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Opinion:

¶ “Fixation On UK Nuclear Power May Not Help To Solve The Climate Crisis” • With researchers at Oxford and elsewhere agreeing that the UK could easily become entirely powered by wind and solar, with no fossil fuels required, it seems an anomaly that nuclear power is still getting the lion’s share of subsidies to keep the ailing industry alive. [The Guardian]

Wind turbine in the UK (Andrew Tryon, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Lithium-Sulfur EV Batteries To Be Tested By Automakers” • The crowded field of next-generation EV batteries is getting more crowded by the minute. New solid-state technology has been catching much of the attention, but lithium-sulfur formulas have also attracted innovators and investors. Sulfur is a low cost, non-toxic, abundant, material. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “2.5ºC Is Now The Best Case Scenario, Climate Scientists Tell The Guardian” • Recently, The Guardian reached out to every lead author or review editor of IPCC reports since 2018 to ask them how the fight against global heating was going. Of the 380 people who responded, many expect climate havoc to unfold in coming decades. [CleanTechnica]

San Francisco after 2020 fires (Patrick Perkins, Unsplash, cropped)

World:

¶ “What Falling Sales? Global EV Sales Grow 19% in March!” • Global plugin vehicle registrations were up 19% in March 2024 compared to March 2023. There were 1.3 million registrations. Battery EVs were up by 7% year over year, while plugin hybrids jumped 50% YOY, to be the second best month ever. Plugins took a 19% share of the auto market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Norway Is Continuing To Lead The Transition To A Green Economy” • Two reports show how well Norway’s push to lower its carbon emissions is working. Of the 2.8 million registered cars in Norway, a quarter are EVs. No other country in the world has such a high share of EVs. In total there are about 715,000 electric cars on Norwegian roads. [CleanTechnica]

ASKO truck boarding a ferry (ASKO image)

¶ “BC Transit Bringing 66 Electric Buses to More Locations” • More communities in British Columbia are about to benefit from electric buses. Sixty-six electric buses are on order from Nova Bus and New Flyer, both pre-qualified suppliers. And there are nine communities in BC with transit electrification infrastructure projects getting started. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Southern States Guaranteed 1.7 GW In National Renewable Energy Tender” • The Australian government has confirmed that Victoria will have at least 1.4 GW of renewable energy projects and Tasmania will get at least 300 MW in the first Capacity Investment Scheme tender. The tender is expected to open for bids on 31 May 2024. [pv magazine Australia]

Ross River Solar Farm (CEFC Image)

¶ “Energy Vault And ACEN Australia To Develop 200-MW, 400-MWh Battery Storage Projects” • Energy storage provider Energy Vault Holdings Inc and ACEN Australia, a leading Australian energy producer, have entered into a contractual agreement for the deployment of two battery storage projects with a combined energy capacity of 400 MWh. [ETN News]

¶ “Labor’s Gas Strategy: What Is It And Why Do Critics Call It ‘Back To The Future’?” • Australia’s Albanese government has finally released its gas strategy. It says gas will remain a central part of Australia’s energy and export sectors to 2050 and beyond. Climate groups say it will be ‘devastating’ to Australian emissions reduction targets. [The Guardian]

Gas-fired power plant (OLU, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “104,000 Panel Solar Farm Set To Power The University Of Manchester” • The University of Manchester signed a deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a renewables project. Once complete, Medebridge Solar Farm will comprise 104,000 solar panels across 175 acres of low-grade agricultural land. [Envirotec Magazine]

¶ “Companies Partner To Boost Biodiversity At UK Renewable Energy Sites” • Two companies are working together on five solar+battery projects in the UK to ensure that each site meets its biodiversity net gain targets. The targets require improvements in the habitat as part of The Environment Act 2021 that came into force this year. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

Solar site (Courtesy of Queequeg Renewables)

US:

¶ “Chevrolet Malibu Heads For The Junkyard As GM Shifts Focus To Electric Vehicles” • The Chevrolet Malibu, the last midsize car manufactured by a Detroit car maker, is heading to the junkyard. General Motors confirmed that it will stop making the car, which came out in 1964, as the company focuses more on EVs. GM sold just over 130,000 Malibus last year. [ABC News]

¶ “Eli Opens Reservations For Its $12K ZERO Electric Microcar In The US” • If you’ve been waiting for a super-cheap EV that can handle all of your daily driving needs, you’re in luck. Eli Electric Vehicles is taking reservations in the US for its flagship vehicle, the $12,000 ZERO microcar, and sales are expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. [CleanTechnica]

Eli ZERO (Courtesy of Eli)

¶ “Vanadium Flow Batteries Are Coming For Your Gas Power Plant” • Back in 2020, the US DOE issued the $20 million Energy Storage Grand Challenge, aimed at supporting innovations that reduce the cost of manufacturing flow batteries. Technical issues and manufacturing are being addressed, and improved products are coming to market. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Colorado Legislature Passes Crucial Bill Advancing Renewable Energy Siting, Helping State Meet Ambitious Decarbonization Goals” • Colorado passed a key bill that takes a first step toward expediting the deployment of clean energy infrastructure, which is essential for driving the state toward its ambitious targets for decarbonization. [Clean Air Task Force]

Have an etherially alluring day.

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Opinion:

¶ “The Power Of Taxing ‘Untaxed Externalities’” • Economists use the term “untaxed externalities” to describe financial impacts of human behavior that are not figured into the costs of doing business. For an Oil & Gas company, that might mean making taxpayers cover the cost of capping a non-productive oil well. The EU and US are working to stop that. [CleanTechnica]

Oil rig (Jared Evans, Unsplash)

¶ “From Whale Oil To Wind Power: The Fossil Fuel Industry’s Disinformation Is An Ocean of Hypocrisy” • Oil producers are spreading disinformation about offshore wind. They are sowing distrust and doubt, directing attention away from their damage, and wasting precious time when we should be accelerating wind power development. [The Equation]

Science and Technology:

¶ “A Surge In Sea Level Rise Threatens Southern States” • Sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico have risen by six inches or more in the past 10 years. Most oceanographers expected that amount of change would not happen until the end of this century, and only if global warming was to surpass 2ºC. Scientists are scrambling to determine the cause. [CleanTechnica]

Fort Myers Beach, Florida (Nick Nolan, Unsplash)

¶ “World’s Top Climate Scientists Expect Global Heating To Blast Past 1.5°C Target” • Hundreds of the world’s leading climate scientists expect global temperatures to rise to at least 2.5°C (4.5°F) above preindustrial levels this century, blasting past international targets and causing catastrophic consequences, a Guardian survey shows. [The Guardian]

World:

¶ “EVs Take 24.7% Share In The UK – BMW Leading Battery-Electric Brand” • April’s auto market saw plugin EVs take a 24.7% share in the UK, up from 21.9%, year on year. Volume growth was modest for battery EVs, and decent for plugin hybrids. Overall auto volume was 134,274 units, up just 1% YoY. The UK’s leading battery EV brand in April was BMW. [CleanTechnica]

BMW iX (Alexander Migl, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “VinFast Officially Launches In The Philippines” • VinFast Auto announced it will officially enter the Philippine EV market in late May 2024 with its diverse and smart green vehicles. The debut affirms VinFast’s commitment to being a leader in the Southeast Asian markets and its mission to promote the electrification of transportation globally. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Kenya Ranks Among Leading African Nations In Renewable Energy Uptake ” • Kenya is among African countries that are leveraging on renewable energy adoption, only ranking behind Senegal and Morocco. The three countries each generate around a fifth (20%) of their electricity from solar and wind,” the recent Ember report says. [The Star, Kenya]

Wind farm, Kenya (Andrew Owuor, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Renewable Power Starts Gaining Market Share” • Renewable power long seemed stuck at 20% of global power generation. That is now changing as investment picks up and capacity turns over. Renewables, including hydropower, account for 30% of global power and look set to advance this share by 10-15 percentage points every ten years or so. [Energy Intelligence]

¶ “Aggreko Backs Modular Tech For Offgrid Solar And Storage Solution” • Energy company Aggreko completed construction of a 4.4-MW solar farm and 2-MW, 1-MWh battery storage system that will help power Australian miner Northern Star Resources’ Porphyry mine operation under a long-term power purchase agreement. [pv magazine Australia]

Solar + storage (Image courtesy of 5B)

¶ “Russia Reveals It Is Building A Nuclear Power Plant To Put On The Moon” • Russia has revealed it has started building a nuclear power plant to be put on the moon for a planned joint lunar base with China. The countries are collaborating on the International Lunar Research Station, a massive complex on the moon that is set to break ground in 2026. [MSN]

US:

¶ “Got $200K And Want To Fly Electric? This Ultralight eVTOL Ships In July And Doesn’t Require A Pilot License” • For about $200,000, you might be able to attain the ultimate in e-mobility early adopter status. The Pivotal Helix eVTOL is available for order in the US, with deliveries starting in July, and you don’t even need a pilot license. [CleanTechnica]

The Pivotal Helix light eVTOL (Courtesy of Pivotal)

¶ “The Southeast US Battery Belt Is Learning To Love EVs” • EV battery plants are reinvigorating areas of the Southeast that were left destitute by factory closings, to the point that the region has a new nickname: the Battery Belt. It’s a name for a geographic manufacturing sector that is becoming the core for the domestic cleantech supply chain. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Goleta City Facilities Move To 100% Renewable Energy” • The City of Goleta is poised to meet and exceed municipal renewable energy goals earlier than expected. The Goleta City Council unanimously approved powering all City facilities with 100% clean, renewable energy through the City’s Community Choice Aggregator, starting in July. [News Channel 3-12]

Wind turbines (City of Goleta)

¶ “Feds Target Tesla Over Autopilot And Full Self Driving Claim” • For almost ten years, regulators have been wrangling with Elon Musk over his claims that Tesla’s cars can drive themselves with little to no input from human drivers. Even the name “Autopilot” has been controversial, as many contend it lulls drivers into a false sense of security. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Oil Industry Could Help The Biden Administration Tap ‘Invisible’ Green Energy” • A report from the US DOE makes a bold statement. It points out that the nascent US geothermal industry has a ready workforce of 300,000 engineers, drillers, hydrologists, and power plant operators ready to tap right here in this country. [NPR]

Have a perfectly delightful day.

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World:

¶ “Earth Experienced Its Warmest April On Record” • Earth just experienced its eleventh straight warmest month on record. Last month continued a relentless stretch of record-breaking global temperatures for the planet after it was found to be the warmest April on record, said the monthly climate report by Copernicus, Europe’s climate change service. [ABC News]

Cooling off (Gary Cole, Unsplash)

¶ “Electricity From Clean Sources Reaches 30% Of Global Total” • Last year set a record for renewable energy sources, the ones that do not emit such global warming gases as carbon dioxide and methane, says a report published by Ember, a think tank based in London. For the first time, 30% of world’s electricity was from clean energy sources. [ABC News]

¶ “Hyundai Will Invest Nearly $1 Billion To Keep Motional Viable” • Hyundai Motor Group announced it will invest nearly $1 billion in Motional, a robotaxi business that is a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv. The Motional robotaxi, based on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, will be made at the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center in Singapore. [CleanTechnica]

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (Hyundai image)

¶ “Saint-Gobain Invests In Renewable Energy For Romanian Glass Sites” • Saint-Gobain has signed a five-year renewable electricity supply agreement in Romania with OMV Petrom. The contract covers the purchase of green electricity from wind and PV sources provided by energy supplier OMV Petrom and will start in January 2026. [Glass International]

¶ “Company Receives Approval To Install Fully Submerged Wave Energy Converter To Generate Clean Power” • An Irish company, CETO Wave Energy Ireland, a subsidiary of Carnegie Clean Energy, has received approval to place a fully submerged wave energy converter system in Basque Country, Spain, Interesting Engineering reported. [The Cool Down]

Wave converter (CETO Technology image)

¶ “IKEA Is Now Selling A Hot New Product: Renewable Energy” • In order to hit its goal of becoming a climate-positive company by 2030, IKEA is increasingly focused on selling sustainable products. With a new product line, Swedish customers can buy both wind and solar power through an app, which also lets them track their usage. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

¶ “Fossil Fuels Are ‘Becoming Obsolete’ As Solar Panel Prices Plummet” • The cost of solar power has dropped by 87% over the last decade, a study by Berlin-based Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change shows. The world is moving towards a point where fossil fuel-generated power is no longer economically viable. [Yahoo News UK]

Fossil fuel burning power plant (Ivo Lukacovic, Unsplash)

¶ “Ingeteam Picks Up 380-MW Oz PV Order” • Ingeteam has been selected by Acciona Energía as a technology partner to provide its power conversion and control technology for a 380-MW solar project in Australia. The Aldoga Solar Farm, linked to a 15-year PPA, is 20 kilometres northwest of Gladstone on the Central Queensland Coast. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Lilium Announces Firm Order Of Twenty Lilium Jets From US Operator UrbanLink” • Lilium NV announced a partnership with air mobility operator UrbanLink for Lilium Jets in South Florida. UrbanLink will buy twenty Lilium Jets, with pre-delivery payments, and become the first airline in the US fully committed to using eVTOL aircraft in its fleet. [CleanTechnica]

Lilium e-jet (Lilium image)

¶ “Consider Climate Risk Events As ‘Constant Threats’” • In the US, climate risk events are happening more frequently in places where development was once deemed safe. Until recently, most people were not concerned with how their ability to be insured would change. But now, catastrophic climate disasters wreaking havoc have changed that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Renewable Energy Bill Heads To Governor’s Desk” • Vermont lawmakers gave final approval to a bill that will accelerate the state’s transition toward clean energy by requiring utilities to get 100% of their power from renewable sources by 2035. The bill, H.289, was lauded by environmentalists. Republicans, claiming cost concerns, blasted it. [Seven Days]

Solar array in Guilford (Beyond My Ken, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “University Of Denver To Make Its Electricity 100% Solar” • The University of Denver is doubling down on becoming a leader in green energy. It has partnered with Pivot Energy, planning to build enough new solar panels on campus and at dedicated solar farms nearby to completely offset university electricity use in about three years. [The Colorado Sun]

¶ “Three Large Solar Projects Set To Come Online In Wisconsin This Year” • Wisconsin has three large solar projects with a total capacity of 650 MW expected to come online in 2024, with more coming after that. Two of the solar farms are joint ventures of WEC Energy Group utilities and Madison Gas & Electric. The third is an Alliant Energy project. [WPR]

Solar array (Courtesy of Wisconsin Public Service)

¶ “US Falls Behind Renewable Energy Transition Despite Global Progress” • Despite growing momentum towards sustainability seen internationally, the US seems to be struggling to match the pace of this transition. As countries increasingly adopt renewable energy, the US is lagging, primarily due to its preference for gas over cleaner alternatives. [Tech Times]

