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Opinion:

¶ “What Is Going Wrong At Tesla?” • Zachary Shahan: Once being an extremely influential site covering Tesla’s positive, I feel reality has pushed CleanTechnica increasingly to cover concerns. Many Tesla fans (especially TSLA shareholders) have not been thrilled with this, and some even hate us, or I should probably say me, quite vehemently. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla (Austin Hervias, Unsplash)

¶ “Jamaica’s Headlong Rush Into SMRs Quagmire: Wisdom, Please! ” • As global climate change accelerates and energy needs evolve, Jamaica must make decisions about its energy future. But the adoption of small modular nuclear reactors would not be progress. It would be a reckless leap into a technical, financial, and environmental quagmire. [Jamaica Gleaner]

World:

¶ “EVs And Solar Can Help Reduce Zimbabwe’s Negative Trade Balance” • Zimbabwe’s trade deficit was recently estimated to be close to $1.7 billion. This is a lot of money for a small economy that has perennial foreign currency shortages. Using EVs, which don’t need imported oil, and solar panels can help fix that trade deficit. [CleanTechnica]

Zimbabwe (St John Wilson, Unsplash)

¶ “Global Overheating Is Making The Land Drier And Saltier” • The UN Convention To Combat Desertification says that as the Earth gets hotter, the land gets drier and saltier. The latest report from UNCCD finds that global heating made 77% of the arable land on Earth drier over the past three decades. Another UN report says 10% of the land is saltier. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “TN Aims To Generate 7,500 MW Of Additional Renewable Power Via Three New Policies” • The state of Tamil Nadu is aiming to add 7,500 MW of renewable energy capacity in the financial year 2025-26, supported by new policies, plans from major corporate players, and an exemption from interstate transmission charges. [The New Indian Express]

Tamil Nadu (Harshal More, Unsplash)

¶ “Iran, South Korea To Collaborate On Renewable Energy Development” • A professor at Seoul National University has proposed a pilot project and the formation of a joint working group involving government entities, universities, researchers, and companies from Iran and South Korea to collaborate on renewable energy. [Tehran Times]

US:

¶ “GM’s EV Sales Skyrocket And Soon We’ll All Be Driving Mushroom Cars” • General Motors is mighty pleased with last year’s EV sales record. Along with Ford and other EV companies, GM put to rest all the gloomy headlines dominating the news in 2024. The big question is whether GM will bring back the Bolt, with parts made from mushrooms? [CleanTechnica]

Cadillac SOLLEI luxury concept EV (courtesy of GM)

¶ “Waymo Robotaxis MUCH Safer Than Any Human-Driven Cars” • Swiss Re has over 500,000 liability claims and more than 200 billion miles of exposure in its data bank. Waymo has logged 25.3 million fully autonomous miles for analysis. Waymo Driver provided an 88% reduction in property damage claims and a 92% reduction in bodily injury claims. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Solar Manufacturing Is Soaring” • US solar manufacturing got a big boost from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and has provided a lot more blue collar jobs in the country again. The IRA has been the biggest reshoring legislation in the history of the US. The Solar Energy Industries Association published some facts about solar manufacturing. [CleanTechnica]

Solar manufacturing (SEIA image)

¶ “The Price Of Solar Power Is Plummeting” • When it comes to buying solar, there’s no time like the present. In just a decade, the price of solar declined by 43%, according to the Florida Phoenix. Across the entire country, nearly 5 million homeowners have solar panels, and as installation prices continue to drop, more homeowners will hop on board. [The Cool Down]

¶ “US Senator Alex Padilla Applauds New Treasury Guidance Boosting Clean Hydrogen Power Development” • US Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) applauded the Department of Treasury’s final rules governing the 45V clean hydrogen production tax credit. The rules include critical changes to support development of a clean hydrogen industry. [Sierra Sun Times]

Have a grandly gracious day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Illinois Carbon Capture Project Captures Almost No Carbon” • EPA records show that over the last decade, a demonstration project in Decatur only captured between 10% and 12% of its total emissions each year, and the rest escaped into the atmosphere. Oil & Gas Watch says this raises questions about industrial-scale carbon capture technology. [CleanTechnica]

Many kinds of carbon capture (Juan Davila, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “Janus Electric Prime Movers” • CleanTechnica has followed the progress of Janus Electric truck conversions for over three years. In about four minutes (less time than it takes a truckie to visit the loo), the facility will swap the 2-metre-by-1.2-metre depleted truck batteries for batteries full of sunshiney goodness, ready for the next 400 km of their run. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “An $8,000 Electric Car: The Wuling Binguo” • Kyle and Alyssa from Out of Spec Reviews checked out the tiny, 5-door, fully electric Wuling Binguo, which is the product of a SAIC–General Motors collaboration. The base model hatchback costs $8,000 and there is a premium version for $12,000. Three LFP battery pack options are available. [CleanTechnica]

$8,000 EV (SAIC-GM-Wuling image)

¶ “‘Visit Hull’ Invitation To Trump After Social Post” • Donald Trump is being invited to Hull to see for himself the impact of renewable energy on the region after he criticized the UK’s move away from oil and gas production. Posting on social media, Trump urged the government to open up the North Sea and “get rid of windmills.” [BBC]

¶ “RES Submits Plans For 49.9-MW Solar Farm” • RES has submitted a planning application for a 49.9-MW solar farm in Hertfordshire. The Beane Solar Farm project is proposed for land west of Cottered village and would contribute to net-zero carbon emission targets while generating enough energy to power 15,000 homes. [reNews]

Solar farm (RES image)

¶ “RWE Nets 31 Solar Projects In Polish Auction” • RWE has been awarded 31 solar projects in Poland with a total capacity of 102 MW DC. In the latest auction for renewables, Polish regulator Urząd Regulacji Energetyki awarded RWE the 31 projects. The total capacity of 102 MW DC corresponds to 84 MW AC. Most of the solar schemes have received permits. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Ford Reaches New Electric Vehicle Sales Heights” • Ford’s EV sales in the fourth quarter reached a new high for the company. Across the full year, Ford nearly reached 100,000 pure EV sales. It had 51,745 sales of the Mustang Mach-E, up 27% from 2023, and 33,510 sales of the F-150 Lightning, up 39%. The E-Transit had 12,610 sales, up 64%. [CleanTechnica]

Ford EVs (Ford image)

¶ “Huge Growth In Nissan LEAF And Ariya EV Sales In USA ” • The Nissan LEAF has seen a revival. It had a 170.4% year-over-year increase in sales in the 4th quarter, and a 57% increase in 2024 versus 2023 as a whole. It scored 3,645 sales in the 4th quarter, up from 1,348 a year before, and banged in 11,226 sales in 2024, up from 7,152 in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford ‘Power Promise’ Extended into 2025 for US EV Buyers” • Ford had a record year for EV sales. One program the company has used to help spur on sales is Power Promise, which provides complimentary home chargers and installation to new EV buyers (in most cases). The company is extending the program through March 31, 2025. [CleanTechnica]

Charging a Ford EV (Ford image)

¶ “California’s Progress In Renewable Energy: A Closer Look” • The Renewable Portfolio Standard pushed California to start big renewable energy projects. From 2004 to 2009, California began a series of large-scale solar energy projects that were not only important for the state but also helped the whole country think more about clean energy. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “BOEM Seeks Lease Areas Off Guam Coast” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is seeking nominations for possible wind energy leasing areas off the coast of the US Pacific territory of Guam. BOEM has announced a Call for Information and Nominations, which will gather public comments to inform potential leasing areas. [reNews]

Guam (yeojin yun, Unsplash)

¶ “Indian River Power Plant To Close In February” • Delaware’s only coal-fired energy power plant will cease operating in February, almost two years before its previously scheduled shutdown. PJM has touted the early shutdown as a win for electricity consumers, who the RTO says will save roughly $93 million with the shutdown. [Delaware LIVE News]

¶ “Solar Power Is Cutting Daytime Electricity Demand On New England’s Grid” • There were more than 100 days in 2024 when customers used more electricity from the region’s grid at night, when most people are asleep, than during the day. Before 2018, there wasn’t a single day when this happened. The trend reflects increasing use of  rooftop solar panels. [Yahoo]

Solar power (Oskar Kadaksoo, Unsplash)

¶ “US Chamber, Oil Industry Sue Vermont Over Law Requiring Companies To Pay For Climate Change Damage” •  The US Chamber of Commerce and a top oil and gas industry trade group are suing Vermont over its new law requiring that fossil fuel companies pay a share of the damage caused over several decades by climate change. [CTV News]

¶ “Monticello Nuclear Plant Gets Federal Approval To Keep Operating Until 2050” • The Monticello nuclear plant can run for another couple of decades. The US NRC renewed the 53-year-old plant’s operating license, allowing it to keep generating power through September 8, 2050. The plant is about 40 miles northwest of Minneapolis. [InForum]

Have an energetically quiet day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Fossil Fuel Interests Ramp Up Their ‘Solar Makes Electricity More Expensive’ Falsehood” • It shouldn’t be a surprise that the fossil fuel industry is trotting out its big guns to attack renewable energy and electric cars. They paid to get Trump elected and now they want to make sure they get the maximum return on their investment. [CleanTechnica]

Nothing to see here, folks (Chris LeBoutillier, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Next-Gen ‘Massless’ EV Batteries Could Have No Weight” • Simply removing the weight of the battery would increase an EV’s range by 70%. The scientists behind that estimate have been hard at work developing a “massless” EV battery, meaning a battery that adds no extra weight because it also serves as a working part of the EV’s structure. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “BYD Bus And Commercial Vehicle Sales Explode” • Most of the EV story is about consumer vehicles. But there is a lot more: electric buses, shipping trucks, delivery trucks, ore trucks, etc. BYD sells a lot of those. The company’s electric bus sales were up in 2024 by 18.6%. But BYD’s non-passenger commercial EV sales were up by 138% for the year. [CleanTechnica]

BYD SkyRail (Courtesy of BYD America)

¶ “BYD Car Sales Rose 60% in December, 41% in 2024” • In December, BYD’s plugin vehicle sales were up 60%! Across the full year, they were up 41.3%. In volume terms, BYD’s sales were up by 173,766 units in December 2024 compared to December 2023, and they were up by 1,241,968 units across 2024 as a whole. Meanwhile, Tesla’s sales fell. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Plans 48,000 Kilometers Of High Speed Rail By 2030” • China has the  most extensive railway network on Earth, with 162,000 km (100,000 miles) installed. As part of its rail network, it currently has 48,000 km of high-speed rail lines and plans to add another 12,000 km by 2030. Travel between major cities will be possible in just 1 to 3 hours. [CleanTechnica]

Fast train in China (Courtesy of CRRC via Reddit)

¶ “Windey Energy Plans 16-MW Onshore Turbine” • Chinese manufacturer Windey Energy is planning to develop an ultra-large 16-MW onshore wind turbine. The groundbreaking scheme is led by Windey Energy under the Inner Mongolia autonomous region’s Science and Technology Innovation Major Demonstration Project. [reNews]

¶ “Trump Calls To ‘Open Up’ North Sea, Get Rid Of Windmills ” • US President-elect Donald Trump has called to “open up” the North Sea and get rid of windmills. Oil companies have been exiting the North Sea in recent decades. Production has declined from a peak of 4.4 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2000 to around 1.3 million today. [Yahoo]

North Sea Oil & Gas Platform (JanChr, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Renewables Near 30% Of Belgian Power Mix” • In Belgium renewables reached the highest level to date in 2024, increasing to just under 30% compared with just over 28% in 2023. In figures released by grid operator Elia, Belgium’s electricity mix last year saw a significant 23% increase in solar generation and low use of gas-fired generation. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Jimmy Carter Was Ahead Of His Time On Energy” • Carter’s environmental legacy is sizable. He is well-known for wearing a sweater and turning down his thermostat (and asking Americans to do the same). But his faith and support of solar technology helped push it to the viable industry that exists today. Solar costs fell 78% while he was in office. [ABC News]

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter fishing, 1978 (National Archives)

¶ “Tesla Reports 1.1% Sales Drop For 2024, First Annual Decline In At Least Nine Years” • Tesla’s global annual sales fell for the first time in at least nine years, with a 2.3% increase in the final quarter not enough to overcome a sluggish start to 2024 despite offers of 0% financing, free charging and low-priced leases. Sales were 1.1% below 2023 sales. [ABC News]

¶ “Equinor Shields Self Against Trump Offshore Wind Threat, Nails $3 Billion For New Wind Hub In Brooklyn” • News from Equinor is that it has $3 billion in new financing, a significant slice of the expected total of $5 billion in capital investments needed for its new wind hub. Equinor seems unfazed by Donald Trump’s attitude toward windpower. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine at South Brooklyn Marine Terminal
(Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Geothermal Research Funding Opportunity In USA” • The US DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs released the FY25 Phase I Release 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity. The funding is for qualified small business projects in geothermal heating and cooling, and in enhanced geothermal systems. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Shoreline Nuclear Plant Could Get OK To Reopen In 2025” • This year could be pivotal for a plan to reopen a nuclear plant along Lake Michigan. Operations at the Palisades nuclear plant stopped in 2022, but its owner, Holtec International, is seeking approval to reopen, and the Biden administration pledged $2 billion in loans to help the restart. [WMUK]

Have a relaxingly trouble-free day.

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Opinion:

¶ “In The New Year, Climate Activists Must Resolve To Appeal To Emotional Intelligence And Local Contexts” • The new year is a time for us to resolve to do better, to make healthy decisions that lead to personal and general satisfaction and growth. This year is different, with an oligarchy ready to pursue anti-climate goals once it’s in office. [CleanTechnica]

Alone at dawn (想 李, Unsplash)

¶ “Taking A Second Look At The Honda/Nissan Merger” • When Toshihiro Mibe, the CEO of Honda, was asked recently what the strategic benefits of the new partnership were, he replied, “That’s a difficult one.” He is not alone in finding it hard to explain. The merger causes skepticism among analysts and confusion among industry insiders, Autoblog says. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Toyota bZ4X EV Gets $6,000 Price Cut For 2025” • Toyota’s bZ4X hasn’t sold very well. Toyota has reduced the oddly-named EV’s cost by $6000 for 2025 to just under $39,000, and maybe it’s more attractive at that price point. Toyota certainly has a big customer base and some are brand loyal. Maybe some Toyota stalwarts will buy a bZ4X soon. [CleanTechnica]

Toyota bZ4X (Mariordo, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Brisbane Hits Net-Zero Milestone” • Brisbane Airport reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 97% by buying 100% renewable electricity generated by Stanwell for a Queensland-based wind farm and solar energy, expanding its on-site solar capacity to 10 MW, and replacing 24 traditional internal combustion engine fleet vehicles with EVs. [Airports International]

¶ “ZTT Upgrades Monopile Vessel” • China’s ZTT Group has upgraded its flagship monopile installation vessel to enhance its capabilities in offshore wind projects. Zhongtian 39’s upgrades include the addition of a DP2 positioning system for precise positioning in challenging environments, room for up to 210 crew members and a helipad. [reNews]

Zhongtian 39 (ZTT image)

¶ “Pension And Insurance Industry Bankrolls Renewable Energy Project In Zimbabwe” • After realizing the efficacy of accelerating deployment of solar plants, stakeholders in the insurance and pensions industry invested in a solar project in Mashonaland West, making it not just Zimbabwe’s breadbasket, but its energy basket as well. [NewZimbabwe.com]

¶ “LionLink Included In Nederwiek 3 Blueprint” • Dutch Climate and Green Growth Minister Sophie Hermans has included an electricity interconnector project between the Netherlands and the UK in the Offshore Wind Energy Development Framework. The LionLink DC interconnector will be realised through the Nederwiek 3 offshore grid project. [reNews]

Workers at an offshore windfarm (TenneT image)

¶ “2024 Sets Heat Record And Caps Off Deadliest Decade” • The year 2024 is set to be the hottest on record, capping off a deadly decade of intense heat. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world had just had its ten hottest years: “This is climate breakdown – in real time. We must exit this road to ruin – and we have no time to lose.” [InDaily Queensland]

¶ “EU Achieves Cleanest Power Mix In 2024” • In 2024, the EU achieved the cleanest power generation mix ever, with higher levels of renewables leading to a 59% cut in emissions compared to 1990 levels, according to Eurelectric. The year 2024 marked the lowest emissions from the EU power sector with a 13% drop compared with 2023. [reNews]

Wind farm (Enercon image)

¶ “First Unit Of China’s Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Project Starts Commercial Operations” • The first power generating unit of the Zhangzhou nuclear power project in East China’s Fujian province has begun commercial operations, according to China National Nuclear Corporation. Hualong One is a domestically developed third-generation reactor. [China Daily]

US:

¶ “USDA Funds Renewable Energy Project In Rural Texas” • One part of Texas is so rural that the local utility, San Miguel Electric Cooperative, has only 340,000 customers in 47 counties. Much of the electricity for those customers comes from a generating station that burns lignite, but none from renewable energy. That is about to change. [CleanTechnica]

San Miguel lignite generating station (SMECI via LinkedIn)

¶ “Ormat Starts Up 20-MW US Battery” • Ormat, a US storage and geothermal player, has begun commercial operations of a 20-MW battery system in New Jersey. The 20-MWh Montague BESS will provide ancillary services on the merchant market to PJM Interconnection and is expected to be eligible for a 30% Investment Tax Credit. [reNews]

¶ “Worried About Grid Reliability, State Officials Seek To Boost Renewables And Energy Storage” • A growing number of data centers are demanding massive amounts of energy. The Illinois fossil fuel industry is, by design, in decline. And backlogs at grid operators have delayed almost 600 MW of generation capacity from coming online. [Herald-Whig]

Have an impressively productive day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Year In Review: The State of Biodiversity 2024” • The state of biodiversity is at a critical crossroads as 2024 ends. Nature in all its gifts provides the basic elements on which all life depends: clean air, temperature control, fertile soil, and clean water. But too few people seem to grasp the centrality of protecting and restoring nature and biodiversity. [CleanTechnica]

Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings (USFWS, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

World:

¶ “The Great Solar Wall Of China” • As of June 2024, China led the world in operating solar farm capacity with 386,875 MW, representing about 51% of the global total, according to Global Energy Monitor’s Global Solar Power Tracker. The US ranked second with 79,364 MW, about 11%, followed by India with 53,114 MW, about 7%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Became The Second Best Selling Automaker In World In November!” • According to reporting out of China, BYD passed Volkswagen in November and trailed only Toyota in global auto sales. Toyota sold 667,900 vehicles in November, but BYD sold 417,000 vehicles, which surpassed Volkswagen and made it rank second in global auto sales. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seal (Tiago Ferreira, Unsplash)

¶ “Foreign Investment Is Fueling Colombia’s Green Energy Revolution” • Colombia, a major oil and gas producer, is even so developing its renewable energy. It is working to diversify its energy mix, supported by national policies aiming for a move away from a reliance on fossil fuels in favor of a green transition. It is accepting investments to do this. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “NTPC Allocates 1.2 GW Wind-Solar Hybrid Capacity At 4.0¢/kWh” • State-owned NTPC has concluded its auction for 1.2 GW of wind-solar hybrid capacity at an average price of ₹3.43/kWh (4.0¢/kWh). JSP Green won 350 MW with the lowest price of ₹3.38. Out of the other bidders, Adani Renewable Energy won 350 MW at ₹3.44. [pv magazine India]

Adani Green hybrid wind-solar plant in Rajasthan (AGEL image)

¶ “Saudi Group Announces 1 GW Of Renewables As Part Of $50 Billion China Investment” • ACWA Power announced that it is developing over 1 GW of renewable energy projects in China. The company said the portfolio includes solar and wind power projects that will be owned jointly by ACWA Power and Chinese renewable energy developers. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Swiss Trains Switch To 100% Renewable Electricity” • Swiss Federal Railways trains are 100% renewably powered. Up to January 1, around 90% of SBB’s electricity needs were met by hydropower and the remaining 10% from nuclear. The nuclear power is now being sold, as SBB buys an equivalent amount of certified renewables. [Railway Gazette International]

Swiss train (SBB CFF FFS image)

¶ “Scientists Uncover Natural Phenomenon That Significantly Exacerbated Last Year’s Record-High Temperatures” • There was record-breaking heat in 2023, and GHGs and El Niño played a role. But they were not enough to explain it alone. Now, a study in the journal Science shows that fewer low-lying clouds over our oceans supercharged the warming. [The Cool Down]

US:

¶ “Power Slowly Being Restored In Puerto Rico After More Than 1 Million Left In Dark In New Year’s Eve Blackout” • An island-wide blackout in Puerto Rico left more than a million residents without power on New Year’s Eve. Crews worked through the day and by 11:00 PM restored power to roughly 700,000 customers, about 47.8% of them. [ABC News]

Coast of Puerto Rico (Briana Tozour, Unsplash)

¶ “It’s A Wrap – Sprucing Up Tesla Vehicles” • Tesla promised to sell 50% more cars each year than it sold the year before, through 2030, at least on average. But it’s not happening. The company is pulling every sales lever possible to try to sell more cars in the fourth quarter of 2024 than it sold in the fourth quarter of 2023. Why is this sales lag happening? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Green Energy Firms’ Pitch To Trump: You’re Going To Need A Lot Of Power” • After being a favorite punching bag of the Trump campaign, green energy companies are reaching out to incoming cabinet appointees, hunting for friendly people in the transition team, and visiting Republican members of Congress with a message: We need a lot of power.  [MSN]

Wind turbines (Emily Allen, (CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Chicago To Power All City-Owned Buildings With Renewable Energy Starting January 1” • Starting January 1, all 411 city-owned buildings in Chicago will run entirely on renewable energy. It is a major milestone in the city’s sustainability efforts. The transition will eliminate 290,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. [Chicago Construction News]

¶ “An Inside Look At Work To Restart Palisades Nuclear Plant” • The Palisades plant has been closed since May of 2022. Holtec, the owner, hopes to have it back up and running sometime next year. During a tour, the NRC showed News 8 where work stands to reopen the plant, including a steam generator, which is still to be tested and repaired. [AOL.com]

Have an implausibly enchanting day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Hints Of A Novel EV Battery Emerge From With Layered Oxide Material” • Researchers have been zeroing in on lithium-rich layered oxide for batteries, replacing part of the nickel on the EV battery cathode along with part of the cobalt, providing space for more lithium and manganese. The result is an increase of up to 20% in energy density. [CleanTechnica]

GM EV1 (Courtesy of GM via Smithsonian Institution)

World:

¶ “BYD Controversy In Brazil: What Is Going On?” • Last week, reports came out that workers building a BYD factory in Brazil were working in “slavery” conditions and might be victims of human trafficking. The bad conditions seem have been caused by the construction contractor, which BYD has now terminated. We will keep an eye on this. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Europe EV Sales Report: In November, 25% Of New Cars Had A Plug” • Some 268,000 plugin vehicles were registered in Europe in November, a 2% year drop over year. Battery EVs grew 1% to 185,000 units while plugin hybrids fell 9% to 83,000 units. November saw the plugin vehicle share of the overall European auto market reach 25%. [CleanTechnica]

Škoda Enyaq (Škoda image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Provider Gensol Engineering Launches First EV for India” • Gensol EV Pvt Ltd a subsidiary of renewable energy firm Gensol Engineering Ltd., has introduced its first EV, EZIO, at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, which runs on January 17 through 22. The event marks Gensol’s formal entry into the EV market. [APAC News Network]

¶ “Vestas Closes 2024 With A Flurry Of Orders” • Vestas closed out the year with a glut of orders totaling 653 MW across the US, Europe, and Africa. In the US, the company announced a pair of orders for undisclosed projects. The turbine maker will deliver sixty 4.5-MW machines through its Steelhead Americas arm for a 270-MW project. [reNews] (See below.)

Vestas wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “ACWA Power Enters China With More Than 1,000 MW Of Renewable Projects” • Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power has ventured into China by securing over 1,000 MW of renewable energy projects. The portfolio consists of multiple solar PV and wind projects, which will be owned by ACWA Power, possibly along with other partners. [ZAWYA]

¶ “Suzlon And Jindal Renewables Expand Collaboration For Green Steel” • Suzlon has further strengthened its partnership with Jindal Renewables by securing another 302.4-MW wind power project in the Koppal region of Karnataka. This marks Suzlon’s largest-ever commercial and industrial order from a single customer.  [WindInsider]

Wind turbine (Ph B, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia Fails To Repair Damaged Equipment At Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant” • According to Energoatom, Russia tried but failed to repair the shunt reactor of the 750-kV Dniprovska power line, which they had damaged. This reactor is connected to one of the power lines supplying electricity from Ukrainian-controlled territory. [Espreso.tv]

US:

¶ “Tesla Cybertruck Not Off To A Good Start …” • Tesla started regular deliveries of the Cybertruck in October. The company seems to have claimed that it had 2.2 million reservations. Now, after delivering only about 30,000 of the trucks, it says people ordering a Cybertruck can get it in four to six weeks. These are not good signs. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Cybertruck (Somalia Veteran, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Lucid Gravity Deliveries Begin” • Lucid’s second EV model, the Lucid Gravity, is now making its way to some of its buyers. For now, it’s family, friends, and employees who are getting deliveries, but it shouldn’t be long before others start receiving theirs. The company posted the an update to X to celebrate the initial model deliveries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Demand for Power At Data Centers Is Disrupting Harmonics In Nearby Electrical Grids” • According to Bloomberg, demands for electricity by data centers lead to something known as bad harmonics, which can damage equipment. Whisker Labs, which offer the only IoT solution, showed a strong link between data centers and worsening harmonics. [CleanTechnica]

Utility grid monitor (Whisker Labs image)

¶ “NREL Technical Assistance Advances Community Clean Energy Goals Through Communities LEAP Pilot” • The US DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have a history of partnering on a range of technical assistance programs to help meet renewable energy goals and priorities of US communities. Here we look at some. [NREL.gov]

¶ “Texas Coal Plant Will Convert To Solar Plus Storage” • San Miguel Electric Cooperative Inc, a rural electric cooperative in Texas, was awarded more than $1.4 billion through the USDA’s Empowering Rural America program to convert lignite plants to a 400-MW solar and 200-MW battery facility powering 47 South Texas counties. [POWER Magazine]

Solar panels (Jason Mavrommatis, Unsplash)

¶ “Vestas To Supply 270 MW In Turbines For Mystery Wind Project In US” • Danish wind energy giant Vestas Wind Systems announced that it is supplying 270 MW in new turbines for an undisclosed project in an undisclosed location, to be developed by its Steelhead Americas subsidiary. The subsidiary’s focus is on early development work. [The Well News]

¶ “Oak Ridge National Lab Marks Year Of Breakthroughs In Energy, Environmental Science, And Space Tech” • As we close out 2024, the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has put a bow on its achievements in science and innovation. A report on Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s website says the year has been packed with significant strides. [Hoodline]

Have a wholly hunky-dory day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Musk And Trump: The Road Ahead Is Strewn With Ethical Challenges” • Bloomberg points out that Elon Musk is the owner of several large companies that have major contracts with the US government. Some of those companies have regulatory issues with various government agencies, issues the next administration could sweep under the rug. [CleanTechnica]

Musk, Gabbard, Musk, Kennedy, and Johnson
(Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, public domain)

World:

¶ “Xiaomi Wants To Become A Top 5 Automaker Globally” • The entrance of Xiaomi into the EV market is one of the EV stories of the year. The #2 smartphone seller in the world decided it could make electric cars as well as anyone, and it seems it was right. Xiaomi stormed onto the market, and the latest news is that it reached its 2024 target. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RWE Commissions 54-MW Italian Wind Farm” • RWE has commissioned its 54-MW San Severo onshore wind farm in the Foggia province of the Apulia region in Italy. Bringing the twelve turbines of the array online means the German utility currently operates sixteen wind farms in the country, with a total installed capacity of 527 MW. [reNews]

Wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “The Year in Energy in Four Charts” • The global energy sector defied expectations this year, in ways both good and bad for the climate. Four charts highlight key trends in the transition to clean energy. Renewable energy capacity and new EV sales are both growing quickly as investment in them grows. But fossil fuels persist, as demand grows. [Yale E360]

¶ “EDF Wins 250 MW In French Offshore Tender” • EDF and partner Maple Power have secured their 250-MW Golfe de Fos 1 floating offshore wind farm in France’s AO6 tender. The joint venture, Eoliennes Méditerranée Grand Large, will design, build, and operate the array located approximately 25 km from the country’s southern coast. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (EDF image)

¶ “Solar Panels Distributed To Nomads At 10% Of Cost” • Iran is providing portable solar panels to all its nomadic households, requiring them to pay only 10% of the cost, a senior official from the Organization for Nomadic Affairs announced. He pointed out that with sufficient funding, the program provide electricity to all nomads within three years. [Tehran Times]

¶ “Indonesia Strives To Be Independent In Renewable Enery” • Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said that the country wants to become a country that is not only independent in oil and gas but also in the renewable energy sector. The government is encouraging development of renewable energy. [Vietnam+]

Solar array (Climateworks.org)

¶ “This Talk Of Nuclear Is A Waste Of Time: Wind, Solar And Firming Can Clearly Do The Job” • Australia’s economic future will be at risk if we stop the wind and solar construction to build nuclear. Wind, solar and firming can clearly do the job. Every hurdle from reliability to inertia has been overcome, and there is no economic reason to change. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Tesla Is Secretly Recalling Cybertruck Batteries” • Something interesting has been going on with Tesla Cybertrucks. Tesla has been quietly replacing their battery packs, seemingly a lot of them. At least since September, Tesla has been swapping out Cybertruck battery packs for new ones when they are brought in for other maintenance issues. [CleanTechnica]

Cybertruck (Varun Palaniappan, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “US Gas Car Sales Are Down 1%, While Electric Car Sales Are Up 8%” • Overall auto sales were down by 365,000 units, or 8%, in Q3 2024 from Q3 2019. They were also down slightly, by 9,641 units or 8%, from Q3 last year. Meanwhile electric car sales have grown every year. They were up 8% from Q3 2023 and up 474% from Q3 of 2019. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Big Tech’s AI Bets Are Driving A Nuclear Renaissance. Not Everyone Is Buying The Hype” • The generative AI boom has made nuclear power an obsession for Big Tech, as companies look for ways meet energy demands. Some industry watchers aren’t fully convinced that it should be, or that nuclear startups will be able to capitalize on the hype. [AOL.com]

Have a thrillingly undemanding day.

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World:

¶ “Good News From China: CATL EV Chassis, Radar King Kong Pickup Truck” • Stories from China include a new skateboard by CATL and a battery electric pickup truck from Geely’s Radar division. According to Car News China, the Radar King Kong electric pickup truck is available in China with a starting price of 99,800 yuan ($13,700). [CleanTechnica]

King Kong pickup (Geely Radar image)

¶ “EV Battery Material Shortages by 2030? Which Ones?” • A McKinsey & Company forecast says battery materials shortage will happen by 2030. “Fast-increasing demand for battery raw materials and imbalanced regional supply and demand are challenging battery and automotive producers’ efforts to reduce Scope 3 emissions,” McKinsey says. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Adani Green Energy’s Increase Capacity To 11.60 GW After Commissioning New Projects In Gujarat” • Adani Green Energy Ltd’s two arms commissioned renewable energy projects in Khavda Gujarat. After the commissioning, Adani Green Energy’s total operational renewable generation capacity has increased to 11,608.9 MW, the company said. [NDTV Profit]

Renewable energy (Adani Green Energy website)

¶ “Millions Of Homes To Receive Grants And Cheap Loans For Solar Panels ” • Homeowners in the UK could be handed grants or cheap loans to convert to solar power. The move would form part of the Government’s commitment to reach clean energy by 2030, with money to be allocated from its Warm Homes Plan in next year’s spending review. [The Telegraph]

¶ “Electricians Leading the Renewable Energy Revolution” • As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and the need for sustainable energy solutions, electricians are stepping into a pivotal role. Their expertise is crucial to build traditional electrical systems, but they are now also at the forefront of the renewable energy revolution. [Publicist Paper]

Wind farm (NextEra Energy)

¶ “A Year Of Extreme Weather That Challenged Billions” • This year is expected to be the hottest on record, and people around the world experienced an additional 41 days of dangerous heat due to climate change, a study from Climate Central and the World Weather Attribution group shows. The study says that we live in a dangerous new era. [BBC]

¶ “How Belize’s Shift To Solar Power Is Changing Business” • As energy prices rise and climate change worsens, many businesses in Belize are discovering that solar energy is more than just an eco-friendly choice. It cuts costs. Businesses are increasingly adopting alternative energy solutions to reduce reliance on imported fuel. [Channel 5 Belize]

Belize (Alisa Matthews, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Russia’s Arctic Nuclear Icebreaker Fleet Dealt A Blow In The Mediterranean” • A Russian vessel that sank off the coast of Spain was reportedly carrying equipment for Moscow’s newest nuclear icebreaker, delaying construction further. The Ursa Major cargo ship sank after an explosion in the engine room left the vessel stranded in international waters. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “A Plan To Sell Scout Vehicles Directly To The Public Has California Volkswagen Dealers Hopping Mad” • Volkswagen is moving forward with plans to begin manufacturing a whole new class of vehicles under the Scout Motors brand, but it wants to sell them directly to customers online the way Tesla does. Some dealers are not happy. [CleanTechnica]

Scout Motors EV (Scout Motors image)

¶ “Space Solar Race Heats Up, Now With Flying Data Centers” • The US startup Lumen Orbit is not waiting around for space-to-Earth solar to happen. Lumen Orbit notes that next generation data centers on Earth will face a long series of delays, regardless of where they get their power. Those obstacles are all but absent in the space-to-space solar field. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “These Are The Billion-Dollar Disasters Of 2024” • As of November 1, 2024 has had 24 confirmed weather or climate disaster events in the US with losses exceeding $1 billion, according to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, which compiles an annual report that details the billion-dollar disasters of the year. [ABC News]

Have a vigorously soothing day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Tools Make Early Detection Of Forest Fires Possible” • Dryad is a German startup whose mission is to use internet of things technology to sniff out small fires so they can be put out quickly and easily before they grow. The sensors are mounted throughout a forest and are capable of detecting smoke long before most humans ever could. [CleanTechnica]

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

World:

¶ “China Hits Its EV Target Ten Years Early, But Still Hasn’t Hit Its 2020 Nuclear Target ” • The China Society of Automotive Engineers laid out a roadmap in 2020 for how the country was going to get to 50% of all cars sold in 2035 being fully electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen. It will it that target this year. But it’s still shy of its nuclear target for 2020. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lilium Lives!” • A couple of months ago, the EVTOL company Lilium ran out of money. It seemed the dream had died. After nine years and nearly 1,000 “preorders,” Lilium couldn’t make it financially. Now, a deal with Mobile Uplift Corporation GmbH will rescue the innovative startup from insolvency and keep it alive. [CleanTechnica]

Lilium EVTOL (Lilium image)

¶ “Vestas To Supply 315-MW Japanese Wind Farm” • Vestas has confirmed it has received an order to supply V236-15.0 MW turbines to the Jera-led 315-MW Oga Katagami Akita offshore wind project in Japan. It will deliver 21 machines to the project off the coast of the Akita prefecture in 2026. Commissioning is planned for 2027. [reNews]

¶ “OX2 Bags 205 MW Of Solar And Wind Deals In Poland” • OX2 has won contracts in a Polish government auction for the sale of electricity from a 165-MW solar park and 40-MW wind farm. The sites are to be in the south-west and south-east of the country, respectively. The solar array will the second to be built by the developer in Poland. [reNews]

Wind turbine (OX2 image)

