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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Solid State EV Battery Deploys Ceramic “Brain” From Saint-Gobain” • US startup Ion Storage Systems is getting ready to launch a solid-state EV battery into a high volume commercial manufacturing line, with a little help from materials specialist Saint-Gobain. If all goes well, it will charge faster, cost less, and be better in other ways. [CleanTechnica]

Core of Ion solid-state battery (Ion Storage Systems image)

¶ “Zeekr’s New Golden Batteries Are … Golden” • EV battery technology continues to advance, sometimes at what seems to be a rapid clip. Much of the progress is subtle, incremental, nearly ignored progress that eventually adds up to a lot. But a new golden battery going into the Zeekr 007 electric car is both eye catching and a big deal. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “University Of Waikato In New Zealand Replaces More Than Half of Its Fleet With EVs- First Batch Is Made Up of BYD ATTO 3’s” • In New Zealand, the University of Waikato is transitioning its fleet to electric. The university will have nearly 80 EVs for employees once this program is completed. It is also installing EV charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Atto 3 (Courtesy of the University Of Waikato)

¶ “Renewables Have Provided More Than Half Of All Germany’s Electricity This Year” • In some places, particularly those whose economies depend on extracting fossil fuels, renewables are said to be unreliable and costly, but Germany is proving the doubters wrong. Germany has generated more than half of the electricity it used this year with renewables. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “First Phase of Volkswagen North America Gigafactory Is Complete” • Volkswagen is one of the auto industry leaders in US EV sales. It’s one of the more serious and more successful car makers in the US in terms of battery EV sales. The good news is that the first phase of Volkswagen’s battery gigafactory in St. Thomas, Ontario, is complete. [CleanTechnica]

Future PowerCo Ontario plant (Courtesy of Volkswagen AG)

¶ “UK Solar Farm To Supply Discounted Power” • Photovolt Development Partners developed the 840-MW Botley West Solar Farm in West Oxfordshire. It is to deliver affordable electricity to residents at preferential rates through a retail energy company, SolarRetail. Some energy generated by Botley West is going to the local community at a discount. [reNews]

¶ “Seven European Countries Pledge CO₂-Free Power Systems By 2035” • Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland pledged to eliminate CO₂-emitting power plants from their electricity systems by 2035. Taken together, the countries account for nearly half of EU power production. [The Business Standard]

Wind turbine (Gustavo Quepón, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “GMB Union Says Urgent Action Is Needed To Tackle Safety Concerns At Sellafield” • The GMB trade union has called on the government and nuclear authorities to take “urgent action” to address safety concerns at the Sellafield nuclear site. The union wrote to demand more investment to keep 11,000 workers at the vast nuclear rubbish dump safe. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “California Set To Become Second State To OK Rules For Turning Wastewater Into Drinking” • California regulators are set to vote on new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools, and businesses. It’s a big step for the state, but water is precious in California. [ABC News]

California Aqueduct (Ikluft, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “You Can Get A New Tesla Model 3 For $20,000 In New Jersey (Maybe)” • There is a lot of discussion about the prices of Tesla’s falling. Now someone on a platform formerly called Twitter, who goes by the name “Sami,” has gone beyond the norm to show that you can actually get a Tesla Model 3 in New Jersey for just $19,590 at the moment. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Some Good Climate News: Five Clean Energy Milestones We Hit In 2023” • Climate news can often feel gloomy. But amid the negative reports, there are optimistic stories about progress. The transition away from fossil fuels relies on expanding renewable energy and adopting electric appliances. Here are a few goals we achieved this year. [Fast Company]

Renewable electricity (Grzegorz Górniak, Unsplash)

¶ “Construction Underway On Kentucky’s Largest Solar Farm” • Construction of what is to be the largest solar array in Kentucky is underway. National Grid Renewables said its new Unbridled project, about 160 miles southwest of Louisville, is expected to go into commercial operation next year with 160-MW of generating capacity. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “WIN Waste Uses Refuse Collected By Mack EVs To Power Trucks” • Mack Trucks customer WIN Waste Innovations, a leader in the recycling and waste industry, received two Mack LR Electric Class 8 refuse vehicles. It is to be the first company in Massachusetts to power electric trucks exclusively by the waste collected by the trucks themselves. [NGT News]

Mack electric refuse truck (WIN Waste Innovations)

¶ “CPV Completes Massive Solar Project On Former Coal Mine in Pennsylvania” • Competitive Power Ventures’ affiliate CPV Renewable Power announced that CPV Maple Hill Solar, a 100-MW (AC) solar power generation facility in Portage Township, Pennsylvania, has completed construction and successfully entered operations. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Holtec Announces Delay In Indian Point Decommissioning” • Summary: Holtec International, the company responsible for decommissioning the Indian Point Energy Center in New York State, has announced a delay in the completion of the project. The decommissioning, originally scheduled to be finished by 2021, has been delayed before. [EnergyPortal.eu]

Have an entertainingly perfect day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Why Is Making EV Fast Chargers Reliable So Hard?” • For many EV drivers, charging away from home is often a nightmare, fraught with chargers that either are not working or that won’t turn on because of payment issues. The problems can originate with faulty installations, substandard maintenance, or improper management of software updates. [CleanTechnica]

Charging a Tesla (alex, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “EV Rentals Can Lead The Way To Increased EV Adoption” • A transition from cars with combustion engines to EVs will help to move the world toward reduced carbon emissions and improved air quality. Consumer confidence and affordability are barriers to the widespread adoption of EVs, so rentals have an important role to play in the success of EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why China Didn’t Sign Global Pledge To Triple Renewables” • China Dialogue asked experts why China, despite being a world leader in renewables, has not signed a global commitment to triple renewable power capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. They said tripling renewables is achievable, but doubling efficiency is a sticking point. [Eco-Business]

Technician (WorldSkills, Flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “UAE’s Taqa Explores Stake In $2.1bn Subsea Cable Project Connecting Greece And Cyprus” • Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, known as Taqa, has signed an initial agreement to explore the prospect of becoming a shareholder in a project involving a high-voltage direct current subsea power cable between Greece and Cyprus. [The National]

¶ “First Batch Of Wind Power Projects In Inner Mongolia’s Gobi Desert Come On Stream” • The first batch of four wind power projects in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region’s Gobi Desert have come on stream. The area is rich in solar and wind energy resources. The installed capacity of the four projects is to be 3.1 million kW (3.1 GW). [Yicai Global]

Inner Mongolia (Audrius Sutkus, Unsplash)

¶ “Construction Of 216-MW Solar, 500-MWh Battery Plant Starts” • The construction of a hybrid renewables project in South Africa, with a 216-MW solar plant and a 500-MWh battery storage system to manage the intermittency of solar production, has been launched by diversified energy company TotalEnergies and its partners. [Engineering News]

¶ “Vestas Secures 186-MW Wind Turbine Order In Finland” • Danish wind turbine maker Vestas has secured a contract for 186 MW of wind turbines from the Finnish energy company Ilmatar. The order was placed by Ilmatar after reaching a final investment decision for the project, which is in Pahkakosk, 60 km north-east of Oulu, Finland. [Power Technology]

Transporting masts sections (Santeri Viinamäki, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Deploying Renewables Will Lower Africa’s Power Costs By 30%, Emissions By 90%, Says Former Nigeria VP Osinbajo” • Yemi Osinbajo, Nigeria’s former Vice President, has argued that with focus on renewable energy resources, Nigeria and the rest of Africa could reduce energy costs by 30% and reduce carbon emissions by 90%. [Arise News]

¶ “All turbines Installed At Saint-Brieuc” • Iberdrola-owned Ailes Marines announced the complete installation of the 62 turbines at the 496-MW Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm in France. The jack-up vessel Brave Tern of the Norwegian company Fred Olsen Windcarrier installed the last 8-MW machine on position SB49 on December 17, 2023. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Iberdrola image)

¶ “South Africa Launches Bids For 5,000 MW Renewable And 615 MW Battery Capacity To Beat The Country’s Power Deficit” • The Government of South Africa has launched bidding rounds for 5,000 MW of new power generation capacity from renewable sources and 615 MW of battery storage, as the country fights to overcome power outages. [ETN News]

US:

¶ “US Auto Sales Down 8% In Q3 2023 Vs. Q3 2019” • The US auto industry is bouncing back, but it’s still below its pre-COVID days. Sales in the 3rd quarter of 2023 were 16% higher than sales in the 3rd quarter of 2022. But they were 8% below Q3 2019 sales. But battery EV sales in the US were up 44% from Q3 2022 and up 143% compared to Q3 2021. [CleanTechnica]

Rivian Pickup (Wes Hicks, Unsplash)

¶ “USDA Grows Solar Power In Rural Oregon Despite Limited Transmission, Assistance” • More farmland across the US will need to host power-generating solar panels for the country to decarbonize the electric grid and meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, according to the US Departments of Energy and Agriculture. [Cannon Beach Gazette]

¶ “Form Energy To Supply Storage Batteries For California Solar Project” • A Form Energy plant in Weirton, West Virginia, will supply iron oxide batteries for a PG&E energy storage project in Mendocino County. The $30 million project will use Form iron-air batteries to store electricity that it can discharge at 10 MW for 100 hours, to deliver 1,000 GWh. [WV News]

Form Energy battery installation (Form Energy image)

¶ “The Clean Energy Backlog Barely Budged This Year. What’s The Way Forward?” • Across the country, the amount of wind, solar and battery projects seeking connection to the grid has swelled to more than 2,000 GW. That far outpaces the total 1,250 GW of electricity generation capacity of all existing power plants on the US grid today. [Canary Media]

¶ “Georgia Residents Fear Rising Rates As Plant Vogtle Costs Soar” • Georgia residents are expressing their concerns about the potential rate hike that could result from the escalating costs of Plant Vogtle’s nuclear reactors. The Georgia PUC recently held a hearing to address how the expenses of the project should be divided. [TickerTV News]

Have an inexpressibly worthwhile day.

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Opinion:

¶ “COP28 – The End Of The 1.5°C Fantasy” • For all the happy talk in 2015 to mean anything, CO₂ levels should have been falling since then. But they have been rising, and this means the promise of the Paris climate accords was a mirage. Pessimists at the time suggested the good news was an illusion and sadly, they have been proven correct. [CleanTechnica]

John Kerry speaking (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “These Hot Rocks Can Glow Brighter Than The Sun. They Could Also Help Spell The End Of Fossil Fuels” •“[The rocks] in the box right now are about 1,600°C,” Andrew Ponec said, as he stood next to a thermal battery the size of a small building. That is nearly 3,000°F. “Hotter than the melting point of steel.” His company stores energy as heat in rocks. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Nations Begin Tightening The Screws On Chinese Electric Car Imports” • China today has dozens of electric car makers who crank out EVs at an astonishing rate. But as China gets closer to meeting its own electric car needs, its car makers are looking to export markets. For some countries, China is seen as a threat to local industry, and they are reacting. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo shipping (Courtesy Volvo Cars)

¶ “Lightsource BP Propels Renewable Energy Expansion in APAC with A$813 Million Solar Project Sale” • In a strategic move to fuel the expansion of renewable assets across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Lightsource BP has recycled capital through the sale of five solar PV projects with an equity value totaling A$813 million ($545 million). [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Energy Shift In Action: Brown Coal Hits New Low In Victoria, Renewables Hit New High In NSW” • As the Australian Energy Market Operator unveiled its draft 2024 Integrated System Plan, Victoria and New South Wales set energy generation records, showing rapid shifts in Australia’s energy landscape. In Victoria, brown coal use hit a record low. [Renew Economy]

Wind farm in NSW (Grahamec, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Zera Projects A Surge In Renewable Energy Investments” • The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority projected a surge in renewable energy projects as local companies move to protect themselves from power shortages that are expected to worsen. The Kariba hydropower station is expected to operate at subdued levels due to drought. [NewsDay Zimbabwe]

¶ “Empowering Bangladesh’s Energy Landscape: Germany’s Support For Sustainable Development” • Germany committed to providing financial aid totaling $208 million to Bangladesh. The aid is for thirteen projects in energy transition, sustainable urban development, enhancing supply chains, empowering women, and biodiversity conservation. [Eurasia Review]

Scene in Bangladesh (Amjad rana, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Russia Intensifying Pressure On Captured Nuclear Plant’s Staff” • The Russian invasion forces are increasing pressure on Ukrainian personnel of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the facility held by the Russians since March 2022, forcing them to get Russian passports and sign contracts with Russia’s nuclear generation operator Rosatom. [Ukrinform]

US:

¶ “Here’s How Wind Farms In The US Impact Nearby Home Values” • A study by Lawrence Berkeley National Lab examined a dataset of 500,000 home sales near 428 wind farms in 34 states. It found home sale prices within a mile of a wind farm tend to dip post-announcement, but they bounce back to what they were within three to five years of project completion. [Electrek]

Wind Turbines on a Farm (KSRE Photo, CC BY 2.0)

¶ “Federal Employees: It’s Time To Commute By EV Or Public Transit” • Federal employees, your days of driving a gas-guzzler to work solo are soon to become a thing of the past. The Biden administration is directing all federal employees to use more environmentally friendly options when traveling locally and for federal business. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Rooftops Gain Traction As Electric Vehicles Owners Look To Skip Paying For Electricity Or Gasoline” • When Jim Selgo moved to his home in Arizona in 2019, he had rooftop PVs installed. Less than a year later, taking more action to address climate change, he bought his first EV, a Nissan Leaf. He hasn’t paid for electricity or gasoline since. [Fortune]

Have a simply grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The DOE Is Innovating For The Challenges Of Today And Tomorrow” • In the face of mounting pushback and legislative bills meant to stymie clean energy development, the US DOE continues pushing forward in facilitating the clean energy transition to strengthen our national energy security. In the face of 2024 elections, we must not waver. [NRDC]

Wind turbines (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “New York’s First Offshore Wind Farm May Be The Future Of Energy” • Wind power currently provides only about 10% of the US electricity, mostly from the 70,000 land-based turbines. There are a few offshore turbines, but 35 miles off the coast of Montauk Point, New York, South Fork Wind could represent the next frontier of energy. [KTVH]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Origami, Acrylic Skins, And Flexible Flaps Are Advancing Wave Energy” • With “distributed embedded energy converter technologies,” ocean wave energy technology developers can interweave small individual generators into devices of almost any size or shape, with materials that bend, twist, or stretch in ocean waves to harness energy. [CleanTechnica]

Flexible wave energy technology (Graphic by NREL)

¶ “Sila Battery Substitutes Silicon Powder For Graphite In Quest For 1000 Watt-Hour Per Liter Batteries” • Sila is planning to supply its Titan silicon powder to battery makers like Panasonic that will replace all or part of the graphite used for the anodes in traditional lithium ion batteries. The silicon powder has several advantages over graphite. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “More Diesel-Killing Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Trains Heading For Germany, Plus India Piles On” • In September the Siemens Mobility announced completion of the first round of testing for its Mireo Plus H hydrogen train. If all goes according to plan, fuel cell electric trains will begin ferrying passengers sometime next summer. [CleanTechnica]

Siemens hydrogen fuel cell train (Courtesy of Siemens)

¶ “India’s Ambitious Power Expansion Plan” • India aims to achieve an installed capacity of over 900 GW by 2031-32. This includes 284 GW of fossil-based capacity and 615 GW of non-fossil-based capacity (including nuclear, hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and pumped storage), along with battery capacities of over 47 GW, 236 GWh. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Nova Scotia’s Largest Utility-Scale Solar Facility Is Complete” • Nova Scotia has the strongest greenhouse gas reductions target in all of Canada, aiming for 53% below 2005 levels by 2030, 80% renewables by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. With the completion of its largest solar facility to date, Nova Scotia moves another step toward these goals. [pv magazine USA]

Mahone Bay solar plant (Goldbeck Solar image)

¶ “DARES To Power 17.5 Million Nigerians With Renewable Energy Says World Bank” • The World Bank announced that it has approved the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up project, which is to provide over 17.5 million Nigerians with new or improved access to electricity through distributed renewable energy. [Businessday NG]

US:

¶ “This Electric Cargo Bike Can Go Up To 248 Miles Per Charge” • The Fiido Titan fat tire electric cargo bike is available with an option that can allow for really long rides between charging — up to 248 miles, which is remarkable for an e-bike. The specs on the Titan are impressive. For starters, it’s rated for 440 pounds of total carrying capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Electric cargo bike (Fiido image)

¶ “GM Announces Yet Another Cadillac EV Crossover” • In a recent press release, GM’s Cadillac division announced a fourth upcoming EV crossover: the VISTIQ. This makes four EV crossovers, with the cheapest to be the OPTIQ, followed by the LYRIQ, this new VISTIQ, and then the Escalade IQ at the top. Details are to come out next year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US BEV Sales Up 143% Over Q3 2021” • US full battery EV (BEV) sales continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Despite all the hype about “weak” electric vehicle demand and sales, they are actually strong and growing. Compared to Q3 2021, BEV sales in Q3 2023 were up 143%. Compared to Q3 2022, BEV sales in Q3 2023 were up 44%. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai EV (Hyundai image)

¶ “California Grid Operator Approves Power Line Connection To Idaho” • The California Independent System Operator approved a 285-mile (459-km) power transmission line that would allow it to import 1,000 MW of wind energy from Idaho and export excess solar power to that state, it said in a statement. It should be operating by 2027. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Holtec Wants NRC To Deny Antinuclear Groups A Hearing Over Proposed Palisades Restart” • Holtec International asked the NRC to deny a petition by three antinuclear groups who want a hearing about its request for an exemption to NRC regulations that forbid refueling a reactor that has been legally scheduled for decommissioning. [ExchangeMonitor]

Palisades nuclear plant (NRC, public domain)

¶ “California Regulators Vote To Extend Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operations Through 2030” • California energy regulators voted to allow the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant to operate for an additional five years, despite calls from environmental groups to shut it down. The twin reactors supply up to 9% of the state’s electricity. They date to the mid-1980s. [KPBS]

¶ “NRC Inspectors Praise Vermont Yankee As Example For ‘How To Decommission’” • Two federal NRC inspectors praised the work of NorthStar Group Services in its decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. They said they often bring other NRC inspectors to Vernon to see how it is being done and should be done. [Brattleboro Reformer]

Have a particularly cheerful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Ontario’s Hydrogen Approach Will Be A B-School Case Study In Failure” • Ontario recently announced its first significant hydrogen project. It involves truckloads of hydrogen leaving Niagara Falls to be burned in a gas generator over 100 kilometers away. Multiple layers of energetic and economic nonsense are involved in this. [CleanTechnica]

Niagara Falls (Rafik Wahba, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Nine Breakthroughs For Climate And Nature In 2023 You May Have Missed” • In a tumultuous year, the positive milestones for the climate and nature might well have gone under your radar. Future Planet rounds up nine quiet wins of the year, plus one much louder one. They are remarkable steps forward in tackling the nature and climate crises. [BBC]

¶ “Historic COP28 Agreement Calls for Transitioning Away From Fossil Fuels” • At the end of COP28, as representatives were nearing hopelessness, an 11,000 page document was produced. It had what the UN is calling the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era. The global pact includes explicit language looking to the end of Big Oil. [CleanTechnica]