¶ “US Ready To Replace Russian Uranium Imports, Official Says” • The US Senate passed the legislation to ban Russian uranium imports, as part of the effort to curb revenues for Russia’s war on Ukraine. The bill, which will now go to President Joe Biden to be signed, starts 90 days after enactment. The DOE will be able to issue waivers, however. [Power Technology]

Have an endearingly uncomplicated day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What In The World Is Going On In The World Of Tesla?” • If Tesla is committed to ending the fossil fuel madness, we are all for it. But if it is just a way for a 52-year-old man-child to throw big tantrums, then we should be prepared to see it go. Sadly, the tea leaves seem to be pointing to a downward spiral and possible collapse of Tesla as a leading EV maker. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y (Tesla image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “How Do Scientists Know How Much Climate Change Affects A Hurricane, A Heat Wave, A Drought, And More?” • Scientists can tell with increased certainty how much climate change influences the severity and intensity of weather events, by comparing data from weather in the real world to a modeled world that has not had climate change. [Yale Climate Connections]

¶ “Fusion Record Set For Tungsten Tokamak WEST” • Scientists at the US DOE’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory measured a new record for a fusion device internally clad in tungsten. The device sustained a hot fusion plasma of roughly 50 million degrees Celsius for a record six minutes with 1.15 gigajoules of power injected. [Phys.org]

Interior of Tokamak WEST (CEA-IRFM)

World:

¶ “Italy Curbs Installation Of Solar Panels On Agricultural Land” • Italy’s rightwing coalition passed rules curbing the installation of solar panels on agricultural land, ministers said, in a move that triggered criticism as it could impair Rome’s decarbonisation goals. The new rules, part of a broader package of measures to protect farming and fisheries. [Reuters]

¶ “European Commission Sharpens Inquiry Into Chinese EV Subsidies” • Last October, the European Commission opened an inquiry to find whether China is giving its automakers unfair subsidies. With no responses to questions sent to carmakers in China, it is now proceeding with action based on the assumption that unfair subsidies do exist. [CleanTechnica]

BYD roll-on-roll-off shipping vessel (BYD image)

¶ “Mobile Hydrogen Generator Launched In Victoria” • Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources, Lily D’Ambrosio, launched the H2PowerBox, which has solar panels, an electrolyser, and a fuel cell, which allows it to power to remote communities. The plan is to have a network of them in the state as an alternative to diesel generators. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Irish Wind Fleet ‘Delivered Stellar April’” • The latest figures show Irish wind farms generated 1,076 GWh of power in April 2024, slightly less than the previous record of 1,112 GWh in April 2023. Wind energy provided 32% of Ireland’s electricity last month while the report also shows its average wholesale price in April 2024 was €88.52, down 30% YOY. [reNews]

Wind turbines (Waldemar, Unsplash)

¶ “Microsoft Signs Record Corporate PPA For Green Energy” • Microsoft signed a $10 billion agreement for over 10.5 GW of renewable energy capacity, to be developed by Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Renewable Partners. The deal is almost eight times as big as the largest single corporate PPA ever signed, Brookfield said. [Balkan Green Energy News]

¶ “Renewable Energy Set To Overtake Coal As Largest Source Of Power Globally” • The IEA found that a massive move towards clean energy, largely driven by Russia invading Ukraine, will see the world add as much renewable capacity in the next five years as it did in the last two decades. As a result, coal is falling behind renewables. [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

Solar panels (Markus Spiske, Unsplash)

¶ “Exus Snaps Up 51-MW Spanish Wind Project” • Exus Renewables has acquired a 51-MW wind farm project in the north of Spain, from independent Spanish company Enhol Group. The scheme is ready to build and is expected to be in operation in the third quarter of 2025. It includes the potential for solar hybridisation and co-located battery storage. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Alaska Tidal Energy: New Study Shows Alaska’s Cook Inlet Could Power 70,000 Homes” • An NREL study funded by the US DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office examines how much value the new but fast-growing tidal energy industry could bring to Alaska’s Railbelt grid. Cook Inlet contains some of the largest tidal energy resources on Earth. [CleanTechnica]

Cook Inlet (Brendan McMurrer, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “US DOE Provides $26 Million To Support Energy Saving Projects” • The US DOE announced over $26.9 million to nine states, 27 local governments and one Tribe for the next round of formula grants through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. In most cases, applications for the next round are due in October. [Renewable Energy Magazine]

¶ “Texas Goes Big On Solar + Storage That Can Power Over 41,000 Homes” • A 208-MW solar farm with 80 MWh of storage has come online west of San Antonio, Texas. Developers Cypress Creek Renewables brought the Zier Solar + Storage facility online in Brackettville, Texas, on May 2, 2024. Zier can provide annual electricity needs of 41,600 homes. [Electrek]

Solar farm in Texas (Cypress Creek Renewables)

¶ “Adams Electric Cooperative Receives Renewable Energy Grant” • In Illinois, the Adams Electric Cooperative has received a $5 million grant from the US DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstration. Money will be used to install a 1-MW wind turbine and 1-MW solar array in Schuyler County near their Sugar Grove substation. [WGEM]

¶ “How bp Turns Landfill Waste Into Renewable Natural Gas” • Among the waste decomposing at farms and landfills across the US, bp saw something it liked: an abundant source of energy, one that could provide the company with a new revenue stream and another way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So it acquired Archaea Energy in 2022. [BP]

Have a surprisingly simple day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Long Duration Energy Storage From Thin Air: Just Add Water” • Unlike lithium-ion batteries that typically last about 4-6 hours, a long duration energy storage system can deliver for periods up to full days, weeks, or even seasons. At that level, wind and solar energy could provide for nuclear-style stability, at a fraction of the cost. [CleanTechnica]

Water (Thierry Meier, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Zero-Emission Zones Are Helping Some Cities Worldwide Fight Pollution” • With growing urban populations and increases in cars, trucks, and buses, cities are poised to experience more harmful pollution threatening people’s health and livelihoods. But cities across the world are turning to an emerging solution called zero-emission zones. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Truck Manufacturers A More Carbon Intensive Investment Than Oil, Steel Or Cars: Study” • Truckmakers’ emissions in the EU are 50% higher than what they tell investors, a Transport & Environment study shows. With mandatory scope 3 reporting kicking in for investors this year, T&E calls on all truckmakers to switch to zero-emission models. [CleanTechnica]

Scania truck (Scania image)

¶ “EVs At 24.3% Share In France – Battery EVs Grow Volume 45% YOY” • The auto market saw plugin EVs at 24.3% share in France in April 2024, up from 21.1% YOY. Full electric volume was up by a strong 45%, while plugin hybrid volume was flat. Overall auto volume was 146,979 units, up 11% YOY, though remaining below 2017–2019 seasonal norms. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “India Tendered ‘Record’ 70 GW Of Renewables In FY 2024” • Renewable energy tender issuances in India crossed a record 69 GW in FY 2024 on the back of a strong push for them by the central government, according to a joint report by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis and JMK Research & Analytics. [pv magazine India]

Solar array in Gujarat, (Epagemakerwiki, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “Dublin Identifies Four New Offshore Wind Areas” • Ireland’s Environment Minister, Eamon Ryan published the draft South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan, the country’s first spatial plan for renewable energy at sea. The draft plan identifies four areas off the south coast of Ireland for proposed offshore wind projects. [reNews]

¶ “Shell Signs Amazon’s Single-Largest Renewable Energy Deal” • Royal Dutch Shell Plc reached an agreement with Amazon.com Inc to provide renewable power from its offshore wind farm to the latter’s European facilities. Currently in development, the Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm will have a capacity of 759 MW. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Offshore wind farm (Carl Raw, Unsplash)

¶ “Norway’s Scatec And Orascom-Led Consortium To Build Two Wind Power Plants In Egypt” • Scatec and a consortium led by Orascom Construction have separately secured land allocations for two major wind power projects in Sohag Governorate. With a combined capacity of 8 GW, the projects represent $9 billion in foreign direct investment. [ZAWYA]

¶ “EU Reaches Provisional Deal To Raise Renewable Energy Target” • The EU parliament reached a provisional deal to raise the share of renewables in its energy mix. The European Council said the agreement would raise the renewable energy target to 42.5% of total consumption by 2030. The current goal for the EU is 32%. [Yahoo Movies Canada]

Solar array (Mariana Proença, Unsplash)

¶ “Activists Behind Shell Climate Verdict Target Multinationals” • The Dutch wing of environmental group Friends of the Earth won a landmark court case against Royal Dutch Shell last year. It launched a campaign demanding thirty corporations with legal bases in the Netherlands publish plans for big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. [Yahoo News Singapore]

US:

¶ “Making More Batteries With Fewer Materials” • The US DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory is developing a process that could dramatically increase the number of EV batteries produced from mined nickel ore. The effort is part of a partnership with Talon Metals, a US mining company with plans for high-grade nickel ore production domestically. [CleanTechnica]

Scientists examine core samples (Image by Talon Metals)

¶ “How Artificial Intelligence Could Transform The US Energy Infrastructure” • One hundred experts from the fields of clean energy and artificial intelligence met at Argonne for two days to discuss how to secure America’s energy future. The AI for Energy report outlines their vision. It says the daunting challenge is not impossible with AI to help. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Electrify America Turns Back To Growth” • Years ago, Electrify America announced a “Boost Plan,” aiming to increase numbers of stations and chargers by over 100% by the end of 2025. Serious hardware problems got in the way, forcing the company to slow down. But another recent announcement shows us the company feels ready for growth again. [CleanTechnica]

Electrify America station (Electrify America image)

¶ “Bigger Utilities To Benefit Most From Biden’s Clean-Energy Funds” • Large US electric utilities with renewable power projects already in the works will benefit most in the sector from new federal clean energy funding, analysts and researchers said. The ones already at the forefront of developing solar and wind will be cleaning up. [Yahoo Lifestyle Canada]

¶ “Lawmakers Pen Letter To Holtec Amid Evaporation At Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station” • Ongoing evaporation at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station has drawn the attention of lawmakers, who are calling on Holtec International to answer questions laid out in a letter by the end of the month. The letter is cosigned by Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, as well as Rep Bill Keating. [CapeCod.com]

Have an entirely entertaining day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Small Reactors Don’t Add Up As A Viable Energy Source” • The nuclear industry is offering Small Modular Reactors, SMRs, as an alternative to large reactors as a possible solution to climate change. When evaluated on the basis of cost per unit of power capacity, however, SMRs are actually far more expensive than the very expensive large reactors. [Cosmos Magazine]

San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (Jelson25, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

World:

¶ “EVs Take 91.0% Share In Norway – Volvo EX30 Grabs Top Spot” • The April auto market saw plugin EVs take 91.0% share in Norway, roughly flat from 91.1% year on year. Battery EVs took 89.4% share, up from 83.3% YOY. Overall auto volume was 11,241 units, up 25% YOY, a recovery over recent months. April’s best selling battery EV was the Volvo EX30. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hydrostor Plans Two Large Compressed Air Storage Facilities, One In Australia And One In California” • Hydrostor, based in Toronto, has a plan to construct two massive long-term energy storage facilities. One is a 200-MW, 1,600-MWh facility near Sydney, Australia. The other is a 500-MW, 4,000-MWh plant in Kern County, California. [CleanTechnica]

Rendering of Silver City Energy Centre (Hydrostor image)

¶ “China’s Fresh Wind Power Bid Shows Huge Prospects In Bangladesh” • Power China, the builder of Bangladesh’s first 60-MW capacity wind power plant, is considering building two new similar plants with a combined capacity of 260 MW near one in Cox’s Bazar, showing substantial prospects of such renewable energy in the country. [The Financial Express]

¶ “Why Scotland Is Leading The World In This Essential Type Of Alternative Energy” • It is by a quirk of geography that the Orkney Islands, off the northern tip of Scotland, are unusually well-positioned to bear witness to the ocean’s might. On the islands’ western shores, waves crash ceaselessly. The Orkney Islands are ideally suited for research. [Inverse]

Orbital Marine Power generator (Orbital Marine Power image)

¶ “North Korea Risking Another Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster Which Threatens Millions” • North Korea could be close to a new disaster that could threaten 100 million lives, a report warns. Safety shortcuts and poor maintenance are increasing concerns that the secretive regime is putting millions across Asia in ‘mortal danger.’ [Yahoo Life UK]

US:

¶ “178 People Rescued Amid Texas Flood Watch’” • A flood watch remains in effect for more than 11 million people in Texas and Oklahoma as numerous flood warnings were issued and residents are urged not to drive on flooded roads. The Trinity River, to the northeast of Houston, is forecast to be higher than it was during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. [ABC News]

After Hurricane Harvey (Jill Carlson, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “Three Groups Are Suing New Jersey To Block An Offshore Wind Farm” • Three groups opposed to wind power filed suit in appellate court challenging a determination by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that the Atlantic Shores wind farm project meets the requirements of a federal coastal protection law. [ABC News]

¶ “US EV Sales Up 170% In First Quarter vs First Quarter Of 2021” • Is the hype about EV sales drooping true? Well, a little, maybe. Compared to Q1 2023, EV sales are up only a little bit in the first quarter of 2024, just 2%. However, if you look back two years, EV sales are up 71%, and if you look back three years to Q1 2021, EV sales are up 170%! [CleanTechnica]

EV charging (Chuttersnap, Unsplash)

¶ “Tyson Foods Is Dumping Millions Of Pounds Of Pollutants Into American Waterways” • An investigation by the Union of Concerned Scientists reveals that Tyson Foods has dumped 371 million pounds of pollutants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride, oil, and cyanide, into American waterways in the past five years. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “New Study Uncovers Major Equity Gap In Clean Energy Generation” • A Stanford University study shows a renewable energy generation gap between wealthy and disadvantaged communities, despite the clear benefit from cheaper power for the latter group. “We were astonished to see there is still such a large difference,” its lead author said. [The Cool Down]

Have a jovially convivial day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “Car Fires By Vehicle Type” • If you believe the memes from people who try to deter you from driving an EV, fires in EVs might seem like a big deal. Data from federal recalls, the Federal Transportation Safety Board, and the Bureau of Traffic Statistics don’t show that. It turns out that fires are thousands of times more likely in gas-powered cars than in EVs. [CleanTechnica]

Burning car (Riley Edwards, Unsplash)

¶ “New Sodium-Ion Battery Could Charge An Electric Vehicle In Seconds, Not Minutes” • EV charging goalposts are moving. New research indicates that sodium-ion EV batteries could charge up in seconds, not minutes. Not only does that beat today’s best lithium-ion technology, it even beats gas and diesel fuels at their own game. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “At Least 37 Dead As Southern Brazil Hit By The Worst Floods In 80 Years” • Heavy rains in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul killed 39 people, with another 68 still missing, the state civil defense agency said. Record-breaking floods laid waste to cities and forced thousands to leave their homes. Records have been kept for 150 years. [ABC News]

