Energy Week #316: 5/2/2019

Visitors Please Note: This blog is maintained to assist in developing a TV show, Energy Week with George Harvey and Tom Finnell. The post is put up in incomplete form, and is updated with news until it is completed, usually on Wednesday. The source is geoharvey.com.

Within a few days of the last update, the show may be seen, along with older shows, at this link on the BCTV website: Energy Week Series.

Energy Week #316: 5/2/2019

Thursday, April 25:

Emperor penguin colony (Christopher Walton)

• “Thousands Of Emperor Penguin Chicks Wiped Out”
  When the sea-ice on which they were being raised was destroyed in severe weather in 2016, thousands of emperor penguin chicks drowned. The colony’s 14,000 to 25,000 breeding pairs made no attempt to reestablish it, and it disappeared from satellite images altogether. [BBC]
• “Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Rejects Vectren’s Power Plant Proposal”
  A proposal to build an 850-MW power plant fueled by natural gas to replace an old coal-burning plant was rejected by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. It said the owner, Vectren, had not adequately considered less expensive alternatives. [Evansville Courier & Press]

Brayton Point (Credit: Z22, CC-sa/3.0 via Wikipedia)

• “Brayton Point Coal-Fired Generating Station Will Be Repurposed To Support Offshore Wind”
  The Brayton Point plant in Massachusetts was so dirty that a Harvard University study blamed it for 106 premature deaths each year. It closed in 2017 because of economics. Now its site will be repurposed to support offshore windpower. [CleanTechnica]

Friday, April 26:

• “What That Flashy Renewable Energy Paper Got Wrong”
  A much talked-about paper from the University of Chicago says renewable energy mandates have high costs. But the paper, which was not peer-reviewed, has serious problems. Its most recent data is from 2015, when costs were 50% higher than they are today. [Natural Resources Defense Council]

Nuro self-driving delivery vehicle (Courtesy of Nuro)

• “Nuro Partners With Kroger For Autonomous Delivery Service In Houston”
  Nuro is making self-driving delivery service available to Kroger customers in the 77401 and 77096 zip codes in Houston for a fee of $5.95. Customers will be able to shop for their groceries online or via the app, schedule the delivery, and meet the vehicle at the curb. [CleanTechnica]
• “Solar Power Doubles In Most American Cities In Last Six Years”
  According to a new report from the Environment America Research and Policy Center, solar power capacity at least doubled in 45 out of the 57 biggest American cities in the last six years. In some American cities the solar PV capacity quadrupled. [CleanTechnica]

Saturday, April 27:

Byron Bay’s Solar Powered Train (Image: Fully Charged)

• “World’s First 100% Solar Powered Train”
  The Byron Bay Railroad Company’s charming 100% solar-powered train has been featured in a Fully Charged video, showcasing the possibility of zero-emission public transport. The train is super efficient, running on a 6.5-kW rooftop solar array and a lithium-ion battery. [CleanTechnica]
• “The World’s Oceans Are Becoming Stormier”
  The world’s oceans have become more turbulent over the past 33 years, with higher waves and stronger winds, a study by scientists at the University of Melbourne shows. One author said stormier oceans make coastal flooding more likely and erosion worse, increasing risks for coastal settlements. [CNN]

Sun Flyer Prototype

• “Bye Aerospace Announces 60 Electric Airplanes Sold To OSM Aviation”
  Bye Aerospace, based in Colorado, announced the successful maiden flight of the Sun Flyer 2, in April 2018. Now, just a year later, Bye Aerospace has announced 60 that 60 of the aircraft, which have been renamed eFlyer 2, have been sold to OSM Aviation, based in Norway. [CleanTechnica]

Sunday, April 28:

• “EPA’s Document At Odds With Chief On Climate Change”
  The US EPA published a 150-page document last week with a straightforward message for coping with the fallout from natural disasters across the country: Start planning now for the fact that climate change is going to worsen such catastrophes as floods, hurricanes and wildfires. [NWAOnline]