McKibben and Bassey (John Englart, Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “COP28 Wrap Up – And A Child Shall Lead Them” • The final official pronouncement from conference did the unthinkable: It suggested that nations transition “away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” At one point, 12-year old Indian activist Licypriya Kangujam rushed the stage to add her voice. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Suzlon Secures 100.8-MW Indian Order” • Suzlon Group has secured a new order for 32 turbines at a wind project in India for an unnamed global utility. Suzlon will install the turbines with a rated capacity of 3.15-MW at the 100.8-MW project in Gujarat. The company will undertake post-commissioning operation and maintenance services. [reNews]

Suzlon turbine (Suzlon image)

¶ “Total Renewable Energy Generation In October 2023” • In a landmark moment for the Indian renewable energy sector, October 2023 witnessed an unprecedented surge in solar power, claiming a dominant position with a remarkable 66.31% share in total renewable energy generation. Concurrently, wind power crossed the 23% threshold. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Solar Power Usage Shines Bright” • China is expected to add 160 to 180 GW of solar power in 2023, a record annual rise in capacity, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association said. For the first ten months of this year, the output value of China’s PV manufacturing sector has already reached 142.56 GW, a year-on-year increase of 156%. [China Daily]

Solar panels (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “United Solar Energy Inks 700-MW Floating PV And Storage PPA In Sri Lanka” • The government of Sri Lanka has entered into a power purchase agreement with Australian firm United Solar Group for a 700-MW floating solar and storage project. Of Sri Lanka’s installed electric generating capacity, 59% is already renewable sources. [PV Tech]

¶ “German Nuclear Plant To Be Replaced By Europe’s Biggest Battery” • PreussenElektra, operator of the decommissioned Brokdorf nuclear power plant in northern German state Schleswig-Holstein, which was taken offline at the end of 2021, wants to transform the site into a power storage facility, reports from NDR say. [Renew Economy]

Brokdorf NPP (PreussenElektra image)

US:

¶ “California Leads US in Electric Vehicle And Charging Station Adoption” • California has led the United States in the number of EVs and EV charging locations every year since 2016, accounting for 37% of US registered light-duty EVs and 27% of EV charging locations at the end of 2022, according to new estimates in our State Energy Data System. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why GM Offers The Hummer EV As A Military Vehicle” • This year, GM Defense took the Hummer EV to the next level, making a prototype that would make it a viable vehicle even on the front lines. With a tube-frame, rugged panels, upgraded suspension and tires, and even a 12-kW diesel range extender and generator, it has a lot of utility. [CleanTechnica]

Hummer prototype (GM image)

¶ “Offshore Wind Miracle Happening In USA” • For better or worse, the offshore wind profile of the United States has broken down cleanly along partisan political lines. However, one huge crack has finally appeared. Officials in the deep red state of Louisiana approved not one but two new offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Duke Energy Completes Its First Floating Solar Project In Florida” • Duke Energy’s first floating solar project in Florida is now producing clean, renewable energy while helping the company better understand the capabilities of innovative clean energy technologies to benefit Florida communities and customers, now and in the future. [Duke Energy]

Floating solar array (Duke Energy Image)

¶ “US DOE Reaffirms Commitment to Buy Tribal Energy” • On December 4, US DOE Secretary Jennifer M Granholm signed a memorandum reaffirming DOE’s commitment to purchase clean power from Tribes while working to meet the clean energy goals of the federal government. Tribes can think of the DOE as a potential customer. [Department of Energy]

¶ “Lawmakers To Revisit Vermont’s Renewable Energy Goals” • What would it take to source all of Vermont’s electricity from renewable sources? That’s a question lawmakers plan to tackle in the upcoming legislative session as they look to update the state’s renewable energy standard. Vermonters will need to rely less on fossil fuels, but how is that to be done? [WCAX]

Have a stupifyingly enlightening day.

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Opinion:

¶ “We Can’t Let Aging Transmission Stall Clean Energy Progress” • The power lines and components that once bought prosperity to far-flung rural communities and illuminated modern cities are simply not up to the job of managing the surge of new renewable energy or batteries consumers are demanding. Our grid planning and management must evolve. [CleanTechnica]

Power lines (Andrey Metelev, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Major International Financing Deal To Get Vietnam Off Coal Moves Ahead While It Locks Up Climate Defenders” • Last year, the Just Energy Transition Partnership announced that it would help Vietnam get funds to achieve its climate targets, including reaching net zero by 2050. At COP28, Vietnam showed a plan to do its part. But climate acitvists are in jail. [CNN]

¶ “Takeaways From COP28: What Does The Climate Deal Say?” • Nearly 200 countries agreed to a new climate deal at the COP28 talks in Dubai, after two weeks of negotiations characterized by controversy and bitter divisions over the future of fossil fuels. Some experts call the decision historic. Others say it’s filled with a “litany of loopholes.” Here is a review. [CNN]

Pipeline to nowhere (JJ Ying, Unsplash)

¶ “Japanese Refineries Close As Japan’s Petroleum Consumption Falls” • The US Energy Information Administration forecast in its Short-Term Energy Outlook that Japan would have the lowest annual petroleum consumption 2024 since 1980, in part due to its aging and declining population. Reduced demand is already affecting Japan’s refining industry. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “General Motors Did Not Get The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Memo, Either” • GM raised eyebrows last week, when it announced a hydrogen fuel cell partnership with the US specialty truck firm Autocar. Apparently that was just the tip of the fuel cell iceberg. GM has just announced a new partnership with another leading truck maker, Komatsu. [CleanTechnica]

Electric mining truck by Komatsu (Komatsu image)

¶ “Portugal’s Energy Transition Goals Pumped Up By Hydro” • Portugal sourced a record 72% of its electricity from clean power sources over the first 11 months of 2023, up from 56% over the same period in 2022, thanks to electricity generation from hydro-electric sources being more than doubled, according to data from think tank Ember. [Reuters]

¶ “EIB Agrees To A €5 Billion Wind Counter-Guarantee Scheme” • The European Investment Bank’s Board of Directors has signed off on a €5 billion counter-guarantee scheme to improve access to finance for wind turbine manufacturers. The EIB expects their guarantee to support up to €80 billion of investments in wind energy projects. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Thomas Reaubourg, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewables Surpass 40% In UK Electricity Mix” • Renewable energy has reached a historic peak in the UK, at more than 40% of the country’s electricity generation during the latest quarter. That’s according to the Drax Electric Insights report, which suggests this growth resulted in the lowest recorded carbon intensity of 143 g CO₂e/kWh. [Energy Live News]

¶ “This New ‘World’s Largest’ Wind Turbine Makes Power In Severe Typhoons” • China’s Mingyang Smart Energy rolled out the world’s largest offshore wind turbine. Mingyang designed the MySE 18.X-20MW to lower the Levelized Cost of Energy and ensure long-term returns. It has a modular, lightweight design, with high efficiency and reliability. [Electrek]

Ming Yang wind turbine (Ming Yang image)

¶ “Environment Groups Slam Ramokgopa’s Nuclear Power Announcement” • Environmental activists criticised the South African electricity minister’s announcement of a procurement for 2,500 MW of nuclear capacity as against rules for approval. They said independent modelling shows that nuclear power is neither affordable nor needed. [The Mail & Guardian]

US:

¶ “Electric Vehicle Prices Get MUCH Closer To Conventional Vehicle Prices!” • Most of a Cox update on the average sale prices of new cars is just trends in the overall auto industry. But they decided to slip in some big notes regarding EVs at the end, and they buried a huge gem in the very last line: EV prices have fallen almost to those of traditional cars! [CleanTechnica]

Jenny Ueberberg in her Tesla (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “The IRA in 2023: Building Up for Action” • This is a good time to reflect on the progress made so far on the Inflation Reduction Act. While some programs are still under development and not yet available for consumers, some have effects already. There has been enough work happening to ensure that the act will deliver significant, lasting benefits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Energy And Its Cheaper Bills Are Coming To More Disadvantaged Communities” • When a lightning storm knocked out power in Doris Brown’s neighborhood, her solar-powered home suddenly became a refuge for frantic neighbors without electricity. Non-profits had installed a solar system to make her home into a “hub home.” [Stateline.org]

Doris Brown at home (Courtesy of Solar United Neighbors)

¶ “Year in Review for DOE Clean Energy Innovation and Outlooks for 2024” • In 2023, we witnessed numerous exciting developments by the DOE while partisan fighting in Congress threatened to derail its ability to act as needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, create good-paying jobs, and save money on energy bills. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Connecticut Needs Offshore Wind Energy Now” • Connecticut residents pay the highest rates for electricity in the continental US. Offshore wind power will help to provide much needed energy on a large-scale, can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and provide stable energy costs for generations to come, among many other benefits. [CT Mirror]

Have a super salubrious day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Training A New Generation Of ‘Climate Doctors’” • The Lancet called climate change the “biggest global health threat of the 21st century.” However, no one was being trained to deal it as a health issue. Now, a Colorado diploma program aims to turn working medical professionals into leading experts on both climate and health. [CNN]

Doctors at work (National Cancer Institute, Unsplash)

Cop28:

¶ “Core COP28 Climate Agreement Makes Unprecedented Call For Transition Away From Fossil Fuels, But Loopholes Remain” • The world agreed on a climate deal in Dubai at COP28 after two weeks of talks, making an unprecedented call for transitioning away from fossil fuels but using language that could allow some countries to take minimal action. [CNN]

¶ “COP28 Deal Pledges Global Transition Away From Fossil Fuels For First Time” • This is the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era, UK climate minister Graham Stuart says. This “historic moment” that should inspire action across the globe, he says. “We’re now unified in a common commitment to move away from fossil fuels.” [BBC]

Offshore oil rig (Zachary Theodore, Unsplash)

¶ “First Ever ‘Fossil Fuel’ Decision At COP28 Climate Summit Falters On Phaseout” • The United Nations climate summit ended in Dubai today with the first ever commitment to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems. Nevertheless, the decision has loopholes that allow the fossil fuel industry to proliferate. [Center for Biological Diversity]

World:

¶ “Senegal’s Capital City Is Getting 121 Electric Buses!” • As in most major cities, chronic traffic jams in Dakar, Senegal, result in heavy air pollution and prolonged commute times. To deal with both issues, Dakar Mobilité has raised the €135 million it needed to deploy an electric Bus Rapid Transit network consisting of 121 electric buses. [CleanTechnica]

Electric bus in Dakar (Courtesy of Meridiam)

¶ “46% Of New Cars In Netherlands Now Plugin Cars!” • In the Netherlands, 46% of new car sales were for plugins in November. Furthermore, 34% were full electrics! The Dutch market saw an increase in plugin registrations to 12,902 units in November, up 34% year over year, thanks to the close to 10,000 battery EVs registered (+41% YOY). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “India Surpasses 72.02 GW In Solar Power Capacity, Driving Renewable Energy Transition” • India has achieved a significant milestone in the renewable energy sector, with the country’s solar power capacity reaching 72.02 GW, as confirmed by R. K. Singh, the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power, in written replies to inquiries. [DD News]

Indian solar thermal plant (Bkwcreator, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Nextracker Achieves 10-GW Milestone in Middle East, Africa, and India Solar Power Markets” • Nextracker, a leading global provider of intelligent solar trackers and software, announced it has surpassed a corporate milestone of 10 GW of smart solar trackers either operational or under fulfilment for projects in the Middle East, Africa, and India. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Adani Group To Invest $100 Billion Over Ten Years In Green Energy Transition” • Adani Group released its half-yearly ESG compendium, showing progress in its decarbonization pathway. Five of its portfolio companies will invest $100 billion toward the energy transition. Adani Group is India’s largest developer of integrated infrastructure. [pv magazine India]

Wind farm in India (SuyogJoshiPhotography, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Subsea Project To Bring Renewable Power From Scotland To England Awarded £1.8 Billion” • A huge UK grid project awarded contracts worth £1.8 billion for a 190 km subsea transmission project to bring renewable power from Scotland to northern England. National Grid and Scottish Power plan to start building the £2.5 billion power line in 2025. [The Guardian]

¶ “Zaporizhia Depends On Single Power Line” • For several days, Ukraine’s Zaporizhia NPP has depended on a single power line for the off-site electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and for other essential nuclear safety and security functions, according to International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. [Nuclear Engineering International]

IAEA team inspecting damage, 2022 (Copyright by IAEA)

US:

¶ “Stellantis Partners With US DOE For A ‘Battery Workforce Challenge’” • To design, test, and produce battery cells requires a process with industry, government, and research institutions all playing key roles. All of these players need to be working hard to develop the next generation of skilled people to take part in this important work. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New US DOE Office to Coordinate Critical And Emerging Technology” • The DOE announced the Office of Critical and Emerging Technology to ensure US investments in areas such as AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, and biotechnology leverage it’s extensive assets and expertise to accelerate progress in these critical sectors. [CleanTechnica]

Engineer (ThisisEngineering RAEng, Unsplash)

¶ “Amazon And NREL Team Up On GHG Emissions Analysis” • The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Amazon, the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy worldwide since 2020, are working to modernize greenhouse gas emissions quantification using higher-resolution data and longer-term modeling. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Residential PV Up 24% Through Q3, Growth May Slow In 2024, Says WoodMac” • Residential solar posted modest growth in installations in the US through the first three quarters of 2023, rising 24% year over year, according to Wood Mackenzie’s latest market insight report. However, it said the market should temper its expectations for 2024. [PV Magazine]

Have a satisfactorily gratifying day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Making Oil Is More Profitable Than Saving The Planet. These Numbers Tell The Story” • Oil companies have long been under pressure to invest more money into renewable energy to help fight climate change. Here’s one simple reason why they don’t: They make a lot more money selling oil. That leaves them with little reason to save the planet. [WGCU]

Pumping oil (David Thielen, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “GE Completes Testing Sustainable Aviation Fuel On Tenth Aircraft Engine Model” • GE Aerospace is taking another step towards sustainable flights. The company announced it has finished testing with 100% SAF on ten aircraft engine models. GE Aerospace engines power three out of four commercial flights worldwide, the company said. [ABC News]

¶ “Recyclable, Plant-Based Material Could Take a Spin on Next Generation of Wind Turbines” • Most resins used in wind turbine blades require nonrenewable resources (like petroleum) and lots of energy to make. They are also difficult or impossible to recycle cost effectively. Researchers at NREL have developed a resin to deal with these issues. [CleanTechnica]

NREL team working on a turbine blade (Troy Boro, NREL)

¶ “New Zealand Company Uses Wood Chips To Make Synthetic Graphite” • Graphite is essential for lithium ion batteries. The Wall Street Journal says half the weight of a typical li-ion battery is graphite. China has been figuring out how to dominate supplies of materials needed to make EV batteries, including graphite. But graphite can be made from wood. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “‘Verge Of Complete Failure’ Climate Summit Draft Drops The Mention Of A Fossil Fuel Phase-Out, Angering Advocates” • In Dubai, climate advocates are warning the COP28 climate summit could be on the verge of failure after the latest draft of the core agreement removed a call to phase out fossil fuels, the one thing most driving the climate crisis. [CNN]

Dubai (Mohammed Nasim, Unsplash)

¶ “Climate Summit In Dubai Headed For Overtime As Fury Over Fossil Fuels Widens Divide” • International negotiators at COP28 are preparing for a long day of painstaking negotiations that are likely to stretch into overtime, as deep divisions remain over whether to phase out fossil fuels. Climate advocates are furious at the weak draft agreement. [CNN]

¶ “UN Climate Talks In Jeopardy In Fossil Fuel Backlash” • The UN climate talks in Dubai could be in jeopardy after a number of nations reacted furiously to a draft deal on fossil fuels they call “weak.” The draft removed language from an earlier text urging that fossil fuels could be “phased out.” Unless all 198 countries at the talks agree, there is no deal. [BBC]

Train carrying coal in Tennessee (Chad Stembridge, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Stellantis Partners With Ample For Battery Swapping” • Ample and Stellantis recently signed an agreement to partner for the development of EV charging technology. Their goal? To deliver a fully charged EV battery in less than five minutes, which sounds pretty nice. They plan do this by use of Ample’s battery swapping technology. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kenya’s Two-Wheeled Revolution” • Kenya is leading in electric motorcycle adoption in East Africa, with government initiatives to replace the roughly 2 million diesel motorcycles currently on the road. The Kenyan government hopes to boost local manufacturing and renewable energy use while promoting self-sufficiency. [CleanTechnica]

Burn Manufacturing Park in Kenya (Courtesy of Burn)

¶ “Global Nuclear Power Faces Unprecedented Challenges” • The World Nuclear Industry Status Report outlined severe challenges faced by the global nuclear power sector. The report, covering developments up to mid-2023, highlights a significant decline in nuclear production, with its share dropping to the lowest point in four decades. [Power Technology]

US:

¶ “Yet Another Oil Spill Hits the Gulf of Mexico” • A large oil spill hit the Gulf of Mexico on November 16, leading to a shutdown of the main pipeline and several others. But in December, more oil was detected on the water’s surface near the original spill. The Coast Guard has not confirmed whether the oil releases came from the same source. [CleanTechnica]

Gulf of Mexico (Robert Woeger, Unsplash)

¶ “Wisconsin Could Lose NEVI Funding” • Wisconsin is at risk of losing out on the federal funding for building out new charging infrastructure. The interstate highways are well covered, but there are still some significant dead zones in the state. A conflict between state and federal laws makes it nearly impossible to build charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dual-Use Solar Makes Best Use Of Renewable Energy And Farmland” • New York is looking at ways to impliment dual-use solar by combining solar panels with other land uses, ranging from shade canopies for cars or a house’s awning to common agrivoltaic practice. Crops are still being grown on land where solar panels are installed. [Public News Service]

Fruit under PV panels (Lisamiri, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Pritzker Signs Law Lifting Moratorium On Nuclear Reactors” • Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation lifting the moratorium on development of nuclear reactors in Illinois. Smaller nuclear reactors producing less than 300 MW will be allowed beginning January 2026. Morris Republican Senator Sue Rezin sponsored the proposal. [WGN]

¶ “House Passes Bill Barring Imports Of Russian Uranium For Nuclear Power” • The House passed legislation that would bar imports of Russian uranium for nuclear power plants. It was passed by a voice vote with bipartisan support. Republican Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash) and Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ) spoke in favor of the bill. [The Hill]

Have a distinctly great day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Oil And Gas Industry Is Behind Misinformation On Wind” • The fossil fuel industry has long funded misinformation about renewable energy. Offshore wind appears to be their latest target. Since 2019 at the latest, a nationwide campaign against offshore wind has been growing, using misinformation and obstruction. [Center for American Progress]

Offshore windpower (Reegan Fraser, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Gas-Killing Flow Battery Uses Table Salt For Long Duration Energy Storage” • Low cost renewables are are beginning to edge gas power plants aside, with help from energy storage systems. Pushing storage costs down will help kick the energy transition into high gear. A Dutch flow battery startup, Aquabattery, plans for plain old table salt to do it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “This Shipping Container Uses Water And Solar Power To Capture CO₂ From The Air” • A startup based in the UK, Mission Zero Technologies, wanted to find a cheaper, more efficient way to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Now it says it has done just that, and at a fraction of the cost of the methods used by other technologies. [Fast Company]

