Energy Week #396: 12/3/2020

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 #396: 12/3/2020

Wednesday, November 25

Shelby Cobra (Image courtesy of Superformance)

¶ “Superformance Is Building An All-Electric Cobra For 2021” • Superformance claims it has a license from Shelby himself to build “official” continuation Cobras, and this one is just stunning. A few things it does not have are the shiny roll bars, a rumbling, side-mounted exhaust, and a gaudy hood scoop feeding air into the engine bay of the 427. [CleanTechnica]

Eximus IV (Image Courtesy Delsbo Electric)

¶ “The Eximus IV Is The World’s Most Energy Efficient Electric Vehicle” • The electric vehicle you see here is the Eximus IV. Built by a team of experts at Sweden’s Dalarna University, it is billed as the world’s most energy-efficient EV. It can transport a person nearly halfway around the world using the energy in just a single liter of gas! [CleanTechnica]

Enel wind turbines (Aviscan, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “European Utility Giant To Invest $190 Billion In Renewable Infrastructure” • Italy’s Enel, Europe’s largest utility, announced plans to invest as much as $190 billion (€160 billion) by 2030 in boosting renewable power generation, decarbonization, and grid infrastructure as part of a new plan to become a “Super Major” in renewable energy. [OilPrice.com]

Thursday, November 26

Caithness Peatland (david glass, CC BY-SA 2.0)

¶ “Peat Study Sets Out Wind Farm Benefits” • A study shows the benefits of wind farms to Scotland’s peatlands. “Wind Power and Peatland: Enhancing Unique Habitats” looks at more than £2.5 million of work by three renewable energy businesses restoring peatland sites. Healthy peatlands remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it. [reNEWS]

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (Source: US Department of the Interior)

¶ “Trump’s Last-Ditch Effort to Drill the Alaskan Wilderness” • The Trump administration is making a last-minute push to sell oil rights in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Firms can now select which swaths of pristine Alaskan wilderness they would like to drill, and they could bid on leases before President Trump leaves office in January. [CleanTechnica]

Friday, November 27

Power grid (Image: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

¶ “World Suddenly Goes Nuts Over Green Ammonia, Now That Green Hydrogen Is Old Hat” • Green hydrogen is still clawing its way into the mainstream and here comes yet another powerful new decarbonization trend: green ammonia. Green ammonia was a big mystery just two years ago and now all of a sudden it’s the Next Big Thing. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines in Tasmania (Ian Cochrane, CC-BY-SA 2.0 Generic)

¶ “Tasmania’s Power Becomes 100% Renewable” • Tasmania has become the first state in Australia to operate on 100% renewable power, the state announced. When the final two turbines of the Granville Harbour wind farm are operating, the state will have 10,741 GWh of renewables generation per year; its average annual demand is for 10,500 GWh. [Renewables Now]

Solar system in space (NASA image)

¶ “The Solar Discs That Could Beam Power From Space” • Now scientists are working on a concept of giant solar power stations in space that beam energy to Earth. The European Space Agency has realized the potential of these efforts and is looking to fund them. It is predicting that the first industrial resource we will get from space is “beamed power.” [BBC]

Saturday, November 28

Audi Formula E powertrain (Audi image)

¶ “Audi Formula E Drivetrain Is 95% Efficient” • Formula E racing puts a premium on efficiency. Ahead of the start of the Formula E season in Santiago next January, Audi announced that its new MGU05 motor/transmission package, developed by Audi Sport and Schaeffler, converts 95% of the energy stored in the battery into forward motion. [CleanTechnica]

Sony building in Tokyo (Leonard V Carlson, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Sony ‘Could Shift Factories Out Of Japan’ Over Renewable Energy Drought” • Sony warned Japan’s government it could move manufacturing abroad over difficulties sourcing renewable energy for its operations. Chief executives from Sony and other major Japanese companies have demanded reforms to make renewable power procurement easier. [Recharge]

