(ZME Science), Nov. 23, 2020 -To help meet the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050, the European Commission last week presented the EU Strategy on Offshore Renewable Energy, which proposes to increase Europe’s offshore wind capacity from its current level of 12 GW to at least 60 GW by 2030 and to 300 GW by 2050. The Commission aims to complement this with 40 GW of ocean energy capacity and other emerging technologies such as floating wind and solar by 2050.

The Commission said the growth will be based on the vast potential across all of Europe’s sea basins and on the global leadership of EU companies in the sector. It will create new opportunities for industry, generate green jobs across the continent, and strengthen the EU’s global leadership in offshore energy technologies. It will also ensure the protection of our environment, biodiversity and fisheries.

(The Revelator), Nov. 20, 2020 - How much of U.S. energy demand could be met by renewable sources?

According to a new report from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the answer is an easy 100%.

The report looked at how much renewable energy potential each state had within its own borders and found that almost every state could deliver all its electricity needs from instate renewable sources.

(Science Daily), Nov. 18, 2020 -Researchers have developed a highly effective, environmentally friendly method for converting ammonia into hydrogen. The new technique is a major step forward for enabling a zero-pollution, hydrogen-fueled economy.

The idea of using ammonia as a carrier for hydrogen delivery has gained traction in recent years because ammonia is much easier to liquify than hydrogen and is therefore much easier to store and transport. This technological breakthrough overcomes several existing barriers to the production of clean hydrogen from ammonia.

(The Guardian), Nov. 14, 2020 -The world’s largest power station is planned for a vast piece of desert about half the size of greater suburban Sydney in Australia’s remote north-west.

Called the Asian Renewable Energy Hub, its size is difficult to conceptualize. If built in full, there will be 1,600 giant wind turbines and a 78 sq. km array of solar panels a couple of hundred kilometers east of Port Hedland in the Pilbara.

This solar-wind hybrid power plant would have a capacity of 26 gigawatts, more than Australia’s entire coal power fleet. The hub’s backers say the daytime sun and nightly winds blowing in from the Indian Ocean are perfectly calibrated to provide a near constant source of emissions-free energy around the clock.

(Renewable Energy World), Nov. 13, 2020 -With wildfires and public safety power shutoffs, it’s not that surprising to learn that California wineries are eyeing micro-grids as a way to boost their sustainability initiatives and also become more resilient.

EDF Renewables North America this week announced that sparkling wine company, Domaine Carneros, has asked it to design, build, and operate a resilient solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage micro-grid solution that can island the entire facility during a power outage.

The 250-kilowatt (kW) solar PV system will be a combination of carport and ground-mount installations integrated with a 280-kW / 540-kilowatt-hour (kWh) onsite behind-the-meter (BTM) battery storage solution. Along with its integrated electrical infrastructure and controls, the micro-grid system will allow the solar and storage to power the facility and maintain 100% of its operations during a power outage, reducing diesel fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and extend fuel reserves up to a week.

(Renewable Energy World), Nov. 12, 2020 -Using renewable electricity to convert water to hydrogen fuel is one answer for the energy storage needed for solar and wind power to reach their full potential. As prices and technology hurdles fall, supermajors are entering the sector.

Joe Biden has promised that the first day he is President, he will rejoin America to the Paris Climate Agreement. More than that, he can use the power of the presidency to drive the adoption of clean technologies, such as the hydrogen fuel projects that are now advancing worldwide.

Because the giant blades spinning in the wind and the fields of solar panels that are now part of our geography could be doing a lot more for us. When the electricity they generate doesn’t match moment-by-moment demand, it could power electrolyzers that split plain water into oxygen and “green” hydrogen – a fuel you can store for next week, and next season.

(Orsted)), Nov. 10, 2020 -The project, which is expected to be operational in 2024, will comprise a 50 Megawatt (MW) electrolyser system capable of generating one ton of renewable hydrogen per hour or almost 9,000 tons a year. This would be sufficient to replace approximately 20%of the refinery’s current fossil-based hydrogen consumption, avoiding around 80,000 tonnes CO2 equivalent emissions a year – equivalent to emissions from around 45,000 cars in Germany.

It is also intended to support a longer-term ambition to build more than 500MW of renewable hydrogen capacity at Lingen. This could provide renewable hydrogen to both meet all the refinery’s hydrogen demand and provide feedstock for future synthetic fuel production. The electrolyser is expected to be powered by an Ørsted North Sea offshore wind farm.