Carbon capture equipment (Mission Zero Technologies image)

COP28:

¶ “COP28 Slug Fest Over Language Heats Up” • COP28 is set to wrap up on December 12, but this year’s conference is bogged down in semantics as the delegates from various nations push their own agendas. The central failing of this and all past COP conferences is that the rules require any final statement to be approved unanimously. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “What Do COP28 Double Down, Triple Up And The Nuclear Commitments Mean?” • The Double Down, Triple Up pledge was signed by almost 120 countries. It is to triple countries’ renewable generating capacity and double the rate of efficiency programs by 2030. Also, 22 countries have signed a similar pledge to triple nuclear power. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

¶ “China Backs G20 Goal To Triple Global Renewable Energy By 2030” • China supports the G20 push to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, said Xie Zhenhua, China’s envoy for climate change. He also said during a COP28 news conference, that the world cannot forge ahead on energy transition without considering countries’ differing conditions. [China Daily]

World:

¶ “Clearly Ford Did Not Get The Fuel Cell Truck Memo: F-MAX Is Ready To Roll” • Despite the hydrogen fuel cell skeptics, the money just keeps flowing into new fuel cell ventures. In the latest positive sign for the technology, the Turkish firm Ford Otosan has a series of deals aimed to bring its F-Max heavy duty fuel cell truck to the European market. [CleanTechnica]

F-MAX fuel cell truck by the Turkish firm Ford Otosan

¶ “Supercapacitor Market To Hit $7.1 Billion By 2031, At A CAGR 15.9%, Says Transparency Market Research” • The supercapacitor market is projected to thrive, with a CAGR of 15.9% between 2023 and 2031. Transparency Market Research says supercapacitor sales are expected to reach approximately $ 7.1 billion by the end of the period. [GlobeNewswire]

¶ “Van Oord To Upgrade Svanen Heavy-Lift Vessel” • Van Oord plans to upgrade its heavy-lift installation vessel Svanen. Among other things, the gantry crane will be extended by 25 meters, so the vessel is ready to handle the next generation of monopile foundations. This will make the Svanen one of the world’s largest heavy-lift installation vessels. [reNews]

Svanen (Van Oord image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Market ($1,977.6 Billion) – Germany, UK, France, Italy, And Denmark Dominating Europe” • According to a report by Allied Market Research, The global renewable energy market size was valued at $881.7 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,977.6 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 8.4% from 2021 to 2030. [EIN News]

¶ “Bangladesh Approves 1.5 GW Of Solar” • The government of Bangladesh approved tariffs for 200 MW of PV in November and 310 MW in October. In November, national authorities approved two 100 MW solar projects to be developed in Feni district in southeastern Bangladesh and Mymensingh district, in the north-central part of the country. [pv magazine India]

Solar power (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Washington Post Asks Why Tesla Autopilot Can Be Used In Places Where It Shouldn’t Be” • An article in the Washington Post on December 10, 2023 asks, if Tesla Autopilot is not intended to be used on roads that have cross traffic, why does Tesla allow it to activate on those roads? It’s a fair question, one that involves a number of factors. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kia EV9 Buyers To Get Limited Free Charging From Electrify America” • Electrify America and Kia America have announced a special deal for the buyers of Kia’s new EV9 SUV, offering 1,000 kWh of free charging. This 1,000 kWh deal is redeemable at any Electrify America charging station nationwide through Electrify America’s app. [CleanTechnica]

Electrify America charging a Kia EV9

¶ “Hawaiian Electric Opens Negotiations For Fifteen Renewable Projects” • Hawaiian Electric will begin contract negotiations with developers for fifteen renewable energy projects to trim reliance on imported oil. The company seeks long-term contracts for 517 MW of variable generation, 654 MW of firm generation and 2.1 GWh of energy storage. [Power Technology]

¶ “Former Top Ohio Utility Regulator Surrenders In $60 Million Bribery Scheme” • Ohio’s former top utility regulator pleaded not guilty to charges related to a $60 million bribery scheme linked to a legislative bailout for two Ohio nuclear power plants. It has already resulted in a 20-year prison sentence for a former state House speaker. [CBS News]

Have an appreciably amusing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Fossil Fuels: Can Humanity Really Kick Its Addiction?” • The unprecedented productivity of the industrial world means most of us enjoy prosperity and health our grandparents would find astonishing. Our hunting and gathering ancestors got by on the equivalent of 277 kWh of energy a year. The average American uses 50 times that now. [BBC]

Lighting America (NASA, Unsplash)

¶ “1.8 Million Barrels Of Oil A Day Avoided From EVs” • BNEF estimates that EVs currently prevent 112 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions per year. Shockingly, almost twice as many barrels of oil are not burnt each day because of electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers than because of electric passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Four East African Countries Are Going For Nuclear Power – Why This Is A Bad Idea” • East Africa has the fastest growing population in Africa, and this leads to a higher electricity demand. It is in many ways tempting for these countries to pursue a nuclear power plant build. But there are several risks of choosing the nuclear path.[Tech Xplore]

Nuclear plant (Jametlene Reskp, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Keep Getting Weirder (And That’s A Good Thing)” • Floating offshore wind turbines can be located in waters too deep for conventional turbines. US startup T-Omega Wind has come up with a novel floating turbine design that could open the door for new wind farms, while cutting costs to the bone. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “Extinction Rebellion Climate Activists Dye Venice’s Grand Canal Green In COP 28 Protest” • Climate activists in Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for dumping a chemical dye into its historical Grand Canal and turning it fluorescent green under a protest banner that read: “While the government speaks, we hang by a thread.”[CNN]

Grand Canal (Christian Holzinger, Unsplash)

¶ “Coalition Opposes Australia Tripling Renewable Energy, Backs Nuclear Power Pledge At COP28” • The federal Coalition has declared at the Cop28 climate summit that it will back a global pledge to triple nuclear energy if the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, becomes prime minister, but will not support Australia tripling its renewable energy. [The Guardian]

¶ “We Really Could Triple Renewables By 2030, But It Won’t Be A Breeze” • In the past week almost 120 global leaders have pledged to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity before 2030. That is an “ambitious yet achievable goal”, according to the International Energy Agency. Nevertheless, it is not going to be an easy goal. [The Guardian]

Renewable energy (Mark König, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Sales Of Gas-Powered Sports Cars Surge Before Automakers Go Electric” • It took less than six weeks for French automaker Bugatti to sell all 99 units of the Mistral, a $5 million roadster built with a hell-raising 16-cylinder engine. Maybe it was the allure of an open-top hypercar. Or maybe it was the news that Bugatti is going electric. [ABC News]

¶ “Bear Attacks In Japan Are At A Record High. Climate Change And An Aging Population Are Making The Problem Worse” • In Japan, experts say bears are increasingly venturing out of their traditional habitats and into urban areas in search of food. Some suggest this is because climate change is interfering with some of the animals’ traditional sources of food. [CNN]

Bear (Zdeněk Macháček, Unsplash)

¶ “EV Sales Growing Faster Than Expected” • Electric vehicle sales continue to grow faster than most people expected, even faster than professional analysts in the field expected, and very surprisingly, they have grown much faster than oil companies forecasted. That’s one of the big takeaways from BNEF’s latest Zero-Emission Vehicles Factbook. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “Massachusetts Decides To Move Away From Natural Gas For Residential Use” • Massachusetts is the first US state to begin phasing out natural gas as a residential heating source. Also, the state’s Department of Public Utilities rejected arguments from utilities and the gas industry that proposed the use of “renewable natural gas” and hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Massachusetts home (todd kent, Unsplash)

¶ “Ford And Resideo Partner To Show How EVs And Homes Can Work Together” • Ford and Resideo Technologies unveiled their joint project, the “EV-Home Power Partnership.” This simulation initiative will look at vehicle-to-home energy management. The companies will explore the potential of EV batteries to help with home energy usage. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New York City Makes 8,500 Acres Of Parking Lots Eligible For Solar Canopy Development” • The New York City council passed a zoning initiative it calls the “City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality.” It says the initiative will move the city toward more equitable and sustainable living landmark legislation that relaxes restrictions on solar developments. [CleanTechnica]

Have an altogether admirable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A Dangerous Fuel Threatens To Undermine The World’s Renewable Energy Promises” • While commitments to reduce fossil fuel use are getting attention, some people at COP28 have an eye to human rights and forest destruction. They are warning about a powerful impostor in the renewable energy sphere: forest biomass. [National Observer]

Cut wood (Yusuf Onuk, Unsplash)

¶ “The Guardian View On Sellafield Scandals: Ministers Must Put Public Safety Before Secrecy” • There will be many reasons why Britain’s energy secretary, Claire Coutinho, went public with her unease about “serious and concerning” allegations raised by the Guardian this week over cybersecurity, site safety, and a “toxic” workplace culture in Sellafield. [The Guardian]

COP28

¶ “On COP28 Sidelines, Emirati ‘Green City’ Falls Short Of Ambitions, Still Has Lessons” • Now 17 years and billions of dollars in the making, Masdar City was first envisioned as a sustainable city of tomorrow with features like no cars, subway “pods,” and solar-powered buildings rising from the desert sands. Critics call it a “failed city.” [ABC News]

Podcar, but no people (Jan Seifert, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Andrew Forrest Goes On The Offensive At COP 28” • Andrew Forrest is the second wealthiest man in Australia. He made his fortune in mining but has become a passionate advocate for replacing fossil fuels with renewables. He says his mining firms will be fossil fuel free by 2030. At COP28, he is leading the effort to phase out fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Department of Energy Announces The Country’s Clean Energy Achievements at COP28” • The US DOE announced a range of initiatives on issues from zero-emissions transportation and building decarbonization to clean hydrogen and nuclear energy to spur the transition to clean energy systems and help keep the goal of 1.5°C within reach. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “ACWA Power Signs Deal To Develop Largest Green Hydrogen Project In Indonesia” • Saudi Arabian company ACWA Power is set to develop in the largest green hydrogen facility in Indonesia with PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara, Indonesia’s state-owned electricity provider and PT Pupuk Indonesia, a state-owned chemical producer. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Tesla Giga Shanghai Hits New Production Record” • Tesla Giga Shanghai hit a monthly production record and rolled out 90,802 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in November, mostly for delivery in December, according to reports. They also say the Model Y is sold out for 2023 in China, and Tesla indicated it is still targeting 1.8 million vehicle sales in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model 3 Highland

¶ “World’s Largest Concentrated Solar Power Plant Completed In Dubai” • A 950-MW solar energy complex has been inaugurated in Dubai. The hybrid facility consists of the most powerful concentrated solar power system on the planet and a PV unit. It is the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “Nuclear who?” • Authors of the “World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2023” describe the future role of nuclear energy in the global energy mix as “irrelevant” and “marginal.” They add that there were 407 operational reactors producing 365 GW in the middle of the year, which is less than the installed solar capacity expected at the end of the year. [pv magazine Australia]

Pickering nuclear plant in Canada (John McArthur, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Large Majority Of US Adults And Half Of Republicans Agree With Biden’s Goal To Slash Climate Pollution” • A broad majority of US adults – 73% – say the federal government should develop its climate policies with the goal of cutting the country’s planet-warming pollution in half by the end of the decade, according to a new CNN poll. [CNN]

¶ “Ford Mustang Mach-E To Lose Tax Credit in January” • Ford announced to dealers that the Mustang Mach-E would be losing access to the tax credits it currently qualifies for. The problem is that Ford needs to provide EVs with batteries that do not include materials sourced from certain foreign countries, notably China, and it does not have a way to do that. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Ford image)

¶ “Sixt Dumping Teslas Due To High Depreciation And Repair Costs” • We said for years that a top reason to buy a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y is a low total cost of ownership. But the key buyers who can analyze these numbers statistically are fleet buyers, and rental car companies have gone from big Tesla fans to avoiding and dumping Teslas. Yikes! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford EV Sales Up 43%” • Ford’s EV evolution continues. Ford has three EV models: the Mustang Mach-E, the F-150 Lightning, and the E-Transit electric van. Sales of these EVs were up a lot in November. Overall, they increased 43% compared to November 2022. The biggest jump in sales wsa the F-150 Lightning, which was up 113% for the month, YOY. [CleanTechnica]

For F-150 Lightning

¶ “California Gov Gavin Newsom Advances Water Tunnel Project Amid Opposition From Environmentalists” • A long-sought and disputed project in drought-prone California aimed at capturing more water from “atmospheric rivers” reached a key milestone when the Newsom administration finished an environmental review for an underground tunnel. [ABC News]

¶ “New Jersey Receives More Than 300 MW In Applications For New Community Solar Program” • The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced it has over 300 applications for the Community Solar Energy Program, since opening the solar program on November 15, 2023. totaling more than 300 MW of new solar capacity. [Solar Power World]

Have a perfectly nice day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “First Hydrogen And The Hydrogen Truck Revolution” • The global market for hydrogen commercial trucks is growing fast, by $3.84 Billion in 2023 alone. Projections show a staggering CAGR of 41% during the forecast period expected to push the market to $120 Billion by 2033. First Hydrogen is poised to make the most of that growth. [CleanTechnica]

Next Gen HD FCEV delivery van (CarbonCredits.com)

COP28:

¶ “Talks At COP28 Set To Intensify In Bid To Break Impasse Over Fossil Fuels” • Negotiations on how the world can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis will reach a fresh intensity over the next few days, with nations wrangling over whether to phase out or phase down fossil fuels. [The Guardian]

¶ “IMF Head Advocates For End Of Fossil Fuel Subsidies At COP28 Climate Summit” • The gist of Kristalina Georgieva’s message at COP28 is that we don’t have to wring our hands and fret about how expensive addressing the looming climate crisis will be. Instead, we can stop directing trillions of dollars to fossil fuel companies that don’t need support. [CleanTechnica]

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing director of IMF

¶ “Amazon Deforestation Declines But Fossil Fuels Remain Contentious, COP28 Shows” • COP28 saw Amazonian countries arriving with a string of environmental triumphs since the last climate summit. While the nations largely agree on the need to preserve the Amazon Rainforest, the conference has a split over fossil fuel use and deforestation targets. [Mongabay]

¶ “COP28 Pledge To Triple Nuclear Generation By 2050 ‘Highly Unrealistic’” • Countries that pledged to triple nuclear generation by 2050 face an uphill battle that is likely to leave them short of their goal, scientists and energy researchers wrote in their annual World Nuclear Industry Status Report. The report says the target is “highly unrealistic.” [Regina Leader Post]

Nuclear power plant (Nicolas Hippert, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Mercedes And BMW Big Overachievers On EV Range” • Unfortunately, official range ratings are not uniformly created and are not uniformly accurate. The good news is that Consumer Reports has tested a bunch of electric cars uniformly, in the same scenarios, so the results can be fairly compared. The big winners are Mercedes and BMW. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “World EV Sales Now Equal 17% Of World Auto Sales” • In October, global plugin vehicle registrations were close to beating their previous monthly sales record (1,291,000 units), which was just set in September 2023. They reached 1,279,00 units sold in October. In the end, plugins had a 17% share of the overall auto market (12% battery EV share). [CleanTechnica]

Jenny Ueberberg in her Tesla (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Levelized Cost Of Electricity Is 29% Lower Than Any Fuel Fossil Alternative” • Solar power is the cheapest new-build electricity in many markets, even amid inflation and price rises, Ernst & Young noted in a report. The global weighted average levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for solar is 29% lower than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative. [pv magazine USA]

US:

¶ “Navajo Nation Faces Possible New Threats After Decades Of Uranium Mining” • Just miles from the site of the 1979 Church Rock Mill spill, the largest nuclear release in US history, uranium extraction operations could resume near the Navajo Nation. Navajo leaders say the health and prosperity of their community could be in further jeopardy. [ABC News]

Mill tailings dam breach of 1979 (EPA image, public domain)

¶ “General Motors Is Installing 500 Charging Stations With Its Partners” • GM partnered with Pilot Travel Centers and EVgo to install up to 500 charging stations at Pilot Flying J rest stops. The project builds on Pilot Company’s recently announced “New Horizons” initiative to invest $1 billion to fully upgrade its travel centers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Flow Battery To Be Tested At 1970s Gas Station Rehabbed For EV Charging” • Flow batteries have been around a while, but overshadowed by lithium-ion batteries. However, flow batteries have advantages in lower costs, longer duration, and a reduced environmental footprint. A Chicago gas station is being set up to use flow batteries for EV charging. [CleanTechnica]

Smart Energy Plaza (Argonne National Laboratory image)

¶ “Tri-State Announces Early Closures Of Coal Plants” • Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association announced a proposal to close two coal-fired power plants earlier than planned, thanks to the rising costs and shrinking demand. Tri-State is still under a contractual obligation to purchase nearly $136 million worth of coal between 2024 and 2041. [The Durango Herald]

¶ “South Fork Wind Is Also A Victory For Whales” • South Fork Wind is leading on offshore wind as the first full-size project to generate electricity in our federal waters. It shows that we don’t need to choose between clean energy development and wildlife protection. We can build on this important precedent at the start of this vital new US industry. [NRDC]

Blade installation (South Fork Wind)

¶ “Minnesota Agencies Criticized For Delayed Alerts About Recent Leaks And Spills” • In Minnesota, when radioactive waste from a nuclear power plant leaked into the ground, neighbors didn’t find out for months. Other problems of similar natures have come up. State agencies are facing growing criticism for withholding information. [KSTP]

¶ “Investors Sue NuScale For Concealing True Cost Of Flagship Nuclear Reactor Project-Hagens Berman” • Hagens Berman, a national trial attorney firm, is urging investors in NuScale Power Corporation who suffered substantial losses to submit their losses now. Failures by NuScale to deliver on promises caused its stock price to fall sharply. [GlobeNewswire]

Have a monumentally manageable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Tripling Renewable Energy By 2030 Is Possible And Essential” • If we are serious about phasing out fossil fuels, we must replace them with renewable energy as soon as we can. At COP 28, some climate activists want to see an agreement to triple the amount of renewable energy in the world by 2030. That’s ambitious, but it’s entirely possible according to Bloomberg. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Harry Cunningham, Pexels)

Science and Technology:

¶ “US DOE Analysis Highlights Geothermal Heat Pumps as a Pathway to a Decarbonized Energy Future” • The US DOE announced results of an analysis highlighting that, deployed at mass scale, geothermal heat pumps could decarbonize heating and cooling and save energy in US buildings while reducing the need for new grid transmission. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “These Small Words Could Make Or Break The Global Climate Summit” • The thorniest issue at the global climate summit in Dubai is clear: Fossil fuels. As negotiators thrash out the terms of core agreements that will emerge from COP28, the big question is whether countries will ultimately agree to a phase-out of oil, gas and coal, a phase-down – or neither. [CNN]

Jaenschwalde lignite-fired power plant (A.Savin, WikiCommons)

¶ “At COP28, Net Zero World Showcases Progress Transforming Emerging Energy Economies” • During the 28th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the US and its Net Zero World partner countries announced progress on building clean, secure energy systems in leading emerging economies. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Departments Of Energy And Transportation, Along With Transport Canada, Are Taking Action To Reduce Rail Sector Emissions” • On the margins of COP28, the US Secretaries of Energy and Transportation, and Canada’s Minister of Transport issued a statement saying the two countries have created a Rail Decarbonization Task Force. [CleanTechnica]