Kingfisher (Getty Images)

• “Major Report To Highlight ‘Natural And Human Emergency'”
  Scientists and government officials are in Paris to finalize a report examining humanity’s relationship with nature. One author says the report from the Intergovernmental Panel for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services highlights a “social and ecological emergency” the world faces. [BBC News]
• “Democrat-Controlled Statehouses Endorsing Clean Energy”
  The National Conference of State Legislatures says eleven states either flipped the governor’s seat from Republican to Democrat or saw Democrats win new legislative control in the elections of 2018. All have passed or are weighing legislation that would expand renewables. [The Columbian]

Monday, April 29:

eHang eVTOL AV demonstration

• “eHang Shows Dazzled Public Its Autonomous eVTOL Aircraft”
  True autonomous air taxis are coming soon and today’s battery technology is just enough to let these dreams take off. There is a major competition developing, a budding industry of electric air taxi startups. eHang aircraft are expected to go into producton next year. [CleanTechnica]
• “Climate Change Being Fueled By Soil Damage”
  There is three times more carbon in the soil than in the atmosphere, but that carbon is being released by deforestation and poor farming. And this is fueling climate change. Problems include soils being eroded, compacted by machinery, built over, or harmed by over-watering. [BBC News]

Solar array (Photo: Zbynek Burival | Unsplash)

• “Australia Can Be Powered 100% By Renewables By Early 2030s, Says Garnaut” 
  Leading economist and climate change policy expert Professor Ross Garnaut says that Australia could be powered 100% by “intermittent” renewables by the early 2030s. Operating this way, the grid would be reliable, secure and less expensive than it is now. [RenewEconomy]

Tuesday, April 30:

• “Scotland Declares ‘Climate Emergency’ Following School Strikes”
  Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, warned the world is facing a “climate emergency” and vowed Scotland “will lead by example” by cutting carbon emissions. The declaration was inspired by student protesters who staged a school strike to urge action, she said. [The Independent]

Wind turbines in Iowa

• “US Wind Development Pipeline Grew By 6 GW In First Quarter Of 2019”
  Wind power construction and development activity in the US grew to record levels in the first quarter of 2019, data from the American Wind Energy Association shows. The US wind development pipeline grew by 6,146 MW to a record-breaking 39,161 MW. [CleanTechnica]
• “Report Warns Enbridge, DTE, Part Of Pipeline “Bubble” That Could Burst”
  A Global Energy Monitor report says companies are betting over $1 trillion in risky gas pipeline projects that are so expensive their payback periods are over decades. They could become stranded assets as we stop burning fossil fuels to deal with climate change. [Michigan Radio]

Wednesday, May 1:

• “Governor’s Bill Moves Maine Toward 100% Renewable Energy By 2050”
  Maine would take an ambitious turn to fight climate change with a new bill announced by Gov Janet Mills. The bill’s goals are to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions 45% by 2030 and 80% by 2050. And by 2050, 100% of electricity will come from renewable sources. [Public News Service]

Unmanned aircraft delivers kidney (See article for credit)

• “Autonomous Drone Delivers Human Kidney Successfully”
  In a first of its kind event, an unmanned aircraft delivered a human kidney to an operating room for a transplant to save a person’s life. An organ transplant requires rapid transportation between the donor and the recipient. The faster the journey, the higher the chance of success. [CleanTechnica]
• “LA Announces A Green New Deal For The City, Including A 100% Renewable Electricity Goal”
  As part of LA’s Green New Deal, Mayor Garcetti pledges to use carbon-free energy sources for the city’s electricity, buildings, and transportation by 2050. The plan makes LA the the biggest US city to set a goal of 100% renewable electricity. [Green Matters]

 

 

Energy Week #315: 2019-04-25

Visitors Please Note: This blog is maintained to assist in developing a TV show, Energy Week with George Harvey and Tom Finnell. The post is put up in incomplete form, and is updated with news until it is completed, usually on Wednesday. The source is geoharvey.wordpress.com.

