Renewable Energy

Hydrogen Fleets Are More Expensive to Maintain than Battery & Even Diesel Main Ideas: Participating in a European study, it was found that hydrogen fleets are significantly more expensive to maintain compared to battery and even diesel fleets. The costs associated with hydrogen fleets are attributed to the high maintenance requirements of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. While battery-powered electric vehicles have emerged as a more cost-effective and efficient option, hydrogen fleets are still being promoted due to their zero emissions and longer driving range. The higher costs of hydrogen fleets could hinder their widespread adoption and limit their viability in certain markets. Author's Take: The European study reveals that hydrogen fleets are more expensive to maintain compared t...

Mimicking Renewable Policies: Argentina & Chile Main Ideas: - Argentina and Chile are two South American countries investing in renewable energy. - Although Argentina is not traditionally known for renewable energy, the country aims to increase its renewable capacity. - Argentina plans to generate 20% of its energy from renewables by 2025, with wind and solar leading the charge. - Chile, on the other hand, has been a leader in renewable energy in the region for several years. - Chile has a goal to reach 100% renewable energy by 2040. Author's Take: While Argentina may not be traditionally associated with renewable energy, the country has set ambitious goals to increase its renewable capacity in the coming years. On the other hand, Chile has been a leader in the region when it comes to ado...

The article discusses the potential for Tesla's Semi truck production and 4680 battery production to ramp up in 2024. Here are the main points from the article: - Tesla's Semi truck has faced delays in production, but recent reports suggest that the company is now ready to scale up production and deliver vehicles to customers. - The main challenge for Tesla in producing the Semi truck has been the availability of its new 4680 battery cells. These larger and more energy-dense cells are crucial for the Semi's long-range capabilities. - Tesla has been working to increase production of the 4680 battery cells, but has faced setbacks in achieving the necessary volume and quality. - However, recent reports indicate that Tesla has made significant progress in addressing these production issues an...

Porsche Takes The Wraps Off The Battery Electric Macan Main Ideas: Porsche announces two trims for the battery electric Macan: Macan 4 and Macan Turbo. No range estimates have been released for the electric Macan. Author's Take: Porsche unveils the new battery electric Macan, with two trims to choose from. While no range estimates are available yet, it's clear that Porsche aims to further expand its electric vehicle lineup and compete in the growing market for electric SUVs. Click here for the original article.

Insect Populations Flourish in Restored Solar Energy Facilities Main Ideas: Two solar facilities located on former agricultural land have been restored with native plants. Researchers from Argonne observed an increase in insect populations, including thriving bumblebees. Restoring habitats in solar energy facilities can benefit pollinators and support biodiversity. "Author's Take: The restoration of solar energy facilities with native plants has proven to be beneficial for insect populations, as observed by researchers. The increase in pollinators, including bumblebees, highlights the positive impact of restoring habitats in these facilities. This finding not only supports biodiversity but also underscores the potential of renewable energy to coexist harmoniously with nature. Click here ...

Biden Administration Makes it Easier for ChargePoint to Sell to the Federal Government Summary The Biden Administration has announced its plans to make it easier for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure company, ChargePoint, to sell its products to the federal government. Despite the administration's inability to require people to buy EVs, it aims to support the EV market through other means, such as expanding EV charging infrastructure. With this new move, ChargePoint will have better opportunities to offer its products and services to government agencies, as well as federally funded facilities. Main Points The Biden Administration is striving to support the EV market by expanding EV charging infrastructure. The federal government cannot mandate individuals to purchase EVs, ...

Infographic: Electrify America's Accomplishments in 2023 Key Points: Electrify America has played a significant role in expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the United States. By the end of 2023, Electrify America had successfully deployed over 1,800 charging stations with more than 7,000 individual chargers across the country. These charging stations included both brand-specific chargers for major EV manufacturers like Ford and General Motors, as well as universal chargers compatible with all electric vehicles. Electrify America's charging network covers various locations, such as highway rest stops, shopping centers, and workplaces. In 2023, Electrify America facilitated more than 2 million charging sessions, delivering a total of 20.2 GWh of electricity to EVs...

Biden-Harris Administration Allocates $254 Million for Decarbonization and Manufacturing Main Ideas: The Biden-Harris administration has announced $254 million in funding to support decarbonization efforts and revitalize domestic manufacturing in the United States. 49 projects across 21 states will receive a portion of the funding to advance next-generation technologies and significantly reduce emissions in the industrial sector. The projects aim to develop and deploy innovative solutions, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies, energy-efficient processes, and renewable energy integration in manufacturing. This funding opportunity will help accelerate the transition to a clean and sustainable industrial sector while creating job opportunities and strengthenin...

U.S. Department of Energy Supports Conversion of Mauna Loa Observatory Main Points: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $5 million to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help convert the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii to a net-zero facility. The Mauna Loa Observatory plays a crucial role in monitoring greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and providing data for climate research. The funding from DOE will be used to upgrade the observatory's power supply, improve energy efficiency, and add renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and battery storage. The goal is to make the facility carbon-neutral, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and lowering its environmental impact. Author's Take: The U.S. Department of Energy's support for co...

How Extreme Weather & System Aging Affect the US Solar Photovoltaic Fleet Main Ideas: A massive data set of photovoltaic (PV) system performance in the United States has revealed the impacts of extreme weather and long-term degradation on the solar PV fleet. The study found that extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, heatwaves, and heavy precipitation, can have small but significant impacts on the performance of PV systems. Long-term degradation, which occurs as PV systems age over time, was also found to have a noticeable effect on system performance. The researchers analyzed more than 39,000 PV systems across diverse climates and found that extreme weather events can decrease PV system performance by up to 7%, while long-term degradation can lead to an average decline of 1.5% per y...