivers entering downtown Manhattan. New Jersey filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday against the US Department of Transportation, which gave final approval for New York City’s plan. [CNN]

¶ “Canoo Transporting NASA Astronauts” • Canoo delivered three Crew Transportation Vehicles to the Kennedy Space Center. Canoo said that the vehicles were intended to transport astronauts for Artemis lunar missions. It wrote, “The CTVs are engineered to carry fully suited astronauts, flight support crew, and equipment to the launch pad.” [CleanTechnica]

Canoo Crew Transportation Vehicle

¶ “Biden Unlocks Wind Power In Gulf Of Mexico” • Federal regulators announced the first sale of Gulf of Mexico offshore wind leases, opening sites off the coast of Texas. They could potentially power nearly 1.3 million homes. The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will auction off the lease sites on August 29. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RWE Inks 300 MW Of PPAs For Dominion Energy Virginia’s Solar Power Supply” • RWE partnered with Dominion Energy Virginia, signing eight long-term Power Purchase Agreements for seven solar projects. Their combined capacity exceeds 300 MW. Dominion Energy remains committed to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. [SolarQuarter]

Have a wholly unproblematical day.

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Opinion:

¶ “‘We Are Damned Fools’: James Hansen” • On June 23, 1988, NASA scientist James Hansen told the US Senate the greenhouse effect had been detected, indicating that the climate was in fact changing. His was largely ignored. He has been stalked, vilified, denounced as a lunatic, and arrested for attempting to speak the truth about climate change. [CleanTechnica]

Senator Inhofe in denial (C-Span, public domain)

¶ “Heatwave Shows Biden’s Better Grid Initiative Is Woefully Underfunded” • The blistering heat wave in the US is severely straining the country’s electrical grids. As temperatures soar in the West, air conditioning units are working overtime, drawing far more energy from the grid than usual. And the nation’s power grids are antiquated. [Oil Price]

¶ “House Republicans Want To Plant Trees To Combat Climate Change, But Will It Work?” • As most of the US contends with extreme heat, wildfire smoke, or flash flooding, and a growing number of Americans say climate change has “made things worse” in their lives, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has an answer: Plant trees. [Yahoo News]

Planting a tree (Leiliane Dutra, Pexels)

¶ “The Big Problem With Small Nuclear Reactors” • Gigawatt water-cooled reactors are seen as obsolete by many observers. Newbuilt, these behemoths generate electricity at up to nine times the cost of large solar and onshore wind facilities. They can take well over a decade to build. But small modular reactors may not offer any improvement. [Undark Magazine]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Long-Lost Greenland Ice Core Suggests Disastrous Sea Level Rise Potential” • An ice core taken from beneath Greenland’s ice sheet decades ago shows that a large part of the country was ice-free around 400,000 years ago, when temperatures were similar to those the world is approaching now, a report says. The report’s implications are alarming. [CNN]

Greenland melting (Paul Bright, Unsplash)

¶ “2024 Will Probably Be Hotter Than This Year Because Of El Niño, NASA Scientists Say” • As millions bake under a relentless heat wave in the South and Southwest US, and as temperatures soar around the Northern Hemisphere, NASA scientists warned that we haven’t seen the worst of El Niño and next year will likely be even warmer for the planet. [CNN]

¶ “Better EV Batteries Start On Factory Floor With New ‘Dry Manufacturing’ Method” • The latest development in EV battery technology comes from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which is part of the US DOE’s sprawling network of research facilities, in a public-private partnership with the US energy storage firm Navitas Systems. [CleanTechnica]

New method for making EV batteries (Navitas Systems via ORNL)

World:

¶ “Solar Startup Yellow Raises $14 Million To Scale Up In Africa” • Yellow has been financing solar energy and digital devices like smartphones in Malawi since it was founded in 2018. It’s about to enter some new markets thanks to a new fundraising round. The company just raised $14 million in a series B fundraising round led by Convergence Partners. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “100 Million 2-Wheel Electric Vehicles In 2027?” • A report by Rethink Energy says post-Covid pandemic electric 2-wheeler sales are recovering globally. Since 2021, there has been marginal growth in the sector, with a move towards electrification. But they expect that by 2027, over 100 million electric 2-wheelers will be on the roads globally. [CleanTechnica]

