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World:

¶ “Fourth Global Coral Reef Bleaching Event Underway As Oceans Continue To Warm: NOAA” • As the world’s oceans experience unprecedented warming, significant coral bleaching has been reported across the globe, experts say. NOAA reported the fourth global bleaching event on record and the second in the last ten years. [ABC News]

Bleached coral (Nico Smit, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Operator Of Japan’s Wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Prepares To Restart Another Plant” • TEPCO said it has obtained permission from safety regulators to start loading atomic fuel into a reactor at its only operable plant in north-central Japan. It is keen to restart the plant for the first time since the 2011 disaster. [ABC News]

¶ “Cotierra’s Biochar Tech Aims to Enrich Colombia’s Coffee Industry” • Cotierra, a Swiss-Colombian carbon removal and AgTech startup received $1 million in pre-seed funding from a consortium of climate-focused investors. It will support biochar reactor technology development and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification in Colombia. [CleanTechnica]

Coffee beans (Rodrigo Flores, Unsplash)

¶ “Climeworks Wins Funding For Direct Air Capture & Storage In Norway” • Climeworks, which installed the world’s first and largest Direct Air Capture and Storage plant in Iceland, received €2.3 million from Enova, a state enterprise owned by Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment. The funding is for a feasibility study in Norway. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Global Wind Installations In 2023 Set New Record” • The global wind industry installed a record 117 GW of new capacity in 2023, making it the best year for new wind energy so far. Total installations of 117 GW in 2023 represents a 50% year-on-year increase from 2022, according to a report from the Global Wind Energy Council. [reNews]

Installing a rotor (GWEC image)

¶ “Smart Grid Firm Lands $86 Million To Develop VPPs And Help Customers Load Match Renewables” • Irish-based smart grid technology company GridBeyond says it has raised €52.25 million in a new funding round that will help it expand its virtual power plant business and help customers match load with green energy output. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “PM Wants Robust Renewable Energy Plan To Cut Oil Bill” • In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the authorities managing renewable energy to cut the country’s $27 billion oil import bill and improve the electricity distribution system. He said using renewable energy would also rid the country of its parasitic crude oil tanker mafia. [Dawn]

Karachi (Muhammad Jawaid Shamshad, Unsplash)

¶ “Japan ‘Fossil Fuel Dinosaur’ Announces Launch Of 20-GW Global Renewables Platform” • Japan’s largest power company and one of the largest thermal power producers in the world announced the launch of a major global renewables business. Jera is the latest fossil giant to act on the existential threat of net-zero to its business model. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Ecoenergy Powers Up 92-MW Romanian Solar” • Econergy has commenced commercial operations at a 92-MW solar park in Parau, Romania. The project is jointly owned by Econergy and RGreen, a French renewable energy investment fund. Econergy provided the plant’s engineering, procurement, and construction management services. [reNews]

Solar array (Andres Siimon, Unsplash)

¶ “UN Nuclear Chief Says Accident Is ‘Dangerously Close’ At Zaporizhzhia” • The head of the IAEA warned that the danger of a major nuclear accident at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant remains “very real.” “We are getting dangerously close to a nuclear accident,” Rafael Mariano Grossi told the UN Security Council. [Voice of America]

US:

¶ “US Interior Department Takes Action to Protect Taxpayers from Offshore Oil & Gas Decommissioning Costs” • The Interior Department announced a final rule from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to protect taxpayers from covering costs that should be borne by the oil and gas industry when offshore platforms require decommissioning. [CleanTechnica]

Retired oil rigs (Ben Wicks, Unsplash)

¶ “Guzman Energy Partners With Holy Cross Energy For Power Generated By Bronco Plains II Energy Center” • Guzman Energy and Holy Cross Energy agreed on renewable energy from the Bronco Plains II Energy Center in Kit Carson County, Colorado. The 200-MW wind farm will provide annual power needs for up to 40,000 households. [Yahoo Finance UK]

¶ “CIP Bags 1.3-GW US Onshore Wind Portfolio” • Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners has acquired Liberty Renewables, which has a 1,300-MW portfolio of onshore wind projects in the state of New York. The projects are scheduled to be built to come online during the years 2026 to 2030. Hoffman Falls Wind will be the first project developed. [reNews]

Wind farm (Dan Meyers, Unsplash)

¶ “CAISO Releases Ambitious 2023-2024 Transmission Plan To Address State’s Climate Goals” • The California Independent System Operator released its draft 2023-2024 Transmission Plan. The plan projects significant new generation of renewable energy and identifies 26 new transmission projects estimated to cost a total of $6.1 billion. [Mondaq]

¶ “Largest Offshore Wind Farm Gets Final Permit” • Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial project off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia, has received its final Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf air quality permit from the EPA after a 30-day public comment period. It is the largest offshore wind project in the US. [Environment News Service]

Have an impressively enjoyable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How Farmers Can Thrive In The Evolving Energy Landscape” • In an era marked by climate concerns and renewable energy ambitions, the agricultural sector is at the forefront of innovation and adaptation. As the world seeks sustainable solutions to meet growing energy demands, the roles of managing agricultural land are expanding. [Farmers Weekly]

Solar farm (© Conrad energy)

¶ “Nuclear Energy Is An Ugly Duckling In Every Possible Respect: Too Late, Too Costly, Too Toxic” • According to the International Energy Agency, new solar installations globally were 420 GW in 2023 and new wind installations came to 117 GW. New nuclear fell to just 5.5 GW. The data make it clear that there is no “nuclear renaissance” going on. [RenewEconomy]

World:

¶ “European Commission Data Reveals The WLTP Standard Is Deeply Flawed” • In 2019, the EC required automakers to install onboard fuel consumption monitoring devices in vehicles sold in member states. Now the first tranche of data has been compiled and the results show that the real-world emissions are far worse than expected. [CleanTechnica]

Fumes (Matt Boitor, Unsplash)

¶ “VINCI Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement With Natpower SA” • VINCI finalised an investment coming to about €50 million in NatPower SA, a renewable energy development firm set up in 2019 principally active in Italy, UK, and the US. VINCI will have a priority right on acquiring projects in the ready-to-build phase started by NatPower SA. [Yahoo Finance UK]

¶ “Adani Green Records 35% Growth In Operational Capacity In FY24” • Adani Green Energy Ltd recorded a 35% increase in its operational capacity with the addition of solar and wind power projects in the financial year 2024. The company aims for growth in its renewable capacity to 45,000 MW by 2030, which is 10% of India’s renewable energy target. [NDTV Profit]

Solar farm (Adani Green Energy)

¶ “Japan’s JERA Creates Global Renewables-Focused Unit In Britain” • Japan’s largest power company, JERA, created a global renewable energy business to be based in London. JERA Nex will develop, invest in, own, and operate renewable energy projects. Starting with a 3-GW portfolio of renewable capacity, it aims to develop 20 GW by 2035. [Yahoo Finance UK]

¶ “Norway’s Floating Wind Expertise Propels Taiwan Towards Renewable Energy Goals” • According to the Global Wind Energy Council, Norway commissioned 60 MW of floating wind energy in 2022, making the region’s total installations 91% of all global operations. That work is being put to use as a development model for Taiwan. [digitimes]

Types of floating wind turbines (NREL image)

¶ “Southeast Asia ‘Woefully Off Track’ On Green Investment, Bain Says” • A report from Bain & Company highlights South East Asia’s inadequate green investments, which allow emissions to rise. Urgent actions are needed to tackle reliance on fossil fuels, increase clean energy, and implement carbon pricing for sustainable growth. [The Economic Times]

¶ “Banks Unwilling To Finance $5 Trillion Global Development Of Nuclear” • After decades of being treated as a black sheep, nuclear energy is enjoying a renaissance in the US and many Western countries thanks to the global energy crisis. But any revival of nuclear might be dead in the water, with lenders seeing it as a high-risk sector. [OilPrice.com]

Cooling towers (Lukáš Lehotský, Unsplash)

¶ “Kyiv Warns Of Imminent Russian False Flag Operation At Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • Ukraine’s military leadership warned of a possible false flag operation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Such an operation would make Ukraine appear responsible for whatever took place at the site in southern Ukraine. [South China Morning Post]

US:

¶ “Why One Democrat Doesn’t Want Chinese EV Imports In The US” • In a letter to President Biden, US Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) argued that Chinese EV imports, backed by the Chinese government, threaten the US auto industry. He said “cheating” of this type threatens the US auto industry and its workers, and he asked the President to ban these vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “Voltpost Wants To Bring EV Charging To American Cities” • Most people who drive electric cars charge them at home in their driveway or garage. But what if you live in a city like New York where many residents park wherever they can find a space on the street? Voltpost thinks it has an answer that is quick, convenient, and cost effective. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Grid Connection Backlog, Dominated By Solar, Grows To 2.6 TW In 2023” • The grid connection backlog in the US grew by 27% year-on-year in 2023, with about 2.6 TW of generation and storage capacity now seeking interconnection. As of the end of 2023, the total capacity in the queue was more than twice the current US generating capacity of 1.28 TW. [PV Tech]

Transmission towers (Matthew Henry, Unsplash)

¶ “Repsol Completes 637-MW Frye Solar project In Texas” • The Spanish oil and gas company Repsol completed the Frye Solar project, its largest solar plant to date in the US. The solar facility in Swisher County, Texas, has an installed capacity of 637 MW, of which 570 MW is currently operational. The project has a million solar panels. [GlobalData]

¶ “A Major US State Just Achieved A Critical Milestone For Nearly Two Weeks. Why Isn’t There More News Coverage?” • California has set a benchmark for renewable energy, with wind, solar, and hydro providing 100% of the state’s energy demand on 25 out of the last 32 days. The data comes from Professor Mark Z Jacobson of Stanford University. [The Cool Down]

Have a quietly uplifting day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Nickel-Mining Plants To Juice EV Battery Supply Chain” • The EV battery supply chain has its pitfalls. The environmental cost of nickel mining is one of them. A solution to that may have emerged in the form of a new US phytomining startup called Metalplant. Phytomining is the practice of growing plants for their metal content. [CleanTechnica]

Phytomining (courtesy of ARPA-E)

¶ “Car Exhaust And Alzheimer’s” • Researchers in Australia and Singapore found a link between car exhaust and Alzheimer’s. This opens up a whole new argument in favour of the uptake of EVs and the removal of fossil fuels. Somehow, people ignore such issues and still claim that energy from fossil fuels outweighs the risks of a transition to electricity. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Volkswagen ID Buzz Robotaxis For Hamburg” • Volkswagen is still working on introducing fully electric ID Buzz robotaxis. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles chief executive Carsten Intra said: “We want to offer test drives for customers in Hamburg this year, under real conditions.” This will be through Volkswagen Group subsidiary MOIA. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID Buzz robotaxi
(Volkswagen/MOIA, © Dirk Eisermann/FAKTOR3)

¶ “Tesla’s Tenuous Hold On EV Market May Mean Opening Up South Asia” • Tesla is planning to send a team of people to scout for locations in India this month. The broad brush strokes of the upcoming discussions reportedly will affirm the company’s plans for investment in the South Asia nation, including setting up a manufacturing facility. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Malta Could Run On 100% Renewables Once Planned Energy Projects Are Completed, Says Energy Expert” • The Maltese islands could become fully reliant on renewable energy sources for considerable periods of time once the government’s planned energy projects are completed, a government energy expert told The Malta Independent. [The Malta Independent]

Birgu, Malta (Yevheniia, Unsplash)

¶ “Untapped Rooftop Solar: Australian Homes Could Save $9.3 Billion A Year, UNSW Study Finds” • Australian households could save $9.3 billion on energy bills each year by investing in home solar systems, a report found. The Solar Citizens study found the investment would pay for itself in just over five years, and then save A$1390 per year. [One Step Off The Grid]

¶ “India Added A Record 18 GW Renewable Energy Capacity In FY24” • India added a record renewable capacity of 18.48 GW in 2023-24, up 21% from 15.27 GW the tear before, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy data shows. India’s installed renewable capacity came to 143.64 GW, as of March 31, 2024. That does not count 47 GW of large hydropower. [TheBengaluruLive]

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

¶ “IAEA Chief Welcomes Cold Shutdown Of All Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Reactor Units” • The safety of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station in Ukraine remains fragile, but the change to a cold shutdown of all six reactor units, accomplished on Saturday, is a good development, according to the UN nuclear watchdog director. [Firstpost]

US:

¶ “Good News About Electric Cars: They’re Driving Down Electricity Rates” • In a study commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an analysis by Synapse found that between 2011 and 2021, electric car drivers contributed $3.12 billion more than their associated costs, which drove down monthly rates for “all customers.” [CleanTechnica]

Tesla charging in Munich (alex, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Still Worth More Than Toyota, Porsche, Mercedes, And Hyundai Combined” • Tesla’s stock price and market cap are down considerably this year. What does this mean? If you want to take an American perspective, Tesla is still worth more than Ford, GM, Stellantis, Honda, Volkswagen, BMW, BYD, Hyundai, and Kia combined. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Northwest Oregon Dams’ 2023 Power Generation At Lowest Level In 22 Years” • Hydropower to generate electricity from Oregon and Washington dams dropped to historically low levels in 2023, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration on hydroelectricity in the Northwest for the year ending September 30, 2023. [Daily Tidings]

Gold Ray Dam in Oregon (Finetooth, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Company Works Toward Building Community Solar Project Near Eldorado” • Solar panels could pop up on about 30 acres of vacant land in the area of Eldorado, New Mexico, within a year, an outcome of state leaders’ push for renewable energy. The New Mexico Community Solar Program came about as a result of a law passed in 2021. [AOL.com]

¶ “Utah Solar Developer Taps Area Near Phoenix For $1.2 Billion Project; Water Negotiations Underway” • A group of investors who own roughly 30,000 acres of land in the Harquahala Valley, about 60 miles west of Phoenix, signed a deal to build a $1.2 billion solar project. They are negotiating separate deals for the water under the project. [ABC15 Arizona]

Have a placidly pleasant day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Material Could Double Output Of Solar Panels” • In a research study published in the journal Science Advances, scientists at Lehigh University say they developed a material that has the potential to drastically increase the efficiency of solar panels. The university says a prototype using the material in a solar cell has an average PV absorption of 80%. [CleanTechnica]

Schematic of solar cell (Ekuma Lab, Lehigh)

World:

¶ “NTPC Targets 5 GW Of Capacity Addition in Fiscal Year 2025” • NTPC Ltd committed to expanding its installed capacity by 5 GW, of which 3 GW would be renewable. NTPC plans to expand its non-fossil fuel-based capacity to constitute up to 50% of its portfolio, with plans to reach 60 GW of renewable capacity out of a portfolio of 130 GW by 2032. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Iberdrola’s Renewable Energy Production Reaches 10-Year Highs In Spain” • Investments by the Iberdrola in renewables and a commitment to decarbonization pushed production of clean energy in Spain to a decade high. In the first quarter of 2024, the group generated 10,489 GWh with clean energy, up 19.4% from the same period last year. [Iberdrola]

Wind turbines (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Empowering Agriculture: Andhra Pradesh’s Solar Energy Revolution” • In Andhra Pradesh, the electricity sector has seen a major move toward renewable energy, especially solar. This shift is primarily aimed at enhancing sustainability of power supplies, especially for agriculture. The plan is to acquire 7,000 MW of solar power in three phases. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Pakistan Strikes $200 Million Solar Power Deal With Chinese Firm” • Pakistan’s Northern Power Generation Company Limited signed a deal worth $200 million with a prominent Chinese firm, Ningbo Green Light Energy Pvt Ltd. The deal aims to transform an existing thermal power plant into a state-of-the-art 300-MW solar power facility. [Samaa TV]

Solar site in Pakistan (Crosji, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Egyptian Solar Set To Expand Beyond The Massive 1.8-GW Benban PV Project” • The Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up gas prices and turned Europeans away from Russian fuel. Egypt shipped 80% of its liquefied natural gas to Europe last year. The country’s new revenue and falling PV costs combined to change Egypt’s energy landscape. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Southeast Asia Is Betting Big on a Green Future” • Despite the continued reliance on fossil fuels by some countries in Southeast Asia, many governments in the region are going full steam ahead on energy transition plans. Thanks to funding from international sources, some countries in Southeast Asia are finally able to plan for a greener future. [OilPrice.com]

Solar walkway in Malaysia (Wee Hong, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Last Reactor At Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Put Into Cold State” • The last reactor at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine has been shut down as fighting continues in the area for the third year. This means that all of the plant’s six reactor units are now in a cold shutdown state. The war has entered its third year. [Radio Free Europe]

US:

¶ “US Interior Department Announces Final Rule For Oil & Gas Operations On Public Lands” • The Interior Department has announced a final rule to revise BLM oil & gas lease regulations. It is to ensure balanced development, help prevent drilling from conflicting with habitat and cultural site protections, and provide a fair return to taxpayers. [CleanTechnica]

Public lands in Idaho (Alex Moliski, Unsplash)

¶ “DOE Finalizes Efficiency Standards For Lightbulbs” • The US DOE finalized Congressionally-mandated energy efficiency standards for general service lamps. These standards will go into effect for newly produced bulbs in July of 2028. The new bulbs are expected to save American families $1.6 billion annually on household energy costs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Enel Plans To ‘Copy And Paste’ Italy Solar Panel Factory In The US” • Enel plans to build a solar panel factory in the US as it rolls out more renewable energy capacity in North America. Enel Green Power Chief Executive Salvatore Bernabei referred to an Italian factory, saying, “Our idea is to copy and paste this to other markets, including the US.” [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

Making solar cells (Oregon DOT, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Solar Is Largest Source Of New Generating Capacity For Sixth Month In A Row” • A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data recently-released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shows that for the sixth month in a row, solar provided more new US electrical generating capacity than any other energy source, 83.64% of the total. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Shell And Eco Wave Co-Invest In First US Onshore Wave Energy Station” • Eco Wave Power Global AB has entered an agreement with Shell to participate in the development of Eco Wave Power’s first project in the US. A feasibility study showed at least 77 sites in the US that may be compatible for the the Eco Wave Power technology. [Energy Global]

Have an adequately majestic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Small Modular Reactors Don’t Add Up As A Viable Energy Source” • The nuclear industry has been offering so-called Small Modular Reactors as an alternative to large reactors as a possible solution to climate change. However, when evaluated on the basis of cost per unit of power capacity, SMRs will actually be more expensive than large reactors. [Impakter]

