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Opinion:

¶ “What Would Planting 100 Million Trees Per Week Do In 5, 50, And 500 Years?” • A trillion trees, low-tillage agriculture, and a sustainable economy would mean that in about 500 years we would have the level of CO₂ about where we want to keep it, probably around 300 ppm. But simply planting a lot of trees will not be enough. [CleanTechnica]

Dead trees in California (Nathan Stephenson, USGS, cropped)

¶ “The Texas Power Disaster May Be The Strongest Case Yet For Renewable Energy” • During the ice storm, windpower met what is typically required of it at this time of year. The majority of the outages were at the portions of the Texas grid that rely on natural gas, coal, and nuclear, which make up more than two-thirds of power generation during winter. [MarketWatch]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Icebergs Really Melt – And What This Could Mean For Climate Change” • Icebergs are melting faster than current models describe, according to a new study by mathematicians at the University of Sydney. The researchers there have proposed a new model to represent more accurately the speed of melting ice from icebergs into oceans. [Science Daily]

Antarctic iceberg (Long Ma, Unsplash)

¶ “Heating Arctic May Be To Blame For Snowstorms In Texas, Scientists Argue” • Associating climate change with the winter storm that crippled much of Texas seems counterintuitive. But scientists say there is evidence that the rapid heating of the Arctic can help push frigid air from the north pole much further south, possibly deep into Texas. [The Guardian]

World:

¶ “Alstom Buys Bombardier” • Alstom, a major French rolling stock manufacturer, completed its acquisition of Bombardier Transportation. It seems that Bombardier rolled out the first hybrid trains in the world in 2007. Now it is starting to convert the hybrid trains to be fully electric. Alstom’s acquisition of it is based on sustainability goals. [CleanTechnica]

Electric train (Image courtesy of Bombardier)

¶ “Plugin Hybrids Surprise In The Netherlands In 2021 – EV Sales Report” • After the usual end-of-year sales rush in the last days of 2020, one would imagine January would bring a big hangover for the Dutch plugin market … but it turns out, it hasn’t, because sales in January grew 40% year over year! The overall market is still down 21%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Michelin Picks French Startup NEOLINE To Offer Carbon-Free Shipping” • The Michelin Group recently signed a transport commitment with NEOLINE, a French startup that provides decarbonized shipping services. This new commitment reflects Michelin’s goal for doing its part to reduce CO₂ emissions from its logistic operations. [CleanTechnica]

Wind-powered ship (© Mauric, via NEOLINE media kit)

¶ “India Could Get $500 Billion As Investments In Renewable Energy Sector By 2030: Report” • A report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis estimates that India may see investments of around $500 billion in the renewables sector for the country to achieve its target of 450 GW of capacity by 2030, MoneyControl reports. [Swarajya]

¶ “Statkraft And Aquila Sign Spanish Solar PPA” • Statkraft and Aquila Capital signed their first PPA in Spain. It is for a 50-MW solar plant in Andalusia, and it was signed on behalf of an Aquila client. The five-year PPA starts in 2022 with an innovative price structure in which Aquila Capital provides 100% green electricity to Statkraft at competitive prices. [reNEWS]

Solar array (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Texas Produces More Power Than Any Other State. Here’s Why It Went Dark Anyway” • A deep freeze this week in Texas, which relies on electricity to heat many homes, is causing power demand to rise greatly. At the same time, natural gas, coal, wind, and nuclear facilities in Texas have been knocked offline by the unthinkably low temperatures. [CNN]

¶ “US Conservatives Falsely Blame Renewables For Texas Storm Outages” • Conservative commentators  are blaming renewable power for the Texas power outages. While some wind turbines did freeze, failures in natural gas, coal and nuclear energy caused nearly twice as many outages as renewables, according to Ercot, the state’s grid operator. [The Guardian]

Dallas, 2021 (Matthew T Rader, MatthewTRader.com, CC-BY-SA)

¶ “Hawaii Island At 43.4% Renewable Energy” • Hawaiian Electric says its renewable portfolio standard on Hawaiʻi island is up by nearly 10 percentage points this year. Hawaiʻi island hit 43.4% for the year 2020, compared to 34.7% in 2019. The company also says it has more than tripled clean energy in 10 years, primarily with solar and windpower. [Big Island Video News]

¶ “As Vermont Nears 75% Renewable Power, Advocates Question If It’s Clean Enough” • On paper, Vermont has one of the cleanest electric grids in the country. About 66% of the state’s electricity came from renewables in 2019, the most recent year for which final numbers are available. And yet, there are questions about whether it is good enough. [Energy News Network]

Hydro dam (Pexels image)

¶ “Area Sees Outages As Energy Supply Runs Short” • The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission says the demand for power this week is at an all-time high. As temperatures range from below zero to single digits, the supply of non-renewable power is running short. That’s why several South Dakotans saw their power go out on Tuesday. [Kotatv]

¶ “Fredericksburg Takes Steps Toward More Renewable Energy” • Fredericksburg officials have taken a significant step toward a goal of operating the city completely on renewable energy by 2035. They are requesting proposals and consulting with the Virginia state officials on how best to negotiate with an energy services company. [Fredericksburg.com]

Have an excitingly superior day.

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World:

¶ “Autonomous Bus Trial A Success At Tokyo’s Haneda Airport” • BYD has completed a 10-day trial operation of an autonomous driving bus at Tokyo Haneda Airport. BYD partnered with All Nippon Airways, Japan’s largest airline, to complete the trial. The bus, which is BYD’s first autonomous-driving bus, will next be put into daily operation. [CleanTechnica]

BYD autonomous bus (BYD image)

¶ “Volkswagen Tries To Catch Up On Autonomy With Microsoft” • Volkswagen has announced that it is teaming up with Microsoft to “advance its self-driving vehicle technologies.” Microsoft will collaborate with Volkswagen’s Car.Software arm on a cloud-based automated driving platform. Volkswagen said that this will allow for faster fleet integration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “You Can Now Get The Ora R1 In Ghana” • One of the highly competitive EVs is Great Wall Motors’ Ora R1, also known as the Black Cat. It has a 33-kWh battery pack and a 35-kW motor for a 220 km (137 mile) range, as measured by the WLTP. The good news is that these small city EVs are starting to find their way to Africa very quickly. [CleanTechnica]

Great Wall R1 EV (Courtesy of Great Wall Motors)

¶ “BP And Chevron Just Invested In Technology That Could Transform Renewable Energy” • BP and Chevron have expanded into geothermal energy, betting on a technology that could make plants using the natural heat of the Earth scalable for the first time. They put $40 million into Eavor, a geothermal energy firm based in Calgary. [MarketWatch]

¶ “GE Bags 753-MW Swedish Turbine Order” • GE Renewable Energy has secured a 753-MW turbine order for the Onusberget wind project in Sweden, which is being developed by Luxcara. Onusberget will be equipped with 137 of GE’s Cypress onshore wind turbines, each with a capacity of 5.5 MW and a 158 meter rotor. Installation will start this year. [reNEWS]

Wind turbines (GE Renewable Energy image)

¶ “Engie Inks Renewables Deal With Orange France” • Engie and Orange have signed a corporate power purchase agreement that will see the communication provider’s electricity supply met by wind and solar capacity in France. During the PPA’s 15-year period, it will also include two new solar projects totaling 51 MW in France. [reNEWS]

¶ “Winch Energy Raises Funds For PV Mini-Grids Rollout” • The off-grid utilities provider Winch Energy completed the funding for solar mini-grid projects in 49 villages in Uganda and Sierra Leone with a new PV mini-grid design. Portable batteries will also be provided so people outside of the mini-grid catchment area will have access to clean electricity. [reNEWS]

Winch Energy PV and battery system (Winch Energy image)

¶ “Nuclear faces ‘a lot of uncertainty’ as EU green evaluation looms” • The nuclear industry is growing increasingly nervous about European Commission plans to evaluate the safety of radioactive waste handling as an expert report is expected next month on how to classify nuclear energy under the EU’s green finance taxonomy. [EURACTIV]

US:

¶ “US Oil Rises Above $60 As Texas Gets Pummeled With Ice And Snow” • A rare bout of winter weather in Texas helped move US oil above $60 a barrel for the first time since January 2020. Weather knocked power out in much of Texas, and oil refiner Motiva shut down its Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex, the largest American oil refinery. [CNN]

Palm trees and snow in 2004 (Quietpeoplerock, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Rolling Blackouts In Texas Are Due To Economics, Not Renewables” •  Some people are claiming on social media that rolling blackouts in Texas are caused by wind turbines failing in the cold, and that’s proof that renewables are too unreliable. Actually, its proof that Texas utilities don’t pay for cold-adapted wind turbines. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewables Provide 23% Of US Electricity In November 2020” • While renewable energy has been dominating the new power capacity additions in the United States, it takes a long time to shift the giant electricity grid. Even so, month after month, the share of electricity generated by renewables in the US has been constantly increasing. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Pradeep Ghildiyal, Unsplash)

¶ “77% To 80% Of New US Power Capacity Came From Solar And Wind In 2020” • According to new data from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, solar power and wind power accounted for 77.1% of new utility-scale power capacity in the US in 2020. Adding in what CleanTechnica estimates for rooftop solar power capacity, that rises to 80.1%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Longroad To Acquire 900 MW Of Arizona Solar” • Longroad Energy has agreed to acquire solar projects totaling 900 MW (DC) in Arizona. The Sun Streams 2, 4, and 5 projects have the potential for 1-2 GWh of battery storage. Sun Streams 2 is being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies and is expected to be operational in June 2021. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Longroad Energy image)

¶ “Virginia Utility Seeks 300 MW Of Renewables Capacity” • Appalachian Power has issued a request for proposals for up to 300 MW of solar and wind generation resources. It is seeking facilities that are at least 50 MW in size and will be commercially operational by mid-December 2023. More RFPs are expected from Appalachian Power this year. [reNEWS]

¶ “Oklahoma Sees Large Increase In Production Of Renewable Energy Over The Past Decade” • A research study used Energy Information Administration data to calculate the change in renewable energy production in Oklahoma. In 2010, renewables generated only about 10% of the state’s electricity, it found, but that rose to about 40% in 2019. [KGOU]

Have an abundantly admirable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Climate Denialism, ‘Doom Porn,’ Deflection And The New Climate War” • The New Climate War is a new book by one of the world’s most famous climate scientists, Michael Mann. At its heart is the assertion that climate change denialism is a spent force and, instead, action is now being hampered by distraction and “doom porn.” [The Sydney Morning Herald]

Dr Michael E Mann in 2013 (Reason4Reason, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

World:

¶ “Transparent Factory In Dresden Now Producing Volkswagen ID.3” • The Volkswagen ID.3 is being produced in Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory in Dresden. This is the fourth Volkswagen Group factory that is producing EVs based on the MEB platform. Together, the two factories in Germany and two in China can produce 900,000 vehicles a year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “UK Ford Mustang Mach-E Buyers Get Big Charging Boost Via BP Pulse Network” • The bp pulse network is reported to be the largest public charging network in the UK. Ford Mustang Mach-E drivers will have free access to the network for one year. The bp pulse network has 6,500 charging stations, and finding them is easy with the FordPass app. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E charging (Image courtesy of Ford)

¶ “CBA Finances NSW Solar Farm To Help Power 240,000 Homes” • Commonwealth Bank Group is partnering with two other banks to provide financing of $212 million to UPCAC Renewables Australia for a new solar farm in New South Wales. Stage 1 of the New England Solar Farm is expected to have a capacity of 400 MW (AC). [Mirage News]

¶ “Lightsource BP Swoops On 845 MW Of Spanish Solar” • Solar developer Lightsource BP acquired an 845-MW solar portfolio in Spain from Iberia Solar. The five sites are across the regions of Castilla la Mancha and Castilla y Leon. With the new acquisition, Lightsource BP has a total of 2.25 GW of projects in development or under construction in Spain. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “Greencoat Renewables Acquires Finnish Wind Farm For €60 Million” • Irish renewable infrastructure company Greencoat Renewables said it is to acquire a wind farm in Finland for about €60 million. The 43.2-MW Kokkoneva wind farm is currently under construction and commercial operations are expected in the second quarter of 2022. [The Irish Times]

¶ “South Africa To Launch Three Qualification Cycles For Production Of 6,800 MW Of Renewable Energy” • The South African government is to launch three qualification cycles for a total of 6,800 MW of renewable energy. The first is expected to start in February. It will seek proposals for 2,600 MW of solar and wind power. [Construction Review]

Wind turbines in South Africa (NJR ZA, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “IEA: India Needs $1.4 Trillion Funding For Clean Energy Technologies” • Indian energy demand is growing rapidly. The additional funding for clean energy technologies required to put India on a sustainable path over the next 20 years is $1.4 trillion, according to IEA. But one benefit is a saving on oil imports of the same magnitude. [Greentech Lead]

¶ “Offshore Wind Adds 8 GW In ‘Stellar’ 2020” • Global offshore wind capacity installed in 2020 exceeded 8 GW, beating previous records, according to research from the Renewables Consulting Group. RCG’s database found the total capacity for offshore wind added last year reached 8,370 MW. The previous record of 6,438 MW was set in 2018. [reNEWS]

Offshore wind farm (Ørsted image)

¶ “UK Renewable Energy Sets New Record In 2020” • Last year was a record year for renewable energy in the UK, at almost 42% of the country’s electricity, according to research conducted for Drax Electric Insights. Clean power generated for the first time more electricity than fossil fuels, which accounted for 39.6%, the research said. [reNEWS]

US:

¶ “Electrify America & Arizona Utility Team Up” • Electrify America’s Electrify Commercial arm will put twenty ultrafast chargers in at five charging stations across Arizona in partnership with Arizona Public Service Company. This is part of a new Take Charge AZ initiative. The stations will help both the state and its drivers reduce their emissions. [CleanTechnica]

Installing chargers

¶ “Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize Drives Recovery Of Spent Batteries” • The US DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has launched the third and final phase of the Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize with an event introducing the rules and guidelines. The DOE’s goal is to capture 90% of all spent lithium-ion batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Biden Sets The Stage For An Offshore Wind Energy Boom” • The U-turn of energy policies under the Biden administration sets the stage for a flourishing US offshore wind industry, as the federal government looks to speed up environmental reviews to make offshore wind a significant contributor to the new clean energy goals. [OilPrice.com]

Robin Rigg Wind Farm (Walter Baxter, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Bromley Mountain Ski Resort Announces Plans For New Solar Array” • Encore Renewable Energy, Bromley Mountain Ski Resort, and Tangent Energy Solutions announced plans to develop and build a 615-kW (DC) solar project on land owned by Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont. Sunwealth will own and operate the system. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Climate Change Will Exacerbate Flooding In The Columbia River Basin, OSU Study Finds” • Flooding in the Columbia River Basin is expected to increase dramatically in scale over the next half decade as the climate warms, according to new research from Oregon State University. The severity of floods large and small will increase. [Bend Bulletin]

Have a pristinely perfect day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Using Mathematical Models To Enable Transportation Decarbonization And Combat Climate Change” • The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Agency for International Development, assessed the potentials for electric transit fleets in two Mexican cities. The study examined combinations of GPS speed traces with electric bus models. [CleanTechnica]

BYD electric buses in Santiago, Chile (Courtesy of BYD)

World:

¶ “Tesla To Build An EV Manufacturing Unit In India” • Tesla will set up an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Karnataka, India, according to The News Minute. Karnataka’s Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa, confirmed this on Saturday and noted that it was part of the list of benefits that were promised to Karnataka in the Union Budget. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Olectra Greentech Limited Wins Order For 350 Electric Buses In India” • This may be the first time we’re writing about Olectra Greentech Limited. And we are writing in regards to some big news. The company has reportedly secured an order for 350 electric buses in India. Their buses, however, will actually be manufactured by BYD. [CleanTechnica]

Electric bus (Image courtesy of Olectra Greentech)

¶ “Brookfield Renewable Sees An Opportunity Worth Over $100 Trillion” • In Brookfield Renewables’ fourth-quarter conference call, CEO Connor Teskey spoke of reducing CO₂ emissions and a sustainable future,” he said. “Advancing the transition to a lower-carbon future will require substantial capital, in excess of $100 trillion over the next three decades.” [Motley Fool]

¶ “World’s 1st Zero-Emission Tanker Project Will Use Corvus Energy Storage System” • Corvus Energy was selected to provide an energy storage system to Kawasaki Heavy Industries for the zero-emissions electric e5 tanker it is building. It will be the first battery-powered tanker in the world. It is under construction for Tokyo’s Asahi Tanker Co. [CleanTechnica]

Asahi Tanker Co e5 tanker (Courtesy of e5 Lab Inc)

¶ “Water Overflows From Spent Nuclear Fuel Pools At Japan Nuclear Power Plant” • Water overflowed from the pools where spent nuclear fuel is stored at both of the Fukushima nuclear power plants operated by TEPCO, as a result of the earthquake that struck off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture, according to the Nuclear Regulation Authority. [The Japan News]

US:

¶ “Charts: A Decade Of Cost Declines For US Solar PV Systems” • The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory published its US Solar Photovoltaic System and Energy Storage Cost Benchmark: Q1 2020, documenting a decade of cost reductions in solar and battery storage installations across utility, commercial, and residential sectors. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Dalhousie University’s Jeff Dahn Announces Renewed Partnership With Tesla” • Dalhousie University’s Office of Research Services shared a video of Jeff Dahn, a professor of physics and atmospheric science. Dahn is involved in a research partnership with Tesla, to create better lithium-ion batteries. He announced new chairs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy Transfer Creates Business To Expand In Renewables” • The Dallas-based pipeline operator Energy Transfer LP said it formed a new business to develop alternative energy products as part of an ongoing effort to reduce its environmental footprint. The new operation will focus on renewable energy projects such as solar and wind farms. [Natural Gas Intelligence]

Wind turbine (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

¶ “Interior Department Issues Environmental Review Of Crimson Solar Project Near Blythe” • The US Bureau of Land Management has restarted the permitting process for a solar farm in eastern Riverside County, California, issuing the final environmental impact statement for the 2,500 acre, 350-MW Crimson Solar Project. [The Desert Sun]

¶ “These ‘Science Moms’ Are Worried About Their Kids’ Future – And They Want To Help Other Parents Take Climate Change Action” • If you’re a new mom or dad, it’s often helpful to make use of expertise of other parents. There’s now a group of moms who want to be an expert resource on climate change. It’s called “Science Moms,” [Colorado Public Radio]

Research scientist Melissa Burt, camping with
her daughter Mia (Courtesy of Melissa Burt)

¶ “Rep Schofield Seeks 100% Clean, Renewable Energy In Georgia” • The State of Georgia has finally joined the national conversation around transitioning to a 100% clean, renewable energy portfolio, with the introduction of House Resolution 70 by State Rep Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta). HR 70 is co-sponsored by 29 House Members. [Atlanta Progressive News]

¶ “Solar project brings more renewable energy to Webster County” • Iowa is not usually thought of as a solar energy hotbed, but Holliday Creek Solar LLC of Minneapolis announced plans for an array of solar panels on 957 acres near Fort Dodge. When completed, the site will generate enough electricity to supply 30,000 homes. [Fort Dodge Messenger]