Within a few days of the last update, the show may be seen, along with older shows, at this link on the BCTV website: Energy Week Series.

Thursday, April 18:

Greta Thunberg meets Pope Francis

• “Greta Thunberg Meets The Pope After Scolding EU Leaders On Climate Change”
  Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg met Pope Francis at the Vatican. A day earlier, she had addressed a committee of the European Parliament, scolding them for spending their time “arguing about taxes or Brexit” in the face of a building climate crisis. [CNN]
• “Official Warning To Banks: Get Real About Climate Change Or Risk Going Bust”
  Central bankers and finance regulators from 34 countries, including the UK, France, Germany, China, and Japan, have warned banks to act urgently to fight climate change or risk going bust. The policymakers argue that banks must invest sustainably. [CNN]
• “Offshore Wind Farms Are Spinning Up In The US – At Last”
  On June 1, the Pilgrim nuclear plant in Massachusetts will shut down, a victim of hard nuclear power economics. The electricity it generated will be replaced by another carbon-free source: a fleet of 84 offshore wind turbines rising nearly 650 feet above the ocean’s surface. [WIRED]

Friday, April 19:

Haliade-X 12-MW offshore turbine (LM Wind Power image)

• “LM Wind Rolls Out First Haliade-X Blade”
  LM Wind Power has produced the first 107-meter blade that will be fitted to the prototype GE Renewable Energy Haliade-X 12-MW offshore turbine. Testing and validation will begin once finishing touches are done. The prototype is being installed in the Netherlands, later this year. [reNEWS]
• “Bernie Sanders Calls For An End To Fossil Fuels”
  Bernie Sanders made a rather stunning proposal, saying climate change is “not a hoax but is an existential threat.” He wants “to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel and into energy efficiency and sustainable energy and, in the process, create millions of good paying jobs.” [CleanTechnica]

Rising smoke (Brian Peterson | Star Tribune via AP, File)

• “Americans’ Energy Use Surges Despite Climate Change Concern”
  Americans used a record amount of energy in 2018, with a 10% jump in natural gas consumption helping to lead the way, according to the Energy Information Administration. Total consumption of all fuels rose 4% year on year, the largest such increase in eight years. [Associated Press]
• “Massachusetts Approves Vineyard Power Deal”
  Long-term off-take contracts for the 800-MW Vineyard Wind farm being developed off the state’s coast have been approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Officials said the off-take deals will spur economic development and ensure a “resilient energy future.” [reNEWS]

Saturday, April 20:

Wind turbine

• “China To Promote Using Wind Energy To Power Heating Systems”
  China’s National Energy Administration urged local authorities to set annual targets for generating heating using energy from wind farms over the period form 2019 to 2021. The country is pushing to reduce carbon emissions from all uses of coal, including heat. [ETEnergyworld.com]
• “Washington Utility Avista Commits To 100% Clean Energy By 2045”
  Avista announced its goal to serve its customers with 100% clean electricity by 2045 and to have a carbon-neutral supply of electricity by the end of 2027. Avista claims a long-standing history of providing clean, reliable, and affordable energy to its customers. [Solar Power World]

BYD plant (Billy HC Kwok | Bloomberg Businessweek)

• “The World’s Biggest Electric Vehicle Company Looks Nothing Like Tesla”
  The number one producer of plug-in vehicles globally is BYD, based in Shenzhen, China. Though it gets a tiny fraction of the attention of Tesla, BYD now has about a quarter-million employees and sells as many as 30,000 vehicles every month. [Bloomberg] (Thanks to Tom Finnell)

Sunday, April 21:

• “Clean Energy Laws Force Colstrip Owners To Weigh Options”
  As the state of Washington edges closer to banning coal power by 2025, the owners of Montana’s coal-burning Colstrip Power Plant are weighing options. Colstrip supplies customers in three states, but without those in Washington it will be hard to justify running the plant. [Billings Gazette]