¶ “JSW Energy Acquires O2 Power” • JSW Neo Energy signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 4,696 MW renewable energy platform from O2 Power for around INR 12,468 crore ($1.47 billion). O2 Power has a RE portfolio of 4,696 MW, of which 2,259 MW will be operational by June 2025 and the rest to be commissioned by June 2027. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Singapore had 122 more dangerous heat days in 2024 due to climate change” • Without climate change, Singapore would have four days of dangerous heat per year, according to a climate report from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central. Scientists estimate that the Republic experienced 122 extra days of dangerous heat in 2024. [The Straits Times]

Singapore (Mike Enerio, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukrainian Nuclear Plant Secretly Receives Eight Critical Reactor Drives From Czech Firm” • Czech company Škoda JS has successfully delivered eight new drives for two VVER 440 reactors to the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Moreover, the whole exercise was kept a secret until the reactor drives safely reached their destination. [MSN]

US:

¶ “New York Becomes Second State To Pass Superfund Pollution Law” • New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Superfund legislation bolstering the state’s efforts to protect and restore the environment by requiring large fossil fuel companies to pay for critical projects that protect the citizens of New York. Bloomberg expects them to pay $75 billion by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “You Can Now Get Free Tesla Supercharging Adapters from Hyundai” • Among the companies offering Tesla Supercharging adapters, some are charging their customers for them and others provide them for free. Hyundai has taken what may turn out to be the smarter route, since it boosts their brand boost. It offers NACS adapters for free. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bill McKibben Celebrates 2024: Climate Successes Can Motivate Us In 2025” • Bill McKibben is celebrating 2024 by assessing successes in the transition to clean energy. He reminds us that, when we go state by state and city by city, we’re “making gains everywhere we still can.” He says that Texas and California are making real headway. [CleanTechnica]

Bill McKibben in 2012 (Dave Brenner, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Solar Installations Are Exploding In Popularity In A Part Of The US That May Surprise You” • Florida had the second-highest number of solar installations in the country in 2024 after Texas, the Florida Phoenix reported. The state installed nearly as much as in 2023, a record-breaking 3.2 GW of solar power capacity, in the first three quarters of 2024. [The Cool Down]

¶ “GE Vernova Partners With NREL For Wind Turbine Research On Green Hydrogen” • GE Vernova’s Advanced Research Center has supplied a 3.4-MW wind turbine to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in a partnership for wind energy research. The wind turbine will serve them as a research platform for their collaboration. [WindInsider]

Have a vastly contented day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Deborah Katz: ‘What Could Go Wrong?’” • Whether NorthStar has done a good job cleaning up Vermont Yankee is important, but it doesn’t address the larger issues. The colossal failure of nuclear power can be seen in decommissioning, with the years of shipments of “low-level” waste to Texas. This small reactor will cost close to $800 million to clean up. [Greenfield Recorder]

Vermont Yankee (NRC, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “China Unveils High-Capacity Hydrogen Gas Turbine For Clean Energy Use” • A Chinese new energy equipment firm has announced a successful test of the world’s first 30-MW pure hydrogen gas turbine. The Jupiter I turbine is the world’s largest single-unit power pure hydrogen generator, according to the Mingyang Group. [Hydrogen Central]

¶ “New Flow Battery Membrane Aims To Kill Natural Gas, Not Just Coal” • A multi-institutional team based at Imperial College in London and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China has been developing a new membrane for flow batteries with a potential to combine low toxicity with high energy density and a long lifecycle. [CleanTechnica]

New type of membrane (Courtesy of Imperial College London)

World:

¶ “Andy Palmer Says ‘Hybrids Are A Road To Hell'” • Admittedly, Palmer is not a household name, but he is well known in the auto industry. He was chief operating officer and head of planning for Nissan until 2014, when he became CEO of Aston Martin. He told Business Insider that delaying adopting EVs to sell hybrids was a “fool’s errand.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Developing World’s Largest Compressed Air Energy Storage System” • The Huaneng Group has a 300-MW, 1500-MWh CAES project running in China. Now, the Huaneng Group is launching phase two of its Jintan Salt Cavern Compressed Air Energy Storage project. When completed, it will be the largest CAES facility in the world. [CleanTechnica]

Storage system (CNSIG image)

¶ “Nearly All Of Uruguay’s Grid Runs On Green Energy” • It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and has a reputation for soccer that includes two World Cups. Uruguay has also achieved what many countries have pledged for decades: 98% of its grid runs on green energy. [Fast Company]

¶ “NKT Lands Two HVDC Contracts In Germany” • NKT was selected by TenneT to supply HVDC power cable systems for two projects in Germany. It will design, produce, and install 525-kV onshore and offshore equipment for the LanWin7 scheme and part of the NordOstLink project. Commissioning the systems is expected in 2033-34, according to NKT. [reNews]

NKT cable production (NKT image)

¶ “Big Oil Backtracks On Renewables Push As Climate Agenda Falters” • Major European energy companies like BP and Shell doubled down on oil and gas in 2024 to focus on short-term profits. They slowed down, and sometimes reversed, climate commitments in a shift that they are likely to stick with in 2025, instead of spending on wind and solar projects. [MSN]

¶ “Grenada Seeking Bidders For 15.1-MW Airport Solar Project” • Grenada’s Public Utilities Regulatory Commission has requested qualifications for bidders for an independent power producer tender. The project aims to establish a 15.1-MWp solar system at Maurice Bishop International Airport, a key step in the island’s energy transition. [pv magazine International]

Airport (Estormiz, CC0 1.0, public domain)

¶ “Climate Crisis Exposed People To Extra Six Weeks Of Dangerous Heat In 2024” • The climate crisis caused an additional six weeks of dangerously hot days in 2024 for the average person, supercharging the fatal impact of heatwaves around the world. The effects of human-caused global heating were far worse for some people. [The Guardian]

¶ “Federal Government Unveils $100 Million Renewables Boost” • Australia’s Federal Government has committed to invest $100 million to deliver two regional big batteries and a solar farm to power 160,000 homes. The Clean Energy Finance Corporation for $100 million to Neoen for support of 1.3-GW of renewable energy and battery storage. [Utility Magazine]

Neoen solar array (Neoen image)

US:

¶ “Peak EV Fast Charging Is Up 50%, And So Are Fast Chargers” • Electric vehicle sales have increased this year, as CleanTechnica has reported, and there are certainly a lot more EVs on the road than there were a year ago. Sales numbers are just sales numbers, though. Is there evidence of a lot more EV charging? Well, at the peak charging time, it’s up 50%! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New York To Charge Fossil Fuel Companies For Climate Damage” • Large fossil fuel companies will have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Gov Kathy Hochul. Companies responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions will pay into a state fund for projects to address climate change. [ABC News]

Refinery (Suthamally Hariharan Subramanian, CC0 1.0)

¶ “Solar Panel Recycling In Texas” • A report by American Clean Power shows that Texas has surpassed California in utility-scale solar capacity. But it’s time to address what happens when solar panels reach their end of life. Some solar panels installed in the early 2000s are already being decommissioned, and nearly 90% of them end up in landfills. [Environment America]

¶ “Nuclear-Power Stocks Slide After Regulator Rejects Plan To Power Amazon Data Center” • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected a deal between Amazon and Talen Energy. According to FERC Commissioner Mark Christie, approving the proposal would spark consequences for both grid reliability and consumer costs. [AOL.com]

Have an unquestionably superior day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Climate Tech Is Reducing Emissions And Improving Urban Landscapes And Lives” • If we hope to see a climate-hardy world in coming years, we must recast the way we design our urban environments. Possible ways to achieve our goals are winding and tenuous, sure, and an array of innovations are needed to make urban net zero goals viable. [CleanTechnica]

Chicago (Jeff Brown, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Cautious Optimism Surrounds Plans For The World’s First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant” • Commonwealth Fusion Systems hopes to have a fusion power plant running in the next few years. Fusion power plants have never been used because the process is extremely difficult. In business and scientific communities, there is cautious hope of getting it going. [The Week]

World:

¶ “Japan To Maximize Nuclear Power In Clean-Energy Push As Electricity Demand Grows” • A government-commissioned panel of experts largely supported Japan’s new energy policy for the next few years. The policy calls for bolstering renewables up to half of electricity needs by 2040 while maximizing the use of nuclear power. [ABC News]

Nuclear plant (TEPCO, IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Undersea Power Cable Linking Finland And Estonia Hit By Outage” • A power cable linking Finland and Estonia under the Baltic Sea suffered an outage, prompting an investigation. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo that power transmission through the Estlink-2 cable stopped and that authorities were investigating the matter. [ABC News]

¶ “Acme Solar Secures Financing For 300-MW Solar-Wind Hybrid Project, Wins 300-MW PV Project” • Acme Solar has announced that a subsidy has secured ₹1,988 crore ($233 million) in loan financing from Power Finance Corp to fund development and construction of a 300-MW solar-wind hybrid renewable energy project. [pv magazine India]

Acme Solar plant in Rajasthan (Acme Solar image)

¶ “Trina Solar Partners With AMEA Power To Land Large-Scale Energy Storage Project In Egypt” • Trina Solar announced a partnership with AMEA Power, a clean energy company, to build a large energy storage project in Egypt. The battery project will back up the largest solar PV system in Africa with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) storage. [Energytrend]

¶ “How Agrivoltaics Is Marrying Food Production With Green Energy” • People say you can’t graze cattle on solar farms, but the CEO of Calgary-based Sun Cycle Farms believes doubters were proven wrong by a pilot project grazing cattle inside a grid-tied solar farm. He said it proves that livestock production and renewable energy can co-exist. [CTV News Calgary]

Agrivoltaics with sheep (Merrill Smith, US DOE, public domain)

¶ “Europe’s Largest Solar Farm Leads the Charge for 2025” • The Kalyon Karapinar Solar Power Plant is Europe’s largest and the world’s fifth-largest solar farm. With more than 3.5 million solar panels, this project generates enough electricity to power nearly 3% of Turkey’s grid, showing its role in reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels. [FinancialContent]

US:

¶ “Ameren Missouri Brings 500 MW Of Solar Online” • Ameren Missouri announced that after investing about $950 million, 500 MW of solar capacity are online as three facilities. They are the 200-MW Huck Finn Renewable Energy Center, the 150-MW Boomtown REC, and the 150-MW Cass County REC. AM has a pipeline of other resources. [Power Engineering]

Solar array (Ameren Missouri image)

¶ “Diversity In Energy Generation And Storage” • Kern County is a renewable energy hub of California and a key to reaching its clean energy goals. Long a producer of power from wind, it has recently added large-scale solar projects. One farm, Eland will produce 7% of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s electricity. [The Santa Barbara Independent]

¶ “The Trump Admin Could Make Pennsylvania’s Clean Energy Projects Less Environmentally Friendly ” • Climate scientists and economists say the Inflation Reduction Act will drastically reduce carbon emissions over the next decade and mitigate the impacts of climate change. On the campaign trail, President-elect Donald Trump promised to repeal it. [WPSU Penn State]

Have an enthusiastically appreciated day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Bitcoin Will Be The Nail In Our Climate Coffin” • “I realize that this article is not going to be popular with everyone. Bitcoin is a kind of tech financial fantasy, whereby many tech fans have come to the conclusion that we can live in some kind of financial utopia divorced from inflation and economic woes if we follow this fake mining path.” [CleanTechnica]

Cryptocurrency (Coinhako, Unsplash)

¶ “If You Have An Electricity Outlet Where You Park, An Electric Car Is More Convenient Than A Gas Car!” • Many people are concerned about whether they could live with an electric car instead of a gas car. They don’t realize is it’s far more convenient to live the EV life than the gas car life. If you have an outlet, you can plug in an EV and forget about it. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Los Alamos Is Helping Ready Nuclear Fusion Power For The Grid By 2030” • As fusion technology nears maturity, the problems associated with heating particles to 150,000,000°C keep arising. Michael Lively, a fusion expert who specializes in modeling solutions to these problems, may have solved one key issue. [Los Alamos National Laboratory]

Fusion reactor (LANL image)

World:

¶ “Prosecutors Find Workers In ‘Slavery Like’ Conditions At Chinese Car Company Site In Brazil” • A task force led by Brazilian prosecutors said it rescued 163 Chinese nationals working in “slavery-like” conditions at a construction site in northeastern Brazil, where Chinese EV manufacturer BYD is building a factory. [ABC News]

¶ “Nissan And Honda Announce Plans To Merge, Creating The World’s Number 3 Automaker” • Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to work toward a merger that would form the world’s third-largest automaker by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. [ABC News]

Nissan e-NV200 Evalia (Kārlis Dambrāns, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “What Are The Implications Of $66/kWh Battery Packs In China?” • The Power Construction Corporation of China drew 76 bidders for its tender for 16 GWh of lithium iron phosphate battery systems. According to reports, sixty of the bids came in at under $68.4/kWh, and the bids averaged $66.3/kWh. That is an astounding price! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Only 1% Of EV Drivers Would Go Back To A Gas Car” • A survey of EV owners around the world finds that only 1% of them would buy a pure gas-powered (or diesel-powered) car for their next vehicle. While 4% of them said they would head on over to a plugin hybrid, 92% of EV owners said they’d buy another EV as their next vehicle. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV at home (Maxim Hopman, Unsplash)

¶ “BP Bags 450-MW Site In Japan Offshore Auction” • Rights to develop a 450-MW wind farm off the coast of Japan were won in an auction by a consortium that includes BP. The scheme marks the entry of BP into Japan’s offshore wind market and is part of the country’s third auction round where a total of 1.1 GW has been granted for development. [reNews]

¶ “Voltalia Starts 100-MW PV Build In Albania” • Voltalia has commenced construction of the 100-MW Spitalla solar farm in the Durres region of Albania. Some 70% of electricity generated is due to be sold under a public contract won in 2021 and the rest to private sector buyers after the array is commissioned in the second half of 2027. [reNews]

Albania (Vladan Raznatovic, Unsplash)

¶ “Green Energy Spending To Top $1 Trillion By 2030” • In 2024, investment in China’s energy sector is forecast to reach $850 billion, nearly 30% of the global total, and standing at up to twice the level of the US and the EU, according to the China Energy Outlook 2060 report. China’s transition investment is expected to be over $1 trillion by 2030. [China Daily]

¶ “Methane Levels In The Atmosphere Rising Faster Than Ever” • Methane is one of three core greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Dr Pep Canadell, Executive Director for the Global Carbon Project of CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, says concentrations are rising at the fastest rate since reliable measurements began in 1986. [Cosmos]

Atmosphere (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)

¶ “Russia Increases Its Influence By Building Over Ten Nuclear Power Units Abroad” • Russia is constructing more than ten nuclear power units abroad to meet growing energy demand driven by artificial intelligence and emerging markets. The Russian Federation is also planning to build a small modular reactor plant in Uzbekistan. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Earthquake Activity Will Increase Due To Glacial Retreat” • A study by researchers at Colorado State University provides some compelling evidence that climate change can have influence on the frequency of earthquakes. The research adds to a growing body of work suggesting that shifts in climate can directly impact the seismic cycle. [Earth.com]

Sangre de Cristo Mountains (NPS, public domain)

¶ “Tesla Still Looking for Buyers” • With a week to go in 2024, it’s clear Tesla still has inventory ready to find a home. One thing suggesting this is that if you go to your nearest Tesla delivery center, you’re likely to see quite a few new Teslas lined up, based on reports we’ve gathered. But additionally, Tesla is still pushing temporary incentives. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Eversource Transitions From Gas Company To Geothermal Company In Framingham” • In June, local gas and electric utility company Eversource completed a geothermal pilot project for an entire neighborhood in Framingham, Massachusetts. Now governor Maura Healey has signed legislation to let gas utilities go beyond pilot projects. [CleanTechnica]

Have a thoroughly happy day.