Have a consummately gleeful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Sacred Cow Documentary Makes An Argument For Better Meat” • The documentary “Sacred Cow” explores the ways that ruminants and well-raised meat can play an important role in solving our climate crisis. The film argues that the real threat to our climate and health is industrially processed food, and cows can have important benefits. [CleanTechnica]

Highland cow (James Toose, Unsplash)

¶ “Utility-Scale Batteries And Pumped Storage Return About 80% Of The Electricity They Store” • In 2019, the US pumped-storage facilities operated with an average monthly round-trip efficiency of 79%, and the utility-scale battery fleet had an average monthly round-trip efficiency of 82%, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Coca-Cola Company Trials First Paper Bottle” • Coca-Cola is to test a paper bottle as step toward eliminating plastic from its packaging entirely. The prototype is made by a Danish company from an extra-strong paper shell that still has a thin plastic liner. But the goal is to create a 100% recyclable, plastic-free bottle that can keep the carbonation from escaping. [BBC]

Paper bottle (Coca-Cola image)

World:

¶ “Demand For Brazil’s Solar PV Module Almost Reached 4 GW In 2020” • A recent report from Greener, a Brazilian consultancy, showed that Brazil imported 4.76 GW of PV module capacity last year. Domestic PV module producers had a minor market share at 3.8%, with approximately 190 MW of the solar modules that were shipped in the year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Unveils World’s Most Powerful Offshore Wind Turbine” • Vestas, the Danish wind turbine company, announced that it has developed a new offshore wind turbine designed specifically for use in typhoon-prone areas. The company’s V236-15.0 MW will produce 15 MW of electricity, the highest output of any wind turbine in the world. [CleanTechnica]

Vestas wind turbine (Vestas Image)

¶ “Wind Industry Responds To Ramaphosa’s Commitment To Renewable Power” • The South African Wind Energy Association, has issued a statement of support for President Ramaphosa’s firm commitment to South Africa’s renewable energy procurement program, which he confirmed in his State of the Nation Address last night. [ESI Africa]

¶ “BYD Lands First Electric Fleet Order In Romania” • BYD reached another landmark in its ongoing expansion in Europe. In January, BYD confirmed its first fleet order of nine pure-electric BYD 12-meter buses in Romania. The Municipality of Buzău placed the order, and Transbus Buzău will operate the new electric buses. [CleanTechnica]

BYD 12 meter bus

¶ “Damage And Crack Found Around Circumference Of Koeberg Power Station” • A utility report reveals that the concrete of the containment buildings at South Africa’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station has been damaged by 40 years of exposure to sea air. The concrete containment dome was found to have cracked around the entire 110-meter circumference. [CapeTown ETC]

US:

¶ “EVgo Adding 400+ Tesla Connectors At Its EV Fast Charging Stations” • EVgo is expanding its offering so Tesla drivers can charge at more of its stations. It is upgrading hundreds of them with Tesla connectors. EVgo is the only EV charging platform that has both 100% renewable electricity and connectors for all three fast-charging standards. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla at EVgo charging station (EVgo image)

¶ “Tesla And GM Could Get 400,000 More $7,000 Tax Credits” • Congressional Democrats introduced the Growing Renewable Energy and Efficiency Now Act. If passed, it will help both Tesla and GM by adding 400,000 units that qualify for each. Tesla and GM have already sold too many cars for their customers to benefit from the old credits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Scientists And Law Professors Urge Biden To Pull Unlawful Endangered Species Act Rules” • Leading scientists and law professors petitionedsd President Joe Biden today to rescind key policies that restrict the government’s consideration of harm to endangered animals by greenhouse gas emissions under the Endangered Species Act. [Harvard Law School News]

Small turtle (Massimo Negrello, Unsplash)

¶ “Intel Commits To Clean Energy With Portland General Electric” • Intel has signed a 15-year agreement with Portland General Electric to develop the Daybreak Solar facility, which will produce a significant portion of the energy needed to power Intel’s advanced technology development and manufacturing facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon. [Energy Digital]

¶ “Bluebird Backcountry To Be Fully Powered By Renewable Energy” • In Colorado, Bluebird Backcountry is pushing the boundaries that define traditional ski areas. For one thing, they operate with no lifts. Now, they’re adding energy to the list of things they do differently, using Elevated Independent Energy’s SPOT mobile solar units for electricity. [SNEWS]

Bluebird’s SPOT units (Screenshot via Pinit)

¶ “Lawmaker Withdraws Wind Tax Bill Aimed At Helping Coal Plants” • A lawmaker who introduced a bill that would add a new tax on North Dakota wind farms and give the revenue collected to coal-fired power plants has withdrawn the legislation to avoid causing anxiety or uncertainty in the search for a new owner for Coal Creek Station. [Bismarck Tribune]

¶ “Montana Senate Panel OKs Study To Convert Colstrip Coal Plant To Nuclear” • A Montana Senate Committee okayed a bill to see whether it is possible to turn one of the West’s largest coal plants into a nuclear plant. The bill requests an interim study on the feasibility of replacing coal-fired boilers at the Colstrip power plant with small modular reactors. [S&P Global]

Have a triumphantly worthwhile day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Are Renewables The Cheapest New Source Of Power?” • After a politician said he thought renewable energy is the cheapest source for new power generation, AAP FactCheck took a look. It found that renewables are the cheapest form of new power generation, even when accounting for the cost of firming, based on available evidence. [Australian Associated Press]

Wind turbines in Australia (Alex Eckermann, Unsplash)

¶ “Transitioning Fleets To EVs Without Disrupting Operations, Cost-Effectively” • As fleets buy more electric vehicles, the most important factor for fleet managers is that the transition to EVs cannot disrupt current operations, a report found. For a smooth transition, it is essential that fleet operators understand utility capabilities and rate options. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “ESS Makes 12+ Hour Flow Battery For Sustainable Energy Storage” • Flow batteries have big advantages for stationary energy storage, but they are costly. Energy Storage Systems has a technology that could change that. Its battery is based on an iron compound and ordinary salt, which makes it both low-cost and environmentally friendly. [CleanTechnica]

ESS flow battery (ESS image)

¶ “Renewables, Gas Generators Seen As Winners In Green Hydrogen-Tinged Future” • The opportunity lies in co-locating renewable power facilities with electrolyzers – systems that break water into hydrogen and oxygen – to produce a carbon-free liquid fuel. It is more costly than natural gas, but it does not require pipelines. [S&P Global]

World:

¶ “Can Ireland Return To Its Former Wilderness?” • Once, 80% of all Irish land was covered by native trees, The figure now just 1%, as farmland dominates. Rewilding is the process of returning human-altered land to a more natural, ecologically-rich state. Rewilding could also act to counter climate change by building ecosystems that lock in carbon. [BBC]

Temperate rainforest in December (John Haynes, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Green Genius To Invest Over €100 Million To Create Solar Parks In Poland” • Green Genius, a renewable energy company that is a part of an international group of companies known as the Modus Group, has sunny ambitions for Poland. At the end of last year, it won two auctions for solar power plant projects with a total capacity of 79 MW. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nissan Teams Up With The Arbor Day Foundation To Plant 20K Trees” • Nissan and the Arbor Day Foundation are joining forces to plant new trees all across Europe. They aim to plant 20,000 trees this year to benefit local communities and the broader world. The effort is a celebration of Nissan’s successful decade with the Nissan LEAF. [CleanTechnica]

Nissan LEAF (Arbor Day Foundation)

¶ “OX2 Swoops On 400 MW Of Finnish wind” • OX2, a Nordic developer, acquired the project rights to the 400-MW Lestijarvi wind farm in Finland from YIT for an undisclosed price. The project, which is the largest onshore wind farm in the country, will be built in Central Ostrobothnia. It will feature up to 72 turbines with heights of 240 meters. [reNEWS]

China:

¶ “Tesla Giga Shanghai Made Almost 25,000 EVs In January 2021” • Twitter user “Teslar” shared news that, according to the China International Corporation, Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory made 24,800 electric vehicles last month. This is up 9.9% from December 2020. Over 9,000 of the cars Tesla made in China last month were for export. [CleanTechnica]

Happy Chinese New Year from Tesla

¶ “China launches world’s largest carbon market” • China is launching the world’s largest carbon market, giving financial incentives to power plant operators to reduce their emissions. Experts hope it will be pivotal in helping the country meet its carbon targets. For now, the market only covers a single sector and lacks some strict regulations. [PRI]

¶ “Tesla’s $25,000 Model 2 Will Be Sold Globally, Tom Zhu Says” • Tom Zhu, president of Tesla’s operation in China, spoke in an interview with Chinese state media’s Xinhua Net about the news that Tesla China is developing a $25,000 vehicle. Zhu provided new information about Tesla’s new Model 2 EV. He said that it would be sold globally. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Giga Shanghai (Image courtesy of Tesla)

US:

¶ “How Cities Are Electrifying The Auto Market – Carsharing” • It’s no secret that transportation is the largest source of carbon emissions in the US. So it’s no surprise that, while promoting the use of public transit, biking, and walking, cities also embrace EVs in their quest to cut carbon emissions. And some are thinking outside of the box. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Study Shows New York Subways Have A Pollution Problem” • According to a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, New York’s subways are the most polluted in the Northeast. An analysis of the particulate pollution found that across the systems tested, iron accounted for the most common particulate material found in the air. [CNN]

New York subway station (Eddi Aguirre, Unsplash)

¶ “NYC Advances ‘Renewable Rikers’ Energy Plans” • The island with the world’s largest correctional facilities may one day be the site of a renewable energy plant. Plans for the transition gained momentum when New York City Council members voted to conduct a study of the potential for green infrastructure on Rikers Island. [Courthouse News Service]

¶ “Plus Power Breaks Open Market For Massive Batteries In New England” • Battery plants established themselves in the sunny Southwest, but now they have won big in New England. Plus Power, based in San Francisco, won two bids in a capacity auction held by the New England ISO. Two batteries storing a total of 650 MWh are due online in 2024. [Greentech Media]

Have a thrillingly pleasant day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Buy Land And Plant – An Adventure In Reforesting” • Having electrified home and car, and bought into a community solar project is not enough. Project Drawdown promotes Land Sinks. It explains, “Plants and healthy ecosystems have an unparalleled capacity to absorb carbon through photosynthesis and store it in living biomass.” [CleanTechnica]

Still from the documentary 10,000 trees (Courtesy of 10,000 Trees)

¶ “Electric Cars Aren’t Your Father’s Oldsmobile – Deal With It” • Early in the EV revolution, many automakers thought they could just rip the internal combustion engine out and shove an electric motor in. But EVs are definitely not your father’s Oldsmobile. And people’s attitudes about EVs have changed dramatically in the past decade. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Alberta Oil Sands Emissions Alone Are Three Times The Global Market For CO₂” • Alberta and its oil and gas sector are betting big on carbon capture, sequestration, and use to cut their carbon emissions. The plan has bit of a flaw. The emissions from extraction alone are more than the current global commodity market for CO₂ today. [CleanTechnica]

Heating the Earth to get the oil (Idaho National Laboratory)

¶ “Build Nothing New That Ultimately Leads To A Flame” • Bill McKibben: A couple of weeks ago, I said that the first principle of fighting the climate crisis was simple: stop lighting coal, oil, gas, and trees on fire, as soon as possible. Today, I offer a second ground rule, corollary to the first: definitely don’t build anything new that connects to a flame. [The New Yorker]

World:

¶ “Nissan Launches EV Shuttle Experiment To Build Low Carbon Communities In Japan” • In a bid to to develop a revitalized, resilient, and sustainable community that can live up to the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050, Nissan, with eight other Japanese companies and three local governments, has begun a field test for new mobility services. [CleanTechnica]

Calling a car (Courtesy of Nissan Global)

¶ “Underground Hydropower Could Be Britain’s Ultimate Renewable Power Source” • The UK’s hilly landscape could be the place for hydropower to be generated underground. Instead of using mountains and dams to store hydropower energy, hundreds or even thousands of hills across Britain could offer an alternative storage solution. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Scottish Solar-Storage Project Undergoes Review” • Proposals for a 30-MW solar-storage project north of Dunfermline in Scotland have been submitted for consultation. The plans, for the site near Lochead Landfill, consist of ground mounted solar panels along with associated battery storage. The project is planned to come online in 2022. [reNEWS]

Site in Scotland (AMPYR Energy image)

¶ “Shell Confirms Oil Production Has Peaked As It Unveils ‘Accelerated’ Green Plan” • Shell launched a major green plan to invest in low carbon technology and natural carbon capture, align its decarbonization goals with climate science, and seek regular advisory consent from shareholders for an “accelerated” net zero strategy. [businessgreen.com]

Australia:

Please note that Australians use the term “Liberal” to mean something more like what is called “Conservative” in the US

¶ “WA Liberals Target 100% Renewables By 2030 In Surprising Climate Plan” • In the upcoming elections in Western Australia, the Liberal Party is expected to lose badly. “We are in survival mode,” one party member told the ABC. So it seems the anti-climate-action attitude they have had isn’t particularly smart. A new party plan reflects that. [RenewEconomy]

Perth, Western Australia (Fadzai Saungweme, Unsplash)

¶ “WA Liberals Announce 4.5-GW ‘Mega Project’ As Part Of Renewable Energy Plan” • In Western Australia, the core of the Liberals’ New Energy Jobs Plan is a $9 billion 4.5-GW renewable energy “mega project,” with wind and solar capacity to be built up so energy can be converted to green hydrogen for transport to export markets. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Coal Plants To Close By 2025 Under WA Election Renewable Energy Plan From Liberals” • A Liberal Kirkup government plans to close all publicly owned coal-fired power stations by 2025 as part of the “biggest jobs, renewable energy and export project in the nation.” This mean that the Muja and Collie stations would shut within four years. [ABC News]

Muja Power Station (Nachoman-au, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “US Airline Set To Buy Flying Electric Taxis For Airport Runs” • United Airlines plans to buy 200 flying electric taxis that it hopes will fly passengers to the airport within five years. United Airlines will also invest in flying taxi firm Archer Aviation as part of a $1.1 billion (£800 million) deal to develop the aircraft. The aircraft still need regulatory approval. [BBC]

¶ “California Surpasses Renewable Energy Goals Due To Local Demand” • A study from UCLA shows that the increased local demand for clean power enables the government to surpass its renewable power targets. The research finds that the community choice aggregators significantly impact energy procurement in California. [Los Hijos de la Malinche]

Wind turbines (Pixabay image)

¶ “County Supervisors OK Plan To Develop, Streamline Renewable Energy Projects” • The San Diego County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a plan to streamline the environmental review process for renewable energy projects in unincorporated areas. The goal is to simplify requirements, reviews, and permitting. [Times of San Diego]

¶ “Delaware To Boost Renewable Energy Requirements By 2035” • Renewable sources will make up a bigger chunk of Delaware’s energy supply by 2035. In 2005, the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Act mandated that Delaware’s electricity providers get 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2025. Now, over 15 years later, the bar has been raised. [WHYY]

Have a simply magnificent day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “In The Fast Lane With Formula E” • Since the first race in Beijing in 2014, Formula E has been invigorating fans across the globe. Born in part from a desire to attract sponsors who are increasingly eco-conscious back to motorsport, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is a natural showcase for electric vehicle technology. [CleanTechnica]

Racing EV (Formula E image)

¶ “Airspeeder Shows Off Mk3 Flying Car Design, Plans Manned Racing In 2022” • Australian flying-car company Alauda recently showed off the third version of their highly anticipated eVTOL, Airspeeder Mk3. That alone would be newsworthy, but they also announced that the company plans to have manned Airspeeder racing in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “£182 Million In London Congestion Charges And Fines In One Year” • Data obtained from Transport for London shows UK motorists were fined £130 million in fines for failing to pay the London Congestion Charge after they went into the city in non-electric cars over a 12 month period, and another £52 million in fees. One takeaway: Get an EV! [CleanTechnica]

Citroën e-C4 (Courtesy of © Citroën)

¶ “Fossil Fuel Air Pollution Causes Almost One In Five Deaths Globally Each Year” • Environmental Research published a study by researchers from Harvard University, in collaboration with three British Universities, that found exposure to particulate matter from fossil fuel emissions accounted for 18% of all worldwide deaths in 2018. [CNN]

¶ “Mercedes-Benz EQA Is A Slick, Compelling Addition To UK Auto Market” • We might compare the Mercedes-Benz EQA with Tesla EVs. The EQA’s base price is very similar to the Tesla Model 3’s in the UK, and that is very similar to expected Model Y’s base price. Tesla offers more advanced tech, but Mercedes offers a more luxurious auto build. [CleanTechnica]

Mercedes-Benz EQA (Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz)

¶ “China Plans To Raise Minimum Renewable Power Purchase To 40% By 2030” • China will require regional grid firms to buy at least 40% of power from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 to meet national climate targets, according to a new government document seen by Reuters. In 2020, 28.2% of China’s electricity was from non-fossils. [The Business Times]

¶ “Vattenfall Granted Horns Rev 3 Certification” • DNV GL has issued Vattenfall with a project certificate for its 412-MW Horns Rev 3 offshore wind farm. The certificate proves a safe and cost-efficient operation of the largest offshore wind farm in Denmark. Horns Rev 3 is the third phase of offshore wind development at the Horns Rev site. [reNEWS]

Horns 3 offshore wind farm (Vattenfall image)

¶ “UNSW Sydney Leads Group To Power New South Wales Infrastructure With Renewables” • A research consortium led by UNSW Sydney will investigate the potential to grow a new industry that will use cheap excess renewable energy to make fuel, chemicals, and feedstocks to power a range of New South Wales infrastructure. [UNSW Newsroom]

¶ “The City Of Sustainable Skyscrapers” • Hong Kong’s 42,000 buildings – including about 8,000 high-rises, of which more than 1,500 are skyscrapers exceeding 100 m (328 ft) in height – consume up to 90% of the city’s electricity and contribute to 60% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. Now Hong Kong is aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050. [BBC News]

Green building (New World Development Company)

¶ “Catholic Bishops Of Japan, Korea Criticize Fukushima Radioactivity Clean-Up Plans” • The Catholic bishops of Japan and Korea criticized the Japanese government’s plans to release into the sea millions of gallons of radioactive water from the tsunami-damaged Fukushima Daiichi, where three nuclear reactors melted down in 2011. [Catholic News Agency]

¶ “Storage Player Highview Closes $70 Million Funding Round” • Highview Power has closed its growth capital round of funding with over $70 million, bringing the total amount of funding and grants the company has secured to date to over $145 million. Highview Power’s technology stores energy by liquefying air and using it to power turbines. [reNEWS]

Highview Power plant (Highview Power image)

US:

¶ “Proposed E-BIKE Act Legislation Would Offer 30% Tax Credit For E-Bike Purchases In US” • Finally! We have the legitimizing move that e-bikes deserve along with micromobility in general. US Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) sponsored the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment Act. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Brooklyn Getting USA’s 1st EV Fast Charging “Superhub” • An e-mobility company in New York, Revel, is putting 30 EV fast chargers into a “Superhub” in Brooklyn. It is a record-breaking facility, in fact. “The site will be the largest universal fast charging depot in North America, with 30 chargers open to the public on a 24/7 basis … [CleanTechnica]

