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World:

¶ “Barcelona Is Using Regenerative Braking To Power Subways And EV Chargers ” • Each year in Barcelona, people take 440 million trips on its subway system. Every time a subway train stops, the energy generated by regenerative braking is turned into electricity, which gets fed through inverters and distributed in the subway system. [CleanTechnica]

Barcelona subway stop (TMB Barcelona image)

¶ “The Carbon Footprint Of Live Music Is A Savage Beast: Is There Any Hope For Improvement?” • The quest to understand live music’s carbon footprint began in 2019, when a rep from the band Massive Attack got curious and contacted Carly McLachlan. The director of the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research soon had quite a challenge. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Confirms 1.1-GW Inch Cape Turbine Deal” • ESB and Red Rock Renewables signed a deal with Vestas to install 15-MW turbines at the 1080-MW Inch Cape offshore wind farm off the east coast of Scotland. The contract is for the supply, installation, and commissioning of 72 units together with a long-term service and warranty agreement. [reNews]

Vestas turbine nacelle (Vestas image)

¶ “Berlin’s Clean Industry Wish-List: Kick Nuclear Out Of EU Financing” • Laying out key priorities for the EU’s upcoming Clean Industrial Deal, German Economy State Secretary Sven Giegold said he wants the Commission to prioritize renewable energy. He wants to take a tough line on nuclear power and French renewable targets. [Euractiv]

¶ “Renewable Records Tumble For The Second Day In A Row, Pushing Fossil Fuels To New Lows” • The instantaneous share of renewable energy in Australia’s main grid has reached new highs for the second day in a row, steadily nudging out fossil fuels in preparation for the day that coal generation might be switched off completely. [RenewEconomy]

Solar panels (CCEP image)

¶ “‘Kyiv Attacks Substation’ Near Russian-Held Nuclear Plant; Russia Pounds Zaporizhzhia City With Guided Bombs” • The management of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station said on Sunday that Ukrainian forces had launched a new attack on a nearby substation, destroying a transformer. It said this was a “terrorist” attack. [MSN]

¶ “Tata Power To Invest $14.3 Billion In Rajasthan, Mostly In Renewables” • Indian electric utility Tata Power Co Ltd intends to pour ₹1.2 trillion ($14.32 billion) into projects in Rajasthan, among which will be 10 GW of renewable capacity. Tata Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the investment with the state government. [Renewables Now]

Lake Pichola, Rajasthan (Uri Sittan Tripo, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

US:

¶ “Helene Left At Least 128 People Dead And Communities ‘Wiped Off The Map.’ Now, Survivors Are Struggling To Get Food And Water” • The magnitude of devastation wrought by Helene intensifies by the hour as search crews find more bodies and floodwaters slowly recede – revealing more neighborhoods obliterated by the storm. [CNN]

¶ “Hurricane Helene By The Numbers: Catastrophic Destruction Covers 400 Miles” • After its landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane, Helene caused ruinous storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding across wide areas of the South. Helene was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Big Bend region. [ABC News]

Hurricane Helene making landfall (NOAA, public domain)

¶ “Asheville Tragedy Shows There Are No Climate Change Safe Havens: Experts” • Asheville, North Carolina, has been called a potential safe haven for climate refugees. But the fatal floods and landslides seen after Helene ripped through the area highlight that “no place is truly untouched by climate change, anywhere in the world.” [ABC News]

¶ “California Climate And Energy Update” • Significant work is still needed to build a just and sustainable California, but the recent progress made in every major sector is worth celebrating. California has the vision and leadership needed, and the will of the state’s residents on its side to create a livable future for all in the face of climate change. [CleanTechnica]

California PVs (Tom Brewster Photography, BLM, CC BY 2.0)

¶ “After Six Years, Tesla Finally Accounts For Less Than 50% Of US EV Sales” • The US battery EV market is evolving, with more models, broader choices for consumers, more legacy automakers putting forward options. Unsurprisingly, Tesla has less than 50% of the US battery EV market for the first time in years, from a peak of around 80%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford CEO Jim Farley Targets 19 Million Potential EV Buyers With New Ford Power Promise” • Ford has introduced the Ford Power Promise, a program aimed to attract about 19 million people who may consider an EV. “Nearly 90% of shoppers say they would be more likely to buy an EV if they knew they could charge at home,” Farley said. [CleanTechnica]

Home EV charging (Courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

¶ “New Thin Film Solar Factory Transforms Red State Into Green Warrior” • Last week, Alabama state officials joined with the thin film solar manufacturer First Solar to celebrate the official opening of the company’s massive factory in Lawrence County. The facility will add 3.5 GW worth of solar capacity to the US each year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “WPS, We Energies Announce Renewable Energy Projects To Power 250,000 Wisconsin Homes” • Wisconsin Public Service and We Energies announced plans to build nearly 800 MW of solar, wind, and battery storage around the state, providing enough energy to provide for annual needs of about a quarter of a million homes in Wisconsin. [WTAQ]

Have a fully fabulous day.

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World:

¶ “Serious Money – $43 Million – Behind 100% Wind Power For Cargo Ships” • The cargo shipping industry is finally returning to wind power after a long hiatus. Some maritime innovators even aim to bring back 100% wind power. One of them is the French startup VELA, which has just nailed a new $43 million round of funding to make it happen. [CleanTechnica]

Trimaran by French startup VELA (via businesswire.com)

¶ “As India Pursues Ambitious Renewable Energy Goals, Gujarat Paves The Way” • Gujarat has emerged as a leader in renewable energy, leading efforts toward a greener, more sustainable future. With a strong emphasis on solar power, the state plays a vital role in helping India reach its goal of achieving 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. [Chemical Industry Digest]

¶ “European EV Sales Are Up And Down, Ford Starts Electric Capri Production In Germany” • Battery EV Sales are down in some parts of Europe. The Center for Automotive Management put the data into a chart that shows at a glance what is going on with EV sales in European countries, and it shows some bright spots among the gloom. [CleanTechnica]

Battery EV registrations (Center for Automotive Management)

¶ “China Coal Hub Could Lead Its Energy Transition, According To Researchers” • China’s largest coal-mining hub is set to lead the country’s energy transition, a report says. Inner Mongolia, which produces more coal than any country outside of China itself, already has 88 GW of wind and solar capacity, with 170 GW more in the pipeline. [Energy Connects]

¶ “ACWA Power, Badeel, SAPCO Report Financial Close On Key Solar PV Projects” • Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, Badeel, and Saudi Aramco Power Company secured financial closure for the Haden, Muwayh, and Al Khushaybi solar PV projects. Valued at $3.2 billion, the projects aim for a combined capacity of 5.5 GW of solar power for Saudi Arabia. [Gulf Business]

Solar array (ACWA image, cropped)

¶ “GoldenPeaks Capital And CNBM Commit To Target A 1-GW Project Pipeline Annually in Europe ” • GoldenPeaks Capital Holding Ltd and China National Building Material Group have committed to further strengthen their strategic partnership to a 1-GW annual project pipeline, adding such new markets as Italy, Germany, and Greece. [Business Wire]

¶ “Britain To Become First G7 Country To End Coal Power As Last Plant Closes” • Britain will become the first G7 country to end coal-fired power production with the closure of its last plant, Uniper’s Ratcliffe-on-Soar in England’s Midlands. It will end over 140 years of coal power in Britain. Slmost 30% of the country’s electricity came from coal in 2015. [Reuters]

Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant (Vilmantas Bekesius, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Historic Coal Mining City Makes Switch To 100% Renewables” • Queensland state government-owned energy firm CleanCo has inked a long-term deal to supply Ipswich City Council with 100% renewable electricity. The power purchase agreement will enable the historic coal mining city to operate its major buildings and streetlights with renewables. [pv magazine Australia]

US:

¶ “How Floating Solar Is Carving Out Space In The Renewable Energy Landscape” • The idea of setting a solar panels out to float on top of reservoirs and other bodies of water seemed a bit exotic just a few years ago. But there are circumstances when a floating solar array is practical, even as conventional renewable energy could be developed. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar system (Courtesy Mountain Regional Water)

¶ “One Storm, 95 Dead, And A 500-Mile Path Of Destruction. Now The Hard Work Of Recovering From Helene” • Short on supplies, short on power, and short on patience, the people who saw a massive storm upend their lives have come to a new week, facing the challenge of rebuilding while roads are closed and electricity could be a week away. [CNN]

¶ “Flood Fire Risk With EVs: At Least Some EV Packs Need Better Water Sealing” • In the wake of the recent hurricane that swept Florida and wrecked lower Appalachia, the author came across an interesting social media post from local government officials in Pinellas County, Florida. It shows the uncomfortable and dangerous death of a Tesla. [CleanTechnica]

Screenshot from the Pinellas County tweet (Fair use)

¶ “First Solar Inaugurates $1.1 Billion Solar Manufacturing Plant In Alabama” • First Solar started up a new $1.1 billion vertically integrated thin-film solar manufacturing facility in Alabama. It will add 3.5 GW of solar manufacturing capacity in the US and is expected to create over 800 energy technology manufacturing jobs in the state. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “TotalEnergies Starts 1.2-GW Texas PV Duo” • TotalEnergies started commercial operations of its 720-MW Danish Fields and 455-MW Cottonwood solar farms with battery storage in Texas. These new projects, with a combined capacity of 1.2 GW, are part of a portfolio of renewables assets totaling 4 GW in operation or under construction in Texas. [reNews]

Solar farm (TotalEnergies image)

¶ “US Closes $1.52 Billion Loan To Resurrect Michigan Nuclear Plant” • The US said it closed a $1.52 billion loan to resurrect the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan. A Biden administration official said it could take two years to reopen the plant, which is longer than the company predicted. The administration wants to triple US nuclear capacity. [MSN]

¶ “US Nuclear Plants Won’t Power Up Big Tech’s AI Ambitions Right Away” • Tech companies are scrambling to meet energy demand from data centers to power generative AI. But nuclear power involves regulatory hurdles, possible supply-chain snags, sometimes stiff local opposition, and scrutiny from various environmental authorities. [Cyprus Mail]

Have an unambiguously superb day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “These Record-Breaking New Solar Panels Produce 60% More Electricity” • Commercially available solar panels convert about 20% to 22% of sunlight into electrical power. However, research published in Nature has shown that future solar panels could reach efficiencies as high as 34% by exploiting a technology called tandem solar cells. [WIRED]

Solar panels (Chelsea, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “How Climate Change Is Intensifying Storms Like Hurricane Helene” • The proportion of hurricanes that fall into categories 4 and 5 is expected to increase as the planet heats up, according to the most recent report from the IPCC, a well-respected climate science authority from the UN. Peak hurricane wind speeds are expected to increase. [DC News Now]

World:

¶ “100 Electric Buses for Uruguay – Thanks, BYD” • BYD (Build Your Dreams) continues to help electrify the world. We have news this week that BYD has delivered 100 electric buses to CUTCSA, the largest transit operator in Uruguay. In South America, BYD has already delivered electric buses in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. [CleanTechnica]

Electric buses in Montevideo (BYD image)

¶ “More Companies In Kenya Adopting Electric Motorcycles For Deliveries” • The move towards EVs in Africa, especially electric motorcycles, is mainly driven by the private sector, led by small startups. Most of the change has been concentrated along what is known as the “boda belt” from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A Green Corridor For Chinese Investors” • Pakistan has the potential to add 23,801 MW, around 31.5% of renewable energy capacity by 2030, as confirmed by the World Bank’s Variable Renewable Energy Locational Study. However, it currently has a mere 7% contribution from renewable energy in its energy mix. That is a great opportunity. [The News International]

Solar array (World Bank image)

¶ “BIPV Philippines Launches Pampanga Factory, Paving The Way For Renewable Energy Innovation” • BIPV Philippines achieved a major milestone when it opened its first factory in Pampanga. A result of the joint venture of BIPV Korea and AC Ong Consulting Inc, the factory marks a key moment in the country’s shift to renewable energy. [Philstar Life]

¶ “Egypt: Renewable Energy To Supply 42% Of Energy Mix By 2040” • Egypt’s goals to have renewable energy provide over 42% of Egypt’s energy mix by 2040 were outlined during the BRICS Energy Ministers Conference held in Moscow this week. Egypt also targets to capture 5-8% of the global green hydrogen market by the same year. [The North Africa Post]

Egypt (Mariam Soliman, Unsplash)

¶ “Steps Afoot For Renewable Energy Sources: Leghari” • At the closing session of the first day of the Asia Energy Transition Summit, Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Leghari said Pakistan will have to adopt creative ways to ensure transition from anti-environment-friendly energy sources to renewable energy. [The News International]

US:

¶ “Electrify America Opens Thousandth Charging Station” • A couple of days back, Electrify America announced the opening of its latest large charging station. While a new station with a large number of stalls is welcome and news by itself, this station was even more special because it is the company’s thousandth charging site! [CleanTechnica]

Charging site (Image by Electrify America)

¶ “The Hydrogen Economy In America Faces A Number Of Challenges” • While the US struggles to find ways to reduce its carbon and methane emissions, hydrogen keeps coming up as a great way to do that. But if it isn’t made from renewable sources, it creates huge amounts of carbon emissions, making the cure worse than the disease. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power And Batteries Help Texas Through Sweltering Summers And Record Energy Demand” • This summer, while electricity demand hit record highs, Texas’ use of solar power and batteries increased. The result? A more stable grid that’s keeping the lights on and air conditioners humming, according to Canary Media. [Yahoo]

Dallas (Zack Brame, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Puget Sound Energy Advances Renewable Energy Efforts” • In a significant development for Washington’s renewable energy landscape, Puget Sound Energy announced the commencement of two pivotal projects. They are a 124-MW solar PV project by Qcells and a 200-MW, 800-MWh battery project by Brightnight and Cordelio Power. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Hurricane Helene Floods Retired Duke Nuclear Plant In Florida” • Floodwaters from Hurricane Helene have swamped the Crystal River plant, a retired Duke Energy Corp nuclear power plant that closed in 2013, according to a filing with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. An escape of spent fuel seems unlikely. [Yahoo Finance]

Have an exceptionally easy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “MAGAlomaniacs Are Shocked, SHOCKED That Hurricanes Are Getting More Powerful” • We have been told for many years that global warming would lead to more destructive storms. Now with Hurricane Helene, politicians who staked their political lives on denying climate change are shocked, SHOCKED that such a powerful storm is happening. [CleanTechnica]

Helene (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory)

World:

¶ “UK Court Hands Prison Terms To Climate Activists Who Threw Soup On Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’” • Two climate activists were sentenced to prison by a London court for throwing soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting while protesting fossil fuels. Phoebe Plummer, 23, was given two years, and Anna Holland, 22, got 20 months. [CNN]

¶ “Most Car Sales (54%) in China Are Now Plugins!” • Plugin vehicles scored a little more than 1 million sales in a 1.9-million-unit overall market in August. That’s up 38% year over year, and the second best month ever, while the overall market is down 1% year over year. Battery EVs were up 19% in August, while plugin hybrids jumped 78%. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Song L (Nissangeniss, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Hyundai Cooks Up A Low-Cost EV Battery Scheme For The Affordable EV Of The Future” • The cost of an EV battery has dropped like a rock since the early 2000s. A recent calculation from the US DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office puts the drop at 90% for light-duty vehicles. Hyundaijust unveiled a LiFePO₄ EV battery project in partnership with Kia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hyundai Motor Groups First 100% EV Factory” • Kia has celebrated the opening of Kia Gwangmyeong EVO Plant, the Hyundai Motor Group’s first facility dedicated to making EVs. The South Korean facility has an annual production capacity of 150,000 units. It started production of the Kia EV3 in the first half of this year. [CleanTechnica]

Kia Gwangmyeong EV Plant

¶ “India Seeks 6,000 MW Of Peak Renewable Power Supply With Storage” • India is seeking bids to supply 6,000 MW of capacity from renewable energy projects for assured peak-hour supply with storage, in a tender issued by state-run SJVN. India is looking to connect a record 35 GW of solar and wind capacity to its grid during the year. [Deccan Herald]

¶ “High Wind Speeds Boost UK Renewables Output” • UK renewables generation increased by 19% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024 to 32.8 TWh, largely due to favorable wind conditions. Renewable sources accounted for a record 51.6% share of the electricity mix during the period, according to government figures. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbines (ScottishPower Renewables)

¶ “Twelve Countries Warned Against Threats Of Nuclear Weapons” • Twelve countries, including China, Brazil, Turkey, and Kazakhstan, issued a joint statement warning against threats of nuclear weapon use. The statement emphasizes that civilian infrastructure, including peaceful nuclear facilities, should not be targets of military operations. [MSN]

¶ “Germany Approves Second Section Of SuedOstLink” • In Germany, the Federal Network Agency completed the planning approval for the second section of the SuedOstLink electric grid connection to supply Bavaria with wind power from other parts of Germany. It will use a DC line for an underground cable from Münchenreuth to Marktredwitz. [reNews]

DC line (Tennet image)

US:

¶ “Dozens Dead As Helene Unleashes Life-Threatening Flooding And Knocks Out Power To Millions Across Southeast” • Helene continues to unleash its fury in the Southeast after leaving 49 people dead in various states, leveling communities, and leaving many in floodwaters after the historic storm made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region. [CNN]

¶ “River Partners’ Restoration of Floodplains Averts Disasters in California” • Responding to human misdeeds, Nature is assailing California. So River Partners buys private land and restores large areas of the natural landscape. Its mission is “to bring life back to rivers by creating wildlife habitat for the benefit of people and the environment.” [CleanTechnica]

San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge (River Partners)

¶ “$44 Million for Clean Energy Planning And Deployment on Tribal Lands” • The US DOE announced nearly $44 million for Tribal communities to deploy clean energy solutions to provide energy security and reduce energy costs. Six American Indian and Alaska Native communities will receive $18.8 million to install solar and wind energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Octopus Backs US Solar Duo” • Octopus Energy made two investments in the US solar market, with the company backing developers Circal and Zestec to create projects. The company said it marks the next move in its $2 billion plan for America’s renewables revolution. It comes just three months after it made its first green energy investments stateside. [reNews]

Solar panels (Mark Stebnicki, Pexels)

¶ “Oregon Opponents Block Offshore Wind Auction” • A planned auction of Oregon offshore wind leases was postponed after Governor Tina Kotek effectively torpedoed the auction plan. The US Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management delayed the offshore wind energy auction due to low bidder interest. [WorkBoat]

¶ “Major US Power Companies Shut Units In Wake Of Storm” • Storm Helene forced major US electric utilities to shut or slow power plant operations. Southern Co took one of its Georgia nuclear reactors offline, and Duke Energy halted output from two coal-fired generating units. Helene also downed power lines and battered other parts of the grid. [Reuters]