Swapping batteries (Courtesy of Bikebank and Gogoro)

¶ “ESB And Bord Na Móna To Build Major Solar Power Farm In Kildare” • Voltalia, a major French renewables company, will build a 108-MW solar farm in Kildare on behalf of the ESB and Bord Na Móna. It marks the first large solar project in a joint venture between the two bodies, as the Irish State increasingly looks to develop solar power. [Independent.ie]

US:

¶ “Fervo Completes Geothermal Energy Testing” • Fervo Energy, based in Houston, uses horizontal drilling techniques developed by the oil and gas industry to unlock geothermal resources in places where tapping underground sources of heat to generate electricity has never been possible. Fervo says a test at a full-scale pilot facility was successful. [CleanTechnica]

Geothermal well (Fervo Energy Image)

¶ “Strong Clean Vehicle Standards Can Deliver $44 Billion In Health, Economic, And Climate Benefits To New Mexicans ” • New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham recently took action to give New Mexicans more EV options. A report shows that if her plan is fully adopted, New Mexicans could get up to $44 billion in benefits through 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Unlocking The Potential Of Commercial Rooftop Solar” • RMI says in a report that US real estate investment trusts control 38.5 billion square feet of rooftops on commercial buildings, parking lots, and garages that are suitable for solar panels. If fully utilized, they could produce about 10% of all electricity generated in the country. [CleanTechnica]

Target solar roof (Courtesy of Target)

¶ “Coal-Fired Electricity Is Falling Below Solar In NC” • Coal was used in 37% of electricity generation in 2015 in North Carolina. In the first quarter of 2023, it was down to 7%, while solar was up to 8%. A North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association officer said, “Based on this data, we’d expect to see solar generation regularly surpass coal generation starting this year.” [WFAE]

¶ “Texas Regulators Go Easy On The Gas Fines” • Two-thirds of Texans lost their power in the deadly winter storm of 2021, as natural gas lines and infrastructure froze. But new rules targeting poorly weatherized lines have so far resulted in only $30,500 in fines against gas companies. That’s raising concerns about the next big freeze. [Politico]

Have a breathtakingly inspiring day.

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Opinion:

¶ “That Chinese EV Price War Truce Dissolved Real Quickly – What Does That Mean?” • Soon after the agreement was made to end the EV price war in China, the China Association of Auto Manufacturers, which arranged the meeting and agreement, said in a statement that realized the agreement had actually violated China’s antitrust law. [CleanTechnica]

BYD E6 taxi (LN9267, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Time To Close Diablo” • California’s Central Coast is faced with a 20-year license extension for the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace is doing everything it can to show why an extension of Diablo’s license is the wrong thing to do. California needs a safe, reliable, all-renewable energy portfolio. [The Santa Barbara Independent]

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Transformation Of Global Steel Making Has Huge Potential” • A major insight from Agora is that the once seen as “hard-to-abate” sector, the steel industry, now has the potential to turn into a “fast-to-abate” sector. A net-zero iron and steel industry is technically feasible by the early 2040s using a rapid rollout of new technologies. [CleanTechnica]

Blast furnace (Kateryna Babaieva, Pexels)

World:

¶ “Is This Extreme Weather The ‘New Normal?’ There’s No Such Thing, Some Scientists Say” • This year, summer in the Northern Hemisphere is a tale of heat, floods, and fire. But scientists warn this may only be a preview of the chaos to come if we continue to pump out planet-heating pollution. Until we stop doing that, we have no idea of what is to come. [CNN]

¶ “The Australian Climate Protesters Cast As Extremists” • Stench gas is released in mines as a danger warning. Protesters used it at the main offices of Woodside Energy, the largest oil and gas firm in Australia, to highlight the climate crisis. The investigation was done by a counter-terrorism group. Lawyers warn that Australia is being “increasingly militarised.” [BBC]

