Concentration of CO2 in the Atmosphere
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Headline News:
- “China Files WTO Complaint Over US EV Incentives” • From the time President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, it was inevitable. The Chinese empire struck back by initiating dispute settlement proceedings against the US at the World Trade Organization to safeguard its interests in the EV industry, the Chinese mission said. [CleanTechnica]
 BYD’s first cargo ship (BYD image)
- “Yellen Plans To Confront China For ‘Unfair’ Clean Energy Subsidies” • US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen revealed that she intends to warn Beijing that its national underwriting for energy and other companies is creating oversupply and distorting global markets, when she pays the country an official visit. China filed a complaint at the WTO against the US. [OilPrice.com]
- “The EV Revolution Has Passed A Tipping Point” • By the end of last year, sales of electric cars reached 5% or more of the new car market in 31 countries. The trajectory laid out by countries that had reached that point in the past shows that EVs sales can grow from 5% to 25% of new cars in under four years, according to Bloomberg. [CleanTechnica]
- “UK Records ‘Highest Ever Share Of Electricity Generation By Renewables’” • The UK saw its highest ever share of electricity generation by renewables last year, at 51.5%, Government figures show. In energy trend data just released, the Energy Department said this came as fossil fuel electricity generation saw its lowest share on record. [Evening Standard]
- “Governor Proposes Alternative Plan For Reducing Carbon Emissions” • Pennsylvania Gov Josh Shapiro has proposed a plan aimed at reducing power plant carbon emissions while requiring more electricity to come from renewable sources. Pennsylvania would become the first state to adopt its own carbon-pricing program, if the plan passes. [Bay Journal]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER – Check Back with the State House on a Rescheduled Date
Vermont Climate Solutions Caucus to Host Day of Climate Resilience at State House with Press Conference, Photo Gallery, and Stream Table Demonstration on Thursday, April 4th
The Climate Solutions Caucus, in partnership with Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV), Vermont Natural Resource Council (VNRC) and Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG), will host a press conference on Thursday, April 4th at 12:00 p.m. out on the steps of the State House (or in the Cedar Creek Room if there is inclement weather). The event will include comprehensive updates from several Vermont legislators regarding future climate mitigation and adaptation needs, recent flood impacts, and relevant House and Senate bills in play.
A photo gallery of Vermont climate impacts will be up for viewing during the press conference. Immediately following the press conference, folks will be asked to join VINS educators for an interactive stream table demonstration.
What: Day of Climate Resilience & Education at the Vermont State House
When: Thursday, April 4, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Outside on the State House Steps, unless weather is inclement. If moved indoors, events will take place inside in the Cedar Creek Room. 115 State St, Montpelier, VT 05633
Who: Representative Gabrielle Stebbins, Representative Jonathan Williams, Representative Amy Sheldon, Senator Chris Bray, Senator Becca White, other Climate Solutions Caucus members, NOFA, VINS, VCV, VNRC, VPIRG
Why: To provide updates on key climate resilience legislation, to educate about Vermont’s local water table system and how our interactions with local geography can impact flood resilience, to provide an interactive experience with VINS educators
Headline News:
- “Last Coal Plants In New England To Close; Renewables Take Their Place” • The last coal producers in New England will shutter their doors permanently under an agreement reached with environmental groups and the EPA. Two plants in New Hampshire, Schiller and Merrimack, will voluntarily close down in 2025 and 2028, respectively. [The Hill]
- “‘Historic Breakthrough’: China’s Installed Wind Turbine Cost Drops To One-Fifth Of The US In Green Energy Race” • Wind power is soaring ahead in China, with the installation price of turbines dropping nearly 45% thanks to economies of scale and technological advancements, according to government tender documents. [South China Morning Post]
- “Polar Ice Is Melting And Changing Earth’s Rotation. And It’s Messing With Time Itself” • One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself. [CNN]
- “Massachusetts, Rhode Island, And Connecticut Receive Proposals For Offshore Wind Projects” • Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut received proposals for offshore wind projects as they hope to boost their reliance on the renewable source. They have an agreement allowing coordinated selection of offshore wind projects. [ABC News]