Tritium RTM75 with Revel branding (Revel image)

¶ “UA Wins Funding To Support Renewable Energy Innovation” • The University of Arizona Center for Innovation received an award of up to $300,000 from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to support the US technology innovators competing in the Department of Energy’s American-Made Challenges program. [Tucson Local Media]

¶ “Experimental ‘Blowhole’ Renewable Energy Could Be On Its Way To The US” • The use of wind and water as sources of renewable energy is well-documented. But an innovative project, taking place off the coast of a remote Tasmanian island, aims to showcase a new approach in other parts of the world, including in US waters. [Digital Trends]

Have a thoroughly entertaining day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Monoculture Could Worsen Vulnerability To Climate Change” • Roughly two-fifths of the planet’s iceless terrestrial area has turned to farming and forestry, reducing biodiversity. The conversion of biodiverse landscapes to single-species farms alters the water cycle and makes the world more susceptible to ecological instability. [Food Tank]

Farming (Photo courtesy of Scott Goodwill, Unsplash)

¶ “Erratic Weather Slows Down The Economy” • A study in the journal Nature Climate Change shows that if temperatures vary strongly from day to day, the economy grows less. Comparing daily temperature changes with economic data, researchers found that seemingly small variations in temperatures may have strong effects on economic growth. [EurekAlert]

¶ “Sensitive Himalayan Glaciers And The Impact Of Their Rapid Shrinking Due To Climate Change” • Melting glaciers increase the risk of runoffs and floods, as we recently saw with the glacier disaster in Uttarakhand that claimed 26 lives and displaced many people. There 197 people still reported missing, and rescue operations are still underway. [The Weather Channel]

Himalayas (swapnil vithaldas, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Nigerian Startup BrightCloud Automotive Hopes To Start Making Electric SUVs And Pickups In The Near Future” • Legacy automakers fail to see what may become an EV leapfrog event similar Africa’s experience with cell phones and financial tech. African companies, such as BrightCloud, see opportunities for local EV manufacture. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Swedish Activists Oppose Geoengineering Experiment” • In June, Harvard researchers plan to launch a high altitude balloon from Lapland as part of an experiment to see whether particles in the Earth’s atmosphere can reflect sunlight and reduce climate change. Swedish environmental groups have written to voice their opposition. [CleanTechnica]

SCopEX balloon experiment (Keutsch Group image)

¶ “Global Plugin Vehicle Sales Up 43% In 2020, European Sales Up 137%” • Plugin electric vehicles had a sales increase of 43% in 2020 compared to 2019, worldwide, rising from a 2.5% market share in 2019 to 4.2%. But Europe delivered a 137% sales increase in 2020 compared to 2019. Several countries had increases over 200%, and India’s was 510%! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RWE Inks 250-GWh Renewables Offtake” • RWE has signed a power purchase agreement with semiconductor tooling supplier ASML for 250 GWh of green electricity annually. The electricity will be delivered from two new RWE onshore wind farms and one solar plant in the Netherlands, as well as from an offshore wind farm in Belgium. [reNEWS]

Wind turbines (Kaiserwetter image)

¶ “Energy Storage Systems Must Be Charged Using Renewables For Round-the-Clock Power Bid” • India’s Ministry of Power has amended the guidelines for the tariff-based competitive bidding process for round-the-clock power from renewables projects. The amendments say the storage systems must be charged by solar or wind power. [Mercom India]

¶ “Oil Majors Outbid Green Energy Firms To Build Offshore UK Windfarms” • Oil majors have agreed to pay a hefty premium to develop the next generation of major British offshore wind farms after BP Plc and Total SE won contracts in an auction ahead of many of the utilities that have dominated the space until now. The auction awarded rights to develop 8 GW. [WorldOil]

Ørsted offshore wind farm (Ørsted image)

¶ “Global Offshore Wind Installations Hit 5.2 GW In 2020” • A record 5,206 MW of offshore wind capacity went into operation worldwide during 2020, compared to 5,194 MW installed in 2019, according to a new report from World Forum Offshore Wind. The new additions brought cumulative operational capacity of offshore windpower to 32.5 GW. [reNEWS]

US:

¶ “Chevron May Not Be An Oil-First Company In 2040, CEO Says” • Chevron has built a $170 billion fossil fuels empire that has made the 141-year-old company synonymous with the oil-and-gas industry. But the climate crisis is forcing Chevron and other oil companies large and small to rethink their once-reliable business models. [CNN]

Chevron oil tanker (Dreamyshade, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “2020 US Electric Vehicle Sales Report” • There is no official count of US EV sales, but we do have numbers or quite informed estimates for several major electric models. An estimate from EV Volumes that US plugin vehicle sales grew with a 4% increase over 2019 despite the fact that the overall light-duty auto market was down 15% in 2020. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electrify America Rolls Out 30 Solar-Powered EV Charging Stations In Rural California — And They’re Free To Use” • As Electrify America builds out a large ultrafast charging network, rural areas offer the challenge of insufficient electricity capacity to power them. A solution? Good ol’ solar power. And in some areas, you can charge for free. [CleanTechnica]

Solar powered Electrify America charging station

¶ “100% Of New US Power Capacity Came From Solar & Wind In November” • Matching the result in October 2020, November 2020 saw 100% of new US power capacity coming from wind and solar power, according to data published by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC data exclude rooftop solar power, but 100% is 100% either way. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AES Closes Financing For 400-MWh US Battery” • AES Corporation has closed a $154 million  debt financing for a 400-MWh standalone grid battery storage in Los Angeles County. The transaction was closed by sPower, an independent power producer.  The Luna Storage project is expected to come online later this year. [reNEWS]

Have a terrifically relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Extreme Weather Driven By Climate Change, Conflict, And The Covid-19 Pandemic Are Driving Worsening Hunger. What Can Change That?” • Our climate is so closely connected to our food systems that even if fossil fuels were eliminated today, emissions from farming mean temperatures would likely still rise by at least 1.5°C. [Thomson Reuters Foundation]

Farming (Gozha Net, Unsplash)

¶ “How Can Mercedes-Benz Compete With Tesla If It Pushes ICE Vehicles Over Its Own New EV?” • A Teslarati article shows that Mercedes-Benz does what many dealerships do when customers want EVs – pushing customers to think about cars with internal combustion (ICE) engines instead. It seems like Mercedes-Benz is not serious about selling its EVs. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Got Climate Change? Kelp Can Help” • Kelp, which most of us refer to as seaweed, may be an important tool in the quest to limit the effects of a warming planet. By absorbing carbon dioxide from sea water, it can reduce local acidity, improving water conditions to the benefit of other local sea life, such as the blue mussels fishermen harvest. [CleanTechnica]

Giant Kelp (NOAA image)

World:

¶ “Oil Prices Climb Back To Pre-Pandemic Levels” • The price of oil has recovered to its pre-pandemic levels having hit an all-time low last year. It has now reached $60 a barrel. While the demand for oil is still lower than normal, there are hopes of a speedier than expected economic recovery as the vaccines for Covid-19 are rolled out. [BBC]

¶ “Mango Solar – Offering Electrification And Digitalization In Africa, Now In Installments” • The Mango Combo Bundle has a large portable battery with a lamp; a chargeable speaker with aux, radio, and Bluetooth; and a solar panel that can power it all. Many of Africa’s rural poor can afford it on through Mango’s cloud-based pay-as-you-go system. [CleanTechnica]

Mango Combo and lamp

¶ “Amazon Buys More Offshore Wind Power” • Amazon has signed an agreement with Shell Energy Europe for renewable power from the subsidy-free Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm being constructed in the Netherlands. Amazon will buy a total of 380 MW from the wind farm, 250 MW from Shell and 130 MW from Eneco. [Offshore Wind]

¶ “Vestas Secures 29-MW Italian Job” • Vestas has received a turbine order totaling 29 MW for the Mazara Messer Andrea wind farm in Sicily. The contract includes the supply and installation of eight V136-3.45MW machines delivered in 3.6-MW power optimized mode. Commissioning is expected in the first quarter of 2022. [reNEWS]

Vestas turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “Revising Clean Energy Policy To Help Australia Unlock $40 Billion In Investments” • The Australian government should revise its renewable energy policy to unlock future investments of up to $40 billion in the power generation sector, according to a Wood Mackenzie study. It says that renewable capacity could double by 2030. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Crown Hails High Lease Bids As ‘Vote Of Confidence’” • The Crown Estate says the outcome of the Round 4 leasing process, which will see annual option fee payments from developers hit £879 million, is a “significant vote of confidence” in the UK offshore wind industry. Six sites totaling just under 8 GW were awarded in the round. [reNEWS]

Offshore wind turbine (Crown Estate image)

¶ “Donated Hitachi ABB Microgrid Simulator To Grow The NT’s Renewable-Energy Capabilities” • A Hitachi ABB microgrid simulator is now in place at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory, where it will help build knowledge and capability to guide the Territory on its road to 50% renewable electricity by 2030. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “$4 Billion US Oil Company Banks On Perovskite Solar Cell Of The Future” • Hunt Consolidated is part of a $4 billion oil and gas empire and one of the largest privately held firms in the US. Despite its oil industry connections, Hunt has been working on a years-long perovskite solar cell venture. Now it looks like all that hard work may be about to pay off. [CleanTechnica]

Perovskite Solar Cell (NREL image)

¶ “Plymouth State University Offering Climate Studies Degree” • Plymouth State University started a bachelor’s degree program in climate studies, the first institution in New Hampshire to do so. Students, who are increasingly taking an active role in doing something about climate change and its effects, have few college programs offered to them. [WCAX]

¶ “GE Awarded DOE Grant To Research 3D Printing Of Wind Turbine Blades” • Three General Electric businesses working in the field of renewable energy, GE Research, GE Renewable Energy, and LM Wind Power, were recently selected by the US DOE to research the design and manufacture of 3D printed wind turbine blades. [Power Engineering International]

Wind turbine blades (LM Wind Power image)

¶ “Competitive Suppliers’ Attempt To Reopen Virginia’s Renewable Energy Market Faces Tough Utility Opposition” • A bill to let electricity customers in Virginia purchase renewable energy from companies other than their local utilityy cleared the House of Delegates. Now it faces a Senate committee that struck it down in 2020. [Virginia Mercury]

¶ “Biden: US Won’t Lift Sanctions Until Iran Halts Uranium Enrichment” • President Biden said the US will not lift sanctions against Iran unless it stops enriching uranium, continuing a standoff with Iran’s supreme leader, who has demanded that sanctions be lifted before the country returns to its obligations under the 2015 nuclear deal. [msnNOW]

Have a fully functioning day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What’s Next For State Climate Action In The US? Seven Areas To Watch” • Even with a profound shift in US federal climate policy, state-level climate action will remain essential. Here are seven high-impact policies to watch in 2021, as well as federal programs and policies that can encourage and reinforce state-level climate action plans. [CleanTechnica]

New York City (Sung Shin, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe’s Chance To Sprint Ahead On Electric Vehicles” • If you’ve been following the electric vehicle market much at all, you know that European EV sales jumped through the roof in 2020. EU-based Transport & Environment wants Europe to be the leader in this market, and it has published a report showing how it sees that happening. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Warning to Energy Investors: Coal Is Dead and Oil Is Next” • Over the past two decades, coal has been shoved aside for natural gas and renewable energy plants that are more cost-effective and less polluting. Transportation markets are likely to be the next in line to be transformed, with electric vehicles offered by nearly every manufacturer in the industry. [Motley Fool]

What we leave behind (Chris LeBoutillier, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Capacity Of Iran’s Renewable Power Plants Reaches 859.17 MW” • According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, the capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants stood at 859.17 MW in the tenth Iranian calendar month of Dey. Iranian renewable power plants produced 5.738 billion kWh of electricity in the month, according to the report. [MENAFN.com]

¶ “Equinor: Floating Wind Turbines Buoy Hopes Of Expanding Renewable Energy” • Hywind Scotland, the first floating wind farm, was installed in 2017. It is operated by Norwegian oil giant Equinor ASA, which sees a future for floating wind turbines where the ocean is too deep for ordinary masts, such as Japan and the US West Coast. [marketscreener.com]

First full-scale floating turbine (Lars Christopher, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “How Japan’s Electricity Grid Came Close To Blackouts” • Japan’s worst electricity crunch since the Fukushima crisis has exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s recently liberalized power market. Power prices in Japan hit record highs last month as a cold snap across northeast Asia prompted a scramble for supplies of liquefied natural gas. [Japan Today]

¶ “Morrison Government Still Stalling On Emissions Targets” • In the lead-up to Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s address to the National Press Club, there were rumors flying that he was set to announce a target of net zero emissions by 2050. Unsurprisingly, he did not announce this. What he did was to say that if this occurred, it be nice. [Independent Australia]

Scott Morrison (Screenshot via YouTube)

US:

¶ “GM’s Electric Vehicle Strategy Takes Shape, And It’s All About That Fleet” • Getting one person to buy your new EV is good, but it’s even better when that one person is a fleet manager who can put 12,600 into one order. That seems to be the business model General Motors had in mind for its new BrightDrop electric delivery van venture. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NASA Appoints Climate Advisor To Prioritize Earth Science In Biden Administration” • The climate crisis is one of President Joe Biden’s top priorities, so NASA created a climate adviser position. Gavin Schmidt, as senior climate advisor, will report directly to NASA’s administrator and work with a range of departments in NASA that touch on climate. [Space.com]

Gavin Schmidt (Image: © NASA)

¶ “US Energy Agency Predicts More Renewables, But Comes Under Fire For Fossil Forecast” • The EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook found that the US will double its share of renewable energy in its energy mix by 2050. But controversially, it predicts flat trends for both coal and gas despite Biden administration’s work to decarbonize. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Sandia Labs Research Could Bring Renewable Energy To Rural Communities” • Sandia National Laboratories has new technology to work out how to bring renewable energy to rural communities. Their custom-built wind turbine emulator mimics actual wind turbines so they can understand better how to bring renewable energy to rural areas. [KRQE News 13]

Sandia National Laboratories (Science in HD, Unsplash)

¶ “City Council Bows To Entergy With Renewable And Clean Portfolio Standard” • The New Orleans City Council voted last march to pass a “Renewable and Clean Portfolio Standard.” But the plan it settled on accepts nuclear power and carbon capture technology that has never commercially succeeded. Meanwhile, the costs just go up. [Big Easy Magazine]

¶ “This Energy Company Is Leading The Charge To Capture A Multitrillion-Dollar Opportunity” • NextEra Energy has invested billions of dollars in building a world-leading renewable energy-generating portfolio, based on which it has paid big dividends for its investors. However, the company believes that its best days are still ahead. [Motley Fool]

Have an unremittingly jolly day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Washington Clean Buildings Bill Raises The Bar For Every State” • A bill under consideration in the state of Washington proposes a wide range of innovative policies that would greatly reduce climate pollution by addressing building electrification through a comprehensive set of policy levers. It gives guidance for what other states can do. [CleanTechnica]

Seattle, Washington (Roberto Nickson, Unsplash)

¶ “Clearing The Air With New Truck Regulations” • Newly available rules will bring big economic, environmental, and health benefits to states that choose to adopt them. To inform states’ decision-making while uncertainty and misinformation exists, however, we should clear the air and dispel the myths about the two rules. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Tesla Semi And Tesla Giga Berlin Production Starting In Mid-2021 – Rumor And Website Update” • On the last Tesla quarterly conference call, Elon Musk indicated they could be producing the Tesla Semi, which was unveiled a few years ago, if they just had enough batteries for it. The only real holdup at this point is the lack of batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Semi showing (Tesla image)

¶ “Panasonic Boosts Its Profit Outlook Due To Tesla” • Panasonic expects its battery business supplying Tesla to be profitable this fiscal year, Reuters reports. The company has raised its operating profit forecast for the year by over half. The company will use new battery technology to help Tesla cut its battery costs and ramp up battery production. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Microgrid Partnership Sealed To Grow Sector” • MPC Energy Solutions has closed an asset development agreement and strategic partnership with Enernet Global, which develops microgrid projects in Latin America, Africa, Australia, and Asia. Enernet will develop the asset pipeline and perform all of the construction management. [reNEWS]

Working on the grid (National Grid image)

¶ “Queen’s Property Manager Banks Huge Windfarm Bonanza” • The Queen and the Treasury are in line for a multibillion-pound bonanza, after a major auction of seabed plots for windfarms off the coasts of England and Wales attracted runaway bids. Just two of the windfarm sites in the Irish Sea may earn as much as £200 million for each. [The Guardian]

¶ “South Korea Unveils $43-Billion Plan For World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm” • South Korea unveiled a 48.5-trillion-won ($43.2-billion) plan to build the world’s largest wind power plant by 2030 as part of the country’s efforts to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. Its 8.2 GW capacity is about the equal of 6 nuclear reactors, officials said. [Rappler]

Offshore wind farm (Nicholas Doherty, Unsplash)

¶ “Experts Pile Pressure On Boris Johnson Over ‘Shocking’ New Coal Mine” • Pressure is growing on the government of the UK over its support for a new coal mine in Cumbria, as the country prepares to host the most important UN climate summit since 2015. Woodhouse colliery would be the first new deep coal mine in the UK for three decades. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “US Offshore Wind Potential Relies On Intelligent Grid Integration” • The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is planning for the technologies and strategies needed to integrate the offshore wind installations coming into the grid. It’s success with integration is steering efforts to deliver power efficiently and affordably from offshore plants. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind connection (Illustration by Josh Bauer, NREL)

¶ “An Invisible, Odorless Gas Is Pitting Texas Against The Biden Administration” • Climatologists at NASA and the NOAA tell us that deadly changes from global warming will only get worse until people stop using fuels that burn and leak. But the governor of Texas is making it clear that he will protect his state’s Oil & Gas industry. [CNN]

¶ “Ford Pumps $29 Billion Into Electric Vehicle Plot After Splashy Mustang Mach-E Success” • Last year, Ford introduced an electric version of its iconic Mustang with great fanfare, and yesterday the company followed up with a new $29 billion plan to electrify and digitize its fleet. And if it wasn’t for that pesky semiconductor shortage … [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Bram Van Oost, Unsplash)

¶ “New Report: Electric Vehicles Can Save Nevada $20 Billion” • Nevadans can save over $14 billion through 2050 by moving from gas-powered cars to EVs, according to a report. EVs can also cut air pollution to provide $3 billion in health benefits, and boost efficiency of electricity system for $3 billion. The report shows $20 billion in benefits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Energy Powering More US Local Government Buildings” • President Joe Biden issued executive orders aimed at reducing America’s carbon footprint, but efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions at the local level have gained strength even as the former Trump administration sought to reinvigorate the fossil fuel industry. [Voice of America]

Solar array (Government of Montgomery County, Maryland)

¶ “Total To Develop Four Solar Projects Near Houston, Texas, Expanding Renewable Footprint” • The French oil major Total said it acquired the yet-to-be-completed solar projects near Houston. All four projects are expected to come online by 2024. They will have the capacity to generate as much as 2.2 GW of electricity. [Houston Chronicle]

¶ “US Wind Reports Strongest Year” • The US wind industry had its strongest year ever in 2020 as the amount of new wind power capacity added increased by 85% over 2019, according to the American Clean Power Association. The ACPA published a report that found the industry added 16,913 MW of wind power capacity to the grid in 2020. [reNEWS]