Flight Design aircraft

• “When Airplanes Are Designed To Be Energy Agnostic, You Know Electricity Is Banging At The Door” 
  Lift Air subsidiary Flight Design General Aviation GmbH, based in Germany, announced new 4-seat airplane that could be certified in a year. Importantly, it is energy agnostic, so it is ready for a full electric propulsion system. [CleanTechnica]
• “Power Outages Are A Thing Of The Past In Zambia” 
  The African Development Bank Group celebrated a success, tweeting, “Power cuts are now a thing of the past in #Zambia! A major boost in electricity production, – thanks to a robust hydraulic and solar power generation industry – means the country is now self-sufficient in energy.” [SaharaReporters.com]

Monday, April 22:

Greta Thunberg speaking in Rome (Matteo Nardone | Pacific Press via ZUMA Wire | REX | Shutterstock)

• “Greta Thunberg’s Visit To Britain Is A Huge Moment For The Climate Movement”
  This afternoon an international sensation is taking to the stage in central London. She’s young, but she is admired around the world. Her name is Greta Thunberg. She’s a 16-year-old climate hero. And she is much needed in a time of crisis. [The Guardian]
• “‘It’s Already Begun’ – Feedback Loops Will Make Climate Change Even Worse, Scientists Say”
  Rising Arctic temperatures set free a vast amount of carbon previously locked beneath permafrost, these additional greenhouse gases speed up warming, and that melts more permafrost. It is a feedback loop, and scientists say it has begun. [Yahoo News]

Polar Bear on Arctic ice (AWeith | Wikimedia Commons)

• “Alaska’s In The Middle Of A Record-Breaking Spring Melt, And It’s Killing People”
  The average temperature for March recorded at the NOAA observatory in Utquiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, was 18.6° F above normal. The above-normal temperatures are part of a trend that has been going on for many years. [ScienceAlert]

Tuesday, April 23:

• “Britain Has Been Surviving Without Coal Power Since Thursday”
  Climate change activists are still blocking streets in London, but according to tweets from the UK’s national grid, the country gone without coal power for 86 hours straight. The streetlights are still working, the internet is still switched on, and the kettles are still boiling. [Metro]

Waikiki beach (M Borsch | De Agostini Editorial | Getty Images)

• “Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach Could Soon Be Underwater Because Of Climate Change. Lawmakers Are Fighting To Preserve It”
  Hawaii state Rep Chris Lee has a 2-year-old niece. If recent climate reports about Hawaii are correct, he said, after she finishes high school, she may not be able to lie in the sun on Waikiki Beach. [CNN]
• “California Just Made More Clean Energy Than It Needed”
  The California Independent Systems Operator, the state’s grid operator, has shown that for most of the period between 1:50 PM and 3:05 PM on Sunday April 21, the amount of carbon-free electricity generated in the region it covers exceeded customer demands. [pv magazine USA]

Wednesday, April 24:

MTA Rooftop solar (MTA image)

• “MTA Looks To Rooftop Solar Power To Raise Much-Needed Funds” 
  In New York, the MTA is looking to lease over 10 million square feet of rooftop space on its buildings to companies that install solar panels. Fully realized, the project could generate over 100 MW of renewable energy, enough to power 18,000 households in the state. [Curbed NY]
• “Study Sets Economic Impact Of Melting Arctic Permafrost At $70 TRILLION!”
  Researchers at Lancaster University studied the effects of melting Arctic ice. They concluded that permafrost melting, with a release of greenhouses gases, and melting the ice that reflects the sun’s heat back to space will increase the cost of climate change by $70 trillion. [CleanTechnica]

Saerbeck Energy Park

• “Solar Dominates Latest German Renewable Auction”
  Germany’s Federal Network Agency announced that the solar industry has walked away as the sole winner from Germany’s most recent solar and onshore wind tender, receiving contracts for the entire 210 MW awarded in an auction that was heavily oversubscribed. [CleanTechnica]

Energy Week #314: 2019-04-18

Visitors Please Note: This blog is maintained to assist in developing a TV show, Energy Week with George Harvey and Tom Finnell. The post is put up in incomplete form, and is updated with news until it is completed, usually on Wednesday. The source is geoharvey.com.