- “Heat Pumps Are Scaling Up And Taking On Big Industry” • Residential heat pumps deserve a lot of credit for driving the decarbonization train, but home-scaled systems are no match for industrial processes that require steam. The US DOE is on the prowl for a solution and just made a $145 million bet on heat pumps that generate steam. [CleanTechnica]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Headline News:
- “Why Stumpy, DC’s Iconic Cherry Tree, Is Drawing So Much Attention” • A hallowed-out, small cherry tree in Washington, DC, is getting a major amount of attention ahead of its removal from the Tidal Basin because of climate change. Over the last century, sea levels in the Washington, DC, area have risen by over a foot, according to NOAA. [ABC News]
- “Renewables The Only Energy Solution That Can Avert Climate Disaster, Conference Told” • While it is the sovereign right and prerogative of nations to choose their energy mix, the arguments for adding new nuclear capacity are weak, according to the director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Francesco la Camera. [Daily Maverick]
- “NOAA Calls For Urgent Geoengineering Investigation” • It is abundantly clear that we are not sufficiently slowing the pace of global heating. So the administrator of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said NOAA is starting to study the effects of likely techniques for geoengineering, including the ones involving the oceans. [CleanTechnica]
- “Offshore Wind Industry Wants To Shed Its Fossil-Fueled Workboats” • The offshore wind industry seems to want to go beyond producing carbon-free renewable energy. They are also replacing the fuels used by their working vessels. Electric power is on the menu as a long term solution, and alternative fuels are getting attention for now. [CleanTechnica]
- “Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind Offshore Project Gains US Government Approval” • The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the 924-MW Sunrise Wind offshore wind farm. Its developers, Danish energy company Ørsted and utility provider Eversource, have also taken a final investment decision on the project. [Power Technology]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Utility partners nationally recognized for Sustained Excellence for their New Home Construction program for 11th consecutive year
The NHSaves utility partners Eversource, Liberty, New Hampshire Electric Cooperative and Unitil are proud to receive the 2024 Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence – from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. This marks the 11th consecutive time that the utility partners have been honored for their leadership delivering energy efficiency programs for New Hampshire customers.
“The NHSaves utility partners are extremely proud of the success of the ENERGY STAR Homes Program, connecting customers across New Hampshire with highly efficient new-build homes,” said Eversource Director of Residential Energy Efficiency Kate Peters. “Every year we are able to help homebuilders construct more energy-efficient homes, reducing energy use and mitigating the effects of climate change throughout the state. The Sustained Excellence award is the highest honor that ENERGY STAR can bestow, and it is a huge testament to the strength of our initiatives and partnerships throughout the state of New Hampshire.”
The New Hampshire utilities are leaders in guiding residential, commercial, industrial and municipal gas and electric customers toward energy savings through incentive-based programs, including the New Hampshire ENERGY STAR Homes Program for new construction. In 2023 the partners surpassed their ambitious targets of 35,350,664 lifetime kWh and 559,252 lifetime MMBTUs savings.
Last year, the utility partners also facilitated ENERGY STAR certification and provided incentives for more than 946 households, contributing to a cumulative total of 11,674 homes since 2001. At the same time they grew the program’s market penetration from two percent to a robust 28-33 percent. These outcomes reflect an increasing awareness of the benefits of program participation for customers, driving engagement and demand.
“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda creates an unprecedented opportunity to build a clean energy economy, and private sector partners through programs like ENERGY STAR are leading the way,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I congratulate this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for their innovation and leadership, in delivering cost-effective energy efficient solutions that create jobs, address climate change, and contribute to a healthier environment for all.”
In order to receive the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award, partners must be named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for two consecutive years.
