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Energy Week #501 – 12/8/2022
Minute 0: Introduction
Thursday, December 1
California Aquaduct (Triddle, public domain)
Minute 2
¶ “More Than 70 Water Agencies In California Could Face Water Shortages In The Coming Months” • The California Department of Water Resources issued a report on its water supply. Nearly 20% of the urban water agencies said they could see significant water shortages in the coming months in the state’s potential fourth consecutive year of drought. [CNN]
Chips (Vishnu Mohanan, Unsplash, cropped)
Minute 5
¶ “The Semiconductor Shortage Could Soon Become A Glut Of Chips” • The shortage of chips needed for advanced technologies may soon turn into a surplus, ending the semiconductor shortage that has afflicted the automotive industry for almost two years. VNC Automobile, an in-vehicle networking specialist, believes recession could cause the change. [CleanTechnica]
Forest in Quebec (Todd Murray, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
Minute 8
¶ “Canadian Ambassador Tells EU That Deforestation Rules Are ‘Burdensome’” • Canada’s ambassador to the EU voiced concern with proposed EU rules to curb deforestation. The regulation is intended to limit the trade of products linked to deforestation worldwide. Climate campaigners have called Canada’s resistance to the rules “shocking.” [BBC]
Friday, December 2
Tomatoes growing under solar PVs (Asurnipal, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Minute 11
¶ “Agrivoltaics: Solar Panels And Tomatoes May Be Perfect For Each Other” • Agrivoltaics can increase yields for farmers. A research paper published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory surveyed agrivoltaic research all across America. It noted that, on average, yields of tomatoes doubled compared to non-agrivoltaic sites. [CleanTechnica]
After Hurrican Ian (David Dellinger, NWS, public domain)
Minute 13
¶ “Insured Losses From Disasters Will Exceed $100 Billion For Second Year In A Row, Led By Hurricane Ian, New Data Shows” • Preliminary analysis by Swiss Re found that 2022 was the second year in a row in which insured losses are expected to exceed $100 billion. Swiss Re said losses trended up each year at a rate of 5 to 7% over the past decade. [CNN]
Ford Mustang Mach-E (Courtesy of Ford Motor Company)
Minute 16
¶ “Ford To Bump Mustang Mach-E Production To 270,000 A Year” • Ford is the second bestselling electric car brand in the US. Now, it is accelerating Mustang Mach-E production and targeting global annual production rate of 270,000 as part of its plan to scale to a rate of 600,000 electric vehicles annually by the end of 2023 and 2 million by 2026. [CleanTechnica]
Saturday, December 3
Oil pump (Zbynek Burival, Unsplash)
Minute 19
¶ “Ukraine War: G7 And Allies Approve Cap On Price Of Russian Oil” • The G7 group and its allies have officially approved a cap on the price of Russian oil. The price cap will come into force on 5 December or “very soon thereafter.” The plan, which stops countries paying more than $60 (€57, £48) a barrel, needed the agreement of all EU states. [BBC]
Hardcore testing (Tesla image)
Minute 22
¶ “Tesla Semi Reveal – Huge Power, Huge Charging Ability” • Tesla held its long awaited ceremony to introduce its electric Class 8 tractor, known simply as the Tesla Semi, on December 1. You can watch a video of the event here. In it, you will see Elon Musk drive a white Semi on stage followed by two others decked out in Pepsi and Frito-Lay livery. [CleanTechnica]
2023 Honda CR-V (Image courtesy of Honda)
Minute 24
¶ “Honda To Build Fuel Cell Car Based On CR-V In 2024” • Honda announced this week that it will begin manufacturing a fuel cell vehicle based on the popular CR-V at its Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio in 2024. The car will be North America’s first production vehicle to combine a plug-in feature with fuel cell EV technology. [CleanTechnica]
Sunday, December 4
Mercedes eSprinter (Courtesy of Mercedes)
Minute 27
¶ “New Mercedes eSprinter Goes 475 Kilometers In Real-World Driving” • The Mercedes eSprinter has been for sale in Europe for some time, but its range of just under 100 miles is too short for most customers. Now, Mercedes is about to start production of the next-generation eSprinter, which was able to go over 475 km (295 miles) on a single charge. [CleanTechnica]
Solar parking lot at Disneyland, Paris (Jay Black, Unsplash)
Minute 30
¶ “Parking Lots Are Becoming As Important As Cars In Climate Change Efforts” • A new law in France requires that parking lots with 80 or more spaces be covered by solar panels within five years. The biggest parking lots, those with over 400 spaces, have been given three years for at least half of the parking lot’s surface area covered by solar. [CNBC]
