Green Energy

Sixty-six percent of registered US voters say developing sources of clean energy should be a high or very high priority for the president and Congress. That’s according to a study released last week by Yale University and George Mason University’s climate change communication programs.

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

• A high-speed prototype maglev train has debuted in China – and it’s clean energy transport.
• New Jersey’s Ocean Wind offshore wind farm will feature GE’s huge Haliade-X 12MW wind turbines.
• 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.

Since COVID-19 officially arrived in the US, average electrical usage increased 9.3% from April through August 2020 compared to 2019, a reflection of people using more electricity while they stayed home, combined with wildfires in the West and heat waves across the US. 

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

• President-elect Joe Biden is now expected to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit on day one in office.
• French oil giant Total acquires a 20% interest in India’s Adani, the largest solar developer in the world.
• 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.

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

• The American Petroleum Institute held its annual “State of American Energy.” It’s business as usual.
• More than 100 elected officials in US western states call on Biden to protect lands and fight the climate crisis.
• 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.

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

• Capsaicin, which makes chilli peppers hot, has an energy-boosting effect on solar panels.
• Coal-dependent Poland passes an Offshore Wind Act.
• 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.

In an exclusive, Reuters reports that Siemens Gamesa and Siemens Energy will develop commercial offshore wind turbines that can produce hydrogen via electrolysis. “It is the renewable industry’s most concrete plan yet to capitalize on an expected boom in hydrogen demand.”

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

• French sensor tech company eLichens introduces its new indoor air quality monitoring station at CES.
• Eight new solar farms come online in Michigan.
• 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.

Birds.ai, a Delft, Netherlands-based artificial intelligence (AI) company that specializes in visual inspections by “converting images into meaningful figures and numbers,” has debuted its newest product, View Solar, at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

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

• Hawaii’s Kauai island has agreed on a large-scale solar PV system with pumped hydro energy storage.
• The UK’s electricity system sees the best year on record for green energy in 2020.
• 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.

The addition of utility-scale solar capacity is expected to set a new record by adding 15.4 GW of capacity to the US grid in 2021, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced today.

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

• Scientists have managed to convert raw coal powder into nano-graphite, used in lithium-ion batteries.
• If the US fully builds out its electricity grid nationwide, then it could slash green energy costs.
• 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.

Robots aren’t going to take over the world, but they can definitely make life a lot easier for humans. And that was the aim of BladeBUG, a UK startup that has developed insect-like robots to inspect, maintain, and repair offshore wind turbine blades without the need for rope access.

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

• The Canadian firm Li-Cycle will construct a $175 million Li-ion battery recycling plant in New York.
• Vietnam sees a rooftop solar boom in 2020.
• 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.

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

• California governor Gavin Newsom has earmarked $1.5 billion for electric and hydrogen cars in the 2021 budget.
• The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling auction was a flop, as it drew no interest from anyone but Alaska itself.
• 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.

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

• EnergySage launches a new community solar marketplace in the US so consumers can save money.
• Sustainable lithium mining is becoming a requirement as battery demand grows.
• 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.

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

• Japan aims to abolish gas-powered vehicles in the next 15 years.
• Massachusetts reaches a deal to make 40% of its electric power green by 2030.
• South Korea will replace all diesel trains with an electric bullet train by 2029.
• 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.

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

• The New York Times digs into how Trump tried but failed to bury the US’ top climate report.
• Utility-scale solar and wind projects are expected to add 172.5 GW of US energy capacity through 2024.
• 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.

In 2019, US annual energy consumption from green energy sources exceeded coal consumption for the first time in 134 years, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Monthly Energy Review.

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

• The University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia proves thermal energy storage’s great potential.
• Illinois is getting a new 185 MW wind farm.
• 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.

A Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) research team published a paper in the journal Science earlier this month on the development of a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell that achieved 29.15% efficiency. That’s a new world record.