Headline News:
- “Geothermal Advancements, Incentives Could Help NM Meet Renewable Energy Goals” • About 75 years ago in Animas, drillers going after water for irrigation stumbled upon extremely hot water naturally bubbling up out of the ground. The spot would later become the location of New Mexico’s first utility-scale geothermal power plant. [AOL.com]
- “Trader Joe’s Just Increased The Price Of A Banana For The First Time In Over Twenty Years” • Trader Joe’s told CNN that it raised the price of a banana to 23¢, an increase of more than 20%. The grocer has sold bananas for 19¢ each for over two decades. World Banana Forum experts had warned that climate change can drive up banana prices. [CNN]
- “Renewable Power Makes 1-GW Italian Battery Pact” • Altea Green Power is partnering with Renewable Power Capital to develop 1 GW of battery storage in Italy. The partnership is focused on ensuring strong involvement of local municipalities and stakeholders. It aims to achieve ready-to-build status for the pipeline in the next 2 to 4 years. [reNews]
- “Adani Eyes 45 GW Of Renewable Energy Capacity By 2030” • Billionaire Gautam Adani’s group is building the world’s largest renewable energy park in Gujarat, as it eyes a massive 45 GW capacity to generate electricity largely from solar. He said his group’s renewable energy arm, Adani Green Energy, is leading an energy transition. [Press Trust of India]
- “The TELO Electric Pickup Is A Tiny Truck With Big Features” • If you want to buy an electric pickup truck, your options are still fairly limited, but they are available. However, if you want to buy a little truck, not your standard full-size pickup, you are almost out of luck. TELO Trucks, however, might be about to produce a solution for that. [CleanTechnica]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Headline News:
- “To Make Water Last Year-Round, Kenyans In Dry Regions Are Building Sand Dams On Seasonal Rivers” • Kenyans are building sand dams so they can harvest water from seasonal rivers. The barriers, typically made of concrete, impede water flow so grains of sand settle behind them, creating artificial aquifers that fill up during rainy seasons. [ABC News]
- “Climate-Conscious Investors Put Nuclear Dead Last On List Of Desirable Australian Ventures” • Nuclear energy ranks last on the list of climate technologies big institutional investors want, according to a survey of climate conscious investors with A$37 tillion ($24 trillion) under management. Fewer than 10% of the group are considering nuclear power. [The Guardian]
- “Report: More Profits Must Go To Local Communities From Renewable Energy Projects” • The Welsh Government must find a way to retain a greater share of the profits from commercial renewable energy projects for the public good, a report from the Institute of Welsh Affairs says. Local energy sources provide a way to retain local wealth. [Nation.Cymru]
- “Canada Pushes Nuclear Power To Get At Oil Sands” • Natural Resources Minister Gary Lunn said discussions are already taking place with the oil industry and the province of Alberta to use nuclear power to extract oil from oil sands. He believes nuclear energy helping get heavy crude out of the ground will help cut greenhouse gas emissions. [Reuters] (What‽)
- “Lower Priced Tesla “Model 2” Production To Begin In 2025” • After CleanTechnica’s Zach Shahan termed the coming affordable Tesla the “Model 2” as a joke for a while, Elon Musk said it won’t have that name. Elon Musk loves letters; the Model 3 exists only because Ford has rights to “Model E.” Regardless, the new Tesla is expected to start at $25,000 or less. [CleanTechnica]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
  IGSHPA and GeoExchange Designate April 2024 as
National Geothermal Month!
On March 20, the International Ground Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA) and Geothermal Exchange Organization (GeoExchange) announced the official designation of April 2024 as National Geothermal Month. In collaboration with state-level Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) organizations, electric and gas utilities, GHP manufacturers and market stakeholders, National Geothermal Month will be a multi-faceted public awareness and public outreach effort intended to build momentum for the widespread application of the most efficient HVAC technology available today, the Geothermal Heat Pump.
From single-family homes to entire housing developments to community-scale Thermal Energy Networks, today’s GHP technology constitutes one of the most impactful and scalable beneficial electrification opportunities available. As the nation moves to decarbonize both new and existing buildings, GHP technology is uniquely positioned as the most efficient and effective infrastructure choice for all-electric space conditioning and water heating. Electric and gas utilities, whether member-owned, publicly-owned, or investor-owned, are embracing this opportunity to build out the country’s electric HVAC infrastructure for the sustainable clean-energy future.
The U.S. Department of Energy, in its December 2023 grid impact study, stated that the widespread application of GHP technology would result in –
- 12% cheaper wholesale electricity
- 34 GIGATONS CO2e SAVED
- 33% fewer miles of transmission
- 47% cheaper grid decarbonization
- $19 Billion/year fuel cost savings
- Cumulative savings > $1 Trillion
“IGSHPA is proud to work with the Advocacy and Communications Task Force and many other industry stakeholders, including local and national/international geothermal organizations to promote National Geothermal Month for the first time in April 2024 in celebration of Earth Day (April 22),” said Jeff Hammond, Executive Director of IGSHPA. “Now is the time to spread the word about how geothermal technology can reduce demand on the electric grid, decrease the use of fossil fuels, and at the same, lower operating costs for building owners and homeowners. We want to celebrate and acknowledge geothermal technology as a solution to many of the goals associated with decarbonization and beneficial electrification!”
