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World:

¶ “Aviation Industry Plans for Growth “Irreconcilable” with Europe’s Climate Goals” • Europe’s aviation industry plans to double its passenger traffic by 2050 and will deplete its carbon budget as early as 2026, a new study by green group T&E shows. Policy makers must act to address airport growth, frequent flying, and under-taxation. [CleanTechnica]

Commercial jet (Chris Leipelt, Unsplash)

¶ “Recycling Battery Metals Could Supply 25% Of Europe’s Electric Cars By 2030 – Study” • Recycling could enable Europe to cut its reliance on EV battery mineral imports by up to 25% by the end of the decade, a study finds. Materials from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap could build up to 2.4 million EVs locally in 2030. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ARENA Funds Electric Truck Take-Up in Australia” • The Australian Renewable Energy Agency is actively supporting the transition of heavy-duty trucks to electric in Australia. Great news. One hundred million Aussie dollars is on the table. That’s $62 million at today’s exchange rate. ARENA is also funding logistics companies. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo electric trucks (Courtesy of Volvo)

¶ “UK Households ‘Support Renewable Energy Drive'” • UK households want the government to expand renewable energy generation, according to the Vattenfall Energy Barometer. The survey found that Britons are optimistic about renewable energy’s role in cutting costs and boosting the reliability of the UK’s energy system. [reNews]

¶ “Two Solar Sites Enter Operation In Brazil” • VH Global Energy Infrastructure has powered up two new solar sites in Brazil, bringing its total to twelve. The company says the sites will contribute to economic growth and grid improvements, while supporting meaningful progress in the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. [reNews]

Solar array (Lightsource image)

¶ “Estonia Seeks Developers For 552-MW Offshore Windpower Plot” • Estonia is inviting developers to file license requests for a 552-MW offshore wind plot after receiving an application from Sunly Wind. License bids for the creation of an offshore wind farm in the Saare 7 area are invited by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority. [reNews]

¶ “BC Clean Economy Growth Can Help Us Face An Uncertain Future” • With an uncertain future of Canada’s government, the unpredictability of President-Elect Donald Trump, and a global economy rife with talk of trade tensions and tariffs, 2025 is off to a choppy start. But some indications are that British Columbia can weather this storm. [Business in Vancouver]

Meikle wind farm in BC (Pattern Development image)

¶ “Pioneers In Irish Solar Energy” • From modest beginnings in 2011, Power Capital Renewable Energy became one of Ireland’s foremost independent power producers. CEO and co-founder Justin Brown told pv magazine that despite Ireland’s challenging environment for solar, PCRE sees a lot of opportunity and is taking full advantage. [pv magazine International]

US:

¶ “US DOE Announces $15 Billion Loan Guarantee To Pacific Gas & Electric Company To Expand Hydropower Generation, Battery Energy Storage, And Transmission” • As part of the Investing in America agenda, the US DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced closing a $15 billion loan guarantee to Pacific Gas & Electric Company. [CleanTechnica]

PG&E power lines (Cheers, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “Buy A Hyundai IONIQ 5, Get A Free Home Charging Station” • One of the biggest concerns people looking to go electric for the first time have is how and where to charge. Many truly don’t realize how easy home charging is. Hyundai is looking to help out its EV buyers by giving them a charging bonus, and they get to choose which bonus. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “NM Supreme Court Rejects Utilities’ Challenge to Community Solar Rules” • In a big victory for community solar advocates, the New Mexico Supreme Court rejected electric utilities’ efforts to reshape the state’s community solar program. The court has affirmed its March 2024 verbal decision upholding the rules of the Public Regulation Commission. [CleanTechnica]

New Mexico (Steve Adams, Unsplash)

¶ “A Battery Plant Fire In California Started During A Boom For Energy Storage” • A fire at one of the world’s largest battery plants in Northern California contained tens of thousands of lithium batteries. They store power from renewable energy and have become an important electricity source, but residents near the fire were concerned about the impact. [ABC News]

¶ “New Research Shatters Common Myth About Power Outages” • Some critics said that the clean energy transition would lead to more blackouts, but California researchers debunked this myth. The team found there were no power outages in the state when solar, wind, and hydro supplied 100% of electricity needs for a record 98 of 116 days in 2024. [The Cool Down]

Solar plant in California (Reegan Moen, US DOE, cropped)

¶ “US Announces $1.2 Billion To Help With Renewable Energy Projects In Puerto Rico” • The US DOE said it was setting aside $1.2 billion in federal funds to help finance renewable energy projects in Puerto Rico to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. The funding includes a $585 million loan guarantee to finance a 100-MW system of solar panels in four cities. [MSN]

¶ “It’s Time To Pump The Brakes On Talk Of A Mega Nuclear Energy Buildout, Experts Warn” • Big technology companies are turning their focus toward nuclear energy to power data centers required to train artificial intelligence tools, but experts are warning the industry might be moving too quickly on that front given the risks involved. [WHAM]

Have a fulfillingly independent day.

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Opinion:

¶ “‘It’s Going To Be Rough’: What Trump’s Response To LA Fires Portends” • Donald Trump’s response to the catastrophic fires in Los Angeles provided a stark prologue to how his administration will likely handle the growing threat of such disasters: acrimony, brutal dealmaking, and dismissal of a climate crisis that is at the cause of disasters. [The Guardian]

Thunderstorm (NOAA, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “BP Cutting 4,700 Jobs Worldwide In Cost-Saving Drive” • Oil company BP, based in the UK, is cutting 4,700 jobs worldwide and 3,000 contractors as part of a cost-saving drive. In an email to staff that was seen by The Associated Press, BP CEO Murray Auchincloss said the job reductions “account for much of the anticipated reduction this year.” [ABC News]

¶ “More Electric Buses For Australia” • Despite stagnant electric car sales, the influx of electric buses is still strong in Australia. The EV market leader is BYD, which is on a roll, both in Australia and elsewhere around the world. Technology advancements, which lead to greater driver and rider comfort, are a feature of BYD’s new products. [CleanTechnica]

Electric school bus in NSW (Photo courtesy Go Zero)

¶ “Volkswagen’s Green Electricity For ID. Models” • It may not be taking the world by storm like BYD and Tesla have been doing, but Volkswagen is leading the way on EVs among legacy car makers from countries of the West. With an eye on being super green and clean, Volkswagen plans to power many of those EVs with renewable electricity. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Avery Dennison And Zelestra Sign Solar PPA” • Avery Dennison has signed a 10-year power purchase agreement with Zelestra for renewable energy from its 44-MW solar plant in Spain. Zelestra’s Las Rozas solar plant in Seville will generate 90 GWh of renewable electricity per year, equivalent to the annual demands of 25,000 Spanish households. [reNews]

Las Rozas solar plant in Seville (Zelestra image)

¶ “UAE’s Masdar Forays Into Philippines With $15 Billion Clean Energy Project” • Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar, has made its first major foray into the Philippines’ renewables market, with a $15 billion deal to develop solar, wind, and battery systems. The investment is expected to deliver up to 1 GW of clean energy by 2030. [Gulf Business]

¶ “Fred Olsen Unveils 158-MW Proposal For Scotland” • Fred Olsen Renewables set out proposals to develop a 158-MW wind farm with a battery in Scotland. The Invercassley project will consist of up to 22 turbines and 30 MW of battery storage. The proposed site would create a community benefit fund of more than £25 million. [reNews]

Wind farm (Courtesy of Fred Olsen Renewables)

¶ “Masdar’s Capacity Up By 150% To Over 50 GW In Two Years Taking Its Place as Global Clean Energy Leader” • Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy leader, has announced that it has significantly increased its overall renewable energy capacity by 150% to 51 GW by the end of 2024, up from 20 GW in 2022. This makes Masdar a global clean energy leader. [WindInsider]

US:

¶ “Floating Solar On Federal Reservoirs Could Power 100 Million Homes In The US” • Federal reservoirs could help meet much of the country’s solar energy needs, a study published in the journal Solar Energy shows. The study was done by geospatial scientists and a legal and regulatory analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. [CleanTechnica]

Floating solar array (Earth.com via Instagram)

¶ “Hundreds Ordered To Evacuate As Fire Erupts At Huge California Battery Storage Plant” • Hundreds of people were ordered to evacuate and, part of Highway 1 in California was closed when a major fire erupted at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants. The Moss Landing Power Plant has tens of thousands of lithium batteries. [ABC News]