Have a practically ideal day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Automakers Are Going Green To Save Money, Not Just The Planet” • Virtually all major automakers worldwide are shifting to all-electric futures – and that’s as much about the bottom line as it is about the environment. Volkswagen plans to launch roughly 70 pure electric models by 2030 and General Motors hopes to sell only zero-emission cars by 2035. [CNN]

Chevy Bolt (Chevrolet image)

¶ “Top 10 Things We Learned About Climate Change In 2020” • A report prepared by a group of 57 leading researchers from 21 countries suggests there was both good news and not so good news about our overheating planet during the year 2020. The International Institute for Sustainable Development summarized the report’s findings. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Posidonia, The Mediterranean’s ‘Super Plant'” • The sea grass Posidonia oceanica is incredibly effective at filtering the water and producing oxygen. In fact, 1 square meter of Posidonia produces as much oxygen as 1 hectare (10,000 square meters) of Amazon rainforest. Despite attempts to protect it, Posidonia is in grave threat of disappearing in a few decades. [BBC]

Posidonia oceanica (Nachosan, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Shift to plant-based diets is key to saving world’s wildlife” • The global food system is the primary driver of biodiversity loss and species extinction, and a shift to plant based diets is needed to curb the damage being done to nature, according to a report from Chatham House. Biodiversity is crucial to both human well-being and a healthy planet, [CNN]

¶ “Experimental ‘Blowhole’ Wave Energy Generator Goes Online Down Under” • A 200-kW demonstration of Wave Swell Energy’s “blowhole” power generator has been set up off Tasmania. The device channels waves in and out of a concrete chamber, pushing air in and out of an artificial blowhole in the top of the chamber to drive a wind turbine. [New Atlas]

Wave Swell Energy demonstration unit (Wave Swell Energy)

World:

¶ “France Not Doing Enough To Tackle Climate Change, Court Rules” • A Paris court has found France legally responsible for its failure to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets. The lawsuit was launched by Greenpeace France, Oxfam France, and two other NGOs after an online petition gathered a record-breaking 2.3 million signatures. [CNN]

¶ “Tesla Moves Into Israel With Fairly Low Prices” • Tesla has entered the Israeli market with lower than expected prices, Haaretz reports. Tesla’s Hebrew site sets a delivery date for its vehicles in March and reflects the company’s plans to target the mainstream market. Prices start at 180,000 shekels ($54,600) for the Tesla Model 3, after taxes. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model 3 Israeli pricing

¶ “World’s biggest Battery With 1,200-MW Capacity Set To Be Built In NSW Hunter Valley” • CEP Energy said it plans to build the world’s biggest battery in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, the latest in a flurry of major energy storage projects. The battery is part of a larger plan including a total of 2,000 MW of storage and 1,500 MW of solar power. [The Guardian]

¶ “Northland Plans C$20 Billion Renewables Drive” • In Canada, Northland Power is targeting C$15 to C$20 billion (€9.8 to €13 billion, $11.7 to $15.6 billion) of gross capital investment in new renewable projects over the next five years. It said they would be “anchored by identified offshore wind projects that are currently in active development.” [reNEWS]

Building a wind turbine (Northland Power image)

¶ “Scotch Whisky Distilleries To Use Renewable Electricity Created By Underwater Turbines” • Whisky distilleries on an archipelago west of mainland Scotland could soon be powered with electricity from subsea tidal turbines. Tidal energy firm Nova Innovation said it would install 3 MW of turbines between two islands of the Inner Hebrides. [CNBC]

¶ “Denmark Gives Nod To Offshore Energy Hub” • Denmark has reached a landmark agreement on the construction of an energy hub in the North Sea. It will further integrate European grids with more offshore wind that are planned for nearby waters. The energy hub will be an artificially constructed island 80 km off the coast of Jutland. [reNEWS]

Proposed green energy hub (Vindo Consortium image)

¶ “Removal Of Four Deformed Fuel Units Begins At Fukushima Daiichi” • The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant crippled after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami has started removing four deformed nuclear fuel assemblies from the storage pool of the No 3 reactor building. It is now ten years since the meltdown at the plant. [NHK World]

US:

¶ “Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, And Blumenauer Unveil Bill Pushing Biden To Declare National Climate Emergency: ‘We Are Out Of Time'” • Three progressive lawmakers introduced legislation that would require President Joe Biden to declare a national climate emergency, arguing that the US is “out of time and excuses” to deal with the climate crisis. [CNN]

Bernie Sanders at Council Bluffs, Iowa (Matt A J, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Rad Power Bikes Receives $150 Million Investment To Scale Up Its E-Bike Business” • Leading US e-bike brand Rad Power Bikes announced that it has received a $150 million investment from “a prestigious group of investors.” The investment could help the company expand its market, strengthen its sales, and speed up its deliveries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US EIA Explores Covid-19’s Impact On US Energy Mix 2020–2050” • The US will likely take years to return to 2019 levels of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions following the impact of Covid-19 on the US economy and global energy sector, according to projections by the US DOE’s Energy Information Administration. [CleanTechnica]

Have a surprisingly peachy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “GM Drops Funny, Fearless Electric Vehicle Ad On Superbowl Sunday” • It may seem like half the country got sucked into some crazy fear-based cult, but GM envisions another America. It’s funny, has fun friends, loves a challenge, loves the country to be the greatest. CleanTechnica got a sneak peak at GM’s 60-second EV ad for the Superbowl. [CleanTechnica]

Will Ferrell in GM ad (Photo courtesy of GM)

¶ “Green Investment By Individuals Is Expanding” • With the plummeting cost of renewable energy and an increasingly widespread awareness of the climate crisis, a new force has emerged in the stock market. Small investors are redirecting low paying savings account funds into green finance, often with some very positive results. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bloomberg Has Some Really Cool US Energy Infographics” • A diagram from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory shows where our energy comes from and what it is used for. A diagram by Bloomberg clarifies that. One thing it shows is that if we use electricity to power our cars, we will use far less energy. EVs are more efficient than other cars. [CleanTechnica]

Diagram from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

Science and Technology:

¶ “Study Shows Walking, Cycling, And e-Biking Make Significant Impact On Carbon Emissions” • Cycling, e-biking, or walking can help reduce emissions, even if such active transport is done just one day a week, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit. Active transport could save 25% of emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “IdentiFlight AI System Hugely Reduces Bird Fatalities At Wind Farms” • Bird fatalities associated with wind farms has long been a focus area of “concern trolls” who don’t want to see the industry grow. IdentiFlight developed a system that was shown in a study to reduce bird (eagle) fatalities by 82%. The study appeared in the Journal of Applied Ecology. [CleanTechnica]

IdentiFlight sensing system (IdentiFlight image)

World:

¶ “Global Electric Vehicle Top 20 – EV Sales Report” • After a rough start of the year, the second half of 2020 became a record-fest. Three of the last four months saw records broken, and in December there were over half a million registrations. In fact, in each of the last three months, sales of plug-in cars were at least doubled from the year before. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Siemens Gamesa Wins Vietnamese Nearshore Project Deal” • Siemens Gamesa has secured its largest nearshore project to date in Vietnam, the 100-MW Tra Vinh Dong Hai 1 wind farm in Tra Vinh province. The project will feature 25 SG 5.0-145 turbines with a flexible power rating. Siemens Gamesa has been working to expand in Vietnam. [reNEWS]

Near shore wind farm (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “Germany Hits 21.7% Plugin Share In January – Up Over 3× Year-on-Year” • Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, hit a 21.7% plugin electric vehicle share in January, up over 3× from January 2021. Overall auto sales volumes were down 31% in January 2021, with petrol combustion vehicles dropping more than 50% in volume year-on-year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ladakh To Host 10 GW Of Hybrid Renewable Power Projects” • The Indian government is working towards making the union territory of Ladakh carbon-neutral. Ladakh’s lieutenant governor said last year, “In the various assessments done, Ladakh has a potential of 30 GW of solar, 5 GW of wind, 2 GW of hydro, and 300 MW of geothermal.” [pv magazine India]

Sunny Ladakh (The Union Territory of Ladakh, govt of India)

¶ “Amazon Starts Up First Irish Wind Farm” • Amazon’s first operational wind farm in the Republic of Ireland is delivering electricity to the country’s electricity grid. The 23-MW wind farm in County Cork, southern Ireland, is the first in the country to be built without public subsidies. Amazon has two more projects coming in Ireland. [reNEWS]

US:

¶ “Empire State Building Powers Up With 100% Wind After Deal With US Developer” • New York’s Empire State Building is now 100% powered by wind energy, as a contract was signed between the iconic property’s manager, Empire State Realty Trust, and US developer Green Mountain Energy. The building also just had an extensive efficiency retrofit. [Recharge]

Empire State Building (Aleksandr Rogozin, Unsplash)

¶ “BOEM Resumes Vineyard Wind Review” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said that it intends to resume an environmental review of Vineyard Wind’s proposed 800-MW offshore wind project, which is twelve nautical miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard at its nearest point. BOEM will develop a final environmental impact statement. [reNews]

¶ “Renewables Expected To Replace Coal By 2033, Says Morgan Stanley” • Global wealth management company Morgan Stanley projects coal-fired power generation is likely to disappear from the US power grid by 2033. It said renewable energy such as solar and wind power will provide about 39% of US electricity by 2030, and as much as 55% in 2035. [The Hill]

Mining machine (Albert Hyseni, Unsplash)

¶ “CALPIRG Seeks to Accelerate California’s Renewable Energy Goals” • The California Public Interest Research Group is seeking to accelerate California’s Senate Bill 100 and commit the state to a goal of using 100% renewable energy sources by 2030 instead of the current goal of 2045. The campaign’s goal is to modify the existing law. [New University]

¶ “TVA Asks For Public Comments About Proposed Nuclear Reactor Site” • The Tennessee Valley Authority is asking for public comment about a proposal to build one or more small or advanced nuclear reactors in west Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The reactors would be on the Clinch River Nuclear Site, in Roane County. [Oak Ridge Today]

Have a perfectly flowing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Mission Possible Partnership: Joining Forces to Decarbonize Heavy Industry” • How should investors with net-zero ambitions evaluate potential investments? What standards can be used to judge decarbonization plans? RMI’s Center for Climate-Aligned Finance was set up to help investors and clients together to solve the decarbonization puzzle. [CleanTechnica]

Heavy industry (Ant Rozetsky, Unsplash)

¶ “China’s EV Infrastructure Massively Outclasses EV Charging Coverage In USA” • For the US, the world’s wealthiest country, it’s embarrassing that Chian would have such good EV charging coverage while there are many parts of the US that most EVs couldn’t get to. We really should be a lot further along in our infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Upcoming Aptera (And Other Future 1,000-Mile EVs) Can Do London-Moscow-Beijing” • Readers helped the author find data on China’s DC Fast Charging infrastructure, and with that, she was ready to find out if a vehicle like the Aptera could drive across all of Eurasia, from London to Moscow, and then across Asia to Beijing. [CleanTechnica]

Screenshot from A Better Routeplanner

¶ “Moon’s Nuclear Phaseout Policy Eroded By Suspected Reactor Project: Korea Herald” • In South Korea, President Moon Jae-in’s administration has come under suspicion of having pushed for a plan to build a nuclear power plant for North Korea in 2018, when Mr Moon held a string of summits with the North’s leader Kim Jong-un. [The Straits Times]

World:

¶ “Tesla May Receive €1 Billion From Germany For Giga Berlin’s Battery Cell Production” • Tesla is slated to be on the receiving end of €1 billion in subsidies for the Giga Berlin plant. According to Business Insider, “several government sources” said that Tesla will be granted the €1 billion in public subsidies for continuing to develop battery cells. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Giga Berlin (Tesla image)

¶ “Volkswagen Predicts 100,000 ID.4 Deliveries This Year” • The ID.4 is now in production at the Zwickau factory in Germany and the Anting and Foshan factories in China. Volkswagen says it expects to deliver 100,000 of them this year. Europe will account for two thirds of those deliveries, with China and the US getting the remaining one third. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Norway’s Best Ever January At 81% Plugin Electric Vehicle Share” • Norway, the world’s leading nation in the electric vehicle transition, saw 80.7% plugin share in January, significant growth from the 64.4% of a year ago. The overall auto market was up 7.7% in volume year-on-year. The Audi e-tron and Peugeot e-2008 were best sellers. [CleanTechnica]

Peugeot e-2008 (Image courtesy of Peugeot)

¶ “Enel Wins In Italy’s Latest Renewable Energy Auction” • Enel Green Power won contracts to build new renewable energy projects and to repower existing plants in Italy’s latest renewable energy auction. The company won contracts to build 34.5 MW of new renewable capacity to repower 27.2 MW of hydroelectric plants. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Sustainable Marine Unveils Floating Tidal Energy Platform” • Sustainable Marine is set to deliver the world’s first floating tidal energy array with its next-generation platform in Nova Scotia. Construction of the 420-kW PLAT-I 6.40 floating tidal energy platform has recently been completed and it was launched in the Bay of Fundy. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

PLAT-I 6.40 (Sustainable Marine image)

¶ “Al Kharsaah PV Power Plant Will Help Diversify Qatar’s Energy Mix And Reduce Emissions” • Hitachi ABB Power Grids won a contract for the 800-MW Al Kharsaah PV power plant, which will be integrated with Qatar’s national grid. The new Al Kharsaah plant is Qatar’s first large-scale solar power generating project. [MEConstructionNews.com]

US:

¶ “New Flyer Xcelsior AV Is America’s First Autonomous Bus” • American bus manufacturer New Flyer recently took the wraps off an all-new battery-electric model it’s calling the Xcelsior AV. The thing that makes this bus special, however, isn’t what’s under the Xcelsior AV’s hood. Rather, it’s what’s behind the steering wheel: nothing. [CleanTechnica]

New Flyer Xcelsior AV

¶ “US Wind Generation Sets Daily And Hourly Records At End Of 2020” • In the final months of 2020, electricity generation from wind turbines in the US set daily and hourly records. Data collected in the EIA’s Hourly Electric Grid Monitor show an hourly record set on December 22 and a daily record set on the following day. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Set To Add More Than 170 GW Of Renewable Energy Capacity By 2024” • Newly released data by S&P Global Market Intelligence found that the US is on track to add 172.5 GW of renewable energy capacity through 2024. That total is comprised of 96.8 GW from solar power projects and 75.7 GW from wind power projects. [ThomasNet News]

Wind turbine (Alyssa Bossom, Unsplash)

¶ “Piper Sandler: Tesla Is Worth Over $1 Trillion” • An analyst at Piper Sandler, Alexander Potter, has raised his price target of Buy-rated Tesla stock by over 130% to $1,200, a report in Barron’s says. That is up from a $515 target set in September when Tesla’s shares were trading around $440. At $1,200, Tesla would be worth $1.1 trillion. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hanover Votes To Join Municipal Energy Coalition To Cut Electricity Costs; Lebanon May Follow Suit” • Officials in Lebanon and Hanover, New Hampshire, are leading efforts to form a coalition of towns and cities that would offer lower-cost and environmentally friendly power to residents across the Granite State. [Valley News]

Have a categorically awesome day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How To Fix Flaring For A Quick Emissions Win” • With the new year and the new presidential administration, climate change is again on the agenda in the US, the world’s largest producer of natural gas. The oil and gas industry has a quick win within reach to cut emissions – by putting out the fire of natural gas flaring. [CleanTechnica]

Natural gas flare (Tim Evanson, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Steps To Aid US Fossil Fuel Workers In The Clean Energy Transition” • Economic fallout from Covid-19 took a serious toll on US fossil fuel workers and communities. But well before that arrived, the fossil fuel industry was under pressure as the country moves toward cleaner forms of energy. Workers can be helped by “just transition” strategies. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Low A Solar Cell Can Go, Perovskite Edition” • The hits just keep on coming for fossil energy stakeholders, and the worst is yet to come as new low-cost perovskite solar cell technology bubbles up through the R&D pipeline. Helping things along is the US DOE, which has spent years plotting the nation’s course back to solar leadership. [CleanTechnica]

Perovskite solar cell (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology)

¶ “Chart: Why Battery Electric Vehicles Beat Hydrogen Electric Vehicles Without Breaking A Sweat” • Here is a chart that gives one of the clearest explanations of why hydrogen cars fueled by “green hydrogen” makes no sense whatsoever. That chart, which comes from Transport & Environment, makes it easy to see the difference of efficiency. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Volkswagen Begins Battery Recycling Pilot Project In Lower Saxony” • At Volkswagen, the quest for in house battery recycling technology began more than a dozen years ago with a doctoral project. Components of lithium ion batteries can be recovered and reused to make new batteries, rather than being incinerated or sent to landfills. [CleanTechnica]

Battery component (Volkswagen image)

¶ “Sweeping Electricity Market Overhaul Deals A Blow To Renewable Energy” • The Mexican Congress has a bill that proposes a sweeping overhaul of its electricity market to favor the state-owned utility. It is a move that would deal a blow to the use of renewable energy in the country and raise trade tensions with the US and Canada. [Mexico News Daily]

¶ “Naturgy Launches Floating Wind-Hydrogen Study” • Naturgy is entering a partnership with Enagas on a feasibility study for the production of green hydrogen from up to 250 MW of floating wind power, located off the coast of Asturias in north-west Spain, and a 100-MW onshore wind farm in Asturias, an autonomous community. [reNEWS]

Platforms for floating turbines (Navantia-Windar image)

Australia:

¶ “Australia Gas Plants Face Price, Renewable Headwinds” • The decline in gas-fired power generation to a 15-year low in eastern Australia’s national electricity market in October-December may reflect a transition to renewables. It was not what the Australian government had in mind when it unveiled its gas-led recovery plans last year. [Argus Media]

¶ “Aussie Retailers Leading The Charge On Renewable Energy” • The Australian retail sector is well ahead of other industries when it comes to renewable energy commitments, new Greenpeace research reveals. The report found that retailers had 1146 MW of clean energy commitments, almost double the amount of any other sector. [Pro Bono Australia]

Wind turbines

¶ “Coal-Rich Hunter Valley Ponders Jobs Future As Asian Giants Commit To Net-Zero Carbon Emissions” • As Australia’s biggest coal export markets – Japan, South Korea and China – commit to net-zero carbon emissions and shift towards clean energy, the mines of the Hunter Valley of New South Wales appear to be heading for a slow decline. [ABC News]

US:

¶ “Battery-Powered Construction Equipment From Komatsu And Liebherr” • Electric bus manufacturer Proterra is joining forces with Komatsu to develop a line of medium size electric excavators. The combination makes use of Komatsu’s experience as a manufacturer of heavy equipment with Proterra’s expertise at building batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Excavator (Proterra image)

¶ “El Paso Electric Files EV Plan With New Mexico Regulators” • El Paso Electric provides electricity to a lot more than just El Paso, Texas. It provides electricity to the smaller towns in both Texas and New Mexico. The company filed a Transportation Electrification Plan with the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “As Boston Gets On Board, Community Power Compacts Gain Steam” • With the launch of Boston’s new Community Choice Electricity program this month, nearly half of all Massachusetts municipalities are now buying electricity on behalf of their residents. The state’s 168 municipal aggregation programs provide cheaper, greener power. [WWLP]