Discussion on SMRs (NRC, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “A New Dawn For Solar Cells: 190% Quantum Efficiency Is Possible” • The Shockley-Queisser limit refers a theory about an upper limit of PV technology efficiency. The limit is now thought to be 33.7%. But Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems achieved 47.6%, and they are still working to improve efficiency. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “The Fight Against Coal In Southeast Asia” • Of the 222 GW of utility-scale solar and wind projects currently in the pipeline across Association of Southeast Asian Nations, more than 80% is focused on Vietnam and the Philippines. Most countries in the ASEAN region are hesitant to commit to policies that may slow economic growth. [CleanTechnica]

EDP Renewables 254.8-MW Solar Farm in Vietnam

¶ “Unsold Chinese EVs Are Piling Up At European Ports” • The EU has no tariff wall on Chinese EVs, though the European Commission is studying how to respond to an anticipated flood of cheap Chinese EVs. So, Chinese car makers have been sending EVs to Europe. But the effect of this has been to turn European ports into car parks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Teslas For India, At Last” • Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin is making headlines as it gears up to produce right-hand drive vehicles for the Indian market, a first for the German plant. Tesla’s RHD EV production had been managed by Giga Shanghai, for countries like Australia, Japan, and the UK. But Giga Berlin will contribute to Tesla’s global efforts now. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla (Charlie Deets, Unsplash)

¶ “Community-Scale Agrivoltaics Powering Rural Development Through Renewable Energy” • India’s rural people need reliable electricity to improve their quality of life. In many developed economies, agrivoltaics, combining solar PV installations with agricultural operations, has much improved the living conditions of rural people. [The Financial Express]

¶ “UK Renewable Boom Plunges Electricity Prices” • Wholesale electricity prices in the UK fell sharply in the first quarter of 2024 due to a significant increase in renewable energy production, as reported by Montel EnAppSys. The average prices dropped by 22% compared to the previous quarter, with average day-ahead prices close to £64.50/MWh. [Energy Live News]

Renewable energy in the UK (Mat Fascione, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Quinbrook Closes First Stage Of 2-GWh Supernode Battery Project” • Quinbrook Infrastructure is building the A$325 million ($212 million) first stage of its Supernode project in southeast Queensland. It is to host a battery energy storage system of up to 800 MW and 2,000 MWh to support a data center and provide grid services. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “Environmentalists Protest As Biden Administration Approves Huge Oil Export Terminal Off Texas Coast” • In a move that some call a betrayal, the Biden administration has approved the construction of a deepwater oil export terminal off the Texas coast that would be the largest of its kind in the US. It will be able to ship 2 million barrels of crude oil per day. [ABC News]

Pumping platform (Edibobb, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Final Rules Implement SEIA’s Solutions To Lower Fees And Streamline Renewable Energy Development” • The US BLM has issued final rules on leasing and rentals for renewable energy projects on public lands. The final rules closely follow the Solar Energy Industries Association’s recommendations to streamline clean energy development. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Utah Coal Plants Will Continue Hazing Up The State’s Crown Jewels, And Those Of Other States” • One thing we’re learning in late 2023 and 2024 so far, is that sometimes, there are setbacks, and things don’t move as fast as we’d like. That is what happened in Utah, as the state cut way back on its goal to get rid of its coal-burning power plants. [CleanTechnica]

Coal-burning plant (Tricia Simpson, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Tesla Leading in Auto Brand Loyalty” • In the ever-evolving landscape of EVs, Tesla stands tall as a beacon of innovation and brand loyalty. A survey conducted by Bloomberg Intelligence shows the current state of the EV market, revealing trends and consumer preferences. Tesla leads both for brand loyalty and as a brand to switch to. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Community Solar Developer Nexamp Raises $520 Million to Accelerate Deployment” • Nexamp, a developer and operator of distributed solar with storage, announced that it raised $520 million. Proceeds from the financing are to accelerate growth as the company expands into new markets and builds its renewable energy and storage capacity. [ESG Today]

Nexamp solar array (Nexamp immage)

¶ “US Surpasses Renewable Energy Goal For Public Lands” • The Biden administration said the US has already surpassed a goal of permitting more than 25 GW of clean energy projects on public lands by 2025, and it finalized a plan to reduce project fees for wind and solar energy on federal acreage. Decarbonizing the grid by 2035 is the goal for the US. [SRN News]

¶ “Yucca Mountain Is Back; Nevadans Are Mad” • Lawmakers are digging up a zombie of a plan: storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, a long-contested site in Nevada. One US lawmaker said, “Opposition has inhibited congressional appropriations and driven the executive branch to dismantle what has otherwise been a technically successful program,” [Politico]

Have an amazingly amusing day.

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World:

¶ “Nuclear Energy ‘Now An Obstacle To Delivering Net Zero’ – Greenpeace” • Nuclear energy provides about 25% of the world’s low-carbon electricity. However, Greenpeace director of policy Doug Parr said, “Nuclear power can’t bridge the gap between anything and anything. It is too slow. It is too expensive. It is a massive distraction.” [Energy Monitor]

Sign at Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Kilian Karger, Unsplash)

¶ “MEPs Sign Off On Climate Targets For Heavy-Duty Vehicles” • The European Parliament approved a law requiring almost all new trucks sold in 2040 to be zero-emission vehicles. Transport & Environment said the law will help European manufacturers compete with foreign electric truckmakers and greatly reduce the annual CO₂ emissions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Misguided Fight Against The 2025 Cars Target” • In 2019, as the first meaningful emissions targets for the car industry were about to enter force, Brussels was flooded with bleak predictions about the astronomical fines automakers would have to pay. That turned out not to be true. Now, a new set of predictions is telling us what will go wrong. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an electric car (Vlad Tchompalov, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Announces New Subsidy Policy For Renewable Energy Manufacturing” • Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced an initiative modeled on the US Inflation Reduction Act to seize the opportunities of the global renewable energy transition and to capitalize further on Australia’s notable clean energy resources. [pv magazine International]

¶ “Coalition Nuclear Plan Would Force Consumers To Wait 20 Years Longer And Have 30% Higher Electricity Bills” • Australia’s Coalition is making unproven assertions that ‘zero emissions’ electricity can be provided more cheaply and reliably by nuclear than renewable energy. Here, we examine the weighted average levelized costs of energy. [RenewEconomy]

Cooling towers (Frettie, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Proposed $4 Billion Pumped Hydro Project Could Power A Third Of Sydney’s Households By 2031” • Sydney’s main source of drinking water could also supply enough renewable energy to power almost a third of the city’s households by 2031, if a 1-MW pumped hydro project using a former coal washery proceeds as planned. [The Guardian]

¶ “Captive Power Generation Surge As More Firms Shift” • Major firms in Kenya are turning to captive solar power. Captive power generation offers organizations the ability to produce their own electricity on-site, particularly beneficial for power-intensive industries such as aluminium smelters and chemical plants that require a reliable energy supply. [People Daily]

Solar installation (Biel Morro, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Climate Change Threatens Loon Population, New Study Shows” • Famous for their nocturnal calls, loons are aquatic birds often described as icons of the Northwoods. But research shows climate change impairs their ability to feed their young. Climate-induced decreases in water clarity could be a cause for the loon population declines. [ABC News]

¶ “NREL Unveils Groundbreaking Generative Machine Learning Model To Simulate Future Energy-Climate Impacts” • Energy system planners and operators need detailed data projected into the future to see how climate change will impact wind and solar generation and electricity demand. Scientists at NREL built a tool to help with that. [CleanTechnica]

Sup3rCC tool (Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL)

¶ “First-Ever National Drinking Water Standard to Protect 100 Million People from PFAS Pollution” • On April 10, the Biden-Harris Administration issued the first legally enforceable national drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to harmful per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Virginia Governor Signs Legislation Establishing Community Solar” • Governor Glenn Youngkin signed legislation that creates a community solar program in Virginia enabling up to 200 MW of shared power projects between the two major utilities that serve the state. Virginia targets 30% renewable energy by 2030, and 100% by 2050. [pv magazine USA]

Sheep grazing at solar farm (Dominion Energy)

¶ “Replacing Wires Could Double How Much Electricity The US Grid Can Handle” • Everyone seems to agree the US electrical grid will need modernizing as the demand for electric power increases. There are new technologies available that may allow the existing grid to carry more electricity without all those messy policy hurdles to jump over. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Avangrid Broke Ground On Its First Solar Farm In California” • Avangrid is one of the largest clean energy operators in the US, with 8.7 GW of installed renewables capacity in the country. Now, it is building its first solar farm in California, the 57-MW Camino Solar Project in Kern County. The company already has six wind farms in the state. [Electrek]

Solar system (Tom Brewster, BLM California, cropped)

¶ “Solar And Wind Power Is Surging In The Mountain West, But There’s Plenty Of Room To Grow, Study Finds” • Nationwide, wind turbines and solar panels generated more than 600,000 GWh of electricity in 2023, which is enough to power more than 61 million average American homes, according to research group Climate Central. [KSUT Public Radio]

¶ “Solar To Displace Natural Gas In Daytime And In Summer On The Texas Grid” • With more solar energy on the ERCOT grid, the EIA expects less natural gas use when solar energy displaces it in the middle of the day. The EIA also expects less use of natural gas in the summer when electricity demand is highest. Power demand is driven by heat in Texas. [Electrek]

Have a thoroughly grand day.

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World:

¶ “UN Atomic Watchdog Says The Status Of Russian-Occupied Ukraine Nuclear Plant Is ‘Extremely Serious’” • An explosion caused by an alleged drone attack at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant posed no direct threat to its safety but underscored the “extremely serious situation” at the facility that is in the war ‘s crossfire, the IAEA said. [ABC News]

Control room in Zaporizhzhia (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Hypocrisy In High Places As Developed Countries Continue To Fund Fossil Fuel Development Despite Pledge To Stop” • A report from Oil Change International and Friends of the Earth highlights how governments of so-called “first world” countries fund fossil fuel companies so they can continue expanding their operations in developing nations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Swiss Climate Group Wins Victory At European Court Of Human Rights” • A group of older Swiss women brought a suit to the European Court Of Human Rights, claiming that the Swiss government has denied them a clean and safe environment. The ECHR found Switzerland had failed to comply with its duties to stop climate change. [CleanTechnica]

Locarno, Switzerland (Johnson Hung, Unsplash)

¶ “Scottish Hydrogen Start-Up Secures Funding” • Scottish start-up Clyde Hydrogen Systems announced the successful closure of its pre-seed funding round totaling over £1 million in equity and grants. Clyde Hydrogen’s decoupled electrolyser technology delivers high pressure green hydrogen safely at scale and at low cost, according to the company. [reNews]

¶ “Nine In Ten Australians Favor Renewable Energy Transition, Nearly Half Want It To Go Faster” • The CSIRO released a survey on attitudes nationwide towards the renewable energy transition. Almost half of the participants (47%) said they backed a moderate paced transition to renewables, and 40% said they wanted a faster and more extensive change. [RenewEconomy]

Wind turbine in Australia (Stephen Edmonds, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “EU Launches Trade Probe Into Chinese Turbine Makers” • The EU has started an investigation into Chinese wind turbines under the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The announcement comes as Chinese wind turbine manufacturers are pushing hard and winning some orders in Europe, according to the trade association WindEurope. [reNews]

¶ “Incredible 60% Of Europe’s Electricity Was Powered By Clean Energy In The First Two Months Of 2024” • According to energy think tank Ember, Europe’s generation of 516,500 GWh of renewable electricity in January and February satisfied 60% of overall power demand. This marks a gain of 12% from the same period in 2023. [Good News Network]

Wind turbines in Spain (Raimond Klavins, Unsplash)

¶ “Protesters Oppose Nuclear Power Plant Extension” • Protesters gathered in front of the Legislature on Wednesday morning to protest the potential reopening of nuclear power plants. After recent electricity price hikes, Taiwan’s opposition party has suggested extending the service of nuclear power plants in Taiwan. [RTI Radio Taiwan International]

US:

¶ “New EPA Rule Says 218 US Chemical Plants Must Reduce Toxic Emissions That Are Likely To Cause Cancer” • More than 200 chemical plants nationwide will be required to reduce toxic emissions that are likely to cause cancer under a new rule issued by the EPA. The rule advances President Joe Biden’s pledge on environmental justice. [ABC News]

Chemical plant (Paul Teysen, Unsplash)

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Swapping An 800-MW Gas Generator For A 680-MW, 2720-MWh Grid-Scale Battery” • A decade ago, GE installed a state of the art combined cycle methane-fired turbine at a generating station southeast of Los Angeles. Fast forward to 2024: It has been demolished, and a $1 billion battery storage facility is being built for Calpine in its place. [CleanTechnica]

Calpine grid-scale battery, image courtesy of Calpine

World:

¶ “March Is Tenth Straight Month To Be Hottest On Record, Scientists Say” • For the tenth consecutive month, Earth set a new monthly record for global heat in March, with temperatures of both the air and the oceans hitting an all-time highs for the month, according to Copernicus, the EU climate agency. It was 1.68°C (3°F) warmer than in the late 1800s. [NPR]

¶ “A Small Group Of Carbon Majors Has Created The Most Climate Pollution, And They’re Not Slowing Down” • Which companies are most heavily linked to CO₂ emissions? The ignominious winners are the most prominent group of carbon majors, the world’s largest oil, gas, coal, and cement producers. And the emissions are increasing. [CleanTechnica]

Deepwater Horizon (Patrick Kelley, USCG, public domain)

¶ “Construction Starts On Massive Solar Farm To Feed Green Hydrogen Project” • Construction has started on one of the largest solar farms in Australia. The 480-MW Aldoga solar project will help power a green hydrogen project being developed by Queensland utility Stanwell Corp. Queensland has a goal of 80% renewables by 2035. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Just 3% Of Land Could Boost UK Renewables Generation 13-Fold” • Analysis from Friends of the Earth details how onshore renewables could cut emissions and curb energy costs without impacting food production. Onshore wind and solar projects could generate more than enough power if the government were to relax restrictive planning rules. [Business Green]

Devon countryside (Craig Cameron, Unsplash)

¶ “Nuveen, Exus Ink 800-MW Italian Battery Deal” • Nuveen Infrastructure and Exus Renewables have agreed to co-develop 800 MW of battery storage projects in southern Italy. The deal will see Nuveen Infrastructure and Exus commence a series of standalone battery energy storage system schemes across the Puglia region of Italy. [reNews]

¶ “South Australia’s Oldest Wind Farm Signs Up For New Long Term Power Deal” • Electricity retailer Zen Energy says it has signed 10-year off take deals with two Australian wind farms, including the oldest major wind facility in South Australia, as it boosts its renewable energy supplies. Both wind farms are owned and operated by Ratch-Australia. [RenewEconomy]

Wind farm (Ratch-Australia image)

¶ “Luxcara Reaches FID On 316 MW Of Danish Solar” • Luxcara and Bayerische Landesbank have achieved financial close for a 316-MW solar portfolio located in Denmark. The projects form one of the largest solar power plant sets in Northern Europe. It consists of three large scale projects, two in the region of Zealand and one in Jutland. [reNews]

¶ “Former Scottish Airfield To Become Supply Chain Hub” • A former RAF and Royal Navy base is set to be developed to give renewables businesses entering the north of Scotland a strategic location. Highland Deephaven on the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands began its life as a military airfield before becoming a strategic site for reneables. [reNews]

Highland Deephaven (Highland rural image)

¶ “Russia And Ukraine Trade Blame Over Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Drone Strike” • Russia and Ukraine accused each other of launching kamikaze drones at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in an incident condemned by the International Atomic Energy Agency for recklessly endangering safety. The nuclear watchdog inspectors said that structural integrity was not compromised. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “New Electric Tugboat Unveiled At Port Of San Diego” • The Port of San Diego recently unveiled an electric tugboat, the eWolf. The electric tugboat runs only on electricity, whereas a conventional tugboat uses diesel fuel. Air pollution at ports is a well-documented problem, and this electric tugboat generates no carbon dioxide or air pollution. [CleanTechnica]

The eWolf (Courtesy of Crowley Maritime Corporation)

¶ “US Says No To EV Subsidies For Cars Built In EU” • The US and the EU may be all warm and cozy inside their NATO mutual defense blanket, but America has given Europe the cold shoulder recently when it comes to cars made on the Old Continent being eligible for US EV tax credits and rebates. One issue is the source of components. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “America’s Largest-Ever Clean Energy Investment For Low-Income Communities” • America’s largest investmetn in clean energy for low-income and disadvantaged communities will soon be deployed. Leveraged effectively, this investment, $20 billion from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, will deliver transformation along with clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

Queens (James, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Rooftop Solar In New England Produced Five Seabrook Stations Worth Of Electricity” • At noon on March 30, 56% of the electricity being used in New England came from wind and solar. An estimated 5,964 MW was coming from behind-the-meter solar panels, mostly rooftop arrays. The Seabrook nuclear plant produced about a fifth of that. [Concord Monitor]

¶ “Plans For Massive Data Center Linked To Nuclear Power Spark Debate On Connecticut’s Energy Future” • Thomas Quinn, the president of NE Edge, wants to build a hyperscale data center, to be the single largest user of electricity in Connecticut, next to the Millstone Nuclear plant. The center would use more than 9% of the average power in the state. [CT Examiner]

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World:

¶ “Drones Attack The Russian-Held Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant” • The head of the UN’s atomic watchdog agency condemned a Ukrainian drone strike that hit one of the six nuclear reactors at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, saying such attacks “significantly increase the risk of a major nuclear accident.” [ABC News]

Iranian drones (Tasnim News Agency, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “RMI And Five Global Banks Launch A Voluntary Emissions Standard For Aviation Lending Portfolios” • RMI announced Pegasus Guidelines, the first voluntary climate-aligned finance framework for aviation sector lending, designed to help banks independently measure and disclose the climate alignment of their aviation loan portfolios. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Irish Wind Hits Record Levels For March” • Wind generation in Ireland hit a new record for a March month, according to Wind Energy Ireland’s monthly wind energy report. The latest figures show that Irish wind farms generated 1541 GWh of power in March 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1392 GWh set in March 2020. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Nordex image)

¶ “CETO Wave Energy Secures Spanish Berth” • CETO Wave Energy Ireland, owned by Carnegie Clean Energy, has signed an assignment agreement with the Biscay Marine Energy Platform and Wave Energy Scotland Limited. Wave Energy Scotland secured berth reservation rights for CETO Wave Energy Ireland as a successful Phase 3 Contractor. [reNews]