Have an absolutely favorable day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Manganese Cathodes Could Boost Lithium-ion Batteries” • Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries use supplies of nickel and cobalt, which are limited. Research led by the DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory opens up a potential low-cost, safe alternative in manganese, the fifth most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust. [CleanTechnica]

Manganese (Han-Ming Hau, Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley)

World:

¶ “Groundbreaking Held For EGL2 Subsea Link” • Ground has been broken for a 2-GW subsea link between Scotland and England. EGL2’s subsea cable will go 436 km (271 miles) from Peterhead to the coast of East Yorkshire at Fraisthorpe Sands, and run underground for 68 km (42 miles) to a new HVDC converter station at Drax. [reNews]

¶ “Rezolv, APA Ink Romania Wind Offtake” • Rezolv Energy has signed a virtual power purchase agreement with Italian company A2A for electricity produced by the Vifor wind farm in Romania. The VPPA provides for the purchase of 150 GWh per year of renewable energy. Rezolv has signed six VPPAs since June, for a total of 460 GWh per year. [reNews]

Wind farm (Rezolv image)

¶ “Energy Transition Opens New Vistas For Solar, Wind Power Companies” • Over the past three months, Anhui Huasun Energy Co Ltd has been racing against time to make solar modules for a gigantic PV project on the edge of China’s Taklamakan Desert, its largest. A boom in technology and industry that is coming about in China is clear. [China Daily]

¶ “Italy Deploys 4.2 GW Of Solar In January-August Period” • Italy added around 5 GW of renewable capacity, of which 4.2 GW was solar power, in the first eight months of 2024, according to Gestore dei Servizi Energetici, the Italian energy agency. This means Italy’s cumulative PV capacity reached 34.48 GW at the end of August. [pv magazine International]

Solar plant in Italy (Balfabio, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Romania Unveils A 7-GW Offshore Plan” • The Romanian government published a roadmap to help realize a potential up to 7 GW of offshore wind capacity in the country, supported by the European Commission and World Bank Group. The plan was produced as part of the project “Internal energy market and energy transition in Romania.” [reNews]

¶ “Solar Levelized Cost Of Electricity 56% Lower Than Lowest-Cost Fossil Fuels” • Solar has taken center stage in global energy development as costs have fallen to record lows. IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency, reported data through 2023, noting that solar levelized cost of electricity has fallen 90% since 2010. [pv magazine USA]

Solar energy (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “Fortescue Targets 2-3 GW Of Renewables To Achieve Its Real Zero By 2030 Goals” • Fortescue’s climate transition plan gives comprehensive details of how the mining giant is planning, and will 100% eliminate fossil fuels from their Australian iron ore operations by 2030 using a number of measures, including using solar energy. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “The Presence Of IAEA Inspectors At Key Substations Critical To Nuclear Power Plants Could Deter Russia From Attacks” • The decision to expand monitoring missions to the main substations that support nuclear power plant operations may help prevent Russian aggression threatening nuclear facilities, the director of energy programs of the “Razumkov Center” said. [ТСН]

Substation (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “How Climate Change Put Florida’s Big Bend To Greater Risk Of Tropical Threats” • Helene’s path in the Northern Caribbean and Eastern Gulf of Mexico went across very warm ocean waters. The warmer than normal sea surfaces in these regions were 200 to 500 times more likely due to human-caused climate change, Climate Central’s Climate Shift Index says. [ABC News]

¶ “Hurricane Helene Live Updates: One Dead In Florida As Category 4 Storm Makes Landfall” • Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida as a major Category 4 hurricane with 140 mph winds. Since that time, it has moved around 100 miles inland into Florida and Georgia and has been downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. [ABC News]

Hurricane Florence, 2018 (Alexander Gerst, public domain)

¶ “American Climate Corps Has Already Put 15,000 Young Americans To Work” • As part of his commitment to tackle the climate crisis, President Biden launched the American Climate Corps to mobilize young workers on clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience. Some 15,000 young people have been put to work in the clean energy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewable Energy Sources Now Provide Over 30% Of US Generating Capacity” • A SUN DAY Campaign review of data in two new reports by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the US Energy Information Administration reveals that now over 30% of total US utility-scale electrical generating capacity is renewable. [Renewables Now]

Wind turbines (Louis Moncouyoux, Unsplash)

¶ “World-First Geothermal Energy System Heading For US Air Force” • The US Air Force has pushed the renewable energy envelope since the early 2000s, especially for large solar arrays. Now it is turning its attention to a new system aimed at pushing the boundaries of the US geothermal energy industry far beyond its current limitations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Training A Million Apprentices for Cleantech And Climate Jobs by 2035” • This week, the US Climate Alliance set up the Governors’ Climate-Ready Workforce Initiative. It is a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors who together account for roughly 60% of the country’s economy and 55% of its population. It is to train a million apprentices by 2035. [CleanTechnica]

Have s patently positive day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “How To Design Great Houses That Protect Against Severe Weather Events” • Intelligent design enhances energy efficiency by reducing the heating and cooling load; resilient materials increase the home’s ability to withstand nature’s fury; and a solar plus battery system ensures that the house will remain functional in a power outage. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of VISION House Austin (Green Builder Media)

¶ “New Standard For Measuring Offshore Project Emissions” • A “first-of-a-kind” methodology to standardize how the carbon footprint of an offshore wind farm is measured was published by the Offshore Wind Sustainability Joint Industry Programme. The Carbon Trust collaborated with twelve program partners to devise the methodology. [reNews]

World:

¶ “VinFast VF 3 Launched In Philippines, The First Market To Receive It After Vietnam” • VinFast introduced its VF 3 in the Philippines, the first market outside of Vietnam to receive the compact urban electric car. This launch is seen as a key step in expanding VinFast’s presence in Southeast Asia, a region ready for sustainable mobility. [CleanTechnica]

VinFast EVs (VinFast image)

¶ “BYD Smashes Sales Records In August As Other Chinese Companies Struggle” • It seems BYD knocks the ball out of the park every month. In August, BYD delivered 370,854 vehicles, up nearly 30% YOY. According to Car News China, in a Top Forty list of the bestselling domestic cars in China, BYD made twelve of the top twenty vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Partners With Loxea To Launch The ATTO 3, Dolphin, And Seal in Kenya” • We seem to get news of BYD entering a new market somewhere in the world every week now. But it’s great for the overall mission to accelerate adoption of EVs globally. This time, BYD is partnering with Loxea to bring the ATTO 3, Dolphin, And Seal to Kenya. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seal (Courtesy of Loxea)

¶ “Lamprell Nets TP deal For 2.8-GW Norfolk Duo” • RWE has awarded two key contracts to Lamprell for the future supply of transition pieces for two of its UK offshore wind projects, which total 2,800 MW. The schemes are Norfolk Vanguard West and Norfolk Vanguard East. The award underlines RWE’s continued commitment to the projects. [reNews]

¶ “Peak Wind Nets Canadian Gig” • Peak Wind was awarded the operations and maintenance contract for the 495-MW Buffalo Plains wind farm in Alberta. Buffalo Plains, which is owned by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, entered construction in 2023 and began delivering power last month. It hosts 83 Siemens Gamesa 5.2-MW and 6.6-MW turbines. [reNews]

Buffalo Plains wind farm (Peak Wind image)

¶ “Falling Solar And Battery Costs Drive Record Renewable Investment, But Pace Still Short Of COP28 Target” • Despite a record $623 billion of investment in renewable energy in 2023, a report from BloombergNEF warns that it must be an average of $1 trillion per year over the rest of the decade to meet the COP28 goal of tripling renewable capacity. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Octopus To Invest £2 Billion In UK Renewables By 2030” • Octopus Energy has announced a £2 billion investment in UK renewable energy projects by 2030. The investment will fund new solar farms and battery storage. The company has agreed on deals for four new solar farms in Bristol, Essex, East Riding of Yorkshire and Wiltshire. [Energy Live News]

Wind farm (Courtesy of Octopus Energy)

¶ “NATO Member Announces $16 Billion Investment In Its First Nuclear Plant” • The Polish government will be investing the equivalent of nearly $16 billion to fund its first nuclear power plant. The announcement follows reports that the country would seek approval from the European Commission of its plan to finance the plant. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “California Adopts Nation’s First Deadlines For Utilities to Connect EV Chargers To The Grid” • The California Public Utilities Commission approved a set of timelines to accelerate grid connections of new residential buildings, commercial sites, and EV charging stations. The decision implements the Powering Up Californians Act passed in 2023. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo Electric Truck (Courtesy of Volvo Trucks)

¶ “A US DOE Pilot Project To Calculate Emissions of Certain Industrial Products” • The US DOE announced a pilot project to measure greenhouse gases of certain industrial products. The US, its trading partners, manufacturers, and consumers need a fair, coherent system for measuring the GHGs associated with making energy-intensive products. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Small Wind Power Projects Expanding Into New Markets” • For the last eight months, researchers from the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have been gathering information about who installed distributed wind energy projects that supply electricity locally. The researchers found the distributed wind sector is growing. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines in Tulsa (Courtesy of American Windpower)

¶ “New Jersey Hits Pause On An Offshore Wind Farm That Can’t Find Turbine Blades” • The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted Leading Light Wind a pause through December 20 for its developers to seek a source for the crucial components. The project would be built 40 miles (65 km) off Long Beach Island and would consist of up to 100 turbines. [ABC News]

¶ “DOD Breaks Ground On Project Pele: A Mobile Nuclear Reactor For Energy Resiliency” • The Department of Defense broke ground at Idaho National Laboratory on the Project Pele transportable nuclear reactor. The reactor, under a Strategic Capabilities Office initiative, is being made by BWXT Advanced Technologies, LLC, Lynchburg, Virginia. [US DOD]

Have a firmly founded day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Replacing EV Battery After Five Years? Fuggedaboutit” • It’s one of the most popular criticisms of electric cars from critics and skeptics looking to ignore the benefits of electric cars: “What about in five years when you have to spend $15,000 to replace the car’s high-voltage battery pack?” But here’s the thing: You probably won’t have to replace it! [CleanTechnica]

Tesla battery manufacturing (Tesla image)

World:

¶ “World Can Triple Renewable Power, But Push Is Needed: IEA” • An IEA report says nations could achieve their commitments of the COP28 summit if they can clear regulatory bottlenecks and modernize the grid. The report said that tripling renewables and doubling efficiency targets could cut worldwide emissions by 10 billion tonnes by the end of the decade. [The Hill]

¶ “Mysterious Magma In Extinct Volcanoes May Be Filled With Elements Needed To Power The Future” • A mysterious type of magma found within extinct volcanoes scattered around the world could contain an abundant supply of rare earth elements, which are crucial ingredients for EVs, wind turbines and other clean technologies, a report says. [CNN]

Ore hauling train in Sweden (Kabelleger, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Efforts Speed Up To Reduce Waste Streams By Reestablishing Oyster Filtration Reefs ” • Why should you support oyster shell recycling? Over 85% of oyster reefs are gone worldwide. These losses occurred due to over-harvesting or habitat destruction, but oyster recycling efforts may have a slow, positive effect on oyster reef reestablishment. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Elfly Group And Nordic Seaplanes Sign Agreement for Deployment of Noemi Electric Seaplanes” • Elfly Group, developers of the all-electric seaplane program ‘Noemi’ (No Emissions), announced a partnership with Denmark’s Nordic Seaplanes. They will turn the dedicated seaplane operator into the world’s first ‘Noemi’ airline. [CleanTechnica]

Seaplane (Courtesy of Elfly Group)

¶ “Europeans Are Taking Action to Save Energy And Embrace Clean Energy” • A wide-ranging survey shows that Europeans support the energy policy pursued by the EU in the last five years. Looking ahead, they express strong backing for increased EU-wide coordination, and even more efforts at both EU and national levels. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Havfram To Install Waterkant Turbines” • Havfram, based in Oslo, has signed a contract with Luxcara for the transport and installation of turbines for the 270-MW Waterkant offshore wind farm in the German North Sea. The agreement covers the vessel charter for transport and the installation of sixteen 18.5-MW MingYang machines. [reNews]

Havfram installation vessel (Havfram image)

¶ “Renewable Energy Goal Risks Falling Short Without More Money” • The increasingly rapid deployment of renewables around the world is still not enough to meet global goals, said political and climate leaders at the Global Renewables Summit in New York. More private investments remains key to tripling the global renewable energy capacity by 2030. [Yahoo]

¶ “Sany Launches 8-MW Turbines For Europe” • At WindEnergy Hamburg, Chinese wind turbine maker Sany has launched two 8-MW onshore models designed for European wind conditions. According to Sany, the models are the 7.8-MW SI-17578, with a 175-meter rotor diameter, and the 8-MW SI-18580 model, with a 185-meter diameter. [reNews]

Sany turbines in China (Sany image)

¶ “Zelensky Sounds Nuclear Alarm At UN” • Russia is seeking to target three Ukrainian nuclear power plants, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN. He warned that, if Vladimir Putin was prepared to resort to such a move, “it means nothing you value matters to Moscow.” He did not specify which plants were under threat. [Newsweek]

US:

¶ “ENGIE: 1 GW of Battery Storage Capacity Added In USA This Year” • ENGIE has reached more than 1.8 GW of installed battery energy storage system capacity in the US, and 1 GW of that was just added since January 2024! ENGIE is not clear on whether it means 1.8 GW, 1.8 GWh, or both, but it says that the new battery systems are in California and Texas. [CleanTechnica]

Battery system (Courtesy of ENGIE)

¶ “Biden Administration Proposes A Ban On Chinese-Made Software” • The Biden administration announced sweeping new regulations that would ban software and hardware developed by Chinese companies from being installed on internet-connected cars sold in the US. A New York Times article says the government justifies this on national security grounds. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “This Chart Shows How California Is Massively Extending Solar Use Into The Evening” • It’s truly stunning to see how much battery storage is already helping to integrate more solar power in The Golden State. Solar PVs have reached 20% of the California electricity supply, and much of that charges batteries during the day. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “New York Joins GOWA” • During New York Climate Week, the State of New York announced it has joined the Global Offshore Wind Alliance. GOWA includes governments, international organizations and private sector companies committed to expanding offshore wind capacity globally and driving the transition to a clean energy future. [reNews]

¶ “CIP To Acquire 255-MW Battery In Arizona” • Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is to acquire the 255-MW, 1020-MWh Scatter Wash standalone battery storage project in Phoenix. Strata Clean Energy will continue to serve as construction and asset manager for the project. Strata has 6 GW of solar PV and 24 GWh of battery projects under development. [reNews]

Have a grandly unworried day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Grid-Scale Storage Batteries Use Many Different Chemistries” • Batteries for grid-scale energy storage don’t need to meet the same criteria as EVs for size and weight. These are relatively unimportant, as are energy density and fast discharge rates. That means they can use all sorts of chemistries that are not suitable for automotive purposes. [CleanTechnica]

Zinc bromine flow batteries (Courtesy of Redflow)

¶ “Giving Batteries A Longer Life With The Advanced Photon Source” • Scientists at the Argonne National Laboratory are partnering with other US laboratories and academic institutions to study what is called self-discharge. This is a series of chemical reactions in the battery that causes performance loss over time, shortening the battery’s lifespan. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Parts Of The Sahara Desert Are Turning Green Amid Heavy Rainfall” • One of the driest regions on Earth is shifting green, as heavy rainfall causes vegetation to grow in the typically barren landscape. Satellite images released by NASA show pockets of plant life popping up all over the Sahara Desert after a cyclone drenched it. [ABC News]

Sahara (Wolfgang Hasselmann, Unsplash)

¶ “European Union Is Ditching Fossil Gas Fast, Replacing It with Solar And Wind ” • One of the notable challenges the EU faces is the continued Russia war of Ukraine. Having previously relied on an enormous amount of natural gas from Russia, the EU has had to find ways to replace it. Part of that has been to build up renewable sources. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Cargo Ship Crosses Atlantic Ocean Using Mostly Wind Power” • The trouble with fast, modern container ships is that they use fossil fuels and emit a great deal of air pollution that is harmful to the planet and human health. So it was both captivating and exciting to see that a modern rather large cargo sailing vessel, the Anemos, was recently launched. [CleanTechnica]

Anemos (Courtesy of TOWT, Ports America)

¶ “Floating Solar Project Withstands Super Typhoon Capricorn” • One of the fiercest typhoons to hit the area of Guangdong, China, since 1949 was Super Typhoon Capricorn this month. In this wild weather, torrential winds, and giant waves, what is the durability of floating solar panels? If you expected to see broken panels, think again. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hamburg 2024: ‘Offshore Wind Hits 76 GW'” • Ahead of WindEnergy Hamburg 2024, Clarksons Research has released a range of data points profiling the offshore wind sector. Today, 76 GW of offshore wind capacity is active globally, involving around 13,800 turbines and 327 wind farms. This is a 13% year-on-year increase. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)

¶ “Record Renewables Growth Fuels Cost Competitiveness, IRENA Report Shows” • Over three-quarters of renewable energy capacity added last year was cheaper than fossil fuels, a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency shows. Last year’s UN climate meeting set a goal of tripling renewable energy capacity worldwide by 2030. [MSN]

¶ “Australia On Track To Add 7 GW Of New Wind And Solar This Year, As Investment Bounces Back” • Australia is on track to add over 7 GW of renewable energy generating capacity in 2024, new data revealed, off the back of a large uptick in large-scale wind and solar investment and unstoppable momentum in the rooftop PV market. [RenewEconomy]

Wind turbines (Westwind Energy)

¶ “Kyiv Warns Of Imminent Russian Strikes On Nuclear Sites, Calls For Global Action” • Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, citing intelligence sources, warned that Russia is planning strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities ahead of the coming winter. He called on the UN and Ukraine’s allies to establish permanent monitoring missions at the plants. [Kyiv Post]

US:

¶ “Tugboat Powered By Ammonia Sails, Showing How To Cut Emissions From Shipping” • On a tributary of the Hudson River, a tugboat powered by ammonia eased away from its dock and sailed for the first time to show how the maritime industry can reduce planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions. The ammonia is used to power a fuel cell. [ABC News]

Amogy tugboat (Amogy image)

¶ “Two Kinds Of Ocean Energy Inch Forward Off The Oregon Coast” • The way electricity is traditionally made is a major cause of climate change, so clean alternatives are key to addressing it. The coastal waters of Oregon are shaping up to be key for advances in two forms of renewable energy: wave power and wind turbines that float. [ABC News]

¶ “California Sues ExxonMobil For Alleged Deception Around Plastic Recycling, In First-Of-Its-Kind Lawsuit” • California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against ExxonMobil alleging the company carried out a “decades-long campaign of deception” in which the oil and gas giant misled the public on the merits of plastic recycling. [CNN]