Home in Brazil’s rainforest (Daniel Granja, Unsplash)

¶ “EVs Take 56.9% Share In Sweden” • April saw plugin EVs take a 56.9% share in Sweden, up modestly YOY from 55.7%. The battery EV share fell slightly YoY, while plugin hybrid EV share climbed higher. Overall auto volume was 21,977 units, up some 7% YOY. The new Volvo EX30 was March’s bestselling battery EV, its first time in the top spot. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Fossil Fuel Companies Build Structures To Hide Methane Flaring From Satellites” • There are two ways to dispose of excess methane at the wellhead: release it directly into the atmosphere or burn it by flaring. Methane detecting satellites detect releases, and burning has a heat signature. Companies have found ways to hide the heat signature. [CleanTechnica]

MethaneSAT (Image from the Environmental Defense Fund)

¶ “EDF Renewables Is Building 1.2 GW Of Power Generation Capacity In SA” • EDF Renewables in South Africa is leading the construction of almost 1.2 GW of low-carbon generating capacity in the country. The capacity includes 763 MW wind power, 355 MW solar PV, and 75 MW of battery storage at eight sites in the Northern and Eastern Cape Provinces. [IOL]

¶ “This Small German Town Took Back The Power And Went Fully Renewable” • With 100% and more of its electricity coming from renewable sources, the German town of Wolfhagen shows particularly well what can be achieved when municipalities adopt innovative approaches to the ownership and governance of key infrastructure. [Yahoo News UK]

Wolfhagen (Dirk Schmidt, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power Signs $4.85 Billion Deal for Central Asia’s Largest Wind Farm” • Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power signed a Power Purchase Agreement with the National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan for Central Asia’s largest wind farm, the Aral 5-GW Wind Independent Power Producer project, located in the Karakalpakstan region. [Asharq Al-awsat]

¶ “Renewables reached 64.6% in April in Spain” • In April of 2024, renewables generated 13,515 GWh, 21% more than in April 2023, and reached a share of the total of 64.6%. This past April was the first month in history in which three renewable technologies led the Spanish mix: wind (22.2% of the total), hydropower (19.7%) and solar PV (18.8%). [evwind.es]

Wind turbines in Spain (John Cameron, Unsplash)

¶ “Australia Says Coal To Nuclear Switch Would Cost $249 Billion” • Replacing Australia’s coal-fired power stations with small modular nuclear power reactors would cost A$387 billion ($249 billion), according to Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen. The high cost makes such a transition a “unicorn and a fantasy,” Bowen said. [Yahoo Movies UK]

US:

¶ “US Loosens Some EV Battery Rules, Potentially Increasing Tax Credit Eligibility” • The US government has loosened some rules governing EV tax credits, potentially making more EVs eligible for credits of up to $7,500 but leading critics to accuse the Biden administration of helping China. The credits range from $3,750 to $7,500 for new EVs. [ABC News]

BYD Dolphin (Michael Förtsch, Unsplash)

¶ “Wind Turbine Blades Made Of Wood Can Outperform Those Made Of Composites” • Wind turbines are mostly recyclable, but not usually the turbine blades. There is a race on to find more sustainable materials to make them, with wood among those in the running. Wood can offer better performance and contribute to a circular economy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Extremely Active Hurricane Forecast Highlights Importance Of Resilient Solar Power” • Colorado State University forecasters issued a dire prediction for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season: it is expected to be “extremely active,” with the highest number of hurricanes ever forecasted since the team released predictions in 1995. [Environment+Energy Leader]

Hurricane (NASA, Unsplash, rotated)

¶ “Gov Green Establishes Climate Advisory Team To Develop Resilience Policy” • Hawaii Governor Josh Green, MD announced inauguration of the Climate Advisory Team. This newly formed committee, comprising experts and stakeholders, is dedicated to tackling the challenges of climate disasters and giving guidance for Hawaii’s strategy for resilience. [Maui Now]

¶ “Georgia Residents Will See Higher Power Bills As Second Nuclear Reactor Comes Online At Plant Vogtle” • Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle is operating commercially. The project was estimated at $14 billion, but the cost is nearly $35 billion. Regulators approved a 6% rate increase to cover the increased cost, so Georgia Power customers will pay for it. [WABE]

Have a totally copacetic day.

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Opinion:

¶ “’Capitalism Won’t Save The Planet’: Book Review” • The idea that ‘market forces’ can achieve a transition away from fossil fuels is demolished in The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet, a highly readable polemic by Brett Christophers. The wholesale electricity market will not be moved by prices. It will be moved by profits. [The Ecologist]

Fearless girl (Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández, Unsplash)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Light, Flexible, Efficient Perovskite-Based Tandem Solar Cells” • All-perovskite tandem solar cells could soon pick up as silicon solar cells reach their limits. These highly efficient, lightweight, and flexible cells proved themselves in the laboratory. Now, Empa researchers are working on scaling them up and making them ready for the real world. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “EV Sales Continue To Increase In Norway” • If incentives like the exemption from paying import duties and VAT disappear, sales should go down, right? Not always. Electrive reports that 10,051 electric cars were sold in Norway in April, 2024. EV sales were up by 2,580 vehicles compared to April, 2023, an increase of 34.5% year over year. [CleanTechnica]

Norwegian countryside (Michael Fousert, Unsplash)

¶ “RYTLE’s MovR3 E-Cargo Bike Has An Onboard Pallet Lift For Quick Loading And Unloading” • The MovR3 electric cargo bike from Germany’s RYTLE has a feature that enables the driver to swap out an empty cargo box for a full one, similar to how a semi can drop an empty trailer and hook up a full one. This does well in a delivery micro-hub system. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Capacity Addition in FY24, Solar Dominates with 15 GW Contribution” • In FY24, renewable energy sources dominated new power capacity in India, contributing 71% of the total. Solar led the way at 15 GW. The total installed capacity reached 442 GW, with renewables comprising 32.5% and coal dropping below 50% for the first time to 49.2%. [Krishi Jagran]

Indian farmhouse (VD Photography, Unsplash)

¶ “Tidal Energy Market To Reach $8.6 billion, Globally, By 2033 At 21.9% CAGR: Allied Market Research” • According to a report by Allied Market Research, the tidal energy market was valued at $1.2 billion in 2023 and is estimated to be $8.6 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 21.9% from 2024 to 2033. The report lists several factors pushing growth. [GlobeNewswire]

¶ “Ireland Unveils Roadmap For 37 GW Of Offshore Wind By 2050” • The government of Ireland announced a roadmap to enable the country to deliver 37 GW of offshore wind by 2050. It plans to deliver 20 GW of offshore wind by 2040 and at least 37 GW by 2050. It also provides the basis for Ireland’s ambitious offshore renewable energy targets. [Splash247]

Offshore wind farm (Enterprise Ireland, Irish Sea Contractors)

¶ “UK’s Battery Project Pipeline Skyrockets By Two-Thirds” • RenewableUK’s latest report on battery projects in the UK indicates a 67.4% growth in battery project capacity over the past year, totalling 95.6 GW. The operational capacity of battery storage has now reached 4.4 GW, with an additional 4.3 GW under construction. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Winds Of Change: UK Offshore Wind Sector Breaks Records” • In 2023, the UK offshore wind industry achieved significant milestones according to The Crown Estate’s UK Offshore Wind Report. Highlights include a record-setting 49 TWh of electricity generated by offshore wind, equivalent to powering half of all UK households. [Energy Live News]

Offshore wind farm (Pete Godfrey, Unsplash)

¶ “Paris Vows To Halve Offshore Wind Rollout Times” • The French Government vowed to halve the time it takes to develop offshore wind farms to help meet renewable energy targets. Government ministers said the length of time it takes to get an offshore wind operational in the country was damaging the development of the sector. [reNews]

¶ “Egypt Eyes Large Role In Green Hydrogen Production” • As host of COP27 two years ago, Egypt saw a flurry of proposals for large-scale green hydrogen production, mostly in the huge Suez Canal Economic Zone. The proposals draw upon Egypt’s rich solar and wind resources to power electrolysis, anticipating such hydrogen derivatives as ammonia. [OilPrice.com]

Suez Canal (Daniel Csörföly, public domain)

US:

¶ “US Funding Notice: Fiscal Year 2024 Photovoltaics Research & Development” • An office of the US DOE announced the 2024 Photovoltaics Research & Development funding. It will award up to $20 million for innovative solar PV R&D to reduce PV costs, reduce carbon and energy intensity of PV making, and optimize PV technology for new markets. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Lawsuits And Petitions Aim To Redirect Fossil Fuel Disaster Funding Toward Distributed Renewable Energy And Storage” • Energy justice, consumer, and environmental groups sued FEMA and HUD failing to produce plans to use resilient renewable energy to rebuild communities ravaged by the worsening climate emergency. [Center for Biological Diversity]

Impartial justice (Tingey Injury Law Firm, Unsplash)

¶ “Missouri House Approves Bill Prohibiting Eminent Domain For Solar, Wind Energy Projects” • With two weeks left in the Missouri General Assembly’s session, lawmakers are weighing bills that would bar developers from seizing land to build wind and solar farms. One such bill passed the House by a 115-27 vote. It now heads to the Senate. [Missouri Independent]

¶ “A New Nuclear Energy Law Will Likely Mean Higher Utility Bills” • Customers of Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power might soon start seeing higher electric bills. That’s because of a new law signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin that allows for utilities to make customers pay for the costs of developing nuclear power facilities. [WVTF]

Have a fundamentally grand day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Costa Rica Restored Its Forests And Switched To Renewable Energy. Can The World Learn From It?” • Switch to renewable energy. Stop deforestation. Restore ecosystems. They’re lofty goals that more and more corporations and governments are setting for themselves. If it seems too ambitious, just look to Costa Rica. [The Verge]

Costa Rica (Filip Mroz, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “The EV Sales Seesaw Continues: Tesla Down In California, Volkswagen Up In China” • You could get whiplash trying to keep up with all the EV sales data. Polestar is down, but Volvo EVs are up. It’s enough to make you think there is no rhyme or reason to EV sales patterns. Tesla sales fell a bit in California, but VW EV sales rose sharply in China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Wind Power In Australia’s Energy Transition” • Squadron Energy is 100% Australian owned and has 1.1 GW of renewable energy in operation and 900 MW under construction. Squadron expects to be providing 14 GW of generation capacity by 2030. This would power six million Australian homes, equivalent to half the homes in Australia. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbine blades at Port of Brisbane

¶ “Australian Outback Postie Goes Electric” • The Australian Outback can be rugged, dusty, and dangerous. But parts of it are quite flat, very suitable terrain for the Benzina Zero Duo electric delivery vehicle. Now it seems that the impact two-wheelers have on global oil consumption is noticeable, and Benzina Zero is a growing part of that. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Uzbekistan To Build Over 20 GW Of Renewable Capacity By 2030” • Uzbekistan will create more than 20 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. Trend reports that the president also said the country is aiming to increase its share of the green energy balance to 40%. [Trend News Agency]

Train in Uzbekistan (Abdul Raaz, Unsplash)

¶ “Microsoft Signs A $10 Billion Agreement To Power AI With Renewables” • Tech giant Microsoft struck a landmark deal with Brookfield Asset Management, committing to back an estimated $10 billion in new renewable energy projects. Brookfield is to develop 10.5 GW of renewable energy capacity for Microsoft between 2026 and 2030. [Computing UK]

¶ “Philippines Expects 2 GW Of New Solar During 2024” • The authorities in the Philippines say the nation is on target to add 1.98 GW of solar this year, alongside 590 MW of battery storage, as part of more than 4 GW of renewable energy projects. The Philippine DOE expects 966 MW of solar capacity will likely be switched on by June. [pv magazine International]

Solar panels in the Philippines (Xtechi no sama, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “World Heading On 3°C Trajectory” • A five-year delay to the energy transition could see the global average temperature rise to 3°C above pre-industrial levels, Wood Mackenzie analysis shows. The data provider studied the implications of a delayed energy transition, amid political uncertainties, inflation, and elections across the world. [reNews]

US:

¶ “Appeals Court Rejects Climate Change Lawsuit By Young Oregon Activists Against Us Governmen” • A federal appeals court panel of three judges rejected a long-running lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists who argued that the US government’s role in climate change violated their constitutional rights. [ABC News]

Stop climate change (Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash, cropped)

¶ “Elimination Of Tesla’s Charging Department Raises Worries” • Elon Musk’s move to lay off the department responsible for the Tesla’s EV chargers has touched off worries in the auto industry that EVs from other automakers will have trouble joining Tesla’s network. The entire group of about 500 people was laid off by Tesla CEO Elon Musk. [ABC News]

¶ “DOE Finalizes Efficiency Standards For Water Heaters To Save Americans Over $7 Billion On Utility Bills Annually” • The US DOE finalized energy-efficiency standards for residential water heaters to save American households roughly $7.6 billion per year on their energy and water bills, while significantly reducing carbon pollution. [CleanTechnica]

Heat pump water heater (Courtesy of LG)

¶ “New NOAA Climate Action Plan Emphasizes Needs Of Underserved Communities” • NOAA’s Climate Action Plan aims to expand the reach and accessibility of NOAA’s climate services, enabling the agency to better respond to the climate adaptation and resilience needs of all communities, with an emphasis on historically underserved populations. [NOAA]

¶ “$71 Million To Electrify Tribal Homes With Clean Energy” • The Interior Department announced $71 million in funding through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to help Tribal communities electrify their homes. This investment is a critical step toward the goal of electrifying all homes in Indian Country with clean resources. [CleanTechnica]

PV system (Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs)

¶ “Plant Vogtle Unit 4 Begins Commercial Operation, No More New Nuclear Under Construction” • Georgia Power announced that the 1,114-MW Unit 4 nuclear reactor at Plant Vogtle entered into commercial operation after connecting to the power grid in March 2024. There are no nuclear reactors under construction now in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Congressional Investigation Reveals New Evidence Of Big Oil’s Decades-Long Campaign To Deny Climate Science” • Oil and gas companies, along with their top trade groups, were aware for decades that carbon emissions contribute to climate change, according to a scathing new report published by congressional investigators. [DeSmog]

Have a simply magnificent day.

