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Energy Week #516 – 3/30/2023
Minute 0: Introduction
Thursday, March 23
Solar array (Courtesy of Nextracker)
Minute 2
¶ “Solar And Wind Power Through Energy Crisis To Chart Record Renewables Growth” • Defying a global energy crisis and supply chain issues, global renewable generation capacity soared in 2022, growing by 295 GW, or 9.6%, to reach 3,372 GW. The renewable energy growth continues to grow at record levels despite global uncertainties. [Renew Economy]
Takeoff at Schiphol Airport (CardMapr.nl, Unsplash)
Minute 5
¶ “One Of Europe’s Busiest Airports To Be Forced To Cut Flights Due To Planet-Warming Carbon Pollution” • Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs, is to be forced to limit the numbers of its international flights and passengers under the Dutch government’s plans to reduce carbon emissions. The move has triggered airline concerns. [CNN]
Mont Blanc (Andrea Caramello, Unsplash)
Minute 8
¶ “How Climate Change Is Reshaping The Alps” • A mountain in the French Alps is the site of one of the most unusual natural laboratories in the world. Scientists are using instruments set up on it to monitor permafrost in the rock walls. In the European Alps, more permafrost is thawing each year, threatening the very mountains as it does. [BBC]
Friday, March 24
Kelp (Peter Southwood, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
Minute 10
¶ “The Promise Of Kelp-Powered Flight” • Catriona Macleod, deputy head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies in Australia, describes seaweed as the “Swiss army knife” of tools to tackle planetary challenges. Already widely used for food, it could eventually power airplanes. [BBC]
Green power over a green field, (Enel Green Power image in B&W)
Minute 13
¶ “Enel Turns Sod On 170-MW Italian Agrivoltaic Project” • Enel Green Power has kicked off construction of a 170MW agrivoltaic solar project. The developer said not only will it be the biggest agrivoltaic plant in Italy, it will be the largest solar plant. It will be fully integrated with the agricultural sector in Tarquinia, in the province of Viterbo, Latium. [reNews]
PS10 solar plant in Spain (afloresm, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
Minute 16
¶ “Spain’s Grid Operator Sees Renewables Reaching 50% Of Power Generation In 2023” • Spain’s electricity grid operator Red Electrica said renewable energy sources could account for half of the country’s annual power generation this year, up from 42% in 2022. The estimate was announced during a presentation of Red Electrica’s annual reports. [Nasdaq]
Saturday, March 25
Pollution (Marek Piwnicki, Unsplash)
Minute 19
¶ “Researchers Suggest Prosecuting Fossil Fuel Companies For Climate Homicide” • Two researchers are suggesting that fossil fuel companies could be prosecuted for climate homicide. They have laid out their case in an article that has been accepted for publication in the Harvard Environmental Law Review. The paper is titled “Climate Homicide.” [CleanTechnica]
Electrifying a school bus (Courtesy of Midwest Transit Equipment)
Minute 22
¶ “Want Electric School Buses? Been Waitlisted? Consider A Repower” • Many school districts are having trouble complying with laws requiring them to electrify because the wait for new electric buses is so long. There are alternatives. Complete Coach Works has converted 65 buses to electric since 2015, logging over 3 million repowered miles. [CleanTechnica]
Gavin Newsom speaking (Office of the Governor of California)
Minute 24
¶ “California Govermor Newsom Rolls Back Some Drought Restrictions, Keeps Others, As Recent Storms Ease Dry Spell” • California Gov Gavin Newsom announced the removal of some drought restrictions, while keeping others to bolster water supply for vulnerable communities and develop water resilience after a parade of atmospheric river storms. [CNN]
Sunday, March 26
Rural India (Sreehari Devadas, Unsplash)
Minute 27
¶ “Over 400 Million Indians To Suffer Because Of Climate-Triggered Calamities: Experts” • As the 2023 IPCC report was released this week, experts again warned of a huge crisis related to climate change which could affect over 400 million Indians, and how India remains unprepared to tackle even a fraction of the global warming. [Greater Kashmir]
RivGen device (Courtesy of Ocean Renewable Power Co)
Minute 30
¶ “Company To Begin Testing Tidal Systems Again” • After being dormant in its tidal power operations in the Cobscook Bay area of Maine for a decade, Ocean Renewable Power Company is gearing up to again begin testing commercially viable turbine generator units off Eastport this year. The test will start with single turbine. [The Maine Monitor]