Plastics (John Cameron, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Helene Forecast To Rapidly Intensify And Hit Florida As A Major Hurricane” • An area of thunderstorms in the Caribbean is expected to develop and rapidly intensify over the exceptionally warm Gulf of Mexico before hitting the US Gulf Coast this week as a major hurricane. Now Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, it is expected to become Hurricane Helene. [CNN]

¶ “Study Identifies Five Key Gaps In The Hydropower Supply Chain And Ways To Address Them” • Solar panels and wind turbines get a lot of attention when we talk about renewable energy. But hydropower has generated a lot of clean energy for over a century. Nearly 27% of all US renewable energy comes from hydroelectric operations. [CleanTechnica]

Have an overwhelmingly gorgeous day,

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Electric Aviation With Unlimited Range Is Getting Cheaper And Smaller” • The smaller the plane, the easier it is to electrify or even go full electric with it it. Once you get to unmanned planes and helicopters that carry a small sensor payload, such as a camera, you’re in a realm where all-electric aviation has been around for over a decade. [CleanTechnica]

Electric flight (Screenshot from video in the article)

World:

¶ “Carmaker Progress Towards EU CO₂ Target In H1 2024 – New Report” • In the first half of 2024, most EU carmakers are close to meeting their target with gaps ranging from 10-17 gCO₂/km. Leaders in EV sales such as Volvo Cars have already reached their 2025 target. Volkswagen and Ford are the furthest behind with gaps of 28-29 gCO₂/km. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BYD Brings Its E-Vali Electric Delivery Van To Europe” • BYD, a Chinese company, makes a range of passenger cars, some of which sell for less than $10,000 in China. It also builds electric buses and commercial trucks for everything from tractor trailers to ambulances, street sweepers, and trash trucks. Now, its E-Vali electric van will be sold in Europe. [CleanTechnica]

BYD delivery van (BYD image)

¶ “Philippine Ports To Repurpose For Offshore Wind” • The Philippine Ports Authority is to join forces with the country’s Department of Energy to accelerate development of offshore wind projects through the repurposing and modernization of port infrastructure. They will start with a focus on three ports considered priorities. [reNews]

¶ “Engie Secures Belgian Offshore Wind CPPA” • Engie has secured a corporate power purchase agreement with Atlas Copco Airpower to offtake energy from the 325-MW C-Power wind farm off the coast of Belgium. The PPA means that Atlas can run its smart factory in Wilrijk partly on wind energy generated in the North Sea. [reNews]

 Offshore wind farm (Engie image)

¶ “Australia Green Lights 300-MW Cambridge Solar Farm ” • Australia has given its environmental approval for the 300-MW Cambridge Solar Farm in Queensland, which will be connected to the existing transmission system. The project will be 80 km south of Townsville and will have enough capacity to power 123,000 Queensland homes. [Asian Power]

¶ “Grenergy Expands Chile Battery Project By 1 GW” • Grenergy will expand its Oasis de Atacama battery project in Chile with two new phases through the acquisition of 1 GW of solar power, including a 1-GW energized line, from Repsol and Ibereólica. The operation comprises a 77-MW solar project and 923 MW of PV projects that are under development. [reNews]

Solar farm (Grenergy image)

¶ “More Renewable Energy Records Tumble Across The Grid” • Renewable energy records continue to fall across Australia’s National Electricity Market. Rooftop solar hit a new high in New South Wales on the weekend, and in Queensland, a new peak for the potential amount of renewables in the state, factoring in curtailed solar and wind. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Tidal Transit Expands Fleet With Two CTVs” • Offshore wind crew transfer vessel supplier Tidal Transit has expanded its fleet after securing the first charter for its latest vessel, Arabella Jane. The Windflex 27 CTV with Quad IPS started work supporting operations at Orsted’s Hornsea 2, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. [reNews]

Arabella Jane (Tidal Transit image)

¶ “Peter Dutton’s Nuclear Plan Still Has No Costings, And No Grid Connection: It’s A Political Hoax” • Outside the Fullerton Hotel, the voices were clear as unions and environmental groups denounced Australian Coalition leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear “fantasy.” Inside, it was a moment for true nuclear believers, but the numbers just weren’t there. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “US Unveils $112 Million Fund For Wave Energy Projects” • The US DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office has announced a $112 million funding call for demonstrations of wave energy technologies. The funding is to be spread out over five years and will offer funding for projects under three topic areas. Funds are also available for related technologies. [reNews]

Wave (Tim Marshall, Unsplash)

¶ “What The Newest US Energy Jobs Report Says About Clean Energy Employment” • Renewable energy jobs are now over 40% of the 8.35 million people employed in the US energy industry, according to the US DOE’s annual US Energy and Employment Report published in September. Green jobs are key to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “BOEM Begins Planning Second Atlantic Offshore Wind Lease” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is in the early stages of siting another commercial lease sale for the East Coast. The BOEM held an open house last week in Morehead City, North Carolina, the first in the multiyear planning process for Central Atlantic 2. [Coastal Review]

Have a genuinely wonderful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Global Surface Temperatures Are Rising Faster Now Than At Any Time In The Past 485 Million Years” • Climate researchers at the University of Arizona and The Smithsonian used 150,000 pieces of fossil evidence in the latest climate models to find the average global surface temperatures for the full period of multi-cellular life. What we are seeing is new. [CleanTechnica]

Map showing sea temperature anomalies (Image from NOAA)

¶ “Can AI Aid In Climate Change? Scientist Explores Solutions In New Book” • Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a marine biologist, policy expert, conservation strategist, and co-founder of a nonprofit think tank. Her new book “What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures” looks at the possibilities for the future as we face climate change. [ABC News]

World:

¶ “Tourists Are Rushing To See Glaciers Before They Disappear. The Trips Are Turning Deadly” • It’s called “last-chance tourism.” Glaciers are becoming a poster child for last-chance destinations, and the market is growing. As they melt, they become more accessible, but the problem is, they are becoming increasingly unstable and more dangerous. [CNN]

Tourist in an ice cave (Paxson Woelber, Unsplash)

¶ “Nigeria’s Ambitious Goal of a Clean Transportation Sector” • Nigeria is on a mission to decarbonize its transportation. Africa’s most populous nation pledged to have all new sales of cars and vans be zero-emissions by 2040 as part of its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Electric mobility is the most cost-effective path to reaching this goal. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ampersand And CrossBoundary Energy Look To Supercharge Kenya’s E-Mobility With Solar Charging And E-Motorcycle Batteries” • The solar PV market in many African countries has grown thanks to project developers and financiers offering attractive financial agreements to clients in the commercial and industrial sector. [CleanTechnica]

Electric motorcycle (Ampersand image)

¶ “Fossil Fuels Will Continue To Lead Energy Mix Amid Slow EV Growth: McKinsey” • Despite the ongoing shift toward cleaner energy, fossil fuels will still have a major role in meeting global energy needs, supplying 40% to 60% per cent of global energy in 2050 due to the slower-than-expected adoption of EVs, a report by McKinsey says. [The New Indian Express] (Wrong, GHH)

¶ “Meet The Woman Who Lit Up Yemen’s Towns One Solar Panel At A Time” • Abs is a town in Yemen. It had been left with nearly no electricity due to the destruction of power grids during the ongoing war that began in 2014, when Houthi rebels stormed the capital. A woman named Iman designed a solar station that reduces costs by 65%. [The National]

Iman Hadi Al Hamali (UN Development Program image)

¶ “Japan Can Raise Renewable Energy Share To 80% By 2035: Study” • Japan could boost the share of renewable energy in its electricity production to 80% by fiscal 2035 by expanding the use of storage batteries and enhancing cooperation on the regional power grid, the Renewable Energy Institute, a Japanese think tank, said in a recent study. [The Mainichi]

¶ “‘Economic Insanity:’ Treasurer Slams Peter Dutton’s Nuclear Power Plan” • Plans seven nuclear power plants are “economic insanity,” the treasurer says, ahead of a speech by Peter Dutton, Australia’s federal opposition leader. The Coalition, Dutton’s political group, outlined plans to build seven nuclear reactors in five states. [RenewEconomy]

Coast of Australia (Graham Holtshausen, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe Faces Radiation Threat: Ukrainian Energy Ministry Warns Of Possible Russian Strikes On NPP Substations” • The Kremlin is preparing to attack substations of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. If this happens, the entire European continent will be under a radiation threat, according to the Telegram of the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine. [MSN]

US:

¶ “US Solar Energy Soars Despite Chinese Competition” • The US is seeing record annual solar energy capacity growth, thanks to greater investment in the sector. The already rapidly growing solar industry boomed after the Inflation Reduction Act was passed and other favorable policies were introduced. This growth is expected to continue. [OilPrice.com]

Solar power (Pixabay, Pexels, cropped)

¶ “How To ‘Grow’ New Supply Of Nickel For EV Batteries” • The last primary nickel mine in the US is due to close in about 10 years, leaving the domestic supply chain for nickel-based EV batteries high and dry. Not to worry, though. Soil is naturally rich in nickel in many parts of the US, and Metalplant can grow plants that extract it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “15,564 Solar Jobs Added in USA Last Year, Reaching Record 279,447 Solar Workers (Or is it 454,136?)” • The solar industry is a major source of jobs and it’s growing fast, according to the 14th annual National Solar Jobs Census by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. There are 279,447 installers, but there are more jobs that depend on the industry. [CleanTechnica]

Have a brilliantly unpretentious day.

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World:

¶ “Scientists looked deep beneath the Doomsday Glacier. What they found spells potential disaster for the planet” • Scientists using ice-breaking ships and underwater robots have found the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica is melting at an accelerating rate and could be on an irreversible path to collapse, spelling global sea level rise catastrophe. [CNN]

Another bit of Thwaites Glacier (NASA, public domain)

¶ “BMW To Get Battery Recycling Support From JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials” • In 2017, Tesla cofounder and CTO JB Straubel left Tesla and founded Redwood Materials, to focus on battery recycling. About 95% of a battery can be recycled and reused. Now, BMW partnered with Redwood Materials for its battery recycling. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Morocco Increases Impact on Global EV Market – $10 Billion in EV Investments” • Morocco’s role in the EV transition keeps growing with the investments it makes. Morocco has established itself as a leading power in the African automotive sector, having overtaken South Africa in 2018 as the largest car manufacturer in Africa. Now it is doing more. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Image from telenor IoT)

¶ “Inverter Market To Grow By $32.38 Billion (2024-2028) As Wind Energy Demand Rises, With AI Redefining The Market Landscape” • The global inverter market size is estimated to grow by $32.38 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. Driven by AI, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.78% during the forecast period. [Yahoo Finance UK]

¶ “Cuban Leader Díaz-Canel Attends Renewable Energy Fair Amid Severe Blackouts” • At the Third International Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fair in Havana, Minister of Energy and Mines, Vicente de la O Levy, said the Cuban government aims to achieve 100% renewable energy participation in the energy matrix. [Cuba Headlines]

Havana (Adam Jones, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Chaos In The Climate System” • Catastrophic floods like those inundating West Africa and Central Europe are sometimes called “acts of God.” And in this year, likely to be the warmest in human times, extreme weather events have become so common, many people are shrugging off these signs of climate disruption with the same sense of inevitability. [Living on Earth]

¶ “Manitoba To Encourage Renewable Energy” • Premier Wab Kinew said Manitoba will help Indigenous bands bring on 600 MW of wind generation by providing them with loan guarantees. He said it’s the best way meet the climate commitments of the province, generate affordable electricity, and create jobs in First Nations communities. [CTV News Winnipeg]

Turbines and canola (DrBeetrootCa, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Federal Opposition’s Proposal For Nuclear Reactors May Raise Household Energy Costs By A$665” • Australian households may see A$665 ($452) higher energy bills, if the federal opposition’s plan to build seven nuclear reactors goes through, according to a report by Analysts at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. [International Business Times AU]

US:

¶ “Over $3 Billion to Support America’s Battery Manufacturing Sector, Create Jobs, And Enhance National Security” • The US DOE announced over $3 billion for 25 projects in fourteen states to boost production of advanced batteries and battery materials in the US. The projects should support over 8,000 construction jobs and over 4,000 operating jobs. [CleanTechnica]

BlueOval City factory construction (Courtesy of Ford)

¶ “Extreme Temperatures May Contribute To Thousands Of Additional Deaths In The US” • As the Earth’s temperature keeps rising, lives could be at stake. A study from the University of Pennsylvania found deaths related to extreme temperatures may triple by the middle of the century, hitting people in minority communities the hardest. [ABC News]

¶ “Constellation Energy to Restart Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant, Sell The Power To Microsoft For AI” • Constellation Energy plans to restart the Three Mile Island nuclear plant and will sell the power to Microsoft. This demonstrates the immense energy needs of the tech sector as they build out data centers to support artificial intelligence. [CNBC]

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

¶ “Six Alaska Communities Selected For Renewable Energy Projects” • Six communities in Alaska have been selected for a renewable energy program. The Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project, funded by the US DOE, focuses on rural and island communities interested in developing renewable energy sources. [KNOM Radio Mission]

¶ “Climate Week, Climate Science Fair Return To NYC This Weekend” • After a year of record-breaking heat and flooding, urgency is the tone for the 16th annual Climate Week NYC. The theme for this year’s event, which is the largest climate affair of its kind, is “it’s time.” The climate networking mega-fair consists of eight days of more than 600 events. [Gothamist]

Have an utterly enchanting day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “One Simple Trick To Send The Cost Of An EV Battery Rocketing Downwards” • The cost of an EV battery has been sailing rapidly along a downward path. The UK firm Zircotec is introducing a high-tech coating that can free up the EV battery supply chain from expensive, heavy materials in favor of less expensive alternatives. [CleanTechnica]

Ceramic battery coating (Courtesy of Zircotec)

¶ “Kia EV9’s Motor Does The Electric Equivalent Of Shifting Gears” • Unlike most electric motors, Kia EV9’s motor can change the way its winding is configured on the fly, effectively doing something like shifting gears in an internal combustion vehicle. This makes the motor even more powerful and efficient across its entire range of speeds. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “The US Led On Nuclear Fusion For Decades. Now China Is In Position To Win The Race” • A controlled fusion reaction will release around four million times as much energy as burning coal, oil, or gas, and four times as much as fission, the kind of nuclear energy in use now. The Chinese government is pouring up to $1.5 billion into fusion annually. [CNN]

Energy Singularity experiment with fusion (Energy Singularity)

¶ “Brazil Drought Punishes Coffee Farms And Threatens To Push Prices Even Higher” • In Brazil, which is the world’s largest coffee producer, farmers are grappling with both their worst drought in more than seven decades and above-average temperatures. One farmer expected to harvest 120 sacks of coffee beans this season, but he managed just 100. [ABC News]

¶ “Youth Activists Plan Protests To Demand Action On Climate As Big Events Open In NYC” • Activists are perparing for protests around the world to demand action on climate change just as a pair of major week-long climate events – Climate Week NYC and the UN General Assembly – are starting to get underway in New York City. [ABC News]

Climate protest (Mika Baumeister, Unsplash)

¶ “Climate Disruption Will Be The Precursor To Global Political Disruption” • Writing in The Guardian, Anatol Lieven, director of the Eurasia program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, sees a direct link between alterations in the Earth’s environment that are fully evident and the prospects for stable governments in the future. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hamburg 2024: R&D Progresses 25-MW Test Rig” • R&D Test Systems in Denmark completed the 3700 tonne foundation for its 25-MW turbine test bench. After the foundation’s completion the center is now designing and welding the test bench parts that will perform extreme test loads on main bearings for 25-MW wind turbines. [reNews]

Test for a 25-MW turbine (R&D Test Systems)

¶ “South Australia Joins Denmark In Elite Club Of Two, “Pushing The Boundaries” Of Renewable Energy Integration” • South Australia joined an elite global club. It is listed with Denmark as the two energy systems in the world to be successfully managing significant volumes of surplus variable renewable energy across the year. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Over 500 GW Of Solar Power To Be Installed In 2024” • The world is on track to install 593 GW of solar power this year, according to Ember. This is 29% more than what was installed last year. In its latest analysis, Ember said solar “will likely add more GWs in 2024 than the entire global increase in coal power capacity since 2010 (540 GW).” [Asian Power]

Solar farm (Kelly, Pexels)

¶ “China And Japan End Their Dispute Over Fukushima Water Discharge” • China and Japan reached a consensus on discharges of radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant, the Chinese foreign ministry said. This brings to an end a diplomatic dispute that had rumbled on for over two years. The two sides agreed on international monitoring. [NBC News]

US:

¶ “GM Electric Cars Can Now Charge At Tesla Supercharger Location” • As of Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the Tesla Supercharger network is available to all electric cars made by General Motors (except the EV 1, of course!). We can say that this is a hugely important announcement for owners of GM electric cars in North America. [CleanTechnica]

Charging cars (General Motors image)

¶ “2023 Was Another Big Year for Newly Installed And Proposed Hybrid Power Plants” • Improving battery technology and the growth of variable renewable generation are driving interest in “hybrid” power plants combining renewable generating capacity with co-located batteries. A briefing from Berkeley Lab tracks operating and proposed plants. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Has A Huge, Honking Renewable Energy Trick Up Its Sleeve” • A few months ago, Ford appeared to have ceded a good chunk of the market to China. However, the company is back on the affordability track again, this time with a focus on pumping up the nation’s renewable energy profile. This is a multi-faceted project, and each facet is big. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array (Courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

¶ “TGS Completes New York Bight Surveys” • TGS completed an ultra-high-resolution survey in the New York Bight on behalf of Community Offshore Wind. The lease area could host 3 GW of capacity, enough to power more than one million homes and businesses. The survey characterized soil conditions at the site and took over eight months. [reNews]

¶ “Arkansas Solar Plant Starts Operating” • Entergy Arkansas has begun commercial operations at a 100-MW solar plant. The utility had acquired Walnut Bend Solar Energy Center, in Lee County, from Invenergy which led development, engineering, and construction of the facility. The Walnut Bend facility uses bifacial solar panels and tracking. [reNews]

Have an immaculately convenient day.