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World:

¶ “Five Takeaways From The Global Negotiations On A Treaty To End Plastic Pollution” • Nations finished a round of negotiations on a treaty to end plastic pollution and made more progress than they have in three prior meetings. Those meetings went through disagreements, but there has been a “monumental change in the tone and in the energy.” [ABC News]

Plastics (Jas Min, Unsplash)

¶ “G7 Energy Ministers Agree To Close Coal-Fired Generating Stations By 2035” • Energy ministers from the G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and the EU – agreed at a meeting in Turin to close all of their coal-fired generating stations by 2035, exceptions are Germany, which has until 2038, and Japan. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Prices Of Some BYD Cars In Export Markets Are Double Or Triple Prices In China” • Manufacturing electric cars in China is like taking part in a circular firing squad. The competition is so fierce that companies are selling many cars almost at cost. You can’t buy apples for 25 cents each, sell them five for a dollar, and expect to make a profit. [CleanTechnica]

BYD factory (BYD image)

¶ “Australia Grants Offshore Wind Licences” • The Australian government has granted six feasibility licences to develop offshore wind projects off the coast of Gippsland, Victoria. A further six licences are now being assessed, subject to First Nations consultation. The feasibility licence applications were assessed through a competitive process. [reNews]

¶ “Eurostar Pledges To Power Trains With 100% Renewable Energy By 2030” • Eurostar, the high-speed rail network in the northwest of Europe, announced a goal of enabling 30 million passengers to travel sustainably while lowering carbon emissions. Eurostar’s objective is to power its trains using 100% renewable energy by 2030. [Rail Business Daily]

Eurostar train (Eurostar image)

¶ “AMEA Signs 120-MW South African Solar PPA” • AMEA Power signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for a 120-MW solar scheme in South Africa. The Doornhoek Solar PV Project was awarded to a consortium of AMEA Power and local partners for Bid Window 6 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program. [reNews]

¶ “Indigenous leaders decry lack of consent for nuclear waste on their homelands” • Leaders of Indigenous communities in New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario express their strong concern about the lack of Indigenous consent for nuclear waste, uranium mining, and refining on their homelands. A UN declaration supports their position. [NetNewsLedger]

Canadian wilderness (Neil Rosenstech, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “New Jersey Seeks Fourth Round Of Offshore Wind Farm Proposals As Foes Push Back” • New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities opened a fourth round of proposals to build wind farms off its coastline, forging ahead with its clean energy goals. Local opposition and challenging economics, however, are creating blowback to the effort. [ABC News]

¶ “Case Study: Cost Comparison Of Utility Transition To Clean Energy” • Here is a letter to the editor of CleanTechnica explaining what has happened to electricity prices on the islands of Hawaii. The island of Kauaʻi had the most expensive energy, but went to cheapest in about a year. The cheapest electricity is renewables with energy storage. [CleanTechnica]

Rainbow on Kauaʻi (Jake Houglum, Unsplash)

¶ “A Growing Demand For Electricity Is Upending The Utility Industry” • The utility industry is finding itself in a bind that it did not anticipate. This is thanks to four factors: the Inflation Reduction Act, new data centers, artificial intelligence, and crypto mining. In places like Georgia, industrial demand for electricity is surging to record highs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Buh-Bye, Conflict Minerals: US Gets First Sodium-Ion Battery Factory” • In the latest sodium-ion battery news, the US startup Natron Energy staked out its claim to the first commercial-scale production of a sodium-ion battery in the US when it hit the start button on its factory in Michigan. It plans to make 600 MW of sodium batteries per year. [CleanTechnica]

Sodium-ion battery (Courtesy of Natron via businesswire.com)

¶ “Minnesota’s Biggest Solar Project Will Help Replace A Huge Coal Plant” • One of the largest solar projects in the country is moving closer to completion, but it’s not in a famously sunny state like California, Texas, or even Florida. It’s in Minnesota, on former potato farms near the site of a retiring coal-burning power plant. [Canary Media]

¶ “Data Reveals Big Milestones For California’s Wind, Water And Solar Power Production” • According to data at the California Independent System Operator’s website, during the past 52 days wind, water, and solar power have provided an average of 61.5% of the state’s electricity demand. And renewables meet 100% of demand for at least 15 minutes of 44 days. [MSN]

Wind turbines in California (Tim Drivas, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Walmart Announces Major Investment In Several Innovative Solar Projects Across The Country” • Walmart is investing in 19 new solar projects, including 15 community solar projects in California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, and Maryland. Electrek reported Walmart is partnering with Pivot Energy on 72 MW of community solar projects. [Yahoo]

¶ “US Senate Approves Bill to Ban Russian Uranium Imports” • The US Senate unanimously voted in favor of a bill that would ban the imports of Russian uranium as the latest US attempt to squeeze Russia’s export revenues as it wages its ongoing war on Ukraine. Russia supplies 24% of the uranium used for US nuclear reactors. [OilPrice. com]

Have a genuinely enriching day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Fact Checks: Have Electric Vehicles Sales Really Stalled?” • We have all heard about how the EV market is slowing. This has been going on for a year. But there is no reason to panic. The industry is following the natural product acceptance process, also known as the “adoption curve.” EV adoption rates experience highs and lows, and they are to be expected. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Dolphin (BYD image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Battery Costs Have Plummeted By 90% In Less Than 15 Years, Turbocharging Renewable Energy Shift” • An IEA report finds that capital costs for battery storage systems are projected to fall by up to 40% by 2030. This will make combining solar and wind with battery storage more affordable than building new thermal plants in many places. [TechSpot]

¶ “Renewable Energy From The Moon Is Happening Right Now” • The idea of beaming solar power down to Earth from space has been grabbing some attention, but it’s not the only space-based form of renewable energy available. The Moon exerts a powerful force on the waters of the Earth, and new tidal energy innovators are rushing to tap into it. [CleanTechnica]

Renewable energy test bed in Massachusetts
(Courtesy of Massachusetts Renewable Energy Collaboration)

World:

¶ “This Heavy Duty E-Cargo Bike Has 2 Cubic Meters Of Payload Space And Can Haul Over 800 Pounds” • Electric cargo bikes are evolving and improving rapidly, especially on the commercial and fleet side of things, where increased payload volume and carrying capacity are key, along with stability, dependability for daily use, and safety. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “10-Minute EV Quick Charge Shown On Polestar 5 With StoreDot XFC Battery Pack” • The quest for faster EV charging reached another milestone as Israeli battery maker StoreDot demonstrated its silicon-dominant EV battery technology. In a demonstration, the prototype Polestar 5’s 77 kWh battery from 10% to 82% in just 10 minutes. [CleanTechnica]

StoreDot’s modular battery packs (StoreDot image)

¶ “UK Accelerates Connections For 8 GW Of Clean Energy Capacity” • Electricity networks in England and Wales enabled the grid connection offer dates for nearly 8 GW of clean energy projects to be brought forward. The Technical Limits program brought connection dates of over 200 projects forward by up to ten years. Their capacity totals 7.8 GW. [reNews]

¶ “Drax Invests £80 Million Into 480-MW Scottish Hydro Power Project” • Renewable energy company Drax announced a £80 million investment to refurbish its Cruachan pumped storage hydro station in Scotland. Drax appointed global hydropower technology supplier ANDRITZ as the main contractor for the Cruachan upgrade project. [Current News]

Big hydro turbines (Drax image)

¶ “Is Russia Ready For Climate Change? Mass Floods Expose Lack Of Adaptation, Campaigners Say” • Mass floods in Russia have thrown a spotlight on the country’s approach to managing the increasing risks it faces from climate change. Russia’s failures in flood management have raised important questions about how prepared the country is. [Euronews.com]

¶ “Australia’s Energy Crisis Looms” • A report from the Grattan Institute says Australia must take immediate action to reform its national energy market to avoid energy crisis. The report warns that the current National Electricity Market is ill-equipped to handle the rapid transition away from coal-fired power and towards renewable sources. [Ecogeneration]

Sydney Opera House (Liam Pozz, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Growing Wildfire Risk Leaves States Grappling With How To Keep Property Insurers From Fleeing” • As climate change and increasing development raise the risks of wildfires and other natural disasters, insurance providers, regulators, and researchers grapple with how to keep the insurance companies in business, providing property insurance. [ABC News]

¶ “Newport, Rhode Island, Deals With The Reality Of Sea Level Rise” • Newport, Rhode Island boasts mansions from the Gilded Era, a Cliff Walk that peers out over the Atlantic Ocean, white sand beaches with gently rolling surf, and a marina area with enticing shops and restaurants. It also has increasingly frequent and violent storms. [CleanTechnica]

Newport, RI (UpstateNYer, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Renewables Now Power More Than Half Of Minnesota’s Electricity” • Minnesota is a renewable energy leader, getting 54% of its electricity from zero-carbon sources last year, according to the 2024 Minnesota Energy Factsheet. The report comes from the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Clean Energy Economy Minnesota. [Public News Service]

¶ “New York Wraps Up Latest Renewables Tender” • NYSERDA has concluded New York State’s seventh annual solicitation for onshore renewable energy projects. It has provisionally awarded 24 projects to support the continued development of large-scale onshore wind and solar resources toward the achievement of the New York’s Climate Act goals. [reNews]

Wind turbine (EDP image)

¶ “energyRe Secures Financing For Lone Star Solar Project And BESS In South Carolina” • energyRe has secured $155 million in project financing and $85 million in tax equity for its 108 MW (dc) Lone Star Solar project and 198 MWh bttery system in South Carolina. The project is under construction and is expected to be operational by Fall 2024. [GreentechLead]

¶ “A Massive US Nuclear Plant Is Finally Complete. It Might Be the Last of Its Kind” • A new nuclear reactor reached commercial operation in Georgia on Monday, completing a project whose delays and sticker shock helped upend the near-term prospects for nuclear power in the US. Adding two reactors cost over $30 billion, more than twice the initial estimates. [MSN]

Have a thrillingly valuable day.

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Opinion:

¶ “What’s Going On With Aptera And The Emirates?” • Jennifer Sensiba: It’s no secret that Aptera has been seeking funding for production for years. Sadly, the company is not very open about what is going on with it. We can hope that Aptera finally found the investor or investors it was looking for. I want to see it do well, but we don’t know. [CleanTechnica]

Aptera (Aptera image)

¶ “Wind & Solar, But What Else? – India Edition Transcript” • Michael Barnard: Under the auspices of the India Smart Grid Forum, I’m delivering bi-weekly webinars framed by the Short List of Climate Actions That Will Work. With … recordings and AI transcription tools, it’s relatively easy to share both the transcript, and also the slides. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “200 More Electric Buses For Kenya” • From 2018 to 2022, 6,370 buses were sold in Kenya. Roam, a Kenyan firm, has joined forces with the leading public transport operator County Bus Service, to introduce ten electric buses by the close of 2024, with the ambition of having 200 electric buses operational in Kenya by the end of 2026. [CleanTechnica]

Roam bus (Roam image)

¶ “Green Genius To Switch Lithuanian Portfolio To Biomethane” • Green Genius is upgrading its biogas portfolio in Lithuania, the largest Baltic biogas portfolio, to biomethane production. The developer will invest €35 million. Swedbank Lithuania will partly finance the project, with the country’s Environment Ministry providing €8.5 million. [reNews]

¶ “Offshore Wind Energy Tender To Power Denmark’s Entire Electricity Demand” • Denmark has launched a major tender for offshore wind energy that could provide all of the country’s electricity. Denmark announced an offshore wind tender that could award up to 10 GW – more than enough for the nation’s entire population. [Innovation News Network]

Ørsted wind turbine (Ørsted image)

¶ “UK Solar Power Capacity Rises In March” • As of the end of March 2024, the UK boasts a total solar capacity of 15.8 GW in 1,483,386 installations, marking a 5.6% increase (837 MW) since March 2023. There were 14,734 installations in March, adding 63 MW of capacity, the highest figure for the year thus far, but lower than early 2023 levels. [Energy Live News]

¶ “Neoen To Build 341-MW Oz Battery” • Neoen was awarded a 300-MW, four-hour capacity services contract by the Australian Energy Market Operator in a competitive tender initiated by the Western Australian Coordinator of Energy. The service will be delivered by Stage 2 of Collie Battery sized at 341 MW and 1363 MWh, with 348 Tesla Megapack 2 XL units. [reNews]

Battery construction (Neoen image)

¶ “Bosnia’s Solar Agroland To Build 370-kW Solar Power Plant” • The government of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Sarajevo Canton said it has signed a concession agreement with local company Solar Agroland 2 for the construction of a 370-kW solar power plant in the Ilijas municipality. The concession is granted for an initial period of 30 years. [SeeNews]

¶ “Rolls-Royce Pulls Plug On UK Nuclear Factory Plans” • Rolls-Royce reportedly revised its plans to construct nuclear factories in the UK, citing delays in a government design competition for its small modular reactor program. After initially proposing two factories, the company has decided to forgo building a pressure vessel manufacturing facility. [Energy Live News]

Rolls-Royce SMR (Rolls-Royce image)

US:

¶ “NREL Keeps Getting Greener” • Three National Renewable Energy Laboratory labs won “green” certifications by My Green Lab late last year, after extensive evaluation of their procedures, equipment, operations, and waste. My Green Lab Certification is recognized by the UN Race to Zero campaign as the benchmark for sustainable research operations. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Is Your Bank Financing Fossil Fuel Companies? This App Lets You Find Out” • We Don’t Have Time is an organization whose mission is to wake us all from our reverie in which we assume that someone, somewhere will find a solution for global warming and save us from having to do much of anything to avoid a sixth extinction event. [CleanTechnica]

Simple explanation (Image by We Don’t Have Time)

¶ “Harris County’s Leap Towards Solar Power Propeled Through Significant Federal Grant” • Harris County has taken a major step in promoting sustainable energy by securing a large part of a $7 billion federal project. This project focuses on expanding solar power availability throughout Texas, with special attention to low income families. [Microgrid Media]

¶ “Colorado Lawmakers Scale Back Legislation To Limit Local Control Over Renewable Energy Projects” • An early version of the legislation obtained by CPR News in February suggested Colorado lawmakers might limit local control over renewable energy projects. After months of behind-the-scenes debates, the final proposal is far less strict. [The Journal]

Have a superbly peaceful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Someday Soon China Might Dominate The Hydrogen Supply Chain Too” • Manufacturers in the EU and the US have been on the warpath over China’s “unfair” competition in aluminium and steel. More recently, the battleground has shifted to solar power, batteries, and EVs, but a new front is emerging: the hydrogen economy. [South China Morning Post]

Electrolyzer and tank (Rh2network, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Scientists Are Shaking Up Lithium Extraction With A Different Kind Of Chemistry” • Led by the US DOE’s Ames National Lab, scientists at the Critical Materials Innovation Hub came up with a creative solution to increase and diversify the supply of lithium in the US. It is a new process: mechanochemical extraction of lithium at low temperatures. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Russia Renews Attacks On The Ukrainian Energy Sector” • A barrage of missiles were launched by Russia against Ukraine last night, in attacks that appeared to target the country’s energy infrastructure. Ukraine’s air force said that Russia launched 34 missiles against Ukraine overnight, of which 21 were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. [ABC News]