(ZME Science), Nov. 6, 2020 - We tend to think of fire mostly as something that engulfs wood, coal, petrol, and other flammables. It’s practical to do so — those are the things we burn when we need something to burn. But from a chemical point of view, almost everything burns, given the right conditions — including iron.

The Swinkels Family Brewers in the Netherlands has become the first business to use iron as a fuel for industrial application. It worked together with the Metal Power Consortium and researchers at TU Eindhoven to install a cyclical iron fuel system (more on that shortly) at its Brewery Bavaria, which is able to heat up around 15 million glasses of beer a year.

(News Break), Nov. 4, 2020 -Supported by Breakthrough Energy, the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Center will advance a sector that is key to meeting Europe’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions goal by 2050. EIT InnoEnergy the leading engine for innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable energy in Europe, today (November 4th) launched the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration...

(greener ideal), Nov. 3, 2020 -The US solar industry has seen a substantial boom period in the last several years.

Since 2010, we’ve seen a solar growth rate of 68%, thanks to advancements in PV technology, falling costs, and state government incentives that make solar investment a positive move for American homeowners.

But the advancement of solar holds benefits far beyond the financial and environmental. Solar has become one of the fastest growing employment industries in the nation, rising at a rate 17% higher than the US average.

(Renewable Energy World), Nov. 3, 2020 - This week, The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) announced that it has achieved net zero emissions and sourced 100% renewable electricity globally for its direct operations, reaching the target it set when it joined RE100. That is a global initiative seeking to bring corporations together to pledge to meet 100 % of their electricity with clean energy and set other sustainability goals.

Building upon this achievement, the company has also met its goal to set science-based emissions reduction targets for its direct operations and value chain.

(ZME Science), Oct. 27, 2020 -New research at Soochow University, China, is looking at how and why perovskite materials degrade — with the hope of engineering solar panels with much longer lives.

Perovskite panels aren’t the only type of solar panels out there, but they are very popular ones. They’re constructed around an active layer of perovskite, which forms crystal structures. Over time, stresses inside the material sandwich can create distortions in these crystals, which reduces their symmetry — essentially wearing them out. Environmental factors like sunlight or temperatures also degrade the layer.

The paper, together with a research update published in the journal APL Materials looked at the factors that influence the degradation of this layer, how degradation influences its performance, and examined possible approaches to making them more resilient.

(CleanTechnica), Oct. 27, 2020 -Researchers at the University of York in the UK, in collaboration with the NOVA University of Lisbon, say they have found a way to boost the output of solar cells by up to 125%. Regular readers know I am math challenged, so I am not going to get caught up in a discussion of what that claim actually means mathematically. Instead, I am going to let the abstract of their study, published recently by the journal Optica, speak for itself. [Note: the study is made available pursuant to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

There is a lot of technical information contained in that report, so if you are interested in the nuts and bolts of this discovery, feel free to delve deeper. The article is entitled “Light trapping in solar cells: simple design rules to maximize absorption” and is written by Kezheng Li, Sirazul Haque, Augusto Martins, Elvira Fortunato, Rodrigo Martins, Manuel J. Mendes, and Christian S. Schuster.

(Renewable Energy World), Oct. 23, 2020 -A new analysis by Rewiring America — a grant-funded non-profit — shows that transitioning to 100% clean energy would save Americans as much as $321 billion in energy costs. The report, No Place Like Home: Fighting Climate Change (and Saving Money) by Electrifying America’s Households by Drs. Saul Griffith and Sam Calisch, finds that the 100% clean energy transition would be mean up to $2,585 ?per year? in savings to each American household’s energy bills.

The report builds on an earlier analysis by Rewiring America that shows that clean energy electrification could create 25 million new jobs. Every zip code in the country would see employment gains.

Today the average American household spends approximately $4,470 per year on heating and cooling the home, generating hot water, and driving cars, according to the report. Transitioning away from fossil fuels and electrifying the U.S. economy – replacing fossil fuel-based machines with electric versions at every opportunity, and switching our electricity generation from dirty sources such as coal to clean ones such as rooftop solar – would provide significant savings to every American.

(ZME Science), Oct. 22, 2020 - Known as Sun Cable, the world’s largest solar farm will deploy a whooping 10-gigawatt-capacity of solar panels by 2026 in the Australian outback. The $20 billion mega energy project will take up about 12,000 hectares on a cattle station halfway between Alice Springs and Darwin.

