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Opinion:

¶ “Chinese Electric Cars Are Leaving The US In The Dust” • With our storied history as automobile leaders of the 1900s, it is easy to assume the US will continue to be the automotive leaders globally and especially domestically. However, we are rapidly being outmaneuvered, out-innovated, and left in the dust by our Chinese competitors. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Z9 interior (BYD image)

¶ “Faster Charging Doesn’t Help As Much As We Think” • One thing we haven’t really seen is what happens when a Bolt goes head to head against the car most people consider the gold standard for EV road trips: a Tesla. Now we have that. The EV Geek on YouTube tested to see how much time driving a cheap EV really loses you. (Not much.) [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Giraffes Need Endangered Species Protection For The First Time, US Officials Say” • The tallest animal on Earth is in danger, says the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and it is calling for federal protections for giraffe species for the first time. FWS proposes listing three subspecies of northern giraffes as endangered due to poaching, habitat loss, and climate change. [ABC News]

Giraffe (Judah Legge, Unsplash)

¶ “The US Energy Information Administration Acknowledges Electric Vehicles Are Eating Into Chinese Oil Demand” • The US EIA put out an “in-brief analysis” on “What’s driving decreasing gasoline consumption in China?” It notes that with EVs, demand for oil in China has been down for the past few months from the same months in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Honda Is Building Its Own Solid-State Batteries” • Honda had already announced it is moving on from its relationship with GM and will build its own EVs in the future. In the past few days, it announced that it has opened a 27,000 sq m (300,000 sq ft) demonstration production line for solid-state battery cells at its R&D center in Sakura City. [CleanTechnica]

Honda solid-state battery factory (Courtesy of Honda)

¶ “OX2 Turns Sod On Oz Solar Project” • OX2 has begun the construction of a 119-MW solar farm in Australia, one of the first publicly owned renewable energy projects in the country. SEC is a government-owned renewable energy company in Victoria, a fact that has also enabled a 100-MW battery energy storage system to be added to the project. [reNews]

¶ “Indonesia’s Prabowo Plans To Retire All Fossil Fuel Plants In Fifteen Years, But Experts Are Skeptical” • Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that his government plans to retire all fossil fuel-power plants while drastically boosting the country’s renewable energy capacity in the next 15 years. But the country is among those most dependent on coal. [ABC News]

Java (Hugo Matilla, Unsplash)

¶ “SA Secures The World’s First 100% Hydrogen-Capable Gas Turbines” • The South Australian Government has secured an agreement with ATCO Australia to contract GE Vernova to supply a first-of-its-kind, advanced gas turbine that can operate on 100% renewable hydrogen for the Whyalla hydrogen power plant. [Energy Source & Distribution]

US:

¶ “Northern California Faces Possible Record-Breaking Rainfall From Atmospheric River And Another Storm Is Coming” • A powerful atmospheric river is unleashing torrential, flooding rainfall across Northern California and parts of the Pacific Northwest in the wake of a historically strong bomb cyclone. Now another storm is on the way. [CNN]

Flooding from an atmospheric river (DJ Cane, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Water Levels At Reservoirs All Over The Northeast Dried Up Due To Drought Conditions In Recent Months” • Bodies of water that provide for populated regions in the Northeast have dried due to drought conditions in recent months, experts say. Water levels at reservoirs in the region have decreased to the point of concern for water supply managers. [ABC News]

¶ “Record Levels of Solar And Storage Installed for Tech, Retail, And Manufacturing Giants in USA” • Corporations in the US are spending heavily on solar and energy storage to power their operations despite current circumstances. On that topic, the Solar Energy Industries Association just released its annual Solar Means Business report. [CleanTechnica]

Ivanpah Solar Project (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

¶ “Coal Producer To Produce 5.5 GW Of Solar Power” • Data centers are expected to drive a surge in demand for coal power in the US, but the leading coal producer Peabody is not waiting for it. Following a series of setbacks in recent years, Peabody is converting some of its properties to solar power plants, and they are not talking small potatoes. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BayWa RE Sells US Solar Trio” • BayWa’s renewables arm has completed the sale of a US solar portfolio totaling 517 MW (dc) of capacity. The three projects, in the service areas of grid operators Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland Interconnector (PJM) and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), will be connected in 2025. [reNews]

Solar farm (BayWay RE image)

¶ “Welch Introduces Ambitious Renewable Energy Standard Bill” • Vermont Senator Peter Welch joined with other Democrats to introduce a climate bill for a 100% renewable energy standard within twenty years. The American Renewable Energy Act puts a priority on solar, wind, and geothermal energy, and bio-digesters on farms and wastewater plants. [WCAX]

¶ “Hermes 2 Construction Permits Approved By US Nuclear Regulatory Commission” • The NRC voted to issue construction permits to Kairos Power for the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant. The permits will authorize Kairos to build a facility with two 35 MW molten salt-cooled reactors that would also include a shared power generation system. [World Nuclear News]

Have an abundantly ducky day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Sufficiency: It’s All We Need” • Lloyd Alter teaches sustainable design at Toronto Metropolitan University, and in his spare time, writes a blog on Substack called Carbon Upfront! In a piece this week, he focuses on sufficiency, a concept that we used consider normal before the Super Size Me movement took hold and we turned to extreme self-indulgence. [CleanTechnica]

It’s all we need (Architecture 2030)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Dangerous Hurricanes Are Being Made Even Worse Because Of Climate Change, Study Finds” • A study from Climate Central adds to growing evidence that human-amplified climate change is leading to more intense storms. It found that 84% of Atlantic hurricanes between 2019 and 2023 averaged 18 mph stronger due to climate change. [ABC News]

World:

¶ “At Least One Dead And Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power As Bomb Cyclone Slams Washington State And British Columbia” • A “once in a decade” bomb cyclone lashed the west coast with hurricane-force wind gusts, leaving at least one person dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington state, California, and British Columbia. [CNN]

Rainstorm (Dan Kreibich, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Ford To Cut 4,000 Jobs In Europe As It Faces Weak EV Sales And Economic Headwinds” • Ford Motor Co says it will reduce its workforce by 4,000 in Europe and the UK by the end of 2027, citing economic headwinds with increased competition and weaker than expected sales of electric cars. Most of the job cuts will be in Germany. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla Model Y News From Around The World” • The Model Y news started this month by announcing that Tesla would offer one full year of free European Supercharging for anyone who buys and takes delivery of a Model Y in Europe before December 31, 2024. The thinking is clearly that the promotion will boost overall 2024 Tesla sales. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash)

¶ “Ocean Winds Submits Plans For 2-GW Scottish Project” • Ocean Winds has concluded three years of development work and submitted applications for planning consent to the Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate for the 2-GW Caledonia Offshore Wind Farm in the outer Moray Firth. Caledonia was awarded the site in 2022. [reNews]

¶ “Crown Estate Launches Research Projects” • The Crown Estate is partnering with a range of expert bodies across the UK on five new projects to support the acceleration towards net zero, while enabling marine and coastal ecosystems to thrive. The projects will aim to discover any negative effects of offshore windfarms and how to remedy them. [reNews]

Fish at an offshore foundation (BOEM image)

¶ “Solar Energy Corp Bars Anil Ambani’s Reliance Power For 3 Years Over Fake Tender Document” • In a setback for Reliance Power’s green energy plans, Solar Energy Corp of India has barred the Anil Ambani company, its subsidiaries and Reliance NU BESS Ltd from participating in tenders issued by the state-owned company for three years. [MSN]

¶ “Victoria To Build First State-Owned Solar And Battery Project” • The government of Victoria announced that the State Electricity Commission is investing A$370 million to build a solar-plus-battery project in Horsham. The facility is projected to generate around 242,000 MWh of renewable energy per year, enough to power 51,000 homes. [Asian Power]

Mitre Lake, Victoria (Ed Dunens, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Faces Second Blackout Of The Week After Russian Attacks” • The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is on the verge of a blackout after Russian attacks on power lines left the plant connected to only one line, Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported on November 21. It is the second threatened blackout of the week. [The Kyiv Independent]

US:

¶ “Biden Administration Trying To Throw A Hail Mary To Save The Colorado River Before Trump Takes Over” • The Biden administration trying to get seven Western states to agree to divvy up the Colorado River’s water so as to protect the river basin and the West’s largest single water source – before Donald Trump takes office. [CNN]

Colorado River (Zoshua Colah, Unsplash)

¶ “What Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Fracking Agenda Could Look Like” • Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign was partly built on a bedrock of US Oil & Gas production. Trump repeated his “drill, baby, drill” slogan, as he promised a fracking boom that he said could help make America more “energy independent” and lower the price of fuel. [ABC News]

¶ “Mitsubishi Reaffirms Commitment To EV Battery Swapping” • Skeptics abound, but EV battery swapping is attracting serious attention from automakers. The latest development is that Mitsubishi Corporation has announced a strategic partnership with the US battery swapping startup Ample, punctuated by an investment of $25 million. [CleanTechnica]

Mitsubishi battery swapping vans (Courtesy of Mitsubishi)

¶ “SOLARCYCLE’s New Georgia Facility Will Recycle 5 GW Of Solar Panels Per Year ” • SOLARCYCLE’s 5-GW recycling facility in Georgia will be able to recover “up to 90%” of the materials in solar PVs. Some will end up as feedstock for the company’s solar glass factory. The plant will start with recycling 2 million solar panels annually. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Billionaire Gautam Adani Indicted In New York On Bribery Charges” • Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and other executives were indicted in New York by US prosecutors for their alleged roles in a yearslong, multi-million-dollar bribery and fraud scheme involving plans to develop a major solar power plant. The fraud allegedly hurt US investors. [CNN]

Have a certifiably amusing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Why Cloud Seeding Cannot Make Or Control The Weather” • Meteorology may have come a long way since its inception, but it is not possible for anyone – whether government, scientists or billionaires – to control the weather, experts say. We might get a 10% increase in local rain by seeding clouds, but creating or even steering hurricanes is another thing. [ABC News]

Clouds (NOAA, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Money To Respond To Climate Change Is Key To UN Talks In Baku. Nations Are Finding Ways To Raise It” • Rich nations hope to get financial leverage to come up with the money that poorer nations need to cope with climate change. It involves a complex package of grants, loans, and private investment. At the COP29 climate talks, it’s a major issue. [ABC News]

¶ “Chery Claims to Have 1-GWh Solid-State Battery Production Line” • Chinese automaker Chery claims to have a GWh-level solid-state battery production line under development in Wuhu, Anhui Province. It is developing the plant jointly by Anhui Anwa New Energy Co, Ltd and the Wuhu Economic and Technological Development Zone. [CleanTechnica]

Chery A5 (Overlaet, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “XPENG Entering UK” • XPENG will launch the G6 via partner International Motors Ltd. Reportedly, the company will start to deliver the G6 SUV to customers in the UK very soon. XPENG notes that the UK is a priority market for it in Europe. The UK government wants internal combustion cars to be completely phased out of new car sales by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Reaches 10 Million New Energy Vehicles!” • BYD is the first automaker to produce 10 million plugin vehicles (known as “new energy vehicles” in China). The most exciting thing about BYD’s growth is that it is quickly expanding around the world. BYD is bringing EVs to all sorts of markets, from Ethiopia to Colombia to Australia. [CleanTechnica]

BYD celebration (BYD image)

¶ “Lithuania To Achieve 100% Renewable Energy In Electricity By 2030” • By 2030, Lithuania’s national electricity grid will turn green, with renewable generating capacity providing 100% of the country’s electricity, said Lithuania’s Minister of Environment Simonas Gentvilas as he addressed the COP29 summit in Baku, Trend reports. [Trend News Agency]

¶ “COWI Joins Nature-Focused Offshore Project” • COWI has joined the Wood Thilsted Joint Industry Project to develop a nature inclusive approach to offshore wind farms. This effort aims to “explore and redefine” collaboratively what it means to create offshore wind farms that positively impact ecosystems throughout their lifecycle. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbine (COWI image)

¶ “Australia’s Emissions Down 30% Thanks To Renewables” • A report published by the Clean Energy Council and Green Energy Markets shows that a surge in renewable energy investment since 2015 reduced emissions by 30% relative to what they would be if Australia had remained reliant on the fleet of power stations it had in that year. [Energy Source & Distribution]

¶ “Voltalia To Deliver 135-MW Spanish PV Scheme” • Voltalia will build a 135-MW solar project in Spain for its client Green Arrow Capital. Voltalia has signed a contract with Green Arrow Capital to provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction as well as Operation & Maintenance for the facility in Sanlucar la Mayor, Seville. [reNews]

Solar project (Voltalia image)

¶ “Iran Increasing Stockpile Of Near-Weapons-Grade Uranium, UN Says” • Iran has defied international demands to rein in its nuclear program and has increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels, says a confidential report by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog that was seen by The Associated Press. [CNN]

US:

¶ “A Once-In-A-Decade Bomb Cyclone Is Taking Shape Off The West Coast” • A powerful “bomb cyclone” will combine with an atmospheric river to unleash over a month’s worth of rain, hurricane-force wind gusts, and feet of mountain snow to parts of the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. Power outages already affect 400,000 customers. [CNN]

Cloudburst (Linhao Zhang, Unsplash)

¶ “Chris Wright, Trump’s Pick For Energy Secretary, Is Wrong About Green Energy, Experts Say” • Donald Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, is the chief executive of Liberty Energy, the world’s second-largest fracking services company. He has said, “There is no climate crisis, and we’re not in the midst of an energy transition either.” [ABC News]

¶ “Creating Green Shipping Possibilities Through New Digital Solutions” • The US Environmental Protection Agency says that investing in port infrastructure and operations is vital to US economic prosperity. Because these investments provide not only economic but environmental gains, green shipping is essential for US ports. [CleanTechnica]

Maersk container ship (Petar Milošević, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “National Blueprint for a Clean And Competitive Industrial Sector” • The US Department of Energy and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, with input from Departments and Agencies across the federal government, released “The National Blueprint for a Clean & Competitive Industrial Sector.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Salt River Project And Flatland Storage Plan 200-MW BESS In Arizona” • Salt River Project and Flatland Storage, a subsidiary of EDP Renewables North America have entered into an agreement to provide 200 MW of new energy storage to Arizona’s grid. The Flatland Energy Storage Project will be a 200-MW, 800-MWh battery energy storage system. [Solar Power World]

Have an inconceivably sagacious day.

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World:

¶ “How Is The World Doing On Tackling Climate Change?” • Last year, at the COP28 meeting, countries agreed to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.” Nevertheless, fossil fuel use is still rising, despite positive steps by some countries including the UK and by the EU to wean themselves off the energy sources that do most to heat up our planet. [BBC]

Wind farm in Greece (Feri & Tasos, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Trump Might Nix America As A Climate Tech Leader. Five Charts Show China Winning That Race” • China is installing wind and solar power projects faster than any other country on the planet. As President-elect Donald Trump is likely to roll back on the US’ role as a global climate leader, experts say China will have to lead the charge. [CNN]

¶ “New Autonomous Air Taxi Trial In Thailand” • A while back, EHang’s EH216-S aircraft became the first autonomous electric aircraft in the world to be approved for commercial flight. Now, it has conducted its first pilot-free test flights, in Bangkok. The company has more test flights planned for the islands of Phuket and Koh Samui in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

EHang EH216-S EVTOL

¶ “CATL Will Put Its Second-Generation Sodium-Ion Batteries Into Production In 2025” • Battery technology is advancing so fast that by the time you get it home, it’s close to being obsolete. CATL announced its second-generation sodium battery. Chief scientist Wu Kai announced development of the battery and said it would be launched in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Financial Investments In Smallholder Farmers Are Big Talk At UN Climate Change Conference” • An estimated 28-31% of world crop production and 30-34% of the food are produced by 600 million smallholder farmers, who work less than two hectares of land each, combining to 24% of the farm land. Their finances are being considered at COP29. [CleanTechnica]

Rooster (David Brooke Martin, Unsplash)

¶ “Italy’s Enel Unveils €43 Billion Plan To Increase Renewable Energy Production” • Italian energy group Enel announced a plan to spend around €43 billion ($45.6 billion) over the next three years, mostly to improve energy grid efficiency and boost renewable energy production. Enel said €26 billion is to improve and expand its grids, mostly in Europe. [Daijiworld]

¶ “COP’s 96-MW South Korean Project Achieves First Power” • Copenhagen Offshore Partners has announced that the 96-MW Jeonnam 1 Offshore Wind Project in Korea achieved first power, advancing Korea on its path towards energy independence. The project’s owner is a JV of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and SK Innovation E&S. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Herztier Kang, Unsplash)

¶ “Quebec Plans To Achieve 100% Renewable Energy In Its Buildings” • The Government of Quebec is aiming to remove fossil fuels from all buildings, except those in the industrial sector, by 2040. The Environment Minister and the Energy Minister announced “a plan to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2040.” [CityNews Montreal]

¶ “Sany’s 15-MW Onshore Turbine Powers Up” • Sany Renewable Energy’s independently designed SI-270150, a 15-MW onshore wind turbine, has successfully achieved operation at rated power. As a flagship product in the 12.X–16.X MW onshore and offshore platform, the SI-270150 boasts a rotor diameter of 270 meters and a lifespan of 25–30 years. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Sany image)

¶ “Nuclear Plant Operator Rejects Ideas To Restart Germany’s Reactors On Economical Grounds” • Restarting decommissioned German nuclear plants is not viable, former plant operator E.ON said. The company insisted that its plans to fully dismantle all plants remain unchanged. A return to nuclear power production would not be economical. [Reccessary]

¶ “Enel To Invest €12 Billion In Renewables” • Enel Group plans to invest about €12 billion in renewable capacity with flexible capital allocation and a selective approach aimed at maximizing returns while minimizing risks. It is also seizing on brownfield opportunities with the aim for greater profitability. The group plans to add around 12 GW of capacity. [reNews]

Wind farm (Enel image)

US:

¶ “NYC Issues First Drought Warning In 22 Years And Pauses Aqueduct Repairs To Bring In More Water” • New York City issued its first drought warning in 22 years. It will restart the flow of drinking water from an out-of-service aqueduct as supplies run low. With the drought, city and state officials implemented water-conservation protocols, as well. [ABC News]

¶ “American Petroleum Institute Submits Its Christmas Wish List” • Just one week after the US presidential election, the American Petroleum Institute released its wish list for the incoming administration. The 5-point plan would eliminate many of the Biden administration’s most far reaching efforts to limit the global heating. [CleanTechnica]

Pump jacks (Arne Hückelheim, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “House Republicans Take A Victory Lap In Baku” • As reported by Jake Bittle for Grist, at a swaggering press conference just a few hundred feet from where international negotiators had spent a week hashing out a transition away from fossil fuels, the GOP delegation delivered an aggressive message in support of oil, gas, and even coal. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Green Hydrogen And Energy Storage Makeover Planned For Colossal Superfund Site” • In New Mexico there was a massive environmental disaster until it closed in 2014. Now an intricate, decades-long remediation effort is under way, and plans are in the works to produce green hydrogen at the site, advancing the Kit Carson Energy Coop goals. [CleanTechnica]