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World:

¶ “Green Hydrogen Advocates Get A Cold Dose Of Reality From Bloomberg” •  Green hydrogen has been touted by politicians and business leaders as a key fuel for a carbon-free future, but BloombergNEF threw a bucket of cold water on the idea. It will remain far more expensive than previously thought for decades to come, BNEF says in a report. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it (Energy Innovation image)

¶ “The Green Steel Movement Is Building Up A Head Of Steam” • The green steel movement has been zeroing in on electric arc furnaces to clean up carbon emissions from steel making, setting the stage for significant sustainability improvements in several industries. Electric arc furnaces do require high-purity iron ore, but its availability may improve. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Jan De Nul, Hellenic Net French Floater Cables Deal” • Jan De Nul, in partnership with Hellenic Cables, has been awarded a frame agreement by RTE to provide export cables for two French floating wind farms totaling 750MW. Three submarine cables of 50 km each will transport the electricity produced by these floating wind farms ashore. [reNews]

Cable layer and substation (Jan De Nul image)

¶ “Solar Power Installations Hit New Highs” • China is to set a record for solar power installations in 2024. With the world’s most complete new-energy industry chain, China is expected to install 230 to 260 GW of solar capacity this year, topping the record of 217 GW set last year, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association said. [China Daily]

¶ “Are Agrivoltaics The Solution?” • There are concerns that the growth of the solar sector comes at a cost to the agriculture. Over 40% of India’s solar farms are on agricultural land, a study shows, putting both food production and rural livelihoods at risk. What is called agrivoltaics, co-locating agriculture with solar energy, may be the answer. [India Development Review]

Agrivoltaics (The Energy and Resources Institute)

¶ “Oslo-Based Scatec Is Awarded 288-MW Solar PV In South Africa” • Oslo-based Scatec ASA, a renewable energy company, was awarded preferred bidder status for a 288-MW solar project in the seventh round of the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme. [TechFinancials]

¶ “Suez Wind Secures $275 Million Loan From EBRD” • The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has arranged a syndicated loan worth $275 million for construction of the 1.1-GW Suez Wind onshore project in Egypt. The wind farm, which is being co-financed by other investors, will be the largest onshore array in Africa. [reNews]

Wind farm (EBRD image)

¶ “Bangladesh Launches $5 Billion Graft Probe Against Hasina In Nuclear Plant Case” • An anti-graft panel in Bangladesh started an investigation against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family in connection with the allegations of embezzling $5 billion in the Rooppur nuclear power plant, according to a media report. [Business Standard]

US:

¶ “Demand For Tesla Cybertruck Is Weakening” • The Tesla Cybertruck’s price tag is twice what had been expected and then some. Its design, a trapezoidal, stainless steel exterior meant to stand out in a fiercely competitive market, is called polarizing. These issues are keeping buyers at bay. Sales started much lower than expected and are falling. [CleanTechnica]

Camping with a Cybertruck (Tesla image)

¶ “Hertz Is Now Selling Teslas To Renters! (Super Cheap)” • Some time ago, Hertz set up a used EV website to sell off Tesla rental cars. Now, to be more effective, Hertz is trying to sell these cars specifically to its rental customers. One person claimed he had been offered a 2023 Tesla Model 3 with fewer than 30,000 miles on it for just $17,913! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Solar Developer Grows Portfolio To 1.5 GW” • Actualize Solar signed five PPAs with a US utility in 2024 and has grown its portfolio to 1,500 MW across 24 projects in six mid-Atlantic and south-eastern states. The company aims to expand its portfolio to 2.5 GW by the end of 2026, based on a disciplined approach to renewable energy project development. [reNews]

Solar panels (Chelsea, Unsplash)

¶ “Coal Prices Declined In Last Year As Renewable Energy Grew” • In the last quarter of 2024, coal prices in the US went through a significant decline, reaching $40/tonne by December. This drop was primarily driven by reduced demand from power plants, as the energy sector increasingly transitioned toward renewable energy sources. [openPR.com]

¶ “Ameren Missouri Brings Three Solar Facilities Online” • Three new solar facilities are online, providing 500 MW of energy to customers in Missouri, Ameren Missouri announced. The three facilities, which cost approximately $950 million, are expected to generate enough energy to provide for annual needs of 92,000 homes. [FOX 2]

Ameren Missouri solar array (Courtesy of Ameren Missouri)

¶ “Renewables Make Up 30% Of US Power Capacity” • A review by the Sun Day Campaign of official data reveals renewables now account for over 30% of total US utility-scale power generating capacity. The review was based on data released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Energy Information Administration. [reNews]

¶ “Workers Seek Shelter As Hanford Nuclear Complex Issues Leak Alert” • Workers at the Hanford nuclear site were ordered to take cover on Friday after a large holding tank with ammonia vapor was discovered to be leaking near the vitrification plant in the 200 East Area. The Hanford incident highlights the ongoing challenges of dealing with nuclear waste. [OilPrice.com]

Have a significantly rewarding day.

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Opinion:

¶ “China’s Chance To Step Up, With A Void On Climate Change Left By Trump” • A Chinese ‘Green Marshall Plan’ could ease the developing world’s energy transition, stabilize China’s domestic economy, and rally support for the multilateral trading system. But for it to be successfully executed, it will need to be grounded in a multilateral endeavor. [East Asia Forum]

Great Wall (Hanson Lu, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Vanadium Opens The Door To Low-Cost EV Batteries Made From Salt” • Sodium-ion EV batteries deploy inexpensive salt to replace the expensive inputs of lithium-ion batteries. One issue has been performance, but sodium battery researchers hope to surpass the energy density of lithium batteries. Vanadium has emerged as a key ingredient. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Whistleblower Is Blacklisted By Tata Over VinFast Safety Concerns ” • Tata Technologies was hired by VinFast for design work. A chassis design engineer told the BBC recently that he identified improperly designed components in the suspension systems designed by Tata Technologies that could fail, putting people at risk. He was blacklisted. [CleanTechnica]

VinFast EVs (VinFast image)

¶ “Volkswagen Reaches A Deal To End Labor Dispute” • The IG Metall Union reached a compromise with Volkswagen, ending a labor dispute that went on for months. The two sides agreed to cut 35,000 jobs by 2030 and to reduce the German production capacity by over 700,000 vehicles. According to Electrive, the production cuts include EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hitachi Energy Bags Hornsea 4 Order” • Hitachi Energy has an order from Ørsted for equipment to integrate 2,400 MW of electricity from the Hornsea 4 offshore wind farm into the UK grid. Subject to Ørsted’s final investment decision on the project, Hitachi Energy is to supply power electronics to manage grid frequency variations and system voltage. [reNews]

Offshore windfarm (Ørsted image)

¶ “Avaada Group Announces $12 Billion Investment In Rajasthan, India” • Avaada Group has announced a $12 billion investment in Rajasthan, India, to drive green energy transition and establish the region as a global renewable energy leader. The investment will focus on green industrial manufacturing and creating millions of jobs. [GreentechLead]

¶ “European Energy Connects 54-MW Polish Solar” • European Energy has connected a 54-MW solar park in West Pomerania to the grid. Construction of the solar park was completed on 21 December. European Energy is driving renewable energy in Poland with nearly 4 GW of projects in the pipeline, including wind, solar, and battery technologies. [reNews]

Solar farm (European Energy image)

¶ “Pakistan Joins A Fossil-Fuel Non-Proliferation Coalition To Embrace Renewable Future” • Pakistan has joined a coalition of climate-vulnerable countries advocating for a global fossil-fuel non-proliferation treaty, which seeks an equitable transition away from coal, oil, and gas. The proposed treaty is designed to complement the Paris Agreement. [The Nation]

¶ “The Windsor Area Is Losing Two Weeks Of Snowy, Wintry Days Each Winter” • In the past decade, Canadian cities have lost weeks’ worth of winter snow days each year because of climate change, according to analysis by Climate Central, a climate research non-profit. Instead of snow, there are days of rain, melt, and mud. [Yahoo News Canada]

Windsor, Ontario (Michael Barera, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Punjab Goes Green: 66 Solar Power Plants To Reduce Reliance On Fossil Fuels” • With an aim to make Punjab a leading state in clean energy production and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, the Punjab Government will set up 66 solar power plants, each with a 4 MW capacity, Aman Arora, Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister, announced. [Babushahi]

US:

¶ “The US Government Takes A Step Forward With Self-Driving Vehicle Rules, But Will They Last?” • New regulations and big regulatory changes take a long time to develop and roll out in the US government. The Verge notes there is one “twist” with the new rules. The NHTSA wants these companies to share more data. But will the rules survive? [CleanTechnica]

Uber WeRide robotaxi in Abu Dhabi (Uber image)

¶ “How Has One US State Cut Food Waste When The Others Continue To Struggle?” • Of all states with food waste bans, “Massachusetts alone has reduced landfill waste,” according to a recent study in the journal Science. By contrast, California, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont have not had the same results that Massachusetts has had. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BOEM Approves 2.4-GW SouthCoast Wind” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the SouthCoast Wind Project, expected to generate up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The project is the eleventh offshore wind project approved under the Joe Biden administration. [reNews]

Offshore windfarm and substation (Gary Norton, US DOE)

¶ “CleanChoice Connects Pennsylvania PV Park” • The US solar operator CleanChoice Energy has connected its first fully owned and operated solar project, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. The 26-MW Blairs Valley solar farm is the first completed project in the company’s pipeline. Blair Valley includes more than 30,000 bifacial solar panels. [reNews]

¶ “A Power Company Is Planning To Restart Three Mile Island’s Remaining Nuclear Reactor” • Constellation Energy announced it planned to bring the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island back into operation and keep it running for decades. Microsoft has signed a 20-year agreement to buy power from Constellation’s operation for its data centers. [AOL.com]

Have a triumphantly cozy day.

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World:

¶ “Germany Embraces Balkonkraftwerke” • In Germany, more than 1.5 million people have installed Balkonkraftwerke, which translates as “balcony power plants.” Almost every apartment has a balcony, and if it gets any sun exposure during the day, balcony solar panels can be mounted to its railings to make electricity to helps power a home. [CleanTechnica]

Balkonkraftwerke (Tornasol Energy image)

¶ “U8 – BYD Goes Upmarket In Australia” • BYD sells value-for-money vehicles in Australia. Here is a look at another side of BYD, the Yangwang U8. It is not for sale yet in Australia, but if it were, the price would be north of A$200,000 ($125,000). The company has sold 5,000 U8’s so far in China at about that price, and has a backlog of 30,000 orders. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Australian Company Makes Plans To Deliver Its Largest Solar Farm Yet, To Power An Unexpected Industry” • Pacific Energy, a specialist in off-grid power, is to build its largest solar farm yet for a gold mine in Western Australia, Renew Economy says. It is working with Gold Fields to get over 70% of the mine’s energy from renewable sources. [The Cool Down]

Solar farm (Gold Fields image)

¶ “Gridworks Partner With Ugandan Government To Deliver Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween Transmission Project” • Gridworks and the Government of Uganda entered into a Joint Development Agreement to deliver the Mbale-Bulambuli-Kween transmission line in eastern Uganda. The line will boost the uptake of more renewable power in the country. [Red Pepper]

¶ “Is Japan Finally Ready To Tap Its Abundant Geothermal Energy Potential?” • The government of Japan has proposed expanding renewables’ share of electricity generation to up to 50% by 2040. The country has abundant geothermal resources, but there are obstacles to developing it, especially in the places where much of it is located. [The Japan Times]

Geothermal Power Plant (掬茶, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Communities Vent Frustration At Coalition’s Nuclear Plan For Their Towns” • Opposition leader Peter Dutton has promised his vision to build seven nuclear reactors around Australia will “keep the lights on.” But people in the communities earmarked to host the plants feel they are being left in the dark about what his plan means for them. [MSN]

US:

¶ “New Flow Battery To Take Up Housekeeping In Derelict Oil Tanks” • In a new twist on the circular economy of the future, the California startup Quino Energy, a US flow battery startup has embarked on a first-of-its-kind project aimed at demonstrating that former oil storage tanks can be repurposed for renewable energy storage. [CleanTechnica]

Flow battery (Courtesy of Quino Energy)

¶ “This Is The Time To Buy An EV – Tax Credits Will Expire Soon And Musk Doesn’t Care” • With the Trump team ready to swoop down on all things electric, there’s no better time to take advantage of federal incentives. Reports are that the transition team is planning to terminate the $7,500 consumer EV credit, with support of Elon Musk. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Another Milestone For Solar Panels That Produce Green Hydrogen” • Startup SunHydrogen reached another milestone for its nanoparticle-enabled solar modules, which can produce green hydrogen in one step, without electrolysis. It scaled up its solar-to-hydrogen technology and successfully demonstrated it on a 1 m² solar panel. [CleanTechnica]

SunHydrogen staff and panels (SunHydrogen image)

¶ “St. Charles Parish Schools Partner With Shell Norco To Open Renewable Energy Lab” • In Louisiana, St Charles Parish Public Schools unveiled its first interactive, renewable energy learning lab at Norco Elementary School. It’s the first school in the district to benefit from the renewable energy partnership program with the petrochemical giant. [L’Observateur]

¶ “US Solar Power Soared In 2024” • The US has had record solar growth in recent years, supported by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and greater access to green funding.The Solar Energies Industry Association has recorded record levels of added solar capacity over the last year, as more solar projects were added to the grid. [OilPrice.com]

Solar array at Nellis AFB (USAF image, public domain)

¶ “Will Georgia’s Solar Power Industry Thrive, Or Just Survive, Under Second Trump Term?” • Georgia’s thriving solar power industry makes the state number 2 for the solar manufacturing. A staggering 21% of solar PVs in the US comes out of Georgia. But could Georgia’s booming solar industry stall under a second Trump presidency? [Savannah Morning News]

¶ “PG&E Power Bills Will Rise After State Keeps Nuclear Power Plant Open” • PG&E customers face higher bills following state approval for money to operate California’s only nuclear plant, after a meeting punctuated by angry audience comments and heckling. The Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant had been slated to be phased out in 2025 and 2026. [MSN]

Have a warmly comfortable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Powering Data Centers Is An Existential Challenge” • The companies that extract and sell methane gas to power generating stations see the vast increase in demand to power data centers as a godsend. But by using renewable energy with batteries, we may be able to power generating stations for just $4/MWh more. So is life on Earth worth that? [CleanTechnica]

Gas-fired power plant (Steve Martarano, USFWS, public domain)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Prefabricated Façade with Integrated Solar PV” • Scientists at Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer UMSICHT made a prefabricated building façade element that integrates solar PV. Prototypes were installed on a Fraunhofer IBP building in October, and now they are “undergoing intensive monitoring to test their electrical yield and other properties. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “All Companies In Italy Must Now Purchase Climate Insurance” • It will be a whole new business atmosphere in Italy starting on January 1, 2025. That’s because the federal government there will require every company in the country to buy climate insurance for internal support to offset losses from floods, landslides, and other natural hazards. [CleanTechnica]

“Oops,” landslide (Brett L, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Europe’s Green Energy Transition Faces Unexpected Hurdles” • Energy prices in Europe fell below zero for a record amount of time in 2024. An accelerated buildout of wind and solar farms has flooded European grids at peak production hours, causing surplus energy to be sold for as low as -€20/MWh at increasingly frequent increments. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Nordlicht 1 Secures Planning Approval” • Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency granted planning approval for Vattenfall’s 1-GW Nordlicht 1 offshore wind farm. The project is in the west of Germany’s exclusive economic zone. It will have 68 15-MW turbines and will be the largest offshore wind farm in German waters. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Vattenfall image)

¶ “Ausgrid To Oversee Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone” • Ausgrid is the preferred operator for the Hunter-Central Coast REZ. The government of New South Wales signed with the company to develop, operate, and maintain the infrastructure. It’s the first REZ in Australia to leverage the distribution network, as opposed to transmission system. [Newcastle Weekly]

¶ “New Zealand Offshore Renewable Energy Bill Passes First Reading, Laying The Groundwork For Windfarm Development” • The New Zealand Government‘s Offshore Renewable Energy Bill to create a regulatory regime that will enable firms to build offshore wind farms passed its first reading in Parliament, the Energy Minister said. [Baird Maritime]

Offshore wind farm (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “France Powers Up: Flamanville 3 Joins Nuclear Grid After 25 Years” • The Flamanville 3 nuclear reactor has finally been connected to France’s power grid after 12 years of delays and a ballooned budget reaching €13 billion. This is the first reactor added in 25 years, providing 1.6 GW, comes during a decline in domestic power consumption. [Devdiscourse]

US:

¶ “Montana Supreme Court Rules That The State Constitution Means What It Says” • In the 2023 session of the Montana legislature, Republicans passed new laws that attempted to limit the effect of a section of the state’s constitution protecting the environment. A group of young plaintiffs sued, claiming the law was unconstitutional. They won. [CleanTechnica]

Glacier National Park, Montana (Janne Simoes, Unsplash)

¶ “Long-Duration Energy Storage Pilot Program Concept Paper Notifications” • The DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations responded to Concept Papers it received for the Long-Duration Energy Storage Pilot Program. This funding will focus on non-lithium technologies, long-duration (over 10 hours) systems, and stationary storage applications. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Red State To Rescue EV Battery Supply Chain As Graphite Trade War Looms” • The US has no operating graphite mines, so its battery makers are vulnerable to the vagaries of the global supply chain. Unfortunately, that is not controlled by US allies. One alternative is synthetic graphite. An Australian company has plans to make that in Tennessee. [CleanTechnica]

Natural graphite (H Hoffmeister, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Connecticut Omits Offshore In Latest Procurement” • The state of Connecticut has opted not to acquire any capacity from offshore wind projects in its latest round of renewable energy procurement. Its Department of Energy and Environmental Protection did acquire 518 MW of solar generation and 200 MW of electric storage capacity. [reNews]

¶ “PUCN Approves Nevada Energy Plans To Add More Solar Power And Battery Storage” • The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada approved an NV Energy plan to add more than 1,000 MW of solar power and 1,000 MW of battery storage in Nevada. The PUCN says that the energy company’s plan will meet the growing energy demands of Nevada. [KOLO]

Have a sufficiently perfect day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Aren’t Lessons From Fukushima Disaster Being Used In Draft Energy Plan?” • The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry released a draft outline of the next Strategic Energy Plan. It removed the phrase stating “Japan … will reduce its dependence on nuclear power as much as possible,” which the government has heretofore upheld. [The Mainichi]

IAEA inspection at Fukushima (IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “More Bad News For Fossil Fuels: The Rise Of The Drop-In EV Charging Station” • When the Extreme E off-road EV racing series featured a modular, transportable, off-grid, drop-in DC fast charging station a few years back, it seemed like a niche solution for a niche problem. But now, a number of companies are producing similar systems. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “XPENG Center in Australia Launches In Sydney” • The EV story of the year is the expansion of Chinese EV companies globally. The latest chapter in that story is XPENG setting up a big new headquarters in Australia, the first XPENG center in the Southern Hemisphere. It is at a prime location near the entrance to Sydney Airport’s domestic precinct. [CleanTechnica]

XPENG center in Sydney (XPENG image)

¶ “Oil Consumption Growth Trends In China, India, And The USA: Is 2025 Forecast Accurate?” • The US Energy Information Administration published an article, “India to surpass China as the top source of global oil consumption growth in 2024 and 2025.” It compares how and why oil consumption is growing in the two countries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hitachi Wins €2 Billion Contract From Amprion” • Hitachi Energy has signed contracts worth over €2 billion with German transmission system operator Amprion for converter stations for two high voltage DC links. The four stations are for a high-power transmission system to bring clean energy from the North to industrial load centers in the West. [reNews]

Hitachi HVDC (Hitachi image)

¶ “Wind Power Generation Hits Second Record In Matter Of Days” • Last Sunday, wind turbines in the UK, including both onshore and offshore, set a record by generating 22.4 GW of electricity. It was the first time they produced more than 22 GW. On Wednesday, the UK’s wind turbines generated 22.5 GW, breaking the days-old record. [Proactive Investors]