¶ “Contract Secured For 200-MW, 800-MWh Energy Storage Project In Idaho ” • Idaho Power has a goal of generating 100% clean energy by 2045. Big battery systems can be used to support the achievement of that goal. Prevalon Energy just announced the company has secured a contract for a huge energy storage project in Idaho. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of big battery (Idaho Power image)

¶ “US Backs Plug Power’s $1.66 Billion Clean Hydrogen Fuel Project” • The US DOE took a major step to advance clean energy by approving a $1.66 billion loan guarantee for Plug Power. This investment will support construction of up to six cutting-edge facilities producing hydrogen fuel using Plug Power electrolyzers. [Innovation News Network]

¶ “BOEM Finalises Fisheries Mitigation Guidance” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management finalized guidance for mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy projects on commercial and for-hire recreational fisheries. The guidance, informed by public input, creates processes for the offshore wind industry to address potential disruptions to fisheries. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (ABB image)

¶ “Trump Nominee Says Approved Offshore Wind Farms Can Continue” • In confirmation hearings for President-to-be Donald Trump’s cabinet picks, nominee for Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said that US offshore wind projects can continue if already approved. He said Trump was concerned about tax incentives for the renewable sector. [reNews]

¶ “New Ohio Law Designates Nuclear Power As ‘Green Energy’” • Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law state legislation designating nuclear power as “green energy.” The green designation implies state recognition that nuclear energy causes no environmental harm. The law also expands fracking leases on state land. [Daily Energy Insider]

Have an altogether agreeable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Is It A Cost-Of-Living Election Or A Nuclear Power Election? Peter Dutton Can’t Have It Both Ways” • With the Australian election coming up, Peter Dutton is pushing nuclear power, claiming it will save the people 44% on their electric bills. There is plenty of highly credible research to skewer this claim and show the high cost of nuclear power. [RenewEconomy]

Nuclear plant (Glunggenbauer, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Colombia EV Sales Report: EVs Grow 159% YoY, Reach Record 8.5% Market Share In December!” • After years of EV prices well above their thermal competition, the arrival of a real armada of competitively priced EVs in Colombia has resulted in an obvious consequence: people are buying them in droves. Most, but not all, of these EVs are Chinese. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “China Has Plans For A Gigantic Solar Array In Space” • A report by Live Science says Chinese scientists have announced a plan to build an enormous solar power station in space that is 1 km (0.6 mi) wide and will beam continuous energy back to Earth as microwaves. It will be ten times as efficient as land-based array of solar panels. [CleanTechnica]

Launch (China National Space Agency image)

¶ “Wind And Solar Farms Saved Irish Electricity Consumers €840 Million Since 2000” • Renewable power generated from wind and solar saved Irish electricity customers as much as €840 million, energy specialists Baringa said. They found the financial benefit of developing renewable energy in Ireland significantly outweighed all possible costs. [The Irish Times]

¶ “Volkswagen ID.7 Goes 941 Kilometers (585 Miles) On A Single Charge” • The Volkswagen ID.7 is an extremely capable, cool, and compelling car that deserves more attention than it gets. Now the company is pulling in a little bit more attention. A non-modified, standard VW ID.7 Pro S just drove 941 kilometers (585 miles) on a single charge. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.7 (Volkswagen image)

¶ “Aukera Files Plans For 250-MW UK Battery System” • Aukera Energy submitted a full planning application to the City of York Council for its proposed 250-MW grid battery project in the north of England. The battery system is designed to provide a reliable source of renewable energy storage and supporting the UK’s journey toward a net zero future. [reNews]

¶ “Corio Seeks Permit For Sceirde Rocks” • Corio Generation has submitted a planning application for the 450-MW Sceirde Rocks wind farm off the western coast of Ireland to An Bord Pleanála. The submission marks an important step to deliver clean energy for the people of Ireland and support the government’s targets for renewable energy. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (Insung Yoon, Unsplash)

¶ “China Is Ramping Up Grid Spending After Green Power Supply Boom” • After launching the biggest boom in renewable power in history, China is now paying to make sure all that clean energy can get to homes and businesses. Spending on power transmission surged 19% to 529 billion yuan ($72 billion) in the first 11 months of last year. [Yahoo Finance]

¶ “Aker And Siemens Secure Vanguard Substations Nod” • Aker Solutions, in a consortium with Siemens Energy, received the notice to proceed from RWE for the Norfolk Vanguard West and East offshore wind farms. Once complete, the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone will produce enough renewable electricity to power more than four million homes. [reNews]

Substation (Aker Solutions image)

US:

¶ “LA Fires Rewriting Record Books As Residents Brace For More Dangerous Winds” • Even as four wildfires burn on in Los Angeles County and people brace for a new round of dangerous winds, the blazes already hold records. Each of the two biggest fires, Palisades and Eaton, is one of the most destructive blazes in the history of California. [ABC News]

¶ “How LA Fires Impact Farmers And Agriculture Industry” • While raging flames, persistent smoke and damaging winds continue to plague residents in Los Angeles County, farmers across Southern California are also facing the possibility of devastating damage to their crops. One challenge for farmers is air quality; the other is economic. [ABC News]

Palisades Fire (CalFire, public domain)

¶ “Wright Wants To Increase Domestic Energy Production, Says ‘There Isn’t Dirty Energy And Clean Energy'” • Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to be secretary of the DOE, set out his priorities, including restoring “energy dominance,” increasing technological innovation, and cutting regulatory red tape, during a lengthy hearing. [ABC News]

¶ “US DOE Invests $68 Million Into Innovative Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicle Charging Solutions” • As part of the US DOE’s commitment to commercial road EVs, the agency announced a $68 million investment to design, develop, and demonstrate innovative EV charging sites near key ports, distribution hubs, and major corridors. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo Supertruck 1 (Volvo Group)

¶ “The US EIA Extends Five Key Energy Forecasts Through December 2026” • In its January 2024 Short-Term Energy Outlook, which includes data and forecasts through December 2026, the Energy Information Administration forecasts five key energy trends that it expects will help shape markets over the next two years. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Department of Transportation Invests $635 Million To Expand Zero-Emissions EV Charging And Hydrogen Refueling” • The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration announced $635 million in grants to build out EV charging and alternative fueling infrastructure. Funds are from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. [CleanTechnica]

Have a truly wonderful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Contrarian: Journalism Is An Antidote To Cowardly Media Outlets” • For years, the motto of the Washington Post has been “Democracy Dies In Darkness.” But when Ann Telnaes, a political cartoonist for the Post for sixteen years, recently had a cartoon rejected, she’d had enough. Her cartoon criticized the Post’s owner and others as suck-ups. [CleanTechnica]

Journalism ap (appshunter.io, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Community Batteries: Will They Make A Difference?” • As Queensland’s fastest growing city, with over 200,000 people, Ipswich was chosen for a community battery trial because over 35% of homes and businesses have rooftop solar systems. The community batteries are more cost effective than building out extra poles and wires. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Fate Of Our Food Systems Is Wrapped Up In Climate Change And Plant Nutrition” • Global climate change has had a significant impact on the way the world grows its food. Climate change introduces a suite of ominous factors, all intensifying environmental stresses on crops and can even deplete essential plant nutrition levels. [CleanTechnica]

Wheat field (Polina Rytova, Unsplash)

¶ “Masdar And EWEC Plan 24/7 Solar And Battery System For UAE” • Masdar and EWEC announced plans for the first large ‘round the clock’ solar and battery storage project in the world, delivering up to 1 GW of power, in Abu Dhabi. The project will have a 5.2-GW (DC) solar plant with 19-GWh of battery storage, the largest such system in the world. [reNews]

¶ “CIP Kicks Off 800-MW German Hydrogen Project” • Project Anker is a green hydrogen production plant in Sande, Germany, belonging to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. Its capacity is 400 MW and there are plans to expand the capacity to 800 MW at a later stage. It is projected to produce 80,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually. [reNews]

Green hydrogen (Enel Green Power image)

¶ “Green Power And Imports Snuff Out Gas” • Rising renewable energy is pushing gas-fired electricity out of Britain’s power mix. Last year gas generated at its lowest level in 20 years. According to a report from Montel Analytics gas-fired output fell to 72.6 TWh, down from 86.8 TWh in 2023 and a significant fall from 111.4 TWh in 2022. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Floating Solar Panels Powering Sustainability From Water Bodies” • Because of the water bodies, floating solar panels not only occupy underutilized spaces but also operate at a higher performance level due to their cooler operating conditions and reflective surroundings, making them an important addition to renewable energy technology. [Tata Power]

Floating solar array (Wikideas1, public domain)