Within a few days of the last update, the show may be seen, along with older shows, at this link on the BCTV website: Energy Week Series.

Energy Week #314: 04/18/19

Thursday, April 11:

Chicago (Photo: Lance Anderson | Unsplash)

• “Big Moment For Clean Power In The US”
  Chicago has become the biggest American city to commit to transitioning to 100% renewable energy, joining 118 other cities nationwide in making the move. The Sierra Club reported that Chicago City Council had backed a resolution to take forward the goal for the entire city by 2035. [Innovators Magazine]
• “Trump-Appointed Energy Official: Climate Change Is Real And We Must Lower Carbon Emissions”
  A top federal energy regulator appointed by President Donald Trump is calling for urgent action to address climate change. Neil Chatterjee, a Republican from Kentucky, is the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. [CNN]

Alstom Aptis electric bus (Credit: Alstom)

• “More Electric Buses Coming To Paris And Surrounding Communities”
  RATP Group, the French state-owned public transportation company that serves Paris and its surrounding communities, has plans in place to retire all 4,700 conventional buses in its fleet and replace them by 2025 with zero or ultra low emissions vehicles. [CleanTechnica]

Friday, April 12:

• “We Can Talk About This’ – Millennial Republicans Take A Methodical Approach To Climate Change”
  In January, 41 state college Republican chairs signed an American Conservation Coalition letter to GOP leaders urging “action on clean energy and environmental issues” to ensure “conservative values are not lost on the next generation”. [The Guardian]

Agriculture with solar PVs

• “How Coal-Killing Solar Panels Can Help US Farmers” 
  The DOE has a message for farmers: plant solar panels, and you can plant crops, too. The DOE published the “Farmer’s Guide to Going Solar,” answering such questions as how PV modules change the microclimates beneath them, and what effects they have on agricultural production. [CleanTechnica]
• “Apple Surpasses Renewable Energy Goals For 2020” 
  Apple has announced that it will exceed, by over 1 GW, its goal of bringing 4 GW of renewable energy into its supply chain by 2020. The company also announced that is has doubled the number of suppliers that run Apple productions on 100% renewable energy. [Power Technology]

Saturday, April 13:

Seattle (Photo: AP)

• “Washington State Commits To Running Entirely On Clean Energy By 2045”
  The state of Washington is now committed to making the state’s electricity supply carbon neutral by 2030 and 100% carbon-free by 2045. The bill makes it the fourth state to commit to 100 percent clean energy and adds a feather to the cap of Gov Jay Inslee. [Gizmodo]
• “Cheap, Safe 100% Renewable Energy Possible Before 2050, Says Finnish Uni Study”
  A global transition to the exclusive use of renewable energy sources is not only possible but cheaper and safer than reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear energy, a study from the Lappeenranta University of Technology and the Energy Watch Group shows. [YLE News]

PVs over crops (Credit: Fraunhofer ISE)

• “Fraunhofer Reports Combining Farming With Solar 186% More Efficient In Summer Of 2018”
  The Fraunhofer Institute has conducted experiments in what it calls agrophotovoltaics for two years in Germany. In 2018, they found that the potatoes they grew beneath solar panels did better than they would have in full sun. [CleanTechnica]

Sunday, April 14:

• “Are We Seeing A Late Combustion Age Collapse?”
  We are in the midst of a big transition, and big transitions are dangerous. Choices we make today will impact the future of our species. We could usher in an age of clean power that continues our species’ climb out of poverty. Or we could have a Late Combustion Age Collapse. [CleanTechnica]