Bullet trains (wu yi, Unsplash)

¶ “At COP28, Countries Launch Declaration Of Intent On Clean Hydrogen” • More than thirty countries launched the COP28 Declaration of Intent on the Mutual Recognition of Certification Schemes for Renewable and Low-Carbon Hydrogen and Hydrogen Derivatives. Endorsers of the declaration seek to help facilitate a global market. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “UK EV Share At 25.7% – 2024 ZEV Mandate Already Shaping Market” • November saw the UK EV share at 25.7% of the auto market, down from 27.7% YOY. Plugin hybrid volumes grew by 56% YOY, whilst full electric volumes fell by 17%, potentially a hold-back ahead of incoming policy changes. Overall auto volume was up 9.5% YOY. [CleanTechnica]

EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Energy Capacity To Reach 170 GW By March 2025 On Moderation In Module Prices: ICRA Analyst” • India will add 38 GW of renewable energy capacity by March 2025 to touch 170-GW mark, aided by moderation in solar module prices, an ICRA analyst said. The country’s installed renewable energy capacity was 130 GW in October 2023. [BQ Prime]

¶ “World Bank Unveils $5 Billion Renewable Energy Plan For Africa” • The World Bank will allocate $5 billion to deliver “reliable, affordable, renewable electricity” to 100 million Africans by the end of the decade, its president said. The World Bank estimates that around 600 million people in Africa do not have access to reliable electricity. [Macau Business]

African scene (Thomas Bennie, Unsplash)

¶ “Coal Power Generation Drops 47% In Germany In Q3 Of 2023” • Germany generated 47.3% less electricity from coal-fired power plants in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, the Federal Statistical Office announced. At 23.9%, the share of electricity from coal-fired power plants was less than that of wind power. [Clean Energy Wire]

¶ “Sellafield Nuclear Site Has Leak That Could Pose Risk To Public” • Sellafield, Europe’s most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian can reveal. The leak of radioactive liquid from a decaying building at the vast Cumbrian site is likely to continue to 2050. [The Guardian]

Aerial view Sellafield, Cumbria (Simon Ledingham, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Green Bond Framework Rules Out Nuclear Energy” • The Australian Treasury released the Green Bond Framework, which outlines how the government will issue green bonds. It has ruled out investment in nuclear energy in its new green bond program, which will focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate change adaptation. [Banking Day]

US:

¶ “US Air Force Tests Electric Aircraft, Fuel Cells, and ‘FIERCE’ Jet Fuel For Decarbonization” • The US Air Force is on a mission to decarbonize. Electric aircraft and hydrogen fuel cells are in the mix, and it also appears that USAF could backshelf biofuel blends in favor of new drop-in sustainable aviation fuels made of captured carbon and water. [CleanTechnica]

ALIA electric aircraft by BETA Technologies (Courtesy of USAF)

¶ “Why US Drivers May Be Thinking About EVs All Wrong” • According to a July 2023 Pew Research Center survey, half of Americans say they’re unlikely to consider an EV, and 13% are sure they don’t want one. In fact, according to the report, the share of the public interested in purchasing an EV is down 4% from May 2022. [BBC]

¶ “Solar Poised For Record-Setting 2023 While Economic Challenges Mount” • The US solar industry added 6.5 GW of new electric generating capacity in Q3 2023, for a 35% increase, year-over-year, as federal clean energy policies begin to take hold. The United States is expected to add a record 33 GW of solar capacity in 2023. [Solar Energy Industries Association]

Have a magnificently easy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A Perfect Storm For A Nuclear Accident Is Brewing At Koeberg” • Eskom’s project to extend the life of Koeberg’s two reactors for another 20 years is the very definition of crisis management. Koeberg’s licences run out in July next year. If it doesn’t get licences by then, both reactors will have to shut down. But Koeberg simply is not safe. [BusinessLIVE]

Koeberg nuclear plant (Paul Scott, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “A New Automated Home EV Charger – Will This Tech Ever Thrive?” • Two companies, KEBA and Easelink, are behind a new push for automated charging. With their product, a driver does not need to plug in, just place the vehicle over a charging matrix. There is a question about whether the convenience of the system will make it worth the cost. [CleanTechnica]

COP28:

¶ “Is the world about to promise to ditch fossil fuels?” • COP28 may be close to a big breakthrough on reducing the gases heating our planet, its UAE hosts believe. Showing “cautious optimism”, the UAE negotiating team believes COP28 is getting ready to commit to phasing down fossil fuels over coming decades. Or even ditching them altogether. [BBC]

Smoke (Travis Leery, Unsplash)

¶ “Are The Solutions To Fight Climate Change Making Progress?” • It’s not all doom and gloom at the COP28 climate summit. The Earth’s climate is changing rapidly and urgent action is needed to avoid the most damaging consequences for people and nature. But there is hope, and delegates in Dubai are discussing several very concrete ways to limit warming. [BBC]

¶ “Wind Energy Lifeline Grows In Ukraine With Phase II Of Biggest Wind Farm In Eastern Europe” • Despite all the talk about nuclear energy over at the COP28 conference, national security risks have taken center stage. After almost two years of full-on war in Ukraine, the security and resiliency advantages of wind energy are clear. [CleanTechnica]

Wind farm in Ukraine (Courtesy of DTEK)

¶ “TotalEnergies Signs Agreement On Investment For 1-GW Wind Power Project In Kazakhstan” • TotalEnergies’ signed an agreement for the Mirny wind project in Kazakhstan at COP28. Mirny will supply more than 1 million people with electricity and will avoid the emission of 3.5 million tons of CO₂ annually in the country. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

World:

¶ “How Old Fishing Nets Could Be Part Of The Climate Crisis Solution” • Brikole, is a startup “circular business” that recycles discarded nets from the industrial tuna fishing industry in the Seychelles. It converts the nets into products such as bags, hammocks or board shorts. Recycling the discarded products, it cleans up waste as it offers jobs. [CNN]

Fishing boat (Rassin Vannier,
Seychelles News Agency, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Olive Oil Price Skyrockets As Spanish Drought Bites” • Spain is the world’s biggest olive oil producer, covering 70% of EU consumption and 45% of that of the entire world. So a persistent drought in olive-producing areas of Spain has an enormous impact. Olive oil prices have increased by more than 70% this year alone after a sharp rise in 2022. [BBC]

¶ “EVs Take 90.6% Share In Norway” • November saw plugin EVs take 90.6% share in Norway, up from 89.3% year on year. Petrol-only vehicles saw record low share of 0.6% of the auto market. Overall auto volume was 10,348 units, somewhat below seasonal norms. The Tesla Model Y was again September’s bestseller, and several new models debuted. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “New BYD Vessel Can Transport 7,000 Vehicles Around The World” • BYD has its own shipping vessel to carry thousands of plugin vehicles around the world. Explorer 1 was built by Guangzhou Shipbuilding International, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. It just completed a 7-day trial based out of Yantai, Shandong. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “‘Our Future Is Electric,’ But GM’s Chief Sustainability Officer Wants More EV Infrastructure Support” • Kristen Siemen, chief sustainability officer at General Motors , appealed for EV policy support and infrastructure to help make our transportation all electric. A robust EV infrastructure is needed for of profitable plug-in passenger vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

2025 Sierra EV Elevation (Provided by GM)

¶ “Eleven Cool Things And Ten Concerns About The Tesla Cybertruck” • Here are lists of all the quirks and perks of the Cybertruck, based on a 40-minute review from Marques Brownlee. If you really want to get the low-down on the Cybertruck, by all means use the link provided, but these lists are a good, quick alternative. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cubico Commissions Mississippi Solar Project” • Cubico Sustainable Investments has commissioned Delta’s Edge, a 135-MW solar PV project situated in Carroll County, Mississippi, USA. With this site now producing power, Cubico now has over 750 MW of operational renewable energy projects in the USA and over 1.4 GW across USA and Mexico. [reNews]

Solar project (Cubico image)

¶ “Approved Oil Company Secures Deal To Power All NYC Agencies With Renewable Diesel” • New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services has awarded Approved Oil Company a multi-year contract. Under this contract, the company will supply renewable diesel to the fleets of various New York City agencies. [Biomass Magazine]

¶ “Regulators Weigh Another Georgia Power Rate Hike” • In Georgia, regulators are considering Georgia Power’s proposal to raise electricity rates to pay for the two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle. Under a deal the Public Service Commission is considering, monthly bills would increase by just under $9 for the typical residential customer. [WABE]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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COP28:

¶ “Fossil Fuel Industry Nearly Quadrupled Registrations At Climate Summit Since Last Year, Watchdog Report Says” • More than 2,400 people connected to the fossil fuel industry registered to attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai. That’s nearly four times the number that signed up for last year’s climate gathering, according to an analysis. [CNN]

Entrance to COP 28 (UNCTAD, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Climate Summit Leader Defends Controversial Comments” • Sultan Al Jaber, President of COP28 and oil executive, held a surprise news conference, in which he fiercely defended his commitment to climate science, after an increasing number of scientists and advocates expressed alarm at the comments and concern for the direction of the talks. [CNN]

¶ “Kamala Harris Announces New $3 Billion US Pledge To Global Climate Action At Dubai Summit” • Vice President Kamala Harris announced new funding for climate action at the COP28 summit in Dubai. She said the US would pledge another $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund, the main finance vehicle to help developing nations adapt to the climate crisis. [CNN]

Kamala Harris (Lorie Shaull, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Al Gore And Science Take Center Stage On Day 5 Of COP28” • Al Gore may have got in the best zinger of COP28 so far when he told Reuters,” This industry is way more effective at capturing politicians than they are at capturing emissions. [They named] the CEO of one of the largest and least responsible oil companies in the world as head of the COP.” [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “India Builds Its Largest Renewable Energy Project In Salt Deserts” • Rising from the bare expanse of the large salt desert that separates India from Pakistan is what will likely be the world’s largest renewable energy project when completed three years from now. The Khavda renewable energy park will supply 30 GWh of electricity annually. [ABC News]

Gujarat (Tasmay and Shikha Rachhadia, Unsplash)

¶ “Global CO₂ Emissions Rise Through 2050 In Most IEO2023 Cases” • The US EIA said “Growing populations and incomes increase fossil fuel consumption and emissions, particularly in the industrial and electric power sectors.” This offsets emissions reductions from improved efficiency, lower carbon intensity of fuels, and growth in clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BMW iX With ONE Battery Pack Drives 978 Km On Single Charge” • ONE (Our Next Energy), a battery company, said it had equipped a BMW iX with one of its Genesis battery packs. The car then drove for 978 km (608 miles) on a single charge, using the European WLTP testing standard. But this was no ordinary battery pack. [CleanTechnica]

BMW iX (Courtesy of Our Next Energy)

¶ “Australia’s Biggest Solar Farm To Supply Renewable Energy To Coles” • CleanCo has signed an agreement with Coles to supply its supermarkets in Queensland with power from Neoen’s recently completed 400-MW Western Downs Green Power Hub solar farm. The Western Downs Green Power Hub is the largest solar farm in Australia. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Suffers Eighth Power Blackout” • The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant lost off-site power for the first time since May, and it had to rely on emergency diesel generators for nearly five hours at the weekend, prompting renewed safety concerns amid the on-going war. The 750-kV line has been restored. [World Nuclear News]

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant (IAEA image)

¶ “Sellafield Nuclear Site Hacked By Groups Linked To Russia And China” • The UK’s most hazardous nuclear site, Sellafield, has been hacked by cyber groups closely linked to Russia and China. The astonishing disclosure and its potential effects have been consistently covered up by senior staff at the vast nuclear waste and decommissioning site. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “Autonomous Electric Truck Transports GE Appliances” • Einride is one of many startups that have been built on big goals regarding autonomous, electric transport. Most of them never get far and never make much of an impact. Einride got a deal actually putting its autonomous truck to work … in Selmer, Tennessee, of all places. [CleanTechnica]

Autonomous Electric Truck (Courtesy of Einride)

¶ “DOE: $13 Million to Connect More Puerto Rico Communities with Residential Solar And Battery Storage” • The DOE released a slate of community groups and nonprofits getting up to $13.85 million to help vulnerable Puerto Rican households get solar and battery storage and provide education and consumer protection services to residents. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New York Developer Launches $1.2 Billion Renewable Energy Fund For USA” • Fresh off the launch of the New York Climate Exchange, New York City is becoming an epicenter of renewable energy development. Though space for new wind turbines and solar panels within the city is limited, the $1.2 billion fund will set up clean power assets across the US. [CleanTechnica]

New York wind project (Courtesy of energyRe)

¶ “Texas Goes Green: How Oil Country Became The Renewable Energy Leader” • If you had to guess which state in America was hands down producing the most green renewable energy, what would you guess? Well, it’s Texas. The state that epitomizes oil and gas and got rich powering the nation for decades is now the biggest producer of wind and solar. [PBS]

¶ “Native Americans Are Building Their Own Solar Farms” • Tribes struggled to tap into the billions in renewable energy incentives offered by the government. They’ve struggled to have any access to electricity. When Two Bears left politics in 2017, he formed Indigenized Energy, a native-led energy company that installs solar farms for tribal nations, free of charge. [BBC]

Have a stupendously edifying day.

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Opinion:

¶ “This Awesome Water Capsule Should Be Electric! Oh, Wait …” • As soon as I saw its picture, I felt myself entering the market for a little boat. It looks so cool. It’s got coverage from the sun – but not in the old, typical way of a normal boat. It’s small and seems like it could be affordable – no need for more in order to chill on the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

Jet Capsule ZERO (Courtesy of Lazzarini Design)

¶ “Shipping Ports Move Molecules So Electrification Is Hard For Them To Grok” • How many cognitive biases get in the way of electrification? Ports are in the business of handling masses of gases, liquids, and solids, and so are predisposed to think that there are going to be lots of energy carrying molecules in their ports to be used by port vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Adding Context To That Consumer Reports Electric Car Reliability Report” • Almost everyone in the US has seen the headlines. “Consumer Reports pummels EV reliability,” says a headline in the Detroit Free Press. I decided to actually read what Consumer Reports had to say. Maybe the people at the Detroit Free Press should have. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Oxana Melis, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Green, Blue, Gold, And More: What The Different Colors Of Hydrogen Mean” • The color tells how the hydrogen was made. That is increasingly important as hydrogen becomes a promising energy source in the face of the climate crisis. When burned, hydrogen doesn’t emit CO₂, a stark contrast to fossil fuels. But we need to know how it was made. [Fast Company]

World:

¶ “World’s Largest Floating Solar Power Plant Taking Shape On Hydropower Plant” • The plans for the world’s largest floating solar power plant show how quickly the floating solar field can grow. The project is to expand an existing 145-MW floating solar array at the Cirata hydropower reservoir in West Java, Indonesia, to reach up to 500 MW. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar array at Cirata plant (Courtesy of Sungrow)

¶ “Record 29.7% EV Share In France – Two Top Ten Teslas” • In France, a record 29.7% EV share was set in November, up from 24.4% year on year. Full electrics alone took over 20% of the auto market for the first time. Overall auto volume was 152,709 units, up 14% YOY, though still below the 2017-2019 seasonal average of roughly 180,000 units. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Indonesia Eyes ‘Phenomenal’ Geothermal Power Potential” • Indonesia is home to 40% of global geothermal resources and is keen to harvest energy from the Earth’s crust. But experts do not agree about whether the industry will be able to hit its ambitious goals to generate large amounts of energy given the costs and lack of incentives. [South China Morning Post]

Geothermal energy in Indonesia (Selisik, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Masdar And EDF Sign Major Agreement With Government Of The Kyrgyz Republic To Develop Up To 3.6 GW Of Hydropower And Renewable Projects” • Masdar and EDF igned an agreement with the Ministry of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic to explore the development of hydropower and renewable projects with a combined capacity of up to 3.6 GW. [PR Newswire]

¶ “Cop: 22 Countries Pledge To Triple Nuclear Capacity” • The US and 21 other countries have committed to work towards tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050, from 2020 levels. The US stressed that financing and high-level political engagement would be needed to deliver on the ambitions to keep global warming well below 2.0°C. [Argus Media]

Sizewell B nuclear plant (John Fielding, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Harris Goes To Dubai To Tackle Climate Change And War” • Filling in for President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris flew to the Middle East to tackle a pair of challenges that have flummoxed White Houses for decades: climate change and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Each carries political risk for next year’s elections. [ABC News]

¶ “GM Expects Its Electric Vehicles To Become Profitable In 2025” • When GM chief financial officer Paul Jacobson spoke to analysts at a Barclays conference, he admitted the company had not found the pace it had expected to meet its EV making goals. Nevertheless, he expressed confidence that GM’s EVs would be profitable in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “An IRA Grant Could Help Low-Income Residents In New Hampshire Go Solar” • The New Hampshire DOE requested a $70 million federal grant to expand community solar programs for low-income residents. Such an infusion of funds could lower energy bills, accelerate decarbonization, and even catalyze affordable housing. [Canary Media]

¶ “New York Opens Offshore Wind Solicitation” • The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has launched expedited solicitations for offshore wind and land-based renewable projects as part of a plan to bolster New York’s renewables industry. One goal is to get 70% of the electricity from renewables by 2030. [offshoreWIND.biz]

Have an enthusiastically received day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “CATL Creates Fast Charging Electric Car Skateboard With 1000 Km Range” • CATL, the world’s largest battery maker, is not waiting for customers to come looking for batteries. It created what it calls its CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis, a skateboard design that incorporates all the bits and pieces needed to make a fully functional electric car. [CleanTechnica]

CATL skateboard (CATL image)

¶ “COP28 President Says There Is ‘No Science’ Behind Demands For Phase-Out Of Fossil Fuels” • The president of COP28, Sultan Al Jaber, claimed there is “no science” showing a phase-out of fossil fuels is needed to keep global heating to 1.5°C, The Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting revealed. Al Jaber is chief executive of the UAE’s state oil company. [The Guardian]

¶ “New CO₂ Energy Storage System Could Blow Past Li-Ion” • Carbon dioxide reaches a liquid state when compressed and it expands with a pop when released, and now the Italian startup Energy Dome is ready to harness the action for a new energy storage system that could provide far more storage at far less cost than lithium-ion batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Energy Dome energy storage system (Courtesy of Energy Dome)

World:

¶ “At COP28 meeting, oil companies pledge to combat methane. Environmentalists call it a ‘smokescreen’” • Fifty oil companies representing nearly half of global production pledged to reach near-zero methane emissions and end routine flaring by 2030, the president of this year’s UN talks said. Environmental groups called the move a “smokescreen.” [ABC News]

¶ “Court Of Appeals Rules Belgium Must Cut Emissions Faster” • The court of appeals in Brussels has ruled that Belgium must cut its carbon emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels and do it by 2030, according to a report by The Guardian. As of the end of 2021, the country had only managed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 24%. [CleanTechnica]