¶ “KENC Bags Offshore Jack-Up Contracts” • KENC Engineering secured contract awards from a leading, undisclosed transport and installation contractor relative to a UK offshore wind project. The contracts entail engineering scopes to outfit a purpose-built jack-up vessel to contribute with the safe and efficient installation of the monopiles for the UK project. [reNews]

Jack-up vessel (KENC image)

US:

¶ “Environmental Groups Sue Over California Support For Polluting Biofuels” • Several environmental groups are suing California air regulators over their recent update of a climate program, saying they failed to address the pollution impacts of biofuels. They also say biofuels compete with food production and contribute to deforestation. [ABC News]

¶ “Abandoned Oil And Gas Wells In Us Bring Fears Of Leak Dangers” • More than 3.5 million abandoned oil and gas wells are littered across the US. An estimated 14 million Americans live within a mile of one of the wells. Leaking wells can contaminate groundwater and spew carcinogens and potent greenhouse gases into the environment. [ABC News]

Abandoned gas well (Steve Hillebrand, USFWS, public domain)

¶ “Trucking Will Electrify, But What Hills Must Be Flattened?” • One of the primary challenges of electrifying freight trucks in the US comes down to adequate charging infrastructure without compromising freight operations. The economics of electric trucks, battery availability, scaling manufacturing, etc, could be another set of challenges. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Qcells Solar Factory In Georgia Gets $1.45 Billion Loan Guarantee” • As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, the DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced the closing of a $1.45 billion loan guarantee to Hanwha Q Cells Georgia, Inc, a leading North American crystalline silicon solar maker. [CleanTechnica]

Qcells factory in Georgia (Qcells image)

¶ “Musk And xAI Colossus Brings Spike In Emissions And Demand For Electricity To Memphis” • Elon Musk’s latest brainstorm is Colossus, a new supercomputer facility for xAI located in an old Electrolux factory in Memphis, Tennessee. Initial estimates suggest that the system’s power consumption could range between 42 to 56 MW.  [CleanTechnica]

¶ “IRA Set To Boost US Economy $2 Trillion” • An independent study commissioned by the American Clean Power Association revealed that the Inflation Reduction Act will potentially boost the US economy by nearly $2 trillion over the next decade. The report found that the law will incentivize significant investments and create millions of jobs. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Natalia Blauth, Unsplash)

¶ “AI Data Centers To Bolster Renewable Energy Demand Even Under Trump, Says MUFG Americas CEO” • The broad shift towards renewable energy in the US will continue even under the incoming administration of Donald Trump, said the head of the Americas arm of Japan’s largest banking group, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. [MSN]

¶ “California Officials, Ports Plan Infrastructure For Offshore Wind” • The California State Lands Commission and the port officials of Long Beach and Humboldt announced an agreement on December 18 for “a comprehensive framework” to advance upgrades to port infrastructure that would support offshore wind power development. [WorkBoat]

Have a nicely unruffled day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why I’m Optimistic About Cleantech Over The Next Four Years” • Vic Shao writes, “Since Trump’s win, industry insiders and the media have been wallowing in an unusual amount of doom and gloom. … But let me share a contrarian view. I think we’re on the brink of a golden era for renewable energy and clean transportation deployments.” [Canary Media]

Wind turbines at dusk (Milada Vigerova, Unsplash)

¶ “Will the World’s First Nuclear Fusion Power Plant Be Built In Virginia? Here’s Why We’re Skeptical” • Commonwealth Fusion Systems says it will build the world’s first fusion power plant in an industrial park near Richmond, Virginia, within a decade. But there are a number of things that must take place before that can become reality. [Scientific American]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Energy-Positive Buildings Give More Than They Take” • Our buildings have huge environmental footprints. Some architects and builders are accepting the challenge to shrink them. They are starting with redesigning their interactions with materials to address the climate crisis while also meeting the vast demand for newly built space. [CleanTechnica]

Green technology (Courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens)

World:

¶ “BYD Seal Wins A Japan Car Of Rhe Year Award, First Chinese Car To Achieve This!” • BYD is on a roll, but even so, it seems shocking to see it winning a Japan Car of the Year award! The Seal is the first Chinese car, of any kind, to win the award. BYD is also expanding into more markets and adding to vehicle lineups in existing markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solaris to Deliver First EU Battery Passport–Compliant Buses” • Berlin’s BVG transit system received the first electric bus with a battery passport: the Solaris Urbino 18 electric. In a statement, Solaris said the deliveries put BVG three years ahead of EU regulations, which will require a battery passport in all electric vehicles starting in 2027. [CleanTechnica]

Solaris Urbino 18 electric bus (Solaris photo)

¶ “It’s Against The Law In Canada To Call Hydrogen Buses Zero Emissions” • In the middle of 2024, the claims of environmental virtue remarkably disappeared from websites and social media of Canadian oil and gas companies and their lobbying groups. Why? Because of Bill C-59. It received Royal Assent, and that made it the law in Canada. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wave Energy Microgrids Poised To Power Australian Aquaculture” • Backed by findings of an AquaGrid feasibility study funded by the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, the integration of ocean energy, along with solar and battery systems, is set to provide power that will reshape Australian coastal aquaculture. [Offshore Energy]

Wave device (FDRC image)

¶ “South Korea Awards 1.9 GW Of Offshore Capacity” • South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy has awarded 1,886 MW of offshore wind capacity across four projects in the country’s latest offshore wind capacity auction. The government has awarded 20-year fixed tariff power purchase agreements to the four developers. [reNews]

¶ “Germany Deploys 1 GW Of PV In November” • Germany deployed 1,016.9 MW of new PV capacity in November, official data shows. This compares to 1 GW in October and 1,183 MW in November 2023. Germany’s total installed capacity for the first 11 months of 2024 was 15.69 GW, up from 13.18 GW for the same period in 2023. [pv magazine International]

Solar panels (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “India To Mandate Energy Storage For Solar, Wind Projects” • India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy may introduce policies soon to mandate the inclusion of battery storage in new solar and wind projects. The move is aimed at addressing the intermittency of the rapidly growing share of renewable energy in India’s electricity mix. [pv magazine India]

US:

¶ “US DOE Extends V2X Work with Nine New Partners” • The vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability may be the most commonly discussed, but going beyond that, you get vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech, vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability or “vehicle-to-everything” (V2X) capability. The US DOE has extended its Memorandum of Understanding on V2X. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning plugged in (Ford image)

¶ “Convergent Seeks US Funds For Puerto Rican BESS Schemes” • Convergent Energy and Power got a conditional commitment from the US Government for a loan guarantee of up to $559 million for a portfolio of energy storage projects in Puerto Rico. One installation Convergent plans is a 100-MW solar PV system with a 55-MW, 55-MWh battery. [reNews]

¶ “RWE Reaches 10-GW Milestone In The US” • RWE reached the milestone of 10 GW of onshore wind, solar, and storage facilities in operation in the US. The German company owns and operates a diverse portfolio of more than 170 facilities in 24 US states, including 4.3 GW of solar, 5.2 GW of onshore wind and 0.5 GW of battery storage. [reNews]

Renewable capacity (RWE image)

¶ “EPA Allows California To Ban Gas-Powered New Car Sales By 2035” • California has been given the green light by the US EPA to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and light trucks by 2035. The California Air Resources Board approved the controversial plan to begin phasing out sales of new gas-powered cars and light trucks in the state in 2022. [ABC News]

¶ “Massachusetts City Sources Solar Power From Illinois” • The City of Cambridge, Massachusetts announced it will enter the nation’s largest municipal virtual power purchase agreement, committing to purchase the renewable energy credits associated with a solar facility in Champaign County, Illinois. Electrons can’t be mailed, but credits can. [pv magazine USA]

Have an astounding temperate day.

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World:

¶ “BYD Continues To Go After Europeans’ Hearts, And Enters Estonia” • Earlier this year, BYD went after Europeans’ hearts by sponsoring the Euros football (soccer) tournament. BYD has been on the European market for just two years, but it has a network of 270 stores across the continent where you can buy its vehicles. It has eight models on offer. [CleanTechnica]

BYD in Estonia (BYD image)

¶ “Building A Sustainable Supply Chain For Philippine Offshore Wind” • The Philippines needs eight years to build and operate its first offshore windmill. The country stands at the threshold of a renewable energy transition, with offshore wind expected to be crucial for meeting its energy security and climate targets. But it must move faster. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Stellantis And CATL’s New JV Will Invest Up To €4 Billion To Build Large LFP Battery Plant In Spain” • Stellantis and CATL recently announced a strategic agreement for a joint venture that could see up to €4.1 billion invested for a lithium iron phosphate battery plant. They are to build the facility in multiple phases in Zaragoza, Spain. [CleanTechnica]

Opel Frontera Electric

¶ “Goldwind Rolls First 22-MW Offshore Turbine” • Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Goldwind recently produced its first 22-MW turbine. It is expected to be installed at an offshore wind farm in the first quarter of 2025. The new turbine is specifically designed for deep-sea areas of 50 to 70 meters such as those off Guangdong. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Solar Swing State: From Nearly Too Much Grid Demand To Warnings Of Not Enough In Less Than A Day” • Victoria’s grid posted a new high for electric demand of 9,581 MW in the midst of a record-breaking December heatwave. Two coal generating units were offline, but the state’s renewables met demand. The next day, demand was too low. [RenewEconomy]

Solar car park (Flicker02, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Dutton’s Home State Rips Into Nuclear Plan” • The policy issue Peter Dutton hopes will propel the Coalition into Australia’s federal government faces fierce opposition from his own side, with Queensland’s Deputy Premier effectively ruling out support for the nuclear plan. Queensland has its own moratorium against nuclear power. [Yahoo]

UK:

¶ “First 20 Vestas Turbines Installed At 220-MW North Kyle” • Scottish developer Brockwell Energy has reached a milestone at its flagship 220-MW North Kyle wind farm in East Ayrshire, with the installation of the first 20 Vestas turbines. The 49-turbine project is being built on the site of one of the largest former coal mining sites in Scotland. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

¶ “RES Given Nod For 50-MW Scottish Battery Venture” • RES has secured consent from Moray Council in Scotland for a 50-MW battery energy storage system. The Corshellach BESS will be built on land next to an existing substation. The facility will be important for a reliable, resilient, decarbonised electricity system for the future. [reNews]

¶ “EOS Submits Plans For 100-MW UK BESS” • Plans have been submitted to build a 100-MW battery energy storage system on Teesside in north-east England. If Redcar & Cleveland Council grants planning permission, the £62 million BESS will be built on a three-acre plot at the Long Acres section of the 2,500 acre Teesworks site on the River Tees. [reNews]

Proposed battery storage system (EOS image)

¶ “Solar Energy UK Expects Installed Solar To Greatly Exceed UK Government Clean Power Plan Targets” • Trade association Solar Energy UK expects installed solar in Britain to exceed the goals in the government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan greatly. The plan sets an objective of 45 to 47 GW by 2030. Solar Energy UK foresees 60 GW. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

US:

¶ “Amazon Investing Another $10 Billion In Ohio-Based Data Centers” • Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company said the exact sites have not been determined yet and noted that its investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements. [ABC News]

Ohio landscape (Michael Bowman, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Hurricanes Were Extra Disruptive To Energy Infrastructure In 2024” • NOAA reported 18 named storms in 2024. Eleven of the storms were hurricanes, with five of them major hurricanes. An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, NOAA said. Five hurricanes made continental US landfall this year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Mustang Mach-E Wins TOP SAFETY PICK+ Award” • The Ford Mustang Mach-E is the third best selling EV in the US this year, only trailing the Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model 3. Now there’s more good news about Ford’s first serious EV offering: It won a TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Ford image)

¶ “Trump Transition Team Plans To Take A Sledgehammer To Biden Era EV Policies” • Reuters says it has seen the proposals the Trump transition team recommends for transportation, and they include taking the portions of the Inflation Reduction Act that deal with EVs and EV charging infrastructure and throwing them in the trash. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Energy Chief Granholm Warns Against ‘Unfettered Exports’ Of Liquefied Natural Gas” • The US should proceed cautiously on new natural gas export terminals, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said, warning the incoming Trump administration that “unfettered exports” of liquefied natural gas could drive up domestic prices. [NPR]

Have an unabashedly great day.

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World:

¶ “Study Reveals Benefits Of Agrivoltaics In East Africa” • The University of Sheffield lead research that shows agrivoltaics leads to greater crop yields with less water than crops grown in open fields. An international team found certain crops, such as maize, Swiss chard, and beans, thrived under the partial shade provided by solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

Agrivoltaics in Africa (University of Sheffield)

¶ “HVDC Transmission Between Europe And North America Makes Fiscal Sense” • Ember has published a report, Security and efficiency: The case for connecting Europe and North America. Modern HVDC cables see line losses of under 1% 1,000 kilometers and do not need substations. And long, submarine power cables are no longer technically difficult. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Athens Has A Water Problem, So They Looked Back To The Ancients For Answers” • It’s been another year of record heat and dwindling rainfall in Greece. Athens’ water supply is under stress. In response, the city is reviving an aqueduct dating to the Roman Emperor Hadrian, a 15-mile, mostly underground network that still runs beneath the city. [CleanTechnica]

Parthenon (Theo Topolevsky, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Intilion To Deliver 65-MWh Swiss BESS” • German energy storage outfit Intilion is to construct one of Switzerland’s largest battery storage systems for Swiss company Primeo Energie. Intilion will install a 65MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kappel in the canton of Solothurn. Construction will begin in spring 2025. [reNews]

¶ “EU Solar Growth Slows, Raising Fears For Energy Transition” • The growth of solar power installations in Europe slumped to just 4% this year, after years of double-digit increases, industry data shows. The 65.5 GW installed, while a record, is just 4% more than what was installed in 2023. It raises concerns about the EU’s clean energy transition. [MSN]

Solar power (Andreas Gücklhorn, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “India Doubles Renewable Energy Capacity Addition, Targets 500 GW By 2030” • India’s renewable energy capacity addition nearly doubled to 15 GW during the April-November period of the current fiscal year, compared to the same period last year. This reflects the country’s commitment to its target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. [Swarajya]

¶ “Japan Would Make Renewables Top Power Source By 2040” • Japan wants renewables to be its top power source by 2040 in its push to be carbon neutral by mid-century, government plans show. The world’s fourth-largest economy has the dirtiest energy mix in the G7, campaigners say, as fossil fuels generated nearly 70% of its electricity last year. [Yahoo News Singapore]

Wind farm in Japan (BehBeh, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Queensland’s Wholesale Power Prices Down 39%” • A report by the Queensland Audit Office found the average wholesale electricity price fell 39% in the state, over the last financial year. The national average average was a fall of 36.2%. The report credits increased renewable energy generation as one reason for the change. [Queensland Conservation Council]

¶ “Chinese Coal Power Generation Rises Despite Renewables Jump” • Despite growing renewable energy capacity installations, thermal power generation in China, which comes mostly from coal-fired power plants, rose between January and November by 1.9% from the same period a year earlier, according to Chinese statistics data. [OilPrice.com]

Coal power in China (Shubert Ciencia, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Ford Gets $9.63 Billion Loan For BlueOval SK From US DOE” • There actually seems to be a sprint under way within the Biden administration to get as much done as possible before Trump takes over. One thing is a huge Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing  loan for Ford from the US DOE in order to help its transition to EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EVs Create More Jobs Than Fossil Fuel Vehicles” • A study published by University of Michigan researchers earlier this year found that automotive assembly jobs increased a lot, as much as ten times, with EV production as opposed to building internal combustion vehicles. That is not what was expected, because EVs have fewer parts. [CleanTechnica]

First Rivian 2021 (Rivian, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “US Supreme Court Rules Against Red States In California Emissions Waiver Case” • The US Supreme Court has denied a petition filed by a number of states dominated by conservatives who were asking the court to review constitutional challenges to California’s authority to enforce its own emissions limits for new cars and light trucks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Apex Secures Finance For 300-MW US Wind” • Apex Clean Energy has financing for a 300-MW wind farm in Illinois. The Prosperity Wind project, built with Vestas turbines, is under construction, supported by White Construction. It will create nearly 400 jobs during construction. The project is scheduled to be operating in early 2025. [reNews]

Wind farm (Apex Clean Energy image)

¶ “Innergex Closes Bridge Loan For Hawaiian Hybrid Project” • Innergex has closed a $100 million non-recourse bridge loan for a solar + battery project in Hawaii. The construction phase is complete and Hale Kuawehi is moving forward with the final stages of commissioning and testing. The project has 30 MW of solar and a 120-MWh battery. [reNews]

¶ “NJ’s Largest Utility Firm Begs Feds To Shut Down Airspace Over Nuclear Plant As Mystery Drones Spotted” • New Jersey’s largest utility has asked the feds to halt all air traffic over two of its nuclear power plants, after drones were spotted over the sensitive sites. There has been a spate of mysterious drone sightings across the Garden State. [AOL.com]

Have a superbly enjoyable day.