Sunday, November 29

Canmore, Alberta (Jack Borno, CC, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Electrify Canada Expands Into Alberta” • Electrify Canada, which is a partner of Electrify America as well as Volkswagen Group Canada, is spreading ultrafast EV charging stations across Canada. Now it has expanded to Alberta. Its first Alberta charging station is in Canmore, but an ultrafast charging station is coming to Calgary soon. [CleanTechnica]

GE Halide X wind turbine (GE Renewable Energy Image)

¶ “Dogger Bank, World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm, Will Use 190 GE Haliade-X Turbines” • Equinor and SSE Renewables announced that they have financing for the first two phases of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which will be in the North Sea about 160 km east of Yorkshire. The wind farm will be powered by 190 GE Haliade-X 13 MW turbines. [CleanTechnica]

Monday, November 30

Pickup truck (Courtesy of Chevrolet)

¶ “Diesel Cheating May Involve Millions Of Pickup Trucks” • An EPA report estimates 557,478 medium and heavy duty trucks have been fitted with emissions defeat devices. The cumulative effect of the extra pollutants coming from their exhaust pipes is estimated to be equal to the emissions from nearly 10 million fully compliant diesel pickups. [CleanTechnica]

Named storm tracks, 2020 (Master0Garfield, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Historic 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Comes To A Close” • November 30 officially marks the final day of Atlantic hurricane season, and it has been one for the record books. 2020 has been undoubtedly a crazy year. with Covid-19 and record-breaking wildfires. Nevertheless, the hurricane season stands out, setting a number of records of its own. [CNN]

Hydrobingo, powered by hydrogen (CMB image)

¶ “The Ships Powered By ‘Green Hydrogen'” • Ships emit 3% of all greenhouse gases, and emissions are projected to grow by up to 50% by 2050 if the industry continues on a business-as-usual path. Green hydrogen and ammonia derived from it can replace the oil used in ships. And their use in boats, which is now being introduced, can be scaled up. [BBC]

Tuesday, December 1

Hydrogen-powered train (Image: University of Birmingham)

¶ “Climate Change: Temperature Analysis Shows UN Goals ‘Within Reach'” • The Climate Action Tracker group looked at new climate promises from China and other nations, along with the carbon plans of US President-elect Joe Biden. Its analysis is more optimistic, suggesting the goals of the UN Paris climate agreement are getting “within reach.” [BBC]

Hydrogen powered train (Image courtesy of Alstom)

¶ “Alstom To Supply Italy’s First Six Hydrogen Trains” • Alstom will supply six hydrogen fuel cell trains, with the option for eight more, to FNM (Ferrovie Nord Milano), the main transport and mobility group in the Italian region of Lombardy, for a total amount of approximately €160 million. The first train delivery is expected within 36 months. [CleanTechnica]

Simec Atlantis AR1500 tidal turbine (Photo: ARC)

¶ “Global Ocean Renewable Energy ‘Could Reach 10 GW’ By 2030 Buoyed By Island And Coastal Markets” • Ocean energy could grow 20-fold this decade to reach 10 GW of installed capacity, with tidal and wave plants providing mainstream power generation, according to calculations from the International Renewable Energy Agency. [Recharge]

18 to here

Wednesday, December 2

Ford Mustang (Ford image)

¶ “Ford Presses Other Manufacturers To Join CARB Emissions Rules Package” • According to Reuters, Ford has sent a letter to Toyota, FCA, and other automakers who are still opposing tougher emissions standards that urges them to get on board with the California standard before Joe Biden takes office in January. [CleanTechnica]

Cultured chicken (Image courtesy of Eat Just)

¶ “In A World First, Cultured Chicken Meat Approved For Sale In Singapore” • The world’s first cell-cultured meat product – bite-sized chicken by California start-up Eat Just – will be available at restaurants in Singapore, now that authorities have ruled it safe for consumption. The cultured chicken bites will be locally produced. [The Straits Times]

Nodding donkey (Jeff W, Unsplash)

¶ “Exxon Faces $20 Billion Hit From ‘Epic Failure’ Of A Decade Ago” • ExxonMobil’s nightmarish 2020 has just got worse. The energy company announced that it will mark down the value of its natural gas properties by $17 billion to $20 billion. Exxon also promised to scale back its spending ambitions as it braces for a more muted oil price recovery. [CNN]