Solar array in Massachusetts (Nick Allen, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Peterborough Energy Action Schedules Outreach Dialogues For Renewable Energy Commitment” • Community dialogues are being scheduled for Peterborough, NH, residents interested in discussing the 2021 warrant article proposing a commitment by the town to 100% renewable energy by 2030 and other energy by 2050. [Monadnock Ledger Transcript]

¶ “Exelon Threatens To Mothball Four Nuclear Power Plants Unless Paid A Premium For Their Zero-Carbon Electricity” • Exelon has warned repeatedly that the two plants, Byron and Dresden, faced the possibility of early closure unless they get financial support. The company is also demanding subsidies to keep LaSalle and Braidwood open. [Forbes]

Have a significantly gorgeous day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Groundbreaking Biofuel Rocket Could Be ‘Uber For Space'” • Stardust was hauled to its launch site in Maine by a pick-up truck. When it lifted off, it was the first commercial launch of a rocket powered by bio-derived fuel. Sascha Deri, inventor of the biofuel and chief executive of bluShift Aerospace, says it can be sourced from farms around the world. [BBC]

Stardust (Knack Factory, Courtesy Aerospace)

¶ “Porsche 3D-Prints EV Parts That Are 10% Lighter And Twice As Strong” • Porsche is doing 3D printing with special printing units that can use metals as raw materials to create EV drivetrain parts. The products are lighter, stronger, and easier to work with. And emissions are reduced at every step from making the vehicle to driving it around. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Using Offshore Wind To Farm Seaweed” • Shareholders in the Norther wind farm in Belgium have plans to use offshore wind turbines for ocean agriculture, known as aquaculture. They plan to automate the growth and harvest of seaweed and develop a system that other wind farms can use. Their first project would cover 2 hectares (4.9 acres). [Power Technology]

Seaweed (Ben Wicks, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Ideol Extends Floatgen Testing” • The French floating wind company Ideol is to extend operation of its 2-MW Floatgen demonstration off France by three years. The company said it has an agreement with Ecole Centrale de Nantes, which operates SEM-REV test site where the unit is located, to continue running the turbine so it can pursue optimization. [reNEWS]

World:

¶ “Singapore Is Building A 42,000-Home Eco ‘Smart’ City” • Tengah will be the 24th new settlement built by the government of Singapore since World War II. But it’s the first with centralized cooling, automated trash collection, and a car-free town center. A 328-foot-wide corridor is safe passage area for wildlife, and some call the settlement a “forest town.” [CNN]

Tengah (Courtesy of the Housing & Development Board)

¶ “Google Uses AI To Plot Fastest, Most Efficient EV Road Trips” • For Tesla owners, the car can help plan the trip. Now owners of other EVs can get a similar service. Google says it has devised a new Maps feature that uses “graph theory” to sort through all the permutations and give drivers accurate information about how to drive and charge along the way. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Biogas Plant To Power Vestas’ Isle Of Wight Facility” • Black Dog Biogas, the owner and operator of an anaerobic digestion plant on the Isle of Wight, set up a line to supply renewable electricity to a Vestas wind blade manufacturing plant. The project will supply low-carbon electricity to a Vestas plant that employs over 600 people. [reNEWS]

Biogas plant (Black Dog Biogas image)

¶ “Mexico Says Renewable Energy Capacity Rose 13.4% Through October” • Mexico’s renewable power capacity increased by 13.4% from 2019 through to the end of October, as new solar and wind plants were installed and began testing, the energy ministry said. Renewable capacity rose from 23,582 MW to 26,743 MW, largely through additions of solar PVs. [Nasdaq]

¶ “MOL Creates New Offshore Wind Arm” • Tokyo-based shipping firm Mitsui OSK Lines is to create an offshore wind division. MOL’s Wind Power Energy Business Division will specialize in offshore wind and related operations. It will also be tasked with expanding and accelerating MOL’s current activities in this area. [reNEWS]

Ørsted ship (Ørsted image)

¶ “MHI, Vestas Japan JV Opens For Business” • A joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Vestas to boost the marketing of onshore and offshore wind turbines in Japan is now operational. MHI Vestas Japan was established to strengthen the partners’ collaboration in the field of renewable energies, mainly wind turbines. [reNEWS]

¶ “European PV Players Launch 4-GW Solar Developer” • AGP Group, Hartree Partners, and NaGa Solar have formed a joint venture to develop at least 4 GW of solar projects in the UK, the Netherlands and Germany. The complementary skills of the three businesses give the JV an ability to speed up the build-out of solar capacity. [reNEWS]

Installing solar panels (Unsplash image)

¶ “Shell Targets Power Trading And Hydrogen In Climate Drive” • European oil companies are seeking new business models to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Shell is betting on its power trading expertise and the rapidly growing hydrogen and biofuels markets as it shifts away from oil, while its rivals chase renewable energy assets, company sources said. [CNA]

US:

¶ “GM Pushes Ahead With Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology For Long Haul Trucks” • According to CNBC, a push by GM and Navistar for trucks powered by hydrogen will include a tie-in with OneH2, which will be responsible for hydrogen production, storage, delivery, and systems to supply fuel cell powered trucks with hydrogen safely. [CleanTechnica]

GM Hydrotec fuel cell

¶ “John Kerry Says The Current Goals Under The Paris Climate Agreement Are Inadequate To Reduce Earth’s Temperature” • John Kerry, special presidential envoy for climate, said the current Paris climate agreement goals are not enough to limit global warming. But, he said, there was still time to do more when it comes to climate change. [CNN]

¶ “Largest Solar Project In US Underway In Texas” • Construction began recently on the Samson Solar Energy Center, the largest planned solar energy farm in the US. When completed, the solar farm will have 1,013 MW of generating capacity. The project is being developed by Invenergy, and it is expected to be compled in 2023. [Earth911.com]

Have a happily constituted day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Biden’s Climate Agenda: Is This The Beginning Of The End For Fossil Fuels?” • The author spoke to the man Joe Biden has tasked with drawing up his climate change battle plans – John Kerry. “It is one of his top priorities, without any question whatsoever,” Mr Kerry assured him. “He’ll make more progress on the issue than any previous president.” [BBC]

Pump jack (Jeff W, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Your Banking Habits Matter For The Climate” • The connection between investments and greenhouse gas emissions may not be intuitively clear. But your financial habits could be having a big impact on the environment. As a consumer with money to invest, the decisions you take about what to do with it can be surprisingly important. [BBC]

¶ “Big Oil Woos Big Corn To Fight Off Biden EV Push” • Like a deer in the headlights, Big Oil is watching the fast moving train wreck headed its way and trying everything it can think of to avoid the carnage a major market disruption will bring. And one thing that includes is likely to be cozying up to its longtime rival, the ethanol industry. [CleanTechnica]

Corn field under a cloud (Dave Hoefler, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Autonomous Vehicles Take To The Skies With Emergency Auto Landing” • Emergency Autoland (EAL) is coming. EAL would take over an airplane if it detects that the pilot is not able to fly it. It then handles all of the flying tasks, including sending out warnings to control towers and other aircraft. And it can land the plane, preventing loss of life. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Scania Ditches Fuel Cell Trucks To Focus On Full Electric” • Sweden’s Scania AB, one of the world’s largest heavy duty truck and bus manufacturers, is benching its fuel cell electric vehicle program and pushing ahead with full electric, powertrains built around batteries for its zero emission transport future. Scania is owned by Volkswagen AG. [CleanTechnica]

Scania electric truck (Scania image)

¶ “Climate Change Report ‘Incredibly Encouraging’, PM Says” • The first report of New Zealand’s Climate Change Commission shows that reaching the country’s emissions reduction goals is both achievable and affordable. The Prime Minister calls this incredibly encouraging. The report lays out a path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions drastically. [RNZ]

¶ “Open the Gates! 23% Plugin Vehicle Share in Europe!” • The overall automotive market still in the red in December (-4% YoY), but Europe’s passenger plugin vehicle market had an historic month, having registered a record 281,000 vehicles (+264% YoY!), adding an amazing 115,000 units to the previous record, which was set in the previous month. [CleanTechnica]

Renault Zoe (Renault Press Image)

¶ “First Nuclear Unit With Hualong One Reactor In Operation” • China’s first nuclear power unit using Hualong One, the country’s indigenous third-generation nuclear power technology, was put into commercial operation, China National Nuclear Corporation said. China is one of only four countries that have developed third-generation reactors. [Chinadaily USA]

¶ “China’s Renewable Energy Generation Maintains Growth In 2020” • China’s renewable energy generation rose 8.4% year on year to 2.21 trillion kWh in 2020, according to the National Energy Administration. By the end of last year, the national renewable energy capacity had hit 934 GW, up 17.5% from the year before. [Global Times]

Wind turbines in China (Chris Lim, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Ikea Bought 11,000 Acres Of Forest In Georgia To Protect It From Development ” • Ingka Group, which owns and operates most Ikea stores, acquired forestland in southeast Georgia to protect it and its diverse ecosystems from development. The company announced that it purchased 10,840 acres of land near the Altamaha River Basin. [CNN]

¶ “Tucson Electric Power’s Biggest Solar Farm Taking Shape South Of The City” • The Wilmot Energy Center, a 100-MW PV project with 30 MW of linked battery storage, is currently under construction south of Tucson. A spokesman for the developer, NextEra Energy Resources, said operations are scheduled to begin as early as April. [Arizona Daily Star]

Wilmot Energy Center (David Sanders, Tucson Electric Power)

¶ “US Transportation Emissions Expected To Shoot Up Again In 2021 And 2022” • With the Covid-19 pandemic, the Earth had a momentary pause from escalating CO₂ emissions. Unfortunately that was only a pause. Information from the Energy Information Administration implies that we will return to 2019 emissions levels from transportation in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Scientist Jobs Left Vacant By Previous Admin Need Filling As Biden Tackles Environmental Challenges” • The number of scientists who carry out environmental research, enforcement and other jobs fell in several agencies, and sharply in some, under former President Donald Trump, federal data shows. That is a challenge for President Joe Biden. [KTLA]

Have an inexpressibly magical day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Dizzying Pace Of Biden’s Climate Action Sounds Death Knell For Era Of Denialism” • The first ten days of Biden’s presidency have represented a startling handbrake turn from Donald Trump’s term, where climate science was routinely disparaged or sidelined and policies to cut planet-heating emissions were jettisoned. This is a new era. [The Guardian]

President Biden signing an executive order (White House photo)

Science and Technology:

¶ “This Is The Hydrogen Generator That Will Power The Extreme E Electric Off-Road Racers” • The upcoming Extreme E off-road series for electric race cars has brought up questions about where the fuel would come from in the remote deserts and jungles. Extreme E just revealed the portable, hydrogen-powered generator to make the fuel. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why Is VW’s MEB Platform Being Used In Boats?” • The idea behind VW’s MEB platform is to have common electric drive components for a broad variety of electric vehicles. MEB is more about having common motors, controllers, modular battery packs, and related components than about a specific skateboard design. It can go into boats. [CleanTechnica]

Silent-Yachts Silent 55 (VW and Silent-Yachts image, cropped)

¶ “PowerX Energy Suite Aims To Help Upgrade Your House Into A More Efficient “Smart” Home” •  A crowdfunded “smart” home sensor system, PowerX, promises to give people insight into their home’s electricity, water consumption, and water heating usage on a very granular level. It claims to enable savings of “an average of $360/year per person.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Snowy Owl Spotted In New York’s Central Park For First Time In 130 Years” • A snowy owl was spotted in New York City’s Central Park Wednesday morning for the first time in 130 years, The New York Times reported. Snowy owls live in Arctic areas but are known to venture south during the winter, if they need to find something to eat. [EcoWatch]

Snowy owl (Kendra Young, Unsplash)

¶ “USA Wins Electric Vehicle Battery Battle With Assist From US Army” • The big energy storage news comes from Brookhaven National Laboratory, part of the US DOE’s sprawling network of A-list research facilities, and it’s a fine example of how science never sleeps. Brookhaven scientists have been working tirelessly, despite a president’s disapproval. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Meet CityQ, The 4-Wheeled Electric ‘Car-eBike’ That Can Carry Passengers And Cargo” • The CityQ is another approach to micromobility. It’s a 4-wheeled enclosed electric “Car-eBike” with a range of up to 43-62 miles (70-100 km) per charge and a 5-hour charge time. It can carry two adults (or one adult and two kids) and/or cargo. [CleanTechnica]

CityQ (Image via CityQ)

¶ “Corporates Buy A Record 23.7 GW Of Renewable Capacity In 2020” • Corporations purchased a record of 23.7 GW of clean energy in 2020, up from 20.1 GW in 2019 and 13.6 GW in 2018, BloombergNEF research shows. This came despite Covid-19, global recession, and uncertainty about US energy policy ahead of the presidential election. [Smart Energy]

¶ “S&P Warns Oil Majors A Downgrade Is Coming ‘Within Weeks'” •  According to The Guardian, the well-known financial ratings company S&P has warned thirteen of the largest oil and gas companies in the world that it may downgrade their credit rating within weeks because of increasing competition from renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]

Oil platform (NAFTA)

¶ “Maharashtra To Power Modi Govt’s Rooftop Solar Mission” • Targeting generation of 38,000 MW of power through rooftop solar by the end of 2022, India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has now tasked Maharashtra with setting up 500 MW of residential solar power under the centrally-sponsored Off Grid Rooftop Solar Program. [The Indian Express]

¶ “Better Energy Secures Power Deal For Danish PV” • Global pharmaceutical company Lundbeck has entered a seven-year PPA with Better Energy to ensure 100% renewable electricity consumption. As a result of the agreement, Better Energy will build a new 34-MW solar park and bring more new renewable electricity into the Danish grid. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Better Energy image)

US:

¶ “Minnesota Lawmakers Begin Work On Renewable Energy Bill” • Minnesota lawmakers are beginning work on clean energy legislation that would require utilities to generate 100% of their electricity from carbon-free resources by 2040, as a renewed focus on climate change ramps up with a new administration in the White House. [Finance and Commerce]

¶ “BP And Equinor Cement US Offshore Wind Partnership” • BP and Equinor completed the formation of their strategic US offshore wind partnership. This includes a $1.1 billion purchase by BP of 50% interest in two major lease areas off the US East Coast owned by Equinor. The new partnership will develop up to 4.4 GW through two projects. [reNEWS]

Offshore wind power (Equinor image)

¶ “EDF Renewables Switches On 214 MW Of Solar + Storage In Southern California” • EDF Renewables North America reached commercial operation of the 114-MW Desert Harvest 1 and 100-MW Desert Harvest 2 Solar Projects on land in Riverside County, California. Desert Harvest 2 includes a 35-MW, 4-hour energy storage system.  [Solar Power World]

¶ “Investors See Green Returns As Renewable Energy Rises” • FirstSolar, Enphase, and SunPower are among the renewable energy stocks that benefit from a friendly administration in the White House, whose agenda includes tackling climate change and bolstering green energy. Their stocks soared last year, far outpacing the wider market. [WIZM NEWS]

Have a superlatively convenient day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Climate Crisis Gets Help From Millions Of Tiny Little Heat Pumps” • Just as President Biden unleashes a torrent of new climate crisis orders, the US DOE is out with a new roadmap for achieving a carbon neutral US by 2050. Decarbonizing the energy and industrial sectors would cost about $1.00 per person per day, the research shows. [CleanTechnica]

Eight steps toward net-zero emissions (image via Berkeley Lab) Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Governments Can Push EVs And Rooftop Solar To Tipping Points And Social Contagion” • The climate crisis may seem so vast and complex problem that mankind is simply incapable of addressing it. But a study offers hope that transformational change in just a couple of key sectors could bring about “tipping points” that have outsize effects. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Earth Is The Hottest It’s Been In 12,000 Years, A New Study Confirms” • A study published in the journal Nature this week revealed that the planet is hotter now than it has been in at least 12,000 years, and very well may be warmer than at any point in the last 125,000 years. The study is based on much improved models, which explain past trends. [Mic]

Greenland ice (Tina Rolf, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Ford To Start Building Electric Mustangs In China” • Ford is to start building its iconic Mustang cars in China for the first time. The US carmaker said its Mustang Mach-E will start being made there later this year as it looks to tap into China’s EV market. Western brands are aggressively targeting China, where EV sales are expected to grow strongly. [BBC]

¶ “LEF Is A Dutch E-Bike/Car Chimera Promising 66 Miles Of Range With No Pedaling Necessary” • For those looking for a micromobility with an enclosed cabin, a comfortable seated driving position, and space inside the vehicle to haul groceries, there have been a few fairly successful offerings. LEF is one you don’t even have to pedal. [CleanTechnica]

LEF (EV Mobility image)

¶ “Renewables Surge Past Fossil Fuels In UK Energy Mix” • In the UK, renewable resources overtook fossil fuels as the main source of electricity in 2020, new analysis by climate and energy think tank Ember has revealed. A record 42% of the UK’s electricity was generated by renewables in 2020, compared to a 41% share by fossil fuels. [reNEWS]

¶ “Ingka Group Exceeds Goal To Generate More Renewable Energy Than It Consumes” • The Ingka Group Annual Summary & Sustainability Report reveals that for the first time, Ingka Group produced more renewable energy than it consumed. The company operates hundreds of IKEA stores and aims to be climate positive by 2030. [Canada NewsWire]

IKEA Canada wind farm (CNW Group/IKEA Canada)

US:

¶ “Sen Whitehouse drops the mic after 279 speeches on one issue” • Every week since 2012, when the Senate refused to take up a House-passed climate bill, Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has delivered a “wakeup speech.” Now that President Biden issued a veritable tsunami of executive orders on climate, Whitehouse has dropped his mic. [CNN]

¶ “GM Looks To Sell Only Emission-Free Vehicles By 2035” • General Motors said it plans to be carbon neutral by 2040 in its global operations and hopes to offer only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035. GM had previously announced that it was working towards an “all electric future,” but it had not set any target date for achieving that goal. [CNN]

Charging a Chevrolet (Chevrolet image)

¶ “VW Wants In On The Federal EV Goldrush” • The federal government uses at least 650,000 vehicles, but President Biden has a plan to work with GSA to convert most of the state, local, tribal, and even some non-profit and federal corporation fleets (like the US Postal Service) to electric. VW says it is ready to make the EVs we need in Chattanooga. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lightsource BP Inks 152-MW US Solar Offtake” • Lightsource BP has entered into a virtual power purchase agreement with Verizon Communications that will support construction of a 152-MW solar project in Indiana. The Bellflower solar farm, which is east of Indianapolis in Henry and Rush Counties, is expected to become operational in 2022. [reNEWS]

Solar panels and flowers (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “US Wind Energy Production Tax Credit Extended Through 2021” • At the end of December 2020, Congress extended the PTC at 60% of the full credit amount, or 1.8¢/kWh, for another year through December 31, 2021. Under the new PTC legislation, qualifying wind projects must begin construction by December 31, 2021. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Verizon Signs A Further 845 MW Of US Renewables PPAs With Major Solar Developers” • Mobile communications giant Verizon has become one of the leading corporate buyers of renewable energy in the US. The company revealed that it has signed six new 15-year solar power-purchase agreements, adding up to 845 MW. [Recharge]

Solar array (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

¶ “Berkshire East Operates From 100% On-Site Renewable Energy” • In Charlemont, Massachusetts, the Berkshire East ski area, owned and operated by the Schaefer family, runs on 100% renewable energy. The Schaefer’s also own Bosquet Mountain and Catamount ski areas, both of which use renewables for much of their energy. [WWLP]

¶ “House Passes Bill That Ups Renewable Electricity Mandate To 40% By 2035” • The Delaware House has approved legislation that would increase the state’s electricity generated by renewable sources from 25% to 40% by 2035. Delaware is currently on track to meet the existing goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025, one sponsor said. [delawarebusinessnow.com]

Have an enchantingly joyous day.