Have a punctiliously moving day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why EV Subsidies Are Important For US Economy” • At CleanTechnica we have had articles about the probability that the US EV tax credit will be killed. We’ve noted that this is bad for future US economic competitiveness. Some people don’t know why that is so, so we’re going to tease it out with the help of some of our commenters. [CleanTechnica]

EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

¶ “Will Solar Succeed Where Nuclear Failed And Become ‘Too Cheap To Meter’?” • In September 1954, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Lewis Strauss used the phrase “too cheap to meter.” Fast forward to 2024 and it seems that renewable energy, while not too cheap to meter, are certainly cheaper than any other form of electricity generation. [RenewEconomy]

World:

¶ “RES Submits Plans For NI Wind Farm Extension” • RES is seeking permission from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council for its Dunbeg South Extension Wind Farm proposal in Northern Ireland. The 16.8-MW wind farm site lies adjacent to a disused quarry near the A37 and close to the operational Dunbeg and Dunmore wind farms. [reNews]

Wind farm (RES image)

¶ “Surging Wind Power To Curb Prices As Europe Braces For Cold Snap” • While temperatures are expected to be well below the 30-year norm, increased heating demand will be offset by stronger wind generation. UK wind power is expected to reach a peak of 16,963 MW next week, and Germany is projected to hit a new wind peak of 63,211 MW. [Luxembourg Times]

¶ “Fossil Fuels Continue To Keep Pace With RE In SEA” • The Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development says that while renewable energy is continuously extending in Southeast Asia, fossil fuels continue to keep pace. CEED’s report says the region witnessed a rapid expansion in renewable energy, but fossil fuels are also being developed. [Power Philippines]

Pollution (Marcin Jozwiak, Unsplash)

¶ “Can Central Asia And The Caucasus Become World’s Next Green Energy Hub?” • As COP29 begins, the focus is on ‘green energy corridors’ to boost renewable energy through regional collaboration. Central Asia and the Caucasus have vast potential for green energy corridors to drive large-scale renewable energy development, a report by Ember says. [Asian Power]

¶ “Egypt’s New Renewable Energy Projects To Produce 10-GW” • Egypt will add nearly 10 GW to its renewable energy production after projects in this sector are completed, an Egyptian Minister has said. Renewable energy projects that will be carried out by the private sector alone will generate nearly 4.7 GW, just under half the targeted output until 2030. [ZAWYA]

Windpower in Egypt (Hatem Moushir, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “UN Chief Condemns Russian Strikes On Ukraine’s Energy System” • Large-scale strikes occurred overnight and reportedly caused power outages and civilian casualties. A UN spokesperson said, “Directing attacks against civilians and civilian objects is prohibited by international humanitarian law. Any such attacks are unacceptable and must end immediately.” [UN News]

¶ “Field Acquires 200-MW UK Battery” • Field Energy has announced the acquisition of the 200-MW Hartmoor battery storage project in England from Clearstone Energy. The project becomes the latest addition to Field’s 11-GW portfolio of battery storage projects in development and construction across Europe. The Hartmoor project is to come online in 2026. [reNews]

Battery system (Ads-Tec image)

Australia:

¶ “Horizon Power Projects Cut Diesel Reliance In Remote Towns With Solar And BESS” • In Perth, Pacific Energy has completed its sixth solar and battery energy storage system for Horizon as part of the regional energy provider’s Midwest solar program in Western Australia. The final project is a 758-kW solar farm with a 336-kWh BESS. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Iberdrola Strikes Renewable Energy Supply Deal With 13 NSW Councils” • Iberdrola Australia has secured a multi-year power purchase agreement with a collective of 13 regional New South Wales councils with a portion of the renewable energy to come from the 190-MW Avonlie Solar Farm near Narrandera in the state’s Riverina region. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar farm (Courtesy of Iberdrola Australia)

¶ “Australia Pledges $125 Million To Support Pacific’s Renewable Energy Shift” • The Australian government announced at the UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan that it is partnering with Pacific nations to support their clean energy transition and improve energy security with A$125 million ($80.76 million) of investment in renewables. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “Why Three-Row Electric Vehicles Are So In Demand” • What could really move the needle on electric vehicle sales? Three-row SUVs and minivans, some industry experts say. The market for a three-row electric SUV has been limited up until now, and Tesla’s Model X has had complaints for its cramped rear-seating. More models are coming soon. [ABC News]

Rivian R1T (Rivian image)

¶ “No New Red Flag Warnings, But Fire Danger Persists In The Northeast” • For the first time in days, the Northeast was under no red flag warnings, but officials cautioned that fire danger in the region remains high as drought conditions persist. All red flag warnings were lifted as conditions improved following days of wildfires burning. [ABC News]

¶ “Federal Incentives And Rebates May End Soon. Now Is The Time To Act!” • Bloomberg advised that if you are thinking of buying an electric car or an energy-saving heat pump eligible for federal tax credits and rebates, now might be the time. The next occupant of the Offal Office pledged to rescind funding for over $8.5 billion in incentives. [CleanTechnica]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “States Can And Should Save Climate Research And Weather Service” • It’s no secret that the incoming Trump administration has it out for NOAA. But it may surprise some readers that they also have a strange axe to grind with NOAA’s National Weather Service, because they’d rather a private company charge people for weather alerts. [CleanTechnica]

Hurricane Milton (Courtesy of NOAA)

¶ “Government Subsidies And Untaxed Externalities. Is Elon Crazy Like A Fox?” • Elon Musk, the idiot savant from Pretoria, is about to become the second most powerful person in the world, thanks to being appointed by the incoming president of the US to take a sledgehammer to the federal bureaucracy. But will he repay the incentives? [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Latest Typhoon Batters The Philippines, Displacing About 400,000 People” • A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. [ABC News]

Typhoon tracks, 1980-2005 (Nilfanion, public domain)

¶ “Russia’s Gazprom Stoped Flow Of Natural Gas To Austria, Utility Says” • Russia’s state-owned natural gas supplier Gazprom stopped supplies to Austria, the Vienna-based utility OMV said. Earlier, OMV said it would stop paying for Gazprom gas to its Austrian arm to offset a €230 million award it won in arbitration after gas was cut off to a German subsidiary. [ABC News]

¶ “Private Sector Key In Kenya’s Journey To 100% Renewable Energy By 2030” • Kenya is emerging as a leader in renewable energy on the African continent, with 90% of its electricity from renewable sources, such as geothermal, hydro, and solar power. However, Kenya’s increasing population means the demand is growing faster than the supply. [The Star, Kenya]

A tree grows in Kenya (Damian Patkowski, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Is Awash With Solar Power. Experts Say We Can’t Store It All” • The number of Australian homes and businesses with solar installations clicked past 4 million. And everywhere, it seems, demand for power from the grid, demand for power not being met by rooftop solar, has fallen to record lows. There are times when there is too much solar. [MSN]

¶ “Cornwall Hits Renewable Energy Milestone” • Cornwall has become the first local authority area in the UK to have more than 40,000 renewable energy installations, according to official figures. The Microgeneration Certification Scheme said the county had 40,873 installations of items including solar panels and heat pumps. [BBC]

Rooftop solar in Cornwall (David Medcalf, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Scientists Attribute Devastating Flood Events To Concerning Pattern: ‘No Longer A Distant Threat'” • Nepal endured its worst flooding in decades during September, with torrential monsoon rains inundating entire neighborhoods of Kathmandu. It is one more example of how overheating our planet is supercharging weather events. [The Cool Down]

US:

¶ “What To Know About Trump’s Energy Secretary Nominee Chris Wright” • President-elect Donald Trump announced that he has nominated Chris Wright, an executive of a fracking company who has fiercely criticized the existence of a climate crisis and the transition to renewable energy sources, to run the Department of Energy. [ABC News]

Chris Wright (Gage Skidmore, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Trump Has Ambitious Plans For Federal Land Use. He May Not Be Able To Accomplish Them All” • President-elect Donald Trump promised at the Republican National Convention in July to “drill, baby, drill” if he were to be reelected. But he may not be able to accomplish the vast majority of his plans due to existing protections. [ABC News]

¶ “Algae Biofuel Is Booming Without Help From ExxonMobil” • ExxonMobil sent shivers through the algae biofuel world, when it gave up a longstanding research partnership with the US firm Viridos last year, after it decided there were better opportunities to make money elsewhere. Maybe they dropped the ball just a little too soon. [CleanTechnica]

Algae for biofuels (Honeywell, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Huge Gas Plant Eyed To Power Mystery $5 Billion Louisiana Data Center” • In an area of northeast Louisiana known for rice, sweet potatoes, and poverty, an unnamed company has agreed to build a new data center with an investment of at least $5 billion. The development will need energy, and Entergy wants to build a new gas-burning plant. [Louisiana Illuminator]

¶ “Pilgrim Worker Claims He Was Poisoned by Radiation” • A 41-year-old worker assigned to the decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station for several months in 2021 claims he was poisoned by radiation and that Holtec Pilgrim, the plant’s owner, misled workers about safety. He sued for injuries by release of toxic substances. [The Provincetown Independent]

Have a mystifyingly beautiful day.

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World:

¶ “Climate Leaders Were Worried Trump Would Derail Talks. They Didn’t Know Their Host Would Be The Wrecking Ball” • The moment the US election results rolled in, climate leaders knew Donald Trump would be a blow to the COP29 talks in Baku. What they didn’t foresee was the demolition job the leader of Azerbaijan would do. [CNN]

President Ilham Aliyev (Michał Koziczyński, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Tropical Storm Sara Dumps More Than 20 Inches Of Rain On Parts Of Honduras” • Tropical Storm Sara is unleashing heavy rainfall in northeastern Honduras, with life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides anticipated through the weekend. Nearly 20 inches of rain had already fallen in parts of Honduras as of Friday morning with more to come. [CNN]

¶ “XPENG Awarded “AAA” ESG Rating ” • EV producer XPENG shared that it got an “AAA” designation for its environmental, social, and governance policies. It’s a happy surprise to find out it’s a leader on ESG as well as smart EV tech. The company has also been an interesting and even special one to communicate with, as it is open and progressive. [CleanTechnica]

XPENG sales (XPENG image)

¶ “ClimeFi Launches Global 1000 Carbon Removal Challenge With XPrize” • ClimeFi, partnering with XPRIZE, launched the Global 1000 CDR Challenge at COP29 in Baku. The challenge calls for each of the world’s largest 1,000 companies to enter new purchase agreements for at least 1,000 tonnes of permanent CO₂ removal in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Study Proposes Covering Highways With 52 Billion Solar Panels” • Researchers from the three Chinese institutions and Columbia University have proposed a historic initiative they say would generate 60% of the electricity the world uses each year and reduce carbon emissions by 28%. They propose putting 52 billion solar panels over highways. [CleanTechnica]

Highways and weather (Earth’s Future image)

¶ “Plans In For 840-MW UK Solar Site” • Plans for a 840-MW solar site were submitted by Photovolt Development Partners to the Oxfordshire Planning Inspectorate. The Botley West project, once built, would become the UK’s largest solar farm, generating enough energy to power 330,000 homes, the equivalent of every home in the county. [reNews]

¶ “Ocean Winds Installs Final Moray West Turbine” • The 60th and final Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD wind turbine has been successfully installed on Ocean Winds’ 882-MW Moray West project in Scotland. Supplied with “Power Boost” each turbine can generate up to 14.7 MW of output, making them the largest offshore commercial turbines in Europe. [reNews]

Offshore turbine installation (Ocean Winds image)

¶ “Voltalia Signs 3-GW Egyptian Renewable MOU” • Voltalia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity, in partnership with TAQA Arabia, to repower the 545-MW Zafarana wind farm, to create a 3-GW wind and solar site. The site was originally commissioned by the Egyptian government two decades ago. [reNews]

¶ “China Floats Its First Gigawatt Scale Offshore Solar Park, And Completes 3-GW PV Project At Old Coal Mine” • Chinese state-owned CHN Energy has completed the installation of two large-scale solar PV projects. One is the world’s second-largest solar facility, measuring in at 3 GW. The other is the first offshore solar PV project of gigawatt scale. [RenewEconomy]

Offshore PV project (CHN Energy image)

¶ “Russian Occupiers Damage Main Power Line at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant” • A Russian shelling attack cut the main power line at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, bringing it to the brink of a blackout, the National Energy Company Ukrenergo reported. All six reactors are shut down, but they need electricity from Ukraine. [The New Voice of Ukraine]

US:

¶ “It’s Not Just Democrats – Republicans Are Working To Protect Climate Money” • It’s not just Democrats at work to protect the Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy policies. Donald Trump is out on a limb within even his own party as he vows to the kill clean energy tax subsidies that many Republicans lawmakers increasingly depend on. [CNN]

Tracking a supercell (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “How Drought Is Ruining Christmas In The Northeast” • In the Northeast, Christmas tree farmers don’t look very merry as they struggle to keep their trees alive during a drought that has left vegetation brown and shriveled. Nearly 60% of the region was in drought last week, US Drought Monitor data shows, and it was severe to extreme in over a quarter of it. [CNN]

¶ “US Offshore Wind Industry Pulls The Supply Chain Card In Effort To Survive” • If the US offshore wind industry goes down after Inauguration Day, it will go down swinging. Stakeholders are making their case before the new administration takes office, and they’re not arguing clean energy. Instead, they are rolling out a supply chain defense. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore windpower (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

¶ “Get Your Electric Car Order In ASAP! Trump Plans To Kill $7,500 EV Tax Credit” • Aside from some truly insane Cabinet picks, we’re getting some leaks on Donald Trump’s legislative plans when he takes office again. One of those, according to exclusive reporting from Reuters based on two sources, is to kill the $7,500 EV tax credit. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “FERC Approves MISO, SPP Transmission Plan Expected To Spur 29 GW Of Renewables ” • FERC approved proposals by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and the Southwest Power Pool on tariffs and an agreement to advance $1.8 billion in transmission projects that could enable about 29 GW of new renewable capacity. [Utility Dive]

Have a gloriously perspicaceous day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Fuel Cell Electric Aircraft Help To Drive The Green Hydrogen Market” • The EU has been working on a plan to replace liquid fossil fuels with an EU-wide lower-carbon gas network, which includes stepping up the supply of green hydrogen fuel for aviation, shipping, and heavy industries. The plan was created in May, and it is already bearing fruit. [CleanTechnica]

Fuel cell powered air travel (Courtesy of ZeroAvia)

¶ “MIT Researchers Develop New Process For Turning Carbon Dioxide Into Ethylene” • Research by engineers at MIT could lead to rapid improvements in a variety of electro-chemical systems to convert carbon dioxide into valuable commodities. The team developed a design for electrodes that increases the efficiency of the conversions. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Climate Change Threatening More Than 40% Of The World’s Corals With Extinction, Conservation Group Says” • About 44% of reef-building coral species are at risk of extinction, data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species shows. The Red List is a new edition released as COP29 goes on in Baku, Azerbaijan. [ABC News]

Coral (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “EHang Makes Flurry Of Announcements On Its eVTOL Aicraft” • Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing company EHang made five announcements in the past week. One is that it had made a “breakthrough” in solid-state battery tech. It said that using this solid-state battery “improves the flight endurance by 60%–90%.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Rivian And Volkswagen Throw Each Other A Lifeline” • This past summer, Rivian and Volkswagen formed a joint venture to develop the next generation of electric and electronic controls for EVs. That architecture determines how the various electrical and electronic functions of an EV are designed and embedded in vehicles and how they interact. [CleanTechnica]

Rivian pickup (Rivian image)

¶ “China Opens World’s Largest Offshore Solar Power Facility, As US Falls Farther Behind” • China is the most advanced solar society in the world with over 600 GW of installed solar capacity. It saves the country billions of dollars a year over paying for imported fossil gas.. The US has only about 130 GW of solar. And China is getting more. [Informed Comment]

¶ “Electric Patrol Boat Launched By Voltari” • About two years ago, Canadian electric boat manufacturer Voltari announced it had piloted one its Voltari 260 performance boats 91 miles on a single charge. Recently, Voltari announced it has built a patrol vessel. Cam Heaps, Voltari’s CEO, answered some questions about it for CleanTechnica. [CleanTechnica]

Voltari patrol boat (Voltari image)

¶ “Russia Threatens To Expel UN Monitors From Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that it can expel International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant if it finds their work “inappropriate.” Russia’s Foreign Ministry lambasted Grossi for mentioning a possible cessation of hostilities. [MSN]

UK:

¶ “EGL1 Secures £2 Billion In Funding” • A £2 billion funding package was awarded to National Grid to build the proposed Eastern Green Link 1 subsea and underground 196 km cable to transport wind energy in the UK. The project is being developed with ScottishPower Energy Networks. It was approved through a new Ofgem fast-track process. [reNews]

EGL1 (National Grid image)

¶ “Green Nation Unveils 750-MW Whitestone Solar” • Green Nation has revealed plans for the 750-MW Whitestone solar farm in South Yorkshire, England. The PV project would feature a battery energy storage system, at a site between Rotherham and Doncaster. Grid connection is planned into the nearby Brinsworth substation. [reNews]

¶ “UK Bans New Coal Mines” • The UK government confirmed it will introduce legislation as soon as possible to restrict licensing of new coal mines. Coal power remains the largest source of energy-related CO2 emissions globally. Phasing it out is a crucial step to tackling climate change and limiting global temperature rises to 1.5°C. [reNews]

Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station (Uniper image)

US:

¶ “Air Quality Becomes Major Lever to Phase Out Fossil Fuels” • The air pollution from burning fossil fuels in buildings causes smog and acid rain and costs the US $45 billion and causes roughly 6,000 premature deaths annually. Air quality agencies across the US are quietly becoming major players in the race to cut carbon emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Offshore Floating Wind Horses Have Already Left The Barn, Thanks To US Taxpayers” • The offshore wind industry has planted tens of thousands of turbines in coastal waters around the world since the early 2000s. That’s a good start, but it’s just a start. New offshore floating wind technology is beginning to hit the market. [CleanTechnica]

Floating wind turbines (Courtesy of Principle Power)

¶ “Trump Picks Burgum To Lead Key Department” • Donald Trump chose North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to head up the Department of the Interior, which oversees key agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. He is seen as a friend of Oil & Gas. [reNews]

¶ “Thune Is Big Fan Of Wind Power, An Energy Source Trump Hates” • John Thune, elected Senate majority leader, has long championed wind energy, which provides about 55% of electric energy in his home state, South Dakota. His powerful new role puts him in position to stop Congress from repealing incentives that supported new wind farms. [MSN]

Have a creatively consequential day.