Although some of this spectacular amount of energy will be enjoyed by Australians, most of it will be exported to Singapore, where it will meet 20% of the island state’s electricity demand. The project will also involve the longest power cable in the world, as well as the largest battery.

(Renewable Energy World), Oct. 20, 2020 -Today, SunBug Solar, a Massachusetts-based solar solutions provider, announced that it completed construction of a dual-use solar-terra photovoltaic system in Monson, Massachusetts. The design of the system allows the local landowner to harvest both sun from above and crops from below on land which has been in the family for three generations.

The system, dubbed “Million Little Sunbeams,” is the first operational dual-use agricultural photovoltaic (PV) system in the state, said SunBug.

(POWERGRID International), Oct. 16, 2020 -Gasoline-powered vehicles would become a thing of the past, and nine out of every 10 buildings in New Jersey would be heated and cooled by electricity instead of natural gas or oil, under an ambitious plan laid out Thursday by the state’s environmental regulators.

It is an effort so far-reaching and transformative of the way everyday life is lived in the state that its cost is sure to be great — so great that authorities did not even try to estimate it.

Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection released a report Thursday outlining the state’s progress in meeting goals to reduce the emission of planet-warming greenhouse gases.

Shawn LaTourette, the DEP’s deputy commissioner and chief of staff, predicted the plan would be attacked from the left and the right.

(Renewable Energy World), Oct. 15, 2020 -National Grid, through its competitive, non-regulated National Grid Ventures unit, today announced the launch of National Grid Renewables, the new brand name for its US renewable energy business which includes solar, onshore wind and battery storage. National Grid Renewables is focused on accelerating the clean energy transition through developing, owning and operating large-scale renewable energy assets across the United States.

“National Grid has a critical role to play in the acceleration of a cleaner energy future, which is why we’re pleased to be launching National Grid Renewables to further underscore our commitment to reaching net zero,” said Daniel Westerman, President, Renewable Energy for National Grid. “In addition to being positive for our planet, developing new renewable energy projects creates jobs and spurs economic development in communities across America. We look forward to expanding our positive social and environmental impact as we look ahead, all while delivering strong shareholder value.”

(ZME Science), Oct. 15, 2020 - Led by solar power, renewable energy could account for 80% of the growth in electricity generation over the next decade, according to a report by the IEA. It’s now consistently cheaper to generate electricity from the sun than by burning coal or natural gas in most countries, IEA said.

Maturing technologies and policies have significantly reduced the cost of solar power investments, making photovoltaic cells one of the cheapest sources of electricity. These energy systems can be used not only in large-scale solar parks but also in homes or businesses across the world.

Lisa Friedman,(ZME Science), Oct. 9, 2020 -Tech giants, major retailers and other corporate leaders are making investments in clean energy. The group collectively installed 1,286 megawatts (MW) of new commercial solar capacity in the United States in 2019, the second largest year on record according to the latest Solar Means Business report. The annual report, released by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), tracks both on-site and off-site installations and highlights the strong appeal of cost-saving solar energy for American businesses.

Apple and Amazon remain in first and second place when it comes to the top corporate solar users, followed by Walmart, which installed the most solar in 2019 and increased its solar use by 35%. This year was also the largest year yet for onsite commercial solar installations with 845 MW installed.

(CleanTechnica), Oct. 5, 2020 - A study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which is part of the US Department of Energy, suggests that if floating solar panels are deployed on the more than 379,000 hydro reservoirs globally, the resultant hybrid systems could generate anywhere from 16% to 40% of the world’s demand for electricity.

In a press release, the NREL says adding floating solar panels to bodies of water that are already home to hydropower stations could produce as much as 7.6 terawatts of potential power a year from the solar PV systems alone. That’s equivalent to 10,600?terawatt-hours of electricity annually. In comparison, global final electricity consumption was just over 22,300 terawatt-hours in 2018, the most recent year for which statistics are available, according to the International Energy Agency.

(Renewable Energy World), Sept. 30, 2020 -Yesterday, PepsiCo Inc. and REI Co-op announced major renewable energy commitments. PepsiCo now aims to source 100% renewable electricity across its company owned and controlled operations globally by 2030 and across its entire franchise and third-party operations by 2040. While REI Co-op announced that is has completed a 14-year commitment to be carbon neutral in its operations by 2020. REI Co-op also launched a new climate platform that will more than halve its carbon footprint over the next decade – even as the company anticipates future growth.