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World:

¶ “Northvolt Bankruptcy May Delay Porsche And Audi Electric Models” • As if Volkswagen Group didn’t have enough challenges now, Handelsblatt reported that several Volkswagen Group brands may have to postpone planned model launches because the necessary battery cells they expected to get from Northvolt will not be available as planned. [CleanTechnica]

Porsche Macan 4 (Alexander-93, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “UK And Norway Unveil Green Industrial Partnership” • The UK and Norway have launched a Green Industrial Partnership to combine clean energy capabilities and drive economic growth. The agreement will support the UK’s aim to secure homegrown energy, protect billpayers, and put Britain on track to be a “clean energy superpower” by 2030. [reNews]

¶ “Enercon Scores Romanian Turbine Deal” • Enercon is to supply seven turbines for a 38-MW wind project in Romania. The German manufacture will supply seven E-160 EP5 turbines for customer Smart Power Generation Alfa. The order, Enercon’s first in Romania in twelve years, is for a project in Cudalbi Galati in the east of the country. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Enercon image)

¶ “The Gulf Stream Is On The Verge Of Collapsing, Climate Scientists Warn” • In an open letter, 44 leading climate scientists say that key Atlantic Ocean currents, including the Gulf Stream, are on the brink of failure. The scientists warn that the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation could lead to devastating impacts. [MSN]

¶ “GE Vernova Amd Drydocks To Deliver Ostwind 4” • 50 Hertz selected GE Vernova and Drydocks World to deliver the 2-GW Ostwind 4 grid connection in the German Baltic Sea. GE Vernova and Drydocks World are to build the DC converter system, which will comprise two converters, one at sea and one on land, for the Ostwind 4 project. [reNews]

Converter platform (50 Hertz image)

¶ “Audit Shows Renewables Driving Down Wholesale Power Prices In State Where Targets To Be Scrapped” • New data shows that wholesale electricity prices in Queensland fell by nearly 40% over the 2023-24 financial year, prompting calls for the new Liberal government to keep the state’s renewable energy targets and maintain the trend. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Aker And Aibel Scoop Green Volt FEED Deals” • Flotation Energy and Vargronn have awarded the first phase front-end engineering and design contracts for the 560-MW Green Volt floating wind project, off Scotland, to two teams. Green Volt will be eighty miles off the Scottish coast. It won a UK Government Contract for Difference last September. [reNews]

Floating offshore turbine (Flotation Energy and Vargronn)

¶ “Lepreau Nuclear Plant Back In Service After Second-Longest Outage In Forty Years” • The Point Lepreau nuclear generating station is back online producing electricity for N.B. Power. But the cost to customers of an eight-month shutdown that began in early April and ended last week is still being calculated by the utility. [Yahoo News Canada]

¶ “Tesla Says Dutton’s Nuclear Plan Will Result In “Severe” Curtailment Of Household Rooftop Solar” • Tesla, electric car maker and leading supplier of utility scale and household batteries, has warned that Australian households face “severe curtailment” of their rooftop solar PV systems under the federal Coalition’s nuclear power plan. [RenewEconomy]

Rooftop solar system (Giorgio Trovato, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “Miss The Snow? Experts Explain Why You May See Less Over The Years” • With climate change, winter is the fastest warming season for much of the US, according to climate research group Climate Central. There are less freezing temperatures, but more moisture. Climatologists explain that the impact of this on snowfall is complicated. [ABC News]

¶ “EVgo Shares New Construction of 7,500 High-Power Fast Charging Stalls, Bringing Total To 10,000 Fast Charging Stalls” • EVgo announced that it plans to build 7,500 more high-power fast charging stations in the US in the next 5 years. By 2029, the company will have more than tripled its network footprint to at least 10,000 fast charging stations. [CleanTechnica]

Hummer EV at an EVgo charging stall (Image from EVgo)

¶ “Giant Solar-Plus-Storage Project Turned On In California” • Renewable energy company Arevon Energy commissioned the Eland 1 Solar-plus-Storage Project in California. The solar portion provides 384 MW of power capacity, while the energy storage component provides 150 MW and 600 MWh of power and energy storage capacity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Federal Hostility Could Delay Offshore Wind Projects, Derailing State Climate Goals” • Numerous East Coast states are counting on offshore wind projects to power tens of millions of homes and to help them transition to cleaner energy. But the US government will be led by Donald Trump, who has said he will “make sure that ends on Day 1.” [Stateline]

Have a really fine day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Renewable Energy Boom Is Remaking The American West” • In Nevada, plans are moving ahead for transmission lines, solar farms, geothermal plants and more in the name of fighting climate change. Even among environmental groups and government officials, the projects are controversial. Support for it seems not to relate to political party. [Type Investigations]

Nevada (Abhi Verma, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “From Electric Motorcycles On Uber And Bolt To Neta V Electric Taxis, Nairobi’s EV Scene Is Starting To Flourish” • With over 2 million internal combustion engine motorcycles in Kenya, the motorcycle sector presents a large addressable market for companies interested in electrification. In Kenya, motorcycles are mainly used for public transport. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “War, Wind Power, And The Green Way Forward For Ukraine” • When Russia launched its attack on Ukraine in February 2022, one of the first energy resiliency cracks to emerge was within the Ukrainian nuclear fleet. Now, the energy planners in Ukraine are turning to wind power and other renewable resources for energy security and resilience. [CleanTechnica]

Dnistrovska wind plant (Courtesy of Elementum Energy)

¶ “Egypt Inaugurates 500-MW Solar Power Plant” • Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has inaugurated a $500 million solar plant in the southern city of Aswan as part of Egypt’s efforts to boost renewable energy production. The Abydos Solar PV Plant was developed by Dubai-based energy company AMEA Power. [The Financial Express]

¶ “New Solar Panels To Cut Bills At Schools And Kelvin Hall” • Glasgow City Council is installing solar arrays on a number of public buildings, with the aim of generating more than 700,000 kWh of electricity every year. More than 1,700 new solar panels are set to cut energy bills at schools, daycare centers, and the Kelvin Hall. [Yahoo News UK]

Installing solar panels (Glasgow City Council)

¶ “World’s Highest Solar Power Project Put Into Operation In China’s Xizang” • The second phase of the Huadian Xizang Caipeng PV Power Station in Shannan Prefecture of southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, the world’s highest-altitude PV project, has begun operations. The second phase is from 5,046 to 5,228 meters above sea level. [Bastilepost]

¶ “Ukraine Adds Over 860 MW Of Renewable Energy Capacity In Two Years” • Between 2022 and 2024, Ukraine commissioned over 860 MW of renewable capacity. Deputy Minister of Energy Mykola Kolisnyk emphasized that the war had deprived Ukraine of much of its coal capacity, which now needs to be replaced with climate-neutral technologies. [Ukrinform]

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

¶ “First Time After Independence Solar Power Lights Up Lives Of Tribals In Maoist-Affected Villages Of Bastar” • In the tribal areas often cited as Maoist strongholds in the Indian district of Bastar, the villagers have a reason to cheer as their region saw lights for the first time through solar power. They have had no electricity before. [The New Indian Express]

¶ “Researchers Sound The Alarm After Discovering ‘Fingerprint’ Following Recent Extreme Weather Events” • A study showed that scientists can now spot the “fingerprint of climate change” on extreme weather events. An analysis showed the shocking impacts of the climate crisis on the most deadly weather events from the past 20 years. [The Cool Down]

Climate crisis (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “More Coal, More Gas, Higher Prices, Higher Emissions: What Coalition’s Nuclear Plan Will Do To The Grid” • Another highly respected firm of energy analysts has produced an assessment of the Coalition’s plan to build over 7 GW of nuclear capacity in Australia: More coal, more gas, higher wholesale prices, and higher emissions. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Volvo And DHL Begin Autonomous Truck Trials In Texas” • Despite the challenges, Volvo Autonomous Solutions and DHL Supply Chain have taken a significant step towards transforming freight transportation with the launch of autonomous operations in the US. Freight will initially be hauled on two routes: Dallas to Houston, and Fort Worth to El Paso. [CleanTechnica]

DHL truck by Volvo (DHL image)

¶ “Kalamazoo Chooses Utility-Scale Solar Projects To Reach Carbon Neutrality By 2040” • A contract between Kalamazoo, Michigan, and utility Consumers Energy signals a change in direction for the city’s clean energy strategy as it seeks to be carbon neutral by 2040. Solar is still a pillar of the city’s plans, but the method has changed. [Planet Detroit]

¶ “Offshore Wind Companies Pitch Projects In The Gulf Of Mexico” • After a period of stagnation for the offshore wind sector, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management just announced that two new areas in the Gulf of Mexico have attracted interest from energy companies, a hopeful sign for a fledgling industry that Louisiana has sought to boost. [NOLA.com]

Have a splendidly creative day.

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World:

¶ “UN Talks Fail To Reach Agreement On Dealing With Rising Risk Of Global Drought” • Despite two weeks of UN-sponsored talks in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh, the participating 197 nations failed to agree early on a plan to deal with global droughts worsened by a warming climate. It is the fourth time this year that UN talks on climate or pollution failed. [ABC News]

Dry and desolate (Juanita Swart, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe Expected To Add 110 Gigawatts Of Solar Next Year!” • According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, and particularly solar market analyst Liam Coman, 56 GW of solar capacity were installed in Europe in 2023, a total of about 95 GW are expected to be installed in 2024, and roughly 110 GW are expected to be installed in 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Largest Floating Solar Power Plant In India Is Turned On” • Floating solar power systems are making their way to ever more places, but they get larger in the places where they already have a presence. The latest example is India, which just turned on the 126-MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project, its largest floating solar plant so far. [CleanTechnica]

Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project (Tata Power RE)

¶ “Nation Set To Boost Energy Security” • China is set to further enhance its energy self-sufficiency and expand its renewable energy dominance in the coming years, according to a report released during the International Energy Executive Forum 2024 held in Beijing. China’s energy self-sufficiency rate has climbed to an impressive 85%. [China Daily]

¶ “India And China To Dominate World’s Geothermal Energy As Coal Usage Going Down” • The International Energy Agency forecast that China and India are well-positioned to become dominant players in the global geothermal energy sector as both nations look to reduce their dependence on coal and embrace cleaner energy sources. [EurAsian Times]

Geothermal power plant (Villy Fink Isaksen, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

Australia:

¶ “Using Hot Water To Balance The Grid” • The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has part-funded PLUS ES and the University of New South Wales for a two-year trial to use “20,000 existing smart meters to dynamically orchestrate hot water load.” The trial took place in South Australia, the most advanced state for renewable energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Scientists Sound The Alarm Over Concerning Change In Natural Weather Phenomena” • Australia’s weather bureau issued a dire state of the climate report. A result of raising our planet’s temperature is the supercharging of certain forms of extreme weather. Australia faces more intense short-term rainfall events as our world warms. [The Cool Down]

Heavy rain (Linhao Zhang, Unsplash)

¶ “The Biggest Losers From Coalition’s Nuclear Plan Will Be Australia’s 4 Million Solar Households, Industry Says” • Putting nuclear power into Australia’s energy mix would be a disaster for the climate, electricity prices, and renewable energy investors. But the biggest loser would likely be Australia’s four million-and-counting solar households. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Ford Teaches Electric Car Drivers How To Drive In The Snow And Cold” • Ford, whose headquarters are in cold and snowy Michigan, has some tips for anyone who would like to drive an EV better in the winter snow. Admittedly, the list includes more general common sense than truly special tricks or northerly know-how, but it is worth a look. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning

¶ “Waymo Leads the Way Again With First Program For First Responders” • How robotaxis interact with first responders and how first responders are expected to handle robotaxis that have been in an accident are issues Waymo takes seriously. Waymo has partnered with TÜV SÜD for an independent evaluation of Waymo’s practices. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Giant Solar Power Project To Highlight Water Conservation, Grassland Restoration” • Critics used to say solar would not work in northern states. They can whine all they want, but a 1.3-GW solar project in the chilly northern state of Wisconsin is moving forward, with water conservation and biodiversity benefits to come with the electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (Courtesy of Doral Renewables)

¶ “Report Reveals Solar Power Saved Consumers $2.3 Billion In 2024” • A report by energy economist Dr Richard McCann has found that California’s rooftop solar systems saved all ratepayers a staggering $2.3 billion in 2024. This eye-watering amount was saved due to solar power reducing the amount of electricity that utilities needed to produce. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Young Activists Take On A Government Agency In A Florida Climate Lawsuit” • A group of young people in Florida believe the state’s reliance on fossil fuels violates their constitutional rights. They are suing the state agency that regulates public utilities in hopes of forcing the utilities to transition toward renewable energy. [US News & World Report]

Have an extraordinarily fortunate day.

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Opinion:

¶ “AI, Data Centers, And Climate Risks” • Microsoft, Apple, Meta, Amazon, and Google are all rushing headlong into the AI future, frantically building data centers. But the electrical energy needed to power data centers is increasing exponentially. So the hunt is on for more generating capacity. Is that a problem? It very well could be, for a number of reasons. [CleanTechnica]

Data center (imgix, Unsplash)

¶ “Is Big Tech Going All In On Nuclear? Google And Microsoft Have Just Pledged $45 Billion On Renewables” • Did you hear the one about big tech going nuclear? One of the lines being trotted out in support of nuclear power is that everyone’s doing it, even the global tech giants Google and Microsoft. But do they support nuclear power? Possibly not. [RenewEconomy]

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Lifespan of EV Batteries May Exceed Expectations By 40%” • Since the early 1990s, the cost of a lithium-ion battery has dropped by over 97% per kilowatt-hour, making EV prices more competitive than gasoline-powered cars. But how long do they last? A Stanford-SLAC study shows EV batteries may last up to 40% longer than expected. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai EV (Hyundai Motor Group, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “EV Sales: LatAm’s Laggards And Smaller Markets” • Latin America’s largest vehicle markets are undergoing significant EV growth, and several minor markets are showing meteoric growth, but this does not mean the entire region is moving as fast. Time is due for a report on laggards, as well as smaller markets that are important regardless. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Confirms 1.1-GW Inch Cape Order” • Vestas received a firm and unconditional turbine order for ESB and Red Rock Renewables’ 1.1-GW Inch Cape wind farm off Scotland. The announcement confirms a conditional agreement signed in September for Vestas to supply, install, and commission 72 of its V236-15MW machines. [reNews]

Vestas nacelle (Vestas image)

¶ “First Gen Commits To 13 GW Of Renewable Energy By 2030” • First Gen Corporation pledged to deliver 13 GW of renewable energy by 2030 to support the Philippine government’s target of a 35% renewable energy share in the energy mix. First Gen vice president Carlos Lorenzo Vega said geothermal, solar, wind, and hydro will be included. [Philippine News Agency]

¶ “Brazilian Senate Gives Nod To Offshore Wind Bill” • Brazil’s Federal Senate passed the country’s offshore wind bill, sending the legislation on to the President for final approval. Offshore wind presents a huge opportunity for Brazil to play a key role in the global wind industry supply and support the global energy transition on the path to Net Zero. [reNews]

Rio de Janeiro (Sea Twirl image)

¶ “Miliband Unveils New Powers To Approve Large Wind Farms” • The UK government unveiled plans to give ministers the final say on approving large onshore wind farms rather than leaving decisions to local councils, where opposition has often been fierce. The government has an “ambitious” action plan to reach 95% clean energy in the UK by 2030. [MSN]

¶ “Ambuja Cements Commissions 200-MW Solar Project In Khavda” • Ambuja Cements, the cement and building material company of the diversified Adani Portfolio, made its 200-MW solar project in Khavda, Gujarat, operational and started power transmission from it. The Khavda solar project will supply green power to twenty cement plants. [pv magazine India]

Ambuja Cements plant (Ambuja Cements)

¶ “Dutton’s Nuclear Plan A ‘Heroic’, Cherrypicked ‘Recipe For Higher Energy Bills’, Experts Say” • Some of the top Australian energy analysts criticized the Coalition’s nuclear plan, saying it will be more expensive, burn more carbon, result in a smaller economy, and be more disruptive than claimed. One described the Coalition’s assumptions as defying reality. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Residential Energy Storage Installations Hit All-Time High In USA” • Years ago, Ron Corio said that energy storage will be the next big thing since solar power. Well, developments happen quickly, and now it’s here to stay. Residential energy storage installations just hit an all-time high, and US grid-scale energy storage is coming on fierce. [CleanTechnica]

Solar with batteries (Arizona Public Service image)

¶ “US DOE: Flurry of Solar And Wind Power Announcements” • As Joe Biden’s time leading the US approaches an end, various government agencies have been sprinting to get things done before they are at risk of being dropped and forgotten. Here is a quick overview of some of the announcements from the US Department of Energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford And Southern Company Team Up On Charging Initiative” • Ford’s commercial vehicle division, Ford Pro, has teamed up with energy giant Southern Company on a 6-month pilot. The partnership is focused on helping businesses to electrify their fleets. The partnership may help Ford expand its EV business. [CleanTechnica]

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Adrian Newell, Unsplash)

¶ “BOEM Reschedules Gulf Of Mexico Auction” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold a lease auction in the Gulf of Mexico in 2026 for two lease areas after finding that there is interest in developing offshore wind there. A lease auction had been cancelled previously, but BOEM received an unsolicited request to develop a project. [reNews]

¶ “Climate Scientists ‘Demoralized’ By Trump 2.0” • President-elect Donald Trump has promised to do his worst to unravel climate policy when he retakes the White House next month. He has pledged to re-exit the Paris climate agreement, dismantle his predecessor’s landmark climate law, and roll back environmental regulations across the government. [Politico]

Have a certifiably ideal day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Wind And Solar Researcher: ‘We Are Actually Trying to Use the Natural Variability Itself to Address the Variability.'” • MIT engineers demonstrated how precise mapping of energy use and weather patterns may direct the placement of renewable energy installations with high efficiency, in a recent study in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability. [CleanTechnica]

Deer graze under a PV array (Dennis Schroeder, NREL)

World:

¶ “Floating Solar Power To Rise To 77 Gigawatts By 2033” • From a start as an obscure, niche idea to a common solution, floating solar power is starting to be a notable solar market segment. A report from Wood Mackenzie, focused entirely on floating solar power, forecasts that the overall floating solar market could reach 77 GW by the year 2033. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Philippines Building World’s Largest Solar+Battery Project” • The Philippines is working on the largest solar power+battery storage project in the world, breaking ground on the project just a few weeks ago. The project is going to have a solar power capacity of 3,500 MW and a battery storage system with 4,500 MWh of energy storage capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Nueva Ecija, Philippines (Vee V, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “India Solar Power Installations Growing 106% in 2024” • India continues to be a solar and wind powerhouse. Its solar power installations have absolutely soared this year. Compared to the first three quarters of 2023, newly installed solar power capacity in the first three quarters of 2024 was up 106%. New wind power capacity was up 15%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mingyang Dual Turbine Floater Starts Operation” • Mingyang has commenced operations of a floating foundation designed to host two turbines with a total capacity of more than 16 MW. The OceanX platform is installed at Mingyang’s Yangjiang Qingzhou IV offshore wind farm, 70 km from shore at 45 metres depth, off Guangdong. [reNews]