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World:

¶ “Solar Yacht Manufacturer To Feature VW’s MEB Modular E-Drive System” • When thinking of Volkswagen, yachts probably don’t dome to mind, but that may be changing soon. VW entered a new partnership with a solar yacht manufacturer, Silent-Yachts, to incorporate VW’s MEB electric drive system into its newest model, the Silent Yacht 50. [CleanTechnica]

Solar Yacht (Image via Volkswagen)

¶ “Climate-Action Partnership Launched To Help Transform Heavy Industry And Transport” • The Rocky Mountain Institute, Energy Transitions Commission, We Mean Business, and World Economic Forum have founded the Mission Possible Partnership to accelerate decarbonization of global industries representing 30% of global emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Avoiding Oceanic Disaster: Norsepower Installs First Tiltable Rotorsails” • Instead of relying on large cloth sails like an ancient sailing ship, Norsepower’s technology has rotating cylinder sails. Now there is a tiltable version of the spinning sail. This means vessels that must travel under bridges can still be able to take advantage of the technology. [CleanTechnica]

Ship with tiltable spinning sail (Photo by Norsepower)

¶ “UK, Germany, And Spain Reach Renewable Energy Milestone” • In 2020, renewables generated 38% of Europe’s electricity and overtook fossil-fuels for the first time, according to Ember and Agora Energiewende’s fifth annual report. The UK, Germany, and Spain achieved the milestone for the first time. But the report warns that the transition is too slow. [Energy Digital]

¶ “Foresight Solar Pivots To Grid Batteries” • Foresight Solar Fund is seeking shareholder approval to amend the company’s investment policy to invest in grid batteries that are co-located with solar plants. Since its launch, eight years ago, Foresight Solar Fund has acquired 58 ground based solar power plants, 50 of which are in the UK. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Foresight Solar Fund image)

¶ “Major Milestone For World’s Biggest Solar Project” • Plans to develop a 10-GW solar farm to export electricity to Singapore through a submarine transmission link continue to gather steam. The Northern Territory Government and Sun Cable signed the Project Development Agreement. The project will also have 30 GW of storage. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “BayWa RE Inks Polish Solar Offtake” • BayWa RE has signed a solar power purchase agreement with German construction materials company HeidelbergCement in Poland. The power purchase agreement is for output from Poland’s largest solar PV farm, which is a 65MW project near Witnica. The plant is due online in the first half of this year. [reNEWS]

Solar power at the end of a rainbow (BayWa RE image)

¶ “High Radiation Facilities Inside Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant May Delay Decommissioning Process” • The investigation of the nuclear disaster found that there were areas with extremely high radiation levels near the fifth floor of the reactor buildings of Units 2 and 3. This may lead to a delay in decommissioning the plant. [The Japan News]

¶ “Wind Wins 1 GW In Spanish Renewables Auction” • Almost 1 GW of wind power leases have been awarded to seven companies at a renewables auction in Spain. The Wind Business Association calculates investment of more than €1 billion by developers will be needed. According to Wind Europe, the lowest wind energy bid had a price of €20/MWh (2.4¢/kWh). [reNEWS]

Wind farm (Johanna Montoy, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Biden Signed Two Executive Orders And A Memorandum Wednesday. Here’s What They Do” • President Joe Biden issued an executive order directing a number of actions on the Climate Crisis and an executive order establishing a Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. In addition, he issued a memorandum designed to ensure scientific integrity. [CNN]

¶ “Biden Aims For Comprehensive Climate Approach As He Halts New Oil And Gas Leases On Federal Land” • President Joe Biden signed several executive actions related to the climate crisis on Wednesday, including one directing the secretary of the interior to pause on entering into new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters. [CNN]

President Joe Biden (White House image)

¶ “Tesla Giga Texas: Three Months Ago And Today” • Last year was incredible, but for Tesla, it was especially so. Giga Texas is coming along at such a speed that Jeff Roberts, one of the drone operators who is part of the “Quad Squad” tracking progress of the Tesla gigafactory, believes that Giga Texas will surpass the speed of Giga Berlin. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla’s Had 83% Increase In Energy Storage Deployments In 2020” • In its most recent earnings report, Tesla noted that its energy storage deployments grew from 2019 to 2020. “For the first time, our total battery deployments surpassed 3 GWh in a single year, which is an 83% increase compared to the prior year,” Tesla’s report stated. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla energy storage (Tesla image)

¶ “Tesla To Start Deliveries Of The Semi This Year” • In Tesla’s Q4 2020 Earnings Report, Tesla announced that it is excited to ramp up the updated Model S and Model X as well as deliver its first Tesla Semi by the end of the year. If all goes to plan, Tesla will remain on track to start deliveries from Giga Berlin and Giga Texas this year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nextera To Add Up To 30 GW Of New Renewables In Next 4 Years” • NextEra expects to build about 23-30 GW of renewables between 2021 and 2024, including 12.15 to 17.3 GW in 2023 to 2024. It is “by far the largest expected two-year development program in our history,” CEO Jim Robo said Tuesday during the company’s Q4 2020 earnings call. [Utility Dive]

Have a profoundly amusing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “The New Use For Abandoned Oil Rigs” • There are more than 12,000 offshore oil and gas platforms worldwide. As they drain their reservoirs of fossil fuels, they become unprofitable, and then they have to be decommissioned. One way to do that is to turn their submarine structures into artificial reefs, which are hosts to varied marine life. [BBC]

Oil platforms (Crescent Petroleum,  Icethorn, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Tesla Trying To Make Real Cars With Unibody Casting Like Toy Cars Are Made” • Tesla has not given up on its dream of making cars by casting the entire body in one piece. Elon Musk recently tweeted, “With our giant casting machines, we are literally trying to make full-size cars in the same way that toy cars are made.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Accounting For Value Of Nature Reinforces Paris Climate Targets” • The key finding in a study of climate-economics models is that they have been underestimating the cost of climate damages to society by a factor of more than five. The study, by researchers at UC Davis, was published in the journal Nature Sustainability. [Yale Climate Connections]

Spider web (Jan Huber, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Climate Change: The Biggest Global Poll Supports ‘Global Emergency'” • Results from the largest opinion poll yet taken on tackling global warming show that despite the pandemic, almost two thirds of people around the world now view climate change as a global emergency. Over a million people in fifty countries took part in the survey. [BBC]

¶ “Statkraft, Aker Offshore Join Forces On Norway Wind” • Statkraft, Aker Offshore Wind and Aker Horizons have signed a cooperation agreement to explore offshore wind project opportunities in Norway.  The cooperation will explore the opportunity for bottom-fixed offshore wind at the Norwegian Sørlige Nordsjø II development area. [reNEWS]

Offshore substation (Statkraft image)

¶ “Cumulative Corporate Commitments Drive Demand For 2.8 GW Of Renewable Electricity” • A report released by Greenpeace shows the cumulative commitments of Australia corporations surged in 2020 and accounted for 1.8 GW of the 2.8 GW total. The retail industry emerged as the clear leader in the corporate race to renewables. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Renewable Energy ‘Power House’ To Open In Highlands” • The Power House, a center for research and development in floating offshore wind and green hydrogen, is to be opened in the Highlands. In addition to R&D, it will provide re-training for people who have worked in other energy industry sectors, such as oil and gas and nuclear. [Energy Voice]

WindFloat 1 demonstration unit

¶ “Germany Adds 1.4 GW Of Onshore Windpower Capacity” • Germany installed 1,431 MW of additional onshore wind capacity in 2020, comprising 420 turbines, according to associations BWE and VDMA Power Systems. The figures for 2020 represent an increase of 46% compared to 2019. About 339 MW of the amount was repowering projects. [reNEWS]

¶ “Record 4.8 GW Of New Plants In 2020 Boosts The Turkish Renewables Capacity To 49 GW” • Turkey added a record 4.8 GW of renewable generating capacity last year. The new capacity brings the total for renewables to 49 GW out of Turkey’s 95 GW of installed power. Half of the new renewable energy capacity was hydropower. [Balkan Green Energy News]

Istanbul (Alirıza Çetİntürk, Pixabay)

¶ “Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station Delayed And Costs Rise” • The Hinkley Point C nuclear power station is set to be delayed, and costs are likely to be £500 million more than previously thought, according to the energy giant behind it. EDF said “significant progress” has been made, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [News & Star]

¶ “Cubico Invests In 300-MW Australian Wind Farm” • Cubico Sustainable Investments will be the the principal project investor for Australia’s 300-MW Delburn Wind Farm. The investor has joined OSMI Australia as joint development partner and will purchase 100% of the project before construction starts. The wind farm is in the state of Victoria. [reNEWS]

Wind farm (Cubico image)

US:

¶ “Biden To Halt New Oil And Gas Leases On Federal Lands” • President Joe Biden is set to order a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands, a person familiar with his plans said. The move is expected to be the most prominent in a series of climate actions he will take today, including elevating the climate crisis as a national security issue. [CNN]

¶ “Lightsource BP Turns Sod On 316 MW Of Texas Solar” • Lightsource BP concluded a $380 million financing and has begun construction of two solar PV farms in Texas. The projects are the 163-MW Elm Branch solar array and the 153-MW Briar Creek project. Commercial operation of both of the projects is expected by late 2021. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “Biden Plans All Electric US Government Fleet, Gas Tax Will Be Reexamined ” • While signing his Buy American executive order on January 25, President Biden said, “The federal government … owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we’re going to replace with clean electric vehicles made right here in America, by American workers.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Newark, Delaware Offering Residents Option To Purchase 100% Renewable Electricity” • Residents of Newark, Delaware soon will have the option to purchase electricity that is 100% renewable. The city council approved the plan Monday night, providing an option that city officials say some residents have been requesting for years. [Newark Post]

Have an extravigantly serene day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Poking The Wind Power Dragon In Ohio, One Factory At A Time” • The state of Ohio has been slow to move on the wind power revolution, and last year’s passage of the notorious HB 6 energy bill didn’t help matters much. But CleanTechnica came across One Energy, a wind company has figured out how to keep the turbines coming. [CleanTechnica]

Workers installing a tower (Photo via One Energy)

¶ “Green A Building, Save The Planet” • In 2050, roughly half the US building stock will be buildings that are standing today. We need to reduce energy use and emissions from those buildings. Greening a building through energy and water efficiency is the fastest, most effective way to cut our pollution, and at the same time, it saves money. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A Powerful Tool To Fight Climate Denialism And Conspiracy Theories” • Occam’s Razor is a well-known tool for addressing complex problems. It says that the simplest explanation is often the correct one. When you are dealing with denial of climate change and conspiracy theories, applying Occam’s Razor can simplify the descussion. [CleanTechnica]

Warming planet (NASA image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Coronavirus Ten Times More Deadly Than Covid” • Mers (Middle East respiratory syndrome) is a dangerous coronavirus that was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It spread to humans from camels. Climate change is making this a growing problem, because herders in Africa are raising camels instead of cattle as the supplies of water are declining. [BBC]

¶ “New Solar Arrays To Power NASA’s International Space Station Research” • Designed for a 15-year service life, some of the solar panels at the International Space Station have been operating continuously since December 2000. Other panels have been added over the years, and now more are to be set up to increase the stations power. [CleanTechnica]

Roll-Out Solar Array (NASA image)

¶ “Researchers Claim Redox Flow Battery Breakthrough Will Cost $25 Per kWh Or Less” • In the UK, researchers at Warwick University, in cooperation with colleagues at Imperial College London, say they have found a way to dramatically reduce the cost of redox flow batteries to £20 per kWh or less using very inexpensive materials. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Augwind To Build 120 MWh Of Compressed Air Energy Storage For Solar In Israel” • Israel’s second renewable energy tender was for solar-plus-storage projects, and Israel Electric Corporation awarded 609 MW of solar and 2.4 GWh of energy storage. Compressed air systems by Augwind will provide at least 120 MWh of the storage. [CleanTechnica]

Augwind’s AirBattery process (Screenshot)

¶ “South Africa To Seek 6.8 GW Of Renewable Energy In Next 12 Months” • South Africa plans for three procurement rounds for 6.8 GW of renewable energy over the next year, and a combined 5 GW of new coal, gas, and storage, an ANC presentation showed. South Africa is heavily dependent on coal for its electricity, and it suffers from frequent outages. [TechCentral]

¶ “Vattenfall Invests In In-Turbine Toilets” • Vattenfall has placed an order for the offshore wind industry’s “first” in-turbine toilet. The Swedish developer is spending more than a few pennies by installing the cubicles in every turbine on its Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm. The toilets are being installed for reasons of both safety and productivity. [reNEWS]

In-turbine toilet (PWS image)

¶ “India’s Aim Of Doubling Renewable Power By 2022 Gets Foreign Backers’ Boost” • India’s goal of doubling its renewable power by next year is getting a boost from international investors who see the market’s potential outweighing its significant risks. Total SA’s $2.5 billion investment in Adani Green Energy Ltd is one sign of interest. [Business Standard]

US:

¶ “Reader Tip And Pic Of SpaceX Phobos, Seconnd SpaceX Oil Rig” • CleanTechnica has covered the SpaceX purchase of two offshore oil rigs, with plans to modify them into floating launch and landing facilities for Starship. And we have been tracking progress of the rigs. Thanks to our readers, we now have pictures of the one called Phobos. [CleanTechnica]

Google Maps 3D view of the SpaceX rig, marked in red

¶ “Vineyard Wind Looks To Regain Spot In Project Pipeline” • With a new federal administration that is expected to be far more receptive to offshore wind projects, Vineyard Wind said it is ready to resubmit plans for a wind farm 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard that it yanked from federal review in early December. [Fall River Herald News]

¶ “Boone Town Council Approves Climate Resolution, Targets Town-Wide Renewable Energy By 2050” • In North Carolina, the Boone Town Council unanimously approved a climate resolution that aims to phase out the use of fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions. A “climate and ecological emergency” declaration was also adopted. [The Appalachian Online]

Generating sources (Pixabay image)

¶ “America’s Largest Energy Buyers Call On Federal Government to Transition To Zero-Carbon Energy” • America’s largest energy customers are calling on the federal government to implement strong and specific national policies to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon power sector and expand access to clean energy for customers. [Business Wire]

¶ “Leeward To Acquire First Solar’s US Project Platform” • First Solar, Inc, based in Tempe, Arizona, announced its entry into a Sales and Purchase Agreement with Leeward Renewable Energy Development, LLC, based in Dallas. Leeward will acquire a solar project platform of approximately 10 GW. The transaction is expected to close in this quarter. [Energy Global]

Have a gratifyingly encouraging day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Do Auto Dealers Have A Future In New, Post-Pandemic World Of Electric Cars?” • As the auto industry goes electric, it’s getting harder to see a future for traditional auto dealerships, and the cracks appearing in the century-old edifice seem substantial. During the Covid-19 lockdown, some auto dealers have started looking into how to transition. [CleanTechnica]

Dealership, 2010 (Keene and Cheshire County Historical Photos)

¶ “How To Accelerate The Energy Transition In Developing Economies” • Each day that we exceed the earth’s capacity to absorb CO₂ requires even deeper cuts in subsequent years to keep warming below 1.5°C or 2°C. But outside Europe and the US, coal still dominates energy production. The transition away from coal is a huge opportunity. [World Economic Forum]

¶ “Wyoming Could Lead US Green Energy Push With Wind Power” • The area of Gillette, Wyoming was the self-declared “energy capital of the nation.” It used to supply some 40% of the country’s coal. That was a source of pride. Now, times have changed, and Wyoming offers some of the best areas in the country to develop windpower. [Deutsche Welle]

Wind turbines in Wyoming (CGP Grey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Lynn Good, Duke Energy CEO, On How The New Biden Administration Will Push For A Greener Grid” • Lynn Good is the CEO of Duke Energy. She recently joined TIME for a video conversation to discuss the new Administration, the challenges of energy storage, and what it’s like when protesters build a fracking tower on your front lawn. [TIME]

¶ “Three Reasons Scientists Are Optimistic Under President Biden” • During the Trump Administration, there was a general feeling that science was under attack. Whether climate science, COVID-19, or the environment, a “fog” hung over the science community. Now, there seems to be a new optimism with the inauguration of President Biden. [Forbes]

Scientific survey lauch (NOAA, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “A Path To Fish-Friendly Hydropower” • A Europe-wide project called FIThydro, funded by the European Commission, has been working with research and industrial partners to study negative effects of existing hydroelectric power plants on fish populations and aquatic habitats to deliver new assessment and decision-making support tools. [Power Technology]

¶ “Will Airborne Wind Power Finally Fly In 2021?” • An energy technology that even Google parent company and Alphabet couldn’t get to work might finally achieve commercial takeoff this year. The German company SkySails Power announced that its energy kite concept would be taking to the skies in the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius. [Greentech Media]

SkySails Power kite (SkySails Power image)

World:

¶ “Renewable Energy Surpassed Fossil Fuels For European Electricity In 2020” • Europeans got more of their electricity from renewable sources than fossil fuels for the first time last year, according to an annual report from Ember and Agora Energiewende. It found that 38% of electricity was generated by renewables last year, and 37% by fossil fuels. [CNN]

¶ “India’s Pravaig Dynamics Unveils Its Luxury EV, The Pravaig Extinction MK1” • Pravaig has a different approach to marketing. It also has a prototype of its vehicle, the Extinction MK1. It is a 2-door coupe with claimed specs of 504 km (313 miles) per charge, a top speed of 196 km/h (121 mph), and 150 kW of power (201 hp) under its hood. [CleanTechnica]

Pravaig Extinction MK1 (Screenshot)

¶ “Heatwave Sweeps Australian Cities And Raises Bushfire Danger” • A heatwave sweeping south-east Australia has sent temperatures soaring in the nation’s biggest cities and escalated the threat of bushfires. There was an emergency warning for Adelaide due to a large blaze in South Australia, and Victoria faced its worst fire risk in a year. [BBC]

¶ “MingYang Wins European Breakthrough Deal At Taranto” • Chinese turbine supplier MingYang has secured a deal to supply turbines to the 30-MW Taranto offshore wind farm off Italy, its first contract in Europe. The manufacturer will deliver 10 3.0-MW units to the project, which is in waters off the Apulia region. The project developer is Renexia. [reNEWS]

MingYang wind turbine (MingYang image)

¶ “BP Oil Exploration Team Swept Aside In Climate Revolution” • The geologists, engineers, and scientists of BP’s oil exploration team have been cut to less than 100 from a peak of more than 700 a few years ago, company sources told Reuters. The job cuts are part of a climate change-driven overhaul triggered last year by CEO Bernard Looney. [Reuters]

US:

¶ “Tesla To Host A Virtual Info Session For Energy Careers” • Tesla has announced that it is holding two virtual info sessions for those who are interested in learning about careers in Tesla Energy, solar roof, and solar panels. The first info session is for crew leads. The second session will be for licensed electricians and field service technicians. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla roof, Tesla battery, Tesla car (Tesla image)

¶ “US Rejoins Fight Against Climate Change At High Level Summit” • The US is returning to the global fight against climate change by joining talks on ways to better protect people and economies from the effects of global warming already taking place. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry will join world leaders at the Climate Adaptation Summit. [Devdiscourse]

¶ “Great Lakes Seeing Low Ice Cover Compared To This Time Last Year” • The Great Lakes have been slow to freeze this year, compared to years past. Around 2.4% of the Great Lakes are covered by ice, concentrated in the Green Bay region off Lake Michigan and Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron. That’s down from 11% cover at this time last year. [Michigan Radio]

Have an appropriately energized day.