“2024 is shaping up to be a banner year for the geothermal heating and cooling industry,” said Ryan Dougherty, President of GeoExchange. “There is an unprecedented level of attention our technology is getting, much of it due to the Inflation Reduction Act and evolving state energy policies. Stakeholders and consumers are realizing that there is a cleaner, more comfortable, and cost-effective way to heat, cool, and produce hot water. It’s time to strike while the iron is hot and get the word out even more broadly.
National Geothermal Month is our industry’s call to action to increase the visibility of and support for GHPs.”
IGSHPA and GeoExchange are working collaboratively to engage stakeholders and market participants in a long-term vision to accelerate the adoption of GHP technology, in North America and around the world. If you would like to get, please send a request to info@igshpa.org to learn more.
Headline News:
- “Renewable Energy Key To Tackling Global Water Crisis – IEA” • The International Energy Agency is seeking to reduce the amount of water used in generating energy globally. In place of fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, the IEA said use of renewable energies like wind and solar panels would reduce water use in the energy sector. [Punch Newspapers]
 Walking for water (Jeff Ackley, Unsplash)
- “Farmers Double The Value Of Back Paddocks With Renewable Power Deals” • The founder of Australia’s first renewable energy land acquisition agency, Daniel Moroko says he found land for 4 GW of big battery projects and 800 MW of solar farms over 30 individual agreements in four Australian states. Some farmers doubled the value of back paddocks. [RenewEconomy]
- “Taps Running Dry Have Become Part Of Daily Life In South Africa’s Biggest City” • While drought can hurt Johannesburg’s water supply, the dams are full. But climate change is making things worse in another way: Officials say a weeks-long late summer heat wave, up to 5°C above normal, is giving a huge boost to water demand. [CNN]
- “US EIA Increases Oil Price Forecast After OPEC+ Production Cut Extension” • The EIA increased its forecast prices for crude oil and petroleum products for the remainder of 2024 in its March Short-Term Energy Outlook after the announcement that OPEC+ will extend its voluntary production cuts through the second quarter of 2024. [CleanTechnica]
- “Offshore Wind Growth Continues In Pursuit Of Climate Targets” • McKinsey research suggests global installed offshore wind capacity is expected to reach 630 GW by 2050, up from 40 GW in 2020. This is just a small part of wind installations. The IEA says that offshore wind farms account for just 7% of installed wind capacity. [Energy Digital Magazine]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Headline News:
- “Gorgeous Agrivoltaic System Gilds The Rural Solar Lily” • The agrivoltaic movement is important for the renewable energy field because it pulls the rug out from under critics, who argue against siting solar arrays on farmland. The only thing missing now is aesthetics, and the European research firm AgroSolar Europe has the solution. [CleanTechnica]
 Agrivoltaics using bio-based components to raise solar panels above crops (Courtesy of AgroSolar Europe)
- “International Nuclear Energy Expert Questions Michigan’s Palisades Restart” • Is investing $1.8 billion in federal and state funds to restart the aged Palisades nuclear power plant on the Lake Michigan shore necessary for Michigan’s climate goals? It is one of the questions Paris-based international nuclear policy analyst Mycle Schneider raised. [Michigan Public]
- “Russia Launches Massive Air Attack On Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure” • Russia unleashed a massive aerial attack in what Ukrainian officials said was the largest and most destructive assault on its energy infrastructure since the start of the war. One target was Ukraine’s largest hydroelectric power station, the Dnipro dam in Zaporizhzhia. [ABC News]
- “Attacking Electric Vehicles Has Become An Aggressive Political Campaign Tactic” • Some people, particularly politicians, appeal strongly to emotions strongly, to persuade others to oppose EVs. Clearly, it’s time that we engage in some critical reflection on how politicians draw upon different dark linguistic tools to gain political goals and objectives. [CleanTechnica]
- “A Debate About The Cost Is Dogging A Renewable Energy Bill” • It is not certain how much it will cost if utilities are required to sell only renewable electricity by 2035. That’s the goal of H.289, a bill that raises the state’s renewable energy requirements. Cost estimates have ranged from as little as $150 million to as high as $1 billion. [Seven Days]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
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