Oil platform in Australian waters (CSIRO, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Tesla Now At 4% Of US Auto Market, Nearly 3% Of European Auto Market” • One of the most interesting elements of Tesla’s quarterly shareholder reports is something that seldom gets much attention. What I’m talking about is Tesla’s graph on the company’s market share in three major auto markets – the US, Europe, and China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tata’s New $5.2 Billion EV Battery Plant Catapults UK From Zero To Hero” • The economic news out of the UK has been less than encouraging since its withdrawal from the EU in 2020. But now, Tata Motors, the leading Indian automaker, has announced that it will build a $5.2 billion EV battery plant there for its iconic Jaguar Land Rover business. [CleanTechnica]

Tata drive system

¶ “China’s Installed Renewable Energy Capacity Surges In H1” • In the first half of 2023, China’s installed capacity of renewable energy grew 18.2% compared with the same period last year, according to the National Energy Administration. The installed capacity of wind power grew 13.7% year on year, while that of solar power was up 39.8%. [People’s Daily]

¶ “Europe Stockpiling 40 GW (DC) Of Chinese Solar Panels” • Chinese-manufactured solar panels are piling up in European warehouses, with about 40 GW (DC) of capacity currently in storage, according to Rystad Energy. The number of panels, worth about £7 billion, is same amount installed across the continent in 2022. [reNews]

Solar panels (Jadon Kelly, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “Tesla Revenue Up 47%, Gross Profit Up 7% Year Over Year” • In the second quarter of 2023, Tesla continued to rake in the cash on the back of record global deliveries. The company brought in nearly $25 billion in revenue in the second quarter, which was 47% more than in Q2 2022. Here we look a little more closely at these and other numbers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volkswagen Group Uses Tennessee Lab To Add Lightness, Improve Wireless Charging” • Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars in 1952, often said, “Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.” Volkswagen Group is engaged in subtracting weight, especially EVs, at a Tennessee laboratory. [CleanTechnica]

Super-lightweight whuzzit (Courtesy of Volkswagen)

¶ “There’s One Self-Driving Electric Car You Can Now Buy In California – The Mercedes-Benz EQS” • Whereas you have to keep your eyes open and your hands on the wheel in a Tesla with FSD active, up to date, and in use, in a 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS, you can now close your eyes and take your hands off the wheel on certain highways in California. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Economics Of Green Energy: A Case Study Of Wind Ranchers In Texas” • When a developer offered John Davis cash for the right to install an array of wind turbines on his land, he looked at the numbers. Davis can get $8 per acre raising cattle, $15 per acre from deer hunters, but many hundreds of dollars by hosting wind turbines. [Electropages]

Wind turbines in Texas (Leaflet, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Solar Power Could Help Stabilize The Texas Power Grid Amid Record Electricity Demand” • Wednesday set a record for Texas power demand. ERCOT data shows the demand was over 82,500 MW. The previous record was set on Monday. ERCOT records also show that solar and wind energy have helped manage that demand and keep the grid stable. [KENS 5]

¶ “Texas Solar Energy Jobs Surge Amidst Heatwave: A Bright Future For Power Grid Stability” • As the heatwave continues and tests the Texas grid, solar energy is key in meeting demand. Solar is growing and creating more jobs, a report shows. The growth in jobs means more people turning to solar, and that means less stress on the grid. [CBS Austin]

Have a thoroughly satisfying day.

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World:

¶ “Xi Says China Will Follow Its Own Carbon Reduction Path As US Climate Envoy Kerry Meets Top Officials In Beijing” • China will follow its own path to cut carbon emissions, leader Xi Jinping vowed, as US climate envoy John Kerry called for faster action to confront the climate crisis. China’s goals are a carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. [CNN]

China’s wall (Hanson Lu, Unsplash)

¶ “Fake Twitter Profiles, Wikipedia Editing And PR Battles: Inside The Push To Greenwash The COP28 Climate Summit” • The optics of a major oil-producing country organizing the world’s most important climate conference, and appointing the CEO of an oil company to lead it, are not lost on anyone – including, it seems, the hosts: the UAE. [CNN]

¶ “Floodwaters Reach Iconic Taj Mahal As Northern India Reels From Massive Deluge” • The Yamuna River reached its highest level on record. The devastating floods causing havoc across northern India have reached the iconic Taj Mahal. Experts warn it could become a regular occurrence as the climate crisis brings ever more extreme weather. [CNN]

Taj Mahal (Tharun Kumar U, Unsplash)