PepsiCo’s transition could reduce approximately 2.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040 according to the company. This announcement also builds on PepsiCo’s efforts to increase use of renewable energy sources and transition to renewable electricity in the U.S., under the Business Ambition for 1.5°C pledge, announced earlier this year. The company is also a part of RE100, an initiative led by the Climate Group.

(Renewable Energy World), Sept. 28, 2020 -The community project is comprised of 557kW of rooftop solar paired with 490kW four-hour Tesla Powerpack lithium-ion battery storage.

It is expected to provide the participants with approximately 10% savings on their monthly electricity bills over 25 years, as well as provide power to 12 Tesla electric vehicle charging stations.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority(NYSERDA) provided nearly $800,000 in support of project.

Installation was by IPPsolar and it is owned and operated by the property company Urstadt Biddle Properties.

(Renewable Energy World), Sept. 24, 2020 -It's the first virtual energy storage program in the US. StorageShares allows SMUD’s commercial customers to invest in an off-site battery storage system and enjoy energy cost savings without siting batteries at their facilities. In this newly launched pilot program, eligible commercial customers make an up-front payment to SMUD for program participation; in exchange, they receive a monthly on-bill credit. SMUD bundles the investments from program participants with its own capital, procures a battery, and installs it in a location that optimizes grid benefits.

The program provides guaranteed savings to the customer without impacting their business operations, imposing maintenance obligations, or requiring physical space at their business for a battery system. All SMUD customers benefit from the Energy StorageShares program because SMUD’s costs are reduced through peak demand reduction and deferral of distribution system investments.

(Renewable Energy World), Sept. 25, 2020 -Entergy Corp. will collaborate with Mitsubishi Power on bringing decarbonization projects to the utility’s businesses in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

A major part of the collaboration will be focused on hydrogen-fueled technologies. Hydrogen does not contain a carbon atom and can be produced via electrolysis fueled by renewable or carbon-free nuclear resources.

“For two decades, sustainability has been a priority for Entergy,” said Paul Hinnenkamp, Entergy’s Chief Operating Officer and executive vice president. “We have pledged to conduct our business in a manner that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable that will benefit all our stakeholders...

(Science News), -Sept. 15, 2020, For a Game Boy doppelgänger, “batteries not included” is a perk, not a problem.

The prototype handheld game console, built by researchers at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, harvests enough energy from key smashing and sunlight to run games like Tetris and Super Mario Land.

Such a battery-free setup, presented September 15 at the virtual UbiComp conference, could one day help curb electronic waste from handheld games and other mobile devices.

(CBC News), -Sept. 15, 2020, As the Canadian government puts the finishing touches on a national hydrogen strategy designed to kickstart the budding sector, some experts say one of the vital ingredients for the industry to flourish is to build more pipelines.

While pipelines are often associated with moving oil and natural gas, they are equally important for the developing cleaner sources of fuel like hydrogen, according to Maggie Hanna, a fellow at the Energy Futures Lab.

After a 30-year career in the oilpatch as a geologist, Hanna's focus is now on technology and innovation.

(Renewable Energy World), -Sept. 14, 2020, Walmart Inc. and Schneider Electric last week announced a new collaboration that will provide increased access to renewable energy for Walmart’s U.S.-based suppliers. The initiative, called the Gigaton PPA (GPPA) Program, is designed to educate Walmart suppliers about renewable energy purchases and accelerate renewable energy adoption by participating suppliers through aggregate power purchase agreements (PPA).

While corporate renewable energy procurement is on the rise, the overall number of companies involved is still relatively low, with just over 100 unique companies participating in the U.S. renewable energy market since 2008, according to the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance Deal Tracker. Some of the challenges to accessing renewable energy experienced by smaller companies include a lack of size needed to approach the market individually, insufficient education on the specific mechanics of renewable energy transactions and guidance on how to secure renewable energy.

(Renewable Energy World), -Sept. 9, 2020, A run-of-river hydroelectric power station, photovoltaic installation and battery storage system have been combined to provide facilities in the Patagonia National Park with electricity from renewable energy sources, according to a press release from Tesvolt.

The park, an important nature conservation project, was established by the founder of North Face, Douglas Tompkins, and his wife Kristine, previously chief executive officer of the outdoor clothing company Patagonia. The aim of their foundation, Tompkins Conservation, is to re-wild the region after decades of heavy overgrazing and desertification.