¶ “Negative Electricity Prices And Grid Bottlenecks In Europe Threaten Renewable Energy Targets” • In a report the company presented for the first time, Aurora experts said that negative electricity prices and grid bottlenecks will likely slow renewable growth. Even if installed capacity triples, it will not be enough to meet EU climate targets. [pv magazine International]

¶ “TREDA To Set Up Over 10,000 Solar-Powered Pump Sets In Rural Areas” • The Tripura Renewable Energy Development Agency announced it is to set up over 10,000 solar-powered pump sets to ensure assured irrigation in the rural farmland under PM Kusum scheme. TREDA has already set up 3,616 solar power pumps. [India Today NE]

Farmers at a solar-powered pump (Prabuddha Raj, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “EDF Reject Claims Sizewell C Will Cost £40 Billion” • EDF has rejected claims that plans for a new nuclear power station will cost £40 billion. The French contractor planned to build Sizewell C on the Suffolk coast which was originally expected to cost £20 billion. However, industry sources close to the scheme estimated a rise of double this. [BBC]

US:

¶ “Re-X Before Recycling Prize To Extend The Lifetimes Of Manufactured Products” • The US DOE’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office announced the Phase 2 winners of the Re-X Before Recycling Prize, a competition with a focus on reusing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, or repurposing before recycling. [CleanTechnica]

Please click on the image to enlarge it. (US DOE image)

¶ “Interagency Study Finds Expansion Of Renewable Energy Production On Federal Lands Could Power Millions More US Homes By 2035” • The US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, with the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Defense, released a study showing great potential for expanding renewable energy on federal lands. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “AZ And USFS Struggle To Balance Protecting Nature And People Enjoy It” • Outdoor recreation is a massively growing industry, important to the economy as a whole. It’s important also for responsible people to have better respect for nature, especially young people, because it will increase their desire to protect the environment. [CleanTechnica]

Mesa (Wallace Bentt, Unsplash)

¶ “LA Fires Update: At Least 25 Fire-Related Deaths, Medical Examiner Says” • At least 25 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across the Los Angeles area. Thousands of firefighters are battling wildfires in 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. [ABC News]

¶ “BOEM Launches Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Review” • The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will initiate a review of Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ plan for construction and operations of a 2-GW lease area in the New York Bight area. The Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind proposal calls for up to 117 turbines twenty miles out to sea. [reNews]

Have a perfectly superb day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Natural Power Spins Off Bat Sensing Tech” • Natural Power has spun off a smart turbine curtailment technology in the US, developed to reduce bat collisions and fatalities. The system limits bat fatalities at wind farms while simultaneously reducing curtailment hours and associated energy losses when compared to a blanket curtailment strategy. [reNews]

Wind turbines at night (Natural Power image)

World:

¶ “China’s Electric Car Sales Grow In 2024, As Sales Of Gasoline Cars Plunge” • Sales of all types of EVs rose more than 40% in China last year, while sales of gasoline-powered automobiles plunged, industry data shows. A total of 31.4 million vehicles were sold last year in the world’s biggest market by sales, and exports rose 20%. [ABC News]

¶ “Melting Glaciers In Antarctica May Encourage More Volcanic Activity” • Research by Allie Coonin of Brown University and her colleagues show that as that ice melts, the weight of the glaciers on the land below is reduced. The reduction in weight of the glaciers causes compressed magma to expand. This expansion can lead to eruptions. [CleanTechnica]

Volcano in Antarctica (Josh Landis, NSF, public domain)

¶ “This Is What’s Driving Growing EV Sales” • As we’ve seen now, EVs had healthy sales growth in 2024. Many companies actually had spectacular EV sales growth. The higher EV sales were not forced on consumers. They are buying more EVs because they are good purchases. One critical thing has been driving sales is falling battery costs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nordex Celebrates Huge 638-MW Haul In Turkey” • Nordex received orders for a total of 97 turbines, for 638 MW of capacity altogether, from Turkey in the fourth quarter of last year. Most of these were placed at the end of December. These latest orders mean the Nordex Group reached more than 1 GW of orders in Turkey in 2024. [reNews]

Moving a turbine blade (Nordex image)

¶ “PH Expedited Renewable Energy Projects Worth Over $70 Billion In 2024” • The Philippines has granted green lane access to a total of 176 projects as of 26 December last year, of which 141 projects worth $70 billion are renewable energy facilities. The Board of Investments advised that six projects were approved in December alone. [Asian Power]

¶ “Last Turbine Installed At Borkum Riffgrund 3” • The last wind turbine has been installed at the 913-MW Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany. The project, owned equally by Ørsted and Nuveen Infrastructure, breaks new ground for the country’s offshore wind industry in terms both of its capacity and its business model. [reNews]

Borkum Riffgrund 3 (Ørsted image)

¶ “MET Energia Italia launches Renewable Energy Community” • MET Energia Italia, a subsidiary of Swiss-based MET Group, launched the first Renewable Energy Community in Lombardy. The Staffora 1 community is open to all citizens, companies and local authorities in the area, and uses renewable energy to generate savings. [reNews]

¶ “‘Always On’ Nuclear Power Is About As Reliable As Wind And Solar – During A Renewables Drought” • A key selling points for nuclear power, its “always on,” reliability, was put to the test in an analysis that found that a fleet of modern nuclear plants is about as reliable as a fleet of wind and solar farms in the midst of a bad renewable energy drought. [RenewEconomy]

Nuclear plant in France (Stefan Kühn , CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

¶ “France ‘Far From Ready’ To Build Six New Nuclear Reactors” • France is “far from ready” to begin a project estimated at €50 billion to build six nuclear reactors, a report from the country’s top audit body said. Due to financing uncertainties, the supply chain has been unable to prepare for the massive construction project, the report said. [Yahoo News UK]

US:

¶ “Possible Links Between Utility Companies And La Wildfires Under Investigation” • As the Los Angeles area braces for another wind system to move in this week, and fire fighters continue to battle wildfires that erupted last week, officials seek to find out what caused some of the worst fires in California’s history. Power lines are being considered. [ABC News]

Sky reddened by wildfire smoke (Mick Haupt, Unsplash)

¶ “Los Angeles Residents Face Cost Of Devastating Wildfires” • Los Angeles residents who fled devastating wildfires are facing huge recovery efforts, as they gather what they can from the ruins of their homes. As firefighters continue a massive effort to contain and subdue the historic infernos, Angelenos grapple with unthinkable loss. [ABC News]

¶ “Officials Nationwide Should Prepare For Potential Climate Disasters, Researchers Say” • Experts say that extreme weather events worsened by climate change are knocking on the doors of people all across the country. Local officials must proactively prepare their regions before their residents become the next victims of tragedy. [ABC News]

Lightning (NOAA, Unsplash)

¶ “JP Morgan Thinks Tesla Will Be The Biggest Loser From Trump Anti-EV Policies” • The joy about the rise in Tesla’s stock price is not universal among investors. Bloomberg Hyperdrive says JPMorgan analysts think the market is in a false euphoria. They believe Tesla may have the most to lose of any car maker from the shifting regulatory landscape. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “USDA Strikes Again: $6 Billion For Rural Clean Energy Projects” • A $6 billion funding package for rural clean energy projects is the latest departing shot by the Biden administration. It’s gigantic, and not just due to its $6 billion size. The funds are going to support the energy transition among the nation’s rural electric cooperatives. [CleanTechnica]

Have a fundamentally jubilant day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Making Cement With Fewer The Carbon Emissions” • The Production of cement, the world’s most used commodity after water, produces 8% of global CO₂ emissions. A study from the University of Michigan describes an electro-chemical approach that greatly reduces the amount of CO₂ released by the process of making cement. [CleanTechnica]

Making cement (Energy and Environmental Science)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.