¶ “First Advanced Nuclear Reactor Submitted For Justification In UK” • The Nuclear Industry Association applied for a justification decision for newcleo’s lead-cooled fast reactor, the LFR-AS-200. The application says that the benefits of clean, firm, flexible power from the LFR-AS-200 would far outweigh any potential risks. [The Manufacturer]

Lead-cooled reactor (Idaho National Library, public domain)

India:

¶ “Climate crisis impacts citizens’ right to life: Supreme Court” • Climate change impacts the constitutional guarantee of right to life, India’s Supreme Court said in a judgment. It emphasized that India must prioritise clean energy initiatives such as solar power as citizens have a right to be free from the adverse effects of the climate emergency. [Hindustan Times]

¶ “Adani Kicks Off Commercial Production Of Wafers, Ingots” • Adani Group has started production of the wafers and ingots essential for manufacturing solar power cells and modules at a plant in Gujarat. Adani Group aims to be India’s first integrated renewable energy player and plans for its renewables to reach 45 GW by 2030. [Manufacturing Today India]

Work on a silicon wafer (ENERGY.GOV, public domain)

¶ “15 GW Hydroelectric Power Capacity Under Construction” • In India, hydroelectric power projects with a combined capacity of 15 GW are currently in progress, with expectations to elevate the nation’s hydro capacity from 42 GW to 67 GW by the fiscal year 2031-32, representing a substantial increase of more than half of the current capacity. [ProjectsMonitor]

US:

¶ “New Jersey National Guard To Help With 6 GW Of Offshore Wind” • Fossil energy stakeholders smelled blood last year when they helped mobilize local residents to oppose offshore wind off the coast of New Jersey. Now the Garden State is back on track on a long-term goal of 11 GW by 2040, with a little help from the New Jersey National Guard. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind turbine (Courtesy of NJ DEP)

¶ “Washington State Passes Cutting-Edge Policies To Reduce Emissions” • Washington passed the first law in the US to outline a pathway for a combined gas and electricity utility to transition away from gas. The state requires all utilities to offer 100% clean electricity by 2045. This law paves the way for its largest dual-fuel utility to decarbonize. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A New EPA Rule Is Meant To Prevent Chemical Disasters, But Safety Advocates Say Loopholes Remain” • There is a chemical disaster on average once every two days in the US, the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters says. The EPA recently released a safety rule meant to reduce chemical disasters, but advocates say loopholes remain. [CleanTechnica]

Fire at a petrochemical plant (US Chemical Safety Board image)

¶ “The Hydrogen Companies Pushing For Strict Subsidy Rules” • Hy Stor wants to use such salt caverns to store hydrogen made by splitting water molecules with electrolysis powered by renewable energy. Hy Stor supports proposed rules for a federal tax credit for ​“green” hydrogen fuel production. Without the rules, “green” hydrogen can increase emissions. [Canary Media]

¶ “Microsoft Signs Two Large Solar Power Purchase Agreements” • Leeward Renewable Energy announced that it entered into two 200-MW power purchase agreements with Microsoft for power generated by the Morrow Lake Solar and Cradle Solar, both in Texas. Microsoft has set a goal of 100% renewable energy for data centers by 2025. [pv magazine International]

Solar workers (Leward Renewable Energy image)

¶ “A Solar Ban, A Gas Power Plant And The Rural Retirees Firing Back At Dirty Energy” • Retirees at a meeting in Arizona were upset. There is a moratorium on renewable energy projects, and they are being presented with a gas-powered peaker plant. Its electricity will be expensive and dirtier than solar-plus-battery, and they are angry. [The Arizona Republic]

¶ “Solar Surge: South Dakota Sees New Interest In Solar Power” • Less than a year ago, the only utility-scale solar farm in South Dakota was a 1-MW facility near Pierre, which accounted for just 0.01% of the state’s overall power generation. But recent events have brightened the outlook for future development of solar power projects. [South Dakota News Watch]

Have a magically fun day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “‘Simply Mind-Boggling’: World Record Temperature Jump In Antarctic Raises Fears Of Catastrophe” • Scientists at Concordia research station on the east Antarctic plateau documented a remarkable event. They recorded the largest temperature jump ever measured at a meteorological center on Earth, 38.5°C above its seasonal average. [The Guardian]

Penguins (Eamonn Maguire, Unsplash)

¶ “WMO Issues Bright Red Alert” • The World Meteorological Organization’s annual report says, “Scientific knowledge of climate change has existed for more than five decades, and yet we’ve missed an entire generation of opportunity. We must base today’s decisions upon future generations rather than short-term economic interests.” [Pressenza]

World:

¶ “Volvo Sets All-Time Sales Record Thanks To EV Sales Surge” • Volvo sold 78,970 vehicles worldwide in March, a 25% increase YOY. Sales of fully electric cars were up 43% and made up 23% of all Volvo March global sales. Volvo sales in Europe, the firm’s top market, rose 33% in March. Even better, sales of its fully electric cars rose 66% over last year’s total. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 Cloud (Volvo image)

¶ “EVs Take 22.9% Share Of The UK – Laggards Exposed” • March saw plugin EVs take 22.9% share of the UK auto market, barely up from 22.4% year on year. Full electric share fell, while the plugin hybrid share grew. Overall auto volume was 317,786 units, up 10% YOY, though still far below pre-2020 norms. The UK’s leading battery EV brand was Tesla. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Government To Electrify Small Isolated Villages With Solar Power” • The Sindh Chief Minister said that according to the Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman’s election manifesto, the provincial government would provide solar power systems to energise small isolated villages under the Village Electrification Programme. [The News International]

Rural Pakistan (Jahanzeb Ahsan, Unsplash)

¶ “Globeleq Says R5.7-Billion Red Sands Will Be Africa’s Largest Standalone Battery Storage Project” • Globeleq, Africa’s largest independent power producer, says the 153-MW, 612-MWh Red Sands project will be the largest standalone battery energy storage system in Africa and will carry an investment value of R5.7 billion ($304 million). [Engineering News]

¶ “Good News For The Citizens Of Karachi Low Cost Renewable Will Be Added In The K Electric System” • K Electric has given good news to the citizens of Karachi who are suffering from expensive electricity. 640 MW will be added from wind energy. Solar and wind power will significantly reduce the production cost of electricity. [CustomNews.pk]

Karachi (Muhammad Jawaid Shamshad, Unsplash)

¶ “PH Needs 53 GW By 2040 Under Higher Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard” • The Philippines would need 52.83 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2040 after the Department of Energy hiked the RPS, an official said. DOE Assistant Secretary Mylene Capongcol said the new required RE capacity in 2040 is seven times the current level. [Philippine News Agency]

¶ “Power Engineers Repair Backup Power Line To Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant” • A statement from Ukrainian energy company Ukrenergo said, “Ukrenergo repair crews have fixed and put back into operation a 330 kV high-voltage overhead line that provides a backup power supply to ZNPP. It was damaged during the Russian attack on 4 April.” [Українська правда]

Power line in Ukraine (Валерий Дед, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “NM Air Quality Decision-Makers Vote To Continue New Clean Car Standards” • The New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board voted 4-1 to reject a challenge to newly enacted clean car standards. Also, the Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Air Quality Control Board voted unanimouslyto reject the challenge. These standards will bring the state more EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Beats Coal In Fossil-Friendly Texas, Despite Fossil Friends” • The renewable energy juggernaut keeps rolling on in Texas, even though public officials bend over backwards to keep fossil energy interests safe. Coal’s market share fell below 10% for the first time ever, to just over 9%. And solar’s market share rose above 10% in the same month. [CleanTechnica]

Solar pavilion at Fair Park, Dallas (Michael Barera, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Alternus Clean Energy, Acadia Energy Form JV To Develop Microgrids In New York” • Alternus Clean Energy said it formed a joint venture with renewable energy developer Acadia Energy to co-develop 200 MW of microgrid projects in New York State. The JV will focus on developing and operating the microgrids over the next two to three years. [Reuters]

¶ “Interest In Virtual Power Plants Grows” • A virtual power plant is seen as a cost-effective way to help electric grids caught up in changing times. Retirements of aging power plants come along with difficulties building cleaner generating plants along with the transmission lines they need, just when demand for electricity is projected to be huge. [Louisiana Illuminator]

Have a nicely endowed day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “The Potential Of Solar And Mesh-Grids” • While the power potential of mini-grids make them viable for densely populated areas, they are too expensive for rural areas with low population densities. Mesh-grids are offer a more affordable system than traditional off-grid installations, often with a cost just 60% of that of mini-grids. [CleanTechnica]

Cambodian floating solar mesh-grid (Courtesy of Okra Solar)

¶ “New Green Energy Technique Could Kick Lithium Demand Into High Gear” • Engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago report a new green ammonia production process using lithium, nitrogen, and hydrogen. Their process could be very important for climate change efforts because of its much reduced carbon emissions. [Mugglehead Magazine]

World:

¶ “Austria Likely To Be Largely Ice-Free Within 45 Years As Its Glaciers Recede Quickly, Experts Say” • Austrian glaciers receded rapidly last year and the country is likely to be largely ice-free in 40 to 45 years as the process continues. The Austrian Alpine Club said that, of the 93 glaciers its volunteers measured, all but one receded in 2022-2023. [ABC News]

Skiing at Stubai Glacier (Markos Mant, Unsplash)

¶ “New Zealand Passenger EV Penetration Was Just Under 10% In March 2024” • The New Zealand passenger EV market has seen a rise from the doldrums of February, when it reached a low of 4.1% market share. Just below 10% of passenger vehicles sold in NZ in March came with a plug. Thus, the quarter’s average was at about 6% plugin vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Invisible 12-Hour Energy Storage Project To Chase Oil Shale From Estonia” • The oil shale business depends on support of favorable energy policies, but Estonia is about to give it the boot. Instead, Estonia is turning to its considerable offshore wind resources and a massive long-duration, pumped hydro project, mostly hidden underground. [CleanTechnica]

Underground pumped storage (Courtesy of Zero Terrain)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “K-Electric Forecasts Cost Reduction With 640-MW Renewable Energy Boost” • K-Electric, the electricity provider for Karachi, projected a significant cut in electricity generation costs over the next two to three years after a planned addition of 640 MW of power derived from renewable energy sources, specifically solar and windpower. [The News International]

¶ “World EV Sales Now 13% Of World Auto Sales” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 3% in February 2024 compared to February 2023. There were 830,000 registrations, making it possibly the last month with fewer than one million sales per month ever for plugin EVs. Year to date, plugin EV market share was at 14% (9% battery EV). [CleanTechnica]

BYD Qin Plus EV (Quzhouliulian, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Europe Crafts Plan Against China’s Solar Supremacy” • China’s grip on the green tech industry, including solar panels, electric vehicles, and batteries is causing concern worldwide. The US and Europe are wary of China’s overwhelming production supported by huge subsidies to its companies. Europe is aiming to achieve solar sovereignty. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “China’s Quiet Energy Revolution: The Switch From Nuclear To Renewable Energy” • In late 2011 China’s National Energy Administration announced that China would add up to 300 GW of nuclear capacity over the next ten to twenty years. Now it aims for nuclear energy to supply 15% of China’s total electricity demand by 2035. [Pearls and Irritations]

Guangdong nuclear plant (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Amid Legal Challenges, SEC Pauses Its Climate Rule” • The US Securities and Exchange Commission is pausing implementation of its new climate disclosure rule while it defends the regulation in court. The rule, which was voted into place in March, requires some public companies in the US to report their greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks. [ABC News]

¶ “$19 Million For Innovative Solar Panel Installation Over Canals” • The Interior Department announced a $19 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to install solar panels over irrigation canals in California, Oregon, and Utah. This reduces evaporation of needed water while it increases clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

Solar PVs over a canal (Courtesy of Turlock Irrigation District)

¶ “$46 Million Available for Clean Transportation Research, Development, Demonstration, And Deployment” • The US DOE announced $45.8 million in new funding for projects that will advance research, development, demonstration, and deployment critical to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Geothermal Capacity Set To Grow by 1,900% by 2050” • In March, the US DOE announced it would invest $60 million in funding to demonstrate the efficacy and scalability of enhanced geothermal systems to access underground heat to be used as renewable energy. The DOE said it expects geothermal capacity to supply 10% of US electricity by 2050. [OilPrice.com]

Have a pleasantly useful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Ego, Greed, And The Hertz EV Debacle” • Bloomberg Hyperdrive is out with the saga of how some self-important Wall Street bozos totally mismanaged the Hertz campaign to make electric cars part of its fleet. It is a classic tale of idiots with more money than brains moving too fast and breaking things, with no thought to the consequences. [CleanTechnica]

Hertz rental Teslas

World:

¶ “EVs Take 91.5% Share In Norway” • March’s auto market saw plugin EVs take 91.5% share in Norway, up from 91.1% in March of last year. Battery EVs alone took almost 90% share. Overall auto volume was 9,750 units, 50% down year over year, and the lowest March in 15 years. The Tesla Model Y was again Norway’s best selling vehicle. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Roam’s Electric Motorcycles Will Soon Be Available In 30 Stores In Kenya” • The electric motorcycle scene in Kenya is starting to get very exciting now as a lot of the startups that have been doing pilot programs over the years are now transitioning to early commercialization of their products. Roam Air electric motorcycle is a leader. [CleanTechnica]

Roam electric motorcycle (Courtesy of Roam)

¶ “Eastern Railway Installs 1-MW Rooftop Solar Plant” • Eastern Railway has installed a 1-MW rooftop solar power plant at the Asansol Railway Workshop in West Bengal. The installation of solar power is part of Eastern Railway’s larger renewable energy strategy, which aims at harnessing clean energy sources to power its operations. [Construction World]

¶ “AutoFlight Delivers First Electric Air Taxi To Customer In Japan” • AutoFlight has achieved a significant milestone by officially delivering its first Prosperity aircraft to a customer in Japan, marking the world’s inaugural delivery of a civilian ton-class eVTOL aircraft. The five-seater Prosperity aircraft went to a commercial operator. [CleanTechnica]

AutoFlight Prosperity (AutoFlight image)

¶ “Investment Deficit Puts Planet On Path To Miss 1.5°C, Study Finds” • A lack of investment in green energy has left the world on track to overshoot the 1.5°C temperature increase that many scientists regard as a critical threshold in global efforts to contain climate change. REN21, a renewable energy think tank, published the finding. [Insurance Journal]

¶ “Ballarat Community Group Looks At ‘Microgrid Model On Steroids’ To Power City” • The Ballarat Energy Network, together with over twenty of the Victorian community’s largest businesses and industries, will start a project that could see Ballarat become the first regional city in Australia to be powered by 100% locally generated renewable energy. [pv magazine Australia]

Ballarat (Ballarat Council image)

US:

¶ “Power Forward Communities Awarded $2 Billion For Home Decarbonization” • Power Forward Communities was awarded a $2 billion, seven-year National Clean Investment Fund grant from the EPA for funding affordable residential decarbonization throughout the country, with a specific focus on low income and disadvantaged communities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Settles It: EV Gloom And Doom Was Premature” • Ford has adopted a cautionary approach that seems to be aimed at managing expectations for the near term. Still, the mysterious “skunkworks” low-cost EV project remains in play over the longer term, raising the possibility of a Model-T scale speedup in EV adoption. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Model T (Rmhermen, public domain)

¶ “Study Examines Cost Competitiveness of Zero-Emission Trucks” • A recent study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explored how the total cost of driving for zero-emission and diesel Medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles could evolve over time under different scenarios, from the present day to 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Leeward Energy Starts Operations At Huge South Texas Solar Project” • Dallas-based Leeward Renewable Energy completed construction and commenced operations at its 200-MW Horizon Solar Project in South Central Texas. The project will provide Verizon Communications with renewable energy under a power purchase agreement. [Dallas Innovates]

Horizon Solar Project (Leeward Renewable Energy image)

¶ “More Power, More Water: Solar-Over-Canal Projects Are Coming To California” • California is pioneering innovations to generate clean electricity while conserving water. The state is teaming up with the Biden Administration on a solar-over-canal pilot project to clean solar power and transform the state’s water system. [California State Portal]

¶ “Plans Filed For New Jersey’s Garden State Energy Path Grid Upgrade” • National Grid Ventures and Con Edison Transmission have submitted plans to build transmission infrastructure that will connect offshore wind power to the New Jersey electricity grid. Garden State Energy Path will be able to carry 6 GW of electricity from four wind farms. [reNews]

Jersey City (Jonathan Roger, Unsplash)

¶ “California Publishes $6 Billion Transmission Plan” • The California Independent System Operator has recommended 26 new grid projects at an estimated cost of $6.1 billion. The first phase includes $4.59 billion for three transmission lines to deliver energy from floating turbines off Humboldt County, in the state’s North Coast area. [reNews]

¶ “California’s Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant’s $1.1 Billion Federal Funding Challenged” • Friends of the Earth, an environmental advocacy group, has sued the US Energy Department seeking to block $1.1 billion in federal funding that aims to help California’s PG&E continue running its aging Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant. [Reuters]

Have an unabashedly splendid day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “MIT Engineers Design Artificial Reef To Protect Coastlines And Marine Species” • MIT calls it an “architected” reef. It is a sustainable offshore structure engineered to mimic the wave buffering effects of a natural reef while also providing pockets of safety for fish and other marine life. It breaks up incoming waves, dissipating most of their energy. [CleanTechnica]

Graphic of artificial Reef (MIT News image)

¶ “How Mountains Could Store Mountains Of Clean Energy” • Mountains, or even hills, cliffs, and flat-topped buttes, could soon store a whole lot of clean energy. These vertically blessed places are ideal spots for a well-established form of energy storage that is getting renewed attention: pumped storage hydropower. Now NREL has a cost-estimation tool. [NREL]

World:

¶ “Digital Battery Passports Coming to EU” • Starting in February 2027, every new traction battery, two-wheeled vehicle battery, and industrial battery with a capacity of over 2 kWh that is sold in the EU will need a digital battery passport. There are several reasons for this, including transparency and sustainability in the battery value chain. [CleanTechnica]

Small traction battery (Kumpan Electric, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs At 58.1% Share In Sweden – The Volvo EX30 Took The #2 Spot” • March’s auto market saw plugin EVs at a 58.1% share in Sweden, down YOY from 59.9%. Plugin volumes were down YOY for battery EVs, but up slightly for plugin hybrids. Overall auto volume was 23,891 units, down 21% YOY. The Tesla Model Y was the month’s bestselling battery EV. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Rules In Europe – Europe EV Sales Report” • Some 202,000 plugin vehicles were registered in February in Europe, which is +10% YOY. But the growth rate was the same in the overall market, so the EV market share did not grow. February’s plugin vehicle share of the overall European auto market was 20% (13% battery EVs). [CleanTechnica]