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Opinion:

¶ “How China Is Becoming The Saudi Arabia Of Renewables” • China’s consumption of fossil fuels has declined this year due to the rise of electric vehicle use and rising capacities in renewable energy sources. All told, China’s solar and wind power capacity increased by almost 300 GW last year and is doing so again in this year. [South China Morning Post]

Shanghai (Nuno Alberto, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Japan Launches World’s First Steady-State Nuclear Fusion Reactor” • Tokyo-based Helical Fusion is set to launch a first-of-its-kind steady-state nuclear fusion reactor, according to a report from Interesting Engineering. It is considered a “pilot” reactor, but if it succeeds, the project could have major implications for the future of clean energy. [The Cool Down]

World:

¶ “Electric Boat Costs €40 To €50 to Cross Baltic Sea, But Gas Boat Costs €750” • An electric hydrofoiling Candela C-8 crossed the Baltic Sea, from Stockholm to the Finnish region of Åland. The Candela C-8 required no more than €50 worth of electricity for the voyage, but a similarly sized boat powered by gasoline could need €750 of fuel. [CleanTechnica]

Candela C-8 (Candela image)

¶ “Enormous Solar Projects In India, UAE, And Australia” • Solar projects are an order of magnitude larger than they were ten years ago. Solar power is the cheapest option for new electricity generation, and it has become the #1 source of new electricity generation capacity around the world. But where will it be in another 10 years‽ [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Bus Rapid Transit Stations In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Are Getting Charging Stations For Various Types Of EVs” • In Dar es Salaam, the Dar Rapid Transit Agency (DART) signed a contract with TRÍ to install an advanced charging system. This illustrates DART’s plans for environmental conservation and sustainable urban mobility. [CleanTechnica]

TRÍ E2 (Courtesy of TRÍ)

¶ “Haiti Builds A Path To A Clean, Resilient Energy Future” • About 49% of Haitian people had access to electricity as of 2022. In rural areas, that number is closer to 2%, and whee Haitians have access to electricity, that access may not be reliable. In addition, Haiti relies heavily on imported fossil fuels. But it is getting support for a transition. [NREL]

¶ “UK Gas-Fired Power Plant Usage At Lowest Since 2017” • In the UK, gas-fired power plants are operating at their lowest levels since 2017. Analysis by Kilowatts.io shows that less than half of all combined cycle gas turbine capacity is in use during peak profit hours. CCGT capacity, designed for baseload power, struggles to compete as renewables grow. [Energy Live News]

Peterhead power station (Courtesy of SSE)

¶ “Renewable Energy’s Rise Creates Challenges For Traditional Power Utilities” • In Europe, renewable energy now accounts for over 50% of the total power generation. Solar power has seen particularly strong growth in recent years due to significant cost declines. But the rise of renewables has also led to challenges for the power industry. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “World Now Has Five Times More PV Than Nuclear Capacity” • The World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2024, overseen by nuclear consultant Mycle Schneider, shows that global operating PV capacity exceeds by almost five times that of nuclear energy. The number of operating nuclear units stands at 408, one more than a year ago. [pv magazine International]

Rooftop solar power (Watt A Lot, Unsplash)

¶ “TEPCO Again Halts Work To Collect Melted Nuclear Fuel” • Once again, TEPCO has been forced to halt its project to collect nuclear fuel debris at the stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. TEPCO could not confirm camera images of equipment used to remove the debris from the Number 2 reactor, bringing a stop to the project, the utility said. [Asahi Shimbun]

US:

¶ “Firefighters Nearing Victory In Battle Against Three Massive Wildfires Near Los Angeles” • More than 8,000 Firefighters are nearing victory in the battles against the Airport, Bridge, and Line wildfires near Los Angeles. Combined, the three wildfires have burned over 117,000 acres, destroyed nearly 200 structures, and injured 23 people. [ABC News]

Bridge Fire (Angeles National Forest, public domain)

¶ “Los Angeles County Reports A Rare Handful Of Local Dengue Cases” • Los Angeles County is reporting three locally acquired cases of dengue so far this year. This is rare for the region. There have been at least 3,085 cases of locally acquired dengue virus in the US so far this year, according to CDC data. Over 2,900 of the cases are in Puerto Rico. [ABC News]

¶ “Biden Team Sprinting To Disburse Climate Solutions And Infrastructure Funding” • Overall, the policies of President Joe Biden and the Democrats have already spurred unprecedented resurgence in US manufacturing jobs, an exceptional economic boom, and the greatest climate investments in US history. And more is coming. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it (Democratic Party image)

¶ “Doral Picks IHI For US Solar O&M Gig” • Doral, a renewables developer has selected IHI Corporation to provide operations and maintenance services for several solar plants in Indiana. The projects are all parts of the larger Mammoth Solar Project. With all four parts combined, the Mammoth Solar Project is expected to have 1.3 GW of capacity. [reNews]

¶ “FPL’s Turkey Point Nuclear Plant’s Units 3 And 4 Licenses extended” • The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission extended the licenses of Units 3 and 4 of the Florida Power & Light Company’s Turkey Point nuclear power plant. The renewal extends the operational lifespan of Units 3 and 4 until 2052 and 2053, respectively. [Power Technology]

Have an exquisitely goofy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Climate Change Is Here, Whether We Like It Or Not” • A headline in the New York Times said that “historic amounts of rain” in parts of North Carolina caught residents, officials, and forecasters by surprise. It caught people by surprise? How is that possible? The oil companies have known since the 1950s that their products cause climate change. [CleanTechnica]

Weather (Image courtesy of NASA)

¶ “Ford Chairman And CEO Jim Farley Wakes After Decade-long Nap, Shocked By China’s EVs ” • Only in mid 2023 did the CEO and Chairman of Ford Motor Company, one of America’s most storied firms, realize that maybe the Chinese weren’t just doing cheap knockoffs of US products and happily buying US brand cars with the proceeds. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “There Are Now More Fully Electric Cars On Norwegian Roads Than Gas Cars” • Norway’s Road Traffic Information Council reported a milestone: The number of fully electric vehicles on Norwegian roads is now greater than the number of gas cars! Its report says over one million gas cars were taken off Norwegian roads in the past 20 years. [CleanTechnica]

Oslo (Jack White, Unsplash)

¶ “Energy Transition Encounters Challenges” • McKinsey has launched an updated Global Energy Perspective revealing the global energy transition is entering a new phase, marked by rising costs, complexity, and increased technology challenges. Growing energy demand and resulting emissions could affect the pace of the energy transition. [reNews]

¶ “Miliband Vows To Take On ‘Renewables Blockers'” • The UK’s Labour Government will take on the blockers and delayers of clean power projects. During a conference speech at an Energy UK, Ed Miliband said, “Every wind turbine we block, every solar farm we reject, every piece of grid we fail to build makes us less secure and more exposed.” [reNews]

Ed Miliband (UK Government)

¶ “New South Wales Begins Its Renewable Energy Revolution” • The recent auction for the South West Renewable Energy Zone in New South Wales reveals the state’s growing interest in renewable energy. With bids exceeding 15 GW, this initiative marks a significant step towards a sustainable energy transition in Australia. [energynews.pro]

¶ “Berlin Backs 2.7 GW Of Onshore Wind In Tender” • The latest German onshore wind tender has been oversubscribed attracting nearly 3 GW. According to results of the tender by the Federal Network Agency, 230 bids totaling 2,723 MW were successful. The bids exceed the 2.5 GW needed for the country’s annual expansion target. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Coca-Cola Bottles 100% Renewables Target Thanks To Solar Farm Of 1.2 Million Panels” • Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Australia, a consumer goods company based in Sydney, signed a 10-year virtual power purchase agreement with Lightsource bp. The agreement is for 925 GWh/year from a solar Farm in New South Wales. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Lloyd’s Register To Certify World’s Largest Tidal Energy Turbine” • Lloyd’s Register, a renewable energy certification body with a scope in marine energy, has signed an agreement with Orbital Marine Power to start the certification process for the world’s largest tidal energy converter. The converter is rated at 2.4 MW. [Offshore Engineer Magazine]

O2 tidal energy turbine (Courtesy of Orbital Marine Power)

¶ “Nuclear Plant Radioactive Leak ‘Slowing Down'” • An old radioactive leak at a nuclear plant’s storage silo appears to have slowed down, a report says. The Magnox Swarf Storage Silo, built more than 50 years ago at Sellafield, started leaking in 2019 after it first happened in the 1970s. There is no way of stopping the leak without removing the waste first. [BBC]

US:

¶ “Gas Prices Are Plummeting. Experts Explain Why” • Gas prices have fallen about 13% from a 2024 peak in April, owing in part to sluggish demand for gas as the busy summer traveling season has given way to an autumn slowdown, experts said. And a sharp decline in the price of crude oil has propelled an even larger drop-off in gas price. [ABC News]

Summer road trip (Nathan Dumlao, Unsplash)

¶ “Survey Finds 70% Of US Farmers Are Open To Large-Scale Solar On Farmland ” • If large-scale solar projects can allow for the continued use of their land for agricultural production, 70% of US farmers are open to the idea of solar developments on their farmland, results of a survey from the Solar and Storage Industries Institute show. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Delivery Vans Are Going Electric! Where And Why” • The transition toward clean freight is picking up speed. Over the past few years, we’ve started to see more and more zero-emission commercial trucks, delivery vans, and buses hit the road. One indicator of this progress is the growing share of zero-emission truck and bus registrations. [CleanTechnica]

Electric delivery van (Courtesy of Frito-Lay North America)

¶ “US Nuclear Repository Is Among The Federally Owned Spots Identified For Renewable Energy Projects” • The US DOE said it will negotiate a lease agreement with NextEra Energy Resources Development, based in Florida, for nearly 3 sq mi (7.8 sq km) of land surrounding the nation’s only underground repository for nuclear waste. [ABC News]

¶ “NRC Issues Permit To University For Molten Salt Reactor” • The NRC has issued a construction permit to Abilene Christian University to build the the first US university research reactor approved in over 30 years. ACU’s molten salt research reactor is to be the first deployment of the Natura MSR-1, a 1-MW molten salt reactor system. [Power Engineering]

Have an excellently planned day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New EV Battery Has 15-Year, 930,000-Mile Expected Service Life” • We’ve come to the point where, if you buy a new electric car, you probably never have to worry about the car’s battery wearing out. CATL, the largest battery producer in the world, has a new battery it says has a service life of 1.5 million km (930,000 miles) or 15 years. [CleanTechnica]

CATL facility in Arnstadt (Giorno2, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Zimbabwe To Cull 200 Elephants To Feed Citizens Left Hungry By Drought” • Zimbabwe has authorized a slaughter of elephants to feed citizens left hungry by its worst drought in decades. Nearly half of the country’s population facing the risk of acute hunger, so it plans to cull 200 elephants. It has 84,000 elephants, nearly double its capacity. [CNN]

¶ “Data Center Emissions Much Higher Than Reported” • The Guardian compiled emissions data from data centers at Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple for the years 2020 through 2022, and found they are 7.62 times as high as officially reported. Also, Goldman Sachs says a ChatGPT query uses ten times as much electricity as a Google search. [CleanTechnica]

Google data center (Google image)

¶ “Venezuelan Opposition Calls On US To Cancel Oil Company Licenses To Pressure Maduro” • Venezuela’s main opposition coalition called on the US to cancel the licenses that allow energy companies like Chevron to operate in the country. The purpose is to pressure President Nicolás Maduro to negotiate a transition from power. [ABC News]

¶ “JSW Energy Commissions 300-MW Wind Plant” • JSW Renew Energy Two Limited, a subsidiary of JSW Energy, has commissioned the 300-MW wind power project awarded by Solar Energy Corporation of India in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. The company’s total installed capacity is 7,726 MW, and 2,114 MW more is under construction. [Asian Power]

Wind turbines (Laura Penwell, Pexels, cropped)

¶ “Genex Secures State-Backed PPA For 750-MW Solar Project” • The power company Stanwell Corporation, which is owned by the state of Queensland, has signed a 15-year deal to purchase renewable energy from Genex Power’s Bulli Creek project. At 750-MW, the Bulli Creek solar farm is set to be the largest solar project in Australia. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Banks Pledge $386 Billion To Support India’s Renewable Energy Industry” • Financial institutions have pledged a total of $386 billion in investments to help India boost its renewable energy, Renewables Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said. India aims to have 500 GW of renewables capacity installed by 2030. It has about 153 GW now. [OilPrice.com]

Solar panels (Caspar Rae, Unsplash)

¶ “Geothermal Energy Could Outperform Nuclear Power” • Fervo Energy, a scrappy Texan upstart, is applying hydraulic fracturing – along with other petroleum industry techniques – to the sleepy geothermal sector. Should it succeed, it would mean this relatively fringe source of energy could become a major player in the energy mix. [Hindustan Times]

US:

¶ “A Once-In-1,000-Year Rainfall Event From An Unnamed Storm Floods Homes In North Carolina” • Floodwaters surged into homes, stranded vehicles, and forced rescues in coastal North Carolina as a tropical storm-like system dumped historic amounts of rain in just hours. At one station, eighteen inches of rain fell in twelve hours. [CNN]

Storm (R.O.Y, Pexels, cropped)

¶ “A Polluting, Coal-Fired Power Plant Found A Key To Solving America’s Biggest Clean Energy Challenge” • The polluting coal plant is on its way out, scheduled for retirement in the next five years. It’s generated billions of dollars’ worth of electricity in its 50-year life, but the most valuable of its parts is its connection to the grid that powers our homes. [CNN]

¶ “Two Charged In Case Of Illegal Exports For Russian Nuclear Energy” • Two men have been charged with illegal smuggling and conspiring to violate export controls by selling equipment to Russia’s nuclear energy industry, according to the US Attorney’s office in Boston. Such cases are relatively common, and they can be very sophisticated. [ABC News]

Nuclear containment (Sean P Twomey, Pexels)

¶ “Massive Pipeline Fire Burning Near Houston Began After A Vehicle Struck A Valve” • Flames gradually subsided after a massive pipeline explosion caused by a vehicle that went through a fence and struck an above-ground valve, according to officials. The natural gas liquids in miles of pipes had to empty before the fire was out. [ABC News]

¶ “State of Electric School Buses, 2024 Edition” • As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress authorized $5 billion to help school districts transition to electric school buses. In the first round of funding applications, ending in August 2022, the EPA received about 2,000 applications requesting nearly $4 billion for 12,000 buses. [CleanTechnica]

Charging school buses (Courtesy of Zum)

¶ “First Offshore Wind Lease Sale In Gulf of Maine To Power More Than 4.5 Million Homes” • The Department of the Interior announced an offshore wind energy lease sale for eight areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine on October 29, 2024. These areas are sufficient for about 13 GW of capacity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vestas Secures First US Turbine Order For NY Offshore Wind Project ” • Denmark’s Vestas, which has wind projects across the globe, secured its first contract to supply turbines to an offshore wind project in the US. Vestas will supply 54 V236-15.0-MW turbines to Equinor’s 810-MW Empire Wind 1 offshore wind project off Long Island. [The Well News]

Have a marvelously fine day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Retreat From Renewables Has A Dark And Dangerous Underside” • The existential climate crisis that confronts us requires political and policy solutions that disempower the fossil fuel industry and their state allies. The Oil & Gas industry wants return to a time when it was powerful and controlled the US political system. [CleanTechnica]

Nebraska (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)

¶ “The Unseen Effects Of Climate Change And A Hotter World” • Focusing on the Gulf Stream slowing or the glaciers melting in Greenland may make it harder for us to see the small, everyday consequences of our warming planet. Instead, we focus on racist rants of politicians who lack the mental acuity to understand the things that are going on. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “How Big Oil Has Infiltrated Universities And Shaped Climate Research” • It’s hard to remember today, but a few decades ago many conservatives were keen environmentalists. US president George HW Bush championed renewable fuels and strengthened the Clean Air Act. “Every city in America should have clean air,” the elder Bush declared. [Corporate Knights]

San Francisco (Ragnar Vorel, Unsplash)

¶ “Why Does Nuclear Power Exist? Follow the Money. You’ll Find the Answer” • Let’s get one thing clear: nuclear power is neither safe nor economically sensible. It can’t hold a candle to truly renewable, sustainable energy sources when it comes to cost or viability. So why are nuclear plants built? Because it makes money for a select few people. [LA Progressive]

World:

¶ “Death Toll Rises As Torrential Rain And Flooding Force Evacuations In Central Europe” • The death toll was rising in Central European countries after days of heavy rains caused widespread flooding and forced evacuations. Driven by human-caused climate change, a hotter atmosphere can lead to more intense rainfall. [ABC News]

Torrential rain (Max, Unsplash)

¶ “From Potential To Progress: Latvia’s Renewable Energy Landscape” • Latvia’s renewable energy sector has evolved over the past several years. In the early stages, wind energy projects were scarce, and solar energy was not yet considered a viable large-scale option. Today, Sunly is considering an investment in a 500-MW solar park. [LSM]

¶ “China’s Longi Sets World Record For Highest Tandem Solar Cell Efficiency At 34.6%” • Longi, a Chinese solar module maker, announced that it has achieved a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 34.6% in two-terminal tandem perovskite solar cells. The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory verified the results. [Interesting Engineering]

Declining cost of solar power (Rfassbind, public domain)

¶ “Bezos-Backed Group To Prepare South African Grids For Investment” • A global organization backed by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos’ climate and biodiversity fund said it’s setting up a program to attract investment into South African municipal power grids, which need 319 billion rand ($18 billion) to prepare for more renewable energy. [BNN Bloomberg]

¶ “Saudi Arabia Cuts Oil Use In Power Generation Despite Higher Demand” • Saudi Arabia has made some headway in reducing the volumes of oil it burns to generate electricity, a practice that it hopes to end by 2030. The Saudi decarbonization strategy aims for 50% renewable energy for power generation by the end of the decade. [Economy Middle East]

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
(AT Service, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Sumitomo Enters India’s Renewable Energy Market With A $711.54 Million Investment ” • Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation has entered the India’s renewable energy sector through its joint venture with AMPIN Energy Transition Private Limited that will invest $711.54 million to develop clean power sources in the South Asian country. [Asian Power]

¶ “Australia’s Most Fossil Dependent Economy Opens Up To Renewable Energy Highways” • The Pilbara region of north-west Western Australia is opening up to create up to four renewable energy super-highways. The land is the world’s biggest iron ore mining province and Australia’s most fossil fuel dependent economic region. [RenewEconomy]

Hauling ore (Rhys Moult, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Russians Are Stockpiling Ammunition And Explosives At The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant” • The Ukrainian National Resistance Center recently reported that Russian forces are continuing to use the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to station military personnel and store ammunition and explosives. [Ukrainska Pravda]

US:

¶ “US Solar Panel Manufacturing Capacity Grows Nearly Four-Fold Under Federal Incentives ” • Solar module manufacturing capacity in the US exceeds 31 GW, a nearly four-fold increase since the Inflation Reduction Act became law in 2022. In two years under the IRA, the solar industry has added 75 GW of new capacity to the grid. [CleanTechnica]

Testing a solar cell (Radiotrefoil, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Uber And Waymo Expand Partnership to Bring Autonomous Ride-Hailing to Austin And Atlanta” • Uber and Waymo are expanding their relationship to bring the Waymo Driver to more clients. The two companies will deliver driverless ride-hailing in Austin and Atlanta only through the Uber app beginning in early 2025. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sixteen Rural Electric Cooperatives Will Leverage $7.3 Billion In Federal Funding To Deliver Affordable, Reliable Electricity” • The first wave of sixteen rural electric co-ops chosen for funding under the USDA’s Empowering Rural America plan can leverage the awards to deploy carbon-free energy to help power 5 million homes in rural areas of 23 states. [CleanTechnica]