Fire after missile hit (State Emergency Service, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

¶ “43% Plugin Vehicle Market Share In China – March 2024 Sales Report” • Plugin vehicles are all the rage in the Chinese auto market, with plugins scoring 743,000 sales (in a 1.7-million-unit overall market). That’s up 29% year over year. Battery EVs were up 16%, while plugin hybrid EVs did even better, jumping 62% in March. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “India Needs To Simultaneously Grow Hydrogen Market And Solar Power” • A report highlights India’s potential to lead the fastest-growing market for hydrogen electrolysers, for net-zero emissions, by 2050. In the report, India is projected to undergo the highest growth rate in the expanding market for green H₂ electrolysers in Asia. [The Hans India]

Indian solar plant (Citizenmj, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “MOIT Seeks Zero-Dong Pricing For Rooftop Solar Power Price” • A workshop held by VietNam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade collected opinions for the draft decree on direct power purchase agreement between electricity generators and clients and a draft decree on the mechanism to encourage rooftop solar power development. [Báo VietNamNet]

¶ “Qatar Seeks To Generate 4 GW Of Renewable Power By 2030” • Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation has launched Qatar National Renewable Energy Strategy, which has a goal to increase renewable power generation to about 4 GW by 2030 to cut its emissions. To do this, QNRES coordinated with 22 key energy actors in the country. [The Peninsula Qatar]

Doha, Qatar (Kazuo ota, Unsplash)

¶ “La Trobe University Commits To 100% Renewable Energy Procurement” • La Trobe University will buy 100% renewable energy as part of its commitment to be Net Zero by 2029. The University entered into a Power Purchasing Agreement with global energy leader Iberdrola so it can buy electricity from a renewable source. [India Education Diary]

US:

¶ “Climate Change Has Disproportionately Impacted These Vulnerable US Communities, Experts Say” • Events in recent years show the disproportionate impacts of climate change on the poorest communities, which emit the least greenhouse gas. Extreme weather events are exacerbated by warming global temperatures. [ABC News]

Repair of a levee break at Pajaro, California (DWR image)

¶ “IN² At 10 Years: How It Started, How It’s Going, What’s Next, And Beyond” • The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²) is managed by a National Renewable Energy Laboratory project, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, and the Wells Fargo Foundation. For its 10th anniversary, IN² is expanding in a major way. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “In 1971, The Nixon Administration Punted On A Revolutionary Climate Study” • The Climate Change Transparency project, a nonprofit research organization based at George Washington University, has launched The National Security Archive. The Archive released a briefing book that focuses on climate change discussions in the Nixon White House. [CleanTechnica]

Richard Nixon (Oliver Atkins, National Archives)

¶ “Environmentalists March To Ameren HQ Seeking Elimination Of Coal As Energy Source” • A group of environmentalists and renewable energy proponents marched through St Louis from Lafayette Park to Ameren Headquarters to call on the energy provider to discontinue using coal as a fuel source and focus on renewables. [KMOV]

¶ “Debate Heats Up Over How To Dispose Of Radioactive Water At Indian Point ” • Experts, government officials, and advocates discussed what do with the radioactive water at the closed Indian Point nuclear power plant, but a lawsuit brought by the company overseeing the facility shows it still plans to dump the waste into the Hudson River. [Gothamist]

Have a really great day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Interview: Behind the Blades – How Cris Hein Helps Bats And Wind Turbines Share the Sky” • Like most everyone, Cris Hein once thought all bats were vampire bats. That was 25 years ago, before NREL’s lead environmental scientist began researching the world’s only flying mammal. We interviewed Hein and learned why to appreciate bats. [CleanTechnica]

Cris Hein (Photo by Cris Hein, graphic by John Frenzl, NREL)

Science and Technology:

¶ “The National Virtual Climate Laboratory is Your Guide to Climate Science” • Thunderstorms in the American Midwest. Tiny particles in the cloud cover of the Amazon rainforest. Heat waves in Baltimore. The places are very different, but you can also find information about all of them on the National Virtual Climate Laboratory. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Controversial Methods To Cool The Earth By Reflecting Sunlight Gain Traction As Global Temperatures Rise” • As the impacts of climate change intensify and become more severe, relatively untouched ideas are gaining momentum as potential short-term solutions to lower Earth’s temperature. One of them is solar geoengineering. [ABC News]

Ship tracks (MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC)

¶ “World’s First Molten Salt Energy Storage Facility Launched In Denmark” • Danish company Hyme Energy has launched the world’s first energy storage project using molten hydroxide salt to store green energy. The project is called Molten Salt Storage, MOSS, and the energy storage facility opened in the city of Esbjerg, Denmark. [Interesting Engineering]

¶ “Wind Repowering: Putting Old Wind Turbines Back Into Service” • Wind repowering aims to revamp old turbines with more efficient components, or put in completely new, state-of-the-art turbines. These new components and units can reduce noise, more efficiently power a turbine, and a deliver a higher overall energy output. [Emagazine.com]

Wind turbines (US DOE image)

World:

¶ “Juniper-Tata Power sign Maharashtra Project PPA” • Juniper Green Energy and Tata Power have signed a Power Purchase Agreement for an 85-MW hybrid renewable energy project in Maharashtra, India. The project integrates solar and wind energy sources, leveraging their complementary nature to enhance their generating efficiency. [Construction World]

¶ “Tripling Renewables: European G7 Leaders Need To Turn Words Into Action” • The COP28 goal means increasing global renewables capacity from under 4 TW at the end of 2022 to 11 TW by the end of 2030. Ember’s analysis shows that collectively G7 countries are only targeting a doubling of renewables by 2030. They need to triple it. [Euractiv]

Renewable energy (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

¶ “Green Hydrogen Plant Opens At Reichenau Hydropower Station” • Renewable energy producer Axpo and electric utility Rhiienergie opened a green hydrogen plant in Switzerland. The 2.5-MW facility, said to be the country’s largest, is next to the Reichenau hydropower plant. It can produce 350 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. [Power Engineering International]

¶ “Exagen 20-MW Energy Storage Facility Gets Green Light” • Tewkesbury Borough Council granted planning permission for Exagen to build a 20-MW, 40-MWh battery facility within the Cheltenham and Gloucester Green Belt. The site is screened by existing vegetation, and the battery storage facility’s units will green to reduce visual impact. [Solar Power Portal]

Computer generated image of facility (Exagen image)

¶ “Climate Action ‘Cannot Trample Over The Poor.’ Guterres Launches Initiative To Protect Key Minerals For Clean Energy Transition” • The UN Secretary-General launched an initiative to ensure fairness, sustainability, and respect for human rights in the entire process of sourcing and using critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition. [UN News]

¶ “Russian Atomic Agency Faces Accusations Of Covering Up Tobol River Radioactive Pollution” • On April 26, Russia marked the 38th anniversary of the Chernobyl Disaster as its atomic agency Rosatom faces accusations of covering up yet another nuclear incident involving the flooding of its uranium mills in Siberia. [POLYGRAPH.info]

Chernobyl amusement park (Dasha Urvachova, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Ribbon Cut At Arizona Solar Giant” • Developer Longroad has cut the ribbon at its giant Longroad Sun Streams Complex in Maricopa County, Arizona. The development is comprised of three projects totaling 665 MW (AC) of solar and 515 MW, 2,060 MWh of storage, but when complete, the site will be somewhat largers than those figures indicate. [reNews]

¶ “Offshore Wind Industry Saved By Lighter Floating Platforms” • Ocergy is new to the CleanTechnica radar, so we have some catching up to do. The San Francisco startup launched in 2019 as a bi-national project with a office in France, aiming to bring familiar cost-cutting industrial practices to the emerging field of floating wind. [CleanTechnica]

Making floating wind platforms (Courtesy of Ocergy)

¶ “The Power Of Us: As EV Demand Slows, A New Alternative Fuel Garners Attention” • While EVs’ share of the automotive market is still growing, the rate at which Americans are buying new EVs appears to be slowing. The eFuel Alliance is a collective of about 180 companies aimed at advocating for liquid fuel that is developed in a carbon-neutral way. [ABC News]

¶ “New Department Of The Interior Rules Update Onshore Oil & Gas Leasing And Other Regulations” • The Interior Department is stepping up regulations to protect federal lands from the havoc of fossil fuel development and disregard for endangered wildlife. It has announced a final rule to revise the BLM’s regulations for oil and gas leasing. [CleanTechnica]

Have an enchantingly relaxing day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Electric Cars Are The Spawn Of The Devil, Ex-CIA Dude Tells Faux News” • If you are wondering where all the negativity about electric cars is coming from, you probably don’t spend every moment of the day filling your cranial cavity with detritus from Faux News. If you did, you would be treated to a constant barrage of stunningly stupid nonsense. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Explorer No 1, bringing cars from China (BYD image)

Science and Technology:

¶ “Space Solar Power Is Happening Sooner Rather Than Later” • The futuristic idea of beaming solar power down to Earth from space has been getting closer to the here and now, despite a slew of financial and technological obstacles. California Institute of Technology put a space solar prototype into orbit last year. The technology is real. [CleanTechnica]

World:

¶ “Bboxx Wants To Scale Its Reach By Ten To Benefit 36 Million People By 2028” • Bboxx and its group of companies has over 4,000 staff across Africa and offices in the UK and Asia. Bboxx is active in energy access, electric mobility, clean cooking, smart financing, and is increasing people’s access to communication with smartphones. [CleanTechnica]

Bboxx image

¶ “Skypower Inks 1-GW Zambian Solar PPA” • SkyPower Global, based in Canada, and Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation announced that they signed a 1-GW PPA. The agreement is part of Zambia’s Integrated Renewable Energy Plan, designed to enhance the nation’s renewable energy capacity and to support sustainable growth, said Skypower. [reNews]

¶ “India’s New Solar Installations Hit 6.2 GW In March” • Rystad Energy figures show India’s monthly installations of renewable energy surged to a record 7.1 GW in March 2024. The previous record was 3.5 GW, set in March 2022. More than 6.2 GW of the March 2024 total was solar capacity. That is over 80% of the 7.5 GW installed in all of 2023. [pv magazine International]

Solar plant in Gugarat (Citizenmj, CC-BY-SA 3.0)

¶ “Bowen Says Coalition’s Nuclear Plan Puts Grid Reliability At Risk Due To Delays In Coal Plant Closures” • The Australian Federal climate and energy minister lambasted the Coalition’s pursuit of nuclear power and its intention to stop renewables, saying it would put grid reliability at risk due to a delay in closing decrepit coal power stations. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Body Targets Irish ‘Electrical Revolution’” • A new association, Ireland Electrified, was launched to accelerate the electrification of the country’s heating and transport sector, cutting its carbon emissions and strengthening energy security. The move comes nearly 80 years after the Rural Electrification Scheme turned Ireland into a modern economy. [reNews]

Transmission lines (Ireland Electrified image)

¶ “Battery Growth Outpaces All Other Clean Tech” • Growth in batteries outpaced almost all other clean energy technologies in 2023 as falling costs, advancing innovation, and supportive industrial policies helped drive up demand for energy storage. In 2023 alone, battery deployment in the power sector increased by more than 130% year-on-year. [reNews]

¶ “Renewable Energies Cover 56% Of Germany’s Q1 Electricity Consumption” • Renewable energies covered around 56% of electricity consumption in Germany in the first quarter of 2024, according to projections by the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg and the German Association of Energy and Water Industries. [Yahoo]

German wind turbines (Stephan Mosel, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)

¶ “China’s Quiet Energy Revolution: The Switch From Nuclear To Renewable Energy” • China’s earlier goals for nuclear capacity additions have been moderated, with reductions of up to 40%. This may have been partly because targets have been missed. At the same time, goals for renewable capacity have been greatly increased. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Native American Tribes Want US Appeals Court To Weigh In On $10 Billion SunZia Energy Transmission Project” • Native American tribes want a US appeals court to weigh in on their request to halt construction on part of a $10 billion transmission line that will carry wind-generated electricity from New Mexico to customers as far away as California. [ABC News]

San Pedro Valley (Todd Morris, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “EPA Limits Four Types Of Power Plant Pollution With One Sweeping Rulemaking” • The Biden administration announced a series of new rules designed to cut pollution emitted from coal and natural gas-fired power plants having an impact on air, land, water, and climate. Power plants produce over a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions in the US. [ABC News]

¶ “How The Chinese-Made Volvo EX30 Will Deal With US Tariffs And Incentives” • The Volvo EX30 battery-electric midsize SUV goes on sale in the US this summer. Since Volvo is now a Chinese company, we might ask how it expects to sell the EX30 in the US and make a profit. Reuters has done a little digging, and what it uncovered is a bit of a surprise. [CleanTechnica]

Volvo EX30 (Rutger van der Maar, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Nearly $1 Billion In Grants To Invest In America’s Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Transition” • Competitive grants will be awarded by the EPA for projects that reduce climate and air pollution from heavy-duty vehicles, support good jobs, and improve air quality for communities, especially those burdened by air pollution. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “PG&E’s Electricity 100% Greenhouse Gas-Free, Utility Says” • One of the largest US utilities, PG&E is delivering electricity to its customers that is free of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023, its electricity was 53% nuclear, 13% hydroelectric, and 34% solar, wind, and other renewable resources. GHG emissions reached record levels elsewhere. [Energy Digital Magazine]

Have a totally terrific day.