Citroën ë-C3 (Citroën image)

¶ “Malaysian Player Targets 2-GW Renewables Portfolio For Australia” • Malaysian engineering and infrastructure company Gamuda has announced it will shift its focus in Australia to the clean energy and renewables infrastructure market, laying out plans to build a portfolio of 1 to 2 GW of solar and wind projects in the next five years. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Renewables Failing To Keep Pace With Energy Demand” • A report from REN21 found that persistent obstacles prevent renewables from keeping pace with rising energy demand. This leads to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Renewables are increasing in the overall energy mix, but they are not replacing coal, oil, and gas at the pace required. [reNews]

View from the top of a wind turbine (WindEurope image)

¶ “EU Clears Greek Aid For 813 MW Of PV With Storage ” • The European Commission approved €1 billion of Greek measures under EU state-aid rules to support two solar projects, one with lithium-ion batteries and one with molten-salt thermal storage. The Faethon Project and the Seli Project are both to be operating by mid-2025. [pv magazine International]

¶ “EU Carbon Market Emissions Fall Record 15.5% As Renewable Power Soars” • Carbon dioxide emissions regulated under the EU’s Emissions Trading System fell by a record 15.5% in 2023 as renewable power output soared, the European Commission said. Around 45% of the EU’s output of greenhouse gases is regulated by the EU ETS. [Reuters]

Coal-burning plant (Daniel Moqvist, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia Says Backup Power Line To Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Has Gone Down” • A backup power line supplying the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine has gone down, the Russian-controlled management of the plant said. The plant relies on external power to keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a catastrophic accident. [Reuters]

US:

¶ “US Audi EV Sales Grow 29%, BMW EV Sales Grow 63%” • Tesla sales may be drooping, but that is not an industry-wide problem. The two automakers most similar to Tesla in class and vehicle price are Audi and BMW, and they just reported that their full battery electric vehicle sales in the US grew 29% and 63%, year-over-year, respectively. [CleanTechnica]

BMW G26E i4 (Damian B Oh, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “US DOE Releases First Ever Federal Blueprint to Decarbonize America’s Buildings Sector” • The Biden-Harris Administration just released Decarbonizing the U.S. Economy by 2050: A National Blueprint for the Buildings Sector. It presents the first sector-wide strategy for building decarbonization to be developed by the federal government. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Argonne Spotlights Projects That Give Equitable Access To Sustainable Transportation In Underserved Communities” • In electrifying the transportation system, the US is committed to giving all residents fair and equitable access to clean, affordable transportation. And it is critical that underserved communities have a strong voice in planning. [CleanTechnica]

Public charging station (EVBOX image)

¶ “Senators Strike Compromise, Advance Bill Requiring Extra Public Meeting On Renewable Energy Projects” • Nebraska state lawmakers reached a compromise on a bill that was criticized as pulling up “the welcome mat” on renewable energy projects. John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union said, “It’s bad economic policy.” [Nebraska Examiner]

¶ “PSEG Tells NRC It Plans On Renewing Licenses For Three South Jersey Nuclear Plants” • PSEG Nuclear LLC has notified the NRC that it plans to seek renewal of licenses for its three nuclear power plants in South Jersey. They provide nearly half the state’s electricity and are [claimed to be] integral components of New Jersey’s clean-energy goals. [NJ Spotlight News]

Have a sufficiently amusing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Tesla Marketing Campaign Takes A Slightly Traditional Turn” • Tesla swore off traditional advertising early on, depending on word-of-mouth referals. But these days, paid ads for Tesla are popping up across social platforms, including on Facebook, YouTube, and lots of other places. What’s behind the Tesla marketing turnabout? [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Pontus Jerand Wernhammar, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Flixtrain, Trainline, And T&E Call For Reduced Rail Tolls To Help Make Train Travel More Accessible” • Travelling by rail instead of flying can decrease emissions by up to -97% on specific routes. Reducing flying and car use is urgent to mitigate climate change and live within the Paris Agreement to limit temperature increases to well below 2°C. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Adani Green Energy Has Over 10 GW Of Renewable Capacity Operating” • Adani Green Energy Ltd has reached an operating renewable energy portfolio of 10,934 MW, the largest in India. AGEL’s operating renewable energy portfolio consists of 7,393 MW of solar, 1,401 MW of wind and 2,140 MW of wind-solar hybrid capacity. [pv magazine India]

Adani Green Energy wind-solar plant (AGEL image)

¶ “Mytilineos Inks 210-MW Solar Offtake Deal In Greece” • Based in Greece, Mytilineos and Karatzis, a manufacturing firm, signed a 210-MW power purchase agreement for the energy generated by a 262-MW solar portfolio. Mytilineos will be able to take 80% of the energy produced by the portfolio, which has 35 projects in Larissa prefecture. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Portuguese Utility Says Renewables Covered 91% Of Demand In March” • Renewable energy covered 91% of Portugal’s demand for electricity in March, according to data from the grid operator. Hydropower provided 47%, followed by wind at 31%, solar at 6%, and biomass at 5%. Natural gas plants generated the remaining share. [pv magazine International]

Solar + horses (Voltalia image)

¶ “Alice Springs Roadmap To Renewable Energy Calls For Urgent Action” • The central Australian town of Alice Springs is on track for 50% renewable power by 2030 but a report says urgent action and investment is needed to integrate the increasing amounts of renewable energy, including solar PV and battery energy storage, into its isolated grid. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Russian Ship Carrying Nuclear Fuel For US Nuclear Power Plant Detained In German Port” • Atlantic Navigator II has been held in dock at the German seaport of Rostock for three weeks after enriched uranium was found on board. The ship visited the port because of engine problems but may not leave due to a violation of EU sanctions. [Українська правда]

Rostock (A Savin, Copyleft)

US:

¶ “Tesla Sales Tumble Nearly 9%, Largest Drop In Four Years, As Competition Heats Up And Demand Slows” • Tesla sales fell sharply last quarter as competition increased worldwide, EV sales growth slowed, and price cuts failed to lure more buyers. Tesla said it delivered 386,810 vehicles worldwide in the first quarter, down almost 9% year on year. [ABC News]

¶ “Getting Solar And Battery Storage For Your Home Is Now As Simple As Ordering Pizza (In Four States)” • After its successful debut in Texas last year, BLUETTI is now extending its services to California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. This gives homeowners a seamless path to energy independence and reducing utility expenses. [CleanTechnica]

BLUETTI Solar+ (BLUETTI screen-shot)

¶ “The Lure Of Federal Money Is Too Strong For Virginia And Youngkin To Pass Up” • The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program provides $5 billion in grants to states, territories, tribes, and local governments to develop and execute plans for reducing GHG emissions and other air pollution. Virginia, under Governor Younkin, is taking part. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Gives Go-Ahead For 2.6-GW New England Wind” • The US government announced its approval of Avangrid’s 2,600-MW New England Wind offshore wind project. With the approval, the Department of the Interior has approved more than 10 GW of capacity from offshore wind projects. It said this is enough to power nearly 4 million homes. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (insung yoon, Unsplash)

¶ “Continuance Of Coal’: Rocky Mountain Power Updates Energy Plan” • Rocky Mountain Power’s resource plan of March 2023 said Utah’s last two coal-fired power plants would retire by 2032. Now, an updated plan says the plants will run until 2036 and 2042. The change is based on court decisions against the EPA and bills in Utah’s legislature. [KSL News]

¶ “Doe Funds Heated Sand Energy Storage Project Pilot” • NREL researchers are working on a multi-day energy storage system using heated sand have developed a prototype. Now it has set the stage for a pilot project. Computer modeling has shown that a commercial-scale system would retain more than 95% of its heat for at least five days. [pv magazine USA]

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

¶ “NRC Underestimates Climate Risks To Nuclear Power, GAO Says” • A Government Accountability Office report found that the NRC uses historical data, rather than climate projections, to identify and assess risk in initial licensing processes and during safety reviews for plants. That may underestimate how weather could affect nuclear power plants. [E&E News]

¶ “Connecticut’s Millstone at high risk for flooding in Category 4 hurricane due to climate change” • A report by the federal Government Accountability Office identifies the Millstone Power Plant in Waterford as one of a half dozen nuclear power plants in the US that face a high risk of flood due to a storm surge from a Category 4 hurricane. [CT Insider]

Have an entirely impeccable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Spent Nuclear Fuel Mismanagement Poses A Major Threat To The United States. Here’s How” • The dangers of nuclear reactor meltdowns are well known. But spent fuel can also overheat and burn in a storage pool if its coolant water is lost. If this happens, there is a potential for releasing large amounts of radioactive material into the air. [Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]

Nuclear power plant (Frédéric Paulussen, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Researchers In China Propose Non-Aqueous Manganese Metal Batteries” • Researchers in China say they may have found how to make manganese batteries that have higher energy density and cost less than any based on lithium. Manganese is far more abundant in the Earth’s crust, so batteries that use it can cost less than those made with lithium. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “One In Four EVs Sold In Europe This Year Will Be Made In China” • Almost a fifth (19.5%) of EVs sold in Europe last year were made in China, and this is on track to reach a quarter (25%) in 2024, according to new analysis by Transport & Environment. The EU is considering import tariffs to counter China’s subsidies for its EV industry. [CleanTechnica]

Xiaomi SU7 EV (Xiaomi image)

¶ “UK Energy Production Hits Record Low – Biggest Drop Since 1948” • In 2023, UK energy production declined 9%, reaching its lowest level since records began in 1948. Government data show that production was down by 36% from 2010 and 66% from its peak in 1999. Oil production hit a record low, while production of gas hit its second lowest level. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Imminent Insect Demise Means Global Food Web Is On Verge Of Collapse” • Buried in the late Friday afternoon news cycle, the most recent annual assessment from the World Entomology Body on the health of insects indicates that loss of whole insect communities is imminent. This would have disastrous effects for the global food web. [CleanTechnica]

Lavender Bee (Bennilover, CC BY-ND 2.0, cropped)

¶ “China Could Drive Africa’s Renewable Energy Revolution, Report” • China is Africa’s biggest bilateral trading partner after financing billions of dollars worth of infrastructure projects. It has an opportunity to drive an energy revolution in Africa but must reverse nearly two decades of neglect of green investments there, a report shows. [SABC News]

¶ “SJVN Launches 1.2-GW Renewables-Plus-Storage Tender” • SJVN invited bids to supply 600 MW of firm and dispatchable power from renewable energy projects with energy storage, with an option of additional capacity up to 600 MW. The projects can be located anywhere in India but must connect to the interstate transmission system. [pv magazine India]

Solar-plus-storage (Tesla image)

¶ “Lightyears Lands New Funds For Trio Of Community-Scale Solar Farms” • Lightyears Solar said NZ$6 million ($3.6 million) of new capital will help ramp up the pace of its program to build three solar farms totaling 18 MW of capacity in the Wairarapa and Canterbury regions on New Zealand’s North and South islands respectively. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “India Hydropower Output Records Steepest Fall In Nearly Four Decades” • India’s hydroelectricity output fell at the steepest pace in at least 38 years over the year ending March 31, a Reuters analysis of government data showed. Erratic rainfall and high demand forced further dependence on coal-fired power, a major water consumer. [The Globe and Mail]

Jalhaput Dam (zskm10, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

US:

¶ “US DOE Expands Support for Community-Led Clean Energy Transitions” • The DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the first Clean Energy to Communities annual report. It highlights more than 200 US communities that benefited from the program as it gave them support through the transition to clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “60% Of EVs Are Expected To Be In Suburban Areas In 2030” • Sixty percent of the 33 million EVs expected in the US by 2030 are projected to be in suburban areas, according to a report from the NREL. Of the remainder, 20% will be in rural locations and another 20% in urban areas. The charging network needs for EVs will differ by area. [CleanTechnica]

Bidirectional EV charging (Image courtesy of GM)

¶ “Virginia Greenlights 764 MW Of Solar Sites” • The Virginia State Corporation Commission approved more than a dozen solar projects, with 764 MW of capacity. The projects will output enough energy to power nearly 200,000 homes at peak output. Four projects will belong to Dominion Energy Virginia, which will buy the output of and the others. [reNews]

¶ “New Texas Fuel Cell Gigafactory Pours More Cold Water On Clean Power Foes” • In Texas, public officials have been pulling out all the stops to obstruct clean energy investment, but the hits just keep on coming. In the latest development, Ballard Power Systems is moving forward with plans to set up a 3-GW fuel cell factory in Rockwell. [CleanTechnica]

Fuel cell electric bus (Photo courtesy of Ballard)

¶ “Hawaiian Electric Launches New Rooftop Solar And Energy Storage Programs” • Hawaiian Electric, which serves all of the islands except Kauai, is making major changes to its rooftop solar and storage programs. The new program was approved by the Public Utilities Commission. It replaces all previous rooftop solar programs except Net Metering. [Spectrum News]

¶ “Roadmap To achieving Puerto Rico’s Goal Of 100% Renewable Energy By 2050” • NREL reported that Puerto Rico has 20 GW of utility-scale solar potential, mostly along the coasts, and 20 GW of distributed solar potential. Just 10 GW of solar could meet Puerto Rico’s needs, Solar + Energy Storage Association president PJ Wilson estimated. [pv magazine USA]

Have a justifiably delighted day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Turkey Thinks Nuclear Energy Is Renewable Energy” • Turkey considers nuclear energy renewable energy. Being on the side of the planet doesn’t pay there. You can go to jail for speaking up against pollution or high cancer rates in children. Turkey’s leader supports Hamas and terror groups publicly. Is this a society you want using nuclear power? [Green Prophet]

Sunset in Istanbul (Osman Köycü, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Carbonfuture Launches Carbon Removal Sensor Suite Partnership With Syncraft And Others” • Carbonfuture has announced a CO₂ removal (CDR) sensor suite, which will be used with Puro.Earth, a CDR standards and certification body, and with Syncraft and PYREG, both biomass pyrolysis facilities manufacturers. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Farmers In Germany Ready To Embrace Agrivoltaics” • In Germany, researchers associated with the world renowned Fraunhofer ISE published a study designed to shed light on what factors make agrivoltaics – the practice of combining solar panels with farming – attractive to those who are actually engaged in farming. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics (Connexus image, cropped)

¶ “£16 Billion Of Scottish Wind Blown Away: Green Power Is Going To Waste Because It Can’t Be Sent South Of Border” • The UK may be a wind super-power, but there is a problem because there are not enough cables to take renewable electricity from Scotland, where most of the windpower is produced, to England, where most of it is needed. [This is Money]

Australia:

¶ “Big Talk, Little Action: The Energy Future In Western Australia Is At A Crossroads Between Gas And Renewables” • Big, bold announcements have given the impression that a wave of new renewable energy projects, underpinned by significant state investment, are in the works for Western Australia. Sadly, the reality is very different. [RenewEconomy]

Offshore oil and gas rig (Woodside image)

¶ “Sydney Zoo Teams With EnergyAustralia For Rooftop Solar Solution” • EnergyAustralia and Sydney Zoo in Eastern Creek partnered to install 602 solar panels on the rooftops of eight zoo buildings. The system is expected to generate up to half of the zoo’s peak electricity needs during optimum conditions and to reduce carbon emissions. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Billion-Dollar Investment Could Revive Australian Solar Manufacturing” • At a stroke, Australia’s federal government proposes to directly invest in making solar PVs, the technology Australia will rely on most to generate its electricity. By 2050, solar should provide most of our electricity – but only if we have enough panels. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar PV manufacture (Sundrive image)

¶ “Report Says Rooftop Solar Key To Cutting Climate Pollution” • Solar generation, battery storage, transmission and electrification can future-proof Australia’s economy while reducing climate pollution 75%, says independent organisation Climate Council in its ‘Seize the Decade’ report. It offers targets to attain that goal in six years. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “Smart Siting Of Offshore Wind Protects Right Whales In Gulf of Maine” • The final Wind Energy Area identified for potential offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine is principally located away from habitats of higher importance to endangered North Atlantic right whales. Smart siting will help the industry advance responsibly. [CleanTechnica]

North Atlantic right whales (NOAA Fisheries image)

¶ “Colorado Introduces New Easy E-Bike Credit” • If you want to buy an e-bike in Colorado, getting a credit for the purchase could not be much easier. The instructions have three steps: (1) You must live in Colorado, (2) buy an e-bike at a participating bike shop, (3) and you get $450 off. There are limitations, like that you can only do this once per year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Seems To Be Focusing On National Park Access With Supercharger Network: Jennifer Sensiba” • In two other recent articles, I spotted some upcoming Tesla Supercharger stations that will greatly improve access to national parks. Now, after seeing a third, and then fourth, fifth, and sixth examples, I see a pattern in Tesla’s behavior. [CleanTechnica]

Grand Tetons (Nate Foong, Unsplash)

¶ “Columbia University Senate Approves New Master Of Science In Climate Finance” • The University Senate approved a Master of Science program in climate finance, a collaboration between the Climate School and Business School. The University Senate passed the proposal with 63 votes in favor, zero opposed, and three abstentions. [Columbia Daily Spectator]

¶ “Renewable Parts Launches First Overseas Operations Base In USA” • Renewable Parts, a leader in refurbishing wind turbine component parts, has launched its first overseas operations base in Houston, Texas. Renewable Parts has more than a decade of experience in wind turbine parts refurbishment. Texas has 30 GW of installed capacity. [Energy Global]

Have a thrillingly superb day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “The Real Value Of Electrifying Non-Powered Dams” • Some non-power dams are suitable for conversion to generate power, but few have been in the last 20 years due to the complexity and concerns about economics. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed a way to calculate the economic value of a converted NPD. [CleanTechnica]

Allegheny River Lock and Dam 2 (Andrew Byrne, US ACE)

World:

¶ “33% Plugin Vehicle Market Share In China – February 2024 Sales Report” • Plugin vehicles are all the rage in the Chinese auto market, but Chinese New Year celebrations, which always slow things down, happened this year in February. There were 440,000 EV sales, which is down 9% year over year. The overal market had 1.33 million sales. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “I Want To Tackle It In A Big Way’: Meet The Nigerian Women Spearheading Solar Projects” • In Fadeyi’s childhood, she only had intermittent electricity, but she got a degree in chemistry and training in solar installation. Then She started a non-profit dedicated to climate advocacy and providing clean energy to poor communities. [Euronews.com]