World:

¶ “2024 Is Over, And Legacy Auto Could Be Doomed, But The ICE Is Not Yet Defeated” • As EV sales grow, economies of scale get better and prices maintain the downward trend we’ve been seeing for the last few years. For internal combustion engines, however, the effect is the inverse: as sales fall, economies of scale are lost, and prices have to increase. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “DEME And Van Oord Bag Fengmiao 1 Contracts” • DEME Offshore and Van Oord were awarded contracts by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on the 500-MW Fengmaio 1 offshore wind project, off Taiwan. DEME, through a joint venture, CDWE, will provide installation services for the project’s foundations and an offshore substation. [reNews]

Foundation installation (Courtesy of CSBC and DEME)

¶ “Solar Duck Sends Rooftop Feed-In Tariff Close To Zero. Is This The New Normal?” • Victorian households could soon be paid next to nothing for the rooftop solar energy they export to the grid, after a proposal from the state pricing regulator to reduce the minimum feed-in tariff greatly, from 3¢/kWh to 0.04¢/kWh, starting in July. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Nordex Swoops on 247 MW Of Canadian wind” • Nordex was awarded 247 MW of turbine orders for wind projects in Canada. Nordex will supply 36 N163/6.X turbines of the Delta4000 series for several projects under development in Nova Scotia. Nordex will deliver the turbines, each with a nominal output of 7 MW, in the spring of 2026. [reNews]

Nordex wind turbine (Nordex image)

¶ “S&P Global Commodity Insights Predicts A Transformative Shift As Investments In Cleantech Outpace Fossil Fuels For The First Time” • The S&P Global Commodity Insights report, Top Cleantech Trends for 2025, underscores the growing dominance of renewable technologies while addressing the opportunities and challenges of the clean energy sector. [StreetInsider]

¶ “The Fastest Energy Change In History Continues” • Solar and wind are being installed at a rate that is three times faster than all other new electricity sources combined. This offers compelling market-based evidence that PV and wind are currently the most competitive and practical methods for deploying new generating capacity. [pv magazine International]

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

¶ “South Korea’s Nuclear Agency Probes Abnormal Discharge Of Radioactive Waste” • South Korea’s nuclear safety agency began an investigation into an abnormal discharge of radioactive liquid waste from a nuclear reactor in southeastern Korea, Yonhap news agency said. The waste was discharged into the ocean without normal analysis. [chinadailyhk]

US:

¶ “The Climate Benefits Of Congestion Charges In New York City” • Congestion charges can be seen as a tribute to the power of economic forces. Almost every decision we make includes an analysis of how much it will cost. We might all crave a Mercedes-Benz or a Ferrari, but we also need to eat. And congestion has always been an issue in cities. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “EXPLORE Act Signed Into Law, Helping EVs, Bikes, and YouTubers” • The EXPLORE Act was signed by President Biden. Unlike the PATRIOT Act, this bill’s acronym is an honest take on what the law really does! The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act helps all of us explore, even if only from the comfort of home. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “KU Research Suggests Wind Power Isn’t A Red Vs Blue Issue In Kansas” • Wind power can spark passionate reactions, but how this one shakes out across Kansas may not follow political lines. New wind installations aren’t allowed in about one-fifth of the counties in Kansas, in part to protect America’s last big swath of tallgrass prairie. [KMUW]

Bison graze in tallgrass prairie (Reservoirhill, public domain)

¶ “Death Toll In Los Angeles Fires Rises To 24” • At least 24 people are believed to be dead and over a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple fires, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and severe drought conditions, continue to rage across Southern California, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the historic destruction. [ABC News]

¶ “People Are Rushing To Install Solar Panels Before Trump Becomes President” • The solar power industry is growing fast, accounting for more than half of all new electricity on the grid last year. But soon President-elect Trump and fellow Republicans in Congress may try to reduce or halt government incentives that have driven much of that growth. [NPR]

Have a palpably sensible day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Los Angeles Is On Fire And Big Oil Are The Arsonists” • The private forecaster AccuWeather estimates initial damage and economic loss of the Los Angeles fires at over $50 billion and says they could be the costliest wildfire disaster in American history. Oil, gas, and coal companies have been lying to us for decades, and their lies have costs. [The Guardian]

Palisades fire (CalFire image)

¶ “Is Tesla In Trouble? Was Alignment With A Trump 2.0 A Profit Gamble?” • Tesla CEO Elon Musk single-handedly rallied voters in November’s win for Donald J. Trump. Sure, the allegiance came at a cost of $238 million from a fundraising arm that Musk founded. But was it good for Tesla’s bottom line? Some analysts at JPMorgan think not. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “You Can Lease A Neta V In Kenya For Just $30 Per Day!” • Late last year, MojaEV launched 100 NETA V electric cars for the taxi market in Nairobi. MojaEV plans to get 500 vehicles to drivers by the middle of this year. These EVs will be leased to taxi drivers in Nairobi at prices starting from just 4,000 Kenya shillings ($30) per day! [CleanTechnica]

MojaEV event for Skyworth (Courtesy of MojaEV)

¶ “EVs Take 23.4% Share In Germany – Disappointing Year For EV Transition” • December saw plugin EVs take 23.4% share in Germany, down from a 30.0% share in December 2023. Battery EV volume was sharply down in a hold-back ahead of tighter 2025 emissions regulations. Overall auto volume was 224,721 units, down 7%. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Minister Hopes Targeted Subsidy Will Turn Malaysians To Renewable Energy” • Natural resources and environmental sustainability minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad hopes that the government’s targeted subsidy initiative will lead to Malaysians turning more to renewable energy. He said that in the past they used fossil fuel because it was cheap. [MSN]

Malaysia (Mahmud Ahsan, Unsplash)

¶ “NLC Forms JV To Set Up 1000 MW Of Solar Power Projects In Assam” • Government-owned NLC India Ltd announced that its renewables arm entered into a joint venture agreement with Assam Power Distribution Company Limited to develop 1000 MW solar power projects. NLC India Renewables Ltd will have an equity shareholding of 51%. [deshsewak.org]

¶ “Planning Permission For 15-Turbine Wind Farm Sought In Waterford” • A planning permission application  was submitted to An Bord Pleanála for a 15-turbine wind farm, roughly 4 km northeast of Cappoquin, on Scart Mountain, in Waterford. The wind farm would be able to provide energy for between 45,598 and 65,661 Irish households. [waterford-news.ie]

Michael Street, Waterford (David P Howard, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “More Headaches For Natural Gas: Next-Gen Heat Pump Water Heaters Are Here” • While attention has been lavished on EVs as necessary for a green future, hot water heaters are also due for a makeover. “Water heating accounts for about 18% of your home’s energy use and is the typically the second largest energy expense in any home,” the US DOE says. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “California Fires Weather Forecast: Nearly 10 Million On Alert For Fire Conditions” • Nearly 10 million people are on alert for fire weather conditions in southern California. Red flag warnings are in effect through Wednesday for 8.8 million people in much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties with a fire weather watch for another 1 million south to Mexico. [ABC News]

Pacific Palisades fire (CalFire image)

¶ “Rep John Block Proposes Tax Increase On Renewable Energy” • Republican Representative John Block who represents most of Otero County, New Mexico, filed a pre-bill which would increase taxes on homeowners and businesses who use renewable energy. Block is known as a radical on social issues and against use of renewable energy. [newsbreak.com]

¶ “Governor Says Drones Spotted Over Louisiana Nuclear Power Plant: Here’s What We Know” • Drones have been spotted flying over a nuclear power plant in Louisiana, but their origin is not known. Governor Jeff Landry spoke to Donald Trump about it. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she believes state or local officials can act if the drones seem threatening. [MSN]

Have a magnificently comfy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Enron Egg Parody Stunt Shows Us How Ridiculous Nuclear Promises Can Be” • In a presentation, a fake CEO tells us about a nuclear device that’s supposedly safe to keep in your home with the family. A quick search shows the design is full of intentional flaws. The Enron Egg parody is a commentary on the endless stream of hucksters. [CleanTechnica]

Humpty Dumpty (WW Denslow, public domain)

World:

¶ “Breaking Fossil Domination In Plastics: Interview With Lignin Industries CEO Fredrik Malmfors” • Fredrik Malmfors of Lignin Industries talks about his company and its patented technology. They are taking on fossil-based plastics with good old-fashioned horse sense, supply chains, waste materials, and … What? carbon sequestration technologies? [CleanTechnica]

¶ “ProLogium Unveils Fast Charging Inorganic Battery At CES 2025” • South Korea’s ProLogium is at CES 2025 to introduce its 4th generation lithium ceramic battery system. The company says its new battery technology addresses many of the concerns electric car drivers experience every day: total cost of ownership, range anxiety, and safety. [CleanTechnica]

ProLogium battery (ProLogium image)

¶ “OnPath Energy To Invest About £1 Billion In UK Renewables” • OnPath Energy has announced plans to invest around a billion pounds in clean energy projects across the UK over the next five years. Richard Dunkley, the CEO at OnPath Energy, commented, “The new government has been very firm in its commitment to accelerating the transition to net zero.” [reNews]

¶ “Nearly Half Of The UK’s Energy Is Already From Renewables – Why Are Bills So High?” • Electricity from renewables should be cheaper to generate than from gas. But the UK’s reality is far more complicated. The biggest driver of high electricity prices is the UK’s marginal pricing model, which means that electricity prices are mostly dictated by gas prices. [AOL.com]

