Michelle Lewis

John Kerry has been named special presidential envoy for climate change on the National Security Council — aka “climate czar” — by US president-elect Joe Biden. It’s a brand-new position.

The UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a ban on Friday of ships’ use and carriage of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic waters after July 1, 2024. However, since it includes exemptions and waivers — loopholes — a complete HFO ban would only come into effect in mid-2029.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Donald Trump promised to boost coal and put coal miners back to work. It didn’t happen.
• The United Nations approves an Arctic heavy ship fuel ban — but it’s got no teeth.
• This 13 year-old won the 2020 Clean Air Category Children’s Climate Prize with a solar iron.
•  UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

• How can Americans break through the partisan divide when it comes to talking about the climate crisis?
• Scientists rank five types of soft drink containers from best to worst for the environment.
• Small farmers globally are particularly vulnerable to the climate crisis. Here’s the help they’re getting.
• And more…

Invenergy, a Chicago-based global developer and operator of green energy generation and storage, announced a 1,310-megawatt solar farm in northeastern Texas on Wednesday. It will be the largest in the US upon completion.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled plans for achieving net-zero in Canada by 2050.
• Boston has announced a “Zero-Emission Vehicle Roadmap” to escalate support for electric vehicles.
• How US coal country can adapt to the green energy transition, according to the EESI.
•  UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

Sonnen has released sonnenCore, a cost-effective, all-in-one home battery solution. Germany-headquartered sonnen, a subsidiary of Shell, is a global market leader in smart residential energy storage and virtual power plants.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Ørsted and North America’s Building Trades Unions will train an offshore wind construction workforce.
• The Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians installs a battery and solar system to mitigate wildfire blackouts.
•  UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has released his 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution.” Yesterday, Electrek wrote about the government’s plan for the UK’s electric vehicle transition by 2030. Here are the green energy highlights.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• The US solar industry lays out policies it wants enacted early next year by the Biden administration. 
• More than half of Virginians want to buy EVs, but there’s an inventory problem.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson today released his 10-point plan for a “green industrial revolution” that will create and support up to 250,000 British jobs. One of the 10 points is moving to electric vehicles by 2030. Here’s the government’s plan for the UK electric vehicle transition.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Solar tech startup Yolk keeps Tanzanian kids in school with a solar power bank “cow.”
• The Trump administration will sell oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
• A majority of American voters would change where they shop to support cleaner ships.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

Donald Trump’s administration is bulldozing through a last-minute gas and oil drilling-rights auction in Alaska’s 19-million-acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Biden vowed to block oil exploration in the largest national wildlife refuge in the country.

As Electrek reported in December 2019, “Nearly half of US states impose fees on EV owners or will consider adding fees in 2020. The ill-conceived idea is to make up for gaps in roadway infrastructure investments usually derived from gasoline taxes.” Next up? Texas.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) last week announced that two 100-megawatt solar farms are being built in the Tennessee Valley to supply green energy for Vanderbilt University in Nashville and Google data centers in Bridgeport, Alabama, and Clarksville, Tennessee.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• The UK prime minister is expected to move up the ban of new ICE car sales by five years to 2030.
• A Texas bill introduced last week wants to hit electric vehicle owners up with higher fees.
• The Tennessee Valley Authority builds two new solar farms, for Google and Vanderbilt University.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

• The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season breaks the record for the number of named storms with 29. Why?
• We look at three state environmental amendments and initiatives that were passed by voters.
• What’s regenerative farming, and how could it help reduce climate change? Woody Harrelson tells us.
• And more…

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• A northwestern New Mexico coal plant is closing and being replaced by solar and battery storage.
• French President Emmanuel Macron on Joe Biden presidential win: “Make our planet great again.”
• Two coal plants in Baltimore will stop burning fossil fuel by 2025.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• Michael Bloomberg details how Joe Biden can address climate change without Congress.
• The US Federal Reserve’s financial stability report addresses climate change for the very first time.
• The Philippines will no longer accept proposals to build new coal power plants.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

The Federal Reserve’s November 2020 “Financial Stability Report,” which usually examines how economic and market forces could impact banks, insurance companies, and other firms, has addressed the implications of climate change for financial stability for the very first time.

The green energy industry is obviously delighted about Joe Biden’s US presidential win. Biden wants to rejoin the Paris Accord, rapidly accelerate green energy, and create millions of green energy jobs. Here’s what five CEOs had to say about the president-elect.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• BP and Orsted launch a green hydrogen project at a German oil refinery.
• Connecticut releases a statewide green energy jobs study. Here’s what the state found.
• This Ted Talk explains how Africa needs to develop energy in order to fight climate change.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.

Wind and solar capacity will double over the next five years globally and surge past both gas and coal, according to a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report published today, “Renewables 2020,” which is an analysis and forecast to 2025.

In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):

• The CEOs of Barclays and the London Stock Exchange say Joe Biden will shift global climate politics.
• Wind and solar capacity will double over the next five years globally and exceed gas and coal.
• Big Four accounting firm KPMG announces it will become a net-zero organization by 2030.
• Arcadia Power is committed to making clean energy work for the planet and Americans’ bank accounts — all without changing your utility company. Sign up to receive your $20 Amazon Gift Card — *ad.