Solar panels in Nigeria (EtinPower image)

¶ “NatPower UK To Invest $12.8 Billion Into Battery Storage ‘Gigaparks’” • A renewable energy developer announced it would invest almost $12.8 billion into a massive battery storage project in the UK. NatPower, a UK startup, plans to submit planning proposals for three ‘gigaparks,’which it hopes to follow up with 10 more parks in 2025. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Significant Renewable Energy Gains In 2023 Put Global Goal Within Reach” • The world added 50% more renewable energy in 2023 than 2022, putting the global goal of tripling clean energy in the next six years within reach, experts have said. The IEA made the announcement after analysis of current policies and market developments. [Yahoo News UK]

Wind turbines (Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)

¶ “Japan, China Hold Expert Consultation on Fukushima Daiichi Treated Water Ocean Release” • The governments of Japan and China held an expert consultation meeting regarding the release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the ocean. The Japanese said that monitoring results showed no impact on seawater. [The Japan News]

US:

¶ “Clean Energy, One Community At A Time” • Many places are highly dependent on fossil fuels, but they might not have the time, experience, or other resources to convert to sustainable energy. Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory provide technical assistance research that can help communities pursue sustainable energy options. [CleanTechnica]

House in Alaska (Courtesy of NREL)

¶ “Navajo And Hopi Country Deserve More EV Charging” • EV charging dead zones still exist in the US, some with no plans in sight to improve the situation. Here, we look into Navajo and Hopi tribal lands, and why it’s important to address the problem, not only for the people who live there, but for all of the people who struggle to visit the region. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Platte River Power Authority Is Accelerating Its Energy Transition” • Community-owned Platte River Power Authority is a wholesale electricity provider in northern Colorado. It has a policy goal to decarbonize by 2030. It was the first utility in the state to bring windpower online, and plans to grow its windpower sevenfold by 2025. [Longmont Times-Call]

Platte River wind turbines (Platte River Power Authority)

¶ “The US Federal Gov’t Attempts To Tackle Cement And Concrete Decarbonization” • Decarbonization of Cement and concrete is the object of $6 billion in grants by the US DOE. In total, 33 projects across more than 20 states will help accelerate the commercial scale demonstration of emerging industrial decarbonization technologies. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Comprehensive Analysis Of Texas Solar Farm Hail Storm Aftermath” • On March 15, 2024, a powerful hailstorm hit Fort Bend County, Texas. It damaged thousands of solar panels at the Fighting Jays Solar Farm. One lesson is that storm damage is getting worse. But there are ways to take that into account when new projects are developed. [Microgrid Media]

Have a contentedly unperturbed day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “The Solution To Energy Storage May Be Beneath Your Feet” • Thermal energy storage shows promise as a low-cost alternative to existing storage technologies, and storing energy in solid particles such as sand provides a ready answer, with very few geological restrictions. And after all, sand, like air and water, is just about everywhere. [CleanTechnica]

Sand (Keith Hardy, Unsplash)

¶ “Study: Since 1979 Climate Change Has Made Heat Waves Last Longer” • Since 1979, global heat waves are moving 20% more slowly, meaning more people stay hot longer. They are also happening 67% more often, a study in Science Advances says. The study found the highest temperatures in the heat waves are warmer than 40 years ago. [Boston.com]

World:

¶ “Tropical Cyclone Makes Landfall In Northern Madagascar” • A tropical cyclone swept across Madagascar killing eighteen people. The island has been hit by ten strong tropical cyclones since the start of 2022. The southern part of the island is still getting over its worst drought in forty years. Parts of the island are facing a hunger crisis due to extreme weather. [ABC News]

Tropical storm (Jeremy Bishop, Unsplash)

¶ “Invest With This Kiva-Like Nonprofit And Help Build Solar Projects In The Global South” • Kiva.org is a site where people can chip in to provide micro-finance around the world. Now there’s another nonprofit working to harness the power of micro-investments to help fund solar projects in the Global South, and it has an approach very Kiva’s. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “IMO Agrees To First Tax On Shipping Emissions” • The International Maritime Organization, an agency of the UN, has agreed to impose a fee on every ton of shipping emissions from oceangoing cargo vessels. The fee could lead to big changes in the shipping industry while raising a significant amount of money, the Times reports. [CleanTechnica]

Container ship (Courtesy of Volvo Car Group)

¶ “Solar Projects Go Live In Gujarat” • Adani Green Energy, a subsidiary of the Adani Group, has started operations for its 775 MW of solar power projects in Gujarat. The company confirmed the projects were operating after obtaining necessary approvals. The new capacity is considered significant for India’s renewable energy sector. [Manufacturing Today India]

¶ “India On Track To Surpass 500-GW Renewable Target By 2030: Govt Official” • India is on track to surpass its 500-GW renewable target by 2030, said Sudeep Jain, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, while speaking at an industry event. He noted that 2023 saw the most rapid growth in renewable capacity yet. [BW Businessworld]

Solar power (Nuno Marques, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Major Storm To Hit California” • After a storm brought 10 to 13 inches of snow to California and Utah, a bigger storm is on its way to Southern California with flash flooding, strong winds, and heavy snow. Numerous weather alerts for California, Nevada, and Arizona include flood watches for Los Angeles, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. [ABC News]

¶ “EPA Sets New Emissions Standards For Heavy-Duty Vehicles In Effort To Fight Climate Change” • The EPA announced its new emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles. The agency claims the new emissions standards will avoid 1 billion tons of GHG emissions by 2055. The standards will go into effect for vehicles being made in 2027-2032. [ABC News]

Scania truck (Gabriel Santos, Unsplash)

¶ “Made-In-The-USA Monocrystalline Solar Cells: Not A Dream Anymore” • When the US solar firm Suniva ceased operating in 2017, it looked like the end for monocrystalline manufacturing in the US. Nevertheless, if all goes according to plan, the US solar industry will finally get its hands on monocrystalline solar cells that are made in the USA. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Curbside EV Charging In NYC Is A Huge Success” • New York City has a goal of being “net-zero” by 2050. Clearly, that’s not going to happen with zillions of vehicles powered by infernal combustion engines on its roads. Curbside EV charging may help. FLO, a Canadian company, has run 100 curbside chargers in a pilot program since 2021. [CleanTechnica]

Curbside EV charging (Image courtesy of FLO)

¶ “Enel Starts Construction Of Ables Springs Solar-Plus-Storage Project In Texas” • Enel North America began construction of the Ables Springs solar-plus-storage project in Kaufman County, Texas. The project has a 186 MW solar PV system and a 115-MW, 169-MWh battery system. Ables Springs is Enel’s 17th renewable energy project in Texas. [Solar Builder]

¶ “US Renewables’ Installed Generating Capacity Beats Coal” • Solar capacity additions hit the ground running in 2024, pushing renewables’ installed generating capacity past coal, US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission data shows. Solar accounted for 2,527 MW of new installed generating capacity in January of this year, 87.3% of the total. [Electrek]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Clean Energy Connector Pilot Launches In Illinois, New Mexico, And Washington DC” • The US DOE and Department of Health and Human Services are partnering on a pilot program of the Clean Energy Connector to connect low-income households with community solar projects. The pilot is starting in Illinois, New Mexico, and Washington, DC. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Uranium Is Being Mined Near The Grand Canyon” • The largest US uranium producer is ramping up work just south of Grand Canyon National Park on a long-contested project, as global instability and growing demand drive uranium prices higher. Environmentalists and Native American leaders are demanding more regulatory oversight. [MSN]

Have a totally okey-dokey day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The EV Revolution Has Passed A Tipping Point” • By the end of last year, sales of electric cars reached 5% or more of the new car market in 31 countries. The trajectory laid out by countries that had reached that point in the past shows that EVs sales can grow from 5% to 25% of new cars in under four years, according to Bloomberg. [CleanTechnica]

Togg T10X, made in Turkey (Togg image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Extreme Temperatures Hold Untapped Potential For Solar And Wind Energy” • Conditions that come with the intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy, according to a study led by Washington State University. The intense weather has more energy. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “QuantumScape Brushes Off Solid-State Battery Skeptics” • QuantumScape is readying a solid state battery. QuantumScape’s battery is not solid throughout. The key to the technology is an anode-free manufacturing process, in which the cell is fabricated in a discharged state. The anode assembles itself during its first charging cycle. [CleanTechnica]

Mock-up of a QuantumScape QSE-5 (QuantumScape image)

World:

¶ “UK Records ‘Highest Ever Share Of Electricity Generation By Renewables’” • The UK saw its highest ever share of electricity generation by renewables last year, at 51.5%, Government figures show. In energy trend data just released, the Energy Department said this came as fossil fuel electricity generation saw its lowest share on record. [Evening Standard]

¶ “China Files WTO Complaint Over US EV Incentives” • From the time President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, it was inevitable. The Chinese empire struck back by initiating dispute settlement proceedings against the US at the World Trade Organization to safeguard its interests in the EV industry, the Chinese mission said. [CleanTechnica]

BYD’s first cargo ship (BYD image)

¶ “Yellen Plans To Confront China For ‘Unfair’ Clean Energy Subsidies” • US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen revealed that she intends to warn Beijing that its national underwriting for energy and other companies is creating oversupply and distorting global markets, when she pays the country an official visit. China filed a complaint at the WTO against the US. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Canada Continues Massive Financial Support For Fossil Fuels” • Environmental Defence, a Canadian non-profit, published a report taking the country’s government to task for its continued financial support of fossil fuels. The group claims that in 2023, Canada gave over $18.5 billion in financial support to fossil fuel and petrochemical companies. [CleanTechnica]

Canada’s Fossil Fuel Subsidies (Environmental Defense)

¶ “Australia Can Reach 94% Renewable Power By End Of Decade: Climate Council CEO” • Amanda McKenzie, the Climate Council CEO, says Australia is at “40% renewable power” and can get to “94%” during this decade. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a $1 billion investment to boost the manufacturing of solar panels in Australia. [Gold Coast Bulletin]

¶ “Eolus Made Investment Decision For Three Onshore Wind Projects In Sweden” • Eolus made an investment decision for wind power projects Fågelås, Boarp, and Dållebo totaling 88 MW. It signed an agreement for turbines with Vestas, and will start construction immediately. The projects are going into an area in need of electricity resources. [Energy Central]

Wind turbine (Raychel Sanner, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “More Than Half Of Water From Colorado River Used For Agriculture Industry, Report Finds” • More than half of the Colorado River’s total annual water flow is being used to irrigate agricultural land, a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment states. And all of the water is being used; none of it makes it to the ocean. [ABC News]

¶ “Governor Proposes Alternative Plan For Reducing Carbon Emissions” • Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro has proposed a plan aimed at reducing power plant carbon emissions while requiring more electricity to come from renewable sources. Pennsylvania would become the first state to adopt its own carbon-pricing program, if the plan passes. [Bay Journal]

Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro (Commonwealth Media Services)

¶ “Biden–Harris Administration Announces $62 Million To Cut US Battery Recycling Costs” • The DOE announced $62 million for seventeen projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to increase consumer participation in consumer electronics battery recycling as well as improving the economics of battery recycling. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Iowa Farm Is Running On Renewable Energy All-Year Round. Here’s How” • Jason Russell’s hog barn finished construction two decades ago, but the way it functions has changed since then, because the way farmers use energy is evolving. A wind turbine supplies 75% of the farm’s electricity, and a solar array on a third of an acre supplies the rest. [weareiowa.com]

Iowa (Tim Willis, Unsplash)

¶ “New Mexico Supreme Court Upholds Regulator’s Denial Of Renewable Energy Incentive For Electric Utility” • The New Mexico Supreme Court rejected a utility’s appeal for a financial incentive under a law requiring greater production of electricity from renewable energy sources. The opinion by the court was unanimous. [Los Alamos Daily Post]

¶ “‘Swarm’ Of UFOs Buzzed US Air Force Base As ‘Mystery Drones’ Spotted Near Nuclear Assets” • A “swarm” of mysterious drones has been spotted around a US Air Force base that is known to house nuclear assets. The objects are thought to have been controlled by a foreign power trying to gather information on America’s most important defence sites. [Irish Star]

Have an unequivocably beneficial day.

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World:

¶ “Polar Ice Is Melting And Changing Earth’s Rotation. And It’s Messing With Time Itself” • One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself. [CNN]

Polar ice at Iceland (Roxanne Desgagnés, Unsplash)

¶ “Norway Is Taking The Lead In Electric Trucks” • Norway has set a target for all new trucks sold in the country to be electric by 2030. To do that, many new charging stations of 1-MW capacity or more must be added. Enova is making 60 million kroner ($5.5 million) available to five Norwegian companies to install electric truck chargers in southern Norway. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “SSE Partners With Bord Na Móna On 800-MW Onshore Wind JV In Ireland” • Two of Ireland’s leading low-carbon energy companies, SSE and Bord na Móna, announced a 50:50 joint venture aimed to deliver up to 800 MW of new onshore wind energy for Ireland. The JV could invest more than €1 billion over the next decade in onshore wind projects. [SSE]

Ireland (Ainars Djatlevskis, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Sunshot: Albanese Pledges $1 Billion To Take Australia From ‘Pit To Panel’” • Prime minister Anthony Albanese pledged A$1 billion in production subsidies and grants to build a solar supply chain on Australian soil. Albanese said Australia “should not be the last link in a global supply chain built on an Australian invention.” [RenewEconomy]

¶ “‘Historic Breakthrough’: China’s Installed Wind Turbine Cost Drops To One-Fifth Of The US In Green Energy Race” • Wind power is soaring ahead in China, with the installation price of turbines dropping nearly 45% thanks to economies of scale and technological advancements, according to government tender documents. [South China Morning Post]

Wind turbines (Thomas Reaubourg, Unsplash)

¶ “Urgent Action Needed: Tripling Renewable Energy By 2030, Warns IRENA Report” • The world faces a stark reality: A massive increase in renewable energy deployment is critical to avoid the worst of climate change, according to “Systemic Changes Needed to Triple Renewables by 2030,” a report from the International Renewable Energy Agency. [SolarQuarter]

US:

¶ “You Can Buy This Electric Luxury SUV For $25,000 Right Now. But There Might Be A Catch” • For sale: A brand new luxury electric SUV for the price of $25,000. There just might be a slight catch. The California-based electric SUV company Fisker faces a real possibility of bankruptcy. Its stock is hovering just over 2¢ per share, far below its 2021 peak of $28.50. [CNN]

Fisker Ocean (Alexander-93, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Massachusetts, Rhode Island, And Connecticut Receive Proposals For Offshore Wind Projects” • Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut received proposals for offshore wind projects as they hope to boost their reliance on the renewable source. They have an agreement allowing coordinated selection of offshore wind projects. [ABC News]

¶ “Ford’s Move Into Mass-Market Electric Vehicles – Smart With Stiff Competition” • The automotive industry has seen a big shift towards EVs driven by new technology, consumer preferences, and global efforts to combat climate change. Among traditional automakers, Ford has emerged as a frontrunner in embracing this transition. But it has challenges. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning charging (Mariordo, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Heat Pumps Are Scaling Up And Taking On Big Industry” • Residential heat pumps deserve a lot of credit for driving the decarbonization train, but home-scaled systems are no match for industrial processes that require steam. The US DOE is on the prowl for a solution and just made a $145 million bet on heat pumps that generate steam. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Biden-Harris Administration Makes $1.5 Billion Conditional Commitment To Holtec Palisades To Support Recommission Of Michigan Nuclear Plant” • The US DOE announced the offer of a conditional commitment of up to $1.52 billion for a loan surety for Holtec Palisades to finance the restoration of the 800-MW Palisades Nuclear Plant. [CleanTechnica]

Palisades Nuclear Plant (US NRC, public domain)

¶ “Industrial Decarbonization Is Coming To A State Near You” • The US government announced $6 billion in grants that makers of metal, paper, and glass can use to reduce GHG emissions. The Biden-Harris administration is framing them as an opportunity to transform the US industrial sector and strengthen domestic manufacturing. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Last Coal Plants In New England To Close; Renewables Take Their Place” • The last coal producers in New England will shutter their doors permanently under an agreement reached with environmental groups and the EPA. Two plants in New Hampshire, Schiller and Merrimack, will voluntarily close down in 2025 and 2028, respectively. [The Hill]

Reddy Kilowatt on a booklet (Author unknown, public domain)

¶ “Walmart Funds Almost 1 GW In US Solar Power” • Walmart is funding almost two dozen new community solar projects and three long-term purchase agreements that will add almost 1 GW of zero-carbon energy to the US grid. That’s roughly enough energy to power 750,000 US homes. Walmart already had more than 600 renewable energy projects. [GreenBiz]

¶ “Washington Governor Urged To Veto $25 Million For Nuclear Power Project” • Environmentalists and tribal leaders want Gov Jay Inslee to veto a $25 million earmark in Washington’s capital budget for deploying next generation nuclear reactors. The funds are to go to Energy Northwest to develop small modular nuclear reactors in the state. [News From The States]

Have a particularly entertaining day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Renewables Are The Only Energy Solution That Can Avert Climate Disaster, Conference Told” • While it is the sovereign right and prerogative of nations to choose their energy mix, the arguments for adding new nuclear capacity are weak, according to the director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Francesco la Camera. [Daily Maverick]

Wind turbines (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “NOAA Calls For Urgent Geoengineering Investigation” • It is abundantly clear that we are not sufficiently slowing the pace of global heating. So the administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said NOAA is starting to study the effects of likely techniques for geoengineering, including the ones involving the oceans. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Schools To Reopen In South Sudan After Two Weeks Of Extreme Heat” • South Sudan’s government said schools will reopen next week after being closed for two weeks due to heat. The health and education ministries said temperatures were expected to drop in the coming days. During the heat wave, the country’s highs were up to 45°C (113°F). [ABC News]

Family in South Sudan (David Atoroyo Sika, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Chinese EV Makers Challenging Market Leaders At Auto Show In Bangkok” • Chinese EV makers are showing off their latest models, including a flying car, at the Bangkok International Motor Show. BYD, XPeng, Great Wall Motors, and others are challenging longstanding market leaders like Toyota, Isuzu, and Ford, as they expand exports. [ABC News]

¶ “Offshore Wind Industry Wants To Shed Its Fossil-Fueled Workboats” • The offshore wind industry seems to want to go beyond producing carbon-free renewable energy. They are also replacing the fuels used by their working vessels. Electric power is on the menu as a long term solution, and alternative fuels are getting attention for now. [CleanTechnica]