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Opinion:

¶ “A Golden Age Of Renewables Is Beginning, And California Is Leading the Way” • California has had a record-breaking string of days in which the combined generation renewable sources has exceeded demand on the main electricity grid for anywhere from 15 minutes to 9.25 hours per day. The implications are spectacular. [Scientific American]

Solar PVs (Tom Brewster Photography, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine Has Left The Entire Region At A Heightened Risk Of Radioactive Pollution” • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put the country’s nuclear facilities at considerable risk. For example, a drone attacked Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant on April 7. Both Ukraine and Russia deny being behind the drone attack. [The Conversation]

Science and Technology:

¶ “Strict Rules Stop Green Hydrogen Production Diverting Clean Power From The Grid. What Are They?” • Green hydrogen must be made from green electricity. But its makers must ensure more than that. Renewable hydrogen is only produced when sufficient renewable energy is available, and is not diverting clean energy away from the grid. [Energy Post]

Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Climate Change Is Bringing Malaria To New Areas. In Africa, It Never Left” • Last year in the US, there were a small number of cases of locally transmitted malaria, and that was a reminder that climate change is reviving the threat of some diseases. But across the African continent malaria has never left, killing or sickening millions of people. [ABC News]

¶ “IAEA Team Inspects Treated Radioactive Water Release From Japan’s Fukushima Nuclear Plant” • A team of experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency inspected the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant for a review of its discharge of treated radioactive wastewater into the Pacific. The IAEA team will issue a report later. [ABC News]

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

¶ “Honda EV Production Plan For Canada Comes Into Focus” • Honda will build batteries for EVs in Ontario with financial aid from the Canadian and provincial governments under a plan to be announced, a source with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters. Canada matches or even exceeds financial incentives available in the US. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Iberdrola And Norges Bank Expand Spanish Renewables Platform” • Iberdrola has concluded negotiations with Norway’s sovereign wealth fund to add 644 MW of solar capacity in Spain to their Iberian clean energy alliance. Out of these additional projects, 328 MW will be in Extremadura (already in operation) and 316 MW will be in Castilla y Leon. [reNews]

Solar array (Iberdrola image)

¶ “JSW Energy Wins 700-MW Solar Project” • JSW Energy, a leading power company in India, has successfully secured a 700-MW solar project from NTPC, the largest power generation utility in the country. This achievement marks a significant milestone for JSW Energy as it continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio. [Construction World]

¶ “Denmark Allocates New Funding For Renewable Energy Infrastructure In Ukraine” • Ukraine and Denmark have signed an MOU on long-term cooperation and reconstruction for Ukraine, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Economy. Russian missile and drone attacks have been targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. [Euromaidan Press]

Solar station in Pokrovsk (Photo from eenergy.com.ua)

¶ “DNV: China To More Than Quintuple Renewable Energy Installations By 2050, With Solar Capacity To Reach 5.5 TW” • Norwegian analyst DNV has published its latest outlook for China’s energy industry, which is headlined by the prediction that the country will more than quintuple its renewable energy installations by 2050. [PV Tech]

¶ “Share Of Electricity Generated By Fossil Fuels In Great Britain Drops To Record Low” • Fifteen years ago, gas and coal power made up 75% of the electricity mix, while renewables were only 2%. Last year only a third of Great Britain’s electricity came from fossil fuels, and 40% from renewables. There are times when over 90% is from renewables. [The Guardian]

UK wind farm (Trish Steel, CC-BY-SA 2.0)

US:

¶ “US DOE Reduces Regulatory Hurdles For Solar, Transmission, And Energy Storage Projects” • The US DOE is amending its list of categories of projects that qualify for the simplest form of environmental review because they typically do not have major impacts. Battery systems, transmission line upgrades, and solar PV systems are on the list. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Unveils Five-Year Offshore Leasing Plan” • US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced a new five-year schedule of offshore wind leasing rounds, with up to 12 lease sales by 2028. Four lease sales in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific, and near US territories will take place this year, one each in 2025 and 2026, two in 2027, and four in 2028. [reNews]

Offshore wind turbine (Worldview Films image)

¶ “US Interior Department Finalizes Rule to Streamline And Modernize Offshore Renewable Energy Development” • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement finalized updated regulations for renewable energy development on the US Outer Continental Shelf, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Holy Cross Approaches 90% Renewable Power In 2025” • Holy Cross Energy, a not-for-profit rural electric cooperative based in Glenwood Springs, Colorado, announced last week that it is on track to achieve a 90% renewable energy portfolio by the end of 2025, bringing it closer to its goal of distributing 100% renewable power by 2030. [Aspen Daily News]

Have an ecstatically happy day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Why Germany Ditched Nuclear Before Coal, And Why It Won’t Go Back” • In the face of climate change, calls to expedite the transition away from fossil fuels, and an energy crisis brought about by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Berlin’s move to quit nuclear before carbon-intensive energy sources like coal drew significant criticism. [The Conversation]

Emsland nuclear plant (Tetzemann, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

Science and Technology:

¶ “What Is Regenerative Agriculture? Farmers And Experts Share The Keys To Biodiversity” • Farmers are stewards of everything from soil and the crops that pop out of it to the microbial region teeming with life underneath the surface, which together creates a biodiverse environment that enriches and renews the land for generations to come. [ABC News]

World:

¶ “CATL Claims Grid Battery Will Experience No Degradation In First Five Years” • CATL’s TENER is the first mass-producible energy storage system with zero degradation in the first five years of use. Featuring greater safety, five-year zero degradation, and a 6.25 MWh capacity, TENER will accelerate adoption of energy storage technologies. [CleanTechnica]

Battery (Courtesy of CATL)

¶ “IEA 2024 Global EV Outlook Sees Sunny Skies Ahead For Electric Transportation” • The International Energy Agency publishes an annual report that identifies and assesses recent developments in electric mobility across. The report notes that electric cars continue to make progress towards becoming a mass market product. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Mercedes-Benz Explores Pairing eSprinter Vans With E-Cargo Bikes For Last-Mile Deliveries” • A pilot program uses a special Mercedez-Benz eSprinter electric van as a mobile micro-depot to bring standardized container modules to transfer points. A container is off-loaded onto an ONO electric cargo bike which makes the last-mile deliveries. [CleanTechnica]

Delivery EVs (Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Vans)

¶ “Horizon Power To Trial EV-To-Grid Capability” • A landmark Western Australian trial will test two-way charging with EVs. Horizon Power is conducting the trial to test the capability of its management system to allow EVs to act as mobile energy storage solutions. It will be Western Australia’s first trial of the potential for vehicle-to-grid techology. [Energy Magazine]

¶ “Wasting Renewables: Where Is Europe In The Race For Clean Energy Transition?” • Europe is not yet on track with its energy transition goals, but it is best positioned to succeed in reaching them, according to French multinational energy management company Schneider Electric. It needs to increase its renewable capacity to phase out of fossil fuels. [Euronews.com]

Wind farm (Naturpuur, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)

¶ “NSW To Open Bids For Access To First Two Renewable Zones” • Applications have opened for solar, wind, and battery projects to reserve a place in New South Wales’ biggest renewable energy zone, as part of a fast-track process aimed at boosting investor confidence and giving communities more visibility over projects proposed for their region. [RenewEconomy]

¶ “Queensland Passes Legislation To Deliver On Renewable Energy And Jobs” • The Queensland Government has passed the transformation of Queensland’s energy grid into law, which they have stated will create over 100,000 new jobs in manufacturing, renewable energy generation, power transmission, and industries of the future. [PACE Today]

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

¶ “Solar, Wind, And Storage Co-Location: Electricity Cost Reduction” • A report by RenewableUK suggests that integrating energy storage projects with onshore wind and solar farms can reduce electricity system costs and enhance energy security. It stresses the potential benefits of co-locating battery storage with renewable energy sites in the UK. [Energy Live News]

US:

¶ “Universities And Colleges From NC And PA Unite On Huge Solar Power Project In … Kentucky?” • The coal-producing state of Kentucky ranks #43 in a list of states ordered by solar capacity. Now six colleges and three universities have united to use the force of a powerful financial tool, the power purchase agreement, to get things going. [CleanTechnica]

Solar power (Courtesy of NextEra via Davidson College)

¶ “Tesla Surprises Investors With A Tiny Y And A Tiny 3 As Soon As This Year!” • Many people thought Elon was going all in on robotaxis, but it appears the rest of the company convinced him once again that sales have stalled now and they need a vehicle that can sell for about $10,000 less than the Model 3 and Model Y ASAP to keep investors happy. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Alaska Groups Awarded $125 Million For Solar Projects” • Several Alaska organizations are set to share in $125 million in federal funding so low-income and disadvantaged communities can be powered by solar projects. Awards are going the Alaska Energy Authority and the Alaska Housing Finance Corp, and tribal solar projects. [Anchorage Daily News]

Solar powered cabin in Alaska (Steve Hillebrand, FWS)

¶ “Oregon Awarded Nearly $87 Million To Increase Adoption of Solar In Low-Income Communities” • The US EPA announced Oregon will receive $86.6 million with a Solar for All grant. The program puts solar power within reach of low-income and rural residents, disadvantaged communities, and those most impacted by climate change. [Oregon Public Broadcasting]

¶ “JFK Airport Parking Lot To Become Biggest Solar Array In New York” • Construction has begun on a solar array that is to cover 21 acres of Kennedy Airport’s long-term parking lot No 9. The array is to generate 12 MW when it’s completed in 2026. It includes about 7.5 MW of battery storage to keep power constant during peak demand periods. [Yahoo]

Have a favorably faultless day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Can Aging US Nuclear Power Plants Withstand More Extreme Weather?” • To reach its climate goals, the Biden administration aims to extend the lives of US nuclear reactors. But a report finds regulators have not studied whether ever more extreme weather could threaten the safety or viability of power plants largely built in the 1970s and 1980s. [Yale E360]

St Lucie nuclear plant (BlackNose, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)

World:

¶ “Kenya Power to Invest $2 Million Towards Promotion of Electric Mobility” • As a major stakeholder in the electricity sector, Kenya Power and Lighting Company Plc, Kenya’s electric utility company, has been at the forefront of promoting adoption of electric mobility in Kenya. Now it’s ramping up its activities in the electric mobility space. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Hello Europe, Ukraine Has The Green Hydrogen You’re Looking For” • EU nations have been throwing money at green hydrogen, seeking to cut natural gas imports from Russia, but the EU’s 2030 production goal is sliding out of reach. Ukraine has a solution, but it will work only if the Russian war machine is stopped in its tracks. [CleanTechnica]

Windpower in Ukraine (Courtesy of Razom we Stand)

¶ “Highest-Level Rainstorm Warning Issued In South China’s Guangdong” • Over 100,000 people have been evacuated due to heavy rain and fatal floods in southern China. The government issued its highest-level rainstorm warning for the affected area. Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the UN said. [Yahoo News UK]

¶ “Green Light For Scottish Solar-Storage Scheme” • Renewco Power and Locogen have secured planning permission for a solar and battery project in Fife, in Scotland. The Glenniston solar project, in Lochgelly, will have a capacity of 39 MW, with an investment of £50 million. It will include hedgerow restoration and wildflower meadow areas. [reNews]

Solar panels (Andres Siimon, Unsplash)

¶ “Electricity Prices Fall In Australia As Renewable Energy Grows” • Australia’s growing renewable energy is driving down electricity prices in much of the country despite severe weather conditions increasing energy demand. The Australian Energy Market Operator’s latest report found renewables accounted for 39% of the east coast power supply. [9 news com au]

¶ “China Faces Huge Energy Transition Challenge” • China is proving itself a global green energy leader, but it is expected to depend heavily on fossil fuels in 2050. DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook China says the country’s build out of renewable energy is unrivalled, but fossil fuels will still make up 40% of its energy mix in 2050. [reNews]

Work in a wind farm (DNV GL image)

¶ “High Interest Rates Are Challenging The Global Transition To Renewable Energy” • After a period of low interest rates from 2009 to 2022, central banks have sharply raised interest rates to fight inflation. The higher cost capital has profound implications for the energy and natural resource industries, said a report from Wood Mackenzie. [pv magazine USA]

¶ “Renewables To Thank For Weeks Of No Load-Shedding” • In the past three weeks there has been no load-shedding in South Africa. The good performance was due to deliberate plans by the government and utility Eskom to deal with power outages. The Energy Action Plan is starting to bear fruit, with the contribution of renewable energy projects. [ITWeb]

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

US:

¶ “An Off-The-Grid Community In New Mexico Offers Insight Into Sustainable Building” • ABC News Chief Meteorologist and Chief Climate Correspondent Ginger Zee along with her team, Dan Manzo and Lindsey Griswold, traveled to Taos to stay with the community and find out what everyone can be doing to live a bit more sustainably. [ABC News]

¶ “Earth Day 2024 Report Card” • Earth Day offers an annual opportunity for citizens, experts, and lawmakers to celebrate the planet, examine our impact on the changing environment and demand a push toward a sustainable future. To make a united step forward, awareness of the mounting climate crisis is vital, one scientist told ABC News. [ABC News]

Planet Earth (NOAA/NASA GOES Project)

¶ “Biden Unlocks $7 Billion Solar Investment On Earth Day” • On Earth Day 2024, President Joe Biden announced $7 billion in grants through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All grant competition. The competition is a key component of the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund of the Inflation Reduction Act. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “GM Energy Prepares To Bring V2H Technology To Homes In North America” • By 2026, most EVs from GM will have V2H capability. Until then the GMC Sierra EV Denali, Chevy Equinox and Blazer EVs, and Cadillac Lyriq will have to wait for over-air software updates or even manual updates at a dealership to be able to share power with a home. [CleanTechnica]

Providing power to a home (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “$140 Million to Address Legacy Pollution, Revitalize Coal Communities in West Virginia” • Over $140 million in funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will address dangerous and polluting abandoned mine lands, create good jobs that can sustain families, and promote economic opportunity in coal communities in West Virginia. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Long Beach Airport Celebrates Earth Day With Unveiling Of Solar Panel Canopies” • This Earth Day, the Long Beach Airport unveiled its solar panel canopies. Long Beach Airport said they will generate enough electricity to meet 70% of the needs for its facilities and airfield. The project is just one of eleven solar panel installations in Long Beach. [ABC7 Los Angeles]

Have an increasingly wonderful day.