Patagonia National Park in Argentina and Chile encompasses over 300,000 hectares of grassland plateaus, forests, wetlands and alpine regions. It is located an enormous distance from the nearest public utility grid.

(ZME SCIENCE), -Sept. 4, 2020, Wind and solar have doubled their share of global electricity generation since the Paris Climate Agreement was signed in 2015, reaching almost 10% in the first half of the year, according to a new report.

Nevertheless, it’s still not yet enough to meet the climate targets and sustained action is needed further on.

The energy consultancy Ember looked at 48 countries that make up more than 80% of the global electricity production. Wind and solar generation rose by 14% in the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2019, according to the report.

(Renewable Energy World), -Sept. 3, 2020, According to data by BloombergNEF (BNEF), photovoltaics (PV) was the main new power-generating technology source in countries ranging from Australia, to India, Italy, Namibia, Uruguay and the U.S., in 2019. With a record 118 gigawatt (GW) constructed, PV topped all other technologies in new-build terms and was the most popular technology deployed in a third of nations.

Overall, 81 countries built at least 1 megawatt (MW) of solar during the last calendar year and solar accounted for nearly half of all new power generation capacity constructed worldwide.

These findings are highlighted in BNEF’s new Power Transition Trends 2020 report and online tool, which tracks detailed capacity and generation data over the past decade. Both are based on country-level data compiled by BNEF analysts directly from primary country sources, current through 2019.

power-grid.com, Aug. 26, 2020 -A well-placed battery has the potential to ease electric grid congestion, bolster resilience, and even postpone costly utility equipment upgrades.

Owners of energy storage systems are rarely compensated for all of that value, though, because most states simply haven’t calculated what it’s worth.

N.H. regulators will take a step toward fixing that problem as a new state law calls for them to study how energy storage projects might be made whole for the benefits they provide to the state’s electric grid.

Renewable Energy World, Aug. 24, 2020 -Europe has recently sailed past one of the major milestones of any major energy transformation program. London-based Ember has published a report outlining that renewables now account for a greater share of the energy mix than fossil fuels, and are now firmly the EU’s main source of electricity. In the first half of 2020, just 34% of Europe’s power came from coal, gas and oil, versus the 40% that came directly from solar, wind and hydro sources. Use of renewable energy also went up by over a tenth during that same period, and carbon dioxide emissions fell by nearly a quarter.

The UK, also exposed to the favorable weather conditions that have driven Europe’s recent successes, has much to shout about. The Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), also known as Westminster’s “energy bible,” documents forensic detail on British energy use. The latest report, published towards the end of July, revealed that the UK has broken yet more records, with 37.1% of all energy generated throughout 2019 coming from renewable sources..

greener ideal, Aug. 21, 2020 -We humans have had deleterious effects on the world’s oceans. From industrial runoff to plastic waste, human activity is a major contributor to the collapse in the marine environment. These pollutants not only endanger life in the oceans but have direct impacts on human health as well.

Emerging green technologies and changing perspectives on waste and pollution are mitigating that impact, and one of the leading technologies is solar power. Here are three major ways solar power is helping the world’s oceans to recover.

CleanTechnica , Aug.15, 2020 -He describes the current state of energy as if we were on the edge of a precipice. “As this week demonstrated, either we seize the suddenly vivid possibilities for a rapid energy transformation, or we watch the world disintegrate,” Bill McKibben outlines.

He’s the founder of 350.org, a prolific environmental writer, an oft-cited spokesperson for the climate action community, and a renewable energy futurist. He’s asked us to imagine the Earth as a planet — with darkpoles and belching volcanoes and a heaving, corrosive sea, a place raked by winds and strafed by storms and scorched by heat.

And now he says we can make that planet’s reality a hospitable place for future human habitation starting today. That is, if we grasp onto pragmatics where renewables power the planet. To do so, he beckons us to develop a stronger sense of social trust, a collaboration toward the common good through energy awareness and advocacy.

Aug. 7, 2020,(OilPrice,com)-Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, has been stealing the spotlight from EVs and renewables lately. From a sort of boutique car fuel a couple of decades ago, hydrogen has evolved into one of the clean energy priorities for the future. And this future may be quite bright for it as prices for its production from renewable sources of energy are set to halve. A study commissioned by the International Council on Clean Transportation has found that the average price for a kilo of hydrogen produced through electrolysis using solar or wind power will fall by about 50 percent between 2020 and 2050 in the United States and Europe.