Iditarod (Marc Lester | Anchorage Daily News via AP, File)

• “Pace Of Bering Sea Changes Startles Scientists”
   In the winter, frigid north winds blow down from the Arctic Ocean, freeze saltwater and push sea ice south. The ice normally prevents waves from forming and locks onto beaches, walling off villages. But this year a storm pushed Norton Sound water up the Yukon River, flooding low-lying homes. [WTOP]
• “GMP All In On Renewables, Carbon-Free”
  Officials at Green Mountain Power announced an “energy vision” to have all the energy the utility supplies be carbon free by 2025 and all of it generated by renewable sources by 2030. Their current energy supply is 90% carbon free and over 60% renewable, a company statement said. [Rutland Herald]

Monday, April 15:

Cherry blossoms

• “Climate Change Is Making Allergy Season Worse”
  Between 1995 and 2011, fewer freeze-free days meant 11 to 27 days added to pollen season for most of the US, research shows. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, which does an annual survey of allergy seasons, noticed that they have been growing longer each year. [CNN]
• “Air Pollution Increases ER Visits – Largest US Study On The Topic Confirms It”
  A study published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine shows that, as levels of ozone and fine particulate pollution (PM2.5) rise, more patients end up in the emergency room. [CleanTechnica]

Rio Tinto mining operation

• “Rio Tinto Promises Not To Undermine Renewables, And Not To Prop Up Coal”
  Australian mining giant Rio Tinto has pledged to support renewable energy and climate action, and to ‘publicly argue against’ government subsidies of coal power, while using its significant clout to urge associated industry groups to do the same thing. [RenewEconomy] (A month ago, Energy Week reported that Cloud Peak Energy, a Rio Tinto spinoff, was going bankrupt.)

Tuesday, April 16:

• “German Prosecutors Charge Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn With Fraud”
  German prosecutors have charged former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn with fraud in a case related to the automaker’s diesel emissions-cheating scandal. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. [CNN]

Windpower (Arnulf Stoffel | picture alliance via Getty Images)

• “Our Zero Emission Future”
  A low-cost shift to clean energy is now feasible for every region of the world, owing to the plummeting costs of solar and wind power, and breakthroughs in energy storage. The total system costs of renewable energy, including transmission and storage, are now roughly on par with fossil fuels. [Common Dreams]
• “Extinction Rebellion Protesters Block Some Of London’s Busiest Roads And Bridges”
  Thousands of people took to the streets of central London, blockading some of its busiest roads and bridges to raise the alarm over the mounting climate crisis. They are part of a global campaign orchestrated by the British climate organization Extinction Rebellion. [CNN]

Wednesday, April 17:

Elizabeth Warren (Image: Marc Nozelle | Flickr)

• “Elizabeth Warren Calls For Ten-Fold Increase Of Renewable Generation On Public Lands, Waters”
  Elizabeth Warren, US senator and presidential candidate, announced her plans for a targeted expansion of renewable energy development on public lands along with a moratorium on new fossil fuel leases and other measures. [pv magazine USA]
• “Holtec Adds Indian Point Nuclear Plant To Decommissioning Portfolio”
  Entergy said it will sell its Indian Point Energy Center to Comprehensive Decommissioning International, based in Camden, New Jersey. CDI is a jointly owned subsidiary of Holtec International, a company buying nuclear plants that are closed or scheduled for retirement. [S&P Global Platts]

Pump jack (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)

• “Oil And Gas Industry Has Way Too Much Control Over Congress”
  In October 1992, the US Senate ratified the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Yet since then, the US Congress has failed to pass a single major piece of legislation to implement the treaty. The reason is oil and gas campaign donations. [CNN

Energy Week #314: 04/18/19

Energy Week #313, 2019-04-11

Visitors Please Note: This blog is maintained to assist in developing a TV show, Energy Week with George Harvey and Tom Finnell. The post is put up in incomplete form, and is updated with news until it is completed, usually on Wednesday. The source is geoharvey.wordpress.com.