UK wind turbine (Oast House Archive, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Permitting And Grids Holding Back EU Wind Progress” • The EU built 13 GW of new wind farms last year, a figure that falls well below the 30 GW annual target needed to meet 2030 goals. WindEurope estimates show that three main hurdles block the growth of wind energy. One big problem is lack of access to the transmission grid. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Chile Generated More Than 40% Of Its Electricity From Solar And Wind Sources In December” • In December 2024, Chile set a record by generating 42% of its electricity from solar and wind sources, according to the international energy think tank Ember. The previous monthly record of 39.6% of all electricity was set in September of 2024. [BNamericas]

Solar array in Chile (Digitmed, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

US:

¶ “California Wildfires Maps Show Evacuations, Power Outages, Air Quality” • Wildfires are tearing through thousands of acres in Los Angeles County, California, as strong Santa Ana wind gusts stoke the blazes. The Palisades Fire, which is 8% contained, has impacted over 20,400 acres and the 3% contained Eaton Fire has impacted over 13,600 acres. [ABC News]

¶ “L.A. Fires Show The Reality Of Living In A World With 1.5°C Of Warming” • The Southern California blaze was a kind of hell. Residents at a nursing home were evacuated in wheelchairs and pushing walkers, many in their night clothes, as embers fell. Fire fighters, with hoses at the ready but without water at hydrants, could only watch as houses burned. [Time Magazine]

Palisades Fire (CalFire image)

¶ “$1.67 Billion To Montana Renewables To Significantly Expand US Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production” • As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Investing in America agenda, the DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced closing a $1.67 billion ($1.44 billion of principal and $233 million of capitalized interest) to Montana Renewables, LLC. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Three-Wheeled Electric Vehicles Are Coming For Your Fossil Fuels” • A market for three-wheeled electric vehicles is beginning to take shape, and that’s good news for the US EV startup Aptera. The company just earned a big vote of confidence from the A-list battery manufacturer LG Energy Solutions, smoothing the path to full production this year. [CleanTechnica]

Aptera (Courtesy of Aptera)

¶ “25% Of Americans Avoiding Tesla Tech Because Of Elon Musk” • Three things are no secret: (1) Elon Musk benefits more than any other individual from Tesla’s success, (2) Elon Musk has gotten extremely involved in political matters (emphasis on “extremely”), and (3) many people won’t buy Tesla products because of those first two facts. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Vineyard Wind 1 Finishes Monopile Installation” • The CIP-Avangrid joint venture Vineyard Wind has completed monopile installation at the 804-MW Vineyard Wind 1 site off the coast of Massachusetts. An announcement on Vineyard Wind’s website shows all 62 monopiles installed. Vineyard Wind is starting cable laying, which will run through April. [reNews]

Ship loading wind components (Wosketomp, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “Seven States Power Corporation Receives $439 Million Investment From USDA New ERA Program For Renewable Power Solutions” • Seven States Power Corporation is proud to announce that it will receive $439 million in federal funding through the US Department of Agriculture’s New Empowering Rural America program. [FOX40 News]

¶ “Constellation Energy To Buy Calpine In Blockbuster $16.4 Billion US Power Deal” • Nuclear power provider Constellation Energy agreed to buy privately held natural gas and geothermal company Calpine Corp for $16.4 billion. It is one of the biggest acquisitions in US power industry history. The deal comes at a time of rising electricity demand. [Reuters]

Have a consummately gracious day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Wildfire Climate Misinformation Is Rampant, And Social Media Platforms Are Promoting It” • Devastating consequences of the climate crisis are being hidden by climate misinformation messengers, who are persuaded by a very powerful minority to mistrust scientific evidence. Social media has become a tool of the right-wing to brainwash citizens. [CleanTechnica]

Firefighter in California (CalFire image)

World:

¶ “Scientists Were Shocked By How Warm It Was In 2023. The Following Year Was Even Hotter” • Copernicus Climate Change Service says the global temperature for 2024 was 1.6°C above pre-industrial level. The year easily beat out the previous record holder, 2023, for the warmest year on record globally, according to Copernicus’ data. [ABC News]

¶ “Volkswagen Sold 383,100 Fully Electric Vehicles In 2024” • Across all full battery EV models, Volkswagen reached 383,100 sales in 2024. On the one hand, find me a legacy automaker doing better. On the other hand, that’s a small fraction of what BYD and Tesla are doing, and it’s barely more than several Chinese EV startups. [CleanTechnica]

Volkswagen ID.3

¶ “2025 To Be Year Of Electrification In Africa And South America” • Perhaps most would agree that the biggest EV story of 2024 was the rapid rise of EV sales in China, particularly by future automotive king BYD. But the big story of 2025 for EVs could turn out to be rapid electrification of auto markets in Africa and South America. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “South Africa Introduces Tax Incentives To Encourage Local Production Of Electric Vehicles” • South Africa is now moving to incentivize local production of EVs by offering some tax benefits for manufacturers. The South African government approved a 150% tax deduction on investments in production of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

EV charging station in South Africa

¶ “Ireland Passes 5-GW Wind Milestone” • Installed Irish wind capacity has passed the 5-GW mark, with wind farms providing almost a third of the island of the country’s electricity in 2024, according to Wind Energy Ireland. Irish wind farms generated 13,258 GWh last year, more than one and a half times the total demand of all residential customers. [reNews]

¶ “Belgian Offshore Wind Produced 7 TWh In 2024” • Belgian North Sea wind farms accounted for 8.7% of Belgian electricity demand in 2024, according to figures from the trade group Belgian Offshore Platform. The nine wind farms had a total production of approximately 7.07 TWh, or roughly the annual electricity needs of 2 million families. [reNews]

Offshore wind farm (MUMM Scientific Service)

¶ “Envision Scores 1-GW Indian Turbine Deal” • Envision Energy has been awarded a 1GW turbine order by Juniper Green Energy in India. The order comprises 200 units from the EN 182/5MW turbine platform as well as 320 MWh of battery storage. JGE will deploy the turbines for various projects won under state and central auctions. [reNews]

¶ “Germany Added Nearly 20 GW Of Renewable Power Capacity In 2024” • According to the German Federal Network Agency, the installed renewable power capacity in Germany increased by nearly 20 GW to nearly 190 GW in 2024. Solar additions came to 16.2 GW, bringing Germany’s total to 99 GW. A majority of solar additions were in rooftop systems. [Enerdata]

German wind farm (Franzfoto, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “India Installed ‘Record’ 24.5 GW Of Solar Power Capacity In 2024” • India added about 24.5 GW of new solar and 3.4 GW of new wind capacity in the twelve months ending December 2024. The solar installations were more than double those of 2023, setting a record for the year. Also, wind installations increased nearly 1.21 times from 2023. [pv magazine India]

US:

¶ “California Fires: At Least Ten Fire-Related Deaths, Medical Examiner Says” • Thousands of firefighters are battling at least five sprawling wildfires spread around the Los Angeles area. The largest, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 19,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and remains zero percent contained. [ABC News]

Fighting the Palisades Fire (CalFire image)

¶ “Biden Says Federal Government To Cover 100% Of Costs For Initial La Fire Recovery” • President Joe Biden announced the federal government would cover 100% of certain costs for the initial disaster response to the Los Angeles wildfires. The funds will go toward debris removal, temporary shelters, salaries for first responders, and more for 180 days. [ABC News]

¶ “Mercedes-Benz EV Drivers Will Be Able To Charge At Tesla Superchargers In February” • In February, US Mercedes-Benz EV drivers will be able to access Tesla Superchargers in the US and Canada. That’s a big deal because there are over 20,000 such chargers and they have the reputation for being the most reliable and among the fastest. [CleanTechnica]

Mercedes charging (Mercedes-Benz USA image)

¶ “EDF Renewables North America Announces Commercial Operations At Huck Finn Solar Project” • EDF Renewables North America announced that the 200-MW Huck Finn Solar project is operating. EDF Renewables developed the Huck Finn Renewable Energy Center for Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation. [Business Wire]

¶ “Drones Spotted Flying Near Nuclear Power Plant In Southern Minnesota” • Police in southern Minnesota saw two drones flying around a nuclear plant Wednesday but were unable to identify the pilot. Drones are prohibited from flying over nuclear power plants and other “sensitive facilities,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration. [NewsNation]

Have a productively fulfilling day.