LG Energy battery cells (LG Energy image)
Minute 32
¶ “LG Energy To Build New Battery Plant In Arizona” • The Inflation Reduction Act has encouraged battery manufacturers to move to the US. So it should be no surprise that LG Energy Solution is investing in a new battery manufacturing complex in Arizona. It is a significant development in the domestic battery production industry. [CleanTechnica]
Monday, March 27
Gentoo penguins (Derek Oyen, Unsplash)
Minute 35
¶ “As Antarctica’s Penguins Struggle With Record Low Sea Ice, One Species Is Adapting – It Offers Lessons To Us All” • While Adélie and chinstrap penguins are stuck in their ancient ways, the much more flexible gentoo penguins are ranging ever farther south. And as they show willingness to abandon a nest or chase new prey, their numbers are exploding. [CNN]
Floating homes in Amsterdam (Courtesy of Space&Matter)
Minute 38
¶ “As Flooding Increases, These Cities Are Designed To Work With – Not Against – The Water” • With the climate crisis threatening cities, some are trying a different way to protect themselves from rising water levels. These vulnerable urban areas are looking to work with, rather than against, the water. There are many ways to accomplish this. [CNN]
Chevy Bolt (Kevauto, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Minute 40
¶ “The Chevy Bolt EV Is On The Verge Of Overtaking The Ford Mustang Mach-E” • The Chevy Bolt EUV makes a strange rival to the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The Bolt EUV can’t compete with the Mustang Mach-E in performance. They are not rivals for speed records. However, the Bolt EUV is about to overtake the Mach-E in sales. [MotorBiscuit.com]
Tuesday, March 28
Single cell of Coccolithophore (Richard Lampitt, Jeremy Young,
The Natural History Museum, London, CC-BY-SA 2.5)
Minute 43
¶ “The Algae Phoenix Rises: Biofuel Down, Concrete Up” • To the surprise of no-one, ExxonMobil finally canceled its long-running algae biofuel research program earlier this year. The University of Colorado at Boulder emerged as a hotspot for zero emission concrete research based on algae, working on an organism called a coccolithophore. [CleanTechnica]
Electric truck in a mine (Courtesy of Volvo Trucks)
Minute 46
¶ “Swedish Mining Group Boliden Is Getting Electric Trucks From Volvo For Underground Mining Operations” • Mines and similar campus-based operations are some of the best places for EVs. It’s safe to say drivers of heavy electric trucks in such places will not be too worried about range anxiety even with full loads of heavy rocks.[CleanTechnica]
Plant-based alternative (Courtesy of Modern Meadow)
Minute 48
¶ “Petrochemical Industry Flattened By Sustainable Fashion, High Tech Soy Edition” • The US biotech company Modern Meadow contacted CleanTechnica to introduce its plant-based approach to sustainable fashion, with a focus on leather. Teasing from plants the same level of performance and aesthetics as plastics has been a challenge. [CleanTechnica]
Wednesday, March 29
Montana (Amparo Ryburn, Pixy.org, CC0)
Minute 51
¶ “Youth Versus The State Of Montana: Support For Fossil Fuel Companies Is Unconstitutional” • Sixteen young Montanans have sued their state, arguing that its support of fossil fuels violates their due as citizens. In their complaint, they cited the Montana Constitution, which guarantees residents “the right to a clean and healthful environment.” [CleanTechnica]
Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (Tim Trad, Unsplash, cropped)
Minute 54
¶ “Swiss Court Case Ties Human Rights To Climate Change” • More than 2,000 women are taking the Swiss government to court claiming its policy on climate change is violating their right to life and health. The Swiss women – who have an average age of 73 – say climate change is putting their human rights, their health, and even their lives at risk. [BBC]
Stranded asset (Pixy.org, CC0)
Minute 56
¶ “Oil Tankers Already Sailing Into The Sunset Of Peak Oil Demand” • A global shipping logistics contact reached out to share a very interesting data point and article with me. It seems no one is ordering new oil tankers these days. No one in the shipping industry appears to be interested in investing in assets that will soon be stranded. [CleanTechnica]
Minute 59: Finis
Notes: Energy Week #516 – 3/30/2023
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 