Service operations vessel (Courtesy of ESVAGT)

¶ “There Are Now Visibly More Electric Motorcycles In Nairobi, Kenya” • Hundreds of thousands of internal combustion engine motorcycles are sold each year in Kenya. These continue to add enormous amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. But a number of startups are making electric motorcycles, and they are starting to make a difference. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Offshore Wind Race Heats Up In Baltic Sea, Russia Or Not” • Russia has a slim coastal finger on the Baltic Sea, giving it a golden opportunity to tap rich offshore wind resources. To no one’s surprise, it has passed on that. However, activity has been increased by other Baltic nations. That includes a new 975-MW wind farm for Germany. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind turbines (Screenshot courtesy of Siemens)

¶ “UK Cable Superhighway Receives £3.4 Billion Boost” • Ofgem gave provisional approval to a funding package for the proposed 2-GW high voltage Eastern Green Link 2 transmission line. The line is a subsea and underground 500 km (310 miles) electricity superhighway between Scotland and Yorkshire. Its funding will come to £3.4 billion. [reNews]

¶ “Nordex Secures 98-MW Swedish Order” • The Nordex Group has received an order from Holmen Energi AB for 98 MW in Sweden. In summer 2025, the Nordex Group will supply and install 14 N163/6.X turbines for the Blisterliden wind farm in a forested area in the county of Västerbotten in the northeastern part of Sweden. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “Indian Police Report UFOs Flying Over Nuclear Plants ‘Every Few Days’” • Senior law enforcement in India video-taped UFO sightings over nuclear plants last year, a news report revealed. One witness, a police sub-inspector, said he was ‘100% sure’ the object he taped, with its high-speed ‘zigzag movements,’ could not be explained by human tech. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Why Stumpy, DC’s Iconic Cherry Tree, Is Drawing So Much Attention” • A hallowed-out, small cherry tree in Washington, DC, is getting a major amount of attention ahead of its removal from the Tidal Basin because of climate change. Over the last century, sea levels in the Washington, DC, area have risen by over a foot, according to NOAA. [ABC News]

Cherry trees in salt water (Javier Robles, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “What Is The Cost Of Climate Pollution? Corporate Profits, That’s What” • The US SEC proposed a rule mandating that public companies report their greenhouse gas emissions. But corporations will do just about anything to hide the true cost of their climate pollution, and the lobbying pressure against full disclosures won out. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$50 Million For Tribal Clean Energy Projects” • The US DOE said that under the Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands – 2024, the amount of funding available has been doubled, as it has increased from $25 million to $50 million. The DOE Office of Indian Energy is soliciting applications from Indian Tribes. [CleanTechnica]

USDA visit to Blackfeet Nation (USDAgov, public domain)

¶ “Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind Offshore Project Gains US Government Approval” • The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the 924-MW Sunrise Wind offshore wind farm. Its developers, Danish energy company Ørsted and utility provider Eversource, have also taken a final investment decision on the project. [Power Technology]

¶ “West Virginia Governor Vetoes Bill Expanding Renewable Energy To Protect Coal” • West Virginia Gov Jim Justice (R) vetoed a measure that would raise the allowable size for a solar plant operated by state utilities, citing concerns about its effects on the coal industry. The bill would have doubled the maximum size of utility solar plants to 100 MW. [The Hill]

Have a decidedly great day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Solid-State EV Battery Just Tip Of Energy Storage Iceberg” • One pathway in the evolution of battery technology is to replace the liquid electrolyte in a conventional battery with a solid or quasi-solid electrolyte. A series of recent breakthroughs has brought solid-state energy storage almost to the point of commercial production. [CleanTechnica]

Solar, wind, and storage (Energy Vault image)

World:

¶ “Forest Fires Burn In Nearly Half Of The Drought-Stricken States in Mexico, Fueled By Strong Winds” • Mexico’s National Forestry Commission reported 58 active fires in fifteen states, including in protected nature reserves in Morelos, Veracruz, and Mexico states. A preliminary estimate of the affected area comes to over 3,500 acres (1,421 hectares). [ABC News]

¶ “Here Are The Big Hurdles To The Global Push To Build Up Renewable Energy” • In December, the world’s governments agreed they want to triple renewable energy by 2030. They laid the goal out at the UN climate summit. But the post-pandemic global economy is throwing up obstacles that will need to be overcome to meet the goal. [ABC News]

Wind turbines (Priscilla Du Preez, Unsplash)

¶ “Queensland Roadmap Plots A Path For A 22-GW Renewable Energy Zone Strategy” • Queensland has launched an updated renewable energy zone roadmap that lays out a framework to strategically connect about 22 GW of renewable energy to the grid in 12 coordinated zones across the state’s southern, central, and northern regions. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “BYD Targets Toyota And Volkswagen With New Price Cut Strategy” • If you think the EV revolution is slowing down, it’s only because electric cars are still too expensive. BYD thinks it has the answer. The giant Chinese automaker is not content with unseating Tesla with low-price EVs. Now it’s going after Toyota and Volkswagen also. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull (China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Tech)

¶ “Renewable Power Makes 1-GW Italian Battery Pact” • Altea Green Power is partnering with Renewable Power Capital to develop 1 GW of battery storage in Italy. The partnership is focused on ensuring strong involvement of local municipalities and stakeholders. It aims to achieve ready-to-build status for the pipeline in the next 2 to 4 years. [reNews]

¶ “Polestar Uses Renewable Power To Reduce Carbon Footprint Of New Electric SUV” • Polestar, an EV manufacturer based in Sweden, says it has reduced the total “cradle-to-gate” carbon footprint of its new Polestar 3 electric performance SUV as it continues to gain efficiencies and use more renewables in the manufacturing process. [The Driven]

Polestar EV (Polestar image)

¶ “Adani Eyes 45 GW Of Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030” • Billionaire Gautam Adani’s group is building the world’s largest renewable energy park in Gujarat, as it eyes a massive 45 GW capacity to generate electricity largely from solar. He said his group’s renewable energy arm, Adani Green Energy, is leading an energy transition. [Press Trust of India]

US:

¶ “Trader Joe’s Just Increased The Price Of A Banana For The First Time In Over Twenty Years” • Trader Joe’s told CNN that it raised the price of a banana to 23¢, an increase of more than 20%. The grocer has sold bananas for 19¢ each for over two decades. World Banana Forum experts had warned that climate change can drive up banana prices. [CNN]

Bananas (engin akyurt, Unsplash)

¶ “$6 Billion To Transform America’s Industrial Sector And Reduce Emissions” • The DOE announced up to $6 billion for 33 projects across over twenty states to decarbonize industries, reduce industrial GHG emissions, support good-paying jobs, revitalize industrial communities, and boost US manufacturing competitiveness. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The TELO Electric Pickup Is A Tiny Truck With Big Features” • If you want to buy an electric pickup truck, your options are still fairly limited, but they are available. However, if you want to buy a little truck, not your standard full-size pickup, you are almost out of luck. TELO Trucks, however, might be about to produce a solution for that. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of TELO Trucks mini truck (TELO Trucks image)

¶ “$22 Million to Improve Siting And Permitting for Large-Scale Renewable Energy And Energy Storage” • As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the US DOE announced up to $22 million to improve planning, siting, and permitting processes for large-scale renewable energy facilities, including solar, wind, and batteries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Geothermal Advancements, Incentives Could Help NM Meet Renewable Energy Goals” • About 75 years ago in Animas, drillers going after water for irrigation stumbled upon extremely hot water naturally bubbling up out of the ground. The spot would later become the location of New Mexico’s first utility-scale geothermal power plant. [AOL.com]

Animas, New Mexico (BAlvarius, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “A Reality Check On A Small Nuclear Reactor” • Gov Glenn Youngkin shocked a lot of people when he announced in 2022 that he’d like to see a small nuclear reactor and that he’d like to see it built in Southwest Virginia. He shocked people again last week when he said he no longer believed Southwest Virginia was the best location. [Cardinal News]

¶ “Anti-Nuclear Activists File An Appeal Over The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant’s Safety Operations” • Two groups, Mothers for Peace and Friends of the Earth, are calling on a federal court to revisit safety decisions for Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in San Luis Obispo County. They say the NRC made “unlawful” decisions regarding safety. [KCBX]

Have a perfectly lovely day.

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World:

¶ “To Make Water Last Year-Round, Kenyans In Dry Regions Are Building Sand Dams On Seasonal Rivers” • Kenyans are building sand dams so they can harvest water from seasonal rivers. The barriers, typically made of concrete, impede water flow so grains of sand settle behind them, creating artificial aquifers that fill up during rainy seasons. [ABC News]

Kerio River (Rainier5, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “SK Ecoplant, BCG Energy To Develop Renewable Energy Projects In Việt Nam” • BCG Energy, a Vietnamese firm, signed a cooperation agreement with SK ecoplant, one of the Republic of Korea’s leading investors in renewable energy, to build 300 MW of rooftop solar, 100 MW of ground-mounted solar, and 300 MW of wind power in Việt Nam. [vietnamnews.vn]

¶ “Dominica Announces Solar And Battery Storage Solutions for Primary Schools” • The Island of Dominica came one step closer toward its goal of becoming a fully climate-resilient nation with two new solar microgrids. The Ministry of Education announced microgrids at two primary schools that are emergency hurricane shelters in times of need. [CleanTechnica]

Roseau visited by a cruise ship (Nario Esprit, Unsplash)

¶ “Triple Win: How Africa’s Industrials Can Decarbonise, Lower Energy Costs And Increase Reliability All At The Same Time” • In African countries, a large part of a company’s energy may come from its own power plants. This is especially true wherever grid reliability is low and industries rely on their own power to ensure a stable energy supply. [Cape Business News]

¶ “ACWA Power Says Breakdown At Morocco Solar Plant Costs Firm $47 Million” • Saudi Arabian renewable energy utility ACWA Power International reported a storage breakdown at one of the concentrating solar plants it operates in Morocco that will cost the company an estimated $47 million. It is not the first such breakdown. [Gulf Business]

Ouarzazate Power Station (Marc Lacoste, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Climate-Conscious Investors Put Nuclear Dead Last On List Of Desirable Australian Ventures” • Nuclear energy ranks last on the list of climate technologies big institutional investors want, according to a survey of climate conscious investors with A$37 tillion ($24 trillion) under management. Fewer than 10% of the group are considering nuclear power. [The Guardian]

¶ “Canada Pushes Nuclear Power To Get At Oil Sands” • Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn said discussions are already taking place with the oil industry and the province of Alberta to use nuclear power to extract oil from oil sands. He believes nuclear energy helping get heavy crude out of the ground will help cut greenhouse gas emissions. [Reuters] (What‽)

Oil sands site (jasonwoodhead23, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

UK:

¶ “PM Announces National Endeavour To Strengthen The UK’s Nuclear Deterrent” • The Prime Minister will today, March 25, declare a ‘national endeavour’ to secure the future of the UK’s thriving defence and civil nuclear industry, as he visits Barrow-in-Furness and announces a significant package of investment in skills, jobs, and communities. [GOV.UK]

¶ “Battery Train Sets Distance Record – The Beginning Of Beautiful Fast Charging” • Great Western Railway’s innovative fast charge battery train trial has been setting records for UK distance without recharging. The most recent is 86 miles (138 km). The train operated at speeds of up to 60 mph, with stops and starts over a hilly route. [CleanTechnica]

Battery electric train (GWR via YouTube)

¶ “UK Renewables Top Gas In Winter” • Renewable energy, such as wind, hydro and solar, generated more power than gas plants in the UK during the winter of 2023 to ’24. Data from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit’s Power Tracker indicates that renewable generation reached about 55 TWh, but gas generated an estimated 45 TWh. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Clean, Local Energy” • A report found that heating homes using heat pumps powered by community-owned, local wind power could reduce costs by around a quarter below the average cost of gas-powered heating in 2023. Adding rooftop solar and batteries would increase the potential savings, making clean heat nearly a third cheaper than gas. [The Ecologist]

Wind turbine (Paisley Scotland, Flickr, CC 2.0)

¶ “Report: More Profits Must Go To Local Communities From Renewable Energy Projects” • The Welsh Government must find a way to retain a greater share of the profits from commercial renewable energy projects for the public good, a report from the Institute of Welsh Affairs says. Local energy sources provide a way to retain local wealth. [Nation.Cymru]

US:

¶ “Lower Priced Tesla “Model 2” Production To Begin In 2025” • After CleanTechnica’s Zach Shahan termed the coming affordable Tesla the “Model 2” as a joke for a while, Elon Musk said it won’t have that name. Elon Musk loves letters; the Model 3 exists only because Ford has rights to “Model E.” Regardless, the new Tesla is expected to start at $25,000 or less. [CleanTechnica]

Second generation Roadster (Courtesy of Tesla)

¶ “ACT Now: How the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule Will Impact The Electric Grid And Fleets” • RMI analyzed telematics data from Geotab ITS in fifteen states that plan to implement the Advanced Clean Truck rule regulations. RMI’s report is intended to allow stakeholders in those locations to make informed and effective decisions. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Colorado Renewable Energy Society’s Position On Nuclear Power” • Wind and solar are now the lowest-cost and fastest-growing generating capacity. Colorado’s largest utility, Xcel, is on track to provide 85% of its electricity from wind and solar by 2030. CRES believes new nuclear power investment in Colorado is ill-advised. [Pueblo Chieftain]

Have an inconceivably jubillant day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Floating Solar Array Is Designed To Take The Rough Stuff” • The idea of floating solar panels on calm waters has already taken hold. Sending them off to sea is just next-level engineering. The potential benefit of co-locating solar arrays with offshore wind farms is a tempting prize, and Moss Maritime is moving closer to a solution. [CleanTechnica]

Earlier version of the Moss Maritime concept (Saipem image)

World:

¶ “Taps Running Dry Have Become Part Of Daily Life In South Africa’s Biggest City” • While drought can hurt Johannesburg’s water supply, the dams are full. But climate change is making things worse in another way: Officials say a weeks-long late summer heat wave, up to 5°C above normal, is giving a huge boost to water demand. [CNN]

¶ “US EIA Increases Oil Price Forecast After OPEC+ Production Cut Extension” • The EIA increased its forecast prices for crude oil and petroleum products for the remainder of 2024 in its March Short-Term Energy Outlook after the announcement that OPEC+ will extend its voluntary production cuts through the second quarter of 2024. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “Coal, The Dirtiest Fossil Fuel, Is Preparing For A Lengthy Goodbye” • Thanks to China’s energy insecurity combining with rising Indian demand, along with the continued fallout from the war in Ukraine and faltering international programs to wean developing economies off fossil fuels, coal is proving remarkably resilient. [The Economic Times]

¶ “Farmers Double The Value Of Back Paddocks With Renewable Power Deals” • The founder of Australia’s first renewable energy land acquisition agency, Daniel Moroko says he found land for 4 GW of big battery projects and 800 MW of solar farms over 30 individual agreements in four Australian states. Some farmers doubled the value of back paddocks. [RenewEconomy]

Australian paddock (britt gaiser, Unsplash)

¶ “Maximizing The Lifecycle Of EV Batteries In Renewable Energy Storage” • The innovative intersection of electric vehicle technology and the renewable energy industry has given rise to a promising sustainability initiative: the repurposing of spent EV batteries for stationary energy storage to mitigate intermittency issues. [ytech.news]

¶ “Offshore Wind Growth Continues In Pursuit Of Climate Targets” • McKinsey research suggests global installed offshore wind capacity is expected to reach 630 GW by 2050, up from 40 GW in 2020. This is just a small part of wind installations. The IEA says that offshore wind farms account for just 7% of installed wind capacity. [Energy Digital Magazine]

Wind turbines (Jian Liu, Unsplash)

¶ “Africa Asks Rich Nations To Honor Pledge On Climate Change” • African countries have urged developed countries to honor their pledges to the Loss and Damage Fund meant to support communities bearing the brunt of the negative impacts of climate change. They said fund pledges and replenishments should be honored without delays. [The Star, Kenya]

¶ “Renewable Energy Key To Tackling Global Water Crisis – IEA” • The International Energy Agency is seeking to reduce the amount of water used in generating energy globally. In place of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, the IEA said use of renewable energies like wind and solar panels would reduce water use in the energy sector. [Punch Newspapers]

Walking for water (Jeff Ackley, Unsplash)

¶ “Peter Dutton In Standoff With State Liberal Leaders Over The Federal Coalition’s Nuclear Power Plan” • In Australia, the federal Coalition faces a battle with the states on its proposal for nuclear power stations at the sites of decommissioned coal power plants, with state premiers and opposition leaders alike largely against Peter Dutton’s proposal. [The Guardian]

US:

¶ “US Virgin Islands National Park Gets Much Needed Solar Power” • One of the most beautiful of the US National Parks is Virgin Islands National Park, taking up most of the island of Saint John. Hurricanes, however, are a major problem. The park has opportunities to get energy from sunshine, and the National Park Service is helping with that. [CleanTechnica]

Installing solar panels (National Park Service image)

¶ “Oil Executives Talk Down Rapid Shift To Green Energy As Profits Boom” • Big Oil used an industry conference to argue against a rapid transition to green energy, as fossil fuel firms are made bold by high demand and record profits despite rising alarm over climate change. They spoke at the annual CERAWeek event in Houston. [The News International]

¶ “US NRC Says Gates-Backed Reactor Company’s Planned Application Needs Work” • US regulators told a nuclear power company founded by Bill Gates that its planned construction permit application for a high-tech reactor needs more work. A critic of the technology said could the issue could delay the Wyoming plant’s development. [Yahoo Finance]

Have a truly happy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Dick Smith Says No Country Has Ever Been Able To Run Entirely On Renewables. Is That Correct?” • Businessman Dick Smith has thrown his support behind calls to introduce nuclear-generated power to Australia, claiming that no country has ever relied on renewables for its electricity. So, is he right about that? The simple answer is, “No.” [ABC]

Nuclear plant in Lithuania (Håkon Grimstad, Unsplash)

¶ “Filling Nuclear Power’s $5 Trillion Hole Is Beyond the Banks” • Nuclear-energy officials arrived in Brussels this week amid a growing wave of public support for atomic power. Then they were humbled by the tepid reaction of bankers. The bankers are unwilling to provide the $5 trillion the industry needs by mid-century. [Yahoo Finance Canada]

Science and Technology:

¶ “AI Has A Voracious Appetite For Electricity, And That’s A Problem” • Bloomberg reports that John Ketchum, CEO of NextEra Energy, speaking at CERAWeek, said US power demand is poised to increase by 81% over the next five years. Another speaker predicted that AI will gobble up more power in the US than households by 2030. [CleanTechnica]