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Opinion:

¶ “USA a Solar Champion at COP29?” • At COP29, the Solar Energy Industries Association put out a story, “America’s New Role at COP29: Global Solar Champion.” Well, let’s hope that Trump doesn’t try to crush the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s unclear what will happen in that regard, since Trump has been extremely pro-fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

Baku, Azerbaijan (Teymur Mammadov, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Extended Range Electric Vehicles Are The Talk Of The Town” • It’s not a hybrid. It’s not a plug-in electric vehicle. An extended range electric vehicle is effectively an all-electric vehicle, with all the motive power provided by an electric motor but with a small internal combustion engine present to generate more electricity. Now the EREV is all the rage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Big Can Offshore Wind Turbines Go? 25 MW And More, That’s How Big” • Offshore wind turbines already have a size advantage over their land-based counterparts, and it’s about to get bigger. A team of researchers spearheaded by the University of Virginia is cooking up plans for a 25-MW wind turbine, with a goal of 50 MW. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind turbines (courtesy of NREL)

World:

¶ “Kia And DHL Partner On Big EV Plans” • Kia and DHL Korea are teaming up to green logistics in Korea. “Kia Corporation announced that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DHL Korea Ltd to expand the sustainable logistics ecosystem through Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle models,” Kia said. They are greening logistics together. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mammoet Crane Passes Final Test” • Mammoet has finished testing of the SK6000, which it says is the world’s strongest land-based crane, ensuring that onshore wind turbines can grow larger. As the market develops, and lifting to heights beyond 171 meters is required, its jib can be fitted to enable lifts of 3,000 tonnes to 220 meters. [reNews]

Big Crane (Mammoet image)

¶ “CATL Prepares To Add Grid Storage And EV Platforms To Its Portfolio” • CATL is the largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer in the world. It currently supplies 37% of all the batteries used in EVs, but it is not resting on its laurels. Its founder, Robin Zeng, intends to turn CATL into a green energy provider while cutting the cost of developing EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Siemens Gamesa Debuts 14-MW Taiwan Nacelle” • Following the opening of Siemens Gamesa’s expanded nacelle plant in Taichung this August, the first locally assembled 14MW unit in Taiwan has been completed. Siemens Gamesa expanded its Taichung hub to produce the hardware designated for the 1-GW Hai Long Offshore Wind Farm. [reNews]

New 14-MW nacelle (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “Renewables Supply 47% Of UK Power” • Renewable energy now provides nearly half of the UK’s electricity (47%), up from just 15% a decade ago, according to the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology. Overall, 15.5% of the UK’s total energy, including power, heat and transport, comes from renewable sources. [reNews]

¶ “Japan’s Nuclear Watchdog Disqualifies A Reactor For The First Time Since Fukushima Disaster” • On Wednesday, Japan’s nuclear watchdog formally disqualified a reactor from restarting because of geological faults near the reactor. It is their first rejection under safety standards that were reinforced after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. [ABC News]

Tsuruga nuclear plant (Hirorinmasa, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “India’s Renewables Capacity Up 13% In October” • Including nuclear energy, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said the total non-fossil fuel capacity rose to 211.36 GW from 186.46 GW last year. From April to October 2024 alone, India added 12.6 GW of renewable energy capacity, of which 1.72 GW was installed last month. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “Trump And Musk Will Quash NHTSA Investigation Of Tesla Full Self Driving System” • Elon Musk put $119 million of his own money into Donald Trump’s candidacy. Now, he is likely to run a new agency whose mission is to take a sledgehammer to federal agencies, including NHTSA, which can decide whether Tesla’s Full Self Driving system is safe. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model S after accident (NTSB, public domain)

¶ “E-Bikes Could Solve A Big Problem For Arches National Park” • For over a decade, the National Park Service struggled to keep Arches National Park from becoming a gridlocked traffic mess as its popularity grew. National parks generally can’t grow to make room for more visitors, so the park rangers are looking for comments on alternatives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oregon Customers Benefit As PGE’s Eastern Montana Wind Farm Helps Set Records” • In its first 10 months serving Portland General Electric customers, the Clearwater Wind Energy Center contributed to new records for PGE wind generation, including helping the company produce 1 GW of power from wind sources alone, a milestone. [POWER Magazine]

Clearwater Wind Energy Center (PGE image)

¶ “BOEM Releases Review Of California Lease Sites” •The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published a draft environmental review of potential wind lease areas off the coast of California. The Notice of Availability for the California Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register. [reNews]

¶ “Exxon CEO Wants Trump To Stay In Paris Climate Accord” • ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods has a message for President-elect Donald Trump: Do not pull the US out of the Paris climate accord. Speaking to The New York Times from the UN climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, Woods said, “we need a global system for managing global emissions.” [Salon.com]

Have a seriously magical day.

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Opinion:

¶ “People Have A Hard Time With Change, Nonetheless EVs Will Dominate By 2030” • There is still a lot of opposition to EVs, and that drives misinformation. But people will gradually experience EVs and notice their benefits. Word of mouth gets around from family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. More of them are on the roads every year. [CleanTechnica]

2025 Hyundai IONIQ XRT (Hyundai image)

¶ “US Aims To Expand Wasteful, Polluting Nuclear Power” • A White House roadmap calls for tripling the US’ nuclear energy capacity by 2050, including 35 GW of new capacity operating or under construction by 2035. For the same cost, clean energy delivers far more electricity than nuclear, and can come online faster and with less risk. [Environment America]

World:

¶ “Planet-Heating Pollution To Hit All-Time High, Dashing Hopes It Would Start To Drop In 2024” • Global levels of planet-heating pollution from fossil fuels will hit record levels this year, according to recent projections, dashing hopes 2024 would be the year they plateau or fall. Fossil fuel pollution is set to increase by 0.8% from 2023. [CNN]

Climate pollution (Patrick Hendry, Unsplash)

¶ “Four Storms Churning The West Pacific At The Same Time Mean More Bad News For The Philippines” • Four separate storm systems are churning their way through the West Pacific at the same time, a rare occurrence due to a warm the ocean, heated by climate change. It threatens to bring more misery to the storm-weary Philippines. [CNN]

¶ “BYD Commercial Vehicle Sales Up 49%” • BYD’s big business is its passenger vehicle. But BYD also reports production and sales of its electric buses and production and sales of its other commercial EVs. BYD delivered 9,849 BYD commercial vehicles in January–October 2024, which was a 49% increase, from the same months of 2023. [CleanTechnica]

All sorts of commercial vehicles (BYD image)

¶ “Pollution In Pakistan’s Punjab Province Sickened 1.8 Million In A Month, Officials Say” • Worsening air pollution sickened an estimated 1.8 million people in Pakistan’s Punjab province in the past month, according to health officials. Punjab has a population of 127 million, and it has been struggling to combat smog since last month. [ABC News]

¶ “Large Electric SUV Models Coming From Cadillac And Mercedes” • Large SUVs are all the rage. They are big, inefficient, and expensive, but those things don’t bother some buyers, who may want to do the right thing and drive an electric car, but only if it substitutes for the jumbo-sized vehicle they feel they are entitled to. [CleanTechnica]

Cadillac Vistiq (Cadillac image)

¶ “Swiss Experiment Will Place Solar Panels Between Train Tracks” • The Swiss are known for being clever engineers. One of them, Baptiste Danichert, is the co-founder of Sun-Ways, a startup that proposes to use the space between rails for solar panel installations. The panels are designed to be removed so the railroad can do maintenance. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “COP29: PM Pledges To Slash Emissions By 80%” • Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged in Azerbaijan at COP29 to reduce the UK’s emissions by 81% compared with 1990 levels by 2035, in line with what the Climate Change Committee recommended. The announcement has been welcomed by renewable and clean energy trade groups and NGOs. [reNews]

Keir Starmer (Labour Party image)

¶ “Wales Eyes £47 Billion Renewables Bonanza” • New analysis revealed today at Future Energy Wales, shows renewable energy presents the country with a £47 billion investment opportunity by 2035. Delegates at Future Energy Wales 2024 at the ICC in Newport heard insights from preliminary research conducted by BiGGAR Economics. [reNews]

¶ “Nuclear Power Remains Irrelevant In International Market: Report” • Nuclear power remains irrelevant in the international energy landscape as countries prioritize solar with batteries to achieve their energy goals, the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024 shows. Solar and wind capacities grew 460 GW, but nuclear power declined 1 GW. [Asian Power]

Nuclear power plant (Jonas Denil, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Trump Taps Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy To Lead Department Of Government Efficiency” • Donald Trump said Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency. They will “dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” [ABC News]

¶ “Hurricane-Damaged Tropicana Field Can Be Fixed For About $55m For 2026 Season” • A detailed assessment of the hurricane damage to Tropicana Field concludes that it is structurally sound and can be repaired for about $55.7 million in time for the 2026 season. Eighteen of the ballpark’s 24 fabric panels failed when Milton roared ashore on October 9. [ABC News]

Tropicana Field, 2022 (Vmartin12, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Waymo Opens To Anyone In Los Angeles!” • Waymo’s weekly passenger count increased by 50% in just two months earlier this year, and then it opened up Waymo One robotaxi rides to riders in Los Angeles. That’s “Santa Monica, Hollywood Blvd, USC, and everything in between,” or 80 sqare miles of Los Angeles County, any time of the day or night. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “FREYR Battery Signs $340 Million Deal With Trina Solar” • Trina Solar announced that it has entered into a transaction agreement with FREYR Battery. The deal includes a 5-GW module manufacturing plant in Wilmer, Texas. It is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Trina Solar and FREYR will collaborate after the deal. [Pulse 2.0]

Have an altogether nice day.

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Opinion:

¶ “When You Combine AI And Nuclear Power, The Results Can Be Catastrophic” • Mark Jacobson found, “Every dollar spent on nuclear is one less dollar spent on clean renewable energy and one more dollar spent on making the world a comparatively dirtier and more dangerous place, because nuclear power and nuclear weapons go hand in hand.” [The Hill]

Three Mile Island (Constellation Energy, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “A YangWang U9 Recently Went 243 MPH – What It Says About BYD” • BYD announced that the YangWang U9 went 391.94 km/h (243 mph). This was not a one-off. No track-only equipment (other than a roll cage, for safety reasons), rockets, or gimmicks. It was a street-legal car using street tires, which likely led them to stop when they did. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Global Installed Solar Capacity To Blow Past 2 Terawatts, USA Or Not” • In its latest report, the Global Solar Council says that solar is becoming the “backbone of the global energy system” and they are acting with other renewable stakeholders to keep pumping up the growth profile, regardless of US energy policy over the next four years. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power (US DOE image)

¶ “BYD May Soon Be Selling More Vehicles Than Ford” • At the end of October, BYD reported revenue for the months of July, August, and September. That beat Tesla for the first time. In total, its quarterly revenue increased 24 percent to $28.2 billion, which fell short of estimates but exceeded Tesla’s $25.2 billion for the same period. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “SPR Awards £1 Billion East Anglia 2 Deal To Siemens Gamesa” • ScottishPower Renewables confirmed a £1 billion deal with Siemens Gamesa for the supply of 15-MW turbines for the East Anglia 2 wind farm. Under the agreement,Siemens Gamesa will provide 64 of its flagship SG 14-236 DD offshore wind turbines. The rotor diameter is 236 meters. [reNews]

SPR and Siemens Gamesa (SPR image)

¶ “SRE Files Contract For 800-MW Formosa 6” • The Synera Renewable Energy Group submitted the administrative contract for the 800-MW Formosa 6 offshore wind project to the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in Taiwan. The move comes at a critical juncture in addressing the export sector’s demands for renewable energy. [reNews]

¶ “Nordex Bags 100-MW Canadian Turbine Order” • Nordex has received a 100-MW turbine order from an undisclosed Canadian wind farm developer-operator. Nordex will supply 19 N163/5.X machines to the developer for a project in Quebec. The turbines will come with 125 meter tubular steel towers during the summer of 2026. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Nordex image)

¶ “By Year’s End, Uzbekistan To Generate Circa 4 GW From Renewable Energy” • Generation from Uzbekistan’s renewable sources will reach nearly 4 GW by the end of this year, the Deputy Energy Minister said during a ministerial dialog on “Scaling up Investment for Tripling Renewables and Doubling Energy Efficiency.” [Trend News Agency]

¶ “Megawatt Mosaic Greenlit For Italian Batteries” • Developer Megawatt Mosaic has secured the planning consent and the grid connection for a portfolio of four 99-MW BESS sites in Italy. Two of these are in Sardinia, and the others are in Tuscany. They will form part of the Tyrrhenian Link, a planned submarine transmission connection. [reNews]

Solar panels on batteries (Megawatt Mosaic image)

¶ “Massive 120-MW Solar Project Starts In South Africa” • Data center operator Teraco started building a 120-MW solar PV plant in the Free State. Upon completion in late 2026, Teraco will own the plant and use the renewable energy for its data centers. The company plans to use its own sustainable energy source to power computing applications. [BusinessTech]

¶ “Developers Seek WA Approval For 70-GW Green Energy Hub” • The consortium behind the proposed Western Green Energy Hub, a 70-GW renewable energy generation and green hydrogen production facility proposed for Western Australia’s southern coastline, lodged its application with the state’s EPA for approval. [pv magazine Australia]

Hub site (Western Green Energy Hub)

US:

¶ “UN Climate Talks To Focus On Money To Help Poor Nations Cut Carbon Pollution” • The worsening heat, floods, droughts, and storms of climate change will cost trillions of dollars that poor nations just don’t have. As UN climate talks started in Baku, Azerbaijan, the big issue is who should pay to help poor nations and especially how much. [ABC News]

¶ “The Domestic EV Supply Chain Is Getting A Big Dose Of Synthetic Graphite” • President Joe Biden will leave behind quite a mess for fossil energy stakeholders to untangle. One example is a synthetic graphite factory in Tennessee, funded partly by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Stellantis is just one of its Domestic EV customers. [CleanTechnica]

Fiat 550e EV (Courtesy of Stellantis)

¶ “Ever Launches CleanTechnica Partnership: $500 Off Quality, Certified EVs” • Ever, a retailer of high-quality EVs, announced an exciting new partnership with CleanTechnica, aimed at making EV ownership even more accessible and affordable. They offer CleanTechnica readers a limited-time $500 discount to buyers who mention the partnership. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Toyota Exec Says California ZEV Goal Is Impossible To Achieve” • Toyota is at it again. On November 8, during a virtual press conference, Jack Hollis, the chief operating officer for Toyota Motor North America, told reporters the EV mandates that are set to start next year in California and other states are “impossible” to meet. [CleanTechnica]

Have an actually fantastic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Is This The Year Of Peak Energy Emissions?” • On one hand, 2024 is likely to be the year of global peak energy emissions. “It is a historic moment,” cheers the World Economic Forum in this year’s edition of DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook. On the other hand, we have so much more work to do before we see the finish line of Paris Climate Agreement targets. [CleanTechnica]

Davos, Switzerland (Damian Markutt, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “As Trump’s Win Tests The World Order, Diplomats Are Fretting Over What It Means For The Planet” • America’s allies and foes alike have spent recent days pondering Donald Trump’s re-election and what it will mean for their economies, their security, and even their wars. Trump has vowed to again pull the US out of the Paris Agreement. [CNN]

¶ “Tesla Outsold By BMW And Volkswagen In Germany, And MG In The UK” • Remember when the Tesla Model Y outsold every other electric car, anywhere, all the time? No more. As of the end of October, Volkswagen brand sold 49,200 electric cars in Germany. BMW delivered 33,167. Tesla is in third place with 31,461. And MG beat Tesla in the UK. [CleanTechnica]

MG4 EV (LN9267, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “EVs Take 23.6% Share In Germany – Below 2021 Levels” • October saw plugin EVs take 23.6% share in Germany, down from 24.5% share year over year. Battery EVs in Europe’s largest auto market are now even below the levels of October 2021. Overall auto volume was 231,992 units, up 6% YOY. October’s best selling battery EV was the Skoda Enyaq. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The City Center In Paris Is Now Designated A Limited Traffic Zone” • In Paris, iconic spots like the Louvre, Tuileries gardens, and much of the Marais fall within the ‘Zone à Trafic Limité’, or “limited traffic zone.” The area of the ZTL measures about 5.5 sq km (about 2 sq mi). It is home to nearly 100,000 people and 11,000 businesses. [CleanTechnica]

Montmartre (John Towner, Unsplash)

¶ “Engie Banks 21-year Malaysian Solar PPA” • Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics has signed a 21-year Power Purchase Agreement with BKH Solar Sdn Bhd, a joint venture of Engie andConextone Energy. The agreement covers energy produced by a 30-MW Malaysian solar farm, for roughly 50 GWh per year. [reNews]

¶ “UK Electric Inland Vessel Project Gets Government Funding” • The Electric Thames project seeks to enable electric vessels to store surplus renewable energy when it is cost-effective. This stored energy can be returned to the grid during peak demand, increasing London’s flexible energy capacity and advancing its Net Zero ambitions. [Baird Maritime]

River Thames (UK Power Networks)

¶ “Baku Hosts COP29: Renewed Global Focus On Climate Action” • COP29, the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, one of the world’s most prestigious events, kicks off today in Baku, Azerbaijan. COP29, taking place at the Baku Olympic Stadium from November 11 to 22. [News.Az]

¶ “Research Reveals China Has Built Prototype Nuclear Reactor To Power Aircraft Carrier” • China built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship. It is a clear sign that Beijing is advancing toward building a nuclear aircraft carrier, according to analysis of satellite imagery and Chinese official documents given to The Associated Press. [MSN]

Model of Chinese aircraft carrier (EditQ, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Australia:

¶ “ARENA Supports Heavy Vehicle Electrification” • ARENA, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency will provide a $36 million boost to the Driving the Nation program, bringing the available funding to $100 million to support the electric transition for heavy vehicles. This is important for reducing the environmental impact of moving goods. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Bigger Batteries Power The Future Of Renewable Energy In The Riverina: Transgrid” • Transgrid has contracted Riverina and Darlington Point Battery Energy Storage Systems to allow up to 120 MW of additional capacity on a constrained section of the Transgrid network between Darlington Point and Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. [Region Riverina]

Big battery (Courtesy of Edify Energy)

¶ “Battery Boom And Rebound In Wind Projects Put Renewables Target Back On Track” • A record amount of new battery storage capacity and a rebound in onshore wind projects have helped deliver the “healthiest” quarterly investment numbers for new renewables in Australia in more than two years, data from the Clean Energy Council shows. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “US Air Force Pursues Green Hydrogen Through Geothermal Energy” • The US Department of Defense is scouting for new clean power resources on its vast and numerous bases. The aim is to cut dependence on off-base electrical infrastructure. The US Air Force is already exploring how to deploy these resources for producing green hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Air Force parking lot (USGOV, public domain)

¶ “As Solar Energy Expands In The Delta, Agrivoltaic Projects Hope To Shine” • Agrivoltaics projects like solar with sheep have seen growth in the Midwest as a solution for rural communities and solar developers. But row crops, common to the Delta, are difficult to farm with solar panels. Solar projects are growing fast, but will agrivoltaics grow also? [Louisiana Illuminator]

¶ “The US Has Installed Batteries Equivalent To Twenty Nuclear Power Plants In Four Years” • The US is installing large batteries widely to support the power grids. Over four years, the US put up battery capacity equivalent to the output of twenty nuclear plants. In just the first seven months of 2024, 5 GW of battery capacity were added, The Guardian reports. [Warp News]