Within a few days of the last update, the show may be seen, along with older shows, at this link on the BCTV website: Energy Week Series.

Thursday, April 4:

In the Tesla factory

• “Tesla Deliveries Up 110% In Q1 2019 Vs. Q1 2018”
  Tesla delivered 110% more vehicles in the 1st quarter of 2019 versus the 1st quarter of 2018. The delivery total was approximately 63,000 for Q1 2019. In North America, Model 3 was yet again the best-selling mid-sized premium sedan, selling 60% more units than the runner-up. [CleanTechnica]
• “Renewable Energy Now Accounts For A Third Of All Global Power Capacity”
  Renewable energy sources now account for around a third of all global power capacity, according to new figures published this week by the International Renewable Energy Agency, which revealed 171 GW of new renewable capacity was installed in 2018. [CleanTechnica]
• “Renewables Smashed Records In 2018, Says Report – And Truly Trumped Coal On Cost” 
  A new report called 2018 a “remarkable” year for renewable energy in Australia. Investment in large-scale projects doubled, and the cost of new wind and solar, with storage included, was officially declared cheaper than new coal power. [RenewEconomy]

Friday, April 5:

Wind turbines in Iowa (Tony Webster, Wikimedia Commons)

• “Donald Trump Said Wind Turbines Cause Cancer. Chuck Grassley Called That ‘Idiotic.'”
  Iowa Sen Chuck Grassley (R), a champion of wind energy, said President Donald Trump’s comments that wind turbines cause cancer were “idiotic,” in a call with reporters. There is no evidence that wind turbine sounds cause cancer. [DesMoinesRegister.com]
• “Global Wind Turbine Order Capacity Increased 31% In 2018, Finds WoodMac”
  According to Wood Mackenzie, Global wind turbine orders increased by 31% in 2018 thanks in part to a 20% fourth-quarter increase which saw 18 GW of new capacity added. The US bucked this trend, however, seeing a decline in capacity orders. [CleanTechnica]
• “Swiss Startup Innolith Claims 1000 Wh/kg Battery Breakthrough”
  Swiss startup Innolith says it developed a lithium-ion battery with an energy density of 1,000 Wh/kg. This is four times the 250 Wh/kg rating of the latest battery from Tesla. It already has one of its batteries installed to back up the grid in Hagerstown, Maryland.” [CleanTechnica]

Saturday, April 6:

Borwin Gamma sets sail (Credit: TenneT)

• “TenneT Plots 2-GW Substation Revolution”
  TenneT, the Dutch transmission system operator, will deploy cables and converter stations with 2-GW capacity to bring electricity ashore from offshore wind farms planned for post-2024 period. Two 2-GW DC connections will be used for the IJmuiden Ver wind energy area, TenneT said. [reNEWS]
• “EU Accuses German Carmakers Of Colluding To Delay Clean Air Technology”
  The EU has accused German carmakers of collusion. The European Commission said Volkswagen, BMW, and Daimler broke antitrust rules by acting together to delay the introduction of two emissions cleaning systems between 2006 and 2014. [CNN]

Burning fossil fuels (Photo: United Nations)

• “Report: CO₂ At Highest Level In 3 Million Years”
  Scientists announced in a report that CO₂, the gas that causes most global warming, is present in our atmosphere at the highest level in 3 million years. At that time, sea levels were as much as 65 feet higher than they are now, Greenland was mostly green, and Antarctica had trees. [USA TODAY]
• “Get Ready For 1.5¢ Renewable Electricity, Steven Chu Says, Which Could Unleash Hydrogen Economy”
  Former Energy Sec. Steven Chu told a roomful of scientists in Chicago they should think now what they could do with renewable electricity that costs only 1.5¢/kWh. And, he suggested, those thoughts should include hydrogen. [Forbes]