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Opinion:

¶ “Battery EVs That International Automakers Sell In China, But Don’t Want To Offer You” • If you ever suspected that there are BEVs that international automakers sell in China but don’t want to offer to those of us in other markets, well … you were right. Not only is the Chinese auto market by far the world’s largest, it also has the most advanced EVs. [CleanTechnica]

Buick Electra E4 (GM image)

World:

¶ “Europe Is The Fastest-Warming Continent, At Nearly Twice The Average Global Rate” • Europe is the fastest-warming continent and its temperatures are rising at roughly twice the global average, two top organizations monitoring the climate said in a report. They warned of consequences for human health, glacier melt, and economic activity. [ABC News]

¶ “Seven New High-Tech And Elegant Electric Cars Launching In China This Week” • The 2024 Auto China motor show is under way in Beijing. It is a massive EV market, so a number of them are being launched at the show. In fact, it is reported that at least twenty EVs being launched! Here are some of the most stunning, beautiful, and high-tech. [CleanTechnica]

Honda EVs for China (Honda image)

¶ “Foxconn Commits To Achieve 100% Renewable Energy By 2040: Greenpeace Response” • When Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) committed to achieve 100% renewable energy across its own operations by 2040, Greenpeace responded, “Unfortunately, a 2040 target does not reflect the urgency of the climate crisis.” [Greenpeace]

¶ “Europe’s First Commercial-Scale Floating Offshore Wind Farm Secures All Planning Approvals” • With onshore consent, Green Volt has all its planning approvals and remains on track to be Europe’s first floating offshore wind farm. Green Volt will include up to 35 floating wind turbines, providing up to 560 MW of capacity. [Offshore Wind]

Floating turbines (Green Volt Floating Offshore WindFarm)

¶ “Renera Energy Romania Announces The Development Of A 37-Hectare Floating PV Project” • Renera Energy Romania has announced the launch of the development phase for the largest floating photovoltaic project in Romania. The power plant will have an estimated capacity of 50 MW on 37 hectares of water in Brăila County. [Romania Insider]

Australia:

¶ “Australia Targets 6 GW Of New Renewables In ‘Largest Ever’ Tender” • The Australian government said a new national Capacity Investment Scheme tender process will open in May seeking 6 GW of new variable renewable energy projects to replace aging coal power generation in the National Electricity Market. [pv magazine International]

Solar farm (EnergyCo image)

¶ “Over A Million Homes To Get Renewable Energy In Deal Between Federal And State Governments” • A million homes in New South Wales could be powered by renewable energy and more electricity could flow to South Australia and Western Australia, under a deal struck between the federal and state governments. [SBS Australia]

¶ “Largest Floating Solar Array In Australia Switched On” • The 350-kW system at Gippsland Water has 644 solar panels and floats on a treatment lagoon at the Drouin wastewater treatment plant. Gippsland Water said it is the largest floating solar array in Australia, and the solar panels result from the its commitment to renewable energy. [Energy Magazine]

Floating solar array (Courtesy of Gippsland Water)

¶ “Dutton Kicks His Own Nuclear Policy Can Down The Road, Amid Reports Of Split In Coalition” • Coalition leader Peter Dutton delayed the release of a proposed nuclear power policy, ostensibly because of the Sydney stabbing events and the release of the government’s defence policy. It seems likely to be because Coalition MPs see it makes no sense. [RenewEconomy]

US:

¶ “Climate Advocates Want To Solve Their ‘Biggest Problem’ In The US: Turning Out Voters” • During a recent effort to turn out voters who care about climate change, a biology professor told ABC News she used to lobby lawmakers directly to take action on climate change, but they told her voters don’t care about it. Now she’s trying to prove them wrong. [ABC News]

Climate activism (Tania Malréchauffé, Unsplash)

¶ “Corporations Struggle On Climate Goals Amid Backlash Over ‘Woke Capitalism,’ Experts Say” • Corporate America took notice four years ago when the CEO of BlackRock declared climate change a top concern. “Climate risk is investment risk,” he wrote. Since then the climate has been demoted because of backlash against ‘woke,’ capitalism. [ABC News]

¶ “Study Unlocks Opportunities To Bridge The US Wind Energy Workforce Gap” • US land-based and offshore wind energy markets are expected to grow significantly over the next few decades. With this growth, the demand for properly trained wind energy workers will also increase to meet national deployment targets for wind energy. [CleanTechnica]

Studying wind energy (Werner Slocum, NREL)

¶ “Hyundai Motor Signs 174-MW Renewable Energy Deal For EV Plant In US” • Hyundai Motor Group said it has signed a 174-MW power purchase agreement with a solar energy project led by Spain’s Matrix Renewables to power an EV plant in the US with renewable energy. The Hyundai plant is under construction in Georgia already. [MSN]

¶ “Data Centers Want Clean Electricity. Can Georgia Power Deliver It?” • Georgia Power has won regulatory approval to fast-track building 1.4 GW of fossil-fueled power plants and contract for nearly 1 GW more from fossil-fired power plants owned by other utilities. It is driven by expected demand from data centers to be built in Georgia. [Canary Media]

Have an unexpectedly beautiful day.

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

World:

¶ “Adani Building World’s Largest Hybrid Solar And Wind Park In India – 30 GW!” • The hybrid wind and solar project is being built by Adani Green Energy, a division of Adani Group. The solar panels in the Adani hybrid energy park are expected to generate 26 GW of electricity, while the wind turbines will add another 4 GW. [CleanTechnica]

Adani hybrid energy park (Adani Green Energy image)

¶ “Global Heating Will Cost The World Economy $38 Trillion Each Year!” • At the CERAWeek annual celebration of fossil fuels, attendees cheered spectacular future profits. But the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research published a study showing global heating will suck $38 trillion out of the global economy each year by mid-century. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Spiro Brings Its Electric Motorcycle Ecosystem To Nigeria” • Spiro has the largest fleet of electric motorcycles in Africa. Spiro now has over 13,000 electric motorbikes and 40,000 swappable batteries in operation across Benin, Togo, Rwanda, and Kenya. Spiro says, to date, riders have collectively driven almost quarter of a billion kilometers. [CleanTechnica]

Spiro e-bike (Spiro image)

¶ “China Needs To Align Investments With Africa’s Energy Transition Goals: Study” • China should now focus its economic work with Africa towards supporting Africa’s energy access and energy transition objectives, says a study by Boston University’s Global Development Policy Centre and the African Economic Research Consortium. [The Independent Uganda]

¶ “Queensland Looks To Cut Emissions By 75% In A Decade In Rare Show Of Bipartisanship” • Queensland is looking to harness its power as the Sunshine State for something more than the skin cancer capital of the world. Cutting emissions by 75% by 2035 and a renewable energy target of 80% by 2035 have been enshrined in law in a bipartisan vote. [ABC]

Queensland wind farm (Queensland government image)

¶ “Russians Seize Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Amid Warnings Over Spread Of Radioactive Waste” • Russians seized control of the Chernobyl nuclear exclusion zone after an intense fight. An adviser to the Ukrainian presidential office said, “It is impossible to say the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is safe after a totally pointless attack by the Russians.” [Yahoo News UK]

US:

¶ “Data Centers Fuel AI And Crypto But Could Threaten Climate, Experts Say” • Artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency take a lot of power. At complexes, which typically span 100,000 square feet, the increased energy usage could jeopardize the fight to reduce carbon emissions and address climate change, experts told ABC News. [ABC News]

Data center (imgix, Unsplash)

¶ “Tesla Cuts US Prices For Three Of Its Electric Vehicle Models After A Difficult Week” • Tesla knocked $2,000 off the prices of three of its five models in the US. Prices of the Model Y, Tesla’s most popular model and the top-selling EV in the US, and also of the Models X and S, more expensive models. Cybertruck and Model 3 prices remained unchanged. [ABC News]

¶ “Tesla Model Y Cheaper Than Ever In USA” • A week ago, the Tesla Model Y had a base price below the average selling price of a new car in the US. In fact, taking the US EV tax credit into account, the Model Y was essentially $10,000 cheaper than the average selling price of a new car in the US, which is $47,244. Now the Model Y is even cheaper. [CleanTechnica]

Tesla Model Y

¶ “Google Maps Now Offers EV Charger Locations” • If you drive an EV that’s not a Tesla, then you may have felt the tension that comes with going on a trip and wondering whether your route has a charger on it. But Google Maps seems to be listening, and it is introducing upgrades to offer EV drivers information about where EV chargers are. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “’Uncharted Territory’: El Niño To Flip To La Niña In What Could Be The Hottest Year On Record” • El Niño is likely to give way soon, a NOAA scientist said. For the US, this climatological flip-flop will likely mean a greater risk of major hurricanes in the Atlantic as well as areas of drier-than-usual weather in southern portions of the country. [Live Science]

El Niño temperature anomalies (NOAA, public domain)

¶ “Wind Farms Require Far Less Land Than Previously Believed” • Decision-makers have hesitated to embrace wind farms, partly because of a belief that the wind farms require vast tracts of land. However, a remarkable study conducted by researchers at McGill University reveals that this belief may be based on outdated and inaccurate information. [Earth.com]

¶ “How Texas Unleashed A Geothermal Boom” • With its nation-leading renewables fleet and oil and gas industry, Texas is poised to dominate what boosters hope will be America’s next great energy boom: a push to tap geothermal heat for electricity and industry. Geothermal energy demonstrates a rare ability to unite the state’s warring political camps. [The Hill]

Have a comfortably cheerful day.

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World:

¶ “Volkswagen Gets Critical Tech Boost In China From Xpeng” • Volkswagen makes quality cars at scale. But it could use a hand getting on the cutting edge for driving technology. That’s where Xpeng steps in. Xpeng, as a “smart vehicle” startup, is one of the best in the world at integrating high-quality tech and software into its vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

New China Electrical Architecture (VolksWagen image)

¶ “Volkswagen Planning 30 Fully Electric Models For China By 2030” • Volkswagen Group set out several years ago to be a leader in the transition to EVs. China is the epicenter of the global EV revolution, with 60% of the world’s plugin vehicle sales taking place in China in 2023. It should be no surprise that Volkswagen has big plans for China. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Eversource Finalises Sunrise Wind Exit” • Eversource Energy has finalised definitive documents regarding its previously announced agreement to sell its 50% ownership stake in the 924-MW Sunrise Wind scheme to Ørsted. Eversource will remain contracted to lead the onshore construction of the project following the closing. [reNews]

Wind turbine (Ørsted image)

¶ “Central Queensland’s New Windfarm To Energize 240,000 Homes” • The Albanese Government has approved a new wind farm in Central Queensland which will generate enough energy to power 240,000 Queensland homes. The 400-MW Mount Hopeful Wind Farm, 65 km west of Gladstone, is to consist of 63 wind turbines. [Mirage News]

¶ “Mexican Presidential Frontrunner Would Focus On Water And Renewable Energy” • Mexican presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum said that if she is elected, her administration would focus on water management and renewable energy as part of a plan to boost the country’s sustainability. She is strongly favored to win the June elections. [Yahoo News Canada]

Claudia Sheinbaum (Claudia Shein, public domain)

¶ “Global Utility Alliance Calls For Tripling Renewable Energy Capacity” • The Utilities for Net Zero Alliance was formed at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai last year. It said it wants to increase its green energy capacity to at least 749 GW by the end of this decade. That is nearly tripple their renewable energy generation capacity. [POWER Magazine]

¶ “Statkraft Signs 150 MW Of German PPAs” • Statkraft and Alterric, Germany’s largest onshore green power producer, have concluded several long-term power purchase agreements with terms of two to five years. Statkraft will purchase 330 GWh of green electricity annually from eleven wind farms with a total capacity of almost 150 MW. [reNews]

Wind farm (Waldemar, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “Tesla Recalling More Than 3,000 Of Its 2024 Cybertrucks Due To Faulty Pedal” • Tesla is recalling 3,878 of its 2024 Cybertrucks after it found that the accelerator pedal can get stuck, potentially causing the vehicle to accelerate unintentionally and increase the risk of a crash. The accelerator pedal pad may dislodge and get trapped by the interior trim. [ABC News]

¶ “GM Picks Up The Electric Pickup Truck Torch Dropped By Cybertruck” • When you have a powerful electric pickup truck, do you really need to shell out for a home energy storage system as well? The launch began earlier this week with a focus on the new Chevy Silverado electric pickup truck and its bi-directional charging capability. [CleanTechnica]

Chevy Silverado EV (Courtesy of GM)

¶ “Nearly 200 Clean Energy Companies Urge Congress To Pass Siting, Permitting, And Transmission Reform Before The 2024 Election” • Nearly 200 solar and storage companies sent a letter to congressional leaders calling for legislation to improve project siting, permitting, transmission, and access to public lands for solar and solar plus storage projects. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “RTX Partners With ENGIE For Renewable Electricity In Texas Facilities” • RTX has announced an agreement with ENGIE North America to power 12 of RTX’s facilities in Texas with 100% renewable electricity. This deal is RTX’s largest renewable energy procurement to date, nearly doubling the company’s use of renewable electricity. [GreentechLead]

Texas wind farm (Carol M Highsmith, public domain)

¶ “New York Cancels Three Offshore Wind Projects” • Provisional contracts for three New York Bight wind projects were cancelled, after it became impossible for developers to move forward, New York State energy planners announced. The cancellations are tied to General Electric’s decision not to proceed with building 18-MW turbines. [WorkBoat]

¶ “Biden-Harris Administration Takes Action To Secure Nuclear Fuel Supply Chain” • Over the past several years, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken critical steps both to establish an advanced nuclear fuel supply chain in the US. Currently, Russia supplies 20–30% of enriched uranium product used in the US and Europe. [US DOE]

Have a positively practical day.

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Opinion:

¶ “FERC Can Speed The Switch To Clean Energy With The Right Transmission Planning Rule” • After decades of neglect, the US is struggling to integrate hundreds of billions of dollars worth of new wind, solar, and batteries into its power grid. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is planning for the build-out of extensive new transmission infrastructure. [NDRC]

Wind turbines (Finn Mund, Unsplash)

World:

¶ “Honda Launches Three New Electric Cars … In China, For China” • Honda has not been interested in selling EVs and has hardly introduced any. However, if you want to sell cars in China, the largest car market in the world (by far), then you’ve really got to be selling electric cars now. Last year, 25% of new car sales in China were 100% battery EVs. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “USA Pulls Mexico Into Its Anti-Chinese EVs Policies” • Despite being late to the party, with many still trying to prevent or slow adoption, the US is trying to block Chinese electric cars from being imported and taking legacy car makers’ market share. Now Reuters says that Mexico is blocking Chinese EV production there because of pressure from the US. [CleanTechnica]

BYD Seagull production (Courtesy of BYD)

¶ “Indus Towers Partners With NTPC To Develop Renewable Energy Projects For Business Operations” • Telecom company Indus Towers Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding with NTPC Green Energy Ltd for the joint development of renewable energy projects to power its business operations spread across India. [pv magazine India]

¶ “EIB Lends €150 Million For Renewables In Bhutan” • The European Investment Bank agreed to lend €150 million ($160.2 million) for renewables in Bhutan, to fund solar power along with small to mid-size run-of-river hydropower plants, especially in remote regions. Bhutan is one of only three net carbon-negative countries in the world. [pv magazine International]

Thimphu, Bhutan (Pema Gyamtsho, Unsplash)

¶ “JERA and ReNew Collaborate On 500-MW Renewable Energy Initiative In Odisha For Green Ammonia Production” • JERA Co, Inc has entered into a strategic partnership with ReNew E-Fuels Private Ltd, a branch of the renewable energy company ReNew Energy Global PLC, on a pioneering green ammonia production project in India. [SolarQuarter]

¶ “Queensland Locks 80% Renewable Energy By 2035 Target Into Law” • The Queensland government has passed laws locking in 80% renewable energy generation by 2035, a move it expects will create more than 100,000 new jobs in manufacturing, renewable energy generation, power transmission and industries of the future. [pv magazine Australia]

Skyline of Gold Coast (City of Gold Coast, Unsplash)

¶ “Rooftop Solar Now Fourth Largest Source of Electricity in Australia” • Rooftop solar now accounts for 11.2% of Australia’s electricity supply. That’s according to the latest Rooftop Solar and Storage Report of Australia’s Clean Energy Council, an association that represents the country’s renewable energy and energy storage businesses. [Rigzone]

¶ “Drone Strike Hits Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Again, IAEA Denied In Site Access: Grossi” • The International Atomic Energy Agency reported an attack by a drone on a training center at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. This is the third attack on the training center in the last two weeks. An earlier attack had damaged structures of a reactor. [Euromaidan Press]

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (Energoatom)

¶ “Japan Starts Fifth Ocean Discharge Of Fukushima Nuclear-Tainted Water Despite Opposition” • Despite opposition among local fishermen and residents, as well as backlash from the international community, TEPCO, the plant’s operator, started discharging the radioactive wastewater on April 19, the first round in fiscal 2024. [China Daily]

US:

¶ “ER Visits For Heat Illness Rose In 2023 Amid Record-Breaking Temperatures: CDC” • Heat-related ER visits increased in 2023 in the US compared to previous years. Between January 1 and December 31, 2023, there were 119,605 ER visits for heat-related illnesses, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [ABC News]

Thirsty girl (Piotr Chrobot, Unsplash)

¶ “Save Thousands Of Dollars A Year Driving An Electric Car” • The US DOE has a new tool that enables drivers to calculate how much they can save on fuel costs by driving a fully electric or plug-in hybrid. Drivers can enter their ZIP code or state, along with other information. The tool then generates estimates of how much they can save. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “US Hydropower Generation Expected to Increase by 6% in 2024 Following Last Year’s Lows” • Last year, US hydropower electricity generation fell to its lowest since 2001. This year, the DOE expects hydropower to increase 6% and account for 250 billion kWh of electricity generation, its Short-Term Energy Outlook says. [CleanTechnica]

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

¶ “Historic $8.8 Billion Home Energy Rebate Programs to Lower Utility Bills” • The US DOE announced approval of New York’s funding application for the Inflation Reduction Act’s Home Energy Rebates. It awarded the state an initial $158 million to implement its rebate program to help families save money on efficient electric appliances. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nuclear Regulator Promises Thorough Safety Review For Palisades Restart” • The Federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission assured residents from southwest Michigan that the Palisades nuclear plant will not restart unless it meets all safety standards. The US DOE is loaning Holtec, the owner of the shuttered plant, $1.5 billion to help fund a restart. [The Detroit News]

Have an unvaryingly fabulous day.