Have a congenially comfortable day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Study Reveals Link Between Heatwaves And Dementia” • A pioneering study revealed health risks posed by long-term weather extremes in the UK, as the effects of climate change intensify. It shows that prolonged exposure to extreme heat can be linked to cognitive decline, kidney disease, skin cancer, and the spread of infectious diseases. [BBC]

Sitting in a wheelchair (Steven HWG, Unsplash)

¶ “Study Challenges Predictions On Climate Cataclysms” • A recent study published in Science Advances indicates that current uncertainties are too significant to predict precisely when critical components of the Earth system, such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, polar ice sheets, or tropical rainforests, might reach tipping points. [SciTechDaily]

World:

¶ “Brazil Experiencing Record-Breaking Wildfires As Persistent Drought Affects The Amazon Rainforest” • Over 50,000 wildfires are active throughout Brazil, ABC News was told by authorities and the Igarape Institute, a think tank that focuses on emerging security and development issues. The Amazon is one of the most heavily affected regions. [ABC News]

Wildfires in Brazil (Antonio Cruz, CC-BY-SA 3.0 Brazil)

¶ “Present And Future Of EV Manufacturing In Latin America” • Latin America’s EV sales are rising. They may not be growing as fast as we wish in some countries; in others, they’re growing faster than we ever could have expected; but the trend is clear. Latin America’s EV sales are 5 million per year, 70% of which are in Brazil and Mexico. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Too Many Heavy, Large EVs Undermine The Benefits Of Green Transportation, Says Researcher” • Why do so many people want heavy, large EVs? They risk the progress that can be made by the transition to personal transportation electrification. So argues a professor of transport, energy, and climate change at the University of Oxford. [CleanTechnica]

2023 Hummer EV (Provided by GM)

¶ “Adani Wins 6,600-MW Maharashtra Power Bid At A Tariff Of ₹4.08/Unit” • Adani Group has won a bid to supply 6,600 MW of bundled renewable and thermal power to Maharashtra for 25 years with its quote of ₹4.08 per unit (4.9¢/kWh). The bid covers 5 GW of solar power and 1,496 MW of thermal at nearly ₹1/unit (1.2¢/kWh) less than the state pays now. [Rediff Money]

¶ “Iran’s Renewable Power Plants’ Electricity Generation Grows By 23%” • In the Iranian calendar month of Mordad, which runs from July 22 to August 22, the renewable power plants in Iran generated a total of 264 GWh of electricity. The represents a noteworthy 23% increase compared to the same month in the previous year. [menafn]

Solar plant in Iran (Nima Najafzade, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Indonesia Breaks Ground On Its First EV Battery Factory Powered By Renewable Energy” • Indonesia broke ground for its first EV battery factory to operate entirely on renewable energy. The plant is in Central Sulawesi. With an abundance of mineral resources, especially nickel, Indonesia holds substantial potential for EV battery production. [Borneo Bulletin]

¶ “Coal-To-Green Transition Redefining China’s West-To-East Power Transmission” • In northwest China’s Gobi Desert, two neighboring power plants testify to the country’s ongoing clean energy transition. The first is one of China’s largest thermal power stations. It is supplied over 20,000 tonnes of coal each day. The other is fueled by sunlight. [Xinhua]

Coal, Inner Mongolia (Herry Lawford, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Claims That Russia Might Strike Ukrainian Nuclear Plants” • US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan expressed concerns about potential Russian strikes aimed at Ukraine’s nuclear plants. Speaking in Kiev, he stressed Russia’s attacks on “civilian energy infrastructure,” alleging that Moscow had also “targeted Ukraine’s nuclear plants.” [Al Mayadeen English]

US:

¶ “Rooftop Solar On Commercial Properties And Parking Lots Is The Next New Thing” • Part of the reason commercial rooftop solar is getting more popular is that it allows business to predict precisely what electricity will cost them for decades to come. In addition, while state and local incentives often sweeten the deals, the cost of solar keeps falling. [CleanTechnica]

Solar array over parking lot (Terrasmart image)

¶ “New $242 Million Funding Assistance Program Is Helping Low-Income Californians Get Zero-Emission Vehicles” • The California Air Resources Board announced a new $242 million effort, the Driving Clean Assistance Program, to prioritize the low-income Californians who need grants and loan assistance to get zero-emission vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “$21 Million Now Available to Install EV Fast Chargers In New York” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $21 million is available to install EV fast chargers along major travel corridors across New York State. The Upstate NEVI Direct Current Fast Charger program is funded by a grant from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure initiative. [CleanTechnica]

Have an emphatically propitious day.

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World:

¶ “UK Court Rules Government Plan To Build First New Coal Mine In Decades Unlawful On Climate Grounds” • Britain’s approval of a coal mine was unlawful, London’s High Court ruled. The same court had ruled earlier that planning authorities must consider the impact of burning fossil fuels when deciding whether to approve projects. [CNN]

Fields near Whitehaven (David Purchase, CC-BY-SS 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Climate Protesters Are Taking Action Against Big Oil, And UK Courts Are Handing Them Prison Terms Like What Thieves Get” • Two new laws give the act of planning a “public nuisance” event a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. This is similar to the punishments for violent crimes like robbery, which range from community service to twelve years’ jail. [CNN]

¶ “BYD Partners With Pilatus Motors To Launch Several Models In Zambia!” • BYD seems to launch a new market in some place every week. It’s good news for Zambia, as BYD launched in that country, giving Zambians a chance to buy some of the latest EVs from one of the world’s largest EV firms. BYD partnered with Pilatus for several models there. [CleanTechnica]

BYD on display (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “New Manufacturing Process For High-Performance Lithium-Metal Battery” • The Horizon 2020 SOLiDIFY consortium, made up of 14 European partners, has developed a high-performance lithium-metal solid-state battery. The prototype has a unique “liquid-to-solid” processed electrolyte developed by imec, Empa and SOLVIONIC. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AMEA Power To Develop Africa’s Largest Solar PV Project” • AMEA Power, based in Dubai, will invest $800 million more in two renewable energy projects in Egypt, boosting its promise of clean energy for the country. The projects include a 1,000-MW PV plant and a 600-MWh battery system for the largest solar PV and battery project in Africa. [Gulf Business]

Solar array (AMEA image)

¶ “EU Commission Approves State Aid For Wind Power In Belgium” • The European Commission approved a €682 million ($755 million) Belgian measure in support of renewable offshore wind energy. Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said, “This measure will help to reduce Belgium’s dependence on fossil fuels from Russia.” [Yahoo]

¶ “Big Oil Faces A Rising Number Of Climate-Focused Lawsuits, Report Finds” • Big oil is facing more and more climate-focused lawsuits, as communities demand accountability for losses due to the industry’s contributions to the climate crisis, a report says. Oil Change International and climate research organization Zero Carbon Analytic published the report. [The Guardian]

US Supreme Court Building (Joe Ravi, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Watchdog Warns Of Rust And Leaks At Nuclear Plant” • A watchdog has raised safety concerns about the state of some areas of the Dounreay nuclear power complex in Scotland. The Office for Nuclear Regulation found corroded steelwork in a building being used to store drums of radioactive sodium, and leaks from low-level radioactive waste pits. [BBC]

US:

¶ “New Poll: Overwhelming Support For US Clean Energy Incentives” • Nearly 90% of American voters support federal clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, according to polling released by Global Strategy Group, North Star, and the Solar Energy Industries Association. That includes 78% of 2020 Trump voters. [CleanTechnica]

Solar instillation in the California desert (Courtesy of BLM)

¶ “You Can Now Get Tesla Model 3 With $0 Due At Delivery” • In another effort to pull in new buyers, Tesla has just sent out a new offer. You can now buy a brand new Tesla Model 3 and pay $0 at delivery. And if you take delivery by September 30, along with this $0 due on delivery, you can get financing for as low as 2.49% APR. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Sungrow FPV Unveils High-Capacity Floating Solar Solutions At RE+ 2024” • With the growing North American PV market demand, Sungrow FPV is focused on meeting local market needs with tailored, high-capacity solutions for floating solar projects. These systems offer key advantages such as stable generating efficiency and high reliability. [CleanTechnica]

Display of panels for floating solar system (Sungrow FPV image)

¶ “As Northwest Homes And Businesses Get More Energy Efficient, It Helps The Power Grid, Report Finds” • Heat pumps, electric water heaters, solar panels, home insulation, and smart thermostats and lighting are all helping Pacific Northwest electric utilities and power regulators better balance the grid, according to a study. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

¶ “Blending Hydrogen In New York Gas Systems Could Require 48 TWh Of Electricity: EDF” • Using hydrogen to decarbonize home heating is likely not a viable long-term strategy, raising questions about the role hydrogen blending could play in the energy transition, according to a report from the Environmental Defense Fund. [Utility Dive]

Have a truly fantastic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Don’t Be Bamboozled By Nuclear Power” • In the face of a complex and urgent problem like climate change, it’s tempting to believe in simple solutions. Nuclear energy has been marketed as a quick fix for the socio-political problem that climate change presents. It’s said to be an essential part of the climate solution, but it is both ineffective and harmful. [Counterpunch]

Atomic Bamboozle (Film donation appeal)

World:

¶ “Trump Is Brutally Mocked By Germany Over False Debate Claim” • Germany’s Foreign Ministry delivered a brutal fact-check of Trump’s false debate claim that the country had reneged on its push to promote renewable energy sources. As with many Trump claims, this one could have been cleared up with a simple Google search. [MSNBC News]

¶ “Oil Prices Slide, Partly Due to Weakened Demand in China” • Zachary Shahan: “We write daily about cutting oil use by driving electric vehicles. However, I don’t follow what’s happening in the oil industry or trends in the price of oil. But ‘Oil prices slide under multiple pressures’ caught my attention.” China turning to EVs might be one of those pressures. [CleanTechnica]

BYD roll-on roll-off ship (BYD image)

¶ “BYD’s Share Of China’s Auto Market Rises To 20%” • BYD’s results in August stand out, as it rose to 19.9% of the Chinese auto market. That was up from 18.1% in July, which was up from 15.9% in June, which was up from 15.7% in May. So, that’s 3 months of consecutive growth, going from 15.7% to 20%! But it had a 10.2% auto market share in January. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Battery-Electric Terminal Trucks Are Deployed in Western Australia” • In an Australian first, Patrick Terminals has deployed nine battery-electric terminal trucks at the Port of Fremantle, Western Australia. This is just the first phase of their transition. Patrick had A$2.5 million ($1.68 million) in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. [CleanTechnica]

Electric terminal truck (Courtesy of ITA Fremantle)

¶ “Scatec Secures Power Purchase Deal For Egypt’s First Hybrid Solar Project” • Scatec, based in Norway, said that it had signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company for the country’s first hybrid solar power and battery storage project, a 1-GW solar plant with 100 MW of battery storage. [Gulf Business]

¶ “Construction Of First Wind Power Plant Has Begun In Kyrgyzstan” • Construction of the first wind power plant has begun in Kyrgyzstan. Russia’s Rosatom Renewable Energy JSC is developing the project. The wind project is to have a capacity of 100 MW, with the annual output expected to be approximately 290 million kWh. [24.KG]

Countryside of Kyrgyzstan (Oziel Gómez, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Green Lights 450-MW Hazelwood North Solar Farm” • Construction of the 450-MW Hazelwood North Solar Farm in Victoria has started after it was granted planning permit approval. The $651 million project, which will be the state’s largest, will power around 150,000 homes and eliminate around 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. [Asian Power]

US:

¶ “GE Vernova Aims To Cut Utility-Scale Solar Costs With New Inverter” • The solar industry has been driving down costs step by step over the past decade. Now solar power has become the most cost-competitive option for new power plants, and solar power is the #1 source of new power capacity around the world. GE Vernova has made another step. [CleanTechnica]

FLEXINVERTER 2000 (Courtesy of GE Vernova)

¶ “EVs Already Reduce Electricity Rates, And They Can Do Even More” • In addition to their myriad health and direct economic benefits compared to polluting gasoline vehicles, EVs also help reduce electricity rates for all utility customers. They’ve already been doing so in California, and recent legislation can help them do more on rising electricity prices. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hurricane Francine Knocks Energy Infrastructure Offline, But Not Clean Energy” • The US Energy Information Administration announced that an extensive array of energy infrastructure has been knocked offline by Hurricane Francine. But one thing stood out: the infrastructure hit was to the grid and fossil fuels; clean energy was not hit. [CleanTechnica]

Transmission towers (Pierre Jarry, Unsplash)

¶ “Utility Ordered To Pay $100 Million For Its Role In Ohio Bribery Scheme” • FirstEnergy Corp, the utility at the center of a $60 million, 2020 bribery scheme to bail out the Davis–Besse and Perry nuclear plants, was ordered by the Securities and Exchange Commission to pay a $100 million civil penalty for misleading investors about the scandal. [ABC News]

¶ “Energy Company Announces Plans For Nation’s First Sodium-Ion Battery Gigafactory” • Lithium has been the go-to metal for battery production for more than 30 years. Sodium is a less expensive and more sustainable alternative. Natron, a US battery maker announced plans to invest $1.4 billion in a large factory to produce sodium-ion batteries. [MSN]

Sodium-ion battery (Natron Energy image)

¶ “Ørsted Hits Sunrise Foundations Milestone” • Ørsted has announced over half of the advanced foundation components for the offshore turbines of the 924-MW Sunrise Wind offshore wind farm are now complete, as construction of the New York offshore windfarm will start in 2025. The components are being made at the Port of Coeymans. [reNews]

¶ “The Senate Race In Nevada Pits Renewable Energy Against Fossil Fuels” • Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen and Republican challenger Sam Brown differ sharply on climate policy and the development of Nevada’s solar industry. Rosen supports policies promoting clean energy. Brown advocates producing more oil and gas. [The Daily Climate]

Have an honestly magnificent day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Lessons from China’s Growing Adoption of Zero-Emission Trucks” • Getting more zero-emission trucks on the road is an important transportation shift needed to reduce air pollution and curb emissions. Transforming the entire trucking industry is challenging. It will require the establishment of government policies with ambitious targets. [CleanTechnica]

Gen-3 BYD 8TT (Courtesy of BYD)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Oxford Scientists Have Made A Remarkable Advancement With A Material That Generates Solar Power Without Traditional Panels” • In August, a team from Oxford’s physics department announced that it has developed an “ultra-thin material” that has 27% energy efficiency in converting sunlight into energy. This could be an important breakthrough. [Yahoo]

World:

¶ “Drought-Hit Danube River Reveals Scuttled German World War II Ships” • The wrecks of explosives-laden Nazi ships sunk in the Danube River during World War II have been revealed near Serbia’s river port town of Prahovo, after a drought in July and August. Due to the drought, the river’s water level drop to only 1.5 meters (4.9 feet). [CNN]

Prohovo, before the drought (Stadtigel, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “World Solar PV Installations To Grow To About 600 GW This Year” • Solar power keeps breaking records. More solar power is being installed than energy other electricity source in the US and in the world as a whole. A forecast from BloombergNEF has total solar PV power installations reaching nearly 600 GW this year, a 33% increase over the 2023 total! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EV Battery News Just Keeps Getting Better And Better” • Some headline writers keep writing off 100% battery EVs as a passing fad, even though their sales keep rising. Faster-charging and less expensive batteries with longer range would help push things along for EVs, and that is exactly what EV battery stakeholders have in the works. [CleanTechnica]

Stellantis EV at a battery swap (Courtesy of Stellantis)

¶ “The Starmer Government Is Leading UK Away From Its Oil Addiction” • When Greenpeace appealed the decisions allowing drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea in 2022, the government of the UK opposed it. The UK’s supreme court ruled in June that “Scope 3” emissions should be taken into account. And the UK has a new government. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Aker To Design Med Wind Substations” • Aker Solutions won a contract to design the underwater substations for Med Wind, the 2,800-MW Italian floating wind project. The developer, Renexia, signed a front-end engineering and design contract with the company for the scheme off Trapani on the seabed of the Strait of Sicily. [reNews]

Submarine substation (Aker Solutions image)

¶ “Europe Adds 6.4 GW Of Wind In H1 2024” • Europe added 6,400 MW of new onshore and offshore wind capacity in the first half of 2024, according to latest data from WindEurope. In H1, 5.3 GW was onshore wind capacity and 1.1 GW was offshore. The EU is on track to build 15 GW of new wind farms this year, down slightly from 16 GW in 2023. [reNews]

¶ “Neoen And SmartestEnergy Sign Oz Solar PPA” • Neoen has signed a power purchase agreement with SmartestEnergy for 50% of the output from its 440-MW Culcairn solar farm in New South Wales. The four-year contract will enable SmartestEnergy to meet the demand for renewable energy from businesses in the state. Its term starts in 2026. [reNews]

Solar panels and sheep (Neoen image)

¶ “Regulator Grants Construction Permit For Two New Nuclear Reactors” • In South Korea, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission granted a construction permit for two new nuclear reactors, eight years after the application was submitted. The approval reverses the previous government’s nuclear phase-out policy. [KoreaTimes]

US:

¶ “Financing Solar Panels Just Became Way Easier in USA” • Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, a new financing model can make solar easier to access for low-income households and nonprofits. A church in Compton, California put it to work. A 12-kW project, soon to have a battery system, will allow the church to serve as a resiliency hub. [CleanTechnica]

Rooftop solar array (Courtesy of RE-volv)

¶ “Climate Action Plans For States Made Easier With Free Tool” • RMI and Energy Innovation’s free Energy Policy Simulator can help states craft very effective energy and climate plans. They developed EPS models for the 48 states in the continental US that estimate the environmental, economic, and human health impacts of different policies. [CleanTechnica]

“Feds Approve $2.3 Billion Solar-Plus-Storage Project” • The US Bureau of Land Management approved a $2.3 billion solar-plus-battery storage project in Nevada. Libra Solar is a 700-MW solar and 700-MW, 2.8-GW battery project being developed by Arevia Power. The project is on 5,141 acres of land in Nevada owned by the BLM. [Power Engineering]

Solar system in a desert area (Bureau of Land Management)

¶ “Warm Oceans Strengthened Hurricane Francine And Could Power More Fall Storms” • Warm water in the Gulf of Mexico helped quickly strengthen Hurricane Francine, creating danger for Louisiana residents rushing to buy supplies and secure their homes before the storm’s landfall. Warm ocean water is essential for strengthening hurricanes. [ABC News]