Mingyang dual turbine (Mingyang image)

¶ “German Onshore Wind Tender Awards 4 GW” • Germany’s Federal Network Agency has awarded 4 GW of capacity in the latest onshore wind tender results. More than 6 GW of bids were submitted to the oversubscribed tender on 1 November. For the first time since February 2022, the bid volume submitted was more than the unreduced tender volume. [reNews]

¶ “TotalEnergies To Develop 300 MW in Oman” • TotalEnergies, along with its partner OQ Alternative Energy, signed agreements to develop 300 MW of renewable energy projects in Oman. The electricity will be delivered to Petroleum Development Oman, the leading exploration and production company in the country, through long-term PPAs. [reNews]

Renewable energy (TotalEnergies image)

¶ “Tasmanian Offshore Wind Zone Declared” • Australia’s Federal Government declared Tasmania’s Bass Strait an offshore wind zone. The new industry could create up to 12,000 jobs in construction and a further 6,000 ongoing roles for engineers, electrical technicians, cable installers, crane operators, riggers, divers, seafarers, etc. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Vestas To Repurpose Isle Of Wight Site” • Following an agreement in principle with the UK Government, Vestas intends to repurpose its Isle of Wight factory to build onshore blades, mainly to support the UK market. Currently the factory focuses on manufacturing blades for the V174 offshore turbine, for which demand is coming to an end. [reNews]

Worker in a blade factory (Vestas image)

¶ “‘Not A Hope In Hell’ Nuclear Power Can Replace Australian Coal-Fired Power By 2040” • Australia’s industry group for electricity retailers and generators told a nuclear inquiry the country should focus on policies that will drive a faster rollout of renewable energy and storage, saying nuclear is unlikely to be a viable coal-fired power replacement. [The Guardian]

¶ “Adani Green Commissions 250-MW Solar Power Project In Rajasthan” • Adani Green Energy Ltd announced that Adani Green Energy Twenty Five Ltd commissioned a 250 MW solar power project in the Indian state of Rajasthan. With that, AGEL’s operational renewable power generation capacity has increased to 11,434 MW. [pv magazine India]

Solar project (Adani Green Energy Ltd)

US:

¶ “Amazon Autos Begins Selling Hyundai Cars Online” • Most of us want to avoid the aggravation of battling with dealers when it comes time to buy a new car. There are some people who love haggling, but they are rare. Now Amazon Autos is trying to take some of the sting out of the process. It created Amazon Autos so people can buy cars online. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Clean Power Capacity Installations Up 86% In 2024” • The American Clean Power Association released a report on clean energy growth in the US in 2024, highlighting a surge in growth in the 3rd quarter: 10.2 GW of capacity. Through the first three quarters of the year, 29.6 GW of clean power capacity have been installed in the US, up 86% from 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (Virtue Solar, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Verogy Finishes 2 Solar Systems In Connecticut For FedEx” • Verogy completed two solar systems on the rooftops of FedEx facilities in Connecticut. They are an 866-kW system in Stratford and a 2,075-kW array in Middletown. The Sustainability and Global Vehicles manager of FedEx said the installations are part of a transition to renewables. [Solar Power World]

¶ “Acadia and Microsoft Plan $9 Billion Worth of US Renewable Energy Projects” • Clean energy investor Acadia Infrastructure Capital is launching a coalition with tech giant Microsoft as an anchor investor as part of plans to develop $9 billion worth of clean energy projects in the US, Acadia’s Vice President Brian O’Callaghan told Reuters. [OilPrice.com]

Have a nicely formulated day.

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World:

¶ “How Global Tourism Negatively Impacts Climate Change” • The carbon footprint from the travel industry is growing at rates never seen before. An increasing demand for international travel over the past decade has led to higher rates of carbon dioxide emissions every year, according to a paper published in Nature Communications. [ABC News]

Passenger jet (Tim Dennert, Unsplash)

¶ “China’s CATL And Stellantis To Jointly Build Electric Vehicle Battery Factory” • Chinese electric battery company CATL and automaker Stellantis will build a major battery factory in Spain, the partners announced. They said the plant will be in Zaragoza, and it will start producing lithium iron phosphate batteries by the end of 2026. [ABC News]

¶ “Italy Awards 1.5 GW For Agrivoltaics” • Italy just recently held its first ever tender for agrivoltaics, and it was big! The country awarded contracts for 1.5 GW of agrivoltaics solar projects within its borders. The tender was spread across 540 different projects, and it was oversubscribed. There were 643 bids totaling 1.7 GW of power capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Italy (Faith Crabtree, Unsplash)

¶ “Chinese EV Companies Are Getting A Warm Welcome In Mexico” • The New York Times reports that BYD, Chery, Geely, and SAIC are rushing to open dealerships in Mexico. Mexico City has some of the worst air pollution of any world city. When it gets really bad, some drivers are prohibited from operating their cars within city limits. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Zeekr Sales Increase 106% In November” • We saw XPENG sales increase 54% in November. We saw NIO sales increase 29%. We saw BYD sales increase 67% (with more than 500,000 sales in November). But Zeekr, a super young company, has got them all beat. Zeekr’s sales were 106% higher in November 2024 than they were in November 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Zeekr 007

¶ “EU Approves €2.6 Billion Estonian Aid For Offshore Wind” • The European Commission has approved a €2.6 billion Estonian scheme to support offshore wind energy to foster the transition towards a net-zero economy. The measure supports construction and operation of offshore wind farms in the areas determined by the Estonian Maritime Spatial Plan. [reNews]

¶ “SSEN Transmission Plans £22 Billion Grid Boost” • SSEN Transmission is planning to invest at least £22 billion in UK grid infrastructure over a five-year period from April 2026 to March 2031. The company, which is 75% owned by SSE plc, says the plans will support the creation of thousands of new jobs in the UK, and especially Scotland. [reNews]

Bringing a line ashore (SSEN Transmission image)

¶ “Two New Wind Farms In Victoria Start Generating Electricity” • Two new wind projects in Victoria have gone online, according to the government. The Ryan Corner Wind Farm has 52 turbines producing 218 MW, enough to power 140,000 homes. And with 23 turbines, the Hawkesdale Wind Farm can produce 97 MW to power 67,000 homes. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “Dam Removal Revitalizes Salmon In Win For Native Tribes” • It’s only been a month since a project on the Klamath River in which four dams were removed. Now the salmon are returning. The dams impeded fish migration for almost a century, but since they came down, salmon are swimming up the river to spawn. It is a benefit to native tribes. [CleanTechnica]

Fish-friendly turbine (Andrew Baumgartner, US DOE)

¶ “Trump To Trample On USPS Electric Delivery Vehicle Contracts” • The transition team is considering cancelling the USPS contracts to electrify its delivery fleet, people familiar with the plans told Reuters. They claim the transition team is looking at ways to terminate the Postal Service’s contracts with Oshkosh Defense and Ford, among others. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Google Plans To Build Gigawatts Of Clean Power And Data Centers Together” • Big tech companies need huge amounts of clean energy for their rapidly growing data-center fleets while meeting climate goals. The grid can’t provide what they need. Google plans to spend $20 billion to build data centers close to solar, wind, and battery farms. [Canary Media]

Building a solar farm (Intersect Power)

¶ “Tesla Second Highest Selling Automaker In California” • EV sales trends in California are good, but not great. EV sales and EV market share continue to grow, but not at a very high pace for now. Tesla sales are clearly a big part of the market’s EV sales and they are down 12% in the state. Nevertheless, Tesla is the state’s second highest car seller. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Boston Doctors Prescribe Solar Energy” • The Boston Medical Center Health System has begun its Clean Power Prescription program to offer bill savings to patients who may struggle to pay for electricity during recovery. The pilot program enables the hospital’s providers to write patients prescriptions for renewable energy, reducing their bills. [pv magazine USA]

Rooftop solar system in Boston (NREL image)

¶ “Delaware Gives Onshore Nod For US Wind” • US Wind has received state permits to connect its offshore wind power to the regional electrical grid in Sussex County, Delaware. Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has approved three permit applications for the Maryland Offshore Wind project. [reNews]

¶ “Nuclear Wastewater Discharged Into Cape Cod Bay Could Linger A Month Or More” • A study conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution finds that any wastewater discharge allowed as part of the decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station has a “high probability” of lingering in Cape Cod Bay for more than a month. [MSN]

Have an amazingly tranquil day.

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World:

¶ “Steps To Achieving ‘Real Zero’ At Fortescue” • Hot on the heels of his record purchase of electric mining equipment from Liebherr, Twiggy Forrest ordered A$400 million ($256 million) of emissions-free heavy mining equipment from China’s Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co, Ltd to decarbonise Fortescue’s mining. [CleanTechnica]

Fortescue real zero ore carriers (Fortescue Future Industries image)

¶ “We’re Doing Net Zero All Wrong, Scientists Say” • Ever since the historic Paris Climate Accords in 2015, the phrase “net zero” has been on the lips of every corporation, industry lobbyist, and politician, all promising they are working hard to do their part to avoid turning the planet we live on into a burnt cinder. But what does the phrase even mean? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “CSIRO Study: Nuclear Energy Is Not The Savior Some People Say It Is” • Data centers and bitcoin mining operations use vast amounts of electricity, and some operators want nuclear power plants to provide their needs. However, a study from Australia’s premier science agency, CSIRO, shows that in the end, nuclear energy is a futile solution. [CleanTechnica]

SMR artist rendering (Courtesy of US DOE)

¶ “UK Green Power ‘Set To Overtake Fossil Fuels'” • UK low-carbon renewable power is on course for a major milestone in 2024, overtaking fossil fuel generation for the first full year, according to a report from global energy think tank Ember. It also claims wind power is close to becoming the single largest source of UK power for the first time. [reNews]

¶ “Iberdrola Bags Permit For 274-MW Portuguese Wind Project” • Iberdrola received a production license from the Portuguese Directorate-General for Energy and Geology of Portugal for a 274-MW wind project. The €350 million project will be linked to the existing Tamega hydropower plant, taking advantage of the existing connections. [reNews]

Tamega hydropower plant (Iberdrola image)

¶ “Data Centers To Scupper Climate Targets As They Eat Up All New Renewable Electricity, Research Finds” • Data centers will make it impossible for Ireland to meet its climate commitments if their continued growth is not halted, a research paper shows. They have eaten up all the new renewable electricity generated for the last six years. [Independent]

¶ “GB Railfreight’s Class 99 Locomotives To Run Entirely On Renewable Power And Electricity” • GB Railfreight, one of the UK’s leading goods movers announced that its latest locomotive, the Class 99, will operate solely on electricity or renewable fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil. The Class 99s are set to enter service in late 2025. [Rail Business Daily]

Class 99 at show (Matti Blume, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Juniper Green Places 1-GW PV Module Order With First Solar” • Juniper Green Energy has signed an agreement with First Solar, Inc for 1 GW of First Solar’s Series 7 FT1 cadmium telluride thin-film PV modules. The Gurgaon-based renewable energy company will deploy the modules for projects in Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. [pv magazine India]

¶ “Nation Gains Lead In Offshore Wind Power Equipment Manufacturing” • According to a recent report on the global offshore wind supply chain released during an international wind power innovation conference in Shantou, China accounts for 60% of the global capacity in terms of complete offshore wind power machines. [Ecns.cn]

Wind turbine (Giuseppe Famiani, Unsplash)

¶ “Norway Defining New Rules For Energy Communities” • The Norwegian government is creating a regulatory framework for energy communities. It will allow PV systems up to 5 MW to sell power and share surplus energy within specific industrial areas. Also, it will boost the renewable energy share without straining the power network. [pv magazine International]

US:

¶ “The Sunshine State Projected To Take Over As Top-Ranked Residential Solar State In 2028” • Florida has wide-open skies and plenty of light. Unsurprisingly, Florida businesses and people continue to vote with their dollars in support of solar power. Florida installed the second most solar power capacity in the US in 2024, only behind Texas. [CleanTechnica]

Florida energy (From the Florida Public Service Commission)

¶ “SAE Working On Universal Plug And Charge System For US” • SAE, which sets standards for the auto industry in America, is making a determined effort to create a universal plug and charge system that will become standard in the US. With such a system, electric car drivers need do nothing more than connect their cars to a properly configured charger. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Tesla Sweeps Podium for Top Selling Electric Vehicles in USA – Charts” • The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 have so many more sales every quarter than any other model that it’s almost boring. They still get into so many more driveways than any other EVs. The interesting thing recently was to see the Tesla Cybertruck climb into third place. [CleanTechnica]

Cybertruck (Somalia Veteran, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Avantus 100-MW Solar Project Aiding Energy Resilience In Warming Arizona” • Solar project developer Avantus signed a power purchase agreement with Arizona Public Service for the Kitt Solar Project, a 100-MW array to be paired with 400 MWh of energy storage. Construction will start in 2025, and operations are to begin in 2026. [Solar Power World]

¶ “NOAA And American Indian Higher Education Consortium Work For Climate Resilience” • NOAA and the American Indian Higher Education Consortium have signed an MOU to advance Indigenous Knowledge, technology, science, engineering and mathematics education, and workforce training for tribes to build climate resilience. [NOAA.gov]

Have a conspicuously superb day.

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World:

¶ “EU To Invest €1 Billion To Boost Domestic Supply Of Battery Components” • The EU announced that companies who source less of their important materials for their battery production from China will be in line for grants totaling €1 billion. The EU also said it is interested in financing domestic hydrogen projects and net-zero technologies. [CleanTechnica]

Batteries (Courtesy of Northvolt)

¶ “France Reaches 23.7 GW Of Solar Power” • France is among the top nations for growth in solar energy generation in recent years, and that continued in the third quarter. The Ministry of Ecological Transition has shared the most recent data from its third-quarter 2024 solar PV energy dashboard. Highest installed capacities are in the South. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EVs At 22.8% share in Germany – Volkswagen Group Is Dominating Home Ground” • November saw plugin EVs at 22.8% share in Germany, down from 25.7% year on year. Battery EV sales were down YOY, though from an elevated baseline. Plugin hybrid EV sales were up 14%. November’s overall auto volume was 244,544 units, roughly flat YOY. [CleanTechnica]

Škoda Enyaq IMG (Alexander-93, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Greencells Offloads 4-GW Solar-Storage Platform” • Global investment management company Davidson Kempner Capital Management and private equity player Nature Infrastructure Capital will jointly acquire the 4-GW portfolio of developer Greencells. The portfolio includes 800 MW of projects that are ready to build. [reNews]

¶ “Study Finds 21 Regions With High Potential For Development Of Wind Farms In Cuba” • Cuban researchers identified 21 areas in the country with favorable conditions for the installation of wind farms. A representative of the Renewable Energy Sources Group of the Institute of Meteorology, said the potential capacity is about 1,100 MW. [POWER Magazine]

Cuban pump jacks (Philip Gabrielsen, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Sungrow And CREC Sign Landmark 1.5 GWh Battery Energy Storage Agreement In The Philippines” • Sungrow, a leading PV inverter and energy storage system provider, announced signing an agreement with Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation for a 1.5-GWh battery system. The agreement is for the largest system of its type in Southeast Asia. [ANTARA News]

¶ “2024 ‘Certain’ To Be Hottest Year On Record: EU Monitor” • This year is “effectively certain” to be the hottest on record and the first above a critical threshold to protect the planet from dangerously overheating, Copernicus Climate Change Service said. We have exceeded 1.5°C of temperature increase. Scientists said we would need to avoid that. [Digital Journal]

Weather over warm water (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “Nuclear ‘Most Expensive’ For Replacing Coal-Fired Power” • Respected scientists, energy experts, and industry players have backed in the latest official data that shows nuclear energy does not stack up for Australia. Power planners warn taxpayers will need deep pockets to develop nuclear energy. Solar and wind are the least expensive energy sources. [Yahoo]

US:

¶ “Arizona Looks For More Power” • Population growth and rising temperatures are starting to not be the only thing upping power demand in Arizona. Large manufacturing companies are looking to build or expand in the state, and large data centers are also considering building in the Phoenix metro area. So, finding more kilowatt-hours is key. [CleanTechnica]

Arizona (Gautier Salles, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Trump’s Energy Secretary Pick Preaches The Benefits Of Climate Change” • Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for energy secretary, says that climate change poses only a modest threat to humanity. Wright agrees that burning fossil fuels adds to rising temperatures, but says some good is in that. The biggest US oil companies disagree. [MSN]

¶ “Why These Doctors Started Writing Medical ‘Prescriptions’ For Solar Power” • A primary care physician at Boston Medical Center got tired of hearing that her patients couldn’t afford the electricity needed to run breathing assistance machines, turn on air conditioning, or keep their refrigerators plugged in. So she worked with her hospital on a solution. [NPR]

Have a generously rich day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Giant Underground ‘Batteries’ Are Shaping The Future Of Renewable Energy Storage” • A study from several universities and national labs in the US and Canada shows that large-scale deployment of long-duration energy storage isn’t just feasible but essential for renewables to reach their full potential, and would even cut utility bills. [Gizmodo]

Hydrostor energy storage (© Hydrostor image)

World:

¶ “EVs Take 35.3% Share Of The UK – Laggards Rush To Meet ZEV Mandate” • November saw plugin EVs take 35.3% share of the UK auto market, up from 25.7% year on year. Battery EVs grew volume by 58%, year over year, and took a quarter of the market, while plugin hybrids remained flat. Overall auto volume was 153,610 units, down 2% YOY. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “European Auto Industry Turmoil At Volkswagen And Stellantis Likely To Accelerate In 2025” • The European auto industry is facing a “perfect storm” in 2025. Analysts predict a tumultuous year for Volkswagen and Stellantis as declining sales, increasing emissions restrictions, and labor unrest beset the companies. [CleanTechnica]