Belgium (François Genon, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs Take 60.6% Share In Sweden – Model Y Back On Top” • November saw plugin EVs take 60.6% share in Sweden, down YOY from the (anomalous) 64.6% pull-forward in November 2022. Full electrics alone took 39.7% of the market. Overall auto volume was 25,404 units, down 1% YOY. The Tesla Model Y was the best selling EV in November. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “XPeng Sales Up 245% in November” • XPeng has had its ups and downs in the past couple of years, but I continue to think that it’s got some of the best electric cars in the world and some of the best tech in the world. XPeng delivered 20,041 “smart” electric vehicles in November. That’s an increase of 245% over its November 2022 total. [CleanTechnica]

XPeng EV (XPeng image)

¶ “Rooftop Solar Installations Rise 34.7% To 431 MW In Jul-Sep: Mercom” • The rooftop solar installations in India registered a 34.7% year-on-year jump to 431 MW during July-September 2023, aided by a fall in module prices, Mercom India said in a report. The rooftop solar installations were at 320 MW during the same period of 2022. [Business Standard]

¶ “Tuvalu Aims To Transition To 100% Renewable Energy By 2030: Prime Minister Of Tuvalu” • Kausea Natano, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu, affirmed his country’s efforts to achieve a full transition to renewable energy by 2030. He told the Emirates News Agency that Tuvalu’s objective may seem ambitious, but the country is “very serious about achieving it.” [ZAWYA]

Funafuti atoll (Stefan Lins, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Scotland’s Renewable Energy Projects Revealed In New Map” • A new map has been drawn up to show the scale and progress of Scotland’s renewable energy projects. The interactive guide was published by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. It has data and shows the status of different developments, which can be filtered through parliamentary regions. [The National]

US:

¶ “Climate Change Is Costing The US $150 Billion A Year” • In total, extreme weather events cost the US $150 billion per year, due to direct impacts such as infrastructure damage,injuries, and agricultural losses, the authors of a report estimate. And the cost of extreme weather events is expected to grow in the near term as sea levels and temperatures rise. [CNN]

Storm damage (Chandler Cruttenden, Unsplash)

¶ “US joins in other nations in swearing off coal power to clean the climate” • US Special Envoy John Kerry announced that America was joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which means the Biden Administration commits to building no new coal plants and phasing out existing plants. No date was given for closing the existing plants. [ABC News]

¶ “How The US, Oil Industry Plans To Drastically Cut Methane Emissions” • Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp said the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Compact requires oil firms to reduce their methane emissions by 80% to 90% over the next five years while providing monitoring records to an international verification body. [ABC News]

San Ardo Oil Field (Loco Steve, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Texas Grid Faces Winter After Failed Attempt To Get More Power Online” • The Electric Reliability Council of Texas asked companies if they were willing to bring onlin some shuttered power plants running on gas and coal and, if so, what it would cost ERCOT. As it happened, not a single company thought reviving an old power plant made sense. [KRGV]

¶ “Where Things Stand In The Effort To Restart The Palisades Nuclear Power Plant” • Holtec International, the owner of the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, remains optimistic in efforts to restart the shuttered plant. It launched an attempt to restart operations in early 2023. The effort still continues, with some big decisions still looming. [The Holland Sentinel]

Have an incomprehensibly delightful day.

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(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦

World:

¶ “COP28 Host UAE To Ramp Up National Oil Production” • United Arab Emirates, the country hosting COP28 climate talks aimed at cutting fossil fuel emissions is massively ramping up its own oil production, the BBC has learned. Should this surprise us? Sultan al-Jaber, the president of COP28, is also the chief executive of the UAE’s state oil firm Adnoc. [BBC]

Sultan al-Jaber (Kiara Worth, UN Climate Change)

¶ “Drastic Emissions Cuts, Transition To Renewable Energy Crucial As ‘Humanity’s Fate Hangs In The Balance’, Secretary-General Tells World Climate Action Summit” • UN Secretary-General António Guterres gave remarks to the World Climate Action Summit, COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The remarks are available in this article. [UN Press]

¶ “26% BEV Share In China! – China EV Sales Report” • Plugin vehicles are all the rage in the Chinese auto market. Plugins scored more than 808,000 sales last month, up 41% year over year, for the market’s third record month in a row. The last two months of the year may continue the record streak. So far, 2023’s sales are over 6.2 million units. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Song Pro 2023 (Quzhouliulian, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “‘Liquid Air’ Energy Storage Could Save The Day For Offshore Wind Industry” • Offshore wind has been bedeviled by high costs and market uncertainties. Long duration energy storage could come to the rescue. Ørsted is banking on a new high tech “liquid air” energy storage system, and they have reportedly seen good results from an initial analysis. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Record-Low EV Battery Prices In 2023” • Thanks to a variety of factors, lithium-ion battery packs are at record low prices. After dropping 14%, they are down to $139/kWh. The steep price drop and record low average price come on the heels of price increases in 2022 that had brought battery prices back to 2020 levels. The world changes fast. [CleanTechnica]

Lithium-ion batteries (Vardan Papikyan, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Tesla Secures Massive 1.6-GWh Megapack Order For Giant Project” • Tesla has secured a massive Megapack order for a new giant energy storage project that will likely become the largest storage facility in the world. That project, the Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub, is in Victoria. It will have capacities of 600 MW and 1,600 MWh. [Electrek]

¶ “At COP28, Countries Launch Declaration To Triple Nuclear Energy Capacity By 2050” • At COP28, over twenty countries from four continents launched the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy. The declaration says that nuclear energy is key to dealing with climate change and sets a goal of tripling the nuclear energy capacity by 2050. [Department of Energy]

Nuclear power plant (Jametlene Reskp, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “US Coal Electricity Dropped In 2022, Down To 20% Of US Electricity” • US coal-related CO₂ emissions decreased by 7% in 2022 relative to 2021. This decrease was largely due to an 8% decline in coal-fired power generation because of retiring coal-fired capacity. The carbon intensity of electricity declined by 4% in the US in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New England’s Decades-Old Shrimp Fishery, A Victim Of Climate Change, To Remain Closed Indefinitely” • In New England, the shrimp business fell victim to warming waters in 2013 because of a moritorium by regulators. A healthy shimp population needs cold water. The moratorium will remain in place indefinitely, fishery regulators ruled. [ABC News]

Shrimp (Jerry Shen, Unsplash)

¶ “Electric Vehicles And Hybrids Are 18% of US New Vehicle Market” • An update from the US EIA shows that combined EV and hybrid vehicle sales are up to a record-high 18% of the US new vehicle market. “Sales of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and [battery EVs] rose in the US to 17.7% of new light-duty vehicle sales in third-quarter 2023.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lower US CO₂ Emissions Due In Part To Shifts In Power Generation Sources” • A forecast by the US Energy Information Administration is for the US energy sector to emit about 4,790 million metric tons of CO₂ in 2023, a 3% decrease from 2022. Much of this decline results from lower electricity generation from coal-fired power plants. [CleanTechnica]

Emissions (US Energy Information Administration)

¶ “Work Resumes On $10 Billion Transmission Project Despite Tribal Objections” • The tractors are back at work clearing land and building access roads for a $10 billion transmission line that the Biden administration describes as an important part of the nation’s renewable energy transition. Tribal leaders vow to keep pushing to protect the land. [KRWG]

¶ “New Jersey Plans To Restart Offshore Wind In 2024 After ‘Bump In The Road’” • The Governor of New Jersey is looking to restart the state’s offshore wind programs reiterating that it is committed to offshore wind as a key component of its renewable energy program. The state is commitment to having 100% clean energy by 2035. [The Maritime Executive]

Offshore wind farm (Ørsted file photo)

¶ “Renewable Energy Company’s Billion-Dollar Investment Promises Brighter Future For Armstrong County” • A renewable energy company from Brazil is capitalizing on the wind blowing in Armstrong County, Texas. A billion-dollar investment will deliver a new funding stream for the county in the first part of project development. [KVII]

¶ “Court Rejects Anti-Renewables Challenge To PJM Rule” • The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that allows renewables to compete fairly with fossil fuel power plants in PJM. The ruling eliminated a provision giving fossil fuels advantages they needed to remain competitive. [Earthjustice]

Have a powerfully restorative day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Hold UN Climate Talks 28 Times? Do The Talks Even Matter?” • The Conference of Parties process gives every nation in the world, whether rich or poor, large or small, a seat at the table to discuss how climate change is impacting them and how they believe the world should confront it. And ultimately, COP is the only game in town. [ABC News]

Al Wasl Plaza (Palácio do Planalto, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “What Drives This Madness On Small Modular Nuclear Reactors?” • A key point to remember is that 55% of the budget of the US DOE is related to commercial nuclear generation. The other 45% covers dams, wind, solar, tidal, wave, biomass, biofuel and geothermal, energy. But also, small towns in decline might want to host nuclear reactors. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy-Rich Scotland Does Not Require Any Nuclear Power Stations” • Nuclear power consistently fails to deliver energy on time or on budget. The much-touted Small Modular Reactors don’t yet exist, depend heavily on government subsidies to come on stream, and will generate more toxic nuclear waste for which there is no safe disposal. [The National]

Small Modular Reactor meeting (NRC, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Behold The Hyundai Uni Wheel. Transportation May Never Be The Same” • The Hyundai Uni Wheel is clever, but itis also difficult to describe. It puts the drive reduction gear and flexible driveshaft components inside the wheel. So it’s not an in-wheel motor, but functions very much like one without adding the weight of the motor to the wheel. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “COP28: Poor Countries Win 30-Year Fight For Climate Cash” • In a surprise, COP28 delegates agreed to launch a long-awaited fund to pay for damage from storms and drought worsened by climate change. Such deals are normally sealed last minute after days of negotiations, but COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber put the decision on the floor on day one. [BBC]

Hot weather (Bayu Syaits, Unsplash)

¶ “2023 Set To Be Hottest Year On Record” • There may still be an entire month to go in 2023 but the UN announced that 2023 is set to be the warmest on record. New climate data shows the world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, and UN chief António Guterres called on leaders at the COP28 conference to get us out of “deep trouble.” [ABC News]

¶ “Electric Mobility Projects In Kenya Start to Show Potential For Significant Petrol And Diesel Abatement” • One big problem for many African is escalating bills for imported fossil fuels. Such bills use hard-earned and scarce foreign currency. The transition to electric mobility presents an important opportunity to reduce this dependence. [CleanTechnica]

Electric buses (Courtesy of BasiGo)

¶ “The Global Impact of Renewable Electricity On Energy Security and Economy” • According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, the adoption of renewable energy sources in 2022 resulted in a remarkable $521 billion saving, primarily by reducing the reliance on expensive fossil-fuel imports. [EnergyPortal.eu]

¶ “380-MW Australian Solar Farm To Start Construction In 2024” • Acciona Energia announced the construction of the 380-MW Aldoga solar farm on the central Queensland coast of Australia will start in the first quarter of 2024 and last eighteen months. The project comes with an associated investment of A$500 million ($331 million). [reNews]

Solar farm (Acciona Energia image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Power In China Reached Record High” • Installed capacity of China’s renewable energy power generation surpassed 1.4 billion kilowatts (1,400 GW) as of end-October, accounting for 49.9% of the country’s total, according to the National Energy Administration. This marks a year-on-year growth of 20.8%. [China Daily]

¶ “Vestas 15-MW Prototype Certified” • Vestas has received a type certificate for its V236-15MW offshore wind turbine. The turbine manufacturer installed the first prototype unit at the beginning of the year. After reaching it nominal power rating of 15 MW in April, the turbine broke the world record for power produced by one turbine in a 24-hour period – 363 MWh. [reNews]

Vestas prototype turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Closer To Nuclear Plant Than Ever, Latest Korean Quake Renews Calls To Retire Aging Reactors” • In Korea, a magnitude 4.0 earthquake hit the city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province. As the earthquake was not far from the city’s Wolsong nuclear power plant, critics of nuclear power are becoming more vocal about safety concerns. [The Hankyoreh]

US:

¶ “Kohler Launches KDH Hydrogen Engine” • Standalone engine-builders Kohler recently unveiled a new direct injection, hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine based on its KDI 2504 TCR in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. The new Kohler engine isn’t a hydrogen fuel cell. It’s a conventional reciprocating piston engine that burns hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]

Kohler engine (Kohler Energy, via EquipmentWorld)

¶ “Connecticut Scraps 2035 ICE Vehicle Ban Plan” • When Gov Gavin Newsom announced that California would ban the sale of most internal-combustion vehicles in 2035, a number of states followed suit. But now, Connecticut governor Ned Lamont may be withdrawing proposed regulations aligning with California’s clean vehicle standards. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Cybertruck Arriving! What To Expect” • Deliveries of the Tesla Cybertruck finally starting! Today is the day. About four years after the initial unveiling event, the first buyers will get their electric Bladerunner, apocalypse-ready Tesla Cybertrucks. Surprisingly, we still don’t have full final insight into the price. That will surely come. [CleanTechnica]

Have an unimposingly magnificent day.

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(, CC-BY-SA 3.0) km² CO₂ NH₃ CH₄ ₹ NOₓ ‽ ♦♦♦♦♦

Opinion:

¶ “What Is COP28 In Dubai And Why Is It Important?” • COP28 is the 28th annual UN Conference of the Parties meeting on climate change. It is a venue where governments will discuss how to limit and prepare for the future climate change. The “parties” of COP28 are countries that signed up to the original UN climate agreement of 1992. [BBC]

Representatives at COP28 (USDA, public domain)

¶ “CCS, CDR, DAC – The Dangerous Lies Behind Those Carbon Management Schemes” • We are told, “Trust us,” by people we know have been lying to us for fifty years. They want us to think their carbon management plans are a done deal, when in fact they are just pie in the sky blandishments with no possibility of living up to their promise. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Highview, Ørsted Seek To Unlock More Value From Wind” • Highview Power and Ørsted completed a joint investigation into the benefits of combining long-term energy storage and offshore wind. They showed that combining offshore wind with Liquid Air Energy Storage has value for reducing wind curtailment for a more flexible zero carbon grid. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (Shaun Dakin, Unsplash)

¶ “Wärtsilä Is Putting Out Grid-Scale Battery Fires Before They Start” • Wärtsilä recently completed rigorous fire safety testing of its GridSolv Quantum energy storage system, and the enormous scope and scale of the test program set a new standard for grid-level fire safety testing. They did this despite the fact that their batteries have never caught fire. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Labour Vows To ‘Rewire Britain’ As Pylon Plans Spark Row In Tory Party” • Labour is promising to “rewire Britain”, making its case to rural areas that it will connect farmers and businesses to the National Grid at record speed. Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak faces a battle over electricity pylons with some urging him to pull the plug on crucial grid infrastructure. [The Guardian]

Pylons (Casey Horner, Unsplash)

¶ “27% Of New Cars In France Now Plugin Electric Cars!” • Plugin vehicle sales continue to rise in France, with last month’s plugin vehicle registrations ending at 40,379 units, divided between 25,473 BEVs (17% overall market share) and 14,906 PHEVs (10% market share). The former jumped 51% year over year, while the latter were up by 34%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “‘One Of The World’s Largest’: Battery Farm To Be The First Project Funded By Victoria’s Resurrected Electricity Agency” • A battery farm that can power 200,000 homes was announced as the first project funded by the Victorian government’s State Electricity Commission. The project’s 600 MW of capacity will be in three battery components. [The Guardian]

Melbourne Renewable Energy Hub (Equis Australia image)

¶ “Clean Energy Council Notes Decline In Australian Renewable Energy Investment” • Utility-scale renewables in Australia are in dire straits. A Clean Energy Council report says 2023 looks to be “the worst [year] for large-scale renewable energy investment” since it began tracking data in 2017. Announcements have come out, but little else. [PV Magazine]

US:

¶ “GOP Bill Would Pull Farmland Tax Credits From Farmers Hosting Solar Power Installations” • Farm fields with solar PVs would no longer qualify for state tax credits under a Republican bill. GOP lawmakers claim it’s about protecting farmland from “nonsense” renewable projects, and Wisconsin should pursue nuclear energy instead. [Wisconsin Public Radio]

Solar farm in Wisconsin (Wikideas1, public domain)

¶ “’Ghost Forests’ Threaten New Jersey’s Water, Ecosystem” • Acres of “ghost forests” have been popping up in southern New Jersey, as an increase of saltwater in the soil has been killing what remains of the Atlantic white cedar trees that populate the area. Climate change events and logging created a situation where the soil lost its fresh water, experts say. [ABC News]

¶ “Coal Mine Is Shedding Jobs Ahead Of A Power Plant’s Coal-To-Gas Conversion” • A Wyoming coal mine plans to lay off 19 workers, because the power plant it supplies fuel to is converting to gas. It is the latest of thousands of jobs lost in the US coal industry in recent years. The workers at the Black Butte Mine will lose their jobs in mid-December. [ABC News]

Coal mine (Dominik Vanyi, Unsplash)

¶ “A $30 Billion Meltdown In Clean Energy Puts Biden’s Climate Goals At Risk” •No one expected the transition from fossil fuels to be easy. But a year after President Joe Biden’s climate law promised billions of dollars for America’s switch to clean energy, some of the nation’s most ambitious renewable power projects have been shelved. [MSN]

¶ “Fervo Energy Revs Up Its First Geothermal Generating Station” • Fervo Energy is using the horizontal drilling perfected by the oil and gas industry to access regions where it is hot enough to make superheated steam for generating electricity. The drilling can be expensive, but once a heat source is tapped, free energy can be had for years. [CleanTechnica]

Project Red (Courtesy of Fervo Energy)

¶ “US Discovers Lithium Bonanza For EV Batteries Right In Its Own Backyard” • The DOE released the results of an analysis of Salton Sea lithium resources by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Direct Lithium Extraction technology could lead to production of more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough for over 375 million EV batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Will Keeping California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant Open Raise Your Utility Bill In San Diego?” • The price tag to keep Diablo Canyon open is a matter of debate. That’s important because costs to extend the plant’s operations would be passed onto all customers of power companies regulated by the Public Utilities commission. [San Diego Union-Tribune]

Have a remarkably cozy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Corruption At The Heart Of COP28 Revealed” • COP28 is perhaps the world’s last chance to avoid a climate catastrophe. Yet reports indicate it may be little more than a dog and pony show, a fake conference intended to convince the rubes that serious action is being taken while secret deals are being made behind the curtain. [CleanTechnica]

COP 28 (Climate Justice Alliance image)

¶ “Empowering Electrification – Overcoming Grid Limitations with Battery Solutions” • “Electrify Everything” is the biggest cleantech call to action in the world these days. When it was a new and just slightly used phrase, it was catchy, but it didn’t seem ready to become the predominant climate call to action. But this is absolutely what is needed. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Wave Devouring Propulsion: A Revolutionary Technology For Green Maritime Sustainability” • Academics from Cranfield University working on the concept of using wave energy for propulsion designed a method of achieving greater thrust from the power of the waves by harnessing submerged flapping foils on a vessel. [CleanTechnica]

Ship (Borderpolar Photographer, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Groundbreaking Transatlantic Flight Using Greener Fuel Lands” • The first transatlantic flight by a large passenger plane powered only by alternative fuels has landed. Operated by Virgin Atlantic, it flew from London’s Heathrow to New York’s JFK airport. It would be challenging for similar commercial flights to happen because of lack of fuel. [BBC]