Sunday, April 7:

Harbour Air aircraft

• “Harbour Air Is Switching Over To 100% Electric Seaplanes”
  Harbour Air, based in Vancouver, Canada, will be the first seafaring airline to convert its complete fleet of aircraft to be powered by electricity. Its 41 aircraft will be converted to reach a longer lifecycle with highly improved efficiency and lowered maintenance costs. [CleanTechnica]
• “Union Locals Build Support for the Green New Deal’s ‘Just Transition'”
  National leadership among some labor unions have shown an early reluctance toward the Green New Deal. However, leaders at the local level are working to build support for the plan among their membership in hopes of pushing their unions in its direction. [Truthout]

Monday, April 8:

Hydrogen-powered bus (Paul Kane | Getty Images)

• “‘The Perfect Storm’: Hydrogen Gains Ground On LNG As Alternative Fuel”
  In March, the Queensland University of Technology made history when it achieved the first export of a small quantity of clean, green hydrogen produced in Australia from renewable energy, to Japanese energy giant JXTG, proving that it was in fact possible. [The Guardian]
• “Hawaiian Electric To Expand Renewable Energy By 2022” 
  Hawaiian Electric Cos are setting a 2022 target to develop more renewable energy, Kallanish Energy reports. The company wants to develop 73 MW of solar and 1,200 MWh of storage on the Island of Oahu. It also wants smaller amounts of solar and storage on the islands Maui and Hawaii. [Kallanish Energy]

Metrocable in operation (Photo: Kyle Laferriere)

• “In Medellín, Metrocable Connects People In More Ways Than One” 
  In 2004, Metro de Medellín opened the world’s first aerial tram system, Metrocable, connecting slums in the Columbian city’s hillsides to its downtown center and the rest of its transit network. The mobility they provide encourages investment in poor neighborhoods. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, April 9:

• “Particulate Pollution In The Air We Breathe Kills Hundreds Of Thousands A Year, Study Finds”
  Air pollution is deadly: A study links exposure to it to more than 107,000 premature deaths in the United States in 2011. Energy consumption causes 57% of the pollution-related deaths. It isn’t just killing us; it cost the country $866 billion. [CNN]

Capistrano Beach (Photo: Los Angeles Times)

• “From Ruined Bridges To Dirty Air, EPA Scientists Price Out The Cost Of Climate Change”
  By the end of the century, the manifold consequences of unchecked climate change will cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars every year, according to a study by EPA scientists. They said no part of the country will be untouched. [Virgin Islands Daily News]
• “Climate Change Poses Security Risks, According To Decades Of Intelligence Reports”
  A series of authoritative governmental and nongovernmental analyses over more than three decades lays a strong foundation for concern over climate change implications for national security. They come from the CIA, NSA, FBI, and others. [Yale Climate Connections]

Wednesday, April 10:

• “There’s Trouble In OPEC And Oil Prices Are Up 50%”
  Venezuela is in chaos. Iran is dealing with US sanctions. And there is increased violence in Libya. Trouble in these OPEC nations helped send US oil prices back above $64 a barrel. Gasoline prices are creeping higher just as the US economy grapples with a slowdown. [CNN]

BYD K12A (BYD Image)

• “BYD Continues To Innovate, Launches The World’s Longest Electric Bus”
  New energy company BYD has introduced the world’s longest electric bus. The new BYD K12A is a 27 meter (89 foot) long beast of an electric bus. It features two independent articulating points that connect its 3 separate segments. It has room for 250 riders. [CleanTechnica]
• “New York Offers $30 Million For Flexible Power Grid”
  New York announced funding of up to $30 million (£23 million) for projects that can improve the resiliency and flexibility of the electricity grid. Governor Andrew M Cuomo aims to generate 70% of renewable electricity by 2030 and have a carbon-free power grid by 2040. [Energy Live News]

Energy Week #312, 2019-04-11