Energy Week #396: 12/3/2020

Energy, renewable energy, wind power, Solar, batteries, Nuclear, coal, oil, gas, Climate Change

Energy Week #395: 11/25/2020

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 #395: 11/25/2020

Thursday, November 19

Bike lane in Boston (Adam Coppola, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “How Bike-Friendly ‘Slow Streets’ Are Changing Cities” • Biking is having a renaissance with Covid-19, as urbanites worldwide shun public transport for the relative safety of a two-wheeled commute. The resulting urban planning experiments could not only radically alter the way we commute, but also make cities more resilient to future shocks. [BBC]

Wind farm (Famartin, CC-BY-SA 4.0 Intl, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Why 2021 Will Be A Banner Year For Renewable Energy In The US” • With the global shift to renewable energy in full swing, which party controls the US Senate might not matter that much for energy. Goldman Sachs predicted that capital spending on renewable energy will surpass that of fossil fuels in 2021 globally. And the US has the same market pressures. [OilPrice.com]

Miami (B137, CC-BY-SA 4.0 Intl, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Finally Confronting Warming, Florida Lawmakers Set To Address Rising Seas And Flooding Systematically” • Comments by Republican leaders, coming after they were sworn in to lead the Florida House and Senate for the next two years, represented a further evolution in the position of the state’s Republicans about climate change. [FlaglerLive.com]

Friday, November 20

Sargassum weeds (NOAA, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “The Seaweed Swamping The Atlantic Ocean” • In the summer of 2018, an almost incomprehensibly large mass of stringy brown seaweed appeared in the Atlantic Ocean. It stretched across the Atlantic Ocean, from the shores of West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico. It is part of a pattern that established itself in 2011 and has been getting worse [BBC]

Fishing (Dr Karl-Heinz Hochhaus, CC-BY-SA-3.0, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Fishing Saps The Ocean’s Power To Capture Carbon” • A fish that dies naturally in the ocean sinks to the depths, taking with it all the carbon it contains. When a fish is caught, most of this carbon is released into the atmosphere as CO₂. Carbon emissions from fishing are 25% higher than what had been considered to come from fuel consumption. [Futurity]

Cadillac Lyriq (Courtesy of General Motors)

¶ “GM Raises Its EV Game, Commits Another $7 Billion To Its Electric Car Push” • General Motors announced it is adding $7 billion to its mission to bring electric cars to market. GM had already committed $20 billion to its EV program. CEO Mary Barra said GM will offer 30 battery electric models globally by the middle of this decade. [CleanTechnica]

Bleached coral (Photo: US Geological Survey via Flickr)

¶ “NOAA Research Shows Climate Crisis Primary Cause Of 98% Of Dead Florida Coral Reef” • A first-of-its-kind federal report on the health of the US coral reefs finds that in Florida, the area with the worst degradation, up to 98% of coral reefs have been lost due mainly to the climate crisis. The researchers used data collected from 2012 to 2018. [Red, Green, and Blue]

Saturday, November 21

Agrovoltaics (Enel Green Power image)

¶ “Enel Green Power Promotes Sustainability At Solar Power Plants In US” • There has been opposition to solar installations from farmers in some parts of the US. Efforts from companies like Enel Green Power show how solar and farming can co-exist and benefit each other while helping to bring more renewable energy to America. [CleanTechnica]

Proterra bus (Proterra image)

¶ “Proterra Sells Its 1,000th Electric Bus” • US-based electric bus company Proterra, which was first mentioned it at CleanTechnica in 2013, has passed a major milestone, selling its 1,000th electric bus. This comes just a bit more than three years after its 100th electric bus was delivered. It was one of twelve sold to Broward County Transit in Florida. [CleanTechnica]

Container ship (Image courtesy of Pexels/Pixabay)