Have a luxuriously relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Renewable Energy Revolution: An Unstoppable Force” • The return of Donald Trump signals a shift in the US stance on climate policy, and his administration’s actions are expected to diverge sharply from recent climate-forward policies. Yet, with significant advancements in renewables, the world’s sustainable energy future seems unstoppable. [Microgrid Media]

Wind farm (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Make Game-Changing Breakthrough With Next-Generation Power Source” • Researchers from universities in South Korea have announced what could be a dream-come-true improvement for next-generation protonic ceramic cells, in part because it can double power output. PCCs use ions of hydrogen instead of oxygen for “transport.” [MSN]

¶ “A 30-MW Space Solar Power Plant Is Scheduled For 2030” • UK startup Space Solar has announced a collaboration with the climate initiative Transition Labs to build a 30-MW solar power plant in orbit and beam solar energy down to a site in Iceland by 2030. The Icelandic energy firm Reykjavik Energy has signed up as an offtaker. [CleanTechnica]

Proposed orbiting plant (Courtesy of Space Solar)

World:

¶ “Renewables Gallop Ahead Down Under” • According to the NEM Watch widget, solar and wind supply upwards of 70% of Queensland’s electricity, though the rest of the power is coming from black coal and a little gas. Despite some setbacks, there is so much renewable energy in the news, it’s hard to choose what to write about. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Inchcape And BYD Partner In New Distribution Agreement For Ethiopia” • In an unprecedented move some months ago, Ethiopia became effectively the first country in the world to ban the import of internal combustion engine vehicles. This ban has led to a surge in sales of EVs in Ethiopia. BYD is partnering with Inchcape to sell them. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seal (Matti Blume, Creative Commons)

¶ “World EV Sales Report – The Top Selling Auto Brands And Groups” • In September, BYD, now deep into some competitive pricing, was number one with 399,000 registrations. This is, of course, a new record. With sales at this level, one starts to wonder how high the Shenzhen make’s sales could go. It is more than double Tesla’s sales. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tata Power To Invest ₹550 Crore To Supply Wind And Solar Energy To Noida International Airport” • Tata Power will invest ₹550 crore ($65.18 million) to develop solar and wind power capacities and related infrastructure to supply clean energy to Noida International Airport in Jewar in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddha Nagar district. [The Indian Express]

Indian Airbus A320 (Santanu Mondal, public domain)

¶ “Transforming Petrodollars: How Oil-Rich Countries Are Developing Clean Energy” • Nations that are rich in oil and gas, such as Norway, the UAE, Brazil, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, are developing strategies to invest oil revenues in the growing green economy. We might examine what ideas they are proposing for a sustainable energy future. [Kazinform]

¶ “How Landfills Can Help Solve the Renewable Energy Land Shortage” • While energy companies often seek out prime land to develop wind and solar farms, landfills offer an alternative option that is unlikely to garner broad opposition. A number of countries, including the US, France, and the UK, are pursuing landfill solar projects. [OilPrice.com]

Landfill in Alaska (Brad Weaver, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “What Trump Means For The Future Of Heat Pump And EV Incentives” • If you’re thinking of buying an EV or a heat pump eligible for federal incentives, now might be the time. President-Elect Donald Trump labels the US Inflation Reduction Act the “green new scam.” He’s pledged to rescind funding for the Biden administration’s 2022 climate law. [MSN]

¶ “NYC Under Drought Watch After Second Driest October In Recorded History” • New York City agencies are being ordered to make water conservation plans and residents urged to “conserve every drop possible” as a drought watch follows a historically dry October. October saw the second longest rainless streak in the city’s recorded history. [MSN]

Adirondacks (Clay Banks, Unsplash)

¶ “Solx Will Manufacture Solar Panels In Puerto Rico” • Puerto Rico has made great progress in converting to solar microgrids that keep the lights on at hospitals and emergency services when natural disasters bring its grid down. Now Great Lakes Solx PR has announced it plans to create the first solar panel making facility in Puerto Rico. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NextEra Energy CEO Says NuScale Energy’s Business Model Isn’t Worthwhile” • NuScale Power is an upstart hoping to be at the forefront of what could be a massive overhaul of the nuclear power industry. But at least one notable utility industry veteran doesn’t think NuScale Power’s approach will work out as well as investors would like. [Yahoo Finance]

Have a superbly happy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Brink of Irreversible Climate Disaster” • “We are on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster,” says an article from fourteen climate scientists. They say we reached record levels in 25 out of 35 “planetary vital signs” last year. They want fossil fuel subsidies dropped, carbon pricing increased, and people more involved. Good luck with that. [CleanTechnica]

Run, forest, run! (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “Tom Steyer’s Take On How We’ll (Still) Win The Climate War” • Scott Cooney: Tom Steyer wrote a book, Cheaper, Faster, Better – How We’ll Win the Climate War. I’ve been sitting on it because I felt it missed the mark in some ways, but I feel like now is the perfect time to write my thoughts on it. Steyer hits the mark on the technologies changing the world. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Massive 1-GW Virtual Power Plant Created From Thin Air” • Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes a virtual power plants that deploys smart technology to enlist ratepayers in grid stability and resiliency efforts. If all goes to plan, a collaboration will enable utilities and their ratepayers to avoid the cost of new brick-and-mortar power plants. [CleanTechnica]

Virtual power plant (Peter Lehmacher, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

World:

¶ “JBO Wins Dreekant Contracts” • German company Jörss-Blunck-Ordemann has been awarded new contracts by EnBW AG for the geotechnical expert work and pre-FEED design for the 1-GW Dreekant offshore wind park project. The deal comes after JBO provided the foundation design for the developer’s 960-MW He Dreiht array. [reNews]

¶ “This Is The Electric Roadster We’ve Been Waiting For: The AC Ace Classic EV” • From the company that produced one of the most influential auto designs ever comes a model that captures the halcyon days the roadster. It uses carbon fiber construction and electric drivetrain technology to deliver world-class ride and handling emissions-free. [CleanTechnica]

AC Ace Classic electric (AC Cars image)

¶ “The Sun Is Shining On Reliable Renewable Energy In Ireland” • Climate change is becoming increasingly urgent, and the stakes are higher for businesses. “Irish businesses are gradually stepping up when it comes to climate change, with many starting to work toward the goal of being net zero by 2050,” said Laura McArdle, managing director, PV Generation. [Business Post]

¶ “Researchers Propose Innovative Telescope Project To Bring Reliable Energy To Remote Communities” • A study shows that powering a new telescope in Chile’s Atacama Desert with solar energy can also support around 66% of the electricity needs for nearby communities, according to a media release from Utrecht University. [The Cool Down]

Atacama Desert (Sam Power, Unsplash)

¶ “Serbia Targets 50% Of Electricity From Renewables By 2030” • Serbia’s Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan sets a goal for nearly half of all electricity to be generated from renewable energy sources by 2030, said Jovana Joksimović, the Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, European Integration and Project Management. [ceenergynews]

¶ “Turbines Pay Off For Octopus Customers” • Some customers in England who can see offshore wind turbines banked savings on their energy bills thanks to Octopus Energy’s first offshore wind tariff. One year after launching the ‘Fan Club,’ customers have saved on average nearly £200 on their annual electricity bills, with some saving nearly £400. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Octopus Energy)

¶ “TEPCO Reports That Fukushima Reactor Debris Weighs 0.7 Grams” • The nuclear fuel debris removed in experimental operations at the No 2 reactor of the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant weighed about 0.7 grams. It is to be transported to a research facility in Ibaraki Prefecture, where it will be analyzed for several months to a year. [The Japan News]

US:

¶ “US Climate Leader Calls Trump’s Threatened IRA Rollbacks ‘A Fool’s Errand'” • Former Biden White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy called any attempt to roll back Inflation Reduction Act funds by the next Trump administration a “fool’s errand” during a call with climate leaders on their continued goals for climate progress. [ABC News]

Gina McCarthy at 2014 meeting (US EPA, public domain)

¶ “Florida’s Iconic Key Deer Face An Uncertain Future As Seas Rise” • Key deer, the smallest subspecies of the white-tailed deer, are found on the Florida Keys in piney and marshy wetlands that are bordered by ocean waters. Sea level rise is already altering the landscape of Big Pine Key and at least twenty small islands where the deer live. [ABC News]

¶ “Electric Buses In Zion National Park: A Report Card” • The six-mile road up Zion Canyon is the non plus ultra of Zion National Park, but it can be reached only by shuttle buses except in winter. By the 2020s, the propane-powered buses had become so hard to maintain that it was decided to replace them with electric buses. Here is a report. [CleanTechnica]

Zion Canyon Shuttle (National Park Service)

¶ “BOEM Releases SouthCoast Impact Statement” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management released its final Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project. If approved, the project could generate up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy. The proposal includes up to 147 wind turbines off the coast of Massachusetts. [reNews]

¶ “BHE Renewables Brings ‘Energy’ To Jackson County, West Virginia” • Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables is building a solar microgrid on approximately 1,800 acres across from the TIMET plant. It will consist of a solar array of 106 MW capacity and battery energy storage system of 50 MW. This will be a first for West Virginia. [WV News]

Have a hugely valuable day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Aircraft Attracts US Army, Navy, And Air Force” • The US military has been scouting electric aircraft for new opportunities to improve performance and operational resiliency. Along with battery-electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel cell technology is also in play, as demonstrated by a small business startup called Hydroplane. [CleanTechnica]

Hydrogen fuel cell powered plane (Courtesy of Hydroplane)

¶ “Could Bacteria Eat Away At Plastics And Help To Mitigate Our Pollution Problem?” • We tend to think of wastewater as the disgusting but necessary result of human life and living. Well, it seems that bacteria commonly found in wastewater may be able to break down a variety of plastics to turn them into food sources. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Entrion Wind Bags US Patent For FRP Base” • Entrion Wind has won a US patent for its Fully Restrained Platform monopile. Entrion Wind’s design of the FRP foundation extends the range of traditional monopile technology to water depths of up to 100 meters, while offering improved economics compared to other foundation systems. [reNews]

Entrion Wind system (Entrion wind image)

World:

¶ “Turkey Unveils Offshore Wind Roadmap” • The World Bank Group, with Turkey’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, has launched an offshore wind roadmap for the country. The government has set a target of 5 GW of installed capacity for offshore wind power by 2035, but the potential offshore wind resource estimated to be 75 GW. [reNews]

¶ “Hurricane Rafael Knocks Out Cuba’s Power Grid And Heads Into The Gulf On A Much Different Path” • Hurricane Rafael pulled away from Cuba after hitting the island as a Category 3 hurricane. It took down Cuba’s entire power grid for about 24 hours. A significant shift in the storm’s forecast track increases its threat for Mexico’s Gulf Coast. [CNN]

Tree uprooted in Havana (Presidencia de Cuba)

¶ “EVs Take 30.2% Share in the UK – Near Record High” • The October auto market saw plugin EVs take 30.2% share in the UK, up from 24.9% year on year. Both battery EVs and plugin hybrid EVs grew in volume, whilst the overall auto market shrank. The UK’s leading BEV brand in August was Volkswagen, with 9.6% share of the BEV market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “World’s First AI-Defined Vehicle? XPeng’s Bold Claim” • The P7+ is XPeng’s newest EV model. Xpeng has been consistently focused on identifying its own tech leadership and “smart” capabilities. Apparently, with this new model, it is taking this approach to the next step by claiming the XP7 is the “world’s first AI-defined vehicle.” [CleanTechnica]

XPeng P7+ (XPeng image)

¶ “Bloom Energy Announces World’s Largest Fuel Cell Install in History” • Bloom Energy is a leader in stationary fuel cell and power generation with 1.3 GW deployed worldwide. It said that it is to deliver fuel cells to the largest single-site installation to date. The 80-MW project, developed with SK Eternix, will power two ecoparks in South Korea. [Business Wire]

¶ “The World Never Invested So Much Money In Solar Before” • The global solar sector is expected to reach about 2,000 GW of installed capacity in 2024, and global investment in solar power could reach $500 billion by the end of the year. Indian Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said solar is the most affordable energy in many regions. [Fakti.bg]

Solar power (Oskar Kadaksoo, Unsplash)

¶ “Nuclear Waste Management Could Add Billions To Electricity Supply Costs” • Handling and storing nuclear waste could add big costs to Australia’s future energy bills, an inquiry heard, just as Canada is set to spend $26 billion to store depleted fuel from its reactors safely. The cost and time to build nuclear plants in Australia also in still a mystery. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Hours After Trump’s Election, Biden Moved To Limit Oil Drilling In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge” • A Trump-era law requires an oil lease auction in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by the end if this year. Now the Biden administration is offering the least acreage allowed under that law, limiting oil drilling so as to do the least damage. [CNN]

Owl (Zdeněk Macháček, Unsplash)

¶ “California Brush Fire Explodes Over 20,000 Acres, Newsom Declares State Of Emergency” • A wind-whipped brush fire in Southern California exploded to over 20,000 acres in about 24 hours, destroying homes and prompting mass evacuations. It remains out of control, as Gov Gavin Newsom rallied state and federal resources to battle it. [ABC News]

¶ “Biden Will Visit The Amazon Rainforest As Part Of Six-Day Trip To Latin America” • President Joe Biden will become the first sitting president to visit the Amazon rainforest later this month when he travels to Brazil as part of a six-day trip to Latin America for a pair of international summits, according to the White House. [ABC News]

An area deforested by criminals (Ibama, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Fossil Gas Shortage Tells Us Alaska Should Turn to Renewable Energy” • Alaska’s Railbelt electric grid is facing a natural gas challenge, as it is already impacting the people and a serious shortfall is expected as soon as 2027. The Railbelt grid serves about 75% of the state’s population, and it is being advised to turn to renewables and diversify. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Success Of Artificial Islands Strengthens Resilience From Coastal Storms” • Artificial islands can be nesting areas for a wide variety of birds, but that not why they are built. They protect us from storms and king tides. They have been put up along the East Coast of the US to provide barriers for ocean waves since such hurricanes as Sandy struck. [CleanTechnica]

Have an amazingly peachy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How Do Cooler Heads Prevail?” • If we can’t talk politics, there is one part of sustainability that we should turn our attention to: Local self-reliance. It means that a community can create its own power, grow much of its own food, and make some of the goods that it uses. From farmers markets to community microgrids, we have many parts of the solution. [CleanTechnica]

Tomatoes in a garden (Shuken Nakamura, Unsplash)

¶ “The Great AI/Data Center Scam” • AI is burgeoning, and so is the demand for energy to drive it. Engineers at Apple explored the capabilities of the large language models that algorithms use to process AI tasks. They concluded there is a lot less to AI than its proponents claim. We are planning more energy capacity to power things that don’t work well. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Trump Return Likely To Slow, Not Stop, US Clean-Energy Boom” • A Biden-era law providing a decade of subsidies for new solar, wind, and other clean energy projects would be close to impossible to repeal, thanks to support from Republican states, and other levers available to the next president would only have marginal impact, analysts say. [Reuters]

Renewable energy (Benoît Deschasaux, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “2024 Will Be The First Year On Record To Smash A Warming Limit Scientists Warned About” • Data confirms 2024 will be the hottest year on record and the first calendar year to exceed the Paris Agreement threshold. This devastating news for the planet comes as America chooses a president that has promised to undo its climate progress. [CNN]

¶ “Record-High Pollution Sickens Thousands In Pakistan’s City Of Lahore” • Record-high air pollution in Punjab province has prompted authorities to close schools and keep its government employees at home. Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior minister in Punjab province, said, “otherwise, the government will be forced into a complete lockdown.” [ABC News]

Air pollution (Jacek Dylag, Unsplash)

¶ “World Moving On Without USA As It Declines” • The US has ceded manufacturing of the technologies needed to fight climate change to other countries, mostly to China. It gave up on solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, EVs, heat pumps, transformers, and more. Europe, China, India, and the rest of the world has to move forward without the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Seaway7 Wins EA2 Array Cable Installation Job” • Seaway7 was awarded the contract by ScottishPower Renewables to transport and install the inter-array cables for the 960-MW East Anglia 2 offshore wind project. ScottishPower Renewables’ £4 billion East Anglia 2 offshore wind farm will be in the North Sea, about 33 km off the coast of England. [reNews]

Seaway 7 vessel (Seaway 7 image)

¶ “Germany Sets New Record For Renewable Power” • From January to September, wind and solar exceeded fossil power generation for the first time in Germany, reaching a record 45% share. Solar is growing faster than expected, exceeding national targets. Wind deployment is still lagging but signs of a future acceleration are emerging. [ember-energy.org]

¶ “Engie Awards Contracts For First Irish PV Projects” • Engie has announced the contract for construction of three solar farms in Ireland, its first onshore renewable projects in the country. Engie appointed Engie Astatine and TLI Group to build the assets. The sites are in the counties of Galway and Limerick and will have a combined capacity of 18 MW. [reNews]

Ireland (Nils Nedel, Unsplash)

¶ “EnBW Starts Work On German Solar Park” • EnBW marked the beginning of construction of an 88 MW solar project in the municipality of Vierlinden in Germany. It will also include 13.4 MWh of battery energy storage systems. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year when the solar park is to be connected to the grid. [reNews]

¶ “BlueFloat’s 2.1-GW Oz Project Clears Milestone” • The 2,100-MW Gippsland Dawn Offshore Wind Project has been granted major project status  by the Australian Government. It is one of sixteen diverse projects nationwide to receive this recognition and only the second offshore wind project being developed to hold this status. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (BlueFloat Energy image)

¶ “A Tiny Grain Of Nuclear Fuel Is Pulled From Ruined Japanese Nuclear Plant, In A Step Toward Cleanup” • A robot that spent months in the ruins of a reactor at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi plant delivered a sample of melted nuclear fuel the size of a grain of rice. Officials said it was a step toward starting the cleanup of hundreds of tons of fuel debris. [MSN]

US:

¶ “$81 Million For Energy Storage Showcase In Kentucky” • It may not be an easy stunt to turn a former coal mine into a 287-MW storage facility, especially when the technology involves pumped storage hydro-power. But a pumped storage project is taking shape, and it will put Kentucky on the map, with help of an $81 million grant from the DOE. [CleanTechnica]

Pumped hydro-power (Lewis Ridge Pumped Storage LLC)

¶ “Southern California Fire Moving ‘Dangerously Fast’ With 0% Containment” • A fast-moving brush fire engulfed 14,000 acres, prompting evacuations as the National Weather Service gave out a red flag warning. Ventura County was put under an “extremely critical” wildfire warning. Firefighters are barely starting with the Mountain Fire, which is 0% contained. [ABC News]

¶ “Trump Likely To Target Climate Measures That Are Making The Most Difference” • The election of Donald Trump for a second time and the Republican takeback of the US Senate could undo many of the national climate policies that are reducing planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions most, according to climate solutions experts. [ABC News]

Have a vastly superior day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Researchers Find Way Make EV Chargers Convenient” • A research team found that for urban areas, it’s best to install an equal percentage of medium-speed and fast chargers. The team said it is essential to consider how the chargers are to be used when siting them, because motorists use different speed chargers for different reasons. [ABC News]