The stuffy examines three scenarios based on whether the electrolyzer—the installation that breaks down water into hydrogen and oxygen—is connected to the grid, to a renewable electricity generator, or is grid-connected but serves as a storage facility. It also looks into three renewable power generation technologies, including utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and offshore wind.

Aug. 4, 2020,(Energy Central)-The state trailed only California in the number of houses of worship with solar installations in operation last year.

Houses of worship in Massachusetts are increasing their adoption of solar power, a trend that advocates say can both influence community attitudes toward renewable electricity and help more low-income households take advantage of the benefits of clean energy.

At least 64 houses of worship in Massachusetts had solar installations in operation last year, a 14% increase from 2017 and second only to California, according to a report from Interfaith Power and Light.

(Renewable Energy World), by Jay Dauenhauer -Sept. 4, 2020, I don’t mean to pick favorites, but geothermal is definitely near the top. It is renewable, base-load, and potentially abundant.

The problem is that we have only been accessing geothermal energy where there is naturally occurring underground water and geology to allow it to pass.

Enhanced Geothermal Systems artificially add water and fractures to the geology to create far more geothermal potential.

July 19, 2020,(CleanTechnica ) -Scientists at the KIT Energy Center at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology say there is enough lithium dissolved in the groundwater extracted by German geothermal heating and electricity installations to meet the needs of most if not all of the battery manufacturers in the country. “As far as we know, there can be up to 200 milligrams per liter,” says geoscientist Dr. Jens Grimmer of the Institute of Applied Geosciences at KIT. “If we consistently use this potential, we could cover a considerable part of the demand in Germany.”

The implications are enormous.

May 1, 2020 (Renewable Energy World) - The University of Utah and Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) announced FORGE Solicitation 2020-1.

This is the first formal call for research proposals on enhanced geothermal system technologies from the FORGE program. Up to 18 awards are anticipated for up to a total of $46,000,000 and each award has a maximum period of performance of three years.

The topic areas for technology testing and evaluations, their maximum potential funding and potential number of awards can be viewed in the article.

Apr. 24, 2020 (Energy Central) - There is a virtually limitless supply of energy right beneath us: geothermal heat. The Earth’s core holds heat that radiates out to the subsurface. This heat can be harnessed for a variety of uses including electricity generation, heating and cooling of buildings, and other industrial and hybrid applications. Geothermal energy is clean, safe, and renewable. Because geothermal electricity is reliable, always-on energy, it is an excellent match for a grid replete with intermittent renewables like wind and solar energy.

Geothermal technologies have been employed for over one hundred years. But while wind and solar energy have grown rapidly over the past few decades, geothermal has struggled to scale up beyond niche applications. Geothermal energy’s relatively slow growth can be attributed to a combination of unmet technical challenges and policy barriers, and an inability to fully leverage state and federal renewable energy policies that have boosted wind and solar energy’s growth.

Dec. 13, 2019  (InvestorIdeas)- The UK's geothermal potential has been known for decades. While high cost and fears over its connection to seismic activity have historically made investors wary, a new push for the resource is on the horizon.

GlobalData's power technology writer Scarlett Evans says: "BGS researchers joined geologists from across the country in a report published in Petroleum Geoscience, which urges energy providers to turn their focus to this untapped resource, labelling geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage, and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage as ‘critical' to moving the UK towards its target.

"Previous geothermal projects have failed to get off the ground due to financial issues, yet reasons to pursue the resource remain as strong as ever. Dependent on a more consistent source than that of solar or wind, geothermal plants operate more than 90% of the time and use far less land per MW than other renewables. As the BGS report says, with 99.9% of the planet at a temperature greater than 100°C, geothermal is a renewable resource with great potential."

Aug. 13, 2019 (inhabitat)) -The Polish city of Lublin will soon be home to an environmentally friendly bus station that not only offers a new and attractive public space, but also combats urban air pollution. Designed by Polish architectural firm Tremend, the Integrated Intermodal Metropolitan Station in Lublin will be built near the train station and aims to revitalize the area around the railway station. The contemporary design, combined with its environmental focus and green features, earned the project a spot on World Architecture Festival’s World Building of the Year shortlist.

Aug. 9, 2019 (Renewable Energy World) -South Australian energy storage company 1414 Degrees and Stone & Wood Brewing Company have agreed to undertake a feasibility study for the integration of 1414 Degrees’ electrically charged Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS-IND).