Robot (Alex Knight, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Russia Launches Massive Air Attack On Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure” • Russia unleashed a massive aerial attack in what Ukrainian officials said was the largest and most destructive assault on its energy infrastructure since the start of the war. One target was Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power station, the Dnipro dam in Zaporizhzhia. [ABC News]

¶ “As Ukraine Eyes A Green Energy Plan, Russia Attacks…Coal?” • Ukraine and its leading utility DTEK have already pledged to discontinue burning coal in power plants, in accord with other European nations. Russia’s latest act of violence against civilians is all the more reason to shed fossil fuels, for the environment and as a national security threat. [CleanTechnica]

Dnipro dam (Валерія Константинова, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “US Shows Interest In Investing In Pakistan Renewable Energy With Eye To Counter Iran Pipeline” • The US expressed interest in investing in renewable energy projects in Pakistan, only two days after a senior official in Washington said his country wanted to prevent the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to the city of Gwadar, Pakistan. [Arab News PK]

¶ “Gorgeous Agrivoltaic System Gilds The Rural Solar Lily” • The agrivoltaic movement is important for the renewable energy field because it pulls the rug out from under critics, who argue against siting solar arrays on farmland. The only thing missing now is aesthetics, and the European research firm AgroSolar Europe has the solution. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics using bio-based components to raise solar
panels above crops (Courtesy of AgroSolar Europe)

¶ “NTPC Allocates 1,584 MW Of Renewables-Plus-Storage At $0.056/kWh” • NTPC has allocated 1,584 MW under its 3-GW renewables-plus-storage tender, at an average price of ₹4.70 ($0.056)/kWh. The winning developers will set up renewable energy projects backed with energy storage system to supply firm and dispatchable energy. [pv magazine India]

US:

¶ “Before You Install Wind Energy Technology, Check Out This Database” • The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Wind Resource Database can help determine which sites are best for wind turbines. The database hosts high-resolution temporal (time-based) and spatial (location-based) datasets developed using widely used models. [CleanTechnica]

Flowers and wind turbine (Bryan Bechtold, NREL)

¶ “Attacking Electric Vehicles Has Become An Aggressive Political Campaign Tactic” • Some people, particularly politicians, appeal strongly to emotions strongly, to persuade others to oppose EVs. Clearly, it’s time that we engage in some critical reflection on how politicians draw upon different dark linguistic tools to gain political goals and objectives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US DOE Reports Chart Path for East Coast Offshore Wind to Support a Reliable, Affordable Electricity System” • The US DOE released findings from the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study, a two-year study that evaluated transmission options to support offshore wind energy deployment along the Atlantic Coast of the US. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind farm (Pete Godfrey, Unsplash)

¶ “Transition To Clean Energy Future Will Be ‘Lumpy,’ Says Lincoln Davies, But We Can Get There” • When he talks about renewable energy, Lincoln Davies wants you to keep 173,000 in mind. That’s how much solar energy, in terawatts, bathes the Earth at any given moment. That’s also 10,000 times what the human inhabitants use. [The University of Utah]

¶ “A Debate About The Cost Is Dogging A Renewable Energy Bill” • It is not certain how much it will cost if utilities are required to sell only renewable electricity by 2035. That’s the goal of H.289, a bill that raises the state’s renewable energy requirements. Cost estimates have ranged from as little as $150 million to as high as $1 billion. [Seven Days]

Vermont State House (Bob P B, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Battery Storage Playing Increasingly Important Role On California Grid” • The rapid increase in battery storage capacity over the past few years is helping to balance supply and demand within the California Independent System Operator market. Storage capacity stood at 500 MW in 2020. By July 2023, it had reached 5,600 MW. [RBN Energy]

¶ “International Nuclear Energy Expert Questions Michigan’s Palisades Restart” • Is investing $1.8 billion in federal and state funds to restart the aged Palisades nuclear power plant on the Lake Michigan shore necessary for Michigan’s climate goals? It is one of the questions Paris-based international nuclear policy analyst Mycle Schneider raised. [Michigan Public]

Have a highly valued day.

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World:

¶ “Leaders Of Over 30 Countries Meet In A Brussels Summit To Promote Nuclear Energy” • In the shadow of a giant monument glorifying nuclear power, over 30 nations from around the world pledged to use the controversial energy source to help achieve a climate-neutral globe while providing countries with an added sense of strategic security. [ABC News]

Atomium, Brussels (Fisnik Murtezi, Unsplash)

¶ “Further Rise In Food Prices Possible If Global Temperatures Continue To Rise” • Rising global temperatures could strain the agriculture industry, and worldwide inflation will likely cause food prices to increase more, a study says. Changes in average monthly temperatures have the strongest and most consistent correlation to productivity and inflation. [ABC News]

¶ “WMO: The Earth Continues To Warm As Nations Ignore Climate Science” • Scientists and officeholders are gathering in Copenhagen to discuss how to meet nationally set contributions they agreed to at the 2015 Paris climate accords. The nations have been unable to reduce emissions as they strengthen their embrace of fossil fuels. [CleanTechnica]

Sea surface temperature anomaly, August 2023
(Copernicus Climate Change Service and ECMWF)

¶ “CSIRO – Science Fights Back in Small Nuclear vs Renewables Row!” • CSIRO has defended itself against attacks by Australia’s conservative politicians and the Rupert Murdock media. The fossil fuel set are reacting to the latest CSIRO GenCost report, which reaffirms yet again that renewables are the cheapest form of electricity generation. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “PepsiCo Expands Investment In Vietnam With $400 Million For Renewably Powered Plants” • US food and drink maker PepsiCo Inc will invest an additional $400 million in Vietnam to build two plants powered by renewable energy in the country. The announcement came as delegations of more than 60 US enterprises visited Vietnam. [Hindustan Times]

Vietnam (Catherine McCormack, Unsplash)

¶ “Zero Petroleum Eyes Renewables-Rich South Australia For Green Fuels Plant” • British synthetic fuels developer Zero Petroleum has signed an agreement with the South Australian government. Zero plans to build a synthetic fuel plant in the state with production to begin as early as 2026. Zero Petroleum was founded in 2020. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Atlas Inks Agreement For 200-MW Chilean Battery” • Atlas Renewable Energy has signed a power purchase agreement for a battery energy storage system it is developing with the Chilean company COPEC. The battery system will be installed next to Atlas’ Sol del Desierto solar plant, in the commune of Maria Elena in the Antofagasta region. [reNews]

Battery system (Atlas Renewable Energy image)

¶ “Nuclear Power Plant Impacted By Russian Missiles” • The Ukrainian atomic-energy operator Energoatom said that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant “is on the verge of blackout” after Russia launched what has been described by Ukraine’s Energy Minister as one of the war’s largest-scale attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “FERC Affirms Decision To Hold Utilities Accountable For Interconnection Delays” • FERC, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, affirmed its determination on key provisions in Order No 2023, its landmark interconnection ruling. FERC can penalize utilities and transmission owners that fail to respond to interconnection requests in good time. [CleanTechnica]

Transmission lines and Mt Hood (Eric Muhr, Unsplash)

¶ “Toxic Chemical Releases Have Declined 21% In Ten Years In USA” • The US EPA released its 2022 Toxics Release Inventory National Analysis. It shows that environmental releases of the inventory’s chemicals from facilities covered by the program were 21% lower in 2022 compared to 2013. This includes a 26% decrease in air releases. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Texas Scores Another Clean Tech Point, Flow Battery Edition” • Texas may protect its fossil fuel interests, but it is also the go-to place for clean energy innovators to do the work of killing off coal, oil, and gas. The latest example is a manufacturing venture that will produce a unique formula, aimed at cutting the cost of flow battery technology. [CleanTechnica]

Flow battery chemistry (Quino Energy screenshot via YouTube)

¶ “Ameren Missouri’s Solar Power Surge: Advancing Renewable Energy Goals With 400-MW Solar Project Approval” • Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, was approved to develop or acquire roughly 400 MW of solar energy. The first of these solar projects is slated to start operations in 2025, followed by two more in 2026. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Doral Renewables Secures $114 Million For An Ohio Solar Project” • Doral Renewables announced it has secured financing for the Great Bend Solar project, a 48-MW facility to be built in Meigs County, Ohio. The solar project marks Doral’s first in the state. HBSC provided $36 million is for construction as part of a $114 million package. [pv magazine USA]

Solar array (Chelsea, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “US Must Speed Permits To Spur Renewable Energy Growth, Execs Say” • The US government needs to streamline permitting for renewable energy projects, including development of power transmission infrastructure and grid connectivity, to support needed growth, according to business executives speaking at a conference in Houston. [MSN]

¶ “‘Transformational’ Kentucky Renewable Energy Project On Old Mine Receives $81 Million” • The US DOE awarded $81 million to develop a renewable-energy project in Kentucky. It is projected to create about 1,500 jobs for construction. The money will help develop a pumped-storage hydro facility on a former surface coal mine site. [Yahoo News Canada]

Have a cordially appreciated day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Why The Tesla Model Y And Other EVs Are So Safe” • Each year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the best-known evaluator of vehicle safety, awards kudos to vehicles that adhere to top safety standards. EVs are tested no differently than other cars. The tests show why EVs are so safe, as they hold up quite well in simulated crashes. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “New Map Shows Just How Extreme Last Month Was For The Planet” • If last month being the planet’s hottest February – the ninth month in a row that a monthly record tumbled – failed to resonate, a map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the ways the extreme warmth translated to impacts around the world. [CNN]

¶ “Global Ocean Heat Has Hit A New Record Every Single Day For The Last Year” • The world’s oceans have now experienced an entire year of unprecedented heat, with a new temperature record broken every day, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer. [CNN]

Panama City, Florida (Craig Cameron, Unsplash)

¶ “Encavis AG Partners With BELECTRIC To Construct 114-MW Solar Farm In Borrentin, Germany” • Encavis AG, a renewable energy operator based in Hamburg, is collaborating with BELECTRIC to build a solar farm in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, with a capacity of 114 MW and an annual power output of 119 GWh. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Four Countries Could Account for Most Near-Term Petroleum Liquids Supply Growth” • Growth in petroleum sales is driven primarily by rising crude oil production from four countries in the Americas – the US, Guyana, Canada, and Brazil – which would partially offset near-term voluntary production cuts in 2024 expected from OPEC+. [CleanTechnica]

Oil supply growth. Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “Amazon Strikes PPA Deal To Source Power From Iberdrola’s East Anglia Offshore Wind Project” • Amazon has inked a major renewable energy offtake deal that has seen it secure 159 MW of electricity from the East Anglia Three offshore wind farm. East Anglia Three is currently under development in the English Channel. [Business Green]

¶ “Shell Backing Away From Retail, Focusing On EV Charging, To Sell 1,000 Fuel Retail Locations” • A recent article at Yahoo Finance says Shell is going to start backing away from retail fuel stations to better focus on EV charging. As part of this effort, 1,000 fuel retail locations will be sold, and more EV charging stations will be installed at rest. [CleanTechnica]

Shell charging area (Shell image)

¶ “Australia’s Largest Solar Farm Powers Up Queensland” • The 88-MW Dugald River solar farm will power key mines in outback Queensland’s North-West Minerals Province. Mining projects from MMG Limited, New Century Resources, and Mount Isa Mines are set for a green energy boost as Australia’s largest solar farm officially launches. [Australian Mining]

¶ “WWF: Nuclear Path To Net-Zero Is A ‘False Narrative’” • As world leaders gather in Brussels for a Nuclear Energy Summit, to identify a role for nuclear energy in the energy transition, WWF argues that the idea that nuclear energy can play a key role in reaching the net-zero emissions long-term goal of the Paris Agreement, is a false narrative. [Panda.org]

Nuclear power plant (Ondrej Bocek, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “How Climate Change Is Affecting Washington, DC’s Iconic Cherry Blossoms” • While warming temperatures are causing cherry blossoms all over the world to bloom earlier, rising sea levels are leaving the National Park Service no choice but to cut down more than 150 trees that have lined the waterfront view for more than a century. [ABC News]

¶ “US Crude Oil Exports Reached a Record in 2023” • US crude oil exports established a record in 2023, averaging 4.1 million barrels per day (b/d), 13% (482,000 b/d) more than the previous annual record set in 2022. Except for 2021, US crude oil exports have increased every year since 2015, when the US ban on most crude oil exports was lifted. [CleanTechnica]

US petroleum exports. Please click on the image to enlarge it.

¶ “EPA Releases New Auto Emissions Rule” • In a move hailed as one of the most significant climate rules in US history, the Biden administration set forth regulations regulating tailpipe emissions on March 20. They call for reducing average fleetwide carbon emissions 56% by 2032. They are the strictest limit on US car and light truck pollution ever. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “University Of Pennsylvania Leads Ivy League In Transition To Solar Power” • The University of Pennsylvania, a member of the Ivy League with an extensive healthcare component. Together, the educational and healthcare facilities use around 300 MW, a third of what an average nuclear power plant might produce. U Penn now has 220 MW of PVs. [CleanTechnica]

University of Pennsylvania solar farm (AES image)

¶ “Vermont House Gives Its Preliminary Approval To A Major Renewable Energy Bill” • Vermont House lawmakers gave their preliminary approval for a major bill that sets strict requirements for utilities to buy power from renewable resources over the next five to ten years. There is still some disagreement over what the final price tag will be. [WCAX]

¶ “Bill Gates-Founded Energy Company Set To Construct $3 Billion Nuclear Power Plant In Wyoming, To Be Operational By 2030” • A power company co-founded by Microsoft’s Bill Gates announced plans to begin building a new type of nuclear power plant in Wyoming this June. TerraPower plans to start building the plant without permits. [Daily Mail Online]

Have an absolutely perfect day.

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Science:

¶ “Natural Gas Isn’t Burning Nearly As Cleanly As We Thought” • Remember those golden days when natural gas was a bridge fuel, cleaner burning than coal? Remember how the USA has a shared dream that it has world-beating emissions reductions because of natural gas displacing coal? Into this pleasant dream some harsh realities intrude. [CleanTechnica]

Natural gas flame (Ayesha Firdaus, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Pakistan, Bangladesh, And India Suffer World’s Most Polluted Air” • This year’s IQAir World Air Quality Report shows only seven countries met the World Health Organization’s pollution recommendations in 2023. But the report said three South Asian countries – Bangladesh, Pakistan and India – had the world’s lowest air quality. [Voice of America]

¶ “Coal Billionaire Is Building The World’s Biggest Clean Energy Plant And It’s Five Times The Size Of Paris” • Five times the size of Paris, Earth’s biggest energy plant will make enough electricity to power Switzerland. The Khavda project is turning barren salt desert on the edge of western India into one of the world’s most important sources of clean energy. [CNN]

Post office, village of Khavda (b sarangi, CC0 1,0)

¶ “EVs Grow 94% YOY in Mexico, Tesla Model Y Is Leading The Market” • Mexico was a laggard in the EV transition, until things started to change in late 2021. Now, Mexico is turning into one of the most interesting countries in the region, attracting significant Chinese investment to build EVs locally and rapidly ramping up sales as prices fall. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Aramco CEO Blasts Energy Transition ‘Fantasy’ At CERAWeek 2024” • On the first day of CERAWeek 2024, Amin Nasser, CEO of Aramco, the world’s largest fossil fuel company, told those in attendance that global oil demand will not peak for some time, so policymakers will need to ensure investments in oil and gas are sufficient to meet demand. [CleanTechnica]

CERAWeek 2024 meeting (CERAWeek 2024 image)

¶ “Yet Another Study Shows EVs Are Cleaner Than ICE And Continue Getting Cleaner” • A recent post by Canary Media shows that EVs are (again) proving to be cleaner than similar internal combustion engine vehicles. ICE vehicles are stuck burning the same fuel for the rest of their serviceable lives, but EVs just get cleaner with cleaner electric grids. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Climate Committee Casts Doubt On Scottish Goals” • The continued delays to the updated climate change plan and further slippage in climate policies have brought the Climate Change Committee to believe no longer that the Scottish Government will meet its 2030 target. Scotland has a statutory 2030 goal to reduce emissions by 75%. [reNews]

Scottish castle (Connor Mollison, Unsplash)

¶ “SA Must Implement Renewable Energy Masterplan Urgently, Says Gaylor Montmasson-Clair” • South Africa should enact the SA Renewable Energy Masterplan as soon as possible, as every day’s delay is wasted, said Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, the plan’s facilitator, yesterday on the side lines of the Solar Storage Live Africa and Future Energy Show. [MSN]

¶ “World Needs A Terawatt Of Renewables Each Year, But Only Solar Is Staying On Track” • The International Renewable Energy Agency describes the need for a “systemic shift away from fossil fuels” of terawatt-scale deployment this decade in order simply to meet the global target set at the COP28 conference held in Dubai in December. [RenewEconomy]

Solar power (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “The Strong, Steady Growth of the US Electric Auto Market, In Charts” • EV sales have grown quite consistently for the past few years, despite a strong narrative to the contrary of late. While CleanTechnica has tracked US EV sales for years and produced quarterly reports on them, it has not produced reports on trends in EV market share – until now. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “300 Million Home Sales Prove It: Wind Turbines Don’t Kill Property Values After All” • Fossil energy stakeholders have been ginning up local opposition to new wind farms, partly on account of their supposed impact on property values. A growing pile of evidence shows that impacts on property values are negligible, according to the DOE. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines (Lake Region Electric Cooperative via NREL)

¶ “Can Ford Pull Off A Decent $25,000 EV?” • Various EV outlets and even Bloomberg are reporting that Ford has secret plans to build an affordable EV platform, aiming for both a small pickup and an SUV in the $25,000 range. In this article, I want to talk about why they’re doing this and speculate on whether they can actually pull it off. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Analysis Suggests Lower Price Tag For Changes To Vermont’s Renewable Energy Law” • As a proposed revision of the state’s renewable energy policy comes up for a vote in the House this week, lawmakers will have a new price tag to consider. It is less than half the one originally presented by Governor Phil Scott’s administration. [VTDigger]

Vermont (Robert Thiemann, Unsplash)

¶ “Michigan Transfers Renewable Energy Project Authority To State Via Public Act 233” • Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a law creating Public Act 233. Previously, local townships, or at times local elections, had the authority for siting many renewable projects. With the new law, siting authority lies with the Michigan Pubic Service Commission. [WWMT]