EV and charger (Zaptec, Unsplash)

¶ “Will Musk’s AI Supercomputer Compromise The Grid Of A Local Community?” • Elon Musk announced that he is building the world’s largest supercomputer. The problem is that it will need enough electricity to power 100,000 homes. The power supply of the supercomputer has many community members in the Memphis area concerned. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “HomeBoost Turns Your Smartphone Into A Home Energy Audit Device” • Last year, Selina Tobaccowala, a tech executive who had worked at Evite and Ticketmaster, founded HomeBoost after she discovered that the average home energy bill jumped 8% over the past 12 months. HomeBoost can turn a smart phone into a DIY energy audit device. [CleanTechnica]

Checking for thermal leaks (HomeBoost image)

¶ “Study Disproves Idea That Weather-Dependent Renewable Energy Systems Are More Prone To Blackouts” • A study by researchers at the University of Tennessee examined renewable energy systems and their vulnerability to adverse weather. It suggests that solar and wind are less likely to cause bad blackouts than traditional power systems. [Tech Xplore]

World:

¶ “Bidirectional Charging (V2G) Could Save Europeans $23 Billion A Year” • Transport & Environment recently asked the highly respected Frauhhofer Institute to research the economic benefits of widespread V2G technology in Europe. The report found V2G could save Europeans up to $22 billion a year in utility costs by 2040. [CleanTechnica]

Home charging (VolksWagen image)

¶ “Shared Micromobility Trips In North America Offset About 81 Million Pounds Of Carbon Dioxide Emissions Last Year” • The typical shared micromobility trip in North America in 2023 was 1.5 miles. E-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal bikes were used for 172 million trips in North America in 2023, saving 81 million pounds of carbon emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cadeler Wins EA2 Installation Contracts” • Cadeler has signed firm contracts for the transportation and installation of 64 15-MW offshore turbines plus foundations for the 960-MW East Anglia 2 wind farm. The aggregate value of these contracts to Cadeler is projected to fall within the range of €360 million to €382 million. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbine construction (Cadaler image)

¶ “Africa’s Potential For Renewable Energy Unmatched Globally” • Activists sought to disrupt the proceedings at Africa Energy Week in Cape Town, part of their message was shared by the South African government’s representatives. Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said, “Africa’s potential for renewable energy is unmatched globally.” [MSN]

¶ “Bute Wins Approval For 92-MW Welsh Wind Farm” • The Welsh Government granted Bute Energy planning permission for a 92-MW wind project near Caerphilly and Pontypridd. The project, Twyn Hywel, includes 14 wind turbines. Its approval means that construction is set to begin early next year, with a scheduled 2027 completion date. [reNews]

Welsh cows contemplating windpower (Bute Energy image)

¶ “UK Maps Out Pathways To Clean Grid By 2030: Three-Fold Increase In Wind And Solar, And No New Nuclear” • The system operator for the UK’s electricity grid has released its pathways to reach a “clean energy system” by the end of this decade. They involve a three-fold increase in wind and solar capacity and a significant decrease in nuclear. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “$988 Billion In Private Investments Connected to ‘Investing in America’ Agenda” • A CleanTechnica reader pointed to a web site with a map showing where investments associated with the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act are taking place or have been committed. [CleanTechnica]

Sites for Investing in America

¶ “What Happens To All Of Those ‘Investing In America’ Projects If Trump Is Elected?” • The 2024 US presidential election race is still too close to call, but it’s not looking great for Kamala Harris and the Democrats. Naturally, if Harris wins the election, the projects of Investing in America will go forward. However, what if Harris loses? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Bags 203-MW US Turbine Order” • Vestas has secured a 203-MW turbine order for a wind project in Illinois. Vestas will supply its V163-4.5MW turbines for the Lotus project, which is being developed by Apex Clean Energy. Delivery will be in the fourth quarter of 2025, with commissioning scheduled for the first quarter of 2026. [reNews]

Vestas wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Pittsburgh Gets $96 Million For Cleantech Manufacturing Facility, Will Create Over 900 Jobs” • Thanks to the Advanced Energy Manufacturing & Recycling Grants Program, Mainspring Energy, based in California, has received $87 million from the US DOE to support domestic manufacturing of “innovative, fuel-flexible, power generators.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Amazon To Proceed With Data Center Expansion Despite FERC Decision To Limit Power” • Amazon’s plan to build a data center powered by a Pennsylvania nuclear power plant has not changed, even as the top US energy regulator has turned down a request to increase power to the facility, according to a company spokesperson cited by Bloomberg. [MSN]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Democrats Get Stuff Done – Vote Wisely!” • In the past 47 years, Democratic presidents consistently supported cleantech, while Republican presidents have consistently opposed it. Now China is absolutely demolishing the US on the clean technology economy, and the world is a clean technology economy more and more every day. [CleanTechnica]

White House (Srikanta H U, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Offshore Wind Can Create Over 60,000 Jobs in Norway by 2050, Report Says” • According to Menon Economics, as the Norwegian petroleum operations drop, the offshore wind sector could create new jobs and provide significant economic value. The research shows the offshore wind industry could generate 62,000 jobs by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Added A Tesla-Worth Of Production Capacity Over The Past Three Months” • A post citing the executive vice president of BYD says that automaker added production capacity of nearly 200,000 vehicles per month in the third quarter of this year. This is more than four times Tesla’s monthly production in that quarter. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull production (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “Ingka Investments Brings Live First French Solar PV Park” • Ingka Investments has brought online its first solar PV park in France, expecting the plant to generate roughly 23 GWh of green electricity each year. Ingka Investments has a portfolio of seven wind farms in France. Its goal is 100% renewable electricity, and France is mostly nuclear powered. [Renewables Now]

¶ “In Bangkok, Toshiba And Naturenix Begin Testing Battery Subscription Service for Electric Motorcycle Taxis” • Bangkok electric motorcycle taxis help travelers with traffic congestion, but their batteries suffered from high temperatures. Toshiba’s SCiB rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are being used now in a new performance test. [CleanTechnica]

Traffic on Phahonyothin Road (ILikelargeFries, public domain)

UK:

¶ “Cubico Unveils 100-MW Scout Moor 2 In England” • Cubico Sustainable Investments has outlined plans for the 100-MW Scout Moor 2 wind farm. The project, next to the existing Scout Moor wind farm between Edenfield, Rawtenstall, and Rochdale in the north west, marks one of England’s first major onshore wind farms in over a decade. [reNews]

¶ “Creative Tidal Projects Could Bypass Scottish Grid” • A novel approach to using locally generated energy from tidal energy projects could help businesses and homes near the coast of Scotland be less reliant on fossil fuels, by removing the need to wait for greater grid capacity. A study shows how communities could connect directly to tidal power projects. [reNews]

Man at work (EMEC image)

¶ “NESO: Britain Could Have 100% Clean Power By 2030 With Urgent Action” • The National Energy System Operator unveiled its Clean Power 2030 report. It shows how the UK can have a resilient energy system by 2030, with a fully clean power system that would improve Britain’s energy independence by reducing reliance on imported gas. [Energy Live News]

¶ “GE Vernova Signs Tidal Turbine MOU” • Proteus Marine Renewables signed an MOU with SKF and GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business setting out a framework for a possible alliance to supply tidal turbine generating systems. An initial focus will be to supply at least 59 MW to MeyGen, in Scotland, the world’s largest tidal stream facility. [reNews]

MeyGen turbine (Proteus image)

¶ “Solar farms could power London Underground trains” • Transport for London has called tenders for the development of purpose-built solar photovoltaic farms to generate zero-carbon electricity for the London Underground network. Transport for London is the largest single electricity consumer in London at 1.6 TWh/year. [Railway Gazette International]

US:

¶ “3-D Printed Concrete Enlisted For Futuristic Subsea Energy Storage Demonstration” • For all the excitement over new kinds of batteries, pumped hydropower is still by far the largest form of energy storage in the US. It has been around for 100 years or so, and it could stay dominant, with modularity, 3-D printing, and subsea construction. [CleanTechnica]

Subsea energy storage (Courtesy of Pleuger Industries)

¶ “Con Ed And First Student Bring Solar Microgrid To New York” • Con Ed and First Student started a trial program using solar panels for some of the electricity for electric school buses. Assuming each bus has a 100-kWh battery, the fleet has 1 GW of storage. That storage capacity can be used to support a dedicated microgrid for school buses. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “If Your Sweater Feels Better, Thank An Agrivoltaic Project” • Solar developers are beginning to tap the emerging field of agrivoltaics to help build community support for new solar projects in rural areas. They have a powerful case. Researchers found evidence that grazing among solar panels can help improve the quality of wool. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaic project (Courtesy of Lightsource bp)

¶ “Iberdrola Secures Two Areas For Offshore Wind Development In The Gulf Of Maine” • Avangrid is the provisional winner of two lease areas in the Gulf of Maine. The two lease areas could deliver 3 GW of clean power. Avangrid is seeking to help meet the energy needs of New England and advance the US 30-GW offshore wind target. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Rare Bees Foil Meta’s Position In Data Center Arms Race” • Plans for Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta to establish a nuclear-powered AI center in the US have been disrupted due to a discovery of a rare bee species on the land targeted for the project. Meta aimed to partner with an existing nuclear power plant to secure carbon-free power for a new data center. [City AM]

Have a handsomely rewarded day.

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World:

¶ “London Protesters Demand Water Companies Clean Up Sewage-Tainted Rivers” • The March for Clean Water was set up by groups ranging from Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth to British Rowing. Water pollution is an increasingly high-profile issue in Britain, focusing attention on climate change and the privatization of the UK’s utilities. [ABC News]

Thames (zeynep elif ozdemir, Unsplash)

¶ “The UAE Opens Its Annual Oil-And-Gas Summit” • The UAE opened its annual oil-and-gas summit with pledges to increase output even as global prices have fallen and world politics are uncertain ahead of the US presidential election. Crude oil prices have been depressed, and benchmark Brent crude traded around $74 a barrel on Monday. [ABC News]

¶ “Romanian Wind Farm Powers Up” • Building materials firm CRH commissioned a 30-MW wind farm to provide renewable electricity to its Medgidia Cement Plant in Romania. The project began in August 2023 and the wind farm is fully operational. Consisting of five turbines, its estimated annual net production capacity is 80 GWh. [reNews]

Wind turbine at Medgidia Cement Plant (CRH image)

¶ “To Be Electrocuted, Or Eaten By A Shark? That Is The Question ” • It brings to mind some surreal comments of a presidential candidate. Not only is the BYD Shark selling for a price far below the local competition, it is offering rapid EV acceleration, vehicle-to-load capability, high technology, and unheard of comfort in a ute. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Clean Power Hydrogen In Deal With Irish Renewable Energy Group” • Clean Power Hydrogen PLC unveiled a new licensing agreement and sales contract with Hidrigin, an Irish renewable energy developer, for the manufacturing and deployment of green hydrogen technology. A green hydrogen pilot project is set to begin in 2025. [Proactive Investors]

Ireland (Stephanie Chriselle, Unsplash)

¶ “India Expands Renewable Energy Initiatives With Approval Of Fifty Solar Parks And Offshore Wind Projects” • In a major advancement for the country’s renewable energy landscape, the Union Ministry of Renewable Energy has officially approved the establishment of fifty solar parks, which will collectively have a capacity of 37.5 GW. [WindInsider]

¶ “India On Way To Achieving 500 GW Target Of Renewable Energy By 2030” • India is on its way to reaching a target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 said Summit Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi at the International Solar Alliance, in New Delhi. Joshi emphasized the historic importance of solar energy worldwide. [BW BusinessWorld]

Solar Plant (Thomas Lloyd Group, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “South Australia’s 200-MW Whyalla Hydrogen Plant Approved” • The South Australian Government’s 200-MW Whyalla hydrogen plant was approved under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The project won development approval in July by state and Commonwealth agencies. [Energy Source & Distribution]

¶ “Tidal Power Has Potential To Address Energy Challenges Faced By Scottish Coastal Communities” • A creative approach to using power generated locally by tidal energy projects could help businesses and homes around Scotland’s coastline become less reliant on expensive and polluting oil and diesel sources of power. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Tidal power station, Canada (Gordon Leggett, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Chris Bowen On Trump, Science And Coal” • Chris Bowen, Australia’s climate change minister, said, “We’re living climate change. What we’re now trying to do is avoid the worst of it.” He was speaking to Guardian Australia shortly before a US election where polls indicate a 50-50 chance voters will elect a president who calls climate change a “hoax.” [The Guardian]

¶ “As Earth Vital Signs Worsen, Scientists Warn Of ‘Irreversible Climate Disaster’” • Earth’s climate system continues to rapidly deteriorate, with global temperatures on track to far overshoot 2°C (3.6°F) of warming by the century’s end. That warning comes from an international group of eminent Earth System scientists and climate researchers. [The Good Men Project]

Sun at the South Pole Station (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “Reactor Restarts Thirteen Years After Fukushima, Then Shuts Down Again” • A Japanese nuclear reactor that survived the 2011 earthquake and tsunami has been temporarily shut down, just a week after it restarted for the first time in over thirteen years. The No 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant was halted due to an glitch involving neutron data. [Newser]

US:

¶ “Which States Are Poised To Lead On Battery Storage” • In 2014, total battery capacity in the US was nearly non-existent. At 0.16 GW, battery storage was in its infancy and we were unable to retain clean energy and disperse it as needed. In ten years, we’ve seen a 97-fold increase to 15.51 GW of capacity, with plenty of room to grow. [Environment America]

Battery system (UniEnergy Technologies, CC-BY-SA-4.0)

¶ “Massachusetts Firefighters Continue To Battle Stubborn Brush Fires Across State” • Firefighters in Massachusetts are battling stubborn brush fires, and officials are urging residents to take precautions to help avoid sparking new blazes. On average, 15 wildland fires are reported each October. The month’s total for this year came to about 200. [ABC News]

¶ “BHE Renewables Brings ‘Energy’ To Jackson County, West Virginia” • Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables is to power TIMET on a development that promises to bring jobs and an economic boom to Jackson County, West Virginia. A plant will produce titanium, chiefly for the aerospace industry but also for the medical and industrial fields. [WV News]

Have a surprisingly enthusiastic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What’s At Stake On Tuesday? The Planet” • It’s difficult to imagine a more severe or consequential gap between candidates on a single issue. Scientists are warning humanity has run out of time to deal with an existential, global threat. One candidate wants to do something about it. The other has said the human-caused climate crisis is “a hoax.” [CNN]

Lake and forest (Juan Davila, Unsplash)

¶ “Voting Against Fascism Means Respecting Civil Society And The Planet ” • We see lots of stories about the potential outcome of the 2024 election and how it will impact clean energy. Most of us of a particular age never thought we’d see a candidate whose ideology was in sync with fascism. Can climate efforts stand up to authoritarian whims? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why These Fourteen SMR Falsehoods?” • Here are fourteen misconceptions often promoted about small modular reactors and their feasibility for small island states like Jamaica. We start with the idea that SMRs can be set up quickly and provide fast solutions to energy needs. They can’t. This is explained, along with other misconceptions. [Jamaica Gleaner]

Small Modular Reactor building (NuScale image)

World:

¶ “What’s Up? BYD 3Q Financials … As Expected” • BYD has announced their 3Q financials. To summarize, almost everything is up, quarter on quarter and year on year: sales, revenue (more than Tesla), net profit, earnings per share, shareholder equity … all up by double digits. Gross margin is also up for Automotive, Electronics, and overall. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wind Energy Meets Recycling In The Cargo Shipping Industry” • The cargo shipping industry is getting serious about making a dent in its greenhouse gas emissions. Wind energy is emerging as a solution. Advocates for battery-electric power are also pushing for a seat at the decarbonization table, and a new study suggests they could have a point. [CleanTechnica]

Wind energy moving a ship (Courtesy of Norsepower)

¶ “Billions Pouring Into UK Renewables” • The EU and the UK, which were expected to lead the green transition, have lagged behind the US on climate policy over the last two years. But the UK’s new Labour government is developing its green transition strategy, with strong climate policies, creative energy initiatives, and financial incentives. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “South Africa’s Big Power Play Is Paying Off” • Africa is slowly but steadily improving its energy security, and South Africa is a leader in the continent’s transition towards renewable energy development, according to PwC’s Africa Energy Review 2024 report. Africa is home to roughly 600 million people who do not have access to reliable power. [BusinessTech]

Wind farm in South Africa (Kalle Pihlajasaar, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Morocco’s Gotion EV Gigafactory $800 Million Wind Power Project” • Saudi Arabia’s energy giant Acwa Power entered into a partnership with Gotion Power Morocco, the Moroccan-based subsidiary of the Sino-European Group. The company will take part in the Morocco’s Gotion EV Gigafactory $800 Million Wind Power Project. [constructionreviewonline.com]

¶ “New Report Details The Remarkable Impact Of Tripling Renewables Worldwide By 2030” • Tripling clean energy by 2030 worldwide is doable, an encouraging report from the International Energy Agency says. And we could cut global energy costs nearly 10% by doubling energy efficiency alongside the renewable boost. [The Cool Down]

Wind farm in the distance (Marcin Jozwiak, Unsplash)

¶ “A Robot Retrieves The First Melted Fuel From Fukushima Nuclear Reactor” • A remote-controlled robot has returned with a tiny piece of melted fuel it collected from inside one of three damaged reactors at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. This operation returned the first fuel sample taken since the meltdown in 2011. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Crops, Cows, And Solar – In Iowa!” • At the Center for Rural Affairs, we can learn that “dual use solar” is a great solution for meeting the growing demand for renewable energy while using the same bit of Iowa’s fertile soil for growing crops. The Center has started an educational campaign to to inform policymakers about agrivoltaics. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics (From Hyperion Systems and Czajkowski Farm)

¶ “US DOE Funding Rolls Out For Energy Efficiency, Net-Zero Projects, And More” • CleanTechnica published all of the US DOE news releases on clean energy and EV funding for a while, but it was just too much and seemed to get boring to people. However, with a stream of announcements in the past week, we want to do a quick roundup. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lakeland Considers 25-Year Contract To Purchase Solar Power” • Officials of Lakeland, Florida, were asked to consider a 25-year contract to purchase renewable solar energy without having to make any upfront investments. City commissioners are expected to vote in favor of a power purchase agreement with Edge Solar LLC. [MSN]

Have a completely captivating day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Election Misinformation: How Trump And Musk Spit Out Fallacies That Undermine Democracy” • The New York Times reports that in private conversations, “Mr Musk is obsessive, almost manic, about the stakes of the election and the need for Mr Trump to win.” Yet this is the same Musk who once called Trump a “stone-cold loser.” [CleanTechnica]

Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster in orbit (SpaceX, public domain)

World:

¶ “Warming Increased Heat Deaths Among Older Adults” • The report, “2024 Lancet Countdown” shows health and economic costs of climate change are rising globally. As communities face an additional fifty days of “dangerous heat,” heat-related deaths among older adults increased by a record-breaking 167% in 2023 compared to the 1990s. [ABC News]