If it goes ahead, the 10MWh system will be installed at the brewer’s Murwillumbah brewery in northern New South Wales.

Stone & Wood is actively scoping innovative and more sustainable energy solutions and 1414 Degrees’ says its TESS-IND can provide reliable heat sourced from renewables on the grid.

July 29, 2019 (Renewable Energy World)) -Last week, Corvias announced that it had entered the final phase of its geothermal installation and energy upgrades effort at the U.S. Army’s Fort Polk in West-Central Louisiana, a milestone that once complete will not only modernize the aging infrastructure but save the Army significant money and benefit military families.

Part of the U.S. Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI), a program through which the Department of Defense works with the private sector to revitalize military family housing, the work includes the installation of geothermal heat pumps and ENERGY STAR electric and water saving devices. All upgrades associated with this project, which began in 2018, are slated to be completed in early 2020 and will significantly reduce the community’s carbon footprint, said Corvias.

Geothermal Social Council, Jan. 18, 2019 -Some Gisborne power bills could be about to fall by more than $300 a year, following the commissioning of a new $136m geothermal power plant.

First initiated in 2011, Eastland Group’s 25 MW geothermal power plant, Te Ahi O Maui, became operational in October last year after building started in earnest in 2017.

Now, Eastland Group chief executive Matt Todd said the Kawerau-based power plant\’s performance, combined with the group’s ongoing investment in innovative electricity retailer Flick Electric Co, meant Eastland Group and Flick Electric had been able to announce a new electricity product for Tairawhiti: FIXIE by Flick.

Geothermal Social Council, Jan. 15, 2019 -The power plant is owned and operated by Zorlu Energy, a major Turkish contractor, investor and industrial holding company. Kizildere-3, Turkey’s largest geothermal power plant, is one of the world’s only triple-flash plus combined-cycle configuration geothermal plants — an arrangement that combines two well-known types of technology to increase efficiency. With the addition of this 165 MW geothermal plant to Turkey’s generation fleet, the country can further reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Aljzeera, Dec. 8, 2018 -Geothermal power comprises about 43% of Kenya’s electricity supply, even as millions of Kenyans still depend on trees to make charcoal.

As climate talks proceed in Poland at the ongoing COP24 summit, the East African nation’s efforts are an example to the world’s big emitters.

(CleanTechnica), Nov. 29, 2020 -At first glance, the idea of an e-bike ambulance sounds absurd. Where would the patient go? How does this get an injured or dying person from wherever they are too much needed hospital care? In cities, congestion is a major issue for ambulances, often causing long delays before EMS personnel can get to the patient. By sending somebody ahead who can cut through congestion, care can begin much faster, greatly upping their chances of survival.

To make this possible, Wunderman Thompson and Ecox teamed up to build custom e-bikes in Paris. With a lot of insulated onboard storage space, there’s room for critical medical supplies that can be used to stabilize a patient while waiting for the full ambulance to arrive. According to the video, the bike can often arrive at the patient’s address twice as fast as the ambulance, and in the event of major traffic problems or disasters, many times faster.

(CleanTechnica), Nov. 28, 2020 -The Xiongan Railway Station is a new train station in China that is the largest in Asia, covering 680,000 square meters. It’s 2020, so, naturally, the train station is covered in solar panels — 6 megawatts (MW) worth of them.

The large rooftop solar system is expected to create 5.8 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year for the train station.

Mibet Energy provided the rooftop solar power system, including a steel tracking system. This seems to extend beyond the company’s normal work, as it is primarily a rack and tracker supplier. “This project has tested our overall ability, including sales, design, technical support, teamwork, manufacturing, logistics control, and etc.,” Leo Lin, the domestic sales director of Mibet Energy, said.”Mibet has been proved capable to meet requirements of customers in such a complex environment.”

(INHABITAT), Nov. 26, 2020 -The Fiat 500 3+1 electric car is designed to attract customers who want a smart, sustainable ride that blends style and functionality. The addition of a third door is practical, and the car features the same Fiat 500 aesthetic. Best of all, the electric vehicle capabilities are a big win for the planet.

For the interior, Fiat chose a warm and soft color pallet on the interior textiles to emphasize a stronger bond with nature. Eco-friendly and recyclable materials are featured as well. Seats are made from a combination of vegan leather and Seaqual fiber derived from recycled plastic, some of which was collected from the ocean. Additionally, chrome replacement paints and mats are made of recycled fibers, and components of the dashboard are made of wood.