¶ “The UN Shipping Agency Greenlights A Decade Of Rising Greenhouse Gas Emissions” • Governments have backtracked on their own commitments to urgently reduce climate-heating emissions from the shipping sector, environmental organizations have said following a key meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) today.[CleanTechnica]

Sunday, November 22

Whittier, Alaska (Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Climate Change Could Lead To Landslide-triggered Tsunami In Alaska: Scientists” • Whittier, Alaska, has still not forgotten the tsunami of 1964, which killed 13 people and did $10 million in damages. But another tsunami threat looms large on the city with climate change, as Barry glacier could fall into the ocean causing a mega-tsunami. [Republic World]

MG ZS EV (MG image)

¶ “Electric Vehicle Interest Surges 500% In UK On News Of 2030 Fossil Fuel Car Ban” • News of the UK’s plan to ban sales of new gas and diesel cars in 2030 has reportedly led to a huge increase in interest in electric vehicles. According to BuyaCar.co.uk, electric vehicle inquiries increased by 500% following the news of the stronger timeline. [CleanTechnica]

Renault Zoe electric car (werner hillebrand-hansen, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “18% Plugin Vehicle Share in Germany in October – Record Month!” • The German plugin vehicle market set new records in October, reaching an 18% market share. Full electric vehicles were up 365% (!) from last year, and plugin vehicles as a whole were up 303%. Overall, the car market was down 4%, with petrol cars down 30% and diesel down 19%. [CleanTechnica]

Monday, November 23

Hyundai fuel cell truck (Courtesy of Hyundai)

¶ “Hydrogen Power For Heavy Trucks In China And All The Ships At Sea” • In a 15-year plan for new energy vehicles, China’s State Council put a focus on building the fuel-cell supply chain and hydrogen-powered heavy vehicles. A wind and solar plant in Inner Mongolia is expected to produce up to 500,000 tons of H₂ a year beginning in 2021. [CleanTechnica]

Shift to EVs (Courtesy of Carbon Tracker)

¶ “Carbon Tracker Claims EV Revolution Will ‘End Oil Era'” • A Carbon Tracker report says the shift to EVs in emerging markets will “end oil era.” In particular, it suggests the transition away from gasoline and diesel powered vehicles in emerging markets “may slash growth in global oil demand by 70%.” The report says the switch will pay for itself. [CleanTechnica]

Wind turbines in Wyoming (CGP Grey, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Renewables Are 64% Of New US Electrical Generating Capacity In 9-Months Of 2020” • According to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, renewable energy sources dominated new US electrical generating capacity additions in the first nine months of 2020. [Renewables Now]

Tuesday, November 24

October 2020 Global Temperature Map (NOAA image)

¶ “Super Hot October Drags 2020 Toward 2nd-Hottest Year On Record” • The year to date (January through October) ranked second-hottest for the globe as Arctic sea ice coverage shrank to historic lows for the month, according to NOAA scientists. The most recent monthly global climate report from NOAA also has other highlights. [CleanTechnica]

Mireo Plus H (Image provided by Siemens)

¶ “Hydrogen-Powered Trains Could Replace Diesel Engines In Germany” • Siemens and Germany’s rail operator Deutsche Bahn have announced plans to test a hydrogen-powered train with a range of more than 370 miles, technology that promises to reduce CO₂ emissions and help make 1,300 diesel units obsolete. The test will last one year. [CNN]

Floating offshore wind turbine (Image via Maine Aqua Ventus)

¶ “After Scotland Tour, Maine Hatches Offshore Floating Wind Turbines Plot” • Maine has some deep and challenging waters for wind turbines, but it also boasts sustained offshore winds speeds that are estimated to be enough to meet its existing electricity demand 36 times over. Governor Janet Mills came away from a tour of Scotland with big plans. [CleanTechnica]

Offshore solar system (Image: Ocean Sun)

¶ “Floating Solar Could Benefit From EU Offshore Renewables Strategy” • While wind power dominates the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy unveiled by the European Commission, which envisions 300 GW of floating capacity by 2050, the report also notes various EU funding pots which could support ocean-based solar development. [pv magazine International]

