Climate

We’ve been covering the developments in the fuel economy/emissions fight between the Environmental “Protection” Agency (previously run by an oil stooge, now run by a coal lobbyist, and staffed by commissioners who wrongly think air pollution isn’t harmful) and the environment they claim to protect, and today we’ve heard another doozy from the federal government.

After automakers made an agreement with California to voluntarily have higher standards than required by the EPA and thus save consumers money and improve health, the Department of Justice is now investigating those automakers under antitrust laws, seemingly with no legal justification other than anger over the embarrassment this has caused to their boss who considers himself a “dealmaker” and yet has failed to make a deal.

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In today’s EGEB:

• LED lighting installed to help homeless in Washington, DC.
• Cleveland is working to achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.
• Hand County, South Dakota, approves a new wind farm.
• We list the Top 5 sectors for renewable-energy jobs.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Australia is quickly becoming a world renewable energy leader.
• North Dakota unveils its first solar farm.
• Scotland opens its largest offshore wind farm.
• High schoolers learning the solar industry in Philadelphia.

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In today’s EGEB:

• The largest wind/solar/storage project in the US is coming to Oklahoma.
• Senators introduced the American Energy Efficiency Act of 2019.
• A California natural gas company earns astroturfing accusations.
• Guess who’s spent millions lobbying against the Green New Deal?

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In today’s EGEB:

• Wind power has passed coal in electricity generation so far this year in Texas.
• A newly demonstrated technology can make carbon-neutral fuels from a rooftop solar refinery.
• Renewables + nuclear made up more than 50% of UK electricity last year.
• One of the oldest utilities in the US vows to go carbon-free by 2050.

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In today’s EGEB:

• A 302 megawatt Texas wind farm reaches completion.
• A Japanese corporation invests in a blockchain platform that enables wind, solar purchases.
• Pakistan aims for 20% renewable energy capacity with new projects.
• Another new poll shows support for the Green New Deal.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Ohio votes for a bill that will bail out nuclear plants and offer coal subsidies while cutting renewable funding.
• The importance of building renewable energy to complement existing ecosystems.
• A Washington State wildfire was started by a wind turbine.
• Maryland is getting an offshore wind energy staging center.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Berkeley, California becomes the first US city to ban natural gas in new homes.
• Africa’s largest wind farm launches in Kenya.
• A new consortium looks into high-wave offshore solar technology.
• Melbourne’s trams to run on 100% solar power.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Solar developers are stockpiling panels ahead of the tax credit phaseout.
• A former Australian prime minister calls wind turbines “satanic.”
• A bill to increase renewables on public lands in the US.
• A look at a cost-effective zero energy home.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Five Georgia regulators, all Republicans, call for more solar — and to shut down coal.
• A porous, recyclable silicon battery said to offer more energy density, longer life, for half the price of lithium.
• New York awards offshore wind contracts to Equinor, Orsted.
• Hawaiian Electric looks to build more than 900 new megawatts of solar generation.

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In today’s EGEB:

• GE and BlackRock come together to work on solar.
• A look at the “true value” of rooftop solar.
• The largest offshore wind auction in a decade is coming to the UK.
• Advocates hope a new Iowa project kickstarts solar in the state.

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In today’s EGEB:

• A new study reveals the EROI for fossil fuels is worse than believed.
• An architecture firm’s winning design for a Czech concert hall, which will be solely powered by rooftop solar.
• Scotland’s massive amount of wind power.
• Saudi Arabia to get its first utility-scale wind farm.
• LA looks from coal…to gas?

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In today’s EGEB:

• A thermal battery is being developed that could be used in a solar power system for overnight electricity.
• One developer pulls out of the running for a Long Island-area offshore wind farm.
• The first solar project in Anchorage, Alaska comes online.
• Solar panels in the popular video game Fortnite.

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In today’s EGEB:

• New York introduces the first round of funding for its Future Grid Challenge.
• A look at how floating solar could take off in the US.
• Massachusetts offshore wind farm Vineyard Wind could see development delays.
• The largest municipal rooftop solar project in Canada is now online.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Florida utilities draw criticism for the state’s home solar issues.
• Global wind power capacity expected to grow 60% in the next five years.
• A Massachusetts city mayor shuns short-term natural gas.
• India adds a record amount of rooftop solar.
• A big US solar investor eyes smaller installations.

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In today’s EGEB:

• The newest FERC energy infrastructure update reveals even more coal retirements.
• A new study claims Europe could get 10x of its electricity needs through onshore wind alone.
• Solar installations pick up in New York City.
• Cleaning up China’s air pollution can increase solar output.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Vietnam’s huge leap in solar installations catches some observers by surprise.
• A Thai group is taking over two Vietnamese solar farms.
• Solar-cell producer Oxford PV earns millions more in funding.
• A wind farm will observe the flight patterns of birds in a first-of-its-kind study.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Researchers find the key to a long-pursued method for increasing solar cell efficiency.
• Malawi gets a boost from solar — in more ways than one.
• India wants to increase its share of renewables, but it also doesn’t want to abandon coal.
• A Canadian town sees a shift from oil and gas to wind, but its concerns aren’t with the energy.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Los Angeles readies a record low solar price (with battery) that could be a game changer.
• The largest US commercial insurance company is leaving coal.
• A Virginia offshore wind project starts construction.

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In today’s EGEB:

• The world’s largest solar plant comes online.
• A new analysis estimates a full decarbonization of the US grid will cost $4.5 trillion.
• The World Bank looks at the potential for mini grids.
• Turbine installations start at one of the world’s biggest wind projects.

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In today’s EGEB:

• Nevada utility NV Energy announces big solar plans.
• Researchers develop a new method of solar steam generation.
• Rhode Island gets the US headquarters of a UK wind power company.
• New York communities band together for lower renewable rates.

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