Some Clean Energy & Climate Things That Caught My Eye
December 16th Edition
European Commission Pulls Back Its Ban on Gas Cars
There was policy in place that banned internal combustion engine cars starting in 2035. The revision calls for auto companies to lower car emissions by 90 percent from 2021 levels by that year. The Commission says that the extension will allow plug-in hybrids, other hybrids, range-extenders, and a limited amount of ICE cars to be produced and purchased.
New Study Shows Homeowners are Dropping Flood Insurance
At a time when more attention is being paid by homeowners and the media, a new study shows that a substantial (quarter of a million) homeowners have dropped their insurance in the four years since the federal government revamped its program and increased prices.
How Many Nuclear Units are on Their Way
A new Bloomberg Report lays out what kind of nuclear units are set to arrive globally in the near and medium terms. Fifteen (15) are set to come online in 2026, including ones being put back into service. More than 50 new plants are set to arrive between 2027 and 2030. No new plants are schedule to be completed in the U.S. in that period. More here.
The U.S. Wants Exemption from EU Methane Law
The EU has a new (first in the world) law requiring methane monitoring and reporting. The U.S. is demanding exemption based on the fact that is a unique country. More here.
Are the Glaciers in the Alps Already Lost?
Western Europe is one of the fastest warming places on earth, and there is perhaps no better indicator than the rapid recession of glaciers in the Alps. The photos comparing the same vantage point just decades apart are staggering. I don’t know of anyone who thinks losing them is a good thing. But this article talks about whether a tipping point is already near or past.
This Hyperscaler is Rediscovering the First Fuel
Big Data is looking at everything it can do to supply power to data centers these days. Everyone is talking about flexible data centers, and on-site power generation to avoid relying on the grid. But this article points to at least one company looking at another part of its business as somewhere that can benefit from AI backed energy efficiency technology. While it seems to be largely sitting in the back seat these days, it was not that long ago that EE was hailed at the first “fuel” that should be exploited before talking about adding more supply.
This State Takes It Upon Themselves to Extend Life of a Coal Plant
Most of the news these days is about the federal government ordering coal plants to keep operating beyond their scheduled retirement dates. But in Colorado, the combination of rising demand, outages of other plants, etc. have caused the state to act on its own to extend the life of one of its coal-fired units. More here.
Here is what one of the opposing parties said prior to the approval
The Lone Star State Continues to add the Cheapest Electricity Source to its Grid
This isn’t the first “blurb” I have included that focuses on the fact that while “gas and oil patch” may be the first thing that leaps to mind when thinking of Texas, it is actually one of the biggest solar and wind states and keeps adding more. It seems to be letting the market select the cheapest source. More here.
Do Solar Farms Have a Runoff Problem?
During the last Administration, Virginia Tech was provided with a Federal Grant to study whether there is a problem with storm run-off from the panels themselves (as opposed to the base). Two years in, the University is discussing the not-yet-completed project. The data shows that the panels can produce rapid run-off, but do not show whether it is a problem as compared to other construction placed on a site. More here.
No Joke – Geothermal is Hot
From an investment and market standpoint, Geothermal Energy and the companies involved in it are seeing some robust days. The use of fracking technology to expand the range of places that geothermal projects are viable has made the difference. More here.
Data Center Boom Means Fracking Boom?
As I have pointed to a few times now, rising demand – particularly from data centers – is causing everyone to take a second look (if it wasn’t their first look anyway) at extracting more gas to power gas power plants. In a gas patch like Pennsylvania, it is a natural turn of events. More here.
Something I Hadn’t Thought About Relative to Batteries Play a Role in Data Center Power Needs
I admit that I tend to think about batteries as a back-up power source. But this article made me realize that there is another crucial role that batteries can play, especially when it comes to data centers. Batteries can help provide stability to power flow and help address “burps” in the power grid. Also, they can be a tool during the transition from primary power to a back-up generator. More here.