Energy Week #395: 11/25/2020

Energy, renewable energy, wind power, Solar, batteries, Nuclear, coal, oil, gas, Climate Change

Energy Week #394: 11/19/2020

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 #394: 11/19/2020

Thursday, November 12

Hurricane (NOAA image)

¶ “Hurricanes Are Maintaining Their Strength Farther Inland As The Planet Warms, Study Finds” • In recent years, hurricanes are rapidly intensifying more often, dumping higher rainfall totals, and even moving slower, all because they move over warmer water. Now, a study shows are maintaining their strength after landfall for much longer. [CNN]

Wind turbines (CSIRO, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Fortescue Leads ‘Stampede’ Into Green Energy With Stunning Plans For 235 GW Of Wind And Solar” • The scale of Fortescue’s program is breathtaking. To put it into context, 235 GW of wind and solar is equivalent to nearly five times the current capacity of Australia’s main grid, and more than the energy output of such oil giants as Chevron and Total. [RenewEconomy]

Electric replacement drive (Image courtesy Swind.Life)

¶ “New Conversion Kit Turns Your Classic Mini Cooper Into A Timeless EV” • Fans of classic cars and restomods rejoice! There is now a fully realized and genuinely affordable kit to help you turn your classic Mini Cooper into a fast, clean, and modern EV. And, best of all, it is even truer to the original Mini philosophy than you might hope for. [CleanTechnica]

Friday, November 13

Peat Bog (RodicaB, CC-BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “World Heritage Status For Scottish Peat Bogs Could Help Uk Hit Net Zero Goals” • There is hope that about 1,400 sq km of the most pristine peatland in northern Scotland will soon be much closer to status as the first world heritage peatland. Ecologists say peatlands covering only 3% of the Earth’s land surface, may hold 30% of the carbon stored on land. [The Guardian]

Sunset at Neom (TariQ instagram, Unsplash)

¶ “The Desert City To Run On Hydrogen” • On the edge of the Saudi Arabian desert beside the Red Sea, a futuristic city called Neom is due to be built. The $500 billion (£380 billion) city, complete with flying taxis and robotic domestic help, is planned to become home to a million people. And what will power this city and be its product? Green hydrogen. [BBC]

Bushfire (fvanrenterghem, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Hitting Net Zero Is Not Enough – We Must Restore The Climate” • The climate crisis is here now. No matter how quickly we reach zero emissions, the terrible impacts of the climate crisis will not just go away. They will continue to cause millions to suffer for centuries to come. Just cutting emissions is not enough. We have to begin restoring the climate. [The Guardian]

Saturday, November 14

Sylvia (Photo via EcoSightseeing)

¶ “Tesla Batteries Get Second Life In Electric Sightseeing Boat” • As Teslas get old (or get into accidents), the batteries they had in them become available for new purposes. One clever use is as batteries in electric boats. In Sweden, the sightseeing boat Sylvia is powered by used Tesla batteries that were combined for 190 kWh of energy storage capacity. [CleanTechnica]

Cars loaded with coal (Decumanus, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “USA Readies Self For Green Hydrogen Rumble As Trump Slithers Out Door” • Trump made coal jobs a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign, but he dropped the whole idea just two years after taking office, so it seems there was no job-saving coal plan after all. Oh well, it’s all water under the bridge now. The DOE has a Hydrogen Program Plan. [CleanTechnica]

Natural gas plant (Dual Freq, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Biden And Electric Utilities Are Split On Emissions Goals” • As President Trump rolled back environmental regulations and boosted fossil fuels, utilities forged ahead with plans to reduce emissions. But while 33 utilities pledged to eliminate emissions by 2050, Biden campaigned on a promise to have 100% clean electricity by 2035. [Scientific American]

Sunday, November 15

Wind farm (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)

¶ “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It – Or Not” • The recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports says it is too late to stop climate change. Some scientists disagree. But arguing about which climate model is most accurate diverts our attention from what is most important – the Earth is warming too fast, and we have to act on that. [CleanTechnica]

Nuclear power plant (Frédéric Paulussen, Unsplash)

