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EU, U.S. eye level playing field for EU electric cars in U.S. market
European Union and U.S. officials expect to reach agreement that would grant EU companies, including electric car makers, the same status as U.S. ones in the U.S. market, to avoid what the EU calls discrimination against its producers by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. The EU says that while it allows government tax breaks or subsidies for purchases of U.S. electric cars such as those made by Tesla, the United States makes such support conditional on the car, or parts of it, being made in the United States. [ read more … ]
Wind Energy
Greece says its entire electrical grid ran on 100% renewables for the first time
The Greek electrical system has hit a new milestone, after running completely on “clean” renewable energy for the first time. Renewable energy sources covered Greece’s electricity demands for about five hours last Friday, the Independent Power Transmission Operator, or IPTO, said. Renewables also posted a new record that day, reaching a peak of 3,106 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity. Greece’s system isn’t the only one to have hit the 100% mark with renewables: The much larger California Independent System Operator, which serves about 80% of the state, reported that it briefly achieved it in the spring. [ read more … ]
Solar Energy
Solar Power Stayed On as Hurricane Ian Knocked Lights Out Across Florida
Neighborhoods powered by solar panels with backup batteries weathered the direct onslaught of Hurricane Ian in Florida, utilities and developers said, keeping the lights on throughout the storm while millions of others lost power. At least three solar-powered communities near Fort Myers and Tampa made it through Ian without losing electricity. Some also had hardened electrical infrastructure, including buried lines and stronger power poles, that helped them weather the storm and its aftermath. [ read more … ]
States
N.M. enacted a climate law 3 years ago. Then things got hard.
New Mexico enacted one of the most ambitious climate laws in America in 2019, with plans to phase out coal, boost renewables and support displaced coal workers. Three years later, the Land of Enchantment shows just how messy the energy transition can be. Greenhouse gas emissions are down and renewable generation is up, but fights continue to burn over the future of displaced workers and the cost of the transition. Communities in northwest New Mexico are pressing to reopen a recently shuttered coal plant with carbon capture and sequestration. [ read more … ]
The mystery lurking in California’s $8 gas prices
Some analysts say the most recent spike in California prices — the average price per gallon across the state as of Tuesday was $6.29 — is only part of a much longer, and potentially more destructive, trend. For the past seven years, California consumers have suffered through what one economist calls a “mystery gasoline surcharge.” That is, California gas prices are significantly higher than in the rest of the nation — and the price premium can’t be explained by state taxes and environmental regulations alone. [ read more … ]
Pollution
Tighter PM2.5 Limit Would Cause Major Implementation Hurdles, Experts Say
EPA staff in a May 31 policy assessment document again recommended that the agency tighten the annual limit to between 8 ug/m3 and 12 ug/m3. The Trump EPA previously disregarded this advice, opting to retain its whole suite of PM standards in 2020. The Biden EPA is now reconsidering that decision, following litigation from environmentalists and others faulting the Trump-era review of the standards. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is still reviewing EPA’s draft proposal that may seek to tighten the standards, and the agency is expected to issue the plan this fall. [ read more … ]
Highway carbon rule an early test of SCOTUS climate ruling
A proposal by the Biden administration to require all states to track and reduce on-road vehicle greenhouse gas emissions is facing scrutiny — and likely legal challenges — from opponents. The draft rule from the Federal Highway Administration would task metropolitan planning organizations and the 26 states that do not have transportation emissions reduction targets with implementing those goals using $27 billion from the bipartisan infrastructure law.
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Grid
Warren, Dems seek answers on crypto impact on Texas grid
Democrats led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren are probing how the cryptocurrency mining industry affects the main Texas grid, citing concerns about reliability and climate change. In a Wednesday letter, Warren and six other Democratic lawmakers asked the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) for data on the power used by crypto mining operations, the associated carbon dioxide emissions and the impact on electricity costs to Texans. [ read more … ]
Markets
Biden hints at action on gas prices
President Joe Biden on Thursday hinted at an upcoming announcement on efforts to lower gas prices. “The price of gas is still too high, and we need to keep working to bring it down,” Biden said during a speech in Los Angeles. “I’ll have more to say about that next week.”
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Exxon’s Exodus: Employees Have Finally Had Enough of Its Toxic Culture
Even as its stock surges again and Exxon makes more money than it has in its 140-year history, the company has experienced the highest attrition since its merger with Mobil in 1999. Of the 12,000 departures globally in the past two years, less than half were from layoffs. “Like nearly every company, attrition increased in the last two years, but we don’t see that as a long-term trend,” Exxon said in a statement. “Importantly, we are seeing good results when hiring top talent for roles throughout the company, at entry-level and for senior executive positions.” [ read more … ]
EVs
As Electric Car Production Falls Short, Flippers Step Up
In the car world, flipping a brand-new vehicle is a practice as old as seat belts, and one historically confined to sports cars made in small batches. However, the emergence of electric vehicles has led to a flipping frenzy of sorts. Demand is at an all-time high for both mass-market and higher-end models, and factories are struggling to keep up. That means EV owners savvy or lucky enough to have secured an early edition of a highly coveted car are often choosing an immediate sale (and a handsome profit) over the street cred of being an early adopter. And the practice is picking up speed, as the staggering sales figures lure more recent buyers into immediately listing their cars. [ read more … ]
This Is What the Gas Station of the Future Will Look Like
Drivers filling up at the Shell station on Fulham Road in southwest London can get coffee, sodas, snacks, and basic groceries such as milk and eggs. One thing that’s not on offer: gasoline. Since January the station has been all-electric, with the old gas pumps replaced by 10 rapid chargers set under soaring wood awnings where people can plug in and top up. “It gives us all a glimpse into the future of mobility,” says Istvan Kapitany, who oversees Shell’s global retail operations. [ read more … ]
Off Topic
Two beloved bald eagles are rebuilding their nest after Hurricane Ian
Animal instinct told Harriet and M15 they had to go. The bald eagles, a female and male respectively, left their slash pine tree in Fort Myers, Fla. — their home during annual mating season — seeking shelter a day before Hurricane Ian struck. It’s not clear where the pair headed to weather the storm. Days later, just as they did during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017, the eagles returned to the tree looking for their nest 60 feet above ground. But it was “completely gone.” [ read more … ]
Note: News clips provided do not necessarily reflect the views of coalition or its member governors.