¶ “BYD Sales Surge To 500,000 Vehicles A Month!” • In August, BYD had 373,083 vehicle sales (all “new energy vehicles” – full battery electrics and plugin hybrids). In September, the number rose to 419,426. In October, as we just found out, BYD vehicle sales reached 502,657! That figure includes buses, but 500,526 were passenger vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

BYD EV (Tiago Ferreira, Unsplash)

¶ “China Begins Work On Kenyan Geothermal Power Plant Amid African Renewable Energy Push” • Beijing is pushing renewable energy projects in Africa. This was highlighted at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Chinese-led geothermal power plant to be built in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The 35-MW project is to cost $93 million. [South China Morning Post]

¶ “Deep Wind Offshore Applies For Chilean Lease” • Norwegian developer Deep Wind Offshore has applied for a area lease for one floating and one bottom-fixed offshore wind farm off the Chilean coastline. The Chilean government has set a target of 60% of the nation’s electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2030. [reNews]

Wind turbines, on and offshore (Jian Liu, Unsplash)

¶ “UN Report Offers Roadmap For Scaling Up Adoption Of Renewable Energy” • The world has to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030 to meet climate goals, the UN’s Climate Technology Progress Report says. It is a roadmap for policymakers interested in accelerating adoption of renewables. [UN Environment Programme]

¶ “Three Gorges Unveils 16.5-GW Renewable Energy Plan In China” • China’s state-owned Three Gorges Energy announced plans to invest in a massive integrated renewable energy base in the Taklamakan Desert, in the Xinjiang region. The investment for the whole project is projected to be equivalent to about $10.09 billion. [pv magazine International]

Renewable energy project (China Three Gorges)

¶ “Hundreds Are Dead In Spain’s Floods, And Scientists See A Connection To Climate Change” • It was one of the most deadly weather events in modern Spanish history. At least 205 people are dead, and dozens are missing after flood waters and mud swept through towns and cities. Scientists see a connection to human-caused global warming. [VPM]

¶ “Renewable Energy Sources Provide Over 40% Of Electricity In October” • The renewable energy sources, wind, solar, and hydro power, provided 40.4% of electricity used in Ireland in October, according to Grid operator EirGrid. Wind farms provided the largest share of renewable electricity, at just under 35% of all power used in the country. [The Irish Times]

Ireland (Aldo De La Paz, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Applications Now Open Nationwide For Community-Led Heat-Monitoring Campaigns” • As a part of President Biden’s Investing in America initiative, the Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring started up applications on November 1, 2024, enabling communities around the US to monitor and evaluate variables influencing local heat risk. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Aptera Puts Its First Production-Intent Vehicle On The Road” • Aptera successfully drove its first production-intent vehicle, which will be used for real world validation and testing. It is a step paving the way for a fully tested, validated production EV ready for deliveries to the company’s nearly 50,000 pre-order reservation holders. [CleanTechnica]

Aptera EV (Aptera image)

¶ “Biden–Harris Admin Aims To Help Reduce Cost Of EV Battery Recycling” • As with all things, as the scale of EV battery recycling goes up, costs will come down. The US DOE has decided that it wants to help accelerate the cost cutting, and it’s putting in $45 million to help with that under the Biden administration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dominion Wraps Up First CVOW Installation Campaign” • Dominion Energy reported that 78 monopile foundations and four offshore substation foundations were installed for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project during the first season of installation. At 2,600-MW, CVOW is the largest offshore wind project under construction in the US. [reNews]

Installation vessel (Dominion Energy image)

¶ “DESRI Acquires 225-MW Arizona Solar Site” • Avantus has announced the sale of the Catclaw Solar and Energy Storage Project to D E Shaw Renewable Investments. The project has up to 225 MW of solar and 250 MW, 1,000 MWh of energy storage in Maricopa County, Arizona. The sale includes a long-term PPA with Arizona Public Service. [reNews]

¶ “US Regulators Reject Amended Interconnect Agreement For Amazon Data Center” • FERC energy regulators have rejected an amended interconnection agreement for an Amazon data center connected directly to a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. The officials raised concerns about a loss of supply, and how it would affect power bills and reliability. [MSN]

Have a happily developing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Is China Upping Coal Power Despite Green Energy Boom?” • The world pledged to wean itself off coal to slow the pace of climate change, so why is China, already the world’s top producer and consumer of coal, upping its output? China mined a record 4.7 billion tonnes of coal in 2023 and is opening mines to produce a billion tonnes more. [Context News]

Coal-fired power plant (Kristoferb, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Nuclear Is Not the Solution: The Folly Of Atomic Power In The Age Of Climate Change – Book Review” • Nuclear is Not the Solution is an important book that clearly presents the arguments why nuclear power is not the solution to climate change. The book’s author, MV Ramana, sets out a succinct and convincing case against nuclear power. [Counterfire]

World:

¶ “As Summers Get Hotter, Greece’s Seasonal Firefighters Demand Permanent Jobs” • Seasonal firefighters clashed with police in Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry during a protest to demand permanent positions after their contracts expire after a grueling wildfire season. They staged a sit-in protest lasting hours and refused to leave. [ABC News]

Smoke from Greek wildfire (C messier, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “China: Land of Dragons And Electric Vehicles” • The author went to see what “’53% of new cars sales in China are plugins” looked like in the flesh, so to speak. The short answer is: spectacular! ‘What do all the green number plates mean?’ the tour guide was asked repeatedly by our group. ‘Green number plates means the car is electric!’” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Xpeng Enters Ireland” • Like a number of other Chinese EV producers, Xpeng is quickly entering one new market after another. Its latest market entrance is into Ireland. The company noted, “XPENG strengthens its European commitment with an official entry into the Irish market, another key right-hand drive market.” [CleanTechnica]

Xpeng G6 (Xpeng image)

¶ “Why Has The Term ‘Nature-Based’ Been Crucial At COP16 Convention On Biological Diversity?” • The 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is well underway. The key question is how countries intend to protect at least 30% of the world’s land and water and restore 30% of the degraded ecosystems by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Voltalia Secures Funds For 126-MW PV Project” • Voltalia has signed a document with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the financing of the 126-MW Sarimay solar power plant in Uzbekistan. EBRD’s financing package of up to $54.6 million will consist of a senior loan of up to $44.8 million and a special VAT facility. [reNews]

Solar Power Plant (Voltalia image)

¶ “EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fell Over 8% In 2023, Driven By Growth In Renewable Energy” • The European Commission published the 2024 Climate Action Progress Report. It shows that net greenhouse gas emissions from the EU fell 8.3% in 2023 from the previous year. It is the largest annual drop in decades, except the COVID-19 year of 2020. [Azərtac]

¶ “SANY India Solidifies Presence In India’s Wind Power Market With 1.6-GW Contract Wins” • SANY India rapidly established itself in the wind energy market of India, with wind turbine sales agreements totaling 1.6 GW. These include one of 1,324 MW with subsidiaries of the JSW Group and another of 300 MW with Sembcorp Limited. [Business News This Week]

Wind farm (SuyogJoshiPhotography, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “As Catastrophic Floods Hit Spain, Deadlier Weather Clearly Linked To Climate Change” • From drought that killed a quarter million in the Horn of Africa and heatwaves in Europe that cost 90,000 lives to the deadliest floods in Spain’s modern history, analyses draw a clear link between ever more frequent extreme weather and climate change. [Euronews.com]

US:

¶ “The World’s Largest Electric Vehicle Is Ready For Its Closeup” • EV sightings are getting to be dime a dozen in many parts of the US. It’s time for other, bigger pieces of the transportation electrification puzzle to fall into place. That includes powerful locomotives, the monstrous pieces of machinery that pull trains as long as a mile or more. [CleanTechnica]

Biggest EV (Courtesy of Progress Rail)

¶ “Evoy Vita Introduces The World’s Most Powerful Electric Outboard Motor To The US” • Evoy Vita has partnered with Axopar to launch the AX/E electric boat sub-brand in the US recreational market, beginning in 2025. This launch includes the Evoy Storm 300+ HP, the most powerful electric outboard motor in the world. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RWE And Rivian Sign Texas Wind PPA” • RWE signed a power purchase agreement with EV maker Rivian for power from an upgraded wind project in Texas. The 15-year PPA has electricity from RWE’s 127-MW Champion Wind facility in Nolan and Mitchell Counties supply Rivian’s fast-charging network with some of the renewable energy it will use. [reNews]

Champion Wind project (RWE image)

¶ “Ford EV Plans Falter As GM EV Deliveries Surge” • The New York Times compares Ford and GM to the childhood fable of the tortoise and the hare. Ford got off to a fast start but GM has spent the last few years perfecting its EV platforms and harmonizing its battery supply. GM uses one battery architecture for many vehicles. Ford doesn’t. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kauaʻi Achieves 60% Renewable Energy Production In 2023, Aiming For 100% With Advanced Inverter Technology” • A statement on the Governor of Hawaii’s website says about 60% of the energy produced on Kauaʻi in 2023 was from renewable sources, and the island’s utility company operated on 100% renewables for hours each day. [Hoodline]

Have an appropriately superior day.

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World:

¶ “Japan’s Mount Fuji Breaks Record For No Snow In October” • Mount Fuji, a 12,000-foot peak located on the Japanese island of Honshu, is still lacking any measurable snow, extending a record for no snow in October, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Climate change may be be a cause of the unseasonably warm temperatures. [ABC News]

Mt Fuji in August (contri, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Extreme Flooding In Spain Kills More Than Ninety People” • The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now. The Mediterranean region, including eastern Spain, is frequently affected by heavy rainfall and significant flash flooding events. This recent disaster saw a year’s worth of rainfall in just eight hours. That produced floods. [ABC News]

¶ “In September, 60% Of European Automotive Sales Were Electrified ” • Some 295,000 plugin vehicles were registered in Europe in September, rising 6% YOY, which represents the EV market’s return to growth for the first time since April. This is even more significant when you consider the overall market fell by 4%, to 1.1 million units. [CleanTechnica]

Electric car (Vitali Adutskevich, Unsplash)

¶ “Gas Stoves Are Hazardous To Your Health” • A study by researchers at Jaume I University in Spain, found that residents of the EU and Britain are twice as likely to die prematurely from exposure to pollution from gas stoves than they are from a car crash. The New York Times reports that gas stoves cut about two years from the lifetimes of their users. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “PHEV Sales In China Are Skyrocketing, Led By BYD. Here’s Why” • Plugin hybrid EV sales are growing at an amazing rate in China, driving new energy vehicle market share above 53% in the largest car market. New PHEVs are being introduced, as well as new batteries designed specifically for these applications. Here, we examine why. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Qin L (Image courtesy of BYD)

¶ “NTPC Tenders 1.8 GW Of Hybrid Wind-Solar Power Projects” • NTPC Ltd invited online bids from hybrid power generators for 1.2 GW of power from wind-solar hybrid power projects with an option of additional capacity up to 600 MW. The projects are to be developed on a build-own-operate basis and can be sited anywhere in India. [pv magazine India]

¶ “RWE Bags Offshore Construction Permit For Thor” • RWE has been awarded a permit from the Danish Energy Agency (Energistyrelsen) allowing it to carry out offshore construction activity for its 1100-MW Thor project. RWE now has all the permits to start construction work at sea in spring 2025. Work on land is already well advanced. [reNews]

North Sea wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Climate Change ‘Worsened All Ten Deadliest Weather Events In Past Two Decades’” • Climate change made the ten deadliest extreme weather events over the past two decades worse, making the deaths of over 570,000 people more likely, climate scientists said. The finding “underscores how dangerous extreme weather events have already become.” [Yahoo News UK]

¶ “280-MW Forty Mile Wind Farm Begins Power Generation” • Acciona Energia has begun injecting clean power into the grid from its Forty Mile wind farm in southern Alberta. The 280-MW project, which is progressing as planned, will be completed in the first quarter of 2025. The Forty Mile wind farm is about 50 km south-west of Medicine Hat. [reNews]

Forty Mile wind farm (Courtesy of Acciona Energi)

¶ “Rachel Reeves Pledged £2.7 Billion To Nuclear Power Station” • Campaigners opposed to the new Sizewell C nuclear power station slammed chancellor Rachel Reeves for continuing to back it in her budget. She pledged a further £2.7 billion of government funding, but campaign groups opposed to the project are “appalled.” [East Anglian Daily Times]

US:

¶ “Lightsource BP Secures Funds For US projects” • Lightsource BP secured a structured equity investment from HASI, a leading investor in climate solutions, in a 288-MW solar portfolio with two utility-scale projects in Texas. The portfolio comprises a 163-MW Starr solar project located in Starr County, and the 125-MW Second Division PV scheme. [reNews]

Solar panels with flowers (Lightsource BP)

¶ “Snow, Record Heat And Possible Tornadoes In Crazy US Weather Forecast” • As people across a large section of the US mainland broke out T-shirts and shorts in record-breaking high temperatures, several inches of snow blanketed the mountain tops of Hawaii and residents across the Great Plains were bracing for possible tornadoes. [ABC News]

¶ “Cincinnati Zoo Solar Parking Lot Goes Live” • Solar power can be co-sited with other uses. The Cincinnati Zoo found a way to do three things at the same time: provide solar power, put shade over cars, and still leave room for cars to do what they already did there: park. The array will provide annually enough power for up to 330 homes. [CleanTechnica]

Solar parking lot (Cincinnati Zoo image)

¶ “Texas Wind Energy Industry Makes Friends With Oil & Gas Producers” • Startup Nova Clean Energy is just up and running, but it already has a pipeline of 1-GW of Texas wind projects. Nova cites as an attraction of Texas a “fast-growing demand” for wind energy on the part of the state’s oil and gas industries, with the addition of petrochemicals. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Gets Tesla-Like Charging Navigation with Help from Google” • One of Tesla’s big advantages, the author believes, is a much superior navigation system for long road trips, including great integration of charging stops. But Ford has worked with Google to offer something that has a very similar navigation system built in. [CleanTechnica]

Have a plainly resplendent day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Ontario’s Huge Nuclear Debt And Other Things Dutton Doesn’t Understand” • Australian alternative Prime Minister Peter Dutton’s favorite topic seems to be your electricity bill. He talks so much about electricity prices, you’d think he might know a fair bit about what’s in the bills. But he doesn’t understand the debt Ontario ran up for nuclear. [RenewEconomy]

Pickering Nuclear Plant (JasonParis, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Much Solar Power Can You Get Out Of $250?” • When technology and production of a technology changes fast enough, even the enthusiasts can risk falling behind and not knowing just how cheap the technology is getting to be. The author shares a YouTube video she came across showing how much solar power one can get out of $250. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Is Musk’s Starlink Polluting Space? Researchers Call For The FCC To Pause Launches” • As Elon Musk’s Starlink is launching an internet network of thousands of satellites, the environmental implications are unknown without a formal review, experts warn. More satellite launches lead to more damaging gases and metals in the atmosphere. [ABC News]

Starlink satellites (Forest Katsch, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Lilium Runs Out of Money” • Lilium has been developing one of the more attractive eVTOL  aircraft over the past decade or so. It also had some positive news recently. A few months ago, the author noted that the company had logged a good chunk of future sales in the UK. Now, Lilium is out of money, though it is not necessarily the end just yet. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Launches Shark in Brazil And Song Pro in Paraguay” • BYD continues its massive expansion globally and rollout of new model after new model. It is quickly rising up the ranks when it comes to global auto sales, and each day it looks like it will rise to #1. Tesla looks like a turtle now, compared to the fast-swimming and fast-running BYD. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Song Pro

¶ “Forrest’s Squadron Energy Unveils Massive New Wind And Battery Project For NSW” • The renewable energy outfit owned by iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest added yet another huge wind energy proposal to its project pipeline, after kicking off the application process for the Bookham Wind Farm, west of Yass, New South Wales. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “$78 Trillion Needed For Net Zero By 2050” • There is still time to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 by making $78 trillion of investments, says Wood Mackenzie’s latest ‘Energy Transition Outlook’ report, though a set of global shocks likely puts 2030 targets out of reach. The study analyses four different pathways for the energy sector. [reNews]

Things we might want to lose (SXC image)

¶ “Solar And Storage Minigrid Commissioned On Tonga, And Micronesia Seeks Minigrid Proposals” • A $53.2 million minigrid was commissioned on Niuafo’ou, Tonga’s northernmost island, to provide clean, reliable power 24 hours a day. And Micronesia’s Yap island is seeking bids on a 79-kW solar plus storage minigrid system. [Microgrid Knowledge]

US:

¶ “Hundreds Of Homes Evacuated For Colorado Wildfire As Blazes And Red-Flag Warnings Break Out Nationwide” • It may be late October, but the US wildfire season has reignited across the country as a wildland blaze threatened homes in Colorado and at least ten wildfires were burning from California to New Jersey, officials said. [ABC News]

Wildfire in Colorado (Evan Wise, Unsplash)

¶ “Lucid Gravity Starts At $80,000, Lucid Air Gets 5-Star Safety Rating” • The new Lucid Gravity is Lucid’s second model. It’s an SUV rather than a sedan, and that is expected to make it more appealing to a larger portion of the market. Now we have a few more details on the Gravity, as well as some good news about Lucid’s first model, the Air. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ohio PUC To Consider Proposed Higher Minimum Payments For Data Centers” • Data centers use huge amounts of electricity and artificial intelligence makes the situation worse. AEP Ohio wants data center operators to commit to paying for almost all of the electricity they expect to use so it can make the needed grid upgrades knowing the cost is covered. [CleanTechnica]

Data center (Google image)

¶ “Nova Seals Deals For 1 GW Of Texas Wind” • Nova Clean Energy executed interconnection agreements and related high voltage equipment supply contracts for a 1-GW portfolio of wind power projects in Texas. The move comes as the state’s power grid experiences record growth in demand. Construction will begin in late 2025. [reNews]

¶ “Cubico Fires up 132-MW Arkansas Solar Park” • Cubico Sustainable Investments has begun commercial operations at the 132-MW Crossett solar park in Ashley County, Arkansas. The project is the second PV plant to be successfully brought into operation by the London-headquartered renewables player in the past 12 months. [reNews]

Solar PV array (Cubico image)

¶ “The Future Of Wind Power Relies In Part On Who Wins The Presidency” • The Biden-Harris administration set a national goal to produce 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030. But Trump’s opposition to offshore wind energy projects came as permitting delays and regulatory rollbacks, while he opened federal lands for drilling. [City & State New York]

¶ “New York State Beats Its Goal For Installing 6 GW Of Solar Power” • Here’s a ray of good news. New York State has reached its goal of installing 6 GW of distributed solar – enough to power more than 1 million homes and businesses – a year ahead of the goal set out in the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. [Habitat Magazine]

Have a fascinatingly agreeable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Seven Huge Reasons Donald Trump Should Not Be President Again” • It’s shocking that 70 people would vote for Donald Trump to be president of the US a second time around, let alone 70 million. Alas, we are completely awash with misinformation and information echo chambers these days. Here are seven big reasons not to vote for him. [CleanTechnica]