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Opinion:

¶ “US Offshore Wind Is Off To The Races (At Last!)” • The first two weeks of 2021 had big news for offshore windpower, and the inauguration of President Joe Biden will put a stiff wind into the industry’s sails. By the end of 2021, the Biden administration will likely have approved two projects and be reviewing up to a dozen more on the eastern seaboard. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore windpower (Reegan Fraser, Unsplash)

¶ “Fighting The ‘New Climate War’ With Michael Mann” • Well known atmospheric scientist Michael Mann has a new book titled The New Climate War: The Fight to Take Back Our Planet. It looks at how governments and corporations can make lasting impacts when it comes to climate change. The book especially targets those who say it is already too late. [KPCW]

¶ “Our Amazing Clean Energy Future Has Arrived” • Evidence of a great green wave is now overwhelming. In 2020 the world spent half a trillion dollars on renewables and clean technology, according to BloomergNEF. Prices are going down, and they will continue to fall with economies of scale, so the rate of renewable energy adoption will increase. [Foreign Policy]

Solar array in Japan (Mark Merner, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Corporate Solar Funding Increased 24% In 2020” • Global corporate funding in the solar power sector grew by $11.7 billion, or 24%, in 2020 compared to 2019, despite the pandemic. That figures covers a broad range of financing methods, including venture capital funding, private equity funding, debt financing, and public market financing. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Fiat 500e Dominates Italy’s EV Market In December, And BEVs Grow Eightfold!” • The year of coronavirus saw traditional car sales down all across Europe by double-digit percentages. Meanwhile electric cars have taken charge, offering a taste of things to come. In Italy, December’s EV sales were up by over eight times last year’s levels! [CleanTechnica]

Fiat 500e city car

¶ “In UK, 79% Of Drivers Could Charge An Electric Car Just Once Every Week Or Two” • A new study out of the UK points out that 79% of drivers in the country drive less than 150 miles per week, which could easily be met with one charge in most of the very popular EVs. If you get a longer range model, you might charge up just once every two weeks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Saxon Church Prays For Deliverance From Nuclear Plant” • The Grade I-listed church St Peter-on-the-Wall was built in an abandoned Roman fort in about the year 660. Now the Bradwell B nuclear reactor is to be built threateningly close by. Members of the congregation question why nuclear power is needed when renewables are cheaper. [The Guardian]

St Peter-on-the-Wall (Mjrogers50, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “JinkoSolar Begins Construction On 20 Gigawatt Solar Cell Factory” • JinkoSolar, one of the largest solar module producers in the world, is building a 20-GW solar cell factory  it expects to be fully operational this year, with the first 10-GW half of the factory expected to be online by May. The plant is being built in Yunnan Province, China. [CleanTechnica]

US:

¶ “New York Times: Electric Cars Are Cheaper And Cleaner” • A feature in the New York Times, citing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, definitively stated: “Electric vehicles are better for the climate than gas-powered cars … [and] despite the higher sticker price, electric cars may actually save drivers money in the long run.” [CleanTechnica]

Tesla (Matt Henry, Unsplash)

¶ “Two Former Trump Officials To Be Investigated For Posting Papers Denying Climate Change” • Two former Trump officials are to be investigated by the Commerce Department’s Office of Inspector General. They had posted dubious papers questioning man-made climate change using government logos but without the approval of the Trump administration. [BBC]

¶ “Panasonic Expands Home Solar Offerings In High-Growth Solar States” • Panasonic Corporation of North America has announced that it promoted 13 solar installers “to the Elite and Premium tiers of its Residential Solar Installer Program.” With higher demand, it appears that Panasonic is now selling solar panels in a bunch of new places. [CleanTechnica]

Have a completely successful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Volkswagen’s Plan To ‘Kill Off Tesla’ Ain’t Happening – But We Need Volkswagen EVs To Succeed” • The Wall Street Journal published an article detailing how Volkswagen’s plan to beat Tesla “short-circuited.” The plan involved spending almost $50 billion up to the launch of the ID.3, but the technology VW promised just wasn’t there. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.3

¶ “Tesla Model Y, KIA, Canoo – All The EV News That Fits, We Print” • 2021 is likely to be the year that the EV revolution goes mainstream. Tons of new models are coming to showrooms and investment in charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly. It was once that any EV news was turned into an article. But now our inbox is filled. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “What Is Green Hydrogen, How Is It Made And Will It Be The Fuel Of The Future?” • Abundant, cheap, and clean-burning hydrogen has long been described as the fuel of the future. And “green hydrogen,” which is made without fossil fuels, has been identified as a clean energy source that could help bring the world to net-zero emissions. [ABC News]

Green hydrogen (Rh2network, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Why Is Chevrolet Offering 0% Financing On Used EVs?” • Car and Driver confirmed with Chevrolet that it is offering financing at 0% not only for new Bolt EVs, but also for certified pre-owned Bolts and even Volts. There are obvious reasons to offer big incentives on the new Bolts, but reasons to stimulate the used market are worth a look. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Geothermal Energy Is Least Land-Use Intense Source Of The Renewable Energy Technologies” • It is important to understand how much land is required to build and operate electric power generating operations. A study says geothermal energy is by far the least land-use intensive source of electricity generation from renewable energy sources. [ThinkGeoEnergy]

Geothermal plant in Iceland (Tommy Kwak, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “UK Solar Capacity Grows By 545 MW In 2020” • An analysis by Solar Energy UK and Solar Media Ltd shows that last year, the first full subsidy-free calendar year, saw 545 MW of new solar PV capacity deployed in the UK. This is a 27% year-on-year increase from 2019. Of the new capacity, 60% was ground-mounted and 40% on rooftops. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “As Climate Change Push Grows, Japanese Firms Accelerate Shift To Renewable Energy” • With Japan announcing a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050 and the US getting back into the Paris Agreement, the momentum toward curtailing climate change is growing. And Japanese businesses are pushing plans to switch to renewables. [The Japan Times]

Cherry blossoms and Mt Fuji (Catriona Palo, Unsplash)

¶ “Renewable Energy Critical Driver Of Africa’s Post-COVID-19 Recovery And Prosperity” • The panelists in a 2021 UK Africa Investment Summit event said renewable energy will be a critical driver of Africa’s post-Covid-19 growth recovery and economic prosperity. They called for a stronger partnership between the United Kingdom and Africa. [Nairametrics]

¶ “‘Pushing For Nuclear Power In Ghana Is Wasteful And Ill-Advised’ – IES” • According to the Institute for Energy Security, the government of Ghana trying to introduce nuclear in the country is of concern, especially considering that countries like Italy, Spain, and Germany are moving away from nuclear power due to its complication. [Modern Ghana]

Nuclear power plant (Frédéric Paulussen, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Biden Revs The Executive Branch’s Climate Engine After Four Lost Years” • President Joe Biden gave an inaugural address that outlined the country’s many challenges he must face as the leader of its executive branch. The bulk of the speech carried a demand for unity and for truth as we tackle the “cascading crises of our era.” [National Audubon Society]

¶ “Elon Musk Contributing $100 Million To Discover Carbon Capture Technology That Works” • We had been relegating carbon capture to charlatans and sorcerers. But now Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the known universe, says he is donating $100 million as a prize for whoever can come up with the best carbon capture technology. [CleanTechnica]

Elon Musk being himself (Credit: Elon Musk via Twitter)

¶ “In Switch, Chamber Of Commerce Endorses Climate Action, Possible Carbon Tax” • The Chamber of Commerce embraced tougher action to combat climate change through carbon taxes, emissions caps or other “market-based” policies. The nation’s biggest business lobbying group is pivoting to a Washington dominated by Democrats. [The Keene Sentinel]

¶ “Wedbush Believes Tesla Could Exceed 1 Million Deliveries In 2022” • Wedbush’s Tesla analyst, Daniel Ives, thinks that Tesla shares should have more charge left in the battery, Nasdaq reports. Ives raised the price target on TSLA from $715 to $950 and centered his thesis on China. Consumer demand for Tesla in China has grown exponentially. [CleanTechnica]

Telsa’s Fremont factory (Tesla press image)

¶ “Texans Can Save Hundreds of Dollars Annually With A Switch to Renewable Energy” • Texas Power Switch is working with cities to offer residents a no-cost, no-obligation way to lower their electricity bills through the power of group buying. Registration is free and Texas Power Switch negotiates the switch with no obligations by the customers. [Focusdailynews]

¶ “Huizenga Named Acting Secretary For Biden-Era DOE; Glick Chairing FERC” • David G Huizenga will be Acting Secretary of Energy. He is known as an expert on the issues of nuclear waste and nonproliferation. Also, commissioner Richard Glick replaces Trump appointee James Danly as chairman of FERC. Danly will stay on as a commissioner. [Power Engineering Magazine]

Have a notably splendid day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Secretary Pete: Transportation Dept Should Be A Climate Agency” • President Joe Biden’s decision to have Pete Buttigieg lead the Department of Transportation may be among the most consequential of his presidency. Secretary Buttigieg will inherit multiple simultaneous crises. The transition to emissions-free vehicles will be a major job. [CleanTechnica]

NASA electric aircraft design (NASA image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Forests Absorb Twice As Much Carbon As They Emit Each Year” • Research published in Nature Climate Change found that the world’s forests sequestered about twice as much carbon dioxide as they had emitted in 2001 through 2019. In other words, they provide a “carbon sink” that absorbs about 1.5 times as much CO₂ as the US emits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mammoet Team Unveils Turbine Installation System” • Three companies, Mammoet, Sumitomo Mitsui Construction, and FHECOR Ingenieros Consultores are jointly developing an innovative installation system for onshore wind turbines. The self-climbing installation system allows them to reach to greater heights and more reliable winds. [reNEWS]

New installation technology (Mammoet image)

World:

¶ “Shell, Vattenfall, And MHI Plan German Green Hydrogen Giant” • Shell, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Vattenfall and municipal company Warme Hamburg have signed a letter of intent to develop a green hydrogen project in Germany. The partners initially plan a 100-MW electrolyser at the Hamburg-Moorburg power plant site. [reNEWS]

¶ “How Africa’s Largest City Is Staying Afloat” • Lagos is Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, home to more than 24 million. The most populous city in Africa, it is also one of its most vulnerable to sea level rise and floods. Here is a look at how the city is adapting, as it faces threats of the  increased rainfall and rising seas that are expected to come with climate change. [BBC]

Lagos at high tide, 2010 (ISeeAfrica, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Morocco Aims For 50% Renewable Energy By 2030” • About 35% of the electricity demand of the Kingdom of Morocco is provided by renewable resources. Nevertheless, the country is aiming to do much better. Morocco wants to be at 50% renewable energy for electricity needs by 2030, and it aims to be 100% powered by renewables by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vattenfall Closes In On First Power At Kriegers Flak” • First power is expected from Vattenfall’s 605-MW Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm off Denmark by late this month or in early February, now that the company has secured the final permitting to have the project run. The wind farm will feature a total of 72 Siemens Gamesa 8.4-MW turbines. [reNEWS]

Offshore wind farm (Vattenfall image)

¶ “Tesla Reduces Model 3 Prices In Europe, VW Misses EU Emissions Target” • Tesla posted new prices for the Model 3 in several EU countries and the UK. While the reductions are not uniform in all countries, they average around 8%. Meanwhile Volkswagen EV sales are up nearly four-fold, but it’s not enough to meet VW’s emissions targets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Will Sell 1,002 More Electric Buses To Bogotá, Colombia” • We recently reported that a stunning 470 BYD electric buses were headed to Bogotá, Colombia. That was apparently the warmup act. BYD has now been selected to provide the city with 1,002 more electric buses. This comes from winning an open tender the city put out. [CleanTechnica]

BYD electric bus (Transmilenio image)

¶ “Rural Ireland Shows Support For Local Wind” • A new opinion poll, commissioned by the Irish Wind Energy Association, shows that a majority of people in rural Ireland would support a wind farm being built in their area. Around 52% would support a wind farm in their area, while those opposed to wind farms nearby came to only about 15%. [reNEWS]

¶ “China Adds 72 GW Of Wind In 2020” • China added just under 72 GW of wind power capacity in 2020, nearly tripling the amount of capacity added in 2019, according to data from the National Energy Administration. Installed capacity of solar power rose by 48.2 GW, returning that sector to growth after two years of lost momentum. [reNEWS]

Offshore wind farm (MingYang image)

US:

¶ “Fleet Owners: For Big Savings, Plan Now For Electrification” • A new Rocky Mountain Institute report, “Steep Climb Ahead,” recommends that fleet managers develop long-terms plan that include how many vehicles and chargers (and what types of chargers) will be purchased annually as well as where and when vehicles will be charged. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Volta Charging Raises $125 Million” • Almost all EV charging station companies have one thing in common. Either a host company pays for them, or the EV drivers who use them have to pay for them. Volta does things differently. Its charging stations are free to use, while advertisers pay to get their product or story in front of you. [CleanTechnica]

Volta charging station (Volta image)

¶ “Tesla’s 4th Quarter Registrations In California Up Almost 63%” • Tesla’s vehicle registrations in California were up almost 63% during the 4th quarter of 2020 compared with the 4th quarter of 2019, according to an article published by Reuters. It noted that this was mostly due to the success of Tesla’s newest addition to its line, the Model Y. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “LA Seeking Public Input Getting To 100% Renewable Energy By 2030” • The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power needs the community’s help with ideas on how to achieve 100% renewable energy. The department is conducting a study to determine how the city can reach its objective and has asked for feedback. [CBS Los Angeles]

Have a consequentially superb day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Biden’s First Act Sets Tone For Ambitious Approach” • Make no mistake, returning to the Paris climate agreement is not mere symbolism. It is an act cloaked in powerful, political significance. While re-joining involves simply writing a letter and waiting 30 days, there could be no more profound signal of intention from this incoming administration. [BBC]

Joe Biden taking the oath of office (US Government photo)

Science and Technology:

¶ “‘Frozen Rainforest’ Of Microscopic Life Melting Greenland’s Ice Sheet” • Biodiversity is usually a good thing, but in this case a profusion of microbial life is speeding up the ice melt, and likely causing sea levels to rise faster than predicted. A recent study suggests the ice melt, accelerated by the climate crisis, may have already reached a point of no return. [CNN]

¶ “A Defiant Move To The Norwegian Arctic” • Two female polar explorers have been living in a tiny trappers’ cabin on the Arctic island of Svalbard in an effort to rouse a global dialogue on climate change and inspire action. Sunniva Sorby and Hilde Fåalun Strøom have been engaged in a singular conservation effort, Hearts in the Ice. [BBC]

Aurora borealis (David Becker, Unsplash)

¶ “StoreDot, Penn State Announce Batteries That Recharge In Under 10 Minutes” • StoreDot, an Israeli company, says it has batteries that will take a vehicle up to 250 miles and recharge in just 5 minutes. And researchers at the Penn State University say they have found a the key to fast charging LiFePO₄ batteries in just 10 minutes. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “A 27% Plugin Vehicle Share In Germany – Open The Plugin Gates!” • The German automotive market has opened the floodgates to plugin electric vehicles, with December setting yet another record. The month’s sales make Germany the largest plugin vehicles market outside China, beating the US by a wide margin (394,000 vs. 330,000). [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.3

¶ “Saudi Arabia Aims To Generate 50% Of Its Electricity From Renewables By 2030” • Saudi Arabia aims to generate 50% of its power needs using renewable energy by 2030, with the rest provided by gas. The Saudi Ministry of Energy is working to transform the energy sector into a system that can harness the Kingdom’s energy capabilities. [Arab News]

¶ “Lightsource BP Acquires 1-GW Spanish PV Pipeline” • Solar developer Lightsource BP has acquired a 1000-MW solar project portfolio in Spain from RIC Energy. The two companies will work in partnership to develop 14 sites. The projects will enter operation in stages from 2022 to 2025. The first is expected to be construction-ready by the end of 2021. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Lightsource BP image)

¶ “UAE Fund To Invest $100 Million In Clean Energy In Israel” • Abu Dhabi-based Masdar and Israel’s EDF Renewables have signed a strategic cooperation agreement, which will see the renewable energy arm of the UAE investment fund Mubadala invest hundreds of millions of dollars in developing renewable energy projects in Israel. [Globes]

¶ “High Court Denies Government Responsibility For The Fukushima Nuclear Crisis” • The Tokyo High Court ordered TEPCO to pay damages to residents evacuated evacuated because of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, but it overturned a lower court ruling that had also acknowledged the central government’s responsibility. [The Japan Times]

Namie ghost town (Steven L Herman, Voice of America)

US:

¶ “From Keystone XL To Paris Agreement, Joe Biden Signals A Shift Away From Fossil Fuels” • President Joe Biden is wasting no time undoing Trump administration’s efforts to prop up fossil fuels and deny the existence of the climate crisis. His executive actions started by putting the US back in the Paris Agreement on climate change, and they went on from there. [CNN]

¶ “In Bid To Lead Autonomous Driving Revolution, Microsoft Invests $2 Billion In Cruise ” • With the nature of transportation changing, Microsoft is cozying up to GM to become its cloud computing partner of choice. In fact, Microsoft is kicking $2 billion into the pot to support the work in autonomous driving that the company is doing. [CleanTechnica]

Cruise vehicle (Courtesy of Cruise)

¶ “New York Wins Lawsuit Against EPA Over Clean Energy” • The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled to vacate the Trump Administration’s Affordable Clean Energy rule. New York Attorney General Letitia James lead a coalition against the ACE rule, which was Trump’s attempt to replace the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan. [WETM]

¶ “155-MW Tatanka Ridge Wind Farm Providing Power To South Dakota Electric Cooperative Customers” • Avangrid Renewables completed commissioning of the 56-turbine, 154.8-MW Tatanka Ridge Wind Farm in South Dakota. Dairyland Power Cooperative in Wisconsin has signed a 51.6-MW power purchase agreement with the wind farm.  [Windpower Engineering]

Tatanka wind farm (Dairyland Power photo)

¶ “BOEM To Explore Californian Offshore Wind Sites” • The US Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is to assess potential offshore wind lease areas off the Pacific coast. The agency filed a Notice of Intent to prepare two environmental studies on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of northern and central California. [reNEWS]