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World:

¶ “Study Calculates Climate Change’s Economic Bite Will Hit About $38 Trillion A Year By 2049” • Climate change will reduce future global income by about 19% in the next 25 years compared to a fictional world that’s not warming, with the poorest areas and those least responsible for heating the atmosphere taking the biggest monetary hit, a study said. [ABC News]

People of a poor area (Joshua Watson, Unsplash)

¶ “The Sun Shines In South America: Colombia And Brazil Give Large Boost To Solar Deployment” • Just as with EV adoption, solar deployment varies a lot in South America. Some countries have just started deploying it, while others have made it central to their systems for nearly a decade. Most are advancing rapidly towards its massive deployment. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Nissan Teases All Solid-State EV Battery For Itself, Renault, And Mitsubishi Motors” • Nissan hasn’t saying what goes into the solid state battery it is developing, but did give some details. It listed a reduction in charging time “to one-third,” while bringing the cost of battery packs down to $75.00/kWh by 2028, with the ultimate goal of $65.00. [CleanTechnica]

Nissan Formula E racer for 2028 (Nissan image)

¶ “Renewable Energy’s Share In Rwanda Reaches 52%” • Rwanda has made notable progress in providing electricity to its people with 76% of them having access to it. The country is increasingly relying on renewable energy sources for power generation. The installed capacity for renewables has reached 52%, the Minister of Infrastructure announced. [The New Times]

¶ “Fred Olsen Renewables Files Plans For Scottish Hybrid” • Fred Olsen Renewables submitted proposals for a 100-MW hybrid renewable energy project to the Scottish Government. Lees Hill Renewable Energy Park would consist of wind, solar, and battery storage in the Scottish Borders. The developer offered over £7 million in community benefit funding. [reNews]

Renewable energy hybrid (Fred Olsen Renewables image)

¶ “Southern Railway Seeks Bids For 1.2 MW Of Rooftop Solar In Chennai” • The Southern Railway announced an invitation for bids regarding the installation of 1.2 MW rooftop solar projects at locations in Perambur, Chennai, under the renewable energy service company model. The project is part of Indian Railways’ renewable energy strategy. [Construction World]

¶ “European Energy Turns Sod On Swedish Solar” • European Energy started construction of a solar farm project in Sweden, which will form part of a hybrid renewable energy park. The hybrid park will have an existing wind farm supplemented by a solar farm. The hybrid plant will be able to produce 163 GWh of green electricity per year. [reNews]

Hybrid energy park (European Energy image)

¶ “Zelenskyy Says Russia Destroyed Almost All Thermal Power Generation In Ukraine, Attacks On Its Nuclear Power Plants Possible” • Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially confirmed that the the Russian Federation destroyed almost all of Ukraine’s thermal energy. Still, it will not stop there and may strike at the nuclear power plant. [Online.ua]

¶ “Indigenous Peoples ‘Seek Energy Transition Rights’” • In a published statement, 87 indigenous peoples’ representatives from 35 countries in all regions set out demands for respect for indigenous peoples’ rights, social equity, inclusivity, cultural integrity, full and effective participation, and shared prosperity in the shift to renewable energy. [reNews]

Wind farm (Vestas image)

US:

¶ “Biden Administration To End Sanctions Waiver On Oil from Venezuela” • Since Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro clearly does not intend to hold free and fair elections, the US Treasury Department announced it will let temporary licenses to import oil and gas from the country expire. Maduro made a bargain, but he did not uphold it. [ABC News]

¶ “Alaska’s Wind, Wave, Tidal Resources Could Help State Meet Future Energy Needs” • A 131-page report by 11 researchers in eight different areas, recommends the Alaska office of BOEM assess the potential for ocean energy. Alaska’s Outer Continental Shelf holds the potential to generate 3,800 GW of electricity from wind, wave, and tidal resources. [NREL]

Possible site for ocean energy (Levi Kilcher, NREL)

¶ “US DOE Releases First Roadmap to Accelerate Connecting More Clean Energy Projects to the Nation’s Electric Grid” • The US DOE released a new roadmap outlining solutions to speed up the interconnection of clean energy onto the US transmission grid and clear the existing backlog of solar, wind, and battery projects seeking to be built. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ford Lowers F-150 Lightning Flash To Below $70,000, Reveals Other 2024 Changes” • Ford announced that orders are open for 2024 F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks. Normally, there’s not much news when an automaker has a new model year, but Ford has impressively low prices for the F-150 Lightning Flash, a tech-focused variant. [CleanTechnica]

Ford F-150 Lightning Flash (Ford iamge)

¶ “US DOE Releases New Report Outlining Solutions to Meet Growing Electricity Demand” • The US DOE outlined a wide array of solutions to address increased electricity demand while reducing emissions. The Future of Resource Adequacy report affirms that clean technology solutions can provide ample, reliable and secure power. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Federal Judge Denies A Request By Two Arizona Tribes To Block Work On SunZia Power Line” • A federal judge denied two Arizona tribes’ request for an injunction to halt construction on the SunZia power transmission line through the San Pedro River Valley. SunZia is to carry renewable energy from New Mexico, through Arizona, to California. [The Arizona Republic]

Have an inconceivably contented day.

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Science and Technology:

¶ “This Boat Runs On 100% Renewables. Can It Help Clean Up Bigger Ships?” • The Energy Observer has sailed the world as a floating lab of zero-emission technologies. Now its owners want to apply what they’ve learned to dirty freighters. The boat’s fossil-free generators and storage can provide all the energy it needs for weeks on end. [Canary Media]

Energy Observer in 2017 (Margauux P, CC-BY-SA 4.0)

World:

¶ “Record Oil Imports Into China In 2023” • “China, the world’s largest importer of crude oil, imported 11.3 million barrels per day of crude oil in 2023, 10% more than in 2022, according to China customs data,” the US EIA said. Refiners in China imported record amounts of crude oil in 2023 to supply the transportation and petrochemical industries. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Dubai Sees Severe Flooding After Getting Two Years’ Worth Of Rain In 24 Hours” • Dubai was hit with severe flooding after 6.26 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours. Dubai receives 3.12 inches of rain per year on average, and typically just 0.13 inches of rain during the month of April. Climate change is making weather worse, scientists say. [ABC News]

Dubai (Nathan John, Unsplash)

¶ “Italy’s Edison Officially Opens 41-MW Solar Park In Sicily” • Italian energy supplier Edison SpA has opened a 41-MW solar PV park in Sicily, pressing ahead its strategy to grow its renewable energy fleet. A company goal is to add around 1 GW of wind and 2 GW of solar, along with 1 GW of renewables to produce green hydrogen and energy storage. [Renewables Now]

¶ “Ecuador Rations Electricity As Drought Persists In Northern Andes” • Ecuador began to ration electricity in its main cities as a drought linked to El Niño depletes reservoirs and limits output at hydroelectric plants. A climate change professor at Bogotá’s Javeriana University said it was a mistake to rely so heavily on hydroelectric power. [ABC News]

Mountains in Ecuador (Camilo Fierro, Unsplash)

¶ “CUC: Solar Power Only Way To Reduce Fuel Factor Costs” • The Caribbean Utilities Company says large solar projects are the only way to reduce expensive fuel factor costs facing Cayman’s growing population, and it hopes to reduce them by 50% in the next six years. It is “committed to the pursuit of achieving a 60% reduction in emissions by 2030.” [Cayman Compass]

¶ “GreenGo Cleared To Build 49.5-MW Battery In Italy” • Italian renewable energy developer GreenGo Srl said it has secured the green light to install a 49.5-MW battery energy storage system in the Calabria region of southern Italy. The Environment Ministry granted the authorisation around seventeen months after the application was filed. [Renewables Now]

Battery system (GreenGo Energy Group image)

¶ “Tepco Suspends Loading Nuclear Fuel At Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Plant” • TEPCO is suspending nuclear fuel loading for a reactor at its Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power station. Work was suspended after the company found an equipment problem while loading fuel into the 1,356-MW reactor No 7. There are no safety-related issues, the company said. [The Japan News]

¶ “Seven Countries Generate 100% Of Their Electricity From Renewable Energy” • Seven countries generate nearly all of their electricity from renewable energy, data shows. Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Iceland, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo produced over 99.7% of their electricity using solar, wind, hydro or geothermal power. [MSN]

Punakha, Bhutan (Nihar Modi, Unsplash)

US:

¶ “US DOE Report Highlights Ways To Address Significant Wind Energy Workforce Gap” • A report from the US DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory finds that while there is likely to be a significant shortage of wind energy workers in the coming decades, impactful opportunities exist to close the wind energy workforce gap. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “The Safest Truck In The USA Is The Rivian R1T” • EVs have innate safety advantages. It’s also easier to design them to be safe in multiple ways. CleanTechnica has a new report on the subject: The EV Safety Advantage. Apparently, it already needs updating, because the Rivian R1T just set a new high bar for safety among pickup trucks. [CleanTechnica]

Rivian R1T (Rivian image)

¶ “US DOE Commercial Heat Pump Initiative Brings Together Multiple Partners” • The US DOE is bringing together businesses and manufacturers to promote development of advanced heat pump technology for commercial buildings. The Commercial Building Heat Pump Accelerator is part of the DOE’s Better Buildings, Better Plants initiative. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Governor Josh Green Outlines Diverse Energy Strategies For Hawaii’s Renewable Goals” • Governor Josh Green has outlined alternate energy ideas to help the state reach its energy goal: Using 100% renewable energy by 2045. While Hawaii leads the nation in renewable energy, there is more the state can do to become more energy efficient. [KITV]

Hawaii (Christian Joudrey, Unsplash)

¶ “US Attracts Europe’s Beleaguered Solar Companies” • The US Solar Energy Industries Association says the Inflation Reduction Act will drive 160 GW of extra solar capacity over the next ten years and lead to over $565 billion in new investments. But the IRA is also having one unintended effect, attracting struggling European solar firms to the US. [OilPrice.com]

¶ “Nova Acquires 1-GW Texas Wind-Solar-PtX Project” • Nova Clean Energy has acquired a 1-GW wind-solar and power-to-X project on the Texas Gulf coast. The HyFuels project consists of mid-to-late-stage wind and solar development projects as well as an earlier stage green ammonia project. Nova acquired HyFuels from BNB Renewable Energy. [reNews]

Have an invigoratingly nifty day.

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World:

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

Bleached coral (Nico Smit, Unsplash, cropped)

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

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

Coffee beans (Rodrigo Flores, Unsplash)

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

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

Installing a rotor (GWEC image)

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

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

Karachi (Muhammad Jawaid Shamshad, Unsplash)

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

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

Solar array (Andres Siimon, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Retired oil rigs (Ben Wicks, Unsplash)

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

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

Wind farm (Dan Meyers, Unsplash)

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

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

Have an impressively enjoyable day.

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Opinion:

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

Solar farm (© Conrad energy)

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

World:

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

Fumes (Matt Boitor, Unsplash)

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

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

Solar farm (Adani Green Energy)

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

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

Types of floating wind turbines (NREL image)

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

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

Cooling towers (Lukáš Lehotský, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

BYD Seagull (Courtesy of BYD)

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

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

Transmission towers (Matthew Henry, Unsplash)

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

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

Have a quietly uplifting day.

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Science and Technology:

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

Phytomining (courtesy of ARPA-E)

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

World:

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

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

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

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

Birgu, Malta (Yevheniia, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Tesla charging in Munich (alex, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Have a placidly pleasant day.

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Science and Technology:

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

Schematic of solar cell (Ekuma Lab, Lehigh)

World:

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

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

Wind turbines (Iberdrola image)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US:

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

Public lands in Idaho (Alex Moliski, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Have an adequately majestic day.

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Opinion:

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

Discussion on SMRs (NRC, public domain)

Science and Technology:

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

World:

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

EDP Renewables 254.8-MW Solar Farm in Vietnam

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

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

Tesla (Charlie Deets, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

US:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nexamp solar array (Nexamp immage)

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

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

Have an amazingly amusing day.

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World:

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

Sign at Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Kilian Karger, Unsplash)

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

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

Charging an electric car (Vlad Tchompalov, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Solar installation (Biel Morro, Unsplash)

US:

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

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

Sup3rCC tool (Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL)

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

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

Sheep grazing at solar farm (Dominion Energy)

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

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

Solar system (Tom Brewster, BLM California, cropped)

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

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

Have a thoroughly grand day.

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World:

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

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

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

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

Locarno, Switzerland (Johnson Hung, Unsplash)

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

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

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

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

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

Wind turbines in Spain (Raimond Klavins, Unsplash)

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

US:

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

Chemical plant (Paul Teysen, Unsplash)

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