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World:

¶ “Zeekr Sales Increase 87% In 2024!” • Zeekr, a young EV brand under the enormous Geely Holding Group umbrella, had a super end of 2024, and a great year overall. In fact, it beat XPENG’s and NIO’s great numbers, in volume terms and percentage growth terms. Zeekr sold 27,190 EVs in December, a 102% increase year over year. [CleanTechnica]

Zeeker 7X in Europe

¶ “Pony.ai To Launch Robotaxis In Hong Kong” • Pony.ai now has over 250 robotaxis operating in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. It’s now looking to expand into Hong Kong, following somewhat more mature rival Baidu there. To start with, Pony.ai will operate robotaxis at the Hong Kong International Airport as shuttles for airport employees. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mexico To Build Its Own Cheap Electric Car – Forget Tesla” • You read that right. Mexico – the country – got tired of waiting for Tesla to build a factory and produce cheap electric cars there, and it’s going to build cheap electric cars itself! Well, correction, it will do with with a private sector partner in a unique public-private partnership. [CleanTechnica]

Made in Mexico (Please click on the image to enlarge it.)

¶ “Nordex Takes 750 MW Of German Turbine Orders” • Nordex has secured turbine orders totaling 738 MW from three German wind farm developers for multiple projects across the country. The orders for turbines from the Delta4000 series, were placed late last year by Umweltgerechte Kraftanlagen, DenkerWulf, and WPD for projects in Germany. [reNews]

¶ “Van Oord Takes Delivery Of Boreas” • Offshore installation vessel Boreas was passed to Van Oord in a festive ceremony at the Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore shipyard in China. The Boreas, named after the Greek god of the Northern winds, is purpose-built for the transport and installation of the next generation of offshore foundations and turbines. [reNews]

Boreas ceremony (Van Oord image)

¶ “Albanese Government Approves More Renewable Energy Projects Than Any Government Before It” • With the approval of the 800-MW Prairie Wind Farm, the Albanese Government has a record 70 renewable energy projects. They could power over 8 million Australian homes. This is the most renewable energy of any Australian government. [The National Tribune]

¶ “Oz Wind Giant Gains Government Consent” • The Australia Government approved an 800-MW wind farm in Queensland. Windlab is developing the Prairie wind farm project, which will include 116 wind turbines. It is to be constructed on active cattle property in the Flinders Shire in north-west Queensland, about 340 km south-west of Townsville. [reNews]

Wind farm (Windlab image)

US:

¶ “Los Angeles ‘Not Prepared’ For Size And Growth Of Raging Wildfires: Fire Chief” • Fire departments in Los Angeles have long had to deal with wildfires near homes and businesses. But the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and Hurst Fire, which burned over 16,000 acres as of Wednesday afternoon, left first responders stretched thin, the fire chief said. [ABC News]

¶ “Climate Change Contributed To The California Wildfires” • Climate change plays a major role in the unprecedented wildfires raging in Southern California. Five wildfires – Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Woodley, and Lidia – are burning in the counties of Los Angeles and Ventura. Climate change is making things that may happen naturally more intense and frequent. [ABC News]

SLO Firefighter, Palisades Fire, 1-8-2025 (Courtesy of Cal Fire)

¶ “US Focus On Domestic EV Battery Supply Chain Pushing Tesla To Move Supplies From China To US” • The most critical element of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was the effort to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US, especially cleantech blue collar jobs in the fast growing EV, battery storage, and solar industries. That includes battery cells. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Can Biden’s Ban On Federal Offshore Oil & Gas Drilling Withstand The Trump Administration?” • President Biden took another big step to secure his environmental legacy, with a decree to protect our coasts from offshore oil and natural gas drilling. To do this, he used a law that has no language allowing a subsequent president to revoke a ban. [CleanTechnica]

Teton Range (Michael Gäbler, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “US Solar Power Generation Holds Steady Even During Extreme Fire Seasons” • In a paper in Nature Communications, researchers from Colorado State University show that while wildfire smoke increasingly covers large parts of the US it does not have much of an impact on overall, long-term solar power generation activity. [Tech Xplore]

¶ “DOE Mulls Backing Long-Duration Storage Project” • The developer Hydrostor received a conditional commitment for a loan guarantee to help fund a 500-MW, 4000-MWh energy storage project in California. The loan guarantee is for up to $1.76 billion with the US Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Financing Program. [reNews]

Hydrostor project (Hydrostor image)

¶ “Oversized Solar Farm Keeps Lights On Until Midnight” • A massive 2.4-GW solar power plant, coupled with six hours of energy storage, is approved in northern Oregon. It is the nation’s largest approved solar and storage project. It’s driven by two of the most important clean energy trends: low cost solar panels and advancing battery technology. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Caught In A Climate Bind, New York State Is Reconsidering Nuclear Power” • Just a few years ago, the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant was celebrated by a broad coalition of environmentalists, residents and even actors as a victory for public safety and environmental protection. But times may be changing in New York. [Inside Climate News]

Have a sublimely worthwhile day.

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World:

¶ “Honda’s 0 Electric Vehicle Prototypes: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” • Honda unveiled two EV prototypes: the Honda 0 SUV and the Honda 0 Saloon. We can see Honda is actually developing 100% EVs that might be competitive, compelling models. These vehicles will be produced beginning next year, in 2026. Let’s take a look. [CleanTechnica]

Honda 0 Saloon prototype

¶ “Volvo Electric Car Sales Grew 54% In 2024 Globally” • Volvo Cars has released its 2024 sales figures globally, and also region by region. One nice thing is the company provides a detailed breakdown of fully EV sales and plugin hybrid sales, including by region. For starters, globally, fully electric vehicle sales were up 54% in 2024 versus 2023. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Exus Acquires A 130-MW Portuguese PV Project” • Exus Renewables acquired the 130-MW ready-to-build Cibele solar farm, in the municipalities of Rio Maior and Cadaval, Portugal, from Lightsource BP. Construction is slated to begin in coming months, and the facility is to be operating in 2026. A windpower component can be added later. [reNews]

Solar array (Exus  image)

¶ “Wind Blows Gas Away From Top Power Spot” • In the UK, wind outperformed gas in 2024. Commenting on the record RenewableUK’s Director of Future Electricity Systems said: “Wind is the UK’s most important clean power source all year round, outperforming gas – and that role is set to grow as fresh projects go live in 2025.” [Energy Live News]

¶ “NeXtWind Acquires Twelve German Wind Farms” • Twelve onshore wind farms located in western, northern and eastern Germany, all built between 2007 and 2011, were acquired by NeXtWind. Their current generating capacity of 140 MW will be expanded by NeXtWind to over 300 MW through repowering and further optimizations. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash)

¶ “India’s Energy Generation Up Nearly 85% In November 2024 From 2014” • The installed power generation capacity of India has jumped 83.8% to 457 GW as of end November 2024, from 249 GW at the end of March 2014. Part of what was added was 129 GW of renewable capacity, including 91 GW of solar power, 27 GW of wind power, and more. [Asian Power]

¶ “Energy Prices ‘Among Top Barriers To Net Zero'” • Energy prices, clean energy availability and lack of capital have been revealed as top barriers to net zero, UK sustainability leaders said. New research from Mitie reveals that over four in five (84%) sustainability leaders feel confident businesses will be able to align with the UK’s net zero goals. [reNews]

Farm and wind farm (Mateusz Niezgoda, Unsplash, cropped)

US:

¶ “Some 1,400 Firefighters Battling ‘Unprecedented’ Fires” • A pair of wildfires have burned over 3,900 acres of Los Angeles, and over 30,000 people have been told to evacuate, as 1,400 firefighters work on them. Over 200,000 people have lost their electric power. Governor Newsom said the fires ravaging parts of Los Angeles are “unprecedented.” [ABC News]

¶ “US Puts CATL On Military Blacklist” • At the request of the Defense Department, the US has placed CATL and Tencent, two of the largest companies in China, on a government blacklist. Both companies are alleged to have close ties to the People’s Liberation Army, a suggestion both vigorously deny, saying they have no ties with the military. [CleanTechnica]

CATL display (CATL image)

¶ “Solar And Storage Industry Statement On Final Rules For Technology-Neutral Energy Tax Credits” • The US Department of the Treasury released the final rules for the Section 48E technology-neutral energy Investment Tax Credit. Here is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association: [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Invenergy Powers Up US Solar Site” • Invenergy announced that its 150-MW Hardin 2 Solar Energy Center has commenced commercial operations in Hardin County, Ohio. Meta will buy the renewable energy generated from Hardin 2. The project increases energy generation capacity in the region, thereby enhancing the reliability of its grid. [reNews]

Solar farm (Invenergy image)