Shaking hands with Putin (White House, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Solar And Wind Cheaper And Cheaper – New Reports” • A report from Wood Mackenzie focuses on LCOE region by region. The regions are Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The data show us that renewable energy is winning. Because it’s cheaper. It’s as simple as that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla “Full Self Driving” Drives Through Small Deer – Doesn’t Stop” • Well, this isn’t a fun one. A Tesla owner using Full Self Driving at night on a highway ended up driving straight through a young deer – without a pause, swerve, or anything. If that were the full story, that would already be something noteworthy. But that’s not quite the end. [CleanTechnica]

Small deer (Rinnie Deer, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Oil Prices Fall As Weak Global Demand Overtakes Risk Of Wider War In Middle East” • Global oil prices are falling sharply after a retaliatory strike by Israel targeted Iranian military sites rather than its energy infrastructure as had been feared. Prices for crude spiked globally on October 2 after Iran fired nearly 200 missiles into Israel. [ABC News]

¶ “More Than One In Three Tree Species Are At Risk Of Going Extinct, Analysis Shows” • The world’s trees are in critical danger, with a staggering number of tree species teetering on the brink of extinction, according to a global analysis. The decade-long project found that more than one in three tree species are in danger of extinction. [CNN]

Tree (Gilly Stewart, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Remote Communities Look To Renewable Energy To Offset High Electricity Costs” • With sky-high bills and a ten-year fight against BC Hydro’s controversial $16-billion Site C dam on the Peace River within their traditional territory, the community of West Moberly First Nations decided it was time to get energy from renewable sources. [The Globe and Mail]

¶ “Severn Trent To Turn 100k Pumpkins Into Renewable Energy” • This Halloween, Severn Trent Green Power plans to turn about 100,000 used pumpkins into renewable energy at its sites in the UK. Through a process called anaerobic digestion, the pumpkins will be broken down to create biogas, which can then be turned into clean energy. [Energy Live News]

Pumpkins for fuel (Severn Trent Green Power image)

US:

¶ “These Artificial Reefs Off A New York City Beach Help Sea Creatures” • Funded with $111 million in Sandy recovery money, the “Living Breakwaters” built about 1,000 feet (300 meters) off a beach were conceived to protect residents from storms. They also integrate “living” features of a natural breakwater to better shelter oysters, crabs and fish. [ABC News]

¶ “GM’s HMMWV (Humvee) Replacement: A Stepping Stone To More EVs” • The HMMWV is getting old. Recently, Military Times had a chance to see what GM would do if asked to replace the HMMWV, and they did a video review, much like a publication would do for any automobile! Here is a look at replacement that GM already has in mind. [CleanTechnica]

Next Gen tactical vehicle (GM Defense image)

¶ “Proposed Lithium Mine Delights EV Enthusiasts But Troubles Some Environmental Groups” • There may be 40 million metric tons of lithium in a volcanic area on the border between Nevada and Oregon. Conservationists tried to block mining it, saying it would violate environmental laws. Native American activists say the site is sacred. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Middlebury College Embraces Solar Power While Others Dither” • Vermont’s Middlebury College is a leader among American colleges and universities in sourcing electricity from renewable energy alternatives such as wind and solar power. In the meanwhile, other colleges line up to get money from the fossil fuels industry. [CleanTechnica]

Middlebury College (Credit Middlebury College)

¶ “‘Defining Moment’: East Kentucky Power Expanding Solar With Up To $1.4 Billion From Feds” • Officials of East Kentucky Power Cooperative and the US DOA joined Governor Andy Beshear at the state Capitol to tout funding that will build solar installations with 757 MW of generating capacity and improve transmission infrastructure. [Kentucky Lantern]

¶ “13-GW Gulf Of Maine Auction To Get Underway” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is holding a lease auction for eight areas off Maine and Massachusetts that can host a total of around 13 GW of offshore wind projects. The zones cover 827,886 acres in the Gulf of Maine, in lots ranging from 93,756 acres to 116,363 acres each. [reNews]

Map of wind project areas (BOEM image)

¶ “Meet America’s Secret Team Of Nuclear First Responders” • In a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, just outside of Washington, DC, one of the government’s most secretive groups gathered recently to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Though there were drinks, cake and speeches, right from the start, it was clear this was not an ordinary birthday party. [NPR]

¶ “An Investigation Of A Michigan Nuclear Power Plant Reveals Extensive Safety Issues” • Weeks after Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer’s announcement that the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant is set to reboot, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission continues to find alarming levels of equipment damage unexpectedly caused by the extended shutdown of the plant. [MSN]

Have a thoroughly delightful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “War Risks From Nuclear Power Plants? Look At Zaporizhzhia” • Proposals for nuclear power in Australia have to take national security risks into account. An International Atomic Energy Agency report of last September says Russia’s occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine continues to create high risk of a nuclear disaster. [The Strategist]

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (Leo211, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Morocco’s Renewable Energy Share To Be 56% Of National Electricity Mix By 2027” • Morocco’s renewable energy capacity is set to make up 56% of the national electricity mix by 2027, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance, surpassing the country’s initial 52% target set for 2030. Installed renewable capacity reached 4,607 MW in 2023. [MSN]

¶ “The New Renault 5 Is The Electric Car We Have Been Waiting For, Claims Wired” • Wired magazine does not devote a lot of time to electric cars, so when it runs a story saying the new Renault 5 EV is will be a “smash hit,” it’s time to sit up and pay attention. Wired gives the Renault 5 a rating of 8 out of 10 – good, but not perfect. [CleanTechnica]

Renault 5 EV (Courtesy of Renault)

¶ “‘We’re Not Taking On The Big Guys:’ First Indigenous Energy Retailer In Australia Opens Its Doors” • Australia’s first First Nations-owned retail energy provider, Yurringa Energy, began operating in Victoria last week, having secured the contract to power the state’s largest road project with 100% renewable power during construction. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “South Korea Opens Bidding For 1.8 GW Of Wind Power” • South Korea launched tenders for 1.8 GW of wind projects. Of that, 1 GW has been set aside for fixed bottom offshore, 500 MW for floating offshore, and 300 MW for onshore wind. Deadlines depend on division and capacity – offshore projects over 300 MW have a deadline of 78 months. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Expect Best, Pexels)

¶ “Colombia Invests $40 Billion To Phase Out Fossil Fuels And Stop New Oil Production” • Colombia halted the development of new oil and gas reserves two years ago and now wants to invest $40 billion to help with the move to independence from fossil fuels. Oil and coal account for over 50% of Colombia’s exports, but reserves will run out soon. [Notebookcheck]

¶ “Turbine Deliveries Begin At 506-MW Oz Array” • Turbine deliveries began for Cubico and Stanwell Corporation’s 506-MW Wambo wind farm in Queensland. Harrison Infrastructure Group has undertaken designs for road modifications at 38 points between the Port of Brisbane and the array site to allow delivery of the oversize components. [reNews]

Blade delivery (Harrison Infrastructure Group)

¶ “South Africans Still Saying Goodbye To Eskom” • Eskom’s sales volumes declined in the first quarter of the 2025 financial year, as companies and households continued to reduce their reliance on the utility. Eskom underwent a dramatic turnaround from regular load-shedding last year to over six months with no power cuts, but sales keep on declining. [MyBroadband]

¶ “HonuWorx Mulls Uncrewed Sub Fleet” • HonuWorx unveiled plans for a fleet of Loggerhead uncrewed submersibles for use in the energy subsea services market. Because they are uncrewed, the submersibles remove the need for large fossil-fueled surface ships to transport and deploy subsea robots such as remotely operated vehicles. [reNews]

Uncrewed submersible (HonuWorx image)

¶ “Nuclear And Renewables At Odds Over Power Bill Shock” • Rolling out nuclear power plants in Australia could add A$1,000 a year to household electricity bills, according to energy experts, and regulators should focus on lower cost, renewable power. The warning has been issued at a Smart Energy Council event. At a separate event, the advice was contradicted. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Ford’s Price Drops Are Making Electric Van Life Happen Faster!” • Folks over at Electrek made an interesting observation recently: The price of a Ford Transit van is the same whether you go for the gas or the electric version! Not only is this exciting for people who use vans to make a living, but it’s also fantastic for people who live in their vans. [CleanTechnica]

Ford E-Transit van (Courtesy of Ford)

¶ “Volkswagen ID Buzz Pricing In The US – How Much Is Too Much?” • Volkswagen teased us with the idea of an all-electric successor to the iconic Type 2 Microbus even before Elon Musk promised a self-driving car that can drive itself from LA to NYC and park without any assistance from a human driver. Now it’s finally here – but it’s not cheap. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EV Charging Before, During, And After Hurricane Milton Struck Florida” • The nation’s public EV charging network is still in the early stages of development, and it’s already beginning to demonstrate resilience for natural catastrophes. A review by the charging analytics firm Stable confirms that resilience, compared to what fossil fuels offer. [CleanTechnica]

Hurricane Milton, about to make landfall (NOAA image)

¶ “The Biden Administration Earmarks $3 Billion For Rural Electrification And Renewable Energy Infrastructure” • Seven rural US electric cooperatives will receive $3 billion from the US Government’s coffers after the Biden Administration announced the most recent round of funding for decarbonization efforts in the US. [Proactive Investors Australia]

¶ “Iowa State Researchers Aim To Improve Renewable Energy Cybersecurity With DOE Funding” • The rise of renewable energy in power grids brings environmental benefits and new cybersecurity challenges. Manimaran Govindarasu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, has two research projects to address these vulnerabilities. [Iowa State Daily]

Have a flawlessly wonderful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “CATL Freevoy Battery Optimized For EREV And PHEV Vehicles” • Basically, an EREV (extended range EV) is a PHEV (plugin hybrid EV) with a big battery system to take it a long way. CATL is introducing a battery designed for EREVs and PHEVs. The Freevoy Super Hybrid Battery combines lithium-ion and sodium-ion technologies. [CleanTechnica]

CATL Freevoy battery system (CATL image)

World:

¶ “China Adds 160 GW in First Three Quarters of 2024” • China’s National Energy Administration reports that a shocking 160 GW of new solar power capacity were added in the first nine months of the year. 160 GW! That’s an incomprehensible amount of power. Also, China hit cumulative solar power capacity of 770 GW in August. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volkswagen Group Africa Launches Multifunctional Facility In Africa With Electric Tractors” • As solar mini-grids are put up in Africa, it is possible for EVs to be powered by them. Volkswagen Group Africa announced that operations at its multifunctional facility in Rwanda have started. It will pilot modern farming with electric tractors, among other things. [CleanTechnica]

Introducing an electric tractor (Volkswagen Group Africa)

¶ “Enerco Plans For €75 Million Kilkenny Wind Farm Could Power More Than 32,000 Homes” • Enerco has applied to Kilkenny County Council seeking planning permission to develop its Briskalagh wind farm project. The proposed 49-MW project would include seven wind turbines in an area to the south of Tullaroan. [The Irish Independent]

¶ “China ‘Requests’ Its Domestic Automakers Stop Plans To Expand EU Sales” • Bloomberg reports that China is pressuring its automakers to pause expansion in the EU due to the escalating trade conflict over EVs, according to unnamed sources. Beijing is telling manufacturers to pause active searches for EU production sites, for example. [CleanTechnica]

MG Cyberster (Press Image)

¶ “Japan Struggles To Find Nuclear Waste Disposal Site” • Japan faces difficulties selecting a final disposal site for high-level radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. First-stage surveys to find sites for an underground storage facility were conducted in three municipalities despite continuing anxieties among local residents. [The Japan Times]

US:

¶ “EVs And The $350,000 Celestiq: How Cadillac Is Trying To Win Back Customers” • Cadillac has struggled to connect with buyers in the last few years. Its flagship SUV, the Escalade, has been buoying the marque, but now, the company’s EVs, such as the Lyriq, are slowing winning over drivers. Cadillac has a lot riding on its all-new Celestiq. [ABC News]

Celestiq (Cadillac image)

¶ “Trick Or Treat? Several Cities On East Coast Could See Record Heat On Halloween” • Unseasonably warm air heading East next week could make for a hotter-than-average Halloween in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and down to Raleigh-Durham. Highs in those locations are forecast to be at least 15 to 20 degrees above average. [CNN]

¶ “US Renewable Output Triples Since 2014” • Environment America released its ‘Renewables on the Rise’ report, focusing on growth of the US renewable sector. The report says the US now produces over three times as much power from renewables as it did in 2014. Texas, California, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas are the leading states. [Data Center Dynamics]

Wind turbines (Markus Distelrath, Pixabay)

¶ “20% of US Rooftop Solar Systems Are Sunrun Systems, 45% of New Battery Installations Are Sunrun” • Sunrun, the largest rooftop solar company in the US, hit a big milestone: one million customers. CleanTechnica sat down with Chris Rauscher, Head of Grid Services & Virtual Power Plants at Sunrun, to discuss this and related matters. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Five US Cities Most At Risk For Climate Change Disasters” • Buying a home in 2024 takes a lot more consideration than ever before. Climate risk has to be evaluated. It has become a serious factor when making a large purchase like a home, a car, and or even booking a vacation destinations. Here are five cities in the US that are at risk. [MSN]

New Orleans flooded, 2005 (Jeremy L. Grisham, USN)

¶ “Reports Reveal Massive Change In US Energy Production, But ‘Future Growth May Depend On The Results Of The November Elections'” • SUN DAY Campaign broke down encouraging data from reports from FEMA and the EIA. Renewable energy has grown to 30% of US capacity. But future growth depends on who wins the election. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Renewable Hybrid Project Tied To Amazon PPA Reaches Commercial Operations” • Amazon has signed a power purchase agreement with AES for two of its new solar-plus-storage power plants in California’s San Bernadino County. According to AES, Amazon will be the primary off-taker of the energy from the projects. [Data Center Dynamics]

Have an especially pleasing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “The Solid-State EV Battery Journey Has Only Just Begun” • The US startup QuantumScape just passed a key development milestone with its solid state EV battery. In a shareholder letter, QuantumScape announced that it is producing B Samples of its new QSE-5 solid state EV battery cells, and shipping them to customers for testing. [CleanTechnica]

QuantumScape solid state battery (QuantumScape image)

World:

¶ “UN Report Predicts 3.1°C Average Global Temperature Increase By 2100” • The 1.5°C target set in Paris in 2015 was only possible if the nations of the world all worked together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. But they didn’t. They focused instead on building weapons and extracting more oil and gas from more places. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Many Of The Planet’s Vital Signs Have Reached Record Levels Due To Climate Change” • Without new measures that will start delivering immediate reductions, the world is on course for increases of 2.6–3.1°C over the course of this century. “We are in the midst of a climate emergency,” says the UN, “and the window to act is closing fast.” [CleanTechnica]

New Hampshire weather (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewable Energy Hits 147,000 Connections” • Doris Uboh, the Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund of Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency announced that the country’s renewable energy initiatives have achieved 147,000 connections, benefiting 700,000 homes across the six zones of the country. [Punch Newspapers]

¶ “BYD Launching About Ten Models In A Year, While Tesla Launches One” • CleanTechnica’s resident expert, José Pontes, said BYD has launched nine models this year already, and six more will be released soon. Tesla introduced the Cybertruck nearly a year ago. In that year, BYD thus will have released nine to sixteen models. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seal (BYD image)

¶ “Cuba’s Slow Solar Energy Expansion Contributes To Its Widespread Blackouts” • October’s blackouts affected 10 million Cubans and would have been less severe with more solar energy development. Experts point to the Cuban government’s outdated policies and reliance on fossil fuels despite international interest in solar investments. [The Daily Climate]

¶ “Serbia Signs Major Deal For 1-GW Solar Power Project With Hyundai Engineering And UGT Renewables” • The contract for construction of solar power plants in Serbia will add 1 GW of new solar power capacity. It was signed with the consortium of companies Hyundai Engineering and UGT Renewables in the presence of the president of Serbia. [ceenergynews]

Belgrade (Maria Ivanova, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “$474 Million For More Grid Resilience In The USA” • In some places, electricity came back within a few hours of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. In others, it took a day or two. In places with poor grid resilience, it took a week or more! So, it’s heartening to see that another chunk of cash is being distributed by the DOE to improve US grid resilience. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “An Unprecedented Number Of Flood Emergencies Have Ravaged The US. It’s A Warning Of What’s To Come” • Flash flood emergencies are quite rare, accounting for around 1% of flash flood warnings since 2019. An unprecedented 91 flash flood emergencies have been issued by the National Weather Service this year, more than any other year. [CNN]

Flood (Chris Gallagher, Unsplash)

¶ “Yampa Valley Electric Association Selected For $50 Million In Federal Renewable Energy Funding” • The USDA is awarding six rural electric cooperatives, including YVEA, nearly $1 billion in funding through the New ERA, or Empowering Rural America. And Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association will get nearly $2.5 billion. [SteamboatToday.com]

¶ “Solar Tracker Project Supports Vermont College’s Renewable Energy Goals” • A 5-MW solar array providing power to a nearby college was commissioned in Middlebury, Vermont. With the help of Encore Renewable Energy and Greenbacker Renewable Energy, 40% of Middlebury College’s electricity is powered by solar PVs. [Solar Power World]

Kitchen House, Middlebury College (Chumash11, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Duke Energy Expands Its Green Tariff Program In North Carolina” • Duke Energy has received approval for Green Source Advantage Choice in North Carolina. GSAC is a program that allows large business customers to support renewable energy development by supplementing their power usage with 100% renewable generation. [POWERGRID International]

¶ “Pennsylvania’s Renewable Energy Growth Is ‘Abysmal’ For The Second Year In A Row” • Last year, Pennsylvania ranked 50th in the nation for solar, wind, and geothermal energy generation growth. Now, the state’s renewables are on the rise, but a report shows marginal improvement for Pennsylvania. Now it ranks 48th. [NEXTpittsburgh]

Pennsylvania (Lera Kogan, Unsplash)

¶ “DTE Energy Begins Operating Its Largest Solar Park, Sauk Solar” • Michigan’s largest renewable energy developer reported that its largest solar park, Sauk Solar, is now operational. Located in central Michigan’s Branch County, the 150-MW solar park has nearly 347,000 solar panels and generates enough clean energy to power roughly 40,000 homes. [GlobeNewswire]

¶ “Three Mile Island Owner Lays Out Reopening Timeline In Public Hearing” • The owner of the closed Three Mile Island nuclear plant hopes to have a new license – and a new name for the plant – to operate in three years. Constellation provided a timeline for restarting the plant during a public meeting with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. [NPR]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A First Ride In The Navier N30 Electric ‘Flying’ Boat” • The author started keeping an eye on electric boats earlier this year and was excited when an opportunity popped up on a recent trip. He spent some time on a prototype build of the Navier N30, talking with a few of their team members. Here is his review of the boat, which “flies” on hydrofoils. [CleanTechnica]

Navier N30 speeding across the water (Navier image)

