July 1 Green Energy News

Headline News:

“Beavers Are Gnawing Away At The Arctic Permafrost, And That’s Bad For The Planet” • The beaver may be an unlikely agent of climate change, but they are transforming the Arctic landscape in a way that could exacerbate global warming, a study has suggested. They are moving into new areas, and their lakes contribute to permafrost thawing. [CNN]

Beaver (Ken Tape | Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks)

“How Have Expectations For Useful Life Of Utility-Scale PV Plants In The US Changed Over Time?” • Useful life expectations of US PV projects have increased and lifetime operating expenses estimates have declined. Those conclusions emerge in a new report from Berkeley Lab. It determined that the useful life of PV projects exceeds 30 years. [CleanTechnica]
“Global Transition From Coal To Clean Energy Has Reached A Financial Tipping Point” • A report from the Sierra Club, the Carbon Tracker Initiative, and the Rocky Mountain Institute concluded that replacing the entire global fleet of coal plants with clean energy plus battery storage could be done at a net annual savings as early as 2022. [RenewEconomy]
“Renewables Surge In European Power Mix” • Data for the period from 1 January to 16 June 2020 shows that wind, solar, and biomass generation in Europe has grown by 7% over 2019 levels, while overall power generation declined by 6.1% from last year. The reduction was almost entirely absorbed by gas, coal, and nuclear power. [Petroleum Economist]
“Democrats Say They Have A Bold Climate Plan – But The Republicans Have Other Plans” • House Democrats released an ambitious and wide-ranging climate crisis plan on par with what scientists say the world will have to do to avert catastrophic warming. Some Republicans agree that there is a problem, but that is about as far as agreement goes. [The Guardian]

Green Energy Times