¶ “NRC To Discuss 100-Year Licenses For Nuclear Plants” • A daylong NRC meeting will revolve around discussion of any technical issues that could arise if nuclear power plants were licensed to operate for 100 years. The NRC has already awarded second renewals to plants in Florida and Pennsylvania, allowing operation for 80 years. [Gloucester Daily Times]

Have an effortlessly grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “SpaceX Will Repurpose Oil Rigs To Build Starship Spaceport At Sea” • SpaceX is planning to use Gulf oil rigs off South Texas to build a Starship Spaceport. This seems extremely symbolic. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, is going to take something old, which has caused a lot of environmental problems, and use it to empower humanity. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore oil platform (Divulgação Petrobras, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Clean Hydrogen Scale-Up Is Feasible” • A report on hydrogen decarbonisation pathways, published by the Hydrogen Council, shows that low-carbon hydrogen supply at scale is economically and environmentally feasible. The report also demonstrates that there is not one single hydrogen production pathway to achieve low lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions [reNEWS]

¶ “90% Of Earth’s Warming In 1971–2010 Happened In The Ocean” • The ocean mitigated the early effects of human emissions by absorbing CO₂ and heat from the atmosphere. As a result, more than 90% of the warming that happened between 1971 and 2010 was in the ocean. A selfless act by Mother Nature, but it’s catching up to us. [CleanTechnica]

Ocean (Dan Stark, Unsplash)

¶ “McKinsey: Continuous Fall In Battery Prices Is Enabling The Rapid Rise Of Renewable Energy” • Renewable energy uptake and the falling costs of battery energy storage are “inexorably linked” as the global economy faces a crucial decade ahead in its urgent need to decarbonise, according to work by McKinsey & Company. [Energy Storage News]

World:

¶ “Gothenburg Partners With Volvo To Create A Climate-Neutral City” • The Swedish city of Gothenburg is home to one of the largest and busiest ports in the world. Despite this, the city has set a rather ambitious climate goal for itself. Gothenburg plans to become a climate-neutral city by the year 2030. To accomplish this, they’ve enlisted Volvo to help. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo XC40 Recharge (Courtesy Volvo Cars)

¶ “Ireland Looking To Export Offshore Hydrogen In The Future” • According to Colum O’Connell of the Valentia Island Energy Co-operative, Ireland has the world’s greatest energy resource. Off its coasts there is enough renewable energy to power much of Europe. A consortium led by the co-operative plans to make green hydrogen. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Siemens Gamesa And Siemens Energy Green Hydrogen Initiative For Offshore Wind And Middle East” • Green hydrogen is clearly coming. To provide the hydrogen the world will need without carbon emissions, Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa are working to integrate electrolysis units into the platforms that support offshore wind turbines. [CleanTechnica]

Making green hydrogen at sea (Siemens Energy image)

¶ “Energy Transition Investment Hits $501 Billion” • A new, broad measure of “energy transition investment” shows that the world committed a record $501 billion to decarbonization in 2020. The analysis, compiled by BloombergNEF, reveals this investment beat the previous year by 9% despite the economic disruption caused by the pandemic. [reNEWS]

¶ “Ørsted To Press Ahead With Green Hydrogen Pilot” • Ørsted has taken final investment decision on the Danish demonstration project H2RES, which will use offshore wind energy to produce renewable hydrogen. The project is expected to produce its first hydrogen in late 2021 and will be Ørsted’s first renewable hydrogen project in operation. [reNEWS]

2-MW demonstration project (Ørsted image)

US:

¶ “5/3 Bank Achieves Carbon Neutrality” • CleanTechnica switched to Fifth Third Bank in 2019. Two big factors for us were (1) it had the most ambitious clean energy achievements and plans of any bank, and (2) it won’t invest in private prisons. In fact, it was even 100% solar powered already. Fifth Third Bank announced that it is now carbon neutral. [CleanTechnica] (1,154 branches)

¶ “Farming Green: Parma Hops Farmers Using 100% Renewable Energy Through Idaho Power Program” • Since 2020, Brock and Phil Obendorf have rightfully claimed that their hops farm in Parma, Idaho uses 100% clean, renewable energy. They have committed to purchase 3,000 MWh of Idaho Power energy efficiency credits per year. [Post Register]

Brock Obendorf and his hops (Courtesy of Idaho Power)

¶ “Tesla Hiring For 500 Positions In Florida” • Tesla is hiring for 500 positions in Florida, the Bradenton Herald reports. Tesla is partnering with CareerSource Tampa Bay to host a virtual hiring event on January 27, from 10 am through 2 pm, in hopes of filling positions available for both Tesla’s solar and automotive positions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vermont Has The Highest Number Of Public EV Chargers Per Capita” • The number of public EV chargers across the country has been growing. As of November 2020, Vermont had 114 EV chargers per 100,000 people, the highest number for any state. Vermont was followed by the District of Columbia (81) and California (72).  [CleanTechnica]

EV charging stations (Ken Fields, CC-BY-SA-2.0)

¶ “Renewable Energy Incubator To Open At FSU” • A renewable energies incubator will soon open at Frostburg State University, allowing companies and students to collaborate in designing alternative power systems. The incubator and testing center will be located in the Allegany Business Center on the FSU campus in Frostburg, Maryland. [Cumberland Times-News]

¶ “What’s Next For Vermont Yankee Property?” • A new land inventory report offers a series of possibilities for the site of the retired Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to eventually be used for industry, recreation, preserving habitat, and recognizing the Abenaki relationship to the banks of the Connecticut River, past and present. [Commons]

Have a sparklingly spiffy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “‘The Lost Years’: Climate Damage That Occurred On Trump’s Watch Will Endure Long After He Is Gone” • For four years, the Trump administration persistently weakened environmental and climate protections. The Biden’s administration will surely make progress on halting climate change, but the lost time of the last four years will still loom large. [CNN]

Surveyng the loss (Jeremy Yap, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Caravan Or Trailer On The Tow Hitch – How It Affects EV Range” • What happens to the overall range of an electric car when you tow a caravan or a trailer? Martin Messer Thomsen of the Electric Car Association’s test group tested the energy consumption and range with different types of trailers on a cold December day in Denmark. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Climate Change Plan: What Carbon Markets Mean For Farmers” • Regenerative farming not only has been proven to mitigate erosion and boost soil health. It may also be a huge opportunity to reduce carbon footprints. It is gaining popularity among environmentalists as a potential tool in the fight against climate change. [The Indianapolis Star]

Farm in Iowa (Kelcy Gatson, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Tesla’s First Deliveries Of Made-In-China Model Y, And Hot Market Potential” • Tesla has started delivering its made-in-China Model Y crossover in China. Tesla tweeted yesterday that Model Y deliveries in China had officially begun. For Tesla, this is important. Tesla’s sales numbers in China are already catching up with those in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “600 Fuel Cell Buses To Be Powered With Green Hydrogen In Germany” • The latest development on green hydrogen comes from the global gas giant Linde Group. The company is building a water-to-hydrogen plant in Germany with the aim is to churn out enough renewable H₂ to drive 600 fuel cell buses a total of almost 250 million miles yearly. [CleanTechnica]

Adding hydrogen to a fuel cell bus (Linde Group image)

¶ “Aker Becomes Major Shareholder In Mainstream” • Aker Horizons will take a 75% equity stake in Mainstream Renewable Power under an agreement the two companies signed. The deal “paves the way” for a “rapid acceleration” of Mainstream’s global expansion plans to bring 5.5 GW of wind and solar assets to financial close by 2023. [reNEWS]

¶ “NBT And Partner To Deliver 800 MW Of Serbian Wind” • WV International and Norwegian wind developer NBT joined forces to construct an 800-MW portfolio of wind projects in Serbia. The partners, operating under the name WV-NBT Serbia, aim to have the wind farms in operation by 2026, with the first 168 MW coming online in 2023. [reNEWS]

Wind turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “China To Construct Hybrid Renewable Energy System On Delft Island” • China was awarded a contract to install hybrid renewable energy systems on three islands off the coast of Sri Lanka. The contract is part of the Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project, which the Ceylon Electricity Board is implementing. [Colombo Gazette]

¶ “More Renewable Energy Used In 2020 Than Fossil Fuels For The First Time In World’s 4th Largest Economy” • Last year, for the first time, a combination of wind, solar, and other renewables overtook Germany’s coal, oil, and gas, as its most important fuel source, according to data collected from the German think tank Agora Energiewende. [Good News Network]

Solar park (Mariana Proença, Unsplash)

¶ “En+ Group Commits To Net-Zero By 2050” • Aluminium and hydropower giant EN+ Group has announced its intention to become a net-zero business by 2050, with a target also in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030. The group will engage with the UN Global Compact to ensure that the targets are aligned to climate science. [edie.net]

¶ “Wind delivers 15% of European power in 2020” • Wind farms contributed 15% of total electricity generation in Europe in 2020, the sector’s highest ever contribution to the region’s power mix, according to new analysis by EnAppSys. Overall, renewables delivered 41% of Europe’s power last year, while nuclear provided 25% and fossil-fuels 33%. [reNEWS]

German wind turbines (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Keystone Pipeline: Biden ‘To Cancel It On His First Day'” • US President-elect Joe Biden is to cancel the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline on his first day in office, North American media report. The pipeline is projected to carry oil nearly 1,200 miles (1,900 km) from the Canadian province of Alberta down to Nebraska, to join an existing pipeline. [BBC]

¶ “Miami-Dade Starts Transition To Electric School Bus Fleet” • Miami-Dade County Public Schools have decided to convert its fleet from diesel buses into an electric fleet. Holly Thorpe, a middle school student, had used her science fair project to show the school board that diesel buses had levels of CO₂ in them that are ten times the EPA limit. [CleanTechnica]

Electric school buses (Lion Electric image)

¶ “Zero Electric Vehicles Announces Rolling EV Chassis For Passenger Vehicle” • In the lead-up to the production of its first electric car, the Trident, Arizona-based Zero Electric Vehicles, Inc unveiled its rolling electric passenger vehicle chassis, which it claims will have “proprietary energy capture technologies to maximize vehicle range.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GE Renewable Energy Finalizes Contracts For 1.1-GW Ocean Wind Energy Offshore Project In New Jersey” • GE Renewable Energy will supply Haliade-X wind turbines for Ørsted’s Ocean Wind offshore wind project off the coast of New Jersey. It could be the state’s first project to feature the 13-MW variant of GE Renewable Energy’s Haliade-X platform. [REVE]

Have an awesomely fulfilling day.

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Science and Tecnology:

¶ “Weird Asymmetry: Nights Warming Faster Than Days Across Much Of The Planet” • University of Exeter scientists studied warming from 1983 to 2017 and found  that days and nights have not warmed at the same rate. Areas where night-time warming is greater are about twice as large as those where days have been warming faster. [SciTechDaily]

Southern US at night (NASA image)

¶ “2020 Climate Events Were Examples Of How Excess Heat Is Expressed On Earth” • 2020 was the warmest year on record, though less than a tenth of a degree warmer than 2016, NASA analysis shows. Its massive wildfires, heatwaves, drought, melting of Arctic ice, hurricanes, and other destructive weather events are precursors of things to come. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Acciona Leads Spanish Floating Green Hydrogen Study” • Acciona is to coordinate a project to design and validate Spain’s first offshore plant for generating, storing, and distributing green hydrogen. The OceanH2 project will study several scenarios for implementation, including use of floating wind and solar, for offshore hybrid power generation. [reNEWS]

Artist’s concept of floating system (Acciona image)

¶ “19% Plugin Vehicle Market Share In France In December!” • The overall French automotive market had a horrible 2020. Sales were down 26% year over year. Annual sales totaled 1.7 million, the lowest figure since 1975. But sales of plugin vehicles were steaming hot. In December, sales jumped fourfold compared to the same month of 2019. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Total Takes $2.5 Billion Slice Of Developer Adani” • French oil and gas giant Total has acquired a 20% stake in Indian renewables developer Adani Green Energy under the $2.5 billion deal. The partnership will be a key contributor to Total’s objective of reaching 35 GWp of gross production capacity from renewable sources by 2025. [reNEWS]

Solar array (Total image)

¶ “Shift To Renewables Eases Key Environmental Problems, EU Says” • Europe’s shift to renewable sources for electricity and away from fossil fuels reduces both environmental problems and greenhouse gas emissions, the European Environment Agency said. Renewable sources, produced 34% of EU electricity in 2019 while fossil fuels generated 38%. [OE Digital]

¶ “The Solar Allure Of WA’s New-Model Business Park” • Peel Renewable Energy is about to energize a 1.2-MW solar farm in Western Australia. It has a fresh approach to industrial-estate development based on a phased microgrid. The infrastructure is small, while the renewably powered microgrid grows to meet the needs of incoming businesses. [pv magazine Australia]

Peel Renewable Energy solar farm (PRE image)

¶ “Japanese Firms Call On Government To Raise 2030 Renewable Energy Goal To 40-50%” • A group of Japanese companies, including Toshiba Corp, Sony Corp and Nissan Motor Co Ltd, called on the government to raise its 2030 renewable energy goal to account for 40-50% of its electricity mix, from the current 22-24%. [Business Recorder]

US:

¶ “Science Moms On Climate Change – Now It’s Personal!” • Science Moms is a group of six mothers, all climate scientists concerned about leaving a sustainable planet to their kids. Led by Katharine Hayhoe, their mission is to educate other mothers and encourage them to promote a progressive climate agenda locally, nationally, and internationally. [CleanTechnica]

Katharine Hayhoe (Image from YouTube)

¶ “Toyota To Pay $180 Million For Decade-Long Noncompliance With Clean Air Act Reporting Requirements” • Toyota Motor Company just had its hand popped by the Department of Justice for decade-long noncompliance with the Clean Air Act reporting requirements. Toyota will have to pay a $180 million settlement according to the DOJ and the EPA. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Wind Power Dominates Coal In Crossover Year” • Everything is bigger in Texas, and wind power is no exception. Wind power has been growing in Texas for years. Now, for the first time, wind power has beaten coal power in the Lone Star State. In 2020, Texas received 22% of its electricity from wind and only 18% from coal.  [CleanTechnica]

Texas wind turbines (Jason Dent, Unsplash)

¶ “Connecticut’s Bill 127 Would Allow Tesla To Sell Directly To Consumers” • The EV Freedom Bill proposes that manufacturers that produce only EVs and have no existing franchised dealer network be allowed to sell their vehicles directly to consumers. The proposed bill also allows for new ownership models such as subscriptions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nuclear Fusion Group Calls For Building A Pilot Plant By The 2040s” • The main criticism about nuclear fusion has been that its vast potential as a source of energy has always been just out of reach. But a group of top fusion scientists and researchers just issued a report to the DOE that calls for the US to build a fusion pilot plant by the 2040s. [The Star Online]

Have a resplendently glorious day.

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geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

Opinion:

¶ “Worried About Earth’s Future? Well, The Outlook Is Worse Than Even Scientists Can Grasp” • A research paper published this week reviews over 150 studies to produce a stark summary of the state of the natural world. It says that future environmental conditions will be far more dangerous than experts currently believe. [Red, Green, and Blue]

Fire in Portugal, stoked by unseasonal heat (UN via Twitter)

¶ “Oil Industry Reconsiders Donations To Election Deniers – But Has Its Own Big Lie” • In the wake of last week’s rebellion, oil and gas companies are reviewing political donations. In many ways, they laid the groundwork for the widespread acceptance of lies big enough to cause an existential threat not only to democracy, but to humanity. [The Intercept]

¶ “Why Brookfield Renewable Will Thrive During a Recession” • Recessions can be brutal for investors, but some companies can better weather these economic storms than others. One company built to prosper during tough times is the renewable energy juggernaut Brookfield Renewable. Here’s why it can thrive during a recession. [Motley Fool]

Wind turbines (Romero Souza, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “BYD Zimbabwe Starts Delivering EVs To Customers” • The transition to electromobility is happening a lot faster than a lot of people think. Across Europe and China, EV sales are increasing to record levels while an overall car market suffers due to effects of Covid-19. Now, Chinese EV maker BYD is extending its market, delivering cars in Zimbabwe. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Long Road To “Tesla Motors India” For Indian Tesla Fans” • You may see Tesla and India in the news together more often as Tesla makes waves into its newest market. Tesla advocates pushed hard for the company to enter the Indian market, with a Twitter account and Tesla T-shirts. Amazingly, they were able to interact with Elon Musk himself. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Club India® T-shirts (Image via Twitter)

¶ “US $4.6 Million For Renewable Energy Projects In Seychelles” • Renewable energy projects in Seychelles are to receive a $4.6 million boost from the People’s Republic of China, as part of an agreement between the two countries. Seychelles Minister for Climate Change & Environment Flavien Joubert said off-grid projects will be included. [Construction Review]

¶ “The UK Is Considering Nuclear Propulsion In Space” • One option that NASA has been exploring for decades is spacecraft that rely on nuclear power. Recently, the UK Space Agency has signed a contract with the British automotive engineering firm Rolls-Royce, which is to investigate applications for nuclear power and propulsion. [Universe Today]

Rolls-Royce nuclear propulsion concept (Rolls-Royce image)

US:

¶ “Weddle & Sons Roofing Installed A Tesla Solar Roof In One Day!” • Weddle & Sons, a certified solar roof installer in the Midwest, has shared how they installed a Tesla Solar Roof in a single day in a new video on YouTube. With the original roof previously removed, they installed a new one with a 12-kW solar system in just one day. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Amazon’s Record Renewables Offtake” • Following its 3.4-GW buying spree, with 26 new wind and solar utility projects across the US and Europe, Amazon’s renewable energy supply portfolio now has a capacity of 6.5 GW. This eclipses Google, which stands in second place and currently reports a renewable energy supply portfolio of 5.5 GW. [Commercial Property Executive]

Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos (Amazon image)

¶ “US Auto Sales Down 2,592,185 (15%) In 2020, Tesla Up 9%” • With Covid-19, the US auto market took a whipping in 2020. Overall, US auto sales were down by 2,592,185, or 15%, last year. Only three automakers saw their year-over-year sales increase from 2019 to 2020 – Volvo and Alfa Romeo were each up 2%, while Tesla was up 9%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “More Than 8,000 GE Renewable Energy Onshore Wind Turbines” • In November, GE passed a milestone. Over 8,000 GE Renewable Energy onshore wind turbines stand in 23 US states and 10 other countries. The 2-MW turbines alone have 20 GW of installed capacity worldwide, enough to power the equivalent of 12.9 million homes around the world. [REVE]

Cypress 6.0 wind turbine (GE Renewable Energy image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Bills On Tap For The 2021 Session” • The New Mexico Legislature will consider a handful of renewable energy-related legislation in the upcoming session. The bills to watch include one for a clean fuel standard, a Local Choice Energy Act, two bills to amend the Energy Transition Act, and a try for EV tax credits. [New Mexico Political Report]

¶ “Biden Says His Advisers Will Lead With ‘Science And Truth'” • President-elect Joe Biden has introduced his slate of scientific advisers with the promise that they would summon “science and truth” to combat the coronavirus pandemic, climate crisis and other challenges. “Science is discovery. It’s not fiction,” Biden said. “It’s also about hope.” [Daily Herald]

Have a magnificently tranquil day.

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geoharvey is not tax-deductible.

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