¶ “Voters In Three Swing States Love Solar – But Does It Matter” • The US Solar Energy Industries Association recently put out an interesting story. It’s a fun topic with uplifting findings, and it is always the case: most people support solar energy, and support government support for solar energy. But people tend to vote based on other matters. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “England Just Closed Its Last Coal Plant. We Can Quit Coal Power Too” • Britain is the first major economy to quit coal power, ushering in a new era of cleaner power. This change will mean cleaner air, less climate pollution, and a greener future for the country. But the US can also quit coal power soon, if we work together to make it possible. [Environment America]

Coal power (Jason Mavrommatis, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Monitoring Methane Better – Finally” • The Biden-Harris administration put a $162.4 million loan guarantee into helping on an issue that really doesn’t get enough attention, or solutions. It is methane emissions, and specifically not tracking them well enough in this case. The loan guarantee is going to the company LongPath Technologies. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “No Bird Collisions At Offshore Wind Site, Study Determines” • For more than two years, the floating offshore wind turbine TetraSpar at METCentre off the coast of Norway was monitored by a bird camera. The Norwegian company Spoor is responsible for the bird monitoring. No bird collisions have been recorded during that time. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine (Spoor image)

World:

¶ “Belgium To Prioritize Grid And Financing At NSEC” • The Belgian government has said it will focus on grid development, financing including possible creation of an offshore investment bank, public participation and the supply chain when it acquires the rotating presidency of the North Seas Energy Cooperation from Denmark in January. [reNews]

¶ “2024 On Track To Become Earth’s Warmest Year On Record Despite Slight Global Temperature Drop” • For the first time in over a year, we did not set a new monthly global temperature record. However, Earth did see its two warmest days on record globally in July, and it’s increasingly likely that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. [ABC News]

Meadow on summer day (Dakota Roos, Unsplash)

¶ “Softcar Aims For Full Circularity With Its 4-Seater Electric Microcar” • Softcar’s newly revealed 4-seater electric microcar, which is a small urban electric vehicle classified as a L7e (heavy quadricycle) in the EU, aims to lead the auto industry “fully into the circular economy” with its net-zero cars, to be built locally in net-zero micro-factories. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DEME Wins OranjeWind Cable Job” • DEME was awarded a contract to carry out the transport and installation works for the inter-array cables and secondary steel for TotalEnergies’ and RWE’s 800-MW OranjeWind offshore wind farm in the Dutch North Sea. The Belgian contractor will transport and install a total of 114 km of wires for the project. [reNews]

Living Stone (DEME image)

¶ “Serentica Global Planning 10-GW Renewable Energy Project In Andhra Pradesh” • After meeting with the Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology and Electronics, officers of Serentica Global, an affiliate of the Vedanta Group, said they are formulating plans to establish a 10-GW renewable energy project in Andhra Pradesh. [India Today]

US:

¶ “How Crops Will Fare With 45% Of The US Experiencing Drought” • About 77% of the mainland US is abnormally dry, and almost half of the country is in drought, US Drought Monitor data shows. Nevertheless, a lot of the crops in the regions that harvest in the fall had good growing conditions last summer, and the crops are already being harvested. [ABC News]

Corn field (Patrick Fore, Unsplash)

¶ “Scout Returns As An Electric Off-Roader” • It is a name that hasn’t been seen on American roads since 1980: Scout Motors. Scout CEO Scott Keogh told ABC Audio that Volkswagen had acquired the rights to the Scout name when its heavy-duty truck division bought Navistar, a descendant of the International Harvester company. [ABC News]

¶ “New And Used EV Sales Were Up In September In USA” • In its latest market report, Cox Automotive says EV sales continue to expand in the US. The latest data for September 2024, shows a year-over-year rise in sales for both new and used electric cars. September marked the sixth consecutive month in which new EV sales surpassed 100,000 units. [CleanTechnica]

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV (Chevrolet)

¶ “Massachusetts Senators Suspend Rule To Pass Renewable Energy Bill; No Action In House” • Massachusetts state senators voted to circumvent a rule that bars branchs of the Legislature from convening for formal business after the end of the formal session on July 31. It took up the Clean Energy Siting Bill, which passed 38-2. [Worcester Telegram]

¶ “NextEra CEO ‘Not Bullish’ On SMRs As Company Assesses Potential Duane Arnold Restart” • NextEra Energy is evaluating reopening the Duane Arnold nuclear plant. But CEO John Ketchum said, “There are only a few nuclear plants that can be recommissioned in an economic way,” and newer technologies like SMRs are not among them. [Utility Dive]

Have a dashingly handsome day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “A Superconducting Aircraft Motor From Airbus And Toshiba, Thanks To Hydrogen” • Toshiba and Airbus are entering into a partnership to develop a prototype aircraft engine: Hydrogen needs to be cooled to -253ºC to turn it into a liquid. At such low temperatures, some materials become superconductors, so why not use that cold in the engine? [CleanTechnica]

Aircraft engine (Image by Airbus and Toshiba)

Opinion:

¶ “Google And Amazon Are Betting On ‘Advanced’ Nuclear. This Critic Warns It’s Not Ready” • The newest nuclear tech claims to be safer and more sustainable than traditional nuclear plants. But critics argue that “advanced” nuclear technology isn’t necessarily that advanced, and that it’s unlikely to be ready on the timeline that Big Tech wants. [Fast Company]

World:

¶ “Green Light For 100-MW Scottish Battery” • Apatura received planning consent for a battery storage project near the city of Dundee on Scotland’s east coast. It is Apatura’s fifth project to receive concent in the last twelve months. Apatura’s goal is to deliver grid-scale battery storage that supports renewable energy generation in Scotland. [reNews]

Battery storage system (Apatura image)

¶ “Megha Engineering Signs 618.1-MW Solar PPA In India” • MEIL said it signed power purchase agreements with Bangalore Electricity Supply Co to supply 618.1 MW of solar power. The company will build 76 solar plants of varying capacities to supply power under a Ministry of New and Renewable Energy solar scheme for farmers. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Atrato Opens 55-MW Solar Farm In Yorkshire” • Atrato Onsite Energy announced that it has opened a 55-MW solar farm in Yorkshire. The £39.4 million plant is the company’s largest installation investment to date and has capacity enough clean energy to power over 20,000 homes and eliminate 11,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. [reNews]

Solar farm (Atrato image)

¶ “Alberta’s Squeeze On Renewable Energy Pushed Investment To Other Provinces” • Eight months after the government of Alberta lifted its moratorium on development of large wind and solar projects, investment has yet to return as companies choose instead to invest in other provinces. Investors are deterred by unpredictability. [Yahoo News Canada]

¶ “Global Wind Power Set To Grab Record Share Of Electricity Market” • Global wind-powered electricity generation could set a record in 2024, as winter comes in the northern hemisphere and wind speeds pick up for many of the world’s wind farms. This could help wind power grab a record-high share of the world’s electricity generation market. [Reuters]

Wind turbines (Luca Bravo, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Farms Powering Rural Vic” • The Victorian Government said that once complete, the 250-MW Goorambat East Solar Farm will be able to supply enough renewable energy to power every household in the Rural City of Benalla and Rural City of Wangaratta twice over. And the the Winton Solar Farm has been completed and commissioned. [Energy Magazine]

US:

¶ “Electric Buses Just Got Way, Way More Interesting” • With huge batteries below and solar panels on the roof, electric buses can serve as mobile energy storage units, delivering clean energy as needed. One obstacle is the cost of installing EV charging stations, but the leading school bus firm First Student has an answer for that. [CleanTechnica]

Electric buses (First Student via prnewswire.com)

¶ “Stellantis To Demo Muscular Solid-State EV Battery In Muscle Car” • Auto industry analysts expect the solid-state EV battery of the future will appear by 2030. But Stellantis is partnering with the Massachusetts startup Factorial on a fleet of Dodge Charger Daytona EVs by 2026, fitted with Factorial’s proprietary “FEST” solid-state battery cells. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “More US Solar Manufacturing Incentivized By Biden-Harris White House” • The US is in a manufacturing revival unlike any before, due policies from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. The latest news is that more of the solar industry supply chain is going to be stimulated in the US, with plants for solar ingot and solar wafer production. [CleanTechnica]

Monocrystalline PV cell (Courtesy of Suniva)

¶ “With Electricity Prices Rising, Groups Blame Slow Rollout Of Renewables” • Electric bills in Chesapeake Bay drainage states could rise as much as 24% after wholesale electricity prices hit new records. The price of reserve power for air conditioning and heating emergencies in 2025–2026 was more than nine times the previous record. [Bay Journal]

¶ “GE Vernova To Remove More Vineyard Wind Blades” • GE Vernova is to remove some blades from the Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm and strengthen others, it announced. GE Vernova and Vineyard Wind got approval to return to installing new blades on turbines once stringent safety and operational conditions were met in October. [reNews]

Debris of broken blade (Vineyard Wind image)

¶ “San Francisco Could Source About 5% Of Its Electricity From Forthcoming Wind Farm” • San Francisco will get approximately 5% of its electricity from a Merced County wind farm within two years, as part of an agreement with Colorado-based Scout Clean Energy. Officials say the PPA will accelerate the city’s transition away from fossil fuels. [San Francisco Examiner]

¶ “NextEra Considers Nuclear Restart In Iowa, While Renewable Deals Swell” • NextEra Energy is conducting engineering studies and speaking with federal regulators about the possible restart of its Duane Arnold nuclear power plant, company executives said. This interest is partly due to growing power demand from AI data centers. [Yahoo Finance]

Have an enviably creative day.

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World:

¶ “The Gulf Stream Is On The Verge Of COLLAPSING, Climate Scientists Warn” • It might have been science fiction twenty years ago, but the plot of the 2004 film ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ may be turning real. Some 44 of the world’s leading climate scientists warned that the Gulf Stream and other Atlantic Ocean currents are on the brink of failure. [MSN]

Atlantic Ocean (Jacob Buller, Unsplash)

¶ “Brazil Environmental Disaster Victims Take Case Against Mining Giant BHP To UK Court” • Victims of Brazil’s worst environmental disaster, the rupture of a tailings dam at an iron mine in 2015, took their case for compensation to a UK court. Toxic mining waste had run into a river, killing 19 people and devastating communities. [ABC News]

¶ “AI, Data Centers, Direct Air Capture, And Renewables” • Of the world’s electricity, 3% is used by data centers. That’s up from, well, zero, not too long ago. Doing a Google search uses 0.3 watts-hours, but a ChatGPT inquiry uses 10 times that, just for instance. Big tech companies are investing heavily in renewables for their data centers. [CleanTechnica]

Data center (Amazon image)

¶ “Hyundai To Build EVs And EV Components In India” • It’s no secret that India tries hard to force local manufacturing. This has been a barrier to Tesla entering India for a while. But it’s a giant vehicle market with a lot of potential, especially as we get to ever cheaper EVs. Well, Hyundai sees that India is an opportunity, and it’s jumping in. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Neoen Launches 79-MW Irish PV Project” • Neoen launched construction of the 79-MW Ballinknockane solar farm in Ireland. The developer has provided notice to proceed to Omexom and TLI Group, for the solar plant and the 110-kV onsite substation, respectively. Ballinknockane is scheduled to be commissioned in the first half of 2027. [reNews]

Solar farm with sheep (Neoen image)

¶ “A Wind Power Crisis Is Holding Back The World’s Green Energy Goal” • At the COP28 climate talks in Dubai last year, leaders from over 130 nations agreed to triple renewable power capacity by the decade’s end. While the target is achievable, the current rates of clean power deployment aren’t sufficient, and the rollout of wind turbines is lagging. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “SunCable Gets Conditional Approval For World’s Largest Renewable Energy Infrastructure Project” • SunCable has been granted conditional approval by Singapore’s Energy Market Authority to import energy via the Australia-Asia PowerLink. AAPowerLink is set to be the world’s largest solar farm and battery project. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Celebrating AAPowerLink progress (SunCable image)

¶ “Cost Of ACT’s 100% Renewable Energy Scheme Goes Negative – Again!” • The cost of the Australian Capital Territory’s 100% renewable scheme went negative again. The results for the June quarter this year are the fourth time that quarterly costs have gone negative. The scheme dramatically reduced electricity emissions and prices. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Saudi Arabia’s 3.7-GW Solar Tender Attracts Lowest Bid Of 1.29¢/kWh” • For the 2000-MW Al-Sadawi Solar portion of the 3.7-GW project, the shortlisted groups offered bids of 1.29¢/kWh and 1.31¢/kWh. The rest of the solar tender got bids that were somewhat higher, at up to 1.89¢/kWh, though the bids were on smaller sections. [pv magazine International]

Solar power (ACWA Power)

¶ “Sellafield Nuclear Waste Dump Costs Surge To £136 Billion, Leaving Questions Over Value” • The costs of cleaning up the Sellafield nuclear waste dump are expected to surge to £136 billion. Britain’s public spending watchdog said efforts to fix buildings at the state-owned Cumbrian site had been gripped by delays and ballooning costs. [Proactive Investors]

US:

¶ “ChargePoint Pitches Affordable Level 2 EV Charger For Commercial Fleets” • Fleet vehicles are often parked for hours overnight, making them a good fit for the leisurely pace of a Level 2 EV charger. ChargePoint got the message, and it aims to motivate fleet managers with a new commercial-scale Level 2 charger for just $699. [CleanTechnica]

Cars at ChargePoint chargers (Courtesy of ChargePoint)

¶ “West Virginia Lobs An Energy Storage Brickbat At Fossil Fuel Stakeholders” • It’s a strange position to be in, but there it is. The Appalachian state of West Virginia, known for its deep roots in the coal industry, is hosting a long duration energy storage venture that will help squeeze fossil fuels out of the US power generation profile. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$430 Million For US Clean Energy Manufacturing In Coal Communities” • Coal power declined in the US through the Trump presidency, and has declined since. Coal power just isn’t competitive. So, people living in coal communities need new jobs in new fields. The Biden-Harris Administration has dished out $430 million for this. [CleanTechnica]

Decline of coal, growth of wind (EIA image)

¶ “Flying Taxis Move Closer To Takeoff With Issuing Of FAA Rule” • Federal regulators gave a strong push to electric air taxis by issuing a final rule for operating the aircraft and how pilots will be trained to fly them. Many companies are working to get them to market, but they had been held back by a lack of clarity over regulations governing their use. [ABC News]

¶ “Republican Opposition Could Slow The Push Toward Electric Vehicles” • The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 offered a range of incentives for producing EVs, and it offered tax incentives to individuals who buy them, and federal rules have increased fuel efficiency requirements for car makers. Both moves got sharp Republican opposition. [ABC News]

Have an amusingly agile day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Buoyant Design And Adaptable Mooring Mechanisms Help Floating Solar Stay Intact Through Hurricane Milton” • Super Typhoon Capricorn struck China as one of the worst typhoons in the region since 1949. But the floating Mibet solar panels were buoyant and sturdy. In the US, the story in Hurricane Milton was much the same. [CleanTechnica]

D3Energy floating solar panels after Hurricane Milton

¶ “How The US Can Solve Its Lithium Supply Problem In One Fell Swoop” • The soaring demand for lithium has prompted US policymakers to restart the long dormant US lithium mining industry. New lithium mining proposals provoke protests, but the US Geological Survey suggests that there may be alternative lithium supplies. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “A Model Estate Will Be Restored To Nature And Packaged As A Tradable Biodiversity Credit” • A recent media story explains how some very wealthy Brits were adding purpose-built garden water features to their properties as a kind of a wild swimming experience, within a controlled environment. (We common folks might call them “ponds.”) [CleanTechnica]

Pond (Cristina Gottardi, Unsplash)

¶ “University Of Toronto School Of Environment Says No To Fossil Fuel Money” • At the University of Toronto, the School of Environment says it will no longer accept funding from fossil fuel companies. A report by The Guardian, said it will stop taking funds for research, sponsorships, scholarships, or infrastructure from the fossil fuel sector. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NESO To Create GB Energy Plan” • Building on work to deliver clean power by 2030, energy ministers in the Scottish, Welsh, and UK Governments have asked the newly formed National Energy System Operator to produce the first ever strategic spatial plan for energy out to 2050, across land and sea in Great Britain. [reNews]

Wind turbines (SSE Renewables)

¶ “Going Green: Lucky Cement Completes 28.8-MW Wind Power Project” • Lucky Cement, one of Pakistan’s largest cement manufacturers, completed and commissioned the 28.8-MW captive wind power project at its Karachi plant. The company announced the development in a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange. [Business Recorder]

¶ “Enercon Commissions 40-MW Turkish Array” • Enercon has announced that the 40-MW Ordu wind farm in Turkey has been successfully commissioned. All 10 of its E-138 EP3 turbines at Kalen Enerji project are now connected to the grid. Ordu wind farm is located in the Back Sea region, which is characterised by challenging site conditions. [reNews]

Wind farm (Enercon image)

¶ “Turkey Aims To Quadruple Wind And Solar Energy Capacity By 2035” • Turkey will need $108 billion of public and private investment as it aims to quadruple its wind and solar energy capacity to 120,000 MW by 2035, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said. This year’s first renewable energy tender details will be announced next week. [Reuters]

¶ “BRICS Nations Hit Clean Energy Milestone: Fossil Fuels To Drop Under 50% By End Of 2024 For First Time” • The BRICS nations are poised to see fossil fuel capacity drop below half of their installed power capacity by the end of 2024 in a major shift towards cleaner energy, according to a new report by Global Energy Monitor. [Down To Earth]

Wind turbines (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “At UNSC, Ukraine Calls On World To Prevent Russian Attacks On Its Nuclear Power Plants” • The ongoing Russian occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and its attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine pose serious risks to the safety of the nuclear energy infrastructure, Deputy Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the UN Security Council. [Ukrinform]

US:

¶ “1.3 Million US Made Solar Panels, 875 MW – Orion Solar Farm Goes Live In Texas” • SB Energy Global has announced that its Orion I, Orion II, and Orion III solar projects are ready to operate. According to Renewables Now, the three new solar farms combined have 1.3 million solar panels manufactured in America by First Solar. [CleanTechnica]

Solar farm (SB Energy image)

¶ “DOE Commits $3 Billion To Boost Sustainable Aviation Fuel Supply” • The US DOE announced support of nearly $3 billion to boost America’s output of sustainable aviation fuel. Canary Media says the DOE Loan Programs Office made conditional commitments to two companies working to turn crops and waste feed stocks into jet fuel. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ørsted Files 1.5-GW Long Island Bid” • Ørsted has submitted a finalised proposal for its 1485-MW Long Island Wind project, which would power up to one million New York homes while further strengthening the Danish developer’s Northeast Hub. The Long Island Wind project would bring several billion dollars of in-state investment. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Ørsted image)

¶ “New 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Offers Improvements” • Ford has rolled out info on the new 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The 2025 Mustang Mach-E includes a heat pump as standard equipment, improving efficiency, especially in colder climates. There are also new colors, new wheels, and a “Sport Appearance Package” for the Premium version. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BOEM Wraps Up New York Bight Review” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed an environmental review to assess potential wind development activities within the New York Bight area. After a review of six wind lease areas of 488,000 acres off New York and New Jersey, BOEM estimates they could generate up to 7 GW of energy. [reNews]

Have an amply cheerful day.

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