¶ “California Bridge Fire Updates: Newsom Expands Emergency Due To ‘Extreme Behavior'” • The Bridge Fire straddling Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties became the largest wildfire in California, as authorities battled several large blazes aided by federal assistance and the state National Guard. The Bridge Fire is threatening 2,500 structures. [ABC News]

Have a really happy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “On Fake Protest – Is The Extinction Rebellion … A Front For The Fossil Industries?” • We’ve all seen the headlines, the antics, and the absurd protests by the Extinction Rebellion. Claiming to raise awareness of the climate crisis, they glue themselves to art and disrupt sports tournaments. Are they actually doing this to discredit climate activists? [CleanTechnica]

Protest by Extinction Rebellion (Bhuwan Bansal, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “‘Out Of Control’ Fires Ravage The Amazon Region” • In the Amazon River basin, wildfires are choking swaths of Brazil, Bolivia, and Ecuador with smoke, leading to evacuations, school closures, canceled flights, and a dire threat to plant and animal life in the region. Officials say the fires are thought to be the worst in twenty years. [ABC News]

¶ “A Volkswagen ‘Earthquake’ Hits Germany” • The Volkswagen Group recently announced that it might need to close two German factories. It also might need to end the decades-old “guaranteed employment” policy it used to ensure workers they would always have jobs in the Volkswagen family. Some media called the news an “earthquake.” [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.7

¶ “Neoen Wins Backing For 170 MW Of Solar” • Neoen won 170 MW of solar capacity in Ireland’s Renewable Electricity Support Scheme 4 auction. It won two projects, the 29-MW Johnstown North Solar project in County Wicklow, and the 141-MW Garr Solar project in County Offaly. They are scheduled to come online in 2027 and 2028 respectively. [reNews]

¶ “Crown Estate Launches New UK Seabed Vision” • The Crown Estate has published two blueprints to support nature recovery, enable growth in critical marine sectors, and lease 20 GW to 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030. The Marine Delivery Routemap sets out a long-term and holistic view of how it can be used by identifying areas for various purposes. [reNews]

Sea (frank mckenna, Unsplash)

¶ “European Natural Gas Prices Drop as Wind Power Soars” • The European benchmark natural gas prices fell as the region’s first colder wave brought a lot of wind and powered a higher share of electricity in key markets. The Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, the benchmark for Europe’s gas trading, were down by 2.4% in Amsterdam. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “UK Developer Unveils 500-MW Solar Scheme” • Renewables developer Island Green Power unveiled plans for a utility-scale solar and battery project in Norfolk. With a potential generating capacity of up to 500 MW, East Pye Solar is proposed to be built across various sites near Long Stratton and would connect to an existing 400-kV overhead line. [reNews]

Solar panels (Andres Siimon, Unsplash)

¶ “Ukraine Warns Russian Strikes On Power Grid Could Spark Nuclear Crisis” • Ukraine has thousands of power substations. But there are ten nodes linked to nuclear power plants, whose destruction could plunge the country into darkness and provoke a radiological emergency, Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko said. [South China Morning Post]

US:

¶ “National Guard Deployed To Help Fight Raging California Fire Threatening Thousands Of Homes” • Three major wildfires are raging across Southern California, threatening thousands of homes as firefighters and the state National Guard were battling to bring the flames under control amid a triple-digit heatwave, officials said. [ABC News]

Smoke from the Line Fire (Cal Fire image)

¶ “NREL’s Economic Impact Hits $1.9 Billion” • The economic impact of the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory topped $1.9 billion nationwide in Fiscal Year 2023, according to a study by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. Every US state felt an impact from direct or indirect spending connected to NREL. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford EV Owners Can Now Get Paid To Support Southern California Grid” • If you own or lease a Ford EV, you can now get paid to support the electricity grid in Southern California, and you don’t need vehicle-to-grid technology. This is just in the Southern California Edison utility district, and it is initially only an option for Ford EV owners. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning (Ford image)

¶ “Greg Abbott Creates A Texas Court System To Protect Polluters” • Texas seems to have a new type of court. “Greg Abbott created a boutique court for corporations where he, not the voters, gets to pick the judges,” said Adrian Shelley, director of the Texas office at Public Citizen, a progressive advocacy organization. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewables Surge To Drive US Grid Modernization” • The need for grid modernization has grown more urgent as US utilities prepare to accommodate more renewable energy capacity, according to a report by Black & Veatch. The 2024 Electric Report outlines the “immense opportunity” in renewables and sustainable infrastructure. [reNews]

Solar panels (Biel Morro, Unsplash)

¶ “Iberdrola Secures 791-MW Offshore Wind Project In The US” • Iberdrola, through its US subsidiary Avangrid, was awarded a contract to develop the 791-MW New England Wind 1 offshore wind farm in the US. This project will supply energy to 400,000 homes in Massachusetts. Commercial operation is scheduled for 2029. [energynews.pro]

¶ “State Signs Off On 100-MW Solar Farm In Alfred” • A New York solar farm got final state approval and is all clear to be built, Governor Kathy Hochul announced. The Alfred Oaks solar farm, a 100-MW project in Alfred, New York, was issued a final siting permit by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission. [Hornell Evening Tribune]

Have a conscientiously considered day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “See-Through Solar Windows, Coming Soon To A Farm Near You” • Some people object to solar PVs, saying they don’t look good. Research indicates that transparent, see-through solar technology can use some sunlight while passing some. Solar cells can be the glass in a greenhouse, so a farmer’s greenhouse can generate electricity. [CleanTechnica]

Glass solar PV (Courtesy of Michigan State University)

World:

¶ “Indonesia’s Palm Oil B50 Biodiesel Blend Aims For Green Energy Without Risking Global Palm Oil Supply” • Indonesia, the world’s leading palm oil producer, aims to harness its vast reserves as a renewable energy source. Since 2008, the country has been blending palm oil with fossil fuel-based diesel to create biodiesel. [The Independent Singapore News]

¶ “Tata Power Commences Production Of Solar PVs At India’s Largest Solar Manufacturing Plant” • TP Solar Ltd, a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd, announced the opening of commercial production from the 2-GW solar cell line at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu. The plant will benefit India’s economy. [Tata Power]

Tata Power Manufacturing Plant (Tata Power image)

¶ “Panel Installation Complete At Solar And Battery Project Built To Power Pilbara Mining Giants” • Leading Australian energy infrastructure business APA Group announced that it completed installation of all solar panels at the 45-MW Port Hedland solar farm, which will also feature a 35-MW, 36.7-MWh battery energy storage system. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “India Announces Country’s Largest Wind Energy Project To Power 3 Million Households” • India has announced its largest wind energy project, which will power 3 million households, Asian News International reported. The government-owned NTPC Green Energy Limited has partnered with Suzlon Group for the 1,166-MW project. [Energy Central]

Indian wind farm (Sharada Prasad, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Telstra Signs Up To Buy Half The Output From Big Riverina Solar Farm, Sheep Not Included” • Australian telecoms giant Telstra signed a deal to buy 50% of the electricity generated by the Glenellen solar farm, a 260-MW project under construction in New South Wales. The solar project will allow ongoing grazing within its area. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Great Britain Generates Over 80% Of Summer Electricity From Renewables” • Great Britain had its greenest summer on record, with roughly a fifth of electricity from non-renewable sources, data commissioned by The Guardian shows. Data from Ember shows fossil fuel use was just over 62% in 2014, but it fell to about 21% for August 2024. [EcoWatch]

Unloading turbine blades (Flickr.com, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “At Japan’s Fukushima, A High-Stakes Recovery Of Deadly Radioactive Debris Resumes” • In Japan, an extendable robot resumed its mission to retrieve a fragment of melted fuel debris from one of three damaged reactors at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, nearly three weeks after an earlier attempt was suspended. [South China Morning Post]

Sweden:

¶ “Sweden To Introduce Wind Incentives” • The government of Sweden is to implement proposals to help expand wind power. The plans include a provision that municipalities where wind farms are built will receive support in an amount equivalent to the property taxes on the array. The trade body has pursued the issue for over 10 years. [reNews]

Wind farm (Waldemar, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “The World’s First Electric Timber Truck With A Crane Takes Sustainable Forestry To The Next Level ” • The forestry industry just saw a major leap towards sustainability with the debut of the world’s first electric timber truck with a crane. It was unveiled in Sweden at the Elmia Lastbil fair. It is the result of a collaboration between SCA and Scania. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Northvolt’s Initial Outcomes From Its Strategic Review” • Northvolt announced it will focus its resources on sustainable large-scale cell manufacturing. This endeavor entails ramping up the first phase of the Northvolt Ett gigafactory in Sweden, whilst continuing to leverage the world-class R&D facility Northvolt Labs, in Västerås, Sweden. [CleanTechnica]

Northvolt Ett factory (Courtesy of Northvolt)

US:

¶ “The US Is Dismantling Nuclear Warheads To Power The Next Generation Of Reactors” • Inside a highly classified facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, workers are turning old, unexploded nuclear warheads into fuel that will power cities. The process involves melting weapons-grade uranium with low-enriched uranium in a crucible at around 2,500°F. [CNN]

¶ “US Solar Power Booms Under Biden” • A report published by the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie highlights how effective the Biden-Harris administration has been in advancing solar power in the US, and especially solar panel production capacity. Solar module production capacity has risen above 31 GW per year. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power (Karl Callwood, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Clean Energy’s Secret Weapon: Rural Electric Cooperatives” • In one of the great ironies of American political life, many of the conservative rural communities in the continental US get their electricity from ratepayer-owned, not-for-profit utilities called rural electric cooperatives. These rural areas had once been left in the dark by for-profit utilities. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Biden Administration OKs Major Nevada Power Project” • The Biden administration announced it is approving a major transmission project as well as a solar project in Nevada. The Greenlink West Transmission Project will run power lines from North Las Vegas to Reno. It could transmit enough electricity for 4.8 million homes. [The Hill]

Have a scrupulously improvised day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Most Of Us Breathe Unsafe Air? What Can We Do About It?” • Universally, governments need to help everyday citizens to fight unsafe air by collaborating across borders, sectors, and silos. The most efficient way to reduce air pollution is through collective investments of time, resources, and efforts. But individuals have opportunities to fight unsafe air. [CleanTechnica]

Candle (Jarl Schmidt, Unsplash)

¶ “Amprius Claims Big Step Forward On Next-Gen Li-ion Batteries” • Amprius, created from Stanford University, has been trudging along, developing world-changing technology. Here’s an interview Zachary Shahan of CleanTechnica had with its CTO, Constantin Ionel Stefan, so you can dive into the company’s vision and progress: [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar Power Vs The Darkness Of Trump” • To understand the stakes in this year’s election, and to understand the very exciting possibility for rapid progress in the climate fight, a new set of numbers is extremely useful. They come courtesy of Electrek’s Michelle Lewis, reporting on Ken Bossong’s analysis of the data on electric generation. [Common Dreams]

Dawn (NEOM, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “The Controversial Plan To Turn A Desert Green” • There are numerous projects to regreen deserts, and one of them is to turn the Sinai green. There are enormous benefits to greening deserts, ranging from local economics to drawing down carbon dioxide globally. But there are issues with the plan and controversy based on real issues. [CNN]

World:

¶ “Bridge Collapses As More Rain Falls In Vietnam And Storm Deaths Rise To 21” • A bridge collapsed as more rain fell on northern Vietnam from a former typhoon that caused landslides, flooding, and at least 21 deaths. Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades when it made landfall with winds up to 149 kph (92 mph). [ABC News]

Damage by Yagi in China (Anna Frodesiak, public domain)

¶ “EVs Take 20.6% Share In Germany” • August saw plugin EVs take 20.6% share in Germany, down from (an outlier) 37.0% share YOY. Battery EVs are now around the level they were in 2022, but the plugin hybrid EV share has halved since then. Overall auto volume was 197,322 units, down some 28% YOY, and far below 2015–2019 seasonal norms. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NTPC Green Energy And Suzlon Sign Deal For India’s Largest 1,166-MW Wind Power Project” • NTPC Green Energy partnered with Suzlon Group, for India’s largest wind energy order to date, totaling 1,166 MW. According to Suzlon Energy, this project will have 370 wind turbines, each with a rated capacity of 3.15 MW, in three sites in Gujarat. [BW Businessworld]

Suzlon wind farm (Suzlon image)

¶ “Voltalia Wins A 128-MW Contract For A Solar Power Plant In Ireland” • Ørsted awarded Voltalia an engineering, procurement, and construction contract for its first solar power plant in Ireland. This 128-MW project marks Ørsted’s entry into the Irish solar sector, which had previously focused on wind power. The project is in County Carlow. [energynews.pro]

¶ “Uzbekistan’s Green Energy Revolution” • A green-energy project in Uzbekistan to stabilize the system distributing the country’s electricity has taken a major step toward launching before the end of 2024. The Podrobno.uz news outlet reports that installation of a battery system with a capacity of 150-MW, 300-MWh was completed. [OilPrice.com]

Tashkent (Farhodjon Chinberdiev, Unsplash)

¶ “Ramokgopa Withdraws Nuclear Determination, Undoing More Mantashe Policy” • South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy withdrew a key determination under the Electricity Regulation Act. While the cost of renewable energy is falling, nuclear energy projects are often expensive and require long-term investments. [Bizcommunity]

US:

¶ “New Fleet Of Electric Buses For US National Park” • National Parks are in the spotlight this week as Nat Geo TV unspools the new National Geographic series National Parks: USA, featuring Indigenous stories that weave the wildlife of Zion, Yellowstone, Katmai, the Everglades, and Olympic into a human framework that goes back millennia. [CleanTechnica]

Katmai National Park, Alaska (Emilio Borraz Ortega, Unsplash)

¶ “Solar Power Takes Big Bite Out Of Sullivan’s Emissions” • It has been ten years since the Sullivan County Legislature set out to reduce by 2020 half of the greenhouse gas emitted by the county government. Since then, step by step, the New York county has been installing solar power of various types and reducing its emissions. [The River Reporter]

¶ “New Life For Abandoned Offshore Wind Leases?” • Ørsted abandoned its plans for a massive wind farm off the Jersey Shore nearly a year ago. Now industry analysts and others say that the offshore wind industry may be poised to buy up the ocean leases that could generate enough power for some 1 million New Jersey homes. [NJ Spotlight News]

Offshore windfarm (Jesse De Meulenaere, Unsplash)

¶ “Report Reveals Which US States Will Reach 100% Renewable Energy By 2035 – And Which Won’t” • Not all states are created equal when it comes to clean energy progress. The EPA recently released data detailing which US states are on track to reach 100% renewable energy by 2035. The three best states are Washington, South Dakota, and Vermont. [MSN]

¶ “Five Companies Become Eligible To Bid On Oregon First Offshore Wind Energy Projects Next Month” • Five companies are eligible to bid in Oregon’s first offshore wind energy lease auction in mid-October, a federal document says. Published by the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, is the final step before the auction. [YachatsNews.com]

Have a fascinatingly lovely day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Geothermal Energy Solution To The Kamala Harris Fracking Dilemma” • Vice President Kamala Harris does not support a ban on fracking. But if proven cost-effective, enhanced geothermal systems would expand the US geothermal energy footprint by a wide margin, from a few GW to over 100 GW a 2006 calculation by MIT shows. [CleanTechnica]

Fracking (Courtesy of US DOE)

World:

¶ “How The Balkans Region Grappled With The Hottest Summer In Over A Century” • Meteorologists say the summer of 2024 in the Balkans was the hottest since measurements started over 130 years ago. Long periods with temperatures above 30°C (86°F) that didn’t fall below 20°C (68°F) overnight have pushed the average temperatures to new highs. [ABC News]

¶ “Scientists Search The Underside Of Glaciers For Clues To Sea Level Rise” • With knowledge about the undersides of glaciers at the ocean edge, scientists could predict how they interact with warmer ocean waters. That will give us better understanding of how much increase in sea levels we can expect and when, giving world cities time to prepare. [CleanTechnica]

Robotic submarine (Jackson School of Geosciences)

¶ “India’s Power Sector To Increase By 2.2 Times To $280 Billion By FY30: Report” • India’s power generation and transmission sectors are poised for substantial growth, and as the country goes into a phase of GDP growth driven by capital expenditure, the power intensity should increase, according to Jefferies in its latest September report. [Times of Oman]

¶ “Goliath Solid State Battery ‘Exceeded Our Expectations’ On Safety Test” • The race for the solid state EV battery of tomorrow is crowded, and here comes yet another startup. The UK firm Ilika just dropped word that its Goliath P1 prototype cells have passed a crucial safety test by failing to reach dangerously high heat when impaled by a nail. [CleanTechnica]

Goliath prototype solid state battery (Courtesy of Ilika)

Australia:

¶ “Australia ‘Wasting’ Record Amounts Of Renewable Energy As Share Of Wind And Solar Soars” • Australia already generates so much renewable energy that more than a quarter of the wind and solar potential has to be curtailed. At one point, the amount of curtailed renewable power was equal to the entire output from coal-fired power stations in NSW. [MSN]

¶ “Australia Launches Construction Of The World’s Largest Solar Power Plant” • Australia is set to build the world’s largest solar farm. SunCable will have a capacity of 6 GW, of which 4 GW is to power three million Australian homes, while the remaining 2 GW will be exported to Singapore via a 4,500-kilometer (about 2,796 miles) submarine cable. [Techno-Science.net]

Northern Territory (PeterWH, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Like Running Hazelwood Coal Plant For 106 Years” • The government evaluated data from the 2024 Integrated System Plan by the Australian Energy Market Operator. It says emissions from coal and gas could grow by 1.7 billion tonnes by 2050 if their use is extended another 15 years, as required under the Coalition’s nuclear power plans. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Wildfire Burning East Of Los Angeles Forces Evacuation In California Town” • Officials in San Bernardino County issued an evacuation order and declared a local emergency after a wildfire burning in the hills east of the city grew to over 7,000 acres. The Line Fire was 0% contained as of Saturday afternoon, roughly two days after it started. [ABC News]

Line Fire (Cal Fire image)

¶ “Go Electric Colorado Helps Homeowners In Colorado And Around The Country Transition To Fossil-Free Buildings” • In Colorado, the Denver-based non-profit Go Electric Colorado is gaining power. This initiative has set its sights on transforming how the state’s people power their homes and commutes, for a sustainable, electric future. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Landslides Are Destroying Multimillion-Dollar Homes In California, And They’re Getting Worse” • The deep landslides beneath the multimillion-dollar homes in Rancho Palos Verdes moved at an almost glacial pace, until they didn’t. Scientists warn they are set to become more frequent as the climate crisis fuels heavier rainfall and more powerful storms. [CNN]