¶ “DOE Publishes Strategic Framework For Hydrogen Effort” • The DOE released its Hydrogen Program Plan. A key aspect of the strategy the agency presented is to enable hydrogen production from a diverse array of low-carbon domestic energy resources, including renewables, nuclear energy, and fossil fuels (with carbon capture). [World Nuclear News]

Pipeline (Photo: Quinten de Graaf | Unsplash)

¶ “Minnesota Permits Pipeline Replacement For Line 3” • Environmental and Indigenous leaders responded with alarm after Minnesota regulators approved key permits for Enbridge Energy’s planned Line 3 Pipeline replacement, and called on Democratic Gov Tim Walz to block any construction for the Canadian company’s project. [LA Progressive]

Monday, November 16

Girl Statue on Wall Street (Robert Bye, Unsplash)

¶ “Blackrock and Fidelity Are Betting Big On This $130 Trillion Mega-Trend” • This isn’t just a megatrend. It’s a movement. Big money is fleeing anything that’s not sustainable. By 2022, PwC says that 77% of institutional investors will stop buying non-ESG products entirely. (ESG is Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance.) [OilPrice.com]

LCOE and marginal costs (Lazard image)

¶ “Wind And Solar Are Cheaper Than Everything, Lazard Reports” • The recent Lazard report on the LCOE showed that wind and solar offer the cheapest electricity in the US, even significantly undercutting natural gas combined cycle power plants now. But that’s only half of it. Solar and wind are much cheaper nearly everywhere. [CleanTechnica]

Zach and Kyle at Fremont (CleanTechnica image)

¶ “Tesla’s Automotive Gross Margin Improves from 18.7% to 23.7%” • Tesla’s automotive gross margin improved from 18.7% to 23.7% in Q3. That’s an astounding improvement in automotive gross margin. Even 18.7% is great in the automotive industry. It’s a figure that still leaves Tesla a lot of room to bring down prices or fuel faster growth. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, November 17

¶ “Green Hydrogen Scheme Sprouts In Scotland, With Flow Battery” • Scotland is apparently not satisfied with its position in the offshore wind vanguard. The country has embarked on a new plan to pair tidal power with vanadium flow batteries to produce green hydrogen. Tidal power is very predictable, and batteries make the output constant. [CleanTechnica]

UVM researchers in the field

¶ “UVM Is Leading The Largest Study of Climate Change In Vermont” • Since the 1980s, folks have put a cinder block on the pond when it freezes. When the ice melts, the block sinks, and a clock is unplugged, capturing the exact time of the melt. There’s a clear pattern. The ice is melting earlier. Now, UVM is leading an ambitious scientific study. [UVM News]

Mosgortrans’ 500th electric bus

¶ “Moscow Gets Its 500th Electric Bus” • Russia is a major oil & gas country. As the oil industry goes, so goes Russia. Even so, reports say a public transit company for the Moscow metro area has put its 500th electric bus into service. This electric bus was produced by Kamaz, a Russian truck and engine (and apparently electric bus) manufacturer. [CleanTechnica]

Wednesday, November 18

Ilulissat Icefjord, Greenland (Tina Rolf, Unsplash)

¶ “Greenland’s Glaciers Could Lose More Ice Than Previously Thought, Raising Concerns For Sea Level Rise” • A study shows Greenland’s ice is melting much faster than previously thought. Its authors warn their findings show that ice loss on Greenland could exceed even the worst-case projections. It was published in the journal Nature Communications. [CNN]

Cummins electrolyzer (Cummins image)

¶ “Cummins Reveals Road Map To Carbon-Free Hydrogen Economy” • Cummins, an Indiana company known for its diesel and natural gas engine technologies, laid out its path into the hydrogen economy with plans to decarbonize transportation and other industrial sectors it serves while encouraging growth of renewable energy. [Heavy Duty Trucking]

Boris Johnson (UK Government image)