Sensor domes on Mona Loa (UCAR, public domain)
Minute 32
¶ “Restoring Observatory Access Key To Climate Science” • So far the Mauna Loa lava flow has been a spectacle and not a disaster, except for the Mauna Loa Observatory, which is the worldwide headquarters for collection of climate-change data. Lava from the volcano’s eruptions has cut off access and power for the foreseeable future. [KHON2]
Monday, December 5
Monsoon arriving (Chaz McGregor, Unsplash)
Minute 35
¶ “’Weather Whiplash’ Could Be a Disturbing New Normal in a Weird, Warming World” • In northern New Mexico, the year began with months of unseasonal heat, dryness and extreme wind that fueled the largest wildfire of the year in the lower 48 states. Then, the annual monsoon rains dumped nearly twice as much moisture as the previous year. [CNET]
Container ship (Maersk image)
Minute 38
¶ “EU Agrees To Include Shipping In Emissions Trading System” • The EU Emissions Trading System is the oldest and largest program of its type, but it has had a big weakness. It covered power stations and factories but did not cover emissions from shipping. In a landmark accord last week, negotiators agreed to correct that oversight. [CleanTechnica]
Airbus plane (Daniel Eledut, Unsplash)
Minute 40
¶ “Airbus Looking At India For Green Hydrogen Supplies For Its Ambitious Zero-Emission Aircraft” • European aerospace major Airbus is looking to source green hydrogen from markets like India, Australia, and Latin America as part of its decarbonisation efforts, a senior company official said. Airbus will use the fuel for hydrogen-powered airplanes. [Zee News]
Tuesday, December 6
Wind turbines (Narcisa Aciko, Pexels)
Minute 43
¶ “Global Renewables Capacity Is To Double In The Next Five Years” • Global renewable energy capacity is predicted to double in the next five years, driven by energy supply concerns due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the International Energy Agency said. Growth in renewables is also being driven by new policies in the US, China, and India. [Energy Live News]
Brooklyn Bridge (Redd F, Unsplash)
Minute 46
¶ “The Clean Energy Company Turning City Blocks Greener” • BlocPower, a Brooklyn-based clean energy company, is bringing all-electric heating and cooling systems to older buildings in lower income areas to reduce carbon footprints and energy bills. BlocPower saves building owners between 20% and 40% annually and increases property values. [CNN]
Wind farm (Rivian image)
Minute 48
¶ “Rivian Makes Huge Investment Into Renewables To Power Operations” • Rivian signed a power purchase agreement with Apex Clean Energy to supply their manufacturing facility in Normal, Illinois, with wind power. Rivian will invest an unstated amount in 50 MW of wind energy that will supply the company’s operations at the factory. [Teslarati]
Wednesday, December 7
Good old fashioned wind power (Courtesy of Airseas)
Minute 51
¶ “Wind Power To Cut Cargo Ship Emissions 20%” • Here is one more threat to fossil energy stakeholders who plan to continue enjoying that “high-carbon lifestyle.” Seawing, a retrofit for cargo vessels that applies old-fashioned sailing ship technology to harvest energy from wind power, aims to cut emissions 20% by reducing fuel consumption. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model S being tested (Courtesy of EURO NCAP)
Minute 54
¶ “Tesla Model S Tops Euro NCAP Safety Tests” • Just months after the Tesla Model Y earned the highest score in history on a European safety index, another Tesla model set another record. The luxury Model S sedan broke the record for the European New Car Assessment Program’s safety score ceiling, surpassing even the Model Y’s record. [CleanTechnica]
Ford F-150 Lightning (Ford image)
Minute 56
¶ “65% Of Dealers Say Yes To Ford’s No Haggle EV Sales Policy” • In September, Ford CEO Jim Farley delivered an ultimatum to its dealers: If you want to sell our battery-electric cars and trucks, you will have to commit to making certain upgrades, and you will need to agree to a “no haggle” sales process. Two-thirds of dealers agreed. [CleanTechnica]
Minute 59: Finis
Notes: Energy Week #501 – 12/8/2022
George Harvey, blogger, author, and journalist for Green Energy Times and CleanTechnica, computer engineer
Tom Finnell, electrical engineer, transmission grid expert, world traveler, philanthropist, and philosopher
Energy, Renewable Energy, Wind Power, Solar, Batteries, Nuclear, Coal, Oil, Gas, Climate Change
Energy Week with George Harvey and Tom Finnell 