Have an impressively graceful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Farmland And PVs: It Might Not Be What I Expected” • How many acres of land would be needed for enough solar PV to provide the US with all of its energy, including electricity, heat, transportation, industry, and whatever else we use energy for? How many acres are being used for corn for ethanol? How do they compare? [CleanTechnica]

Corn field (Gaspar Uhas, Unsplash)

¶ “Europe Is Leading On Green Hydrogen. The US Will Follow Soon After” • Recent examples of EU hydrogen project activity: BP announced that they are moving forward with their 200-MW project in Castellon, Spain, and a smaller 10-MW project in Aberdeen, Scotland. We’ve seen this before. Europe leads, and the US quickly catches up. [CleanTechnica]

Science and Technology:

¶ “This Hurricane Season Is Confounding Experts And Defying Forecasts.” • Forecasters had predicted this hurricane season was going to be bad. Instead, the Atlantic Ocean is enveloped in a rare and strange calm that has flummoxed forecasters and reset their expectations. It could be a glimpse at what’s to come as the planet gets hotter. [CNN]

Weather (Ish Consul, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “One Of The Year’s Strongest Typhoons Kills Two In Hainan Before Hitting Vietnam” • One of this year’s most powerful storms made landfall in northern Vietnam, after killing at least two and injuring dozens on the Chinese island of Hainan. With wind speeds of 230 km/h (140 mph), Typhoon Yagi was as strong as a Category 4 hurricane. [CNN]

¶ “Tesla GigaTrain Begins Operations In Germany” • The absolute best way to transport people from Point A to Point B at the lowest possible coat per mile is by train. Tesla recently started operating a battery-powered passenger and freight train from Erkner station southeast of Berlin to the Tesla gigafactory in Grünhiede, 6 km to the east. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla GigaTrain (NEB image)

¶ “EVs Take 29.4% Share In The UK” • August’s auto market saw plugin EVs take 29.4% share in the UK, up from 27.8% year on year. Battery EVs grew in volume, whilst plugin hybrids shrank. Overall auto volume was 84,575 units, down 1% YOY and in line with pre-2020 norms. The UK’s leading BEV brand in August was Tesla, with a 16% BEV market share. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Putin Issues Nuclear Power Plant Strike Warning: ‘One Can Only Imagine'” • Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a fresh nuclear warning about an alleged Ukrainian attack on a nuclear power plant in Russia’s border Kursk region. “One can only imagine what will happen if we strike back; what will happen in Europe,” Putin said. [MSN]

Vladimir Putin (kremlin.ru, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “A Hurricane-Damaged Louisiana Skyscraper Is Set To Be Demolished” • An abandoned, 22-story building in Lake Charles, Louisiana is scheduled to be demolished Saturday after sitting vacant for nearly four years. The Hertz Tower, once an icon in the city, had become instead a symbol of destruction from hurricanes Laura and Delta. [ABC News]

¶ “Offshore Wind Foes Finally Give Up The Ghost … Or Did They?” • The rough-and-tumble world of the Atlantic coast offshore wind industry has been eerily quiet this summer. Projects in three New England states and in Maryland are moving ahead quietly. Blockades by outraged citizens are absent. The silence is deafening. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore wind farm (Maryland Energy Administration image)

¶ “More Than 150,000 EV Chargers Are Now Installed In California” • The State of California has installed more than 150,000 electric vehicle chargers. The total number of US EV chargers is about 192,000, according to the US Transportation Department. It should be no surprise that California has most of the EV chargers in the country. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Massachusetts and Rhode Island To Buy Power From Three New Offshore Wind Farms” • Massachusetts and Rhode Island officials announced that they plan to buy power from three new offshore wind farms, signaling that energy regulators in both states still consider the renewable energy source economically viable in New England. [The Public’s Radio]

Windpower activity at New Bedford (Vineyard Wind image)

¶ “Federal Agency Selects GVEA For Renewable-Energy Grants, Loans” • The Biden-Harris administration said that Golden Valley Electric Association, based in Fairbanks, Alaska, is one of sixteen electric cooperatives around the nation to be selected for funds intended to help co-ops pay to install renewable energy such as wind and solar. [KUAC]

¶ “Maryland Offshore Wind Project To Generate Power For Peninsula” • The US Department of the Interior approved US Wind’s plan for 114 wind turbines that would generate more than 2 GW of clean energy. The wind farm is slated for federal wind lease areas that were created through Maryland legislation back in 2013. [Delaware Business Times]

Rendering of wind farm (US BOEM image)

¶ “Solar Is bigger In Texas” • Texas passed California as the state with the most capacity from big solar projects, new industry data shows. Growth of these utility-scale arrays highlights the wider trend that Texas is a lab for almost every aspect of the energy and climate future. Long the country’s biggest wind producer, Texas is now second in battery storage too. [Axios]

¶ “Sixteen US Rural Electric Co-Ops To Get $7.3 Billion For Clean Energy” • The US government announced more than $7.3 billion in financing for sixteen rural electric cooperatives to build clean energy for rural communities in the country. The funds come from the Inflation Reduction Act’s Empowering Rural America program. [Renewables Now]

Have a gratifyingly peaceful day.

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World:

¶ “The Planet Endures Its Hottest Summer On Record, For The Second Straight Year” • Summer broke global heat records for the second straight year, putting 2024 firmly on track to be the hottest year in since records began in 1940, according to data from Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service. This summer passed the previous record by 0.03°C. [CNN]

Sunset (Yevhenii Aihubov, Unsplash)

¶ “Highest Court In South Korea Rules In Favor Of Climate Activists” • According to Reuters, South Korea has been kicking the can down the road on climate action. The Constitutional Court of South Korea ruled recently that the country’s climate change law did not protect basic human rights and lacks targets to shield future generations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Ramping Renewables And Slamming Brakes On Coal Could Mean Massive CO₂ Reductions By 2030” • China is still building coal-burning plants, but it only permitted 10 GW of new coal capacity in the first half of 2024, a drop of 83%. And capacity factors for its coal plants keep falling, as deployment of wind and solar set records each year. [CleanTechnica]

Chuanshan wind farm (Siyuwj, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Industry Hails Approval Of ‘UK’s Largest’ Solar Farm” • The UK gave the green light to its largest solar project, the 600-MW Cottam solar farm. The Cottam solar farm will be in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire and is projected to supply power to around 180,000 homes annually. The decision was positively received by the solar industry. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Consultancy Unveils Maintenance Jack-Up” • Knud E Hansen designed an offshore turbine maintenance platform. The vessel is designed for all kinds of maintenance work on machines up to 20 MW, including replacement of nacelles weighing as much as 1000 tonnes at a hub height of 175 metres and managing blades up to 130 metres long. [reNews]

Jack-up vessel (Knud E Hansen image)

¶ “Poland Targets 56% Renewables In Its Energy Mix By 2030” • Poland is aiming for 56% renewable energy in its electricity by 2030, with an investment of 792 billion zlotys ($205.76 billion), according to the draft national plan submitted to the EU. Before going to the European Commission, the plan must be approved by the government cabinet. [energynews.pro]

¶ “Iberdrola Begins 556-MW Oz Hybrid Build” • Iberdrola Australia announced that construction is underway at the 556-MW Broadsound Solar and Battery, the company’s first project in Queensland. The 376-MW Broadsound solar farm is co-located with a 180-MW battery system at Clarke Creek. It is expected power 145,000 homes. [reNews]

Solar panels (Iberdrola image)

¶ “IAEA Warns About The Safety Of Nuclear Power Plants In Conflict Zones” • The safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, at Zaporizhzhia and Kursk, is a major concern as fighting intensifies in these regions. The conflict in Ukraine is putting the security of nuclear facilities under severe strain, heightening the risk of serious incidents. [energynews.pro]

US:

¶ “Phoenix Set To Break Record For 110-Degree Days” • Phoenix has surpassed 110°F 55 times this summer, tying the record set just last year. Phoenix is expected to break that all-time record again as temperatures are forecast to reach near 114°F. Over the last 30 years, Phoenix has seen an average of just 21 days a year over 110°F. [ABC News]

Downtown Phoenix (Gabriel Valdez, Unsplash)

¶ “Persistent Power Outages In Puerto Rico Spark Outrage” • A growing number of Puerto Rican government officials demanded answers from two private electric companies as the US territory struggles with persistent power outages. Tens of thousands of customers were left without electricity this week amid selective power cuts. [ABC News]

¶ “Batteries Plus And Green Bay Packers Partner To Launch Battery Recycling Initiative” • The Green Bay Packers, with the winningest record in NFL history, has a devoted fanbase and a huge stadium, so it’s kind of a no-brainer for another Green Bay organization to parter with the team. Batteries Plus opened its first store in Green Bay in 1988. [CleanTechnica]

Packers playing Patriots (gjbender1, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Solar Power Meets Hydropower On Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Ancestral Land” • A network of innovative 115-kW, fish-safe hydropower systems is under construction on irrigated farmland owned by a Ute Tribe in Colorado. That’s just the tip of the clean energy iceberg for the sovereign nation, which is also planing a solar project topping 900 MW. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Berkeley Plans New Strategy To Eliminate Methane” • The city of Berkeley, California had pursued a plan to ban methane, but the idea was found illegal by the courts. Now the city has seen the power of a taxation plan it agreed on with Chevron for a refinery, and it intends to use a similar plan to deal with the problem of methane gas. [CleanTechnica]

UC Berkeley (Georg Eiermann, Unsplash)

¶ “US Adds 11 GW Of Renewables In Q2” • In a record-breaking second quarter, US developers added 11 GW of clean power capacity, marking a 91% increase on Q2 2023. The American Clean Power Association released its “Clean Power Quarterly Market Report, Q2 2024,” revealing “extraordinary growth and milestones” across the US. [reNews]

¶ “Sixteen Electric Cooperatives Will Leverage $7.3 Billion In Federal Funding To Deliver More Affordable, Reliable Electricity To Their Members” • The sixteen rural electric co-ops selected to receive the USDA’s ERA funding are planning to leverage their awards to deploy carbon-free energy to help power five million homes across 23 states. [RMI]

Have an inconceivably beautiful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Nuclear Won’t Cut It: CCA Says Australia Must Go All In On Renewables To Meet Climate Targets” • Australia will not reach net zero emissions by 2050 under the federal Coalition’s nuclear power plan, according to a comprehensive report that puts the shift to 100% renewables at the centre of all plausible pathways to meet the global climate target. [RenewEconomy]

Wind farm (William DeHoogh, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “Volvo Scales Back Electric Vehicle Ambitions, Eases Goal To At Least 90% By 2030” • Volvo Cars, based in Sweden, eased off on its pledge to stop selling cars with internal combustion motors by 2030, saying slow rollout of places to charge up and withdrawal of purchase incentives will leave room for a few cars that still need fossil fuels. [ABC News]

¶ “Sunken Village Emerges In Greece As Drought Dries Up Lake” • From beneath the shrinking Lake Mornos in central Greece, the muddied remains of homes are reemerging nearly 45 years after the village that once stood here was covered with water. Drought brought the lake to its lowest level in decades. It supplies water to nearly half the Greek population. [CNN]

Lake Mornos (Bougalis Nikolaos, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Used EVs Are Now Cheaper And More Efficient In UK Than Their Gasoline Or Diesel Counterparts” • HPI data shows that the average retail cost of an EV is lower than for combustion vehicles by about 8.5% at three years and 14% at four years. Prices for used EVs have fallen sharply in the past two years to provide motorists with bargains. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “EVs Take 95.7% Share In Norway – End-Game Emerging” • In Norway, the August auto market saw plugin EVs take 95.7% share, a new record, up from 90.0% year on year. Battery EVs alone took 94.3% share, with all other powertrains only collecting crumbs. Overall auto volume in August was 11,114 units, flat YOY. The top battery EV was the Tesla Model Y. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash)

¶ “CIP Inaugurates The 300-MW Zhong Neng” • Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners inaugurated the 300-MW Zhong Neng offshore wind farm off the coast of Taiwan. Full grid connection is expected by the end of the year. CIP claimed that Zhong Neng is the first offshore wind farm in Taiwan to be completed ahead of schedule. [reNews]

¶ “Rezolv Inks Offtake For 229-MW Bulgarian Solar” • Rezolv Energy entered into a solar virtual power purchase agreement with Ardagh Glass Packaging-Europe. The VPPA covers output from Rezolv Energy’s 229-MW St George solar project in Bulgaria. The St George solar park will be built on a brownfield site, the former Silistra airport. [reNews]

Solar Panels (Chelsea, Unsplash)

¶ “Spanish Energy Giant Starts Building New Solar And Big Battery Hybrid Project In Queensland” • Iberdrola says it has begun building a solar and battery hybrid project in Queensland, the first facility it is to built in the state. The Broadsound solar and battery project will feature a 376-MW solar array and a 180-MW, 360-MWh battery facility. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Wave Energy Converter To Be Deployed Off Albany” • The M4 converter, the focus of a Western Australian research project, is designed to harness renewable energy from the ocean. The Albany M4 Wave Energy Demonstration Project will deploy the device in the waters of King George Sound to test the region’s potential for wave energy. [The Daily Cargo News]

M4 wave energy converter (The University of Western Australia)

¶ “Zaporizhzhya Plant Cooling Tower Requires Demolition After Fire: IAEA” • The International Atomic Energy Agency said that a cooling tower damaged in a fire at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant, occupied by Russia, will likely require demolition. “This big structure is not usable in the future,” IAEA director Rafael Grossi said during a visit. [Yahoo]

US:

¶ “Sheep Thrive In Solar Project Opponents Tried To Kill” • A 485-megawatt solar project in Virginia is running smoothing while playing host to a flock of sheep, creating new opportunities for local farmers while pumping out clean kilowatts. The project almost died in an assault linked to fossil industry stakeholders, but persistence paid off. [CleanTechnica]

Virginia solar project (Courtesy of AES via YouTube)

¶ “Former Tesla Exec Notes That Trump Was Bad For Tesla And Biden Was Much Better” • Party policies on EVs, climate action, and solar are extremely different. Rohan Patel worked for Tesla for over seven years and was its Vice President of Global Public Policy and Business Development. He felt the need to keep the discussion on track. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Developer Powers Up 220-MW PV Project” • Mill Creek Renewables has started commercial operations at Great Cove Solar, a 220-MW project encompassing two solar facilities stretching over 1,600 acres in Pennsylvania. As the largest solar project in the state, Great Cove Solar has over 485,000 panels, enough to power about 38,060 homes. [reNews]

Solar farm (Mill Creek Renewables image)

¶ “Sungrow And Spearmint Energy Partner To Add Over 1 GWh Of Energy Storage Capacity In Texas” • After Spearmint Energy commissioned its first major battery energy storage project in Texas, a 150-MW, 300-MWh system using Sungrow’s PowerTitan Series storage, the two companies agreed to deploy over 1 GWh of added storage there. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Fracking Led The US To Pump More Oil Than Any Country In History” • The US produced more oil in 2023 than has ever been produced in any year by any country, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Big Oil has become more productive as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing have seen technology breakthroughs. [CNBC]

Have an undistractedly thoughtful day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Are Batteries The Best Option For Energy Storage?” • Various technologies are used to store renewable energy. Pumped hydro is a form of energy storage accounts for more than 90% of the globe’s current high-capacity energy storage. Lithium-ion batteries are improving, and other battery technologies are being developed. [pv magazine International]

Pumped hydro system (Nareeta Martin, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Drought Forces Kenya’s Maasai And Other Cattle Herders To Consider Fish And Camels” • The blood, milk and meat of cattle have long been staple foods for Maasai pastoralists in Kenya, perhaps the country’s most recognizable community. But the changing climate is forcing the Maasai to contemplate a very different dish: fish. [ABC News]

¶ “Volkswagen Considers Closing Factories In Germany” • Volkswagen dropped a bombshell on the German economy. According to Bloomberg, it is considering closing some factories in Germany for the first time in its 87-year history, a move that risks a feud with unions. Doing so would expose the deep woes roiling Europe’s auto industry. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.7 (Courtesy of Volkswagen)

¶ “EVs At 22.4% Share In France – Stuck In The Slow Lane” • The August auto market saw plugin EVs at 22.4% share in France, down from 25.7% year on year. Sales volumes of both battery EVs and plugin hybrid EVs were down by over 33% YOY, declining more than the overall market drop. Overall auto volume was down 24.3% YoY. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ireland Breaks August Record For Renewables” • Last month saw record amounts of renewable energy produced for August in Ireland, provisional data from grid operator EirGrid suggests. Around 898 GWh of electricity was generated from wind farms in August, the highest-ever figure recorded for that month, and 34% of electricity used in Ireland. [reNews]

Wind farm (Abby Anaday, Unsplash)

¶ “Important Battery Electric Vehicle Milestone Reached In Denmark” • Mobility Denmark has reported that data from bilstatistisk.dk show Denmark’s battery EV fleet reached 10% in August, backed by record sales of 55% BEVs. Several decisive factors have made it economically attractive for Danes to choose an electric car. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Australian Renewable Investments Surging, Says Clean Energy Council” • Renewable energy sector industry body CEC’s second-quarter report shows that the first half of 2024 has overtaken the entirety of 2023 in terms of generation projects reaching their financial commitments, with 1.6 GW added, compared to 1.3 GW for all of last year. [pv magazine International]

Solar panels (Avi Waxman, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Wind And Solar Dominated South Australia Overtakes Tasmania As Australia’s Most Renewable State” • Tasmania is widely regarded as Australia’s long time leader in renewables, thanks to its huge hydro resources. But in the past few months, Tasmania has been beat by South Australia, which has no hydro, but does have wind and solar. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Italy’s Renewable Power Output Overtakes Fossil Fuels For First Time” • In the first six months of 2024, Italy produced more energy from renewable sources than from fossil fuels for the first time ever, the power grid operator Terna said. Italy plans for 63% of its electricity to come from renewable sources by the end of this decade. [Yahoo Finance UK]

Wind turbines (Totoyba2, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “IAEA Chief: Situation At Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant ‘Very Fragile'” • Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, called the status of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear plant in Ukraine as “very fragile”. And the situation could change at any time, Grossi said in Kiev before his departure to the power plant. [blue News]

US:

¶ “Phoenix’s Streak Of Over 100-Degree Temperatures Reaches 100th Day” • Phoenix reached a sweltering milestone Tuesday, with Arizona’s capital city logging its 100th straight day of over 100-degree weather. The National Weather Service Phoenix warned that the dangerously high temperatures are forecast to continue. [ABC News]

Phoenix (Walter Martin, Unsplash)

¶ “New York State’s Largest Electrified Bus Depot Now Operating in Buffalo” • Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the largest electrified bus depot in New York State is operational in Buffalo, advancing the transition to clean public transit that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves the air for residents in congested urban areas. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California To Begin Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Train Service In San Bernardino” • The California Department of Transportation plans to convert its fleet of intercity locomotives to zero emission technology by 2035. The agency says hydrogen power will put California’s passenger trains on the fastest track to a zero emission future. [CleanTechnica]