¶ “Johnson Unveils £12 Billion Plan For ‘Green Industrial Revolution’” • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has taken the wraps off a £12 billion plan for a “green industrial revolution” that will support up to 250,000 jobs. Johnson’s ten point plan reiterates London’s policy pledge of 40 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 60,000 sector jobs. [reNEWS]

Energy Week #394: 11/19/2020

Energy, renewable energy, wind power, Solar, batteries, Nuclear, coal, oil, gas, Climate Change

Energy Week #393: 11/12/2020

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 #393: 11/12/2020

Thursday, November 5

Wind turbines in Nevada (Famartin, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Nevada Voters Seal Renewable Energy Goals In Their State Constitution” • As was widely expected, Nevada voters approved Question 6 on the ballot, which amends the state constitution to mandate that the Nevada’s electricity providers shift to at least 50% renewable energy by 2030, according to the New York Times and the Associated Press. [Vox]

¶ “Central Maine Power Energy Corridor Project Nearly Ready To Begin” • A renewable energy project that will be built by Avangrid, Inc and Central Maine Power Company to bring hydropower from Quebec to Maine and other parts of New England has received one of the last permits it needs before construction can begin. [pressherald.com]

¶ “European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center Launched” • EIT InnoEnergy launched an unprecedented effort to support the development of an annual €100 billion green hydrogen economy by 2025. The European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center could help create half a million direct and indirect jobs across the green hydrogen value chain. [reNEWS]

Friday, November 6

Vanuatu, endangered paradise (Sahra Peterson, Unsplash)

¶ “Ecocide: Should Killing Nature Be A Crime?” • Small island states like Vanuatu have long tried to persuade large powerful nations to voluntarily reduce their emissions, but change has been slow – so ambassador John Licht suggested that it might be time to change the law itself, with amendment to a treaty known as the Rome Statute. [BBC]

Viking Energy (Eidesvik AS image)

¶ “The Foul-Smelling Fuel That Could Power Big Ships” • An enormous engine, three floors high, growls loudly at a test center in Copenhagen. Usually such an engine would be propelling a large ship across the sea, but this one is being prepared to take part in a ground-breaking project. Engineers want to see if they can make it run on liquid ammonia. [BBC]

Wireless car charging (WiTricity via Twitter)

¶ “SAE Publishes New Wireless Charging Standard” • Standards are important. Imagine if every manufacturer needed a specially shaped nozzle on the gas pump to fill the tank. That wouldn’t work well. And yet it is the norm for plugs for electric cars. Now, the Society of Automotive Engineers has published a standard for wireless charging. [CleanTechnica]

Saturday, November 7

NACA hangar circa 1931 (Photo via NASA)

¶ “On Climate Action, Everyone Has The Right Stuff” • NASA’s Mercury program was an all hands on deck, do-or-die mission for an elite squad of seasoned military test pilots. Now the Earth itself could use a dose of the same human energy and sense of purpose. Here is an interview with Dr James Hansen, comparing and contrasting the efforts. [CleanTechnica]

¶ “Ecologically Friendly Agriculture Doesn’t Compromise Crop Yields” • According to an international study comparing 42,000 examples of diversified and simplified agricultural practices, increasing diversity in crop production benefits biodiversity but does not compromise yields. The research, published in Science Advances, is based on 5,188 studies. [EurekAlert]

Eviation airplane (Eviation image)

¶ “Eviation Set To Deliver First 9-Passenger Electric Airplane In 2022” • The dream of commercially viable electric airplanes just keeps getting closer. Eviation, Israeli startup, began building its first electric plane, in 2017. The company says it plans to deliver the first of its bespoke airplanes to Cape Air, a regional carrier serving New England, in 2022. [CleanTechnica]

Sunday, November 8

Offshore wind turbines (Nicholas Doherty, Unsplash)

¶ “EU Eyes Huge Increase In Offshore Wind Energy To Meet Climate Goals” • The European Union is considering a plan to increase its offshore wind energy capacity five-fold this decade and 25-fold by 2050, as it seeks to become climate neutral, a draft policy shows. The EU is already home to 42% of the world’s offshore wind capacity. [EnergyInfraPost]