New Report Focuses on Climate Ads versus Climate Action by Big Oil
A DC-based NGO has issued what it calls the first-of-its-kind analysis of what companies have done in their communications since the turn of the century (as opposed to back in the decades prior to that. It identifies 7 separate communications options that it says were utilized.
More on the Conundrum of Cost Responsibility for Data Center Load
Most people do not read the national outlets like the NYT, WSJ, etc. They subscribe to their local daily. Here is a look at what people in one area of NYS are reading about the electricity issues confronting their area.
The Issue of Cost Responsibility Has Led to Policy Steps in this PAC NW State – But Are They Working?
Oregon has a new law intended to not let utilities put inordinate costs of data center power and infrastructure on the backs of consumers. Some there don’t think utilities are complying. More here.
Renewables vs Gas for Power to Data Centers?
What is the interplay between data center power needs and renewable energy? Will data centers cause gas generation to bloom at the expense of renewables? Or will the data centers be unable to thrive without taking advantage of low-cost renewables. Read more here.
Survey Shows Most Americans Don’t Know Much About Data Centers
In recent newsletters I have been talking about how consumer unrest regarding data centers has been building, and I have included many “blurbs” to that effect. Here is new research that shows that not all people have caught up to them.
The Always-Present Dance Between Electricity and the Economy
I have for some time been a vocal advocate of electrification as a climate action item. But that is focused on what we use to generate electricity. The fact is, we are already a society, culture and economy based on electricity, and there is no turning back from that. And electricity and economic growth are intertwined. Now we just need to add reducing emissions to the intertwinement. More here.
This European Nation has Unfrozen its Grid Connection Moratorium for Data Centers.
You may or may not know that Ireland has been a high-tech hub for some time. What I didn’t know was that it had put in place a moratorium on grid connections for data centers. The country just removed it. Read more here.
The Utility Commission Elections in Georgia Were a Rarity
A lot of attention was paid, and rightfully so, to the recent elections of two new Commissioners to the GA Public Utilities Commission. But the vast majority of State Commissioner seats are filled by the Governor. Here’s an example in Indiana.
Wind in Other Waters?
The U.S. is not the only country in North America with a large Northeastern coastline where the wind blows a lot. Power-hungry New England is now looking at using more than just Canadian hydropower. More here.
Bigger Data Centers on the way?
The new “thing” in the world of data centers seems to be not just one data center, but a “campus” of them. This article starts with an example in PA of one of those that will be supplied on site by 7 new 30-acre gas-fired generating stations. Things appear to be getting bigger. More here.
This City has Different Thoughts on Heat Pumps and Leaf Blowers
As I continue to say, cities and other forms of local government have real power when it comes to decarbonization. Here is one example.
Here’s a Peek at What the Federal Blockage of Solar and Wind Permitting has Done
Only one solar project has been approved on federal lands since the new Administration began. More here.
An Emerging Tussle Over Approval Authority on Hydro Plants?
In a not-well-known part of federal policy, indigenous tribes are given a lot of authority over the construction of new hydropower. The federal government is looking at whether that is in conflict with new federal energy policy. More here.
More in Another Local Daily on Who Pays
Colorado is another state where the local news media is covering data centers and their impact on supply and prices. More here.
Is There a Place for Private Equity in the Utility Sector?
Whether you love or hate your local utility, you can take some solace in the fact that most if not all of its operations are subject to regulations that are based on the interest of that utility’s customers, as well as the public’s general interest. Those are not the hallmarks of the Private Equity industry, and thus that financial sectors possible entry into utilities is worth noting. More here.
This Country is Going all out on Fusion … I bet you Know Which one it is …
China is quite obviously trying to be the major player (if not corner the market) on creating, using, and exporting new energy technologies. The nation has fusion in more than just its sights. More here.
Battery Costs are Falling According to This Study
Whether you consider batteries and storage in general to be one of the “holy grails” of clean energy and climate action, the declining cost of batteries is good news on all fronts. More here.