¶ “Coal Power, Traffic, Waste Burning A Toxic Smog Cocktail In Indonesia’s Jakarta” • Pollution is causing a rise in respiratory illnesses and deaths in Java, experts say. Smog in Jakarta comes from coal-fired plants, vehicle exhaust, industries, and trash burning. Many residents of the city are demanding that the government take action. [ABC News]

Jakarta (Afif Ramdhasuma, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “New Scheme Uses Rooftop Solar, Grid Renewables To Reduce Social Housing Power Bills” • Residents of Melbourne’s social housing will see their power bills cut by as much as $400 per year thanks to a new partnership which will use onsite solar PV and renewable energy from the grid for power at the social housing apartment complexes. [One Step Off The Grid]

¶ “Beam Global Is Ramping Up Rollout Of Its Off-Grid Solar-Powered EV Charging Infrastructure” • Beam Global came into being because a charging station can have big enough power needs that new power lines have to be put in, even where utility power are nearby. It can be cheaper to put in a battery system for a solar-powered charging station. [CleanTechnica]

EV Charging (Beam Global image)

¶ “Renewables Data Underline Need For Federal Government Measures” • In Australia, the Clean Energy Council released its Q3 Renewable Projects Quarterly Report, confirming that 2023 has been a challenging year for large renewable energy projects. They reached a total of only 509 MW of financially committed projects thus far. [Clean Energy Council]

¶ “West Africa’s Potential Renewable Energy Capacity At 2000 GW: Report” • West Africa has a potential renewable energy capacity of 2,000 GW, which could meet the basic energy needs of its population, according to a report by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company and PWC Middle East. The continent’s current installed base is 59 GW. [ZAWYA]

Liberia (Luis Gómez-Ordoñez, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “Labor Union Wins This Year Are A Win For EVs” • A United Auto Workers white paper says, “In order to preserve American jobs and work standards, what is needed is a proactive industrial policy that creates high-quality manufacturing jobs making EVs and their components.” That statement was important for the recent UAW labor agreements. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Biden Rule Requires States To Track CO₂ Emissions” • Last week, the Biden administration finalized a rule requiring states to track greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. The new rule requires each state’s DOT to establish declining carbon emissions targets using fuel sales, fuel efficiency, and vehicle-miles-traveled data. [CleanTechnica]

Tractor-trailer (Daphne Fecheyr, Unsplash)

¶ “Vermont Environmentalists Push For More Aggressive Clean-Energy Goals ” • Climate activists gathered at the Vermont Statehouse to push lawmakers to require utilities to get more of their power from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Members of 350Vermont argued that Vermont’s renewable energy is lagging behind other states’. [Seven Days]

¶ “Governor Hochul Announces More Than Two Gigawatts Of Community Solar Has Been Installed In New York” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 2 GW of community solar has been installed in New York, enough to serve 393,000 homes, reaffirming the State’s position as the top community solar market in the US. [Governor Kathy Hochul]

Solar farm (Wikideas1, public domain, cropped)

¶ “Eight-Year Delay In Pilgrim Decommissioning” • The Pilgrim Nuclear plant could take eight years longer to decommission than was expected six months ago. Owner Holtec International announced its second four-year delay since May, and the delay could have big implications for the disposal of radioactive water still at the plant. [Connecticut Public]

¶ “Arkansas Accepts $142 Million Settlement From Entergy Over Alleged Nuclear Plant Mismanagement” • The Arkansas Public Service Commission has agreed to a $142 million settlement with Entergy over the alleged mismanagement of its Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Mississippi, which supplies power to multiple states, and overcharging for electricity. [KATV]

Have a comfortably constructive day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Moving energy” • The renewable energy future starts with the political leadership. Once a leader in New England in the energy transition off of fossil fuels, Vermont is now the only state in the region to not have updated its renewables requirement in the last eight years as the reality of the costs of the climate crisis have sunk in. [Rutland Herald]

Vermont (Patrick Bald, Unsplash)

¶ “UN Nuclear Chief ‘Ignoring’ Huge Costs For India, Neighbours In The Event Of A Mishap” • The UN nuclear chief said nuclear energy must be part of the equation to tackle climate change. Keen observers of the nuclear power industry find such advocacy of nuclear power as a climate solution to be bizarre and against the true interest of humanity. [Counterview]

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Best Is Yet To Come: New Tandem Silicon-Perovskite Solar Cell Sets Record” • Solar cells may seem like old hats by now, but there is still plenty of room for innovators to push costs down and pump efficiency up. A new record-setting silicon-perovksite solar cell is just one example of the renewable energy firepower emerging from the lab. [CleanTechnica]

New record (Courtesy of LONGi via prnewswire)

World:

¶ “Toxic Gas Putting Millions At Risk In Middle East, BBC Finds” • Toxic pollutants released when gas is flared are putting millions more people to risk than previously feared, a BBC investigation suggests. Flaring is going on across the Gulf, including in the UAE, the COP28 hosts. Research suggests pollution is worsening air quality across the entire region. [BBC]

¶ “Lightning And Hailstorms Kill 24 In Western India” • At least 24 people have been killed by lightning, hailstorms, and intense rain in the Indian state of Gujarat, officials said. Such storms are unusual in the state during winter. Scientists have been warning that rising global temperatures are fuelling a surge in extreme weather events. [BBC]

Lightning (Rahul Viswanath, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Mercedes-Benz Expanding Solar At South Africa Factory, Investing In EV Charging Countrywide” • Mercedes-Benz South Africa is investing R100 million ($5.35 million) in a solar array with 22,847 solar panels at its East London manufacturing plant. The first phase of the installation has 3,692 PV solar panels. It was completed in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Virgin Atlantic To Fly From Heathrow To JFK Using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel” • Virgin Atlantic will fly a Boeing 787 Dreamliner 3,500 miles from Heathrow to JFK using 60 tons of 100% sustainable aviation fuel – a first. Before it could do this, it needed to get permission from a slew of government agencies in the UK and the US. [CleanTechnica]

Virgin Atlantic flight (Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic)

¶ “Renewable Energy Used For Heating Homes In North China” • Amid a cold wave sweeping North China, Li Chengqin, a resident of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, sips her tea while she watches TV in her cozy living room. This year she no longer has to frequently feed her stove with coal. Her new stove is powered by wind energy. [China Daily]

¶ “How Morocco Became Europe’s Clean Energy Supplier” • Morocco is quickly positioning itself as a potential supplier of renewable energy to energy-hungry Europe. Although Morocco is not as well endowed with oil and gas as its neighbors, it has managed to develop a vibrant solar energy sector by taking advantage of year-round sunshine. [Oil Price]

Solar panels in Morocco (sofoton.es, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Construction Starts On Glasgow Airport Solar Farm” • In a partnership with energy transition adviser and developer Ikigai Group, Glasgow Airport has completed the development phase and the subsequent financial close for a 20-MW solar plant with Zestec Renewable Energy. About £18.5 million is being invested to create the solar farm.[reNews]

US:

¶ “When Sea Levels Rise, So Does Your Rent” • With sea levels rising around the globe, Miami is facing an urgent need to adapt. As property investors look inland, away from the exclusive, low-lying beach area, they saw Little Haiti, a poorer neighbourhood, which is about 18 feet (5.5 meters) above sea level. Now rising rents are forcing its residents out. [BBC]

Little Haiti (Averette, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “You CAN Drive 55: NTSB Proposes Speed Limit Software” • The most recent National Transportation Safety Board call for speed-limiting software in new cars comes as a response to an investigation into a multi-vehicle crash in Las Vegas in 2022. That accident was blamed on excessive speed that resulted in nine fatalities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “YouTube’s Loaded With EV Disinformation” • YouTube seems to be full of anti-EV material. One popular channel has several very similar videos about different manufacturers supposedly giving up entirely on EVs. There was a number of straight out lies and blatant misinformation in the video. And it is not the only channel like this. [CleanTechnica]

Propaganda (Screenshot from a fake news channel)

¶ “Local Electric Cooperative And Tennessee Solar Company Collaborate On Solar Farm In McNeal” • More than 60,000 solar panels now cover 160 acres of land near McNeal, Arizona. It’s the result of a joint partnership between a local electric cooperative and a Tennessee-based solar company to bring more solar power to a couple thousand homes. [AZPM News]

¶ “City Of Boston Announces Community Choice Electricity Rates” • The City of Boston encouraged all customers to choose BCCE as their electricity supplier. New rates will be in effect from December 2023 to December 2025 using Direct Energy as the contracted supplier. The renewable energy cost less than Basic Service Rate from Eversource. [Boston.gov]

Have a wildly successful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How Did Humans Get To The Brink Of Crashing Climate?” • People who claimed the power to control nature and the energy resources around them saw the environment as a tool to be used for progress, historians say. Over hundreds of years, that impulse has remade the planet’s climate and brought its inhabitants to the brink of catastrophe. [ABC News]

Niagara Falls (Denley Photography, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “How China Put The Big Three And The US Behind The 8 Ball With EVs” • The sad fact is that the Chinese EV market managed to gain a years-long head start on the US. The design work ends up following the money, so it’s going to take years for American-designed platforms to become dominant again (assuming they ever do). [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Public Transport For Everyone: How To Unlock Climate And Development Benefits From Sustainable Mobility” • Public transport provides a myriad of benefits that can help countries reach climate and development goals. There’s no better solution to moving large numbers of people efficiently, cheaply, and sustainably than electric buses. [CleanTechnica]

Fotografia reklamowa Lukasz Bera (Image courtesy of Solaris)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Contrail Mitigation: A Collaborative Approach in the Face of Uncertainty” • Contrails are the white, linear trails behind some aircraft.To measure and address the climate challenge posed by aviation contrails, RMI is working with aviation industry leaders, the tech sector, and the academic community in the Contrail Impact Task Force. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “COP28: UAE Planned To Use Climate Talks To Make Oil Deals” • The United Arab Emirates planned to use its role as the host of UN climate talks as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals, the BBC has learned. The UN body responsible for the COP28 summit told the BBC hosts were expected to act without bias or self-interest. [BBC]

Dubai (ZQ Lee, Unsplash)

¶ “Delhi Pollution: Indian Supreme Court’s 40-Year Quest To Clean Foul Air” • In early November, India’s the Supreme Court called for “immediate action” after air quality in the capital deteriorated to alarming levels. The court heard a number of arguments on measures implemented by the Delhi government to tackle the situation. [BBC]

¶ “BYD Philippines Releases Atto 3 EV And Prepares To Open 19 More Dealers, 100 Charging Stations” • AC Motors is reinforcing its commitment to Philippine EV adoption with the introduction of the latest addition to the BYD lineup, the Atto 3 hatchback. The company plans to establish 100 charging stations across selected Ayala Land properties. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Atto 3 (BYE image)

¶ “Iberdrola Sets Out £12 Billion UK Investment Plan Focusing On Electricity Networks And Renewables” • ScottishPower parent company Iberdrola has set out a £12 billion investment plan for 2024-2028 at the UK Global Investment Summit in London, hosted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, focusing on electricity networks and renewables. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “155-MW Romanian PV powers up” • Commercial operations have begun at the 155-MW Ratesti Solar Project in Romania. The PV site, owned by Israeli companies Econergy and Nofar Energy, is the largest of its kind in the country and south-east Europe and represents an investment of €102m. Several additional sites should come along in 2024. [reNews]

Solar project (Econergy image)

¶ “‘Biggest Energy Policy Change’: 32-GW CFDS Could Put Australia On Track For 2030 Climate Targets” • The Australian government’s start of competitive Contracts for Difference tenders for dispatchable renewable energy capacity, with back-up by battery energy storage systems, is an unprecedented step for national energy policy. [Energy-Storage.News]

¶ “Nuclear Energy In PH? Group Says There’s Not Even A Filipino Expert On Safety, Radiation” • In a convergence of strong scientific and environmental dissent on nuclear power, progressive groups, scientists, and climate activists expressed opposition to the newly signed nuclear deal between the US and the Philippines. [Inquirer.net]

Unfinished Bataan nuclear plant (Jiru27, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “EV Batteries Are Perfect For Storing Solar Power” • Time shifting is one of the keys to the solar power revolution. In the past, those batteries have been made using new battery cells. But B2U, a California start-up, is putting its efforts into used EV battery packs as a simpler and more cost effective way to store electricity for later use. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nantucket’s Rich Are Losing The Battle To Keep Wind Power Out Of Their Backyards” • A raft of lawsuits from residents and fishing industry groups complain about everything from marine life hazards to obstructed views. But Avangrid completed the first of 62 giant wind turbines last month, promising power for over 400,000 homes and businesses. [The Messenger]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash)

¶ “New Life For Old Coal: Minelands And Power Plants Are Renewable Development Hot Spots” • AES Indiana’s Petersburg Generating Station has been burning coal since the 1960s. That era, though, will end soon, as the last unit will shut down in 2025. Two units will be switched to natural gas, but the company is also building an 800-MWh battery. [Ohio Capital Journal]

¶ “Governor And Array Technologies Announce New Mexico Expansion” • Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and CEO Kevin Hostetler of Array Technologies announced that plans have been finalized for a major expansion that will solidify the company’s New Mexico future with a new $50 million manufacturing site in Bernalillo County. [Los Alamos Daily Post]

Have an abundantly encouraging day.

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Opinion:

¶ “States Should Reform Fast E-Bike Regulations To Reduce Emissions” • For cheap transportation, let’s talk about electric dirtbikes like the Sur Ron Light Bee. Speeds are limited to around 45-50 MPH, but for city driving, that’s enough speed. Even faster ones are available both from Sur Ron and other brands, and with more range. [CleanTechnica]

Sur Ron electric bike (Sur Ron image)

¶ “Electric Cars Can Catch Fire. We Must Run And Tell The King!” • There are dozens of urban legends about electric cars. Many say they are just overgrown golf carts or that they can’t be driven in the rain. But the most prevalent myth about electric cars is that they are a fire hazard and likely to burst into flames at any time. It really is a myth. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How AI Could Power The Climate Breakthrough The World Needs” • Better assessing future risks for farming is just one example of the ways artificial intelligence technologies can be used to address the climate crisis. AI probably won’t replace the need for humans in the climate change fight. But it could make their work faster and more effective. [CNN]

Jets fly by a Supercell (NOAA image, Unsplash)

¶ “Installing Solar Panels More Eco-Friendly Than Planting Trees: Study” • A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology has revealed that if land use is taken into account, installing more solar panels or investing more in solar energy is more climate-efficient than planting trees on the same piece of land. [WION]

World:

¶ “Stellantis and CATL Join Forces for European LFP Batteries” • Stellantis and CATL announced an agreement to supply LFP battery cells and modules for EVs in Europe. The agreement has two important goals: building a bold technology roadmap to support Stellantis’ future EVs, and identifying ways to further strengthen the battery value chain. [CleanTechnica]

Jeep® Wrangler Magneto 2.0 Concept (Stellantis image)

¶ “COP28 Is Humanity’s Last Clear Chance To Avoid A Climate Catastrophe” • Simon Stiell of Grenada is the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. He said world leaders must “stop dawdling and start doing” on carbon emission cuts, as rapidly rising temperatures have put everyone on the front line of disaster. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Can UK’s ‘Jet Zero’ Hopes Take Off With A Plane Fuelled By Used-Cooking Oil?” • A Virgin Atlantic flight will set off on Tuesday from London Heathrow for New York, a Boeing 787 carrying scientists, aviation leaders, politicians, and media, and powered largely by used-cooking oil, or as it is now called, sustainable aviation fuel. [The Guardian]

Model of a Boeing 787 (Justin Lim, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Cambodia’s Big Bet On The Dirtiest Fossil Fuel Faces Major Delays” • In 2020, Cambodia doubled down on fossil fuels with plans to develop three coal power plants to meet rising electricity demand that could not be filled by renewables. One of the plants is finished and operational, but construction work at the other two has stopped. [The Japan Times]

¶ “Phase-Out Of Fossil Fuels And Finance For Global South Must For Meeting Renewables Target: 350.Org” • As the world gears up for COP28, environmental activist group 350.org has called for a comprehensive package that includes a phase-out of fossil fuels and a finance package for the Global South to increase global renewable capacity. [Media India Group]

Break free (Eelco Böhtlingk, Unsplash)

¶ “China’s Installed Renewable Energy Capacity Surges In Jan-Oct” • China’s installed capacity of clean energy surged in the first ten months of the year. By the end of October, the installed capacity of solar power in China was up 47% year on year to 540 GW, while that of wind power stood at about 400 GW, for a yearly increase of 15.6% [Xinhua]

¶ “Top Diplomats From Japan And China Meet In South Korea Ahead Of Three-Way Regional Talks” • Top diplomats from Japan and China met for bilateral talks Saturday to try to resolve disputes including China’s ban on Japanese seafood, which has hit Japanese exporters. They will next join their host, Park Jin, for three-way talks. [ABC News]

Sea urchin for sale (Tuan Nguyen, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Downtown Albany, NY Gets Some DCFC Love” • Downtown Albany’s Quackenbush public parking garage now has a DC fast charging hub. This is expanding the New York Power Authority’s EVolve NY high-speed network into the heart of the capital city. New York Governor Kathy Hochul had announced the project earlier this month. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wallbox and Bidirectional Energy To Get Grant For More V2X In California” • Wallbox recently announced a partnership with Bidirectional Energy, a software platform for bidirectional EV energy management. They got funding from the competitive CEC REDWDS grant. They will use the funding to introduce the Quasar 2 bidirectional charger. [CleanTechnica]

Wallbox and Kia (Image by Wallbox and Kia)

¶ “First Offshore Wind Farm To Power CT Homes Wins Final Approval; Will Be South Of Block Island” • Revolution Wind, an offshore wind project to power Connecticut and Rhode island and one of the relatively few in the northeast to emerge intact from a flurry of economic setbacks, has received final BOEM approval to begin construction. [The Daily Item]

¶ “Kentucky Groups Go After Federal Dollars To Pay For More Residential Solar Panels” • Kentucky’s state government and some of the state’s largest cities are applying for hundreds of millions of dollars to support the growth of solar for low-income and disadvantaged communities. Most of Kentucky still runs on power made from coal. [WKMS]

Have an especially fulfilling day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Geoengineering May Be The Least Worst Climate Solution” • Almost everyone agrees geoengineering is a lousy idea, one that is fraught with incalculable danger. Yet human greed, ignorance, and stupidity make it unlikely people will choose the best course, which is to drastically reduce our reliance on oil, methane, and coal for heat and electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Solar intervention (Chelsea Thompson, NREL, public domain)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.)