Electric train (Stadler, Inc)

¶ “Methane Gas-Fired Electricity Generation Increased During Heat Waves in New England” • Electricity generation using fossil fuels increased in New England to meet the additional demand for air-conditioning during heat waves in June and July. Natural gas-fired electricity generation peaked at 61% of New England’s generation mix on June 22. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Solar-Plus-Storage Project Brings New Energy to California” • Clearway Energy Group’s Daggett Solar + Storage project in California is among the largest projects of its type in the U.S. It has 482 MW of solar capacity, and 280 MW of battery energy storage. It was built adjacent to a retired 636-MW power plant that burned natural gas. [POWER Magazine]

Have a bonifiably great day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Politics And Pollution: Trump Judges Take A Sledgehammer To Environmental Justice” • The Trump strategy that led to Roe vs Wade being overturned was continued by a court that severely restricted the ability of the federal government to function. It limited the power of federal agencies to protect the health and safety of the people of the US. [CleanTechnica]

Supreme Court building (Adam Michael Szuscik, Unsplash)

¶ “Achieving Net-Zero: Is Nuclear The Answer?” • Nuclear is not the answer, by Professor MV Ramana of the University of British Columbia, is a comprehensive and well-researched contribution to the debate on the relevance of nuclear power. It is a timely work relevant to the concerted global campaign to use nuclear to help address global warming. [Pearls and Irritations]

World:

¶ “Global EV Sales: Record Month For Plugin Hybrids!” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 22% in July 2024, year over year. There were 1.3 million registrations. Battery EVs were up by just 5% YOY, but plugin hybrids jumped 58% YOY, selling more than 540,000 units, which is the second record month in a row for this technology. [CleanTechnica]

EV (Jon Flobrant, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Elbil Thinks Electric Car Sales In Norway Could Hit 100% By Next Year” • While the rest of the world laments that the EV revolution is stalling, electric car sales in Norway are increasing, and Christina Bu, the head of Elbil – the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association – thinks every new car sold in Norway could be electric as soon as next year. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Who Is Paying To Subsidize Oil Companies? You Are” • Oil Change International has published “Funding Failure: Carbon Capture and Fossil Hydrogen Subsidies Exposed.” The report details how much money is spent by world governments to promote carbon capture and various hydrogen schemes it says waste money, time, and effort. [CleanTechnica]

Oil well in a corn field (Dwight Burdette, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Enfinity Global Secures €190 Million Financing For A 157-MW Solar Power Portfolio In Italy” • Enfinity Global Inc announced that it has closed €189.6 million in financing for the construction of 157.1-MW in eight solar power plants in the regions of Lazio and Emilia Romagna, which are expected to become operational in 2025. [Yahoo Finance Canada]

¶ “Renewables Raise Share In Chile’s Power Mix To 36.7% In July” • Non-conventional renewables generated 36.7% of Chile’s electricity in July, increasing their gross monthly share from 34.1% in June, according to new data from the Chilean national energy commission. Non-conventional renewables are those other than hydro power. [Renewables Now]

El Manzano solar farm (Enel Chile)

¶ “Finland Unveils World’s First Deep-Earth Repository To Bury Nuclear Waste” • Nuclear energy has set of major drawbacks including high costs, high-profile nuclear accidents, and the waste from nuclear energy production. Finland is trying to address the thousands of metric tons of used solid fuel from nuclear power plants worldwide. [OilPrice.com]

UK:

¶ “Offshore Wind Returns In 9.6-GW CFD6” • Offshore wind developers secured contracts for around 5,300 MW of capacity in the UK government’s Allocation Round 6 renewables auction. The strike price for fixed offshore wind projects was between £54.23/MWh and £58.87/MWh. The technology had been set a £73/MWh bid ceiling prior to the auction. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (RWE image)

¶ “Onshore Wind Takes 990 MW In AR6” • Around 990 MW of onshore wind capacity was secured under the UK’s Allocation Round 6 auction. A total of 21 projects were awarded the 15-year government backed contracts at a strike price of £50.90/MWh. That clearing price came in well below the £64/MWh bid ceiling set prior to the tender. [reNews]

¶ “Solar Shines With 3-GW Haul In UK Auction” • Solar projects totalling over 3 GW have secured Contracts for Difference in the UK government’s latest renewables auction, making solar the second highest backed technology after offshore wind. Around 1 GW is to be delivered in 2026-27 and just over 2 GW in 2027-28, with a total of 3,288.31 MW allocated. [reNews]

Solar farm (EDF Renewables image)

¶ “Tidal Stream Wins Contracts For 28 MW In AR6” • Tidal stream pulled in just 28 MW of projects split across six contracts in the sixth allocation round of CFD from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Five contracts are in Scotland, and one in Wales. The strike price was £172/MWh, down from the £198/MWh in the previous round. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Bureau of Land Management Releases Proposed Western Solar Plan” • The Bureau of Land Management announced its proposed roadmap for solar energy development on public lands. The plan is designed to expand permitting for efficient and environmentally responsible solar projects on public lands across the West. [CleanTechnica]

Solar system in Nevada (BLM Southern Nevada District Office)

¶ “LNG Terminals Are Dangerous To Your Health” • There is a facet of the methane gas story that does not get the attention we should be giving it. It is the subject of a recent report published by Greenpeace that has the title “Permit To Kill – Potential Health and Economic Impacts from US LNG Export Terminal Permitted Emissions.” [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Waymo Takes To The Streets In More Cities” • Waymo, the self-driving car division of Alphabet, offered its autonomous rideshare service first on the streets of San Francisco earlier this year. The company recently expanded to Los Angeles. Waymo’s electric Jaguar I-Pace SUVs operate as taxis, except no one is in the driver’s seat. [ABC News]

Have a satisfactorily perfect day.

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

Science and Technology:

¶ “EV Battery Makers Have Been Doing It Wrong This Whole Time” • Our of the blue, we have new and important news on lithium batteries. In the past, lithium-ion batteries got their first charge at low power. Researchers recently found that while some lithium was lost when the first charge was at high power, battery life was extended an average of 50%. [CleanTechnica]

Weird trick (Greg Stewart, SLAC National Accelerator Lab)

World:

¶ “Europe EV Sales Report: After a Small Sales Rush in June, a Small Sales Hangover in July” • Some 220,000 plugin vehicles were registered in Europe in July. That is a 6% decline, YOY, as the overall market rose 2% YOY. Taking a more focused look at the market, at -6% YOY, battery EVs behaved slightly better than plugin hybrids, which fell by 8%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Most Car Sales in China Are Now Plugins! Full Report” • In China’s auto market, plugin vehicles scored 887,000 sales, to get 51% of a 1.73-million-unit overall market. That figure is up 33% year over year. In fact, it is the second best month ever, while the overall market is down 3% YOY. And we expect August to be a record month. [CleanTechnica]

Charging an EV (Michael Fousert, Unsplash)

¶ “QatarEnergy Unveils 2-GW Solar Project” • State-owned petroleum company QatarEnergy unveiled a plan for a 2-GW solar power plant that will more than double the emirate’s solar energy production and enable the nation to reach its 2030 target. Qatar will have nearly 4 GW by 2030, making up about 30% of the country’s total capacity. [Renewables Now]

¶ “Cero’s 100-MW Greek Solar Farm Goes Live” • The 100-MW Delfini solar farm in Greece has reached commercial operation, Cero Generation announced. The project will generate 157 GWh of electricity annually, equivalent to powering 58,140 homes and avoiding 65,300 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The PV array was built on mountainous terrain. [reNews]

Delfini solar farm (Cero Generation image)

¶ “UK Onshore Wind Pipeline Doubles Growth” • The UK’s onshore wind project pipeline has expanded by 4.2 GW over the past year, bringing the total from 38.5 GW to 42.7 GW, according to a report by RenewableUK. The report suggests that the growth is double the amount recorded in the previous year, which saw a rise of 1.5 GW. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Sunshine State’s Solar Recycling Plans Power Up A Circular Economy” • The Queensland government launched a solar panel recycling project with the first of 15 collection sites it plans to establish. The program is expected to save 26 tonnes of broken or end-of-life solar panels from landfill annually and may inform a nationwide effort. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar farm in Queensland (Kgbo, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Australia Sets 11.4-GW Offshore Wind Zone” • Australia has declared the Bunbury offshore wind zone in the Indian Ocean. The Albanese government’s said its Reliable Renewables Plan is being rolled out across Western Australia, with the 11.4 GW area off the coast of Bunbury. This new industry will help secure WA’s energy future. [reNews]

US:

¶ “The Largest Dam Removal Project In The US Is Completed – A Major Win For Indigenous Tribes” • The largest dam removal project in US history is finally complete, after crews demolished the last of the four dams on the Klamath River. It’s a significant win for tribal nations on the Oregon-California border who for decades have fought to restore the river. [CNN]

Wetlands on the Klamath River (David Menke, US F&W)

¶ “Green Hydrogen To Chase Diesel From Waste Hauling Business” • In California, a first-of-its-kind hydrogen fuel cell garbage truck is being tested. Instead of blasting neighborhoods with fumes, it runs on electricity generated by green hydrogen in the fuel cell, setting a new standard for thousands of heavy duty work trucks across the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DNV Completes First Stage Of US HVDC Project” • The internationally accredited registrar and classification society DNV has concluded the first phase of its high voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) Standards joint industry project. The project was conducted to identify deficiencies in standards for HVDC systems in the US. [reNews]

Transmission cable (SSEN Transmission image)

¶ “Three Blade Failures Unrelated, GE Vernova Says” • GE Vernova said three recent turbine blade failures are unrelated. Two of the blades failed under unusual conditions that came up while work was being done on the turbines. The first of the three was the failure that happened at the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts. [reNews]

¶ “Michigan Plotting To Re-Open Shuttered 1970s Nuclear Plant” • After shutting it down in 2022, Michigan is making an abrupt u-turn and is now planning to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move has serious money behind it: The federal government and the state are pouring $2 billion into the plant. [Futurism]

Have an invitingly gleeful day.

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World:

¶ “BYD Is Leading The EV Revolution, And Now Autonomous Driving Too?” • BYD outperforms Tesla in several critical areas according to ABI Research. Now, the news is that BYD will put Qiankun ADS 3.0 self-driving technology from Huawei in the Fang Cheng Bao Bao 8, a second production vehicle from an upscale BYD sub-brand. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Shark plugin hybrid EV pickup (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “Getting Solar For Your Home In Zimbabwe Now As Easy As Getting A TV!” • Families in Zimbabwe can get a solar system installed at low cost. Eight years ago, it could have cost $15,000, but today it costs 20% of that. But on top of the reduction in cost, it is an almost entirely frictionless process. You can by the kit at a furniture and appliance store. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “A Four-In-One Agrivoltaics Solution For Central Europe Farm Crisis” • A study focusing on the potential for solar development in four Central European nations indicates that agrivoltaics can improve both crop yields and income, offering a four-in-one solution that benefits farmers, food supplies, biodiversity, and energy resilience. [CleanTechnica]

Solar arrays and agriculture (Courtesy of Ember)

¶ “Highlighting Scientific Consensus On Climate Change Shifts Beliefs” • A study by European researchers suggests that actively showing the extent of the nearly unanimous scientific agreement to the public can effectively change perceptions, promoting great awareness and strengthening belief in the severity and urgency of climate change. [Earth.com]

¶ “ACWA Power Secures $2.6 Billion Funding For Three Solar Projects In Saudi Arabia” • ACWA Power has signed financing agreements worth 9.7 billion Saudi riyals ($2.6 billion) with a consortium of banks for three PV solar projects. The funding will be used for the development, design, construction, and operation of the projects, the company said. [ZAWYA]

Countryside in Saudi Arabia (shoroq, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “India’s Wind, Solar Power Generation Grow As Payment Delays Decrease: Report” • Wind and solar power generation in India increased in FY24 as payment delays from distribution companies were reduced, according to a report by Fitch Ratings. This development brings the country closer to achieving its renewable energy targets. [BW Businessworld]

¶ “NEA Receives Applications To Produce 3,600 MW Of Solar Power, Surpassing The Target By Four Times” • Recently, the Nepal Electricity Authority issued a call for power purchase agreements for 800 MW of solar power. The state-owned power utility received applications for 3,600 MW, more than four times the amount it initially sought. [myRepublica]

Namche, Nepal (Kalle Kortelainen, Unsplash)

¶ “How To Hide Something Dangerous For Tens Of Thousands Of Years” • Imagine you have enough nuclear waste to fill St Paul’s Cathedral five times over. Where are you going to put it? In the early days, the UK got rid of its nuclear waste by chucking it in the sea near the Channel Islands. Soon, the UK could ship it to Finland, where it could go underground. [Metro.co.uk]

US:

¶ “Florida’s Citizens Lose Out On Federal Climate Funding Due To DeSantis’ Trickery” • Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced that the Great Outdoors Initiative would commercialize several of the state’s largest parks with hotels, golf courses, and even pickleball courts on state park lands. [CleanTechnica]

Florida park sign (Florida-Guidebook.com, Unsplash)

¶ “Governor DeSantis Scraps Plan For Additions At State Parks” • The plan to add new amenities to some Florida State Parks is off the table. The plan led to large protests by people concerned over damage it would do. When asked about the plan, Governor DeSantis said, “This is something that was leaked. It was never approved by me, I never saw that.” [MSN]

¶ “Navajo Nation Adopts Changes To Tribal Law Regulating The Transportation Of Uranium Across Its Land” • In response to the revival of a uranium mining, the Navajo Nation has approved emergency legislation to strengthen a tribal law regulating the transportation of radioactive material across the largest Native American reservation in the US. [ABC News]

 Have a vastly contented day.

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World:

¶ “The Small Caribbean Island Of Saint Lucia Is Taking On Climate Change And Inspiring Others” • The Caribbean Island of St Lucia is known for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and colorful coral reefs. But for some of the almost 200,000 people that live on the island, solar power is another resource is affecting their daily lives. [CleanTechnica]

St Lucia (JR Harris, Unsplash)

¶ “BYD Cruises Past Tesla To First Place In ABI Research’s EV Manufacturers Competitive Ranking” • A competitive assessment by global technology intelligence firm ABI Research found that BYD is the leading EV Original Equipment Manufacturer, just beating Tesla for the top spot. Nine criteria were chosen for the analysis. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Global Investment In Clean Energy Surges, But Developing Nations Risk Falling Behind” • Investment in clean energy is concentrated in Europe, the US, and China. Developing nations get only 15% of the $2 trillion investment, largely due to the high cost of capital, which hampers development of renewable energy in these regions. [Environment+Energy Leader]

Wind turbines (Tony Pham, Unsplash)

¶ “Free Solar Power Systems Announced For These Cities” • A private news channel says the Punjab, Pakistan, government has made progress in its solarization project. The working plan for providing free solar systems is now fully prepared. In this initial phase, solar systems will be provided at no cost to consumers who use up to 200 units of electricity. [ProPakistani]

¶ “Global Solar Generation Overtakes Wind For Longest Ever Stretch” • Global electricity generation from solar farms has exceeded generation from wind farms since May, marking the longest ever stretch when solar power has been the top source of utility-scale renewable electricity worldwide, according to energy think tank Ember. [Reuters]

Wind turbine (Kshithij Chandrashekar, Unsplash)

¶ “Germany Rejigs Spread Of Costs Of Adding More Renewable Power To Energy Grid” • Germany’s network agency plans to spread the cost of compensating grid operators for investments to integrate renewable sources more evenly among consumers. Germany faces an estimated €450 billion ($498.4 billion) in grid expansion costs by 2045. [Reuters]

¶ “Ukraine Warns Of Escalating Nuclear Threats Amid Intense Russian Strikes” • The Ukrainian mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency raised alarms about the escalating threat to the country’s nuclear power sector amid greatly increased Russian military strikes by missiles and drones. The IAEA is the UN’s nuclear watchdog. [Caspian News]

Drone (Ian Usher, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Reality Check: Generator-Centric Disaster Response Is Out Of Gas” • As Hurricane Beryl demonstrated earlier this summer, access to electricity can become an extremely serious matter. Contrary to the comments from the the disaster response status quo, the generators enlisted to help are a band-aid solution. They do not provide real resilience. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “When A Summer Drought Begins In The Winter: Investigating Snow Drought” • A lack of water is most obvious in the summer. But problems with such watersheds as the Colorado River’s don’t start in the summer or even the spring. In fact, they begin in the winter, when snow isn’t building up in the Rocky Mountains as it once did. [CleanTechnica]

Inserting a probe into a stream (Jeremy Snyder, LBNL)

¶ “Researchers Demystify Polymer Binders to Pave Way for Better Sulfide Solid-State Electrolyte Membranes” • Using a polymer to make a strong yet springy thin film, scientists led by the DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are speeding arrival of next-generation solid-state batteries with flexible, durable sheets of solid-state electrolytes. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nevada Solar-Plus-Storage Project Gets Greenlight To Use Public Land” • In the desert northeast of Las Vegas, a solar farm will soon be installed atop an ancient lake bed. The Dry Lake East Energy Center, a 200-MW solar project with 600 MW of on-site battery storage, was cleared to begin construction by the Bureau of Land Management. [Canary Media]

MGM Mega Solar Array (Bureau of Land Management)

¶ “Southern Company And PGA TOUR Again Partner To Power TOUR Championship With 100% Renewable Energy” • Southern Company announced that it is delivering 100% renewable energy for the TOUR Championship, professional golf’s season-ending event. It will be driving sustainability measures for the third consecutive year. [PR Newswire]

¶ “BLM Considering 31 Million Acres Of US Public Lands For Solar Power Development” • The Bureau of Land Management published a plan to make millions of acres of public lands in the western US available for development of solar power. The plan is to make 31 million acres of public lands available for potential solar energy development. [POWER Magazine]

Desert (Jeremy Bishop, Unsplash)

¶ “Qcells And NPH Bring Solar Power To Navajo Nation Homes” • Qcells, the foremost US solar panel manufacturer, joined forces with Navajo Power Home, which focuses on off-grid homes on Navajo and Hopi lands. Together, they are set to deliver reliable electricity to an estimated 300 homes within the Navajo Nation reservation. [Environment+Energy Leader]

¶ “Ex-Regulatory Chief And Two Execs Indicted In Sprawling Ohio Nuclear Power Bribe Case” • The former head of the Ohio PUC and two energy company executives were indicted in a sprawling political corruption scandal, authorities announced. Allegedly, state officials were bribed to approve bailouts of two nuclear plants. [Yahoo News Canada]

Have a simply extraordinary day.

geoharvey is free and without ads.
geoharvey is not tax-deductible.