Sudden Deluges in Surprising Places
If you read my recent Op Ed on “sudden deluges” you will remember that one of the key aspects is that they can appear anywhere, and even traditionally arid regions may experience them. More here.
EV Trucks are on the Road … Here is a Story of a Semi
I have to admit I have not been keeping track of the upper end of electric vehicles. This article helped me catch up.
Another Revision of an Electricity Demand Forecast
It is getting hard to keep track of all the electricity demand forecasts that are being published, and now it is becoming even more of a challenge as parties revise their own forecasts. Here’s another one.
About That Gas Turbine Backlog …
Gas turbines are major “things” to produce, and like most products they are produced with some relevance to market demand for them. This is further complicated in the electricity sector by the fact that utilities cannot easily invest “on spec” ahead of time based on regulatory rules. When demand rises rapidly turbine manufacturers can only build new ones so fast. The manufacturer interviewed in this article says its production capacity is booked out until 2029.
Grid Scale Batteries are Among Targets for Cyberattacks
It is not only inverters (see above) which may be vulnerable parts of the grid for exploitation by malicious actors. Here is a new Report that focuses on grid-scale batteries.
This Car Company has 10,000 Dealers and Only 1,200 of them are in the U.S. Guess Who?
If you guessed Ford, you are a winner. But this fact helps put into focus the challenge of trying to serve U.S. markets and foreign ones which increasingly seem to be focused on different types of products. This article came out hinting at a Ford restructuring on EVs. The next article talks about what Ford has decided.
Ford Takes a Breather on EVs
Ford has announced that it is pulling back on its EV version of the F-250 called the Lightning and turning it into a Hybrid. But it will be a different kind of Hybrid in that it will be an EREV, which stands for Extended Range Electric Vehicle. An EREV uses electricity first but has a gas-fueled generator that charges the battery when low. Ford it is not pulling back entirely on its EV truck line and is working on a medium duty pick-up at a price point of around $30,000 scheduled for 2027. Here and here for more.
Can VR be Impactful in Building Awareness and Spurring Climate Action?
I don’t think this can be a major contributor or factor, but when you apply the concept of “all of above” to climate education and action, there is no reason not to support this.
Another State, Another Geothermal Story …
Few States embrace “Drill Baby Drill” more than Texas, but something else is being drilled for there now, as this article explains.
The Cybersecurity Side of the Chinese Gridtech Coin
The inverter is one of those electricity technologies that is in the background of the electricity system, whether it be on a solar panel deployment or a substation. This article points to a growing concern over where some inverters being used in the U.S. are “safe”.
These are the Factors That Lead People to Talk About Climate Change
One of the most important climate actions that anyone can take is to talk more about it with others. It reminds people what is happening and reinforces inclinations to take actions. Previous research at Yale has shown that 72% of people thing global warming is happening and 63% are worried about it, yet only 36% discuss it with their family and friends. A new study identifies what the factors are associated with how often people talk about climate with family and friends. Additional info here.
Breadth vs. Depth in Climate Communications
More new research at Yale dives further into the various aspects of messaging on climate. It looked at the breadth (how many people move in the direction of the message) versus depth (how much people move in the direction of the message) and found that message effects are driven much more by breadth than depth. More here and here.
Wait … What? India had 322 Days of Extreme Weather in 2024?
India is said to be one of the most climate-vulnerable nations on the globe. As evidence of that, 322 extreme weather events were identified in 2024. Yale recently researched Indians on their direct experience with those events and their beliefs about climate change’s intertwinement with them. It found differences depending on different parts of the country.
Consumer Unrest on Data Centers Ramps Up
I think every one of my last several newsletters has had something on how the honeymoon is over for data centers in terms of NIMBYism and consumer unrest. Here is another one.
Remember That Congestion Pricing Effort in NYC?
The bottom part of Manhattan has now been subject to a congestion pricing surcharge for some months now. Here is a report on how it’s going.