¶ “Jeffrey Young: Oil Companies Admit to Contributing to Climate Change – and Blame You” • In a climate change lawsuit, oil companies admitted that their products were a major cause of climate change, and it’s a real problem. But extraction of the fossil fuels doesn’t cause climate change, they said. It is the use of the product that generates emissions. [Noozhawk]

Earth from Space (NASA image)

¶ “US Renewable Energy Industry Cheers Joe Biden Election Win As ‘Beautiful Day'” • The American renewable energy sector has cheered the declared election of Joe Biden as the next President of the United States, with industry bodies placing the accent on the potential for the country to rejoin global climate leadership under the new administration. [Recharge]

Monday, November 9

Sheep and solar panels (Image: Neoen)

¶ “NSW Orchestrates 12 GW Of Renewables And 2 GW Of Pumped Hydro By 2030” • New South Wales published its NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, charting a path to 12 GW of new large-scale solar and wind capacity. It is to attract $32 billion in private investment, create thousands of jobs, and reduce annual electricity bills. [pv magazine Australia]

¶ “Tropical Storm Eta Makes Landfall In Florida” • Tropical Storm Eta has hit Florida, bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds that forecasters fear may lead to storm surges and flash flooding. Schools, beaches and public transport in much of the southern part of the state were shut before the storm made landfall in the Florida Keys. [BBC]

Scientists studying hydrogen production at the Idaho National Laboratory

¶ “Green Hydrogen Nail, Meet Shale Gas Coffin (And Nuclear Could Be Next)” • If US President-Elect Joe Biden doesn’t do the fossil fuel industry any favors, he’ll only be following in the footsteps of outgoing President Donald J Trump. Intentionally or not, Trump has already overseen the demise of the domestic coal, oil, and natural gas industries. [CleanTechnica]

Tuesday, November 10

Offshore wind farm (Impériale, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “Louisiana Governor: Renewable Energy Initiative for Gulf of Mexico” • Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced a renewable energy initiative for the Gulf of Mexico, with plans to harness Louisiana’s strengths in offshore energy production for the development of wind power, the nation’s No 1 source of renewable energy. [STL.News]

Wind farm, Montenegro (Milica Buha, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “‘Defying The Difficulties:’ Renewables Set For Record Run Despite Covid: IEA” • The world is set to add record levels of renewable power this year and next despite the Covid pandemic, the International Energy Agency said. New renewables additions this year are expected to reach almost 200 GW, or nearly 90% of all new generating capacity. [Recharge]

Mount Rushmore (National Park Service photo)

¶ “Time to Be Real – Part 1” • Denial of reality is dangerous. When it is institutionalized, it can become dangerous to large numbers of people. Denial of science has become a policy of the Republican Party, and people in Red states are suffering. The first proof of this is just appearing now, as huge numbers of people in Red states get Covid-19. [Green Energy Times]

Wednesday, November 11

Klamath River (Public domain, Wikimedia Commons)

¶ “The rebirth of a historic river” • For millennia, the Yurok people in Northern California have depended on fishing for salmon. But that source has been in decline after the Klamath River was dammed for hydroelectricity. Now, the fortunes of the Yurok could be set to change, as the largest dam removal project in US history has been given a green light. [BBC]

¶ “As Fed Says Climate Change Is A Financial Hazard, Trump Fires Person In Charge Of NCA” • In denial of his recent defeat, Donald Trump has been firing people he thinks disagree with him. This week began with the firing of the executive director of the organization responsible for preparing the National Climate Assessment. [CleanTechnica]

Vestas wind turbine (MHI Vestas image)

¶ “MHI Vestas Installs First 9.5-MW Floater” • MHI Vestas has installed the most powerful turbine on a floating offshore wind platform. The V164 9.5-MW turbine was installed on a Principle Power WindFloat platform at an installation harbor. It is the first of five that will go to the Kincardine floating offshore wind farm, off Scotland. [reNEWS]

Energy Week #393: 11/12/2020

Energy, renewable energy, wind power, Solar, batteries, Nuclear, coal, oil, gas, Climate Change