¶ “Why Good Inventions Get Lost” • Many inventions have no way to benefit the inventor, humanity, or the environment. There may be important answers to climate change out there that cannot be developed because they will not pay their developers. That is a horrible reason to allow a planet to be ruined. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Debunking Solar PV Fears” • As numbers of PV installations modules have risen, some people have raised concerns about the materials they’re made from, promoting disinformation about the safety of recycling modules. A team at NREL in Colorado clarified this waste from solar panels and published an essay in the journal Nature Physics. [Living on Earth]

Solar panels (Chelsea, Unsplash, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Better Battery Performance And Less Degradation At The Same Time” • To safely store energy and make it rechargeable, you need to wire the individual battery cells together, build a way to cool them, and control the flow of energy in and out of the cells to prevent them from getting damaged and potentially even catching fire. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Haughey’s Bog: Why Are Peatlands Important?” • Haughey’s Bog in County Tyrone is the latest peatland in Northern Ireland to begin the journey to restoration. Peatlands cover 12% of the land area of Northern Ireland, but 86% of peatlands there are in a degraded state. Instead of storing carbon dioxide, they emit it. Restoration is vitally important. [BBC]

Peatland (K B, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “‘Moment Of Truth’ For Oil Industry: Deepen The Climate Crisis Or Help Fix It” • Oil and gas producers must confront a “pivotal” choice: continue to accelerate the climate crisis or become part of the solution, a new IEA report says. The world needs to take drastic action to limit rising global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. [CNN]

¶ “Nissan Will Invest Over $1 Billion To Make EV Versions Of Its Best-Selling Cars” • Nissan will invest £1.12 billion ($1.4 billion) to update its factory in northeast England to make electric versions of its two best-selling cars, the Qashqai and Juke crossovers. It is a boost for the British government as it tries to revive the country’s ailing economy. [ABC News]

Nissan Qashqai (Jameel Ismail, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Stellantis Opens “Circular Economy Hub” in Turin, Italy” • Stellantis opened the “SUSTAINera Circular Economy Hub” in Turin, Italy. This is a big step in the company’s plan to work toward a circular economy. It enables a “holistic 360-degree approach” via the company’s “4R” strategy: Reman, Repair, Reuse, and Recycle. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Produces Its Six Millionth Plugin Vehicle!” • BYD is now neck and neck with Tesla in terms of quarterly pure battery EV sales, and it has long been the world leader in plugin vehicle sales. As further evidence of its position at the top of the market, the company just passed the milestone of 6 million cumulative plugin vehicles produced. [CleanTechnica]

Six millionth plugin vehicle (BYD image)

¶ “Australia Plans To Add 32 GW Of Renewable Energy By 2030” • The Australian Government looks to add 32 GW of renewable, dispatchable energy capacity to its national electricity grid by 2030. A national framework to increase renewables investment will be used to underwrite 9 GW of dispatchable projects and 23 GW in variable capacity. [Power Technology]

US:

¶ “Range Energy Electrifies The Semi Trailer” • Range Energy has just completed a testing of its electric semi trailers by Mesilla Valley Transportation, a company that provides breakthrough testing, design, and development services for the trucking industry. The Range Energy semi trailer fits an innovative e-axle, battery pack, and smart pin. [CleanTechnica]

Range Energy semi trailer (Range Energy image)

¶ “Reliability v Sustainability: Inside The Debate Over The EPA’s Proposed Carbon Rules” • The American electric grid is going through major changes, prodded by state and federal policies, market forces pushing cheaper and cleaner power sources, and aging power infrastructure. That’s run up against transmission constraints and other delays. [Maryland Matters]

¶ “Michigan First State In Midwest To Set Power Storage Benchmark” • Michigan will become the first state in the Midwest to establish an energy storage standard. Ten states already set power storage goals but only two set more ambitious benchmarks than Michigan’s new target of at least 2,500 MW of energy storage by 2030. [MLive.com]

Solar panels (Provided By Boyne Mountain Resort)

¶ “Alaska’s Pricey, Fossil Fuel-Based Electric Power Could Thwart Investment, Mining Executive Says” • Steep electricity prices and heavy dependence on fossil fuels to generate power discourage development of new mining projects in Alaska. That’s the blunt message a mining executive had for Alaska’s natural resource development industries. [Anchorage Daily News]

¶ “Investors File Lawsuit Against NuScale After Cancellation Of SMR Project” • A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of people who purchased NuScale securities between Mar 15, 2023, and Nov 8, 2023, after NuScale’s Carbon Free Power Project was cancelled. It alleges that NuScale made false or misleading statements during that time. [Power Engineering]

Have an unaffectedly creative day.

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Opinion:

¶ “‘An Agenda To Control You’: How Climate Solutions Got Sucked Into A Fevered Culture War” • As climate solutions and policies move from the abstract to the personal – our cars, our food, and how we keep our homes warm – it has created fertile ground for anger and fear, and has fanned the flames of a culture war long in the making. [CNN]

Caution (Kevin Grieve, Unsplash)

¶ “I Thought Climate Change Was A Hoax. Now I’ve Changed My Mind” • Sarah Ott spent years believing climate change was a hoax, influenced by friends at church in the US south and a popular right-wing radio host. Here she shares her journey from being a climate sceptic to advocating for clean energy, teaching the science of climate change. [BBC]

¶ “What Happened To The Great Lakes Offshore Wind Boom?” • Offshore wind projects cropped up all over the Great Lakes region in the early 2010s, attracted by the strong and consistent winds that blow over the lakes. But by the end of the decade, all but one were gone. Icebreaker Wind has no full-time staff and is being pursued by volunteers. [Inside Climate News]

Icebreaker wind project (Leedco image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Could Airports Make Hydrogen Work As A Fuel?” • The UK aviation industry has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040. The US aviation industry plans to reach net zero by 2050. The EU has a similar goal. Reaching such targets will require switching away from traditional jet fuel. But can hydrogen be the fuel we need? [BBC]

World:

¶ “World’s Biggest Iceberg On The Move After 30 Years” • The world’s biggest iceberg is on the move after more than 30 years being stuck to the ocean floor. The iceberg, called A23a, split from the Antarctic coastline in 1986. But it swiftly grounded in the Weddell Sea, becoming, essentially, an ice island. At almost 4,000 sq km (1,500 sq miles) in area. [BBC]

Iceberg (Christian Pfeifer, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “IZIVIA Putting 2,000 Fast Charging Stations At McDonald’s” • France is electrifying its transport quickly; 20% of new vehicle sales are full electrics and 30% being plugin vehicles. IZIVIA, a full subsidiary of EDF focused on e-mobility solutions, is aiming to install more than 2,000 fast chargers for EVs at McDonald’s restaurants in France. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Southern Europe’s Getting A Big Charging Boost” • There are some serious efforts going on to keep installing charging stations in southern Europe. One claims it’s going to end up giving the region the biggest charging network ever. Wallbox and Atlante are developing new public charging points in Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. [CleanTechnica]

Atlante charging stations (Provided by Wallbox and Atlante)

¶ “Enel Sets $39 Billion Three-Year Grid Capex, To Be Selective On Renewable Energy” • Global electricity giant Enel SPA has set €35.8 billion ($39.05 billion) in capital expenditure for the next three years with “selective investment” in renewable energy. Enel expects renewable power to grow but sees a need to expand grid storage to support the growth. [Rigzone]

¶ “Mindanao Targets 50% Renewable Energy Mix By 2030 To Address Energy Challenges” • Grappling with the energy and environmental challenges spurred by rapid industrialization and population growth, the Philippine island of Mindanao has set an ambitious target of achieving a 50% renewable energy share in the overall energy mix by 2030. [Solar Quarter]

Mindanao countryside (Zeke Tucker, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia’s ‘Cold Shutdown’ At Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Fuels Safety Fears” • The fact that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine is in an area of Ukraine that is a war zone has caused global concern. One of the plant’s six reactors is being moved from hot to cold shutdown to find out why boron was detected in a cooling circuit. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “Sea Turtle Nests Break Records On US Beaches, But Global Warming Threatens Survival” • Just as they have for millions of years, sea turtles by the thousands crawled from the ocean to US beaches to lay their eggs. This year, record nesting was found in Florida and elsewhere despite growing concern about threats from climate change. [ABC News]

Sea turtle (Giorgia Doglioni, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Annual Results” • With the two-year anniversary of the signing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Interior Department released an analysis that estimates the investments it produced, saying it supported on average 17,669 jobs and contributed an average of $2 billion to the economy each year in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Arizona Solar Canal Project Aims To Save Water While Making Power” • With most of Arizona in a state of moderate to extreme drought, the Gila River Indian Community and the US Army Corps of Engineers have signed a deal to begin a solar-over-canal project. It is designed to reduce evaporation and boost efficiency of the solar panels. [New Atlas]

Rendering of Project Nexus in California (Solar Aquagrid LLC)

¶ “New York Announces Another Big Charging Infrastructure Program” • New York Gov Kathy Hochul announced changes to the state’s EV “make-ready” program to expedite the switch to zero-emissions EVs. The state predicts that the programs will eventually result in a total stimulated investment of $4 billion in EV charging infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Pollution From Coal Power Plants Contributes To Far More Deaths Than Scientists Realized” • Air pollution particles from coal-fired power plants are far more harmful to human health than many experts realized. It’s more than twice as likely to contribute to premature deaths as air pollution particles from other sources, a study shows. [The Conversation]

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Opinion:

¶ “Solar Has Been Quietly Running Up The Score During The Delayed Vogtle 3 And 4 Construction” • During the construction of the Vogtle nuclear units 3 and 4, more than 4,500 MW of solar was built in the state of Georgia. That’s double the peak capacity that those nukes will bring online, and at 1/5 the cost. Let’s look into this. [Southern Alliance for Clean Energy]

Georgia solar project (Riley Harwood, US DOE, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Clean Energy 101: Passive Daytime Radiative Cooling (Really Cool Roofs)” • At Third Derivative and RMI, they’re particularly excited about a class of advanced materials that provide a passive daytime radiative cooling effect, greatly reducing indoor heat. In fact, their heat and emissions reduction benefits may even save people’s lives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Heat Pump Water Heaters Save Money And Lower Emissions” • Our world is facing a climate emergency because of the billions of tons of greenhouse gases we dump into the environment each year. A heat pump hot water heater can be three times as efficient as a normal electric water heater. Same amount of hot water at one third the cost. [CleanTechnica]

Heat pump water heater (NIST, public domain)

World:

¶ “To Save Climate, Oil And Gas Sector Must Greatly Reduce Planet-Warming Operations, Report Says” • The oil and gas sector is one of the major emitters of planet-warming gases. It will need a rapid and substantial overhaul for the world to avoid even worse extreme weather events fueled by human-caused climate change, a report says. [ABC News]

¶ “Peru Has Lost More Than Half Of Its Glacier Surface” • Peru lost more than half of its glacier surface over the last six decades, and 175 glaciers became extinct due to climate change between 2016 and 2020, said scientists from the state agency that studies glaciers. Peru’s glaciers cover only 44% of the land they did when the first inventory was done in 1962. [ABC News]

Pastoruri Glacier (Willian Justen de Vasconcellos, Unsplash)

¶ “DHL Express South Africa Gets Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo Test Fleet In South Africa” • Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles partnered with DHL for the pilot test of an ID. Buzz Cargo fleet in South Africa. Four ID. Buzz Cargo units will be used as last-mile courier service in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban for a period of six months. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vatican Getting Nearly Forty EVs From Volkswagen” • The Pope and the Vatican have been supporters of climate action and vehicle electrification for several years. The Vatican aims to have a completely carbon neutral fleet by 2030. Now the Vatican’s fleet is electrifying more than ever with an order for forty Volkswagen ID vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Pope Francis and Volkswagen EVs (Volkswagen AG)

¶ “Zuellig Pharma And ACEN RES Forge Green Partnership For 100% Renewable Energy In The Philippines” • Zuellig Pharma is partnering with ACEN Renewable Energy Solutions to provide 100% renewable energy for two major distribution facilities in the Philippines – the Santa Rosa Distribution Center and Canlubang Distribution Center. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Lightsource BP Launches Collective PPA Model” • Lightsource BP unveiled a collective purchasing framework so smaller and mid-sized businesses can access clean electricity by aggregating their demand. The company is inviting businesses to join a European multi-buyer corporate power purchase agreement for a portfolio of solar assets in Spain. [reNews]

Solar array with pollinator support (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “Giant Batteries Are Winning The Race Against Gas-Fired Power” • The longterm economics of gasfired generating plants are changing quickly. Giant batteries that ensure stable power supply by offsetting intermittent renewable supplies are getting cheap enough to make developers abandon scores of projects for gasfired generation worldwide. [Energy Central]

US:

¶ “Inflation Reduction Act Drives $92 Billion Investment In EV Production, 84,000 Jobs In USA” • The Inflation Reduction Act has been an enormous stimulus for the EV sector in the US. It is underrated and under-acknowledged for how it has brought manufacturing and mining jobs to the US, not to mention the many jobs it has retained. [CleanTechnica]

BlueOval City factory construction (Courtesy of Ford)

¶ “US Gas Prices Down As Gasoline Demand Down” • The US Energy Information Administration reports that gas prices in the US are down 10% compared to the same time last year. Or, taking inflation into account, they are actually down 13%! This is despite an expected 2% increase in miles expected to be traveled during Thanksgiving weekend. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Swift Current Energy’s Mineral Basin Solar Project Secures 20-Year NYSERDA Power Contract” • Swift Current Energy recently announced that its Mineral Basin Solar project has been granted a 20-year power contract by NYSERDA, marking a big step forward in New York State’s substantial investment in renewable energy. [SolarQuarter]

Wind turbines (Marcel Strauß, Unsplash)

¶ “Despite Setbacks, States Are Still Counting On Offshore Wind” • East Coast states’ plans to install massive new offshore wind farms have been battered by bad economic news and canceled contracts for projects officials were counting on to reach their clean energy goals. But state leaders don’t intend to dial back offshore wind ambitions. [Louisiana Illuminator]

¶ “Burlington Approves New Carbon Fee And Creates New Fund For Clean Energy Projects” • The Burlington City Council voted to charge developers a fee for installing new fossil fuel heating systems in new buildings and some existing buildings, despite opposition from some environmentalists who say the measure isn’t green enough. [VTDigger]

Have an appealingly convivial day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Twenty-Five Billion Reasons For Ministers To Support Urgent Consumer Energy Reform” • If we are to maximise solar value and continue to lower household power bills, we need Australia’s policy makers to act on smarter technology and regulation. The rules must benefit households and businesses, and not just big industry. [Renew Economy]

Australian Rooftop solar (Western Power image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “New Carbon Material Sets Energy-Storage Record” • Guided by machine learning, chemists working at the US DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory designed a material for carbonaceous supercapacitors that stores four times more energy than the best commercial material. The new material could be used to make more useful supercapacitors. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Northvolt And BYD Announce Sodium-Ion Battery Plans” • Northvolt made a surprise announcemen that it had developed a best-in-class sodium ion battery that would allow for expansion of cost effective and sustainable energy storage systems across the world. Separately, BYD says it will build a sodium-ion battery plant in China. [CleanTechnica]

Northvolt sodium-ion battery (Northvolt image)

World:

¶ “Dramatic Rise In Web Searches For ‘Climate Anxiety’” • The rise of wildfires, floods and droughts around the world are just some of the highly visible signs of climate change. The impact of climate change on human minds is reported less often. Online search queries related to “climate anxiety” have risen, according to data gathered by Google. [BBC]

¶ “The Villagers Building 100 Ft Ice Towers” • Ladakh had been bathed by the sun for 300 days per year, while barely four inches of rain have fallen. Floods in the region were virtually unheard of. There have been four in the last ten years. But drought always returns, leaving villages at risk. Now villagers are building ice towers to hold water through summer. [BBC]

Leh, Ladakh (Anmol Arora, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Kenya-Uganda Oil Row Is Causing Regional Jitters” • For decades, Kenya has imported oil and sold it on to its East African neighbours, but its role in supplying fuel regionally is at risk. A bitter row over fuel supplies has erupted between Kenya and Uganda, with the Ugandan leader saying his country is being “cheated” by “parasites” and middlemen. [BBC]

¶ “EU Lawmakers Back “Made in Europe” Green Tech Rules in First Bloc-Wide Industrial Plan” • Europe’s lawmakers voted in favor of “made in Europe” green manufacturing rules as part of the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act. This will boost European support for green tech to counter growing pressure from China and the US while improving resilience. [CleanTechnica]

Scania electric bus (Scania image)

¶ “TransAlta Going Greener As It Maps Out $3.5 Billion In Spending, Mainly On Renewables” • One of Alberta’s largest power generators says over two-thirds of its profits will come from renewable electricity production by 2028. It is a major shift for a company that once was one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in Canada. [Global News]

US:

¶ “Search For Pipeline Leak After As Much As 1.1 Million Gallons Of Oil Sullies Gulf Of Mexico” • As much as 1.1 million gallons of oil may have been discharged into the Gulf of Mexico from a pipeline system off Louisiana’s southeast coast, according to the US Coast Guard. The exact location and cause of the leak are as yet unknown. [ABC News]

Oil on water (Dmitry Bukhantsov, Unsplash)

¶ “Ford To Resume Building EV Battery Plant Delayed By Strike” • Ford Motor Co is resuming construction on a Michigan EV battery plant that the company postponed two months ago during a strike by the United Auto Workers union. But the automaker said that due to slowing EV sales growth, it will scale back the factory’s size. [ABC News]

¶ “This Moped-Style Utility E-Bike Could Replace A Car For Many People” • The newest model of e-bike from Momentum, a sub-brand of Giant Bicycles, promises to be a contender in the growing utility and cargo bike category due to its low stepover frame, impressive payload capacity, wide range of accessories, and grip throttle. [CleanTechnica]

Momentum Cito E+ e-bike (Courtesy of Momentum)

¶ “Biden-Harris Administration Approves Sixth Offshore Wind Project” • The Biden-Harris administration announced approval of the Empire Wind offshore wind project, the sixth approval of a large offshore wind energy project under President Biden’s leadership. This supports the goal of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Zero-Emissions Ferry For San Francisco Bay” • SWITCH Maritime manufactured a zero-emissions 75-passenger ferry. The company’s CEO Pace Ralli provided many details about the new vessel for CleanTechnica. It is to have hydrogen fuel cells, the hydrogen storage tanks, the electric propulsion system, and a lithium-ion battery system. [CleanTechnica]

Zero-emissions ferry (Courtesy of SWITCH Maritime)

¶ “GE Vernova And Next Hydrogen Sign MOU To Integrate Electrolysis Technology With Power Systems To Produce Green Hydrogen” • GE Vernova and Next Hydrogen Solutions have signed an MOU to integrate Next Hydrogen’s electrolysis technology with GE Vernova’s power systems offerings to produce green hydrogen. [General Electric]

¶ “Air Force Rescinds $100 Million Award For Microreactor” • In August, Oklo was tentatively chosen as the contractor to build a microreactor at Alaska’s Eielson Air Force Base by the end of 2027. But the military revoked the intent to award Oklo the planned $100-million-plus contract in late September, according to newsletter Northern Journal. [Canary Media]

Have a pleasantly surprising day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Five Things To Watch For At COP28 In Dubai” • COP28 will take place against a backdrop of steadily rising GHG emissions, record-breaking heat, and extreme climate impacts. But even so, unbelievably, there has been a continued expansion in fossil fuel production and use, and there are yawning emissions gaps in countries’ climate efforts. [CleanTechnica]

We’re in the wrong place (David Kovalenko, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “BMW Ends Combustion Engine Production In Germany” • As one of the most iconic brands in the century-long optimization of automobile engines for sporty driving, BMW’s tagline was “The Ultimate Driving Machine.” Now, however, BMW is turning to EVs and has ended the production of combustion engines in its home country of Germany. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Brazil Records Its Hottest Ever Temperature” • Brazil has recorded its hottest ever temperature, 44.8°C (112.6°F), as parts of the country endure a stifling heatwave. The record was hit on Sunday in the town of Araçuaí, in Brazil’s south-eastern state of Minas Gerais. [BBC] (Please note: geoharvey.com had a report of a much higher temperature last week as a result of an error.)