¶ “Nearly All Major Italian Cities On Red Heat Alert” • Red alerts for extreme heat are in place in most of Italy’s main cities as a heatwave intensifies in Europe. Temperatures are expected to peak on Wednesday, with 23 cities on high alert, from Trieste in the north-east to Messina in the south-west. The heat threatens everybody, not just vulnerable groups. [BBC]

¶ “Europe Heatwaves: Wildfires Rage In Greece As Temperatures Soar” • Large swathes of southern Europe continue to swelter in record heat as wildfires rage across the continent. Temperatures hit a high of 46.3°C (115.3°F) in Sicily, and crews battled fires in Greece and the Swiss Alps. Also, China saw record heat and flooding from Typhoon Talim. [BBC]

Flooding in Fuzhou, Fujian province (Fuzhou Fire Department)

¶ “COP 28 Agenda – Phase Down Of Fossil Fuel Inevitable And Essential” • The COP 28 Climate Summit is scheduled for next November in Dubai. The president of the conference is Sultan Al Jaber, who just happens to be the head of Adnoc, the national oil company of the UAE, of which Dubai is a part. Yes, that is how it’s happening, and no, it’s not a joke. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rio Tinto Produces Metals Critical To The REVolution” • The Australian mining companies are global leaders in the search for critical minerals and materials to enable the green industrial revolution. At a local level, Queensland is encouraging miners to prepare for the time when coal is no longer their main product. Rio Tinto is a good example. [CleanTechnica]

Ore with copper, cobalt, and nickel (Paul-Alain Hunt, Unsplash)

¶ “China Begins Blanket Radiation Testing On Seafood Imports From Japan” • China has begun blanket radiation testing on seafood imports from Japan, sources familiar with the bilateral relationship said Tuesday, a move seen as pressuring Tokyo’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant into the sea. [Kyodo News]

US:

¶ “NTSB Investigation Of Pennsylvania Candy Factory Explosion Reveals Natural Gas Was Leaking From Two Service Lines” • An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board into an explosion at a Pennsylvania candy factory that left seven dead in March revealed that natural gas was leaking from two service lines, a preliminary report says. [CNN]

Fractured line from the candy factory (NTSB image)

¶ “US Heatwave Sees Hospitals Use Body-Bag Ice Treatment” • An unrelenting heatwave continues in much of the southern US, leaving more than 90 million Americans under a heat advisory. Phoenix saw 110°F (43°C) for the nineteenth straight day, setting a record. Officials said hospitals are using body bags filled with ice to cool down some overheated patients. [BBC]

¶ “Number Of EV Charging Points In USA Nearly Doubled In Three Years” • EV owners know that most charging is done at home, and if you have workplace charging, that can also cover nearly all of a person’s charging needs. For others, the good news is that charging stations are being installed daily. The market is responding just as it should. [CleanTechnica]

Charging station (Sophie Jonas, Unsplash)

¶ “C-Crete, A Cement-Free Concrete, Debuts In Seattle” • C-Crete Technologies has a new process that provides a sustainable alternative to Portland cement, emitting almost no CO₂ when it’s made, and it actually absorbs CO₂ from the air over time. It was used for the first time in a commercial building foundation in Seattle, C-Crete said. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Extreme Heat Drives Texas Power Demand To Yet Another Record” • Power demand in Texas is once again setting records as extreme heat drives homes and businesses to crank up the air conditioning, and the outlook for more searing temperatures means the state’s grid will continue to be tested. Power use set its ninth record in just three weeks. [Yahoo Finance]

Houston (Vlad Busuioc, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Utah’s Community Renewable Energy Program Is Projected To Come To Fruition In 2024” • The Salt Lake City Council unanimously passed a resolution committing the city to the Utah Community Renewable Energy Program. Coordinated by Rocky Mountain Power, the program aims to help communities meet a net-100% renewable energy goal by 2030. [KUER]

¶ “Center To Help Communities Tackle Renewable Energy Projects” • The Graham Sustainability Institute is launching the Center for EmPowering Communities to help communities in Michigan tackle the planning and zoning challenges related to developing renewable energy projects such as wind and solar installations. [The University Record]

Have a certainly safe day.

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geoharvey is not tax-deductible.