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U.S. renewable industry sees ‘unnecessary barriers’ ahead
Renewables are growing too slowly to meet the Biden administration’s carbon-free grid goal, and trade groups are girding for a year of obstacles, according to a new U.S. industry report. Released by the American Clean Power Association (ACP), the annual market report takes stock of how the solar, wind and energy storage industries fared in 2021 — and how that picture might change this year. It reaches troubling conclusions for the Biden administration’s climate goals. Last year, the overall rate of renewable power and storage growth didn’t budge, compared to 2020. The current volume of installations is a little over one-third of what will be necessary to reach a carbon-free grid in 2035, wrote the ACP, the largest U.S. trade group for wind, solar and storage. [ read more … ]
Wind Energy
Four countries pledge tenfold rise in EU offshore wind power capacity
Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark on Wednesday pledged to build at least 150 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea by 2050 to create a “green power plant”for Europe. But the task will be challenging as the European wind supply chain is struggling to make money and the pace of build-outs is being slowed by long permitting times. [ read more … ]
Minnesota’s high winds this spring spark a jump in green energy production
In one measure of how windy it was in Minnesota, utilities reported generating much more wind power this year. In Willmar, the gusty spring months have translated into record breaking power production for the city power utility’s two wind turbines. “We knew it was windy out. I guess I didn’t realize it was this windy,” said Kevin Marti, the supervisor of facilities and maintenance at Willmar Municipal Utilities. [ read more … ]
Solar Energy
Scoop: White House tries to soothe solar probe fallout
White House officials told Democratic senators they’re committed to resolving the uncertainty the solar industry is facing because of an investigation into whether China is secretly manufacturing solar panels destined for U.S. markets, Axios has learned. The Biden administration is trying to mitigate political fallout of its own making. It erupted after the Commerce Department announced an investigation into whether Chinese companies are circumventing U.S. tariffs. [ read more … ]
Pollution
Pollution Kills 9 Million People a Year as Fixes Are Neglected
Pollution causes more than 9 million deaths each year globally. While most of those are attributed to air pollution, lead and other chemicals are responsible for at least 1.8 million deaths each year—and the actual number might be much higher. The study notes that the ubiquity of chemical pollutants in the modern environment has made them a silent threat. “I assumed that we would see these problems in air pollution,” Fuller said. “But I was really stunned to see that the chemicals agenda is almost as big as the air pollution agenda.” [ read more … ]
Commentary
Why Do We Swallow What Big Oil and the Green Movement Tell Us?
If you can’t install the transmission lines — to get that sun and wind power from the vast open spaces where it is generated to the big urban areas where it is needed — and if you cannot set aside more land to install the scale of solar and wind farms you need to replace coal, gas or nuclear, it doesn’t matter that your renewables are cheaper on a per-kilowatt-hour basis. And today transmission is a huge problem in the U.S. and Europe, where many people don’t want wind farms, solar fields, electricity lines — or natural gas pipelines — in their backyard.
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Climate
Dire Climate Report Prompts UN Official to Ask Rich Countries to Share Energy Tech
Last year brought new records for sea-level rise, ocean temperature, greenhouse gas concentrations and ocean acidification, according to a new UN World Meteorological Organization climate report card. The climate crisis is getting worse, and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres marked the report’s release by calling on rich countries to share the intellectual property for energy technologies that can accelerate the badly-needed transition away from fossil fuels. [ read more … ]
Climate lawsuits poised for new Supreme Court fight
Climate liability lawsuits from state and local governments against fossil fuel companies are creeping closer to a new Supreme Court showdown. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said yesterday that it would not rehear arguments by BP PLC and other companies that Baltimore’s climate case should be heard in federal — rather than state — court, setting the stage for industry to bring its fight once again to the nation’s highest bench. The decision came as industry attorneys last night asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a similar ruling against fossil fuel producers in a separate liability case out of California.
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Markets
Gasoline Tops $4 a Gallon in Every US State for the First Time
Gasoline pump prices have risen above $4 a gallon in all states in the US for the first time ever as the last holdouts — Kansas, Oklahoma and Georgia — saw prices rise overnight, according to auto club AAA. In California, the most expensive state, prices are averaging $6.021 a gallon, a fresh record, while five other states are above $5 a gallon. [ read more … ]
It’s now cheaper to switch from coal to renewables instead of coal to gas, report shows
Record-high coal and gas prices have been pushing prices higher for consumers and businesses alike, but there could be a silver lining. According to the findings of climate analytics firm TransitionZero, it is now cheaper to switch from coal to clean energy, compared to switching from coal to gas — thanks to the falling cost of renewables and battery storage, coupled with the rising volatility of gas prices.
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Congress
Anti-price gouging bill might lack votes to pass House
House Democrats had hoped to pass a bill this week cracking down on alleged price gouging, but that effort is running into trouble amid growing resistance from oil-state and moderate lawmakers who are questioning if it will help lower energy prices. Party leaders are working to shore up support for the bill, which would expand Federal Trade Commission oversight and enforcement of fuel markets, ahead of a preliminary floor vote today. One House aide described leaders as “playing whack-a-mole” as concerns from multiple flanks of the party threaten to derail the high-profile measure or perhaps delay it until after Memorial Day. [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.