Storm in Minas Gerais (Nathalia Segato, Unsplash)

¶ “1.5ºC Is In The Rear View Mirror. 3ºC Is Just Around The Corner – UN Emissions Gap Report” • This year’s Emissions Gap Report says as things stand, unconditional Nationally Determined Contributions made under the Paris Agreement in 2015 would put the world on track for limiting temperature rise to 2.9°C above pre-industrial levels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Zero Carbon Charge Starts Construction On First National Network Of 100% Solar-Powered EV Charging Stations in South Africa” • While there is already a growing charging network in South Africa, Zero Carbon Charge now wants to help grow the network further, by including more of the national and regional roads that are not yet covered. [CleanTechnica]

Zero Carbon Charge site (Zero Carbon Charge image)

¶ “North Seas Energy Ministers endorse Wind Power Package” • The ten Energy Ministers of the North Seas Energy Cooperation agreed a new NSEC Action Agenda for the build-out of offshore wind. This Agenda aims to help strengthen Europe’s wind energy supply chain. The NSEC also welcomed the EU Commission’s Wind Power Package. [WindEurope]

¶ “Coal Power Plants Thriving At 65% PLF Despite Record RE Capacity Addition, Says CRISIL” • Plant load factors of India’s coal-based power plants will improve to about 65% this fiscal despite record renewable energy capacity addition, said a report by CRISIL Ratings. Conditions for companies generating with coal increase their credit ratings. [The Financial Express]

Coal plant (Saket swagat sahoo, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “California Wildfires Altering Ecosystems, Disrupting Wildlife Habitats: Study” • Over the past two decades, US forest fires have become more intense, frequent, and widespread. The fires that burned large swaths of land in California are reshaping wildlife ecosystems, a study found. It was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. [ABC News]

¶ “Seppuku At GM’s Cruise Division Shows The Necessity Of Transparency, But That May Not Be Enough” • After a nasty crash involving one of its vehicles and a pedestrian, GM lost its license to run robotaxis in California, and it has put production of its next-generation vehicles on hold. But it seems a vital part of those stories was missing. [CleanTechnica]

GM Cruise EV (GM Cruise image)

¶ “Tesla Cybertrucks Roll Into Tesla Stores Before Black Friday” • With ten days remaining to the Cybertruck Delivery Event that is to take place at Tesla Giga Texas on November 30, Tesla has already started displaying Cybertrucks at its showrooms in the US. The Cybertrucks showcased at Tesla Stores are production models and will go to customers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Revolution Wind Begins Construction Of Offshore Wind Farm In Rhode Island Sound” • Offshore wind projects along the Atlantic coast have suffered setbacks recently, particularly in New Jersey. But things are different in Rhode Island. Revolution Wind celebrated starting construction of a large offshore wind farm in Rhode Island Sound. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind farm (Pixy.org, CC0)

¶ “Texas, Weirdly, Is Leading America’s Clean Energy Future” • Texas, America’s oil capital for more than a century, is now the top producer of renewable energy in the US. While fossil fuel still reigns supreme in the state’s energy mix, wind and solar account for a growing share of the total. Some people are happy about that, but some are not. [Business Insider]

¶ “Amazon To Develop First Solar Farm In Oklahoma” • Amazon announced that it’s developing its first solar farm in Oklahoma, and plans to power local grids and its operations. The solar farm will be in Kiowa County in southwest Oklahoma, with a capacity of 100 MW. This will add to two Amazon wind farms in the state, for a total of 618 MW of capacity. [KGOU]

Wind turbines in Oklahoma (USDA, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Governor Hochul Announces Installation Of First Offshore Wind Turbine For South Fork Wind” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced the completed installation of the first offshore wind turbine for South Fork Wind, a milestone for New York’s offshore wind development. It will be the first large wind farm completed in US federal waters. [Governor Kathy Hochul]

¶ “The Deeper Dig: A Plan For What’s Left Of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant” • VY has been shut down since 2014, and NorthStar, the company that now owns it, is deconstructing it. NorthStar recently submitted a plan that describes in detail the final steps of decommissioning, which is projected to be finished ahead of schedule, by 2026. [VTDigger]

Have a successfully navigated day.

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Opinion:

¶ “UK Has £10 Billion Per Nuclear Reactor Decommissioning Bottomless Pit” • The costs for nuclear power are coming home to roost in the UK. Despite the very high costs of new nuclear reactors, the rising costs of clean up, and the availability of much cheaper alternatives, the UK’s current administration remains committed to the technology. [CleanTechnica]

Model of Hinkley Point C (UK government, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “$18 Trillion Capital Gap Is Threatening The Green Energy Transition” • Closing the $18 trillion gap to fund the transition to green energy through 2030 is slowed due to negative investment conditions. Challenges include inflation, supply chain pressures, and higher costs of capital. But the energy sector has responded proactively. [PR Newswire]

¶ “The Future Of Energy Is Community Energy, And 100% Renewable” • Our governments, energy market bodies, and energy corporates may not be getting the energy transition right. They are struggle to get the social approval they need for the big expensive decisions that they are making. Community energy is the answer to a fast transition. [Renew Economy]

People of a community (Natalie Pedigo, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Extreme Weather And Falling Demand Are Pushing Wineries Into The Red” • According to the International Organisation for Vine and Wine, an industry group, global wine production is set to fall to its lowest level since 1961 this year, hit by scorching heat and extraordinary flooding. Italy is expecting a 12% drop in its output, and Spain could see 14 %. [CNN]

¶ “The World Briefly Smashed Through The 2-Degree Warming Limit For The First Time Ever” • The Earth’s temperature briefly rose above a crucial threshold that scientists have been warning for decades could have catastrophic and irreversible impacts on the planet and its ecosystems, according to data shared by a prominent climate scientist. [CNN]

Ice (Melissa Bradley, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “China’s Growing EV Influence Around Asia Highlighted At San Francisco’s APEC Summit” • The 2023 APEC Summit held in San Francisco last week marked a pivotal moment in the region’s transition to sustainable transportation. Representatives from China engaged in updating already existing bilateral agreements to promote EV cooperation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electric Delivery Trucks Growing In Australia” • Just as the Australian state and federal regulations are being adapted to the transition to electric semi trucks, local councils are being urged to examine their regulations to allow quiet, less polluting electric delivery trucks to operate at night. These trucks could charge during the day, using cheap solar. [CleanTechnica]

Electric truck (Volvo Group image)

¶ “UK Gov Raises Maximum Price for Offshore Wind Projects” • In a release posted on its website recently, the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said that the government has “increased the maximum price for offshore wind projects in its flagship renewables scheme to further cement the UK as a world leader in clean energy.” [Rigzone]

¶ “EWEC Commissions 2-GW Solar Plant In Abu Dhabi” • Abu Dhabi officials inaugurated the 2-GW Dhafra Solar Photovoltaic Independent Power Project. It is said to be the largest single-site solar PV plant. It is managed by UAE-based Masdar, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, French energy giant EDF, and Jinko Power, a Chinese solar developer. [PV Magazine]

Dhafra solar project (EWEC)

¶ “Replacing Oil Shale With Renewables In The Power System Can Help Estonia Achieve Its Energy And Climate Ambitions” • A quicker phase out of oil shale use in electricity generation and streamlining permitting for renewable energy projects are crucial to realise Estonia’s goals while maintaining energy security, an IEA policy review shows. [International Energy Agency]

US:

¶ “Those With Smaller Farming Operations Often Pay The Price Of Extreme Weather” • Kentucky farmers were not used to the distances they’ve had to drive the past couple years, the result of bad weather that’s closed nearby market sites. As the damage increases, a trip that used to take ten minutes got get produce to market can take an hour or more. [ABC News]

Farm (Timothy Eberly, Unsplash)

¶ “Hyundai Teams With Amazon For New Car Sales And Web Services” • Amazon would dearly love to get into selling new cars. In a joint press release at the Los Angeles auto show, Hyundai and Amazon announced a partnership that will offer Hyundai automobiles, both conventional and electric, online through Amazon starting early next year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Air Force Approves New Green Aircraft Demonstrator Project” • The US Air Force conferred X-plane status on a green aircraft demonstration project aimed at reducing fuel use by 30%. Spearheaded by Boeing and NASA, the it is the first Air Force designated X-plane to focus on sustainability since the program began in the 1940s. [CleanTechnica]

Transonic Truss-Braced Wing X-66A (Boeing image)

¶ “A Year After Devastating Winter Storm, Power Plant Problems ‘Still Likely’ In Extreme Weather” • As the anniversary of Winter Storm Elliott approaches, a pair of reports released last week reveal how much worse the situation could have become and how the continued vulnerability of the US energy grid to frigid weather continues. [Virginia Mercury]

¶ “Congress Looks To Boost Job Training For Offshore Wind Industry” • Congress is considering federal help to address the labor shortage in the fledging offshore wind industry. Senator Edward J Markey (D-Mass) introduced the Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity Act, that would boost workforce needed for offshore windpower development. [WorkBoat]

Have a highly beneficial day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “This Corn Was Down To Its Last Two Cobs. Now It Could Help Farmers Grow Food In The Climate Crisis” • Heirloom grains, vegetables, and fruits have traits that make them less at risk of climate change, because they have been grown over hundreds of years in wildly different conditions. Here is the story of a corn that was barely saved from extinction. [CNN]

Jimmy Red (Peter Frank Edwards for High Wire Distilling Co)

World:

¶ “UK Government Plans Radical Shake-Up Of Foreign Aid For Climate Change Disasters” • The UK government is to spend millions of pounds helping countries prepare for future disasters in a radical shake-up of policy. A £150 million fund will help poor countries get faster access to money in emergencies and reduce the impacts of climate crises. [BBC]

¶ “US And China Agreement Sets The Tone For COP28” • The US and China will back a new global renewables target and work together on methane and plastic pollution, they said in a joint statement after a meeting to find common ground ahead of COP28 talks. The two countries account for 38% of the world’s greenhouse gases. [CleanTechnica]

Xi Jinping and Joe Biden in 2022 (White House, public domain)

¶ “Solar Smashes More Records, As Coal Power Sent To Another New Low” • Solar power expanded its influence over Australia’s main grid on the weekend, setting new records for output and generation share, and helping to send the output of black coal to a new low. Of 8 GW of coal capacity in New South Wales, only 1.53 GW were operating. [Renew Economy]

¶ “Housing Developments In Zimbabwe Are Starting to Get Solar Panels From The Get-go!” • Falling prices for solar installations, rising energy costs, and regular power outages in places like Zimbabwe and South Africa make the business case for solar PVs even better. Housing developments with solar offer residents some energy security. [CleanTechnica]

Housing (Courtesy of Turnbury Property Developers and TDW)

¶ “Japan Railway Operators Eye Net-Zero CO₂ Emissions Via Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trains” • Railway operators are hastening to put hydrogen fuel cell trains into commercial use. The trains will help cut CO₂ emissions for transportation, and the government intends to review related regulations and push for the spread of such trains. [The Japan News]

¶ “Wind Turbines Begin 700 km Journey Inland From Geraldton To Billion-Dollar Kathleen Valley Lithium Mine” • The first of 15 gigantic blades, which will make up five wind turbines, has left Geraldton Port on a 700 km journey inland to a $951 million lithium mine that is being opened up in Western Australia’s northern Goldfields. [ABC]

Moving a blade (Supplied, Danny Tuddenham via Facebook)

US:

¶ “Tesla Embraces Advertising with a Focus on Vehicle Safety” • Tesla has shunned traditional advertising methods, preferring to let its innovative products speak for themselves. But in a notable departure from this strategy, Tesla recently embarked on an advertising journey, beginning with a commercial on YouTube that showcases safety. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Prime Time Shuttle To Buy 550 Canoo Electric Vehicles” • Prime Time Shuttle, a major US shuttle service based out of Los Angeles, has agreed to purchase 550 EVs from the startup Canoo. Prime Time Shuttle is based in LA, but provides luxury vehicles for shuttle services in 34 states. Canoo expects to create about 1,300 jobs in Oklahoma. [CleanTechnica]

Canoo for Prime Time Shuttle

¶ “Solar Power To The People: California Program Brings Clean Energy To Oakland” • Over 100 projects in California have solar panels installed through the Multi-Family Affordable Housing program. The state allots $100 million per year, starting July 2019. By 2030, the program’s goal is 300 MW of solar projects on low-income rental buildings. [The Guardian]

¶ “New Plant Hardiness Map, Used By Gardeners Nationwide And Based On OSU Climate Data, Unveiled” • The Department of Agriculture released its new Plant Hardiness Zone Map, the national standard by which gardeners can determine which plants are most likely to survive the coldest winter temperatures at a given location. [CleanTechnica]

Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA)

¶ “Biden Administration Announces $6 Billion For Climate Resilience, Grid Enhancements” • President Biden announced over $6 billion in investments to make US communities more resilient to the impacts of climate change by improving electric grids, reducing flood risk, supporting conservation, and pushing for environmental justice. [Smart Energy International]

¶ “$1.6 Million In Tax Revenue On The Line For Wiscasset In Dispute Over Nuclear Waste Facility” • The town of Wiscasset looks like it is set to go to court over a Maine Department of Environmental Protection decision to give tax breaks to a facility that stores spent nuclear fuel from the decommissioned Maine Yankee power plant. [The Maine Monitor]

Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, 2015 (NRC image)

¶ “National Grid Renewables Breaks Ground On Two Ohio Solar Projects” • National Grid Renewables announced the start of onsite construction at neighboring projects in southern Ohio. Once operational, the Ross County Solar Project and the Fayette Solar Project will deliver a combined 167.5 MW of clean solar power. [The Highland County Press]

¶ “US Military Quietly Revokes Planned Contract For Small Nuclear Plant At Alaska Air Force Base” • The U.S. military has rescinded the preliminary award of what could be a nine-figure contract with the company it had tentatively selected to build a small-scale nuclear power plant at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks. [Alaska Beacon]

Have an emotionally rewarding day.

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geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

Science and Technology:

¶ “Accelerating Power At Sea For A Thriving Blue Economy” • The ocean contains enough water to fill quintillions of gallon-sized containers. But it is not just the ocean’s size that stymies exploration. Ocean exploration requires technology, technology needs energy, and the ocean is a power desert. The US DOE hopes to deal with that. [CleanTechnica]

Sea (NOAA image)

¶ “A New All-Solid Battery Hits Long Duration Energy Storage Mark” • In past years, the technology tools were lacking, but that’s not an excuse anymore. Wind and solar power are widely available, and new long duration energy storage technology is emerging to help renewables replace fossil fuel power plants without a hitch. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Your Home Could Soon Power Itself – With Concrete” • MIT researchers have successfully developed a supercapacitor, which can act like a battery – though it is different, as it doesn’t degrade through use – out of widely available materials, in the hopes of providing a cheap and architectural way of saving renewable energy from going to waste. [Newsweek]

Tree at a concrete wall (Pawel Czerwinski, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Solar Energy Could Power All The Health Facilities In Poorer Countries And Save Lives, Experts Say” • This month, at COP28, experts will argue that all healthcare facilities in poorer countries could be provided with electricity using solar energy, within five years and for less than $5 billion, putting an end to the risk of life from power outages. [The Guardian]

¶ “Is The World Warming Faster Than Expected?” • With our historically high sea temperatures, worrying lows in Antarctic sea-ice, and extreme weather events hitting every continentm, it’s now “virtually certain” that 2023 will be the hottest year on record. But the rate of warming is not beyond what scientists expected from climate models. [BBC]

Wildfire smoke (Landon Parenteau, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Cero Generation’s Italian Agrivoltaic Project Goes Live” • Cero Generation has announced that Pontinia, its 70-MW solar project in Italy, is now live. Pontinia is also among the first agrivoltaics projects in Italy, combining solar power generation with farming. About 65% of the 135 hectares (334 acres) that the project sits on will be used for agriculture. [Energy Global]

¶ “A Swedish Hydrofoil Ferry Seeks To Electrify The Waterways” • Speeding through Stockholm’s archipelago, the new P-12 vessel by electric boat maker Candela barely makes a sound as it glides over a meter (3’ 4”) above the water. Its developers hope the ferry, which was unveiled this week, will introduce a new era of public transport on the water. [ABC News]

Candela P-12 (Candela image)

¶ “UK’s Octopus Energy Launches $3.7 Billion Offshore Wind Fund With Tokyo Gas” • Britain’s Octopus Energy’s renewables investing arm launched a fund with Japan’s Tokyo Gas to invest £3 billion ($3.7 billion) in offshore wind projects by 2030. The Octopus Energy Offshore Wind fund was set up with funding from Tokyo Gas. [Offshore Magazine]

¶ “US, Philippines Sign Landmark Nuclear Deal” • The US and the Philippines signed a landmark deal that would allow the US to export nuclear technology and material to Manila, which is exploring the use of nuclear power. US Congressional approval is needed for the deal, and so is adherence with non-proliferation requirements. [MSN]

Philippine nuclear research reactor (PNRI, public domain)

US:

¶ “EVgo To Build Charging Stations Faster, Offer Free Charging To Hertz Customers” • Like all charging providers, EVgo works hard to improve what it is doing and make for a better driver experience. This continued in November with an advancement in EV charging construction speed and a deal with rental car company Hertz. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Mexico Adopts Crucial Package to Clean up Cars And Trucks” • The New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board and the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board has adopted three major standards that will provide significant climate, public health, air quality, and economic benefits to New Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

New Mexico (Davron Bowman, Unsplash)

¶ “Seventy US Dealers Apply To Sell VinFast Electric Vehicles” • Vietnamese automaker VinFast has gotten serious about selling electric cars around the world, and it is entering the US auto market quite early in its evolution. According to VinFast, seventy auto dealers across the US have already put in applications to sell VinFast EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “First Wind Turbine Produced At GE Vernova’s New York Facility” • GE Vernova’s Onshore Wind business announced that it has completed the first onshore wind turbine produced on its new wind manufacturing assembly line in Schenectady, New York. The unit is the largest onshore turbine ever manufactured in the US. [Power Engineering International]

GE Verona’s 6 MW turbine (GE Verona)

¶ “Despite Loss Of Two Major Projects, New Jersey Is Moving Forward With Its Offshore Wind Power Goals” • Despite the loss of two major offshore wind farm projects when Danish developer Ørsted pulled out of New Jersey, the state is moving forward with its plans to support and grow the nascent industry. The state will seek bids on new projects. [WHYY]

¶ “New Yorkers Encouraged To Prepare Now For Winter” • It is time to prepare for winter. Multiple New York State agencies and authorities offer programs to help residents manage energy use, reduce electric and heating bills, and increase comfort during cold temperatures by weatherizing and making these buildings more energy efficient. [nyserda]

Have a charmingly actualized day.

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