That Other Way to put Solar on Your Roof
On the listener call-in radio show I do I have been asked several time about solar tiles for their roof instead of solar panels. This article will help me answer it better next time.
This Utility Wants to Build a Lot of New Generation – and 80% of it is to Serve Data Centers
Data Centers are bursting the Southeastern U.S. Region, and the utilities there such as Georgia Power have put together some ambitious plans to make sure they have power. More here.
War Against Offshore Wind may not be Over as Wind Wins a Battle
A federal judge in the District Court of MA has issued a ruling that vacates the new Administration’s Executive Order blocking off-shore wind projects, saying that stopping such projects on federal lands is “arbitrary and capricious”. What that means to such projects remains to be seen. See here and here.
Bring on the Big Batteries
Batteries have entered the big-time, and now it is all about grid-scale or utility-scale batteries, as this article does a good job of explaining.
This State has Merged its Efficiency and Electrification Efforts
You are probably saying thing this should be a no-brainer, but yet both Efficiency and Electrification appear to be slowing down, and Illinois seems to recognize there is strength in putting them together. More here.
When Solar Becomes a Crop
I have used this concept a few times, and I think it is worth getting additional use. From a farmer’s standpoint, they want to use their land as best they can, and why do livestock or crops have to be the only thing they harvest? More here.
I Hadn’t Heard This Utility Bill Acronym for a Long Time
In days past, especially when large costly nuclear plants were being built, you heard a lot about CWIP – Construction While in Progress. The term was used to identify costs that utilities could pass on to its customers before plant being constructed was put into service (which in utility regulation is referred to as being “used and useful”). Given the massive construction efforts being planned to meet rapidly rising demand, I wasn’t surprised for it to come up anew in articles like this.
This Virtual Power Plant Program is Being Expanded
You may or may not have heard the term “Virtual Power Plan” before, and even if you did you may have heard a different definition than someone else did. But however defined it refers to the ability to use new information and control technology to optimize the other side of the meter, ranging from Demand Response to Distributed Resources. Learn more here.
What Allows a Country to be a Climate Tech Winner?
Johns Hopkins University has developed a new analytical tool that can point to which countries have a greater potential for their established industrial capabilities to cross over into climate tech. The tool calculates competitiveness across 10 clean energy technologies and identified 5 core capabilities. A number of Central European and South Asian countries were among the ones labeled with high prospects. More here and here.
Another Geothermal Project in New England
Geothermal is not all about using it for generation. It can be used directly as a source of heat for a building or a network of buildings. Here is one of those.
And …. Another Geothermal Project in New England
Federal funding will help this Network Geothermal project in Massachusetts. More here.
Are Companies Correctly Reporting Emissions Reductions?
It is not unusual for data reports to be revised at a later date, both in the corporate and government worlds. A new Report shows that corporations are tending to report lower emissions and then having to revise them upwards. More here and here.
Another Episode in the Running Tussle Between States and Local Government on Projects
There is a new law in the State of New York that intends to stop local governments opposed to renewable energy projects from using the local property tax system to stymie them. More here.
Another Swipe at Efficiency
Buildings are one of the largest end-use sectors for greenhouse gas emissions and offer great opportunities for lower emissions – especially in new construction. Having low-emissions building standards are key to that, but the Federal Government has just axed the zero emission building standard that DOE had control over. More here and here.
About That Nuclear Revival …
New large scale nuclear units are something that most parties seem to be on board with. But that doesn’t mean that utilities and power companies aren’t being very cautious and risk averse to approaching them. More here.
A New Type of Property Insurance for Those on this Coast?
Given the climate-induced turbulence and uncertainty in the home insurance market, owners are looking at new options to tackle the problem. One of which is the formation of policyholder cooperatives. Over 30 of those have been formed to date along the Gulf Coast. Here is how the State of Louisiana is explaining it to homeowners, and here is an article about the trend.