June 17 Green Energy News

Headline News:

• “Vectren Will Close Coal Units, Add Renewables” • Vectren Corp, the electric utility that serves much of southern Indiana, has announced a plan to shutter its remaining coal-fired power plants and transition to renewable energy. The utility also said it would add gas-fired generation to back up those renewable resources. [Power Magazine]

Vectren’s AB Brown Generating Station (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

• “Australian Researchers Claim New Record For Direct ‘Solar-To-Hydrogen’ Solar Cells” • Australian researchers claimed a new world efficiency record for solar panels that can directly split water using sunlight. They were able to demonstrate 17.6% solar to hydrogen efficiency. The call reaching this an “unprecedented” milestone. [RenewEconomy]
• “California Utility PG&E Pleads Guilty To 84 Wildfire Deaths” • California Utility Pacific Gas & Electric has pleaded guilty to the deaths of 84 people in a wildfire, the deadliest US corporate crime ever successfully prosecuted. The utility admitted the 2018 Camp Fire, the state’s deadliest and most destructive, was caused by its faulty equipment. [BBC]
• “Tesla Says Model S Is The First EV To Get 400 Miles On A Single Charge” • Tesla said in a news release that its Model S Long Range Plus is the first EV with over 400 miles of EPA-rated range. It has “an official EPA-rated range of 402 miles, … a nearly 20% increase in range when compared to a 2019 Model S 100D with the same battery pack design.” [CNN]
• “Temperatures In India Could Rise By 4.4°C By 2100, Says Government Report” • In a worst case scenario, average surface air temperatures over India could rise by 4.4°C by the century’s end, compared to 1976 through 2005, says the first Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region published by the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences. [Down To Earth Magazine]

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