¶ “US Support And New Investments Buoy Hopes For Marine Energy” • The ocean is one of the planet’s biggest untapped sources of renewable energy. The amount of energy available is huge: Theoretically, the waves off the West and East Coasts of the US could provide over 60% of US grid electricity demand. There are challenges, but there is hope. [Yale E360]

¶ “Trump Plans Policy To Halt Wind” • Donald Trump pledged to introduce policy to halt the construction of wind turbines. The President-elect told the press: “We are going to have a policy where no windmills are being built.” He added: “They litter our country. Nobody wants them and they are very expensive. It’s the most expensive energy there is.” [reNews]

Donald Trump (White House image, public domain)

¶ “US Government Enshrines Renewables Tax Credits” • The US Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have moved to enshrine certain tax credits under President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act into the American tax code before Donald Trump moves into the White House. The new rules go into effect on January 15. [reNews]

¶ “Jimmy Carter, A Former Nuclear Engineer, Created DOE, And Opposed Reactor” • Jimmy Carter was a former Navy nuclear engineer who established the Department of Energy and became the first sitting US president to visit Oak Ridge, but his impact on nuclear energy was distilled in East Tennessee, where he stood opposed to a reactor. [Knoxville News Sentinel]

Have a noticeably merry day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “New Offshore Oil & Gas Drilling Ban: Implications For Clean Hydrogen” • To the extent that the drilling ban puts the squeeze on the domestic supply of natural gas, it will help support the growth of green hydrogen. The US domestic hydrogen supply chain depends almost entirely on extracting hydrogen from natural gas. [CleanTechnica]

Deepwater Horizon (USCG, public domain)

¶ “Underwater Robots Could Lower Offshore Renewable Costs, Edinburgh Study Suggests” • The unpredictable nature of waves has limited the use of robots in the upkeep of offshore platforms. Such machines have difficulty remaining stable and able to move with precision. Technology from the University of Edinburgh addresses this. [Power Engineering International]

World:

¶ “November Global EV Sales: Automakers” • In November, #1 BYD, deep into pricing out the competition (fossil fueled and electric…) didn’t disappoint. It scored some 485,000 registrations, a new record. With sales at this level already, one might wonder how high the Shenzhen make’s sales could go. Would 800,000 units per month be possible? [CleanTechnica]

BYD Song Plus (Zotyefan, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “November Global EV Sales: Models” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 32% in November 2024 . There were 1.84 million registrations, which is a new record month, the third in a row. BEVs were up by 22% YOY, to a record 1.2 million units. Plugin hybrids did even better, jumping 55% YOY, its sixth record month in a row! [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Jeonnam 1 Enters Commissioning Phase” • All the turbines have been installed at the 96-MW Jeonnam 1 offshore wind farm off South Korea and it is being prepared for commissioning. Construction began in early 2023. Siemens Gamesa installed the final turbine in December 2024. The wind farm is expected to be operating in the first half of 2025. [reNews]

Wind turbine installation (Siemens Gamesa image)

¶ “Renewables Supply Nearly Half Irish Demand” • Electricity from renewable sources provided for close to half of Ireland’s total demand in December, according to provisional data from grid operator EirGrid. Overall, renewables provided 46.7% of electricity in December, from sources that included solar, wind, and hydropower. [reNews]

¶ “Ziton Expands O&M Jack-Up Fleet” • Wind Discovery has been registered in the Danish International Register of Shipping. Ziton added the jack-up ship to its fleet, to provide operations and maintenance services in the offshore wind industry. The fleet of Ziton-operated offshore wind vessels now includes six O&M-dedicated jack-ups. [reNews]

Wind Discovery (Ziton image)

¶ “First Nations Chiefs Shouldn’t Be Duped By ‘Nuclear-Is-Green’ Deception” • The federal government needs the support of Indigenous peoples to expand nuclear power generation capacity in Canada. So nuclear power is now being touted as “Green.” It is not green, but big corporations are paying to support that particular myth. [NB Media Co-op]

US:

¶ “Biden’s Move To Permanently Block Offshore Oil Drilling Sparks Trump’s Ire” • President Joe Biden is making a sweeping move to ban all future offshore oil and natural gas drilling on America’s East and West coasts, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s North Bering Sea. President-elect Donald Trump is angrily vowing to reverse the move. [ABC News]

Offshore Oil&Gas rig (Zachary Theodore, Unsplash)

¶ “USA Can Recycle 90% Of Wind Turbine Mass” • A report from the US DOE advises on how to increase recycling and reuse of wind energy equipment to create a more circular economy and sustainable supply chain. Among other findings, the research shows that existing US plants could process 90% of the mass of decommissioned wind turbines. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Thomas Built Buses Unveils Its Second Generation Electric School Bus ” • Thomas Built Buses, a division of Daimler Trucks, is a leading maker of school buses in North America. Thomas Built announced the second generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley battery electric school bus, with customer driven improvements and advanced technology. [CleanTechnica]

Gen 2 Jouley electric school bus (Thomas Built Buses image)

¶ “US Government Agrees To Ten Year Nuclear Power Plan” • Building new nuclear power plants is not easy, and old ones are having their lives extended to meet growing demand, largely from data centers. Now, the General Services Administration is buying over $1 billion for electricity in the next ten years from Constellation Energy nuclear plants. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ohio’s Largest Solar Project Goes Online” • The 577-MW Fox Squirrel Solar project in Ohio is now fully operational, delivering full generational capacity to Amazon. Fox Squirrel Solar is a 50-50 partnership between EDF Renewables and Enbridge. The solar farm is the largest solar project in Ohio, though larger ones are being built. [pv magazine USA]

The Fox Squirrel Solar project (Matt Reese, EDF Renewables)

¶ “Delaware Signs $128 Million Deal With US Wind” • The Delaware government has signed agreements with US Wind to provide renewable energy, community and lease benefits to the state and its residents worth over $128 million. The company is preparing to build two proposed offshore wind projects over the coming years. [reNews]

¶ “Aptera Motors Is Back And Showing Off Its Solar-Power Car” • Aptera Motors, once on the brink of being relegated to the scrap heap of good but impractical ideas, is not only back, but about to show off the latest iteration of the solar electric vehicle. Aptera says its three-wheel vehicle needs no charging at all for most daily driving uses. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Have a perfectly funny day.

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World:

¶ “EVs Take 62.8% Share In Sweden” • December saw plugin EVs take 62.8% share in Sweden, down a bit from the 63.1% reported in December 2023. The battery EV share increased year over year, but was outweighed by falling plugin hybrid share. Overall auto volume was 26,237 units, down by 10% YOY. The best selling battery EV was the Tesla Model Y. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Pontus Jerand Wernhammar, Unsplash)

¶ “Boskalis Unveils New Vessel” • Boskalis has unveiled the latest addition to its offshore wind fleet, a subsea rock installation (SRI) vessel with a cargo capacity of 45,500 metric tons. This “state-of-the-art vessel will stand as the largest SRI vessel in the industry”, stated Boskalis. With the introduction of the Windpiper, Boskalis will effectively double its capacity. [reNews]

¶ “Germany Passes 100-GW Solar Milestone” • Germany’s installed solar capacity exceeded 100 GW at the turn of the new year, according to government data analyzed by the German Solar Industry Association. This installed capacity provided for around 14% of electricity consumption in 2024, up from the 12% it covered in 2023. [reNews]

German solar array (BayWa RE image)

¶ “ArcelorMittal Nippon Moves Forward With Part Of 975-MW Solar Project” • Oriano commissioned a 211.2 MW solar project in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, for captive consumption by ArcelorMittal Nippon Group, which is developing a 975-MW hybrid renewable energy project to decarbonize operations of its steel production. [pv magazine International]

¶ “NTPC Renewable Energy Wins 1 GW In UPPCL’s Solar PV Auction” • A wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy Ltd won 1 GW in Uttar Pradesh Power Corp Ltd’s 2-GW solar PV project auction. NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd won the capacity at a tariff of ₹2.56/kWh (3.0¢/kWh) in the e-reverse auction conducted by UPPCL. [pv magazine India]

Engie’s 75-MW solar PV plant in Uttar Pradesh (Engie image)

¶ “PH Coal Consumption Rises Amid Surging Power Demand” • The Philippines’ coal use continues to rise, driven by growing power demand despite the government’s push for renewable energy. The IEA projects the Philippines’ coal consumption will reach 47 million tons within three years, citing robust economic outlook and rising power demand. [Power Philippines]