¶ “Dairyland Demolishes Power Plant That Stood In Genoa For Over 50 Years” • Dozens people gathered in Vernon County, Wisconsin, to watch the demolition of Dairyland’s retired power plant. The plant was retired in 2021 and President and CEO of Dairyland, Brent Ridge, says they will continue to use the site in Genoa for spent fuel storage, at least. [WEAU]

Have a rewarding fruitful day,

George

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Opinion:

¶ “Why You Should Buy An EV For Your Next Vehicle” • An interesting 2023 study breaks down several characteristics that contribute to a positive intention toward an EV purchase. Studies analyze public acceptance of EVs and point out the gap between adoption intention and actual adoption behavior. There are a lot of reasons to buy an EV. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (myenergi, Unsplash)

¶ “Joe Rogan, Ray Kurzweil Reveal the Truth about Renewable Energy” • As an inventor and entrepreneur, Ray Kurzweil is considered to be one of the most brilliant minds of the 21st century. In an interview, he told Joe Rogan, “People say we need nuclear power which we don’t, I mean, you can get it all from the sun and, and the wind within 10 years.” [Energy & Capital]

World:

¶ “More And Faster Offshore Wind Is The Aim Of Maersk’s New ‘Rube Goldberg’ Workboat” • Maersk Supply Service has new type of “next-generation Wind Installation Vessel.” It will haul the WIV out to a wind farm construction site and park it there 24/7, while additional components are ferried in by a fleet of other purpose-built vessels. [CleanTechnica]

New offshore wind vessel (Courtesy of Maersk Supply Service)

¶ “EV Battery Prices Dropping A Lot This Year And Next” • Here is some good news. EV battery prices are expected to drop a lot in 2024 and 2025. That’s according to a recent analysis from Goldman Sachs. When EV battery prices do come down a lot, we can then expect electric vehicle prices to come down a lot, which will boost EV sales further. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “World’s First Commerical Seaweed Farm In An Offshore Wind Farm” • The dream of building the world’s first commercial scale seaweed farm within an offshore wind farm edged a little closer to reality last week, when the Irish firm Simply Blue Group stamped its seal of approval on the North Sea Farm 1 project. If all goes well, the idea will spread. [CleanTechnica]

Seaweed farm (Courtesy of Smartland Landscape Architecture)

¶ “Construction Starts On Second Biggest Battery In World’s Most Renewable Grid” • Zen Energy says it started construction on the 111-MW, 291 MWh Templers battery near Adelaide. It will be the second biggest in South Australia. The state already leads the world in the share of wind and solar in its grid and is set to be 100% renewably powered by 2027. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Finnish Player Inks 600-MW Romanian PV Pact” • Finnish renewable energy investor Korkia and Romania-based renewable energy developer Econous Green Energy set up a partnership to develop 600 MW of solar energy in Romania. Initial projects are expected to be licensed and ready for construction in 2025, to supply energy for 200,000 households. [reNews]

Solar array (Red Zeppelin, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “TagEnergy And Harmony Energy’s 49-MW, 98-MWh battery storage facility comes online” • TagEnergy, a clean energy company, and renewable energy infrastructure developer Harmony Energy brought the 49-MW, 98-MWh Jamesfield battery energy storage system facility online in Scotland. It is a standalone project near Abernethy. [ETN News]

¶ “System Operator Outlines £58 Billion UK Offshore Grid Plan” • The UK Electricity System Operator has published a report proposing a £58 billion investment in the electricity grid to meet growing demand for electricity in Great Britain by 2035. The plan aims to connect 21 GW more offshore wind development off the coast of Scotland. [reNews]

Grid system (National Grid)

¶ “Chief Scientist Cathy Foley Backs Renewables, Calls Nuclear Power ‘Expensive’” • Australia’s chief scientist is backing a path to zero emissions led by renewables over nuclear energy, which is “expensive technology.” The federal opposition has put nuclear power back on the national agenda, but Cathy Foley said energy assessments should be guided by evidence. [ABC]

¶ “It Was A ‘Monumental’ Year For Renewables In Europe” • Coal dropped 26% in 2023, and another 20% of coal plants in the EU are expected to close this year and next. Surprisingly, gas did not replace coal in the grid, as it saw a decline of 15%, the fourth year of decline in a row. Wind power is now the second-largest source of electricity in the EU. [Corporate Knights]

Wind turbines (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “Images Taken Deep Inside Melted Fukushima Reactor Show Damage, But Leave Many Questions Unanswered” • Images by miniature drones inside a badly damaged nuclear reactor at Fukushima Daiichi show displaced equipment and misshapen materials but leave many questions unanswered, showing how daunting decommissioning will be. [AP News]

US:

¶ “Who Is Buying Electric Cars Now?” • For years, very early adopters were buying electric cars because of the climate crisis or because they were techies who quickly got drawn to the new electric era. But now there are a lot of people buying electric cars who aren’t early adopters in one of those core buyer groups. So, who are these people? [CleanTechnica]

EV driver (Jenny Ueberberg, Unsplash)

¶ “Garamendi, King Introduce Bill To Allow Biomass Power To Participate In The RFS” • Rep John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Sen Angus King, I-Maine, each introduced legislation to allow plants generating renewable electricity from forest biomass, such as woodchips or sawdust, to participate in the Renewable Fuel Standard. [Ethanol Producer Magazine]

¶ “BOEM Publishes Notices Of US East Coast Offshore Wind Proposals” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has finalized its designation of a wind energy area in the Gulf of Maine. It could potentially deliver 3 GW to Maine and 10 GW to Massachusetts. BOEM’s notice is to be followed by a 30-day public comment period. [Offshore Magazine]

Have a fully worthwhile day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Legacy Automakers Downplay The Value Of EVs While They Play Catch-Up” • As the dominance of combustion-powered vehicles wanes, legacy automakers are negotiating an existential transition. After all, they’ve spent decades in ICE production. But they need to pivot , and adapting quickly is crucial. Yet many car makers question the need. [CleanTechnica]

Ferrari (Jeff W, Unsplash)

¶ “Will Earth Hit A Climate ‘Tipping Point?’ Here’s Why Experts Say This Framework Is Problematic” • People talk about tipping points, but experts say even the concept of a tipping point is misleading. One scientist, James Hansen, who played a key early role in raising climate change awareness, describes the phrase as “greatly overused and misused.” [Salon.com]

Science and Technology:

¶ “NIO And CATL Partnership An Interesting Battery Evolution” • So many improvements in batteries are focused on two things: more range and faster charging. NIO has a unique focus on battery swapping, so it benefits from batteries that lose capacity slowly and last longer. So NIO partnered with CATL to develop longer-lasting batteries. [CleanTechnica]

Nio House (bfishadow, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

World:

¶ “Amid Fierce Competition In China’s EV Market, Xpeng To Launch Cheaper Brand” • Chinese EV maker Xpeng said it plans to launch a cheaper brand, is a highly competitive segment amid intense price competition in the industry. Its models are to be launched within the next month, at prices between 100,000 and 150,000 yuan ($14,000 to $21,000). [CNN]

¶ “South Sudan Shutters All Schools As It Prepares For An Extreme Heat Wave” • South Sudan is closing all schools in preparation for an extreme heat wave expected to last two weeks. Temperatures are expected to soar to 45°C (113°F). South Sudan is especially vulnerable to climate change with heat waves common but rarely exceeding 40°C (104°F). [ABC News]

South Sudan (Jura Bakx, Unsplash)

¶ “Ecolab Achieves 100% Renewable Electricity In Europe With The Completion Of Windfarm Development Project” • Ecolab Inc, is a global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention systems and services that protect lives. It announced that it is sourcing of enough clean electricity from Low Carbon to power 100% of its European operations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “TotalEnergies Reaches 1.5-GW PPA Milestone” • TotalEnergies reached over 1500 MW of signed renewable PPAs with over 600 industrial and commercial customers worldwide. Of this 1.5 GW, 1.1 GW is already operating, generating 1.5 TWh of electricity per year, while 400 MW will be commissioned by year-end, the oil and gas giant said. [reNews]

Solar farm (TotalEnergies image)

India:

¶ “Delhi Government To Equip 645 Buildings With Rooftop Solar Plants” • In a move towards renewable energy adoption, the Delhi government, partnering with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, is set to outfit 645 government buildings with rooftop solar systems. This initiative is projected to increase the city’s solar PV capacity by 50 MW. [Construction World]

¶ “India’s Energy Subsidies Hit 9-Year Peak” • In India, energy subsidies have surged to a nine-year peak, reaching $39.3 billion, amidst the ongoing global crisis. This shows the government’s efforts to cushion the impact of rising energy costs on consumers and industries, while supporting the transition towards cleaner and more sustainable energy. [Construction World]

Rooftop solar panels (Michael Wilson, Unsplash)

¶ “Adani Group To Invest 70% Of Total Investments In Green Energy” • The Adani Group is likely to put over 70% of its total investments towards green energy, including renewable power, green hydrogen, and transmission lines, sources said. It plans to invest $14 billion (₹1.2 lakh crore) in the 2024-25 financial year in energy infrastructure. [India TV News]

US:

¶ “Fossil Fuels Broke The Environment. Who Should Pay To Fix It?” • In his latest blog post on Substack, Bill McKibben wrote that the Vermont legislature is working on an idea that would require companies that produce and distribute fossil fuels to pay for the environmental damage they have caused. (Some people want to make them criminally liable.) [CleanTechnica]

Flooded Montpelier (Vermont Agency of Agriculture via YouTube)

¶ “Renewable Energy Projects Near Rosamond Would Generate 1,700 Construction Jobs” • The eastern part of California’s Kern County would have three large renewable installations added to its renewable energy portfolio, for over 1,700 construction jobs by the end of this year, if the county Board of Supervisors approves them. [Bakersfield.com]

¶ “US Revives Forgotten Uranium Mines To Replace Russian Supplies” • As uranium supplies from Russia fall under the shadow of potential sanctions, and while Ukraine’s allies look to wean themselves off nuclear fuel produced by the Russian corporation Rosatom, owners of left-for-dead mines in the US are looking to revive them. [Bellona.org]

Have a creatively inspired day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What Are the Benefits Of Using Renewable Energy For Businesses?” • With the increasing demand for sustainable practices, many companies have turned to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power. But why exactly should businesses make this switch? Here we look into a number of reasons. [Business Matters]

Talking about business (Jason Goodman, Unsplash)

¶ “How Human-Rights Court Challenges Are Moving The Needle On Climate Change” • In the book Climate Capitalism, Akshat Rathi paints a picture of ways in which a green economy is possible, and in many cases already happening. Here, an excerpt looks at the influence of court challenges in inducing change by private companies and governments. [Toronto Star]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Radia’s WindRunner To Be The World’s Largest Aircraft Ever Built” • The enormous blades required for today’s most potent offshore wind turbines can’t easily be transported over land. A Colorado-based energy startup believes it has the answer: A colossal plane purpose-built to ferry the largest turbine blades imaginable. [Interesting Engineering]

Radia’s WindRunner (Radia image)

World:

¶ “Hyundai Motor And Iveco Group Expand Their Partnership To Explore Synergies For Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks In Europe” • Hyundai Motor Company and Iveco Group signed a Letter of Intent, to work towards electric heavy-duty truck solutions, for both battery electric trucks and fuel cell electric trucks, for the European markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “On Track To Produce 30% Renewable Energy By 2030” • The Minister of Energy and Minerals of Oman confirmed it is on track to produce at least 30% of its electricity from renewables by 2030. He highlighted the fact that ongoing studies are assessing feasibility, costs, and necessary adaptations for industries to transition to renewable energy. [Muscat Daily]

Evening skyline in Oman (Muhammad Shoaib, Unsplash)

¶ “RECPDCL And BHEL Forge JV For Renewable Energy Project Development” • REC Power Development and Consultancy Limited announced a Memorandum of Understanding it had signed with Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited. The MOU aims to create a joint venture to develop 1 GW of renewable generating capacity. [Energetica India Magazine]

¶ “Odisha’s Single Window Committee Approves Projects Worth ₹556 Crore In Renewable Energy” • Odisha government’s Single Window Committee has approved investment proposals worth ₹556.49 crore ($67.14 million) in the renewable energy sector. The projects proposed generating capacity of 82.42 MW, including solar, wind, and hydropower. [odishabytes]

Temple in Odisha (Ayiman Mohanty, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia Spreading Fake News Of Ukraine’s ‘Strike’ On Nuclear Power Plant” • Kremlin propaganda is spinning a fake story about an alleged attack by the Ukrainian forces on one of the nuclear power plant’s facilities at Zaporizhzhia, according to the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, a Ukrinform report says. [Ukrinform]

US:

¶ “Climate Criminals – Prosecuting Big Oil For Environmental Crimes” • David Arkush, who is the director of the Public Citizen Climate Program, and Aaron Regunberg, who is a senior climate policy counsel at Public Citizen, have written an article for “The New Republic” called The Case for Prosecuting Fossil Fuel Companies for Homicide. Wow! Let that sink in! [CleanTechnica]

Symbol of Justice (DonkeyHotey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Ford F-150 Lightning Race Pits Tesla’s Superchargers Against Electrify America” • Tom Moloughney and Kyle Conner took two Ford Trucks from New Jersey to Florida to see who would get there first. One had to rely on Electrify America stations, and the other had to use Tesla’s Supercharger network. Spoiler: They arrived minutes apart. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Orange County’s Pioneering Floating Solar Array: A Beacon Of Renewable Energy” • In Florida, Orange County is making a big move towards being more sustainable and using renewable energy. They’ve put up the biggest floating solar power system in the US Southeast on a 3.6 acre pond at their Southern Regional Water Supply Facility. [Microgrid Media]

Have a truly marvelous day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Baseload Power Doesn’t Make Sense Anymore” • Today, despite all the reasons to know better, many people still insist that we need baseload power. I see this every day in the news. I think it is sheer folly. Let me start with a statement that some people might find hard to take: It is not possible to run a grid on just baseload power. [CleanTechnica]

Coal-burning power plant (Jason Blackeye, Unsplash)

¶ “Is Nuclear Power Coming Back from the Dead? Not If We Can Help It Say Activists Who Buried Nukes More Than 40 Years Ago” • As the industry seeks a revival with backing from the US Congress, the White House, and teams of industry propagandists, prominent activists from the No Nukes/Safe Energy movement of the 1970s are reviving, too. [Amherst Indy]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Divided Over Whether Record Heat Is Acceleration Of Climate Crisis” • Scientists are divided about high marine air temperatures. Some stress that current trends are within climate model projections. Others are perplexed by the speed of change because the seas are the Earth’s great heat moderator and absorb more than 90% of climate warming. [The Guardian]

Sky and ocean (Silas Baisch, Unsplash)

¶ “Toxic Plastic Chemicals Number In The Thousands, Most Are Unregulated, Report Finds” • Researchers have developed a database of all known chemicals used in plastic production. It’s a staggering number: 16,000 plastic chemicals, with at least 4,200 of them considered “highly hazardous” to human health and the environment, according to the authors. [CNN]

World:

¶ “How A Beautiful Spanish Tourist City Became The Green Capital Of Europe” • Valencia is one of Spain’s sunniest cities, thanks to its prime location on the Mediterranean. Now, it can also claim to be among the most sustainable after winning the coveted Green Capital of Europe title. The title is given annually by the European Commission. [CNN]

Valencia (Al Elmes, Unsplash)

¶ “German Greenhouse Gas Emissions Dropped Sharply Last Year” • Official data shows Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 10.1% last year as use of renewable energy grew, use of coal and gas diminished and economic pressures weighed in. The German government says it is on course to meet its target to cut emissions 65% by 2030. [ABC News]

¶ “The Dogood ZERO: An Electric Microcar For Urban Living” • The little Dogood Motors ZERO EV claims it has more space inside than a Lamborghini, and it has “more electric range than a Ferrari.” While such statements may be technically true, they also seem to be a very funny comparison for an electric microcar that costs £6,000 ($7,640). [CleanTechnica]

Dogood Motors ZERO EV (Dogood Motors image)

¶ “EVs Surpassing Renewables In New Investment” • The surge in e-mobility investment directly arises with the growth of final consumption. In 2023, global sales of all types of EVs – battery powered vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles – came to 13 million units, making a growth rate of 29.8%, TrendForce reported. [The Global Energy Association]

¶ “Volkswagen And Skoda Are Moving Forward With Plans For Less Expensive Electric Cars” • Everybody is clamoring for less expensive electric cars. The Chinese are already building them, but many people worry that cheap cars from China will ruin traditional automakers. That might change. Here’s news on cars coming from Volkswagen and Skoda. [CleanTechnica]

Skoda Epiq concept Courtesy of Skoda

¶ “Alberta Government Releases Map Of No-Go Zones For Renewable Power Projects” • The government of Alberta has released some details of where and how it will permit wind and solar development, prohibiting it along a broad stretch of the province’s western edge, assessing its visual impact in five large areas, and restricting it on agricultural land. [MSN]

¶ “Barbados Targets 100% Renewable Energy By 2030, OTEC Plays A Vital Role” • Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion is gaining traction in the Caribbean region. After meetings last year with the governments of Grenada and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Barbados is starting to explore OTEC for its transition to renewable energy by 2030. [EIN News]

Night-time in Barbados (acobie inniss, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Batteries And Green Energies Like Wind And Solar Combine For Climate Solution” • The US is rapidly adding batteries for large scale energy storage. Increasingly, these are getting paired with solar and wind projects. Electric grid operators, electric utilities and renewable energy developers say the combination is essential for a green energy future. [ABC News]

¶ “Dogsledding: How Climate Change Forces Iditarod To Adapt” • For the first time in 25 years of running dogsledding tours, Tanya McCready must invest in snowmaking equipment. The vanishing snow along the trails she mushes her sled dogs and the once frozen lake she says is no longer safe to cross signify a changing climate. [ABC News]

Sled dogs (Yann Gbs, Unsplash)

¶ “Study: We Need Waaaaaaaay More EV Chargers At Retailers” • A report from Consumer Reports examined which retailers are leading and which are lagging when it comes to EV chargers. It says, “Only about 1% of the 270,000 retail locations controlled by the 75 retail and fast-food companies we reviewed offer any EV charging.” CR calls this “bleak.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Proposed Budget Supports Nuclear Projects” • The 2025 budget request includes nearly $1.6 billion for the DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, to support securing high-assay low-enriched uranium supplies, develop new reactor technologies, support R&D, advance the use of additive manufacturing and AI, and deploy US reactors overseas. [Eurasia Review]

Have a luminously gorgeous day.

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