Auto manufacture (Volkswagen image)

¶ “Three-Fold Rise In Rooftop Solar In Island City In Two Years” • Despite space constraints, the island city of Mumbai does not lag when it comes to rooftop solar installations. With most of the installations being put on schools, hospitals, and government buildings, the capacity has risen threefold, to 17,679 kW, over a period of just two years. [Times of India]

¶ “Madhya Pradesh’s Renewable Energy Output Grows 14 Times: CM Mohan” • Power generation from the renewable sources in Madhya Pradesh increased by fourteen times to 7,000 MW in the last twelve years. The feat is part of the move to generate clean energy to combat the challenge of climate change, chief minister Mohan Yadav said. [Deccan Chronicle]

Madhya Pradesh (Shruti Singh, Unsplash)

¶ “Iran’s Nuclear Leap ‘Extremely Serious,’ Western Source Says” • Iran’s acceleration in its enrichment of uranium to close to bomb grade is “extremely serious,” has no civilian justification and contradicts Tehran’s assertions on wanting serious nuclear negotiations, a Western diplomatic source said. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons. [DFA]

US:

¶ “Renewable Energy-On-Rails Scheme To Cure Transmission Line Blues” • If you’re thinking some clever soul has proposed loading large batteries onto freight cars, stuffing them full of renewable energy, and shipping them out to energy-thirsty locations, run right out and buy yourself a cigar. The US startup SunTrain is doing just that. [CleanTechnica]

SunTrain energy storage system (courtesy of SunTrain)

¶ “ConnectDER Will Expand Distributed Energy Products Business” • To be able to use the electricity from your solar panels during an outage, you need a switch installed in your electrical panel that disconnects your system from the electrical grid until repairs are completed. That switch is expensive, but ConnectDER offers an alternative. [CleanTechnica]
8**** ConnectDER system (ConnectDER image)

¶ “Wisconsin School Project Gives Kids A Solar Plus Storage Microgrid Learning Environment” • A Wisconsin school is getting a solar plus storage microgrid project that will save the district significant money on energy. Eaton, an intelligent power management company, will provide the microgrid for affordable and sustainable power. [CleanTechnica]

School in Menasha (Courtesy of Menasha, WI School District)

¶ “Alaska’s Utilities Forced To Shift To Different Energy Sources As Fuel Costs Soar: ‘We Have A Very Old And Outdated Grid'” • In Alaska, renewable projects are proving more cost-effective than traditional power sources. As Alaska’s natural gas supplies dwindle, utilities are facing the prospect of importing expensive liquefied natural gas by 2027. [The Cool Down]

¶ “Andrews Backing Legislation To Encourage Development Of Nuclear Energy In Michigan” • Legislation intended to boost Michigan’s nuclear industry could come up for a vote in Lansing in the next week. State Representative Joey Andrews says the bills he has worked on with multiple colleagues would attract nuclear energy providers to the state. [WSJM]

Have a simply marvelous day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Lithium-Sulfur EV Battery Could Reverse The Ill Fortunes Of Stellantis” • The lithium-sulfur EV battery formula has been a tough nut to crack. Early attempts ran into both mechanical and chemical degradation obstacles. But Stellantis has lithium-sulfur batter deal and a loan commitment of $7.5 billion from the US DOE for a new battery factory. [CleanTechnica]

Stellantis EV at charger (courtesy of Stellantis)

World:

¶ “MAN Energy Mega Heat Pump Activated For District Heating In Denmark” • A seawater-based heat pump from MAN Energy Solutions is now supplying zero emissions heat for the district heating system operated by DIN Forsyning in Esbjerg, Denmark. The heat pump will supply about 280,000 MWh of heat per year to local district heating networks. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “WeRide Deploys Autonomous Streetsweepers” • Autonomous robotaxis from WeRide, the Robosweeper S6 and Robosweeper S1, were commercially deployed in Singapore, at Marina Coastal Drive and Esplanade. This is Singapore’s first commercialized autonomous sanitation project. It seems a fitting application of autonomous technology. [CleanTechnica]

WeRide Robosweeper S1 (WeRide image)

¶ “Mercedes-Benz Seeks Sustainable EV Battery Made From Rice Hulls” • The search for a sustainable EV battery has taken the automaker Mercedes-Benz in some strange directions. The latest news involves a method for extracting hard carbon from rice hulls, leading to new EV battery anodes that outperform anodes made of conventional graphite. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Polhem Infra Joins Prime Capital For 265MW Of Swedish Wind” • Polhem Infra and Prime Capital formed a partnership to build the 265-MW Lynx onshore wind portfolio in Sweden. The Fjällberg, Vinliden, and Hornmyran wind farms are expected to start construction in 2027. The €420 million partnership will bring 1 TWh of energy to the country. [reNews]

Wind farm (Polhem Infra photo)

¶ “Meta-Analysis Of Current Global Warming Impacts Suggests A Third Of All Species Could Be Extinct By 2100” • A biologist at the University of Connecticut has found evidence that up to a third of all species alive today could become extinct by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not slowed or stopped. His study was published in the journal Science. [MSN]

¶ “New Regulations To Protect Alberta’s Agricultural Lands And Environment” • Over the past decade, Alberta has seen rapid growth of its renewable energy sector. However, the regulations governing this have not kept pace with development, leading to concerns from municipalities, agricultural producers, and land owners, so the government has had to act. [ABP Daily]

Alberta (Chris Henry, Unsplash)

¶ “Serentica To Invest $5.9 Billion For 10,000 MW Of Renewable Energy Projects In Rajasthan” • Serentica Renewables announced a significant investment of ₹500 billion ($5.9 billion) to develop 10 GW of renewable energy capacity in Rajasthan, according to The Economic Times. This involvement supports the state’s energy development objective. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Energy Bills Set To Skyrocket As Miliband ‘Opens Door’ To Nuclear Reactors In Net Zero Push” • Energy Secretary Ed Miliband could heighten energy bills as he confirms plans for new nuclear projects in the UK. But interested developers are reportedly asking for assurance of financial support to ensure their projects get a minimum return. [GB News]

Ed Miliband in Baku (UK Government, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “Floating Solar Array Launches In Ohio. Yes, Ohio!” • When you think of Ohio, you might be more likely to think of the myth about people in Springfield eating cats and dogs than to think of deployment of floating solar PV power. But that’s what’s happening. Not the eating cats and dogs part, of course, but the part about floating solar PVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “USA’s Largest Solar+Stoage Project Approved: Emission-Free Electricity for 800,000 Homes” • Sunstone Solar, the US’ largest proposed solar project, has final discretionary permission from the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council. It brings owner Pine Gate Renewables close to building the project’s 1.2 GW of solar PVs and 1.2 GW of storage. [CleanTechnica]

Fire mop-up work (Image via the US DOI)

¶ “Electric Plus Hybrid Vehicles Reach Record US Auto Market Share In Q3” • The US EIA points out that combined sales of electric and hybrid vehicles reached a record high share of the US auto market in the 3rd quarter. All together, they accounted for 19.6% share, half a percentage point above their 19.1% share of the auto market in the 2nd quarter. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nexamp Is To Bring 350 MW Of Distributed Solar Power Generation To Illinois And New York” • Nexamp announced it has partnered with Fuyo General Lease USA to deploy more than 350 MW of distributed solar power generation projects in Illinois and New York, bringing both states closer to their goals for carbon-free power. [pv magazine USA]

A Nexamp solar project (Nexamp image)

¶ “Funding Secured For Solar + Storage Project Set To Power Green Steel Mill” • Newly formed Green & Clean Power has raised about $300 million to build a solar and storage project, which will ultimately power a recycling steel rebar mill, Hybar. GCP is expected to supply Hybar with roughly 40% of its total annual power needs. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Future Is Bright For SC Solar Power, Report Finds” • The sun is rising on a new era for solar power in South Carolina with the industry poised to create $19 billion in economic activity and more than 3,000 new Palmetto State jobs by 2035, according to a report. The findings point the way toward energy independence for the state. [Statehouse Report]

Have a wonderfully classic day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Purpose-Built Ship Deploys Wave Energy To Produce Green Ammonia Fuel” • Instead of putting an ammonia plant on land, the Dutch startup SwitcH2 plans theirs out at sea. Initially, the plan was to use offshore wind and solar to make green hydrogen, which would be used to make green ammonia fuel. Now SwitcH2 is planning on adding wave energy. [CleanTechnica]

Harvesting wave energy (Courtesy of Corpower Ocean)

World:

¶ “Cuba Restores Power Grid And Resumes Planned Blackouts Of About Five Hours Per Day” • After a nationwide blackout left millions without electricity for several hours in Cuba, the power grid was restored Thursday, authorities said. They added that scheduled power outages of five hours per day, largely caused by fuel shortages, will now resume. [ABC News]

¶ “Volvo EX30 Gets Maximum 5-Star Safety Rating from Euro NCAP” • The new(ish) Volvo EX30 earned another distinguished, and expected, accomplishment. The highly rated and quiet small SUV has earned a 5-star safety rating from the Euro NCAP rating system. That’s the highest possible ranking. One thing Volvo Cars is known for is safety. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 (Courtesy of Volvo Cars South Africa)

¶ “Chinese Companies Responsible For 76% Of Global EV Sales” • A headline in The Guardian caught our attention at the daily staff meeting at CleanTechnica global headquarters. “China’s Share Of Global Electric Car Market Rises To 76 Percent,” it said. Think about that. Three-quarters of all electric cars in the world are made by Chinese companies! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Chantiers Bags Dunkirk Substation Gig” • The French grid operator RTE signed a contract with Chantiers de l’Atlantique for a substation for the Dunkirk offshore wind project. It is for the design, construction, and installation of an AC electrical offshore platform that will transmit power from EDF Renewables and Enbridge’s 600-MW offshore wind farm. [reNews]

Small offshore substation (DOTI, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “UK Solar Scheme To Become ‘Biodiversity Haven’” • A large solar farm development in the UK’s midlands is set to become a “biodiversity haven” after a series of new eco-partnerships were agreed upon. Communities who were consulted on the original proposals in early 2024 expressed a strong desire to protect and enhance their natural environment. [reNews]

¶ “Latest Solar Farm Plan Could Power 12,000 Homes” • Plans for a solar farm that could power 12,000 North Yorkshire homes will be recommended for approval, a report has concluded. The scheme, which is set to stretch across 66 hectares (163 acres) of land between Harrogate and Ripon, attracted 38 objections and five responses in support. [BBC]

Yorkshire (Illiya Vjestica, Unsplash)

¶ “South Australia Has The Most Wind And Solar And No Baseload: So Why Is It The Only State Not Fretting About A Vulnerable Grid?” • South Australia has the highest wind and solar share, an average of around 72% over the last 12 months, vastly more than other state in Australia. But it is also the most reliable grid in the country. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Climate Change Threatens Global Food Supply: Scientists Sound Alarm” • Scientists are raising alarms about the impacts of climate change on global food security. A study published in Trends in Plant Science points to the urgent need to develop climate-resilient crops to avert severe food shortages, famine, mass migration, and global instability. [India Today]

Farming (Dietmar Reichle, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plants Almost Restored Generation After Russian Attacks” • Ukraine’s three operating nuclear power plants have mostly restored electricity production, following a significant reduction last week due to fresh Russian attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure. But some of the power lines they depend on are still disconnected. [Ukrainska Pravda]

US:

¶ “Waymo Going To Miami” • Waymo announced that it will be bringing its robotaxi service, Waymo One, to Miami early next year. Waymo also revealed that it is going to be working with the company Moove to help manage its fleets in a new and better way. But before it does that, Waymo will work with Moove in Pheonix, its first market. [CleanTechnica]

Waymo is coming to Miami (Waymo)

¶ “Clean Energy Cybersecurity, Clean Energy Tech Startups, And Clean Energy & Manufacturing Innovation In Underserved Communities” • New US DOE announcements cover improving electric sector cybersecurity, five Phase 2 winners in the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters Round 3, and 19 Community Energy Innovation Prize teams. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ace Green Recycling Becoming a Public Company, Leading on Sustainable Battery Recycling” • As a global leader in battery recycling technology, Ace Green Recycling has a modular battery recycling platform intended to reduce battery waste while it preserves vital battery materials of strategic relevance. Now Ace is going public. [CleanTechnica]

Ace recycling plant (ACE Green Recycling via PRNewsfoto)

¶ “European Energy And Oklahoma Forge Renewables Ties” • European Energy entered into an agreement with the state of Oklahoma to co-develop a range of renewable energy assets. The partnership encompasses solar, wind, batteries, and power-to-x technology. European Energy has a US development pipeline of over 4 GW of projects. [reNews]

¶ “California Solar+Storage Plant Pioneers Fossil-Free Power for Peak Demand” • The launch of one of the first US solar+storage peaker plants is paving the way for renewables to replace gas-fired facilities during peak power demand. Built in Imperial County, California, the Vikings project is a benchmark for safe, reliable configurations of its kind. [The Energy Mix]

Have an actually fantastic day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Baseload Power Stations Not Needed For Secure Renewable Electricity Supply” • An energy system dominated by solar and wind energy does not require baseload power for security, say German researchers. They showed that baseload plants could become part of future energy systems if they save costs, but they consider this unlikely. [Clean Energy Wire]

Nuclear power plant (Frédéric Paulussen, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Volvo Plugin Vehicle Sales Grow 40%, Equal 48% Of Volvo Sales Globally!” • Since Volvo took a lead on the competition and said it would be 100% electric by 2030, several years ago, the company has gradually moved toward that goal. Plugins took 48% of the company’s global sales last month, and fully electric cars alone accounted for 21%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Philippines, Completing Its EV Lineup, Introduces Latest Sedan” • BYD Cars Philippines launched the BYD Seal 5 DM-i sedan, starting at P948,000 ($16,400). The sedan is specifically targeted towards first-time car buyers. This entry completes the segment lineup, with one EV in each category of Philippine automobiles. [CleanTechnica]

The BYD Tech Tour (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “What Falling Sales? Plugin Vehicles Grew To A Record 1.74 Million Units In October!” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 36% in October 2024 over October 2023. There were 1.74 million registrations, which is a new record. BEVs were up by 23%, year over year, to over one million units. Plugin hybrids did even better, jumping 65%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wärtsilä Bags Oz Battery Order” • Wärtsilä has been chosen to deliver one of Australia’s largest energy storage systems, as part of the third stage of Origin’s Eraring battery project in New South Wales. Wartsila will install 700 MWh of additional battery capacity directly to the Eraring Stage 1 system, making it the largest battery project in Australia. [reNews]

Wärtsilä battery system (Wärtsilä image)

¶ “ARENA Funds Decarbonisation For Mining Vehicles” • The Australian Renewable Energy Agency will provide Fortescue with a $10 million grant to develop, build, and demonstrate a fast charger for heavy mine site vehicles. Fortescue’s $35.3 million project aims for a unit to charge a 240 ton battery electric truck in under 30 minutes. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Irish Partners Outline 72-MW Ballyfasy Plan” • FuturEnergy Ireland and ART Generation have outlined plans for the 72-MW Ballyfasy wind farm in southern Ireland, the partners’ second joint development. They are planning the project in County Kilkenny, as reported in October. The site is expected to feature up to ten turbines. [reNews]

Wind turbine (FutureEnergy Ireland image)

¶ “Nuclear Power Plant Closures Are Delayed Amid Fears Over Net Zero” • The closure of four of Britain’s oldest nuclear power stations has been delayed over fears Labour’s net zero drive could trigger electricity costs to surge and lead to blackouts. The owner of the ageing plants, France’s EDF, has agreed to extend the lives of its reactors yet again. [MSN]

US:

¶ “How Climate Change Is Impacting This Iconic Florida Bird Species” • Populations of the Florida scrub-jay, a bird found only in the state, have been declining significantly since researchers began studying them in 1969. With warmer temperatures, it seems that snakes have more time during the spring season to feed on the nests. [ABC News]

Scrub-jay nest (FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute)

¶ “USA Adds Record Amount of Solar Manufacturing In Fourth Quarter” • Solar PVs are part of the growth of manufacturing in the US, and the US Solar Market Insight Q4 2024 report by the US Solar Energy Industries Association shows that well. A record 9.3 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity were added in the third quarter. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Duke Energy Will Replace A Coal Generating Station With Battery Storage” • Duke Energy may have seen the light on renewable energy at last. It will demolish the coal-fired Allen Steam Station west of Charlotte, North Carolina, that has been generating electricity since 1957. It will replace the plant partly with a 50-MW, ​200-MWh battery. [CleanTechnica]

Allen Steam Station (Courtesy of Duke Energy)

¶ “Nissan ARIYA Drivers Getting Access To Tesla Superchargers” • The convenience of EV charging on road trips is going to get much better soon in the US for Nissan ARIYA drivers. Following EVs from some other auto brands gaining access to the Tesla Supercharger network in recent weeks, ARIYA drivers are the next in line. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Firm Reaches Financial Close On Arizona PV Project” • US developer Longroad Energy has reached financial close of Sun Pond, its 111-MW solar and 85-MWac, 340-MWh storage project Arizona. The output of the Sun Pond project will be purchased by the City of San Jose, California, and Ava Community Energy through long-term Power PPAs. [reNews]

PV project (Longroad Energy image)

¶ “City Of Chelsea, Massachusetts, Launches Solar-Powered Microgrid Project” • The City of Chelsea, Massachusetts, has launched a solar-powered, cloud-based microgrid project for city buildings. The first phase of it began on December 2 involving a three-day installation of hundreds of solar panels on the City Yard building. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Lawsuit Filed Against Owners Of Seabrook Nuclear Plant Over Alleged Project Sabotage” • In a lawsuit, energy company Avangrid is accusing NextEra Energy, owners of the Seabrook nuclear power plant, of sabotaging the development of a new transmission line meant to bring Canadian hydropower onto the New England grid. [Concord Monitor]

Have a relaxingly lazy  day.

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