¶ “Wind Is Biggest Source Of UK Electricity For First Time” • Thousands of wind turbines, both on and offshore, have become the biggest single source of Britain’s electricity for the first time, according to analysis of the annual energy mix. Wind generation rose to a 30% share last year from 29% in 2023, displacing gas-fired plants as the primary source. [The Times]

Windfarm construction (Zanaszanas, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “IAEA Reports Explosions And Gunfire Near Zaporizhzhia NPP” • International Atomic Energy Agency staff reported loud explosions near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant. There were also reports of machine gun fire coming from the area around the plant. IAEA experts noted that military activity near the ZNPP intensified in the last 24 hours. [RBC-Ukraine]

US:

¶ “US Reservoirs Could Host Up To 1,042 GW Of Floating Solar” • US Federally controlled reservoirs have “ample” potential for floating solar generation capacity, an NREL study says. Capacity estimates range from 861 GW to 1,042 GW, showing a potential to generate about half of the solar energy needed to decarbonize the US electric grid. [pv magazine International]

Floating solar array (NREL image)

¶ “Regulatory Chaos Could Disrupt US Solar Manufacturing And Implementation” • The Inflation Reduction Act is a spectacular success. A recent White House press release says that, in the two years since its passage, companies have announced $265 billion in clean energy investments, creating over 330,000 jobs. The new leadership wants to dismantle it. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Why Is The Sea Level Rise Higher In The Southeast Than In Other Parts Of The US?” • NOAA 210 continuously operating water level stations throughout the US and its territories. The Fort Pulaski tide gauge, near Savannah, Georgia, has recorded roughly ten inches of sea level rise since 1935 – over seven of which came since 2010. [CleanTechnica]

Ocean (Greg Rosenke, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Eolus Offloads 100-MW US Battery” • Eolus has signed an agreement to sell a 100-MW battery system project in California. The 400-MWh stand-alone Pome project, in Poway, is under construction, with planned commercial operation in the first half of 2025. The buyer is a privately held producer of renewable energy in the US. [reNews]

¶ “US Treasury Signals A New Hope For Green Hydrogen” • In the US, green hydrogen stakeholders have been eagerly waiting for clarification on a potentially lucrative federal tax credit. They finally got what they wished for, when the Treasury Department issued its Final Rule. The new rule looks like a win-win for the US green hydrogen industry. [CleanTechnica]

Have a comfortingly flawless day.

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

Opinion:

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

Tesla (Austin Hervias, Unsplash)

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

World:

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

Zimbabwe (St John Wilson, Unsplash)

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

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

Tamil Nadu (Harshal More, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Cadillac SOLLEI luxury concept EV (courtesy of GM)

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

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

Solar manufacturing (SEIA image)

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

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

Have a grandly gracious day.

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Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

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

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

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

Solar farm (RES image)

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

US:

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

Ford EVs (Ford image)

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

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

Charging a Ford EV (Ford image)

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

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

Guam (yeojin yun, Unsplash)

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

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

Solar power (Oskar Kadaksoo, Unsplash)

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

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

Have an energetically quiet day.

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Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

BYD SkyRail (Courtesy of BYD America)

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

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

Fast train in China (Courtesy of CRRC via Reddit)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter fishing, 1978 (National Archives)

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

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

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

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

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

Have a relaxingly trouble-free day.

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Opinion:

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

Alone at dawn (想 李, Unsplash)

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

World:

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

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

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

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

Zhongtian 39 (ZTT image)

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

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

Workers at an offshore windfarm (TenneT image)

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

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

Wind farm (Enercon image)

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

US:

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

San Miguel lignite generating station (SMECI via LinkedIn)

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

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

Have an impressively productive day.

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Opinion:

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

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

World:

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

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

BYD Seal (Tiago Ferreira, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Swiss train (SBB CFF FFS image)

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

US:

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

Coast of Puerto Rico (Briana Tozour, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Have an implausibly enchanting day.

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Science and Technology:

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

GM EV1 (Courtesy of GM via Smithsonian Institution)

World:

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

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

Škoda Enyaq (Škoda image)

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

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

Vestas wind turbine (Vestas image)

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

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

Wind turbine (Ph B, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Tesla Cybertruck (Somalia Veteran, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Utility grid monitor (Whisker Labs image)

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

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

Solar panels (Jason Mavrommatis, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a wholly hunky-dory day.

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Opinion:

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

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

World:

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

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

Wind farm (RWE image)

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

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

Offshore wind turbines (EDF image)

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

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

Solar array (Climateworks.org)

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

US:

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

Cybertruck (Varun Palaniappan, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Have a thrillingly undemanding day.

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World:

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

King Kong pickup (Geely Radar image)

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

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

Renewable energy (Adani Green Energy website)

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

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

Wind farm (NextEra Energy)

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

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

Belize (Alisa Matthews, Unsplash, cropped)

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

US:

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

Scout Motors EV (Scout Motors image)

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

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

Have a vigorously soothing day.

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Science and Technology:

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

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

World:

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

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

Lilium EVTOL (Lilium image)

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

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

Wind turbine (OX2 image)

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

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

Singapore (Mike Enerio, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a vastly contented day.

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Opinion:

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

Vermont Yankee (NRC, public domain)

Science and Technology:

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

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

New type of membrane (Courtesy of Imperial College London)

World:

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

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

Storage system (CNSIG image)

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

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

NKT cable production (NKT image)

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

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

Airport (Estormiz, CC0 1.0, public domain)

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

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

Neoen solar array (Neoen image)

US:

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

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

Refinery (Suthamally Hariharan Subramanian, CC0 1.0)

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

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

Have an unquestionably superior day.

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Opinion:

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

Chicago (Jeff Brown, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

Acme Solar plant in Rajasthan (Acme Solar image)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Solar array (Ameren Missouri image)

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

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

Have an enthusiastically appreciated day.

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Opinion:

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

Cryptocurrency (Coinhako, Unsplash)

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

Science and Technology:

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

Fusion reactor (LANL image)

World:

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

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

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

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

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

Charging an EV at home (Maxim Hopman, Unsplash)

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

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

Albania (Vladan Raznatovic, Unsplash)

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

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

Atmosphere (Zoltan Tasi, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Sangre de Cristo Mountains (NPS, public domain)

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

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

Have a thoroughly happy day.

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World:

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

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

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

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

Cable layer and substation (Jan De Nul image)

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

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

Agrivoltaics (The Energy and Resources Institute)

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

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

Wind farm (EBRD image)

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

US:

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

Camping with a Cybertruck (Tesla image)

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

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

Solar panels (Chelsea, Unsplash)

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

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

Ameren Missouri solar array (Courtesy of Ameren Missouri)

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

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

Have a significantly rewarding day.

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Opinion:

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

Great Wall (Hanson Lu, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

VinFast EVs (VinFast image)

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

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

Offshore windfarm (Ørsted image)

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

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

Solar farm (European Energy image)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Uber WeRide robotaxi in Abu Dhabi (Uber image)

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

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

Offshore windfarm and substation (Gary Norton, US DOE)

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

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

Have a triumphantly cozy day.

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World:

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

Balkonkraftwerke (Tornasol Energy image)

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

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

Solar farm (Gold Fields image)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Flow battery (Courtesy of Quino Energy)

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

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

SunHydrogen staff and panels (SunHydrogen image)

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

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

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

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

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

Have a warmly comfortable day.

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Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

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

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

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

Offshore wind farm (Vattenfall image)

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

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

Offshore wind farm (EDF Renewables image)

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

US:

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

Glacier National Park, Montana (Janne Simoes, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Have a sufficiently perfect day.

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Opinion:

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

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

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

XPENG center in Sydney (XPENG image)

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

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

Hitachi HVDC (Hitachi image)

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

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

Jack-up vessel (KENC image)

US:

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

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

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

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

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

Qcells factory in Georgia (Qcells image)

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

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

Wind turbines (Natalia Blauth, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a nicely unruffled day.

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Opinion:

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

Wind turbines at dusk (Milada Vigerova, Unsplash)

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

Science and Technology:

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

Green technology (Courtesy of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens)

World:

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

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

Solaris Urbino 18 electric bus (Solaris photo)

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

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

Wave device (FDRC image)

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

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

Solar panels (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Ford F-150 Lightning plugged in (Ford image)

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

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

Renewable capacity (RWE image)

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

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

Have an astounding temperate day.

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World:

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

BYD in Estonia (BYD image)

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

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

Opel Frontera Electric

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

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

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

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

UK:

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

Wind turbine (Vestas image)

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

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

Proposed battery storage system (EOS image)

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

US:

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

Ohio landscape (Michael Bowman, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Ford Mustang Mach-E (Ford image)

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

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

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