(ZME Science), Nov. 13, 2020 -What if you could reach airplane speed in a train? It sounds far fetched, but it’s exactly the concept that Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) is working on, and it seems to be going well. The institute has just announced a working proof-of-size model that can reach a whopping 620 mph (or 1000 km/h).

The official plans started in 2017. “We hope to create an ultra-fast train, which will travel inside a state-of-the-art low-pressure tube at lightning speeds, in the not-too-distant future,” a KRRI official said at the time. The goal was to create a train system capable of reaching speeds double those of magnetic levitation (maglev) trains, which can currently travel at around 500km/h. Now, the first results have been announced.

Click now track what's happening.

(Green Car Journal), Nov. 10, 2020 -Widely recognized as the most important environmental awards in the automotive field, the Green Car Awards recognize 30 of the best-and-brightest ‘green’ models of the year and 6 stand-out vehicles driving away with Green Car Journal’s 2021 Green Car Awards.

Green Car Journal’s Green Car Awards, the annual awards program honoring the year’s most standout new ‘green’ models, was presented at the Virtual Greenbuild Conference + Expo in November this year. The 2021 virtual awards program was an innovation during an unusual year, amid the postponement and cancellation of international auto shows where the Green Car Awards typically take place.

(CleanTechnica), Nov. 9, 2020 -Last week, Volvo Trucks announced that its full range of heavy duty trucks and haulers would be available with battery-electric drive trains as early as next year. The move is seen as a massive step towards eliminating fossil-fuel use throughout Europe, and a realization of Volvo’s commitment to be a fully “climate-neutral” company by 2040.

They are currently running real-world tests of battery-electric FH, FM, and FMX model heavy duty trucks and semis, as well as the more familiar (to US eyes, anyway) Mack-branded versions of these trucks. And, keep in mind, these are big trucks. Some have a gross combination vehicle weight rating of over 40 tons, and would feature a driving range of nearly 200 miles between charges.

(Green Car Reports)), Nov. 4, 2020 -Kandi America announced Tuesday that the lowest-priced of its two small, Chinese-made electric cars has been EPA certified and cleared for California roads, and the company is preparing to start deliveries in the state.

Considering both the federal EV tax credit and Kandi’s eligibility for the state’s $2,000 incentive, the K27 has an effective cost of just $7,999, the company reported.

In September, The Company updated its website to include estimated EPA-cycle numbers, with an expected 59-mile range from the 17.7-kwh battery pack. It lists a seven-hour charge time on 240V AC (Level 2). The K27 isn't for everyone, though. While it appears to be certified as a full-fledged passenger car, it can only reach 63 mph.

(CleanTechnica), Nov. 3, 2020 -In an obvious swipe at General Motors, whose first battery electric vehicle to feature its Ultium batteries will be a $112,000 Hummer, Ford’s latest CEO, Jim Farley, told analysts yesterday on a conference call the electric vehicles coming from his company will be cars ordinary people can buy.

“We are not going after the $100,000-plus market. These are affordable vehicles,” he said.

When will they go on sale? That is a matter of intense speculation. The first all electric car from Ford will be the Mustang Mach-E, an SUV about the size of their Edge. That car is expected to find its way into the hands of private owners before the end of this year. With a starting price of $43,995, it will cost less than a Tesla Model Y, although the current Model Y has dual motors while the entry level Mach-E will have one. The Mach-E is expected to have a range of 300 miles while the Model Y can travel about 22 miles further without recharging. Fully optioned versions of the Mach-E are expected to sell for around $65,000.

(Luxury Launches), Oct. 23, 2020 -The only way to progress sometimes is by delving into the past. That’s exactly what Wallenius Marine,a shipbuilding company out of Sweden, is doing with Oceanbird taking cues from aviation and the old-fashioned way of seafaring. Call it an outsized sailboat, but this could be the way to move ahead in a sustainability-driven world.

This futuristic transatlantic car carrier holds 7,000 vehicles; the 650 foot-long vessel is a similar size to conventional car carriers, but it will look radically different with five wing sails that stand 80 meters high, replacing traditional fabric sails. Oceanbird will be the world’s largest wind-powered vessel, promising an average speed of 10 knots, making it capable of traveling across the ocean with a total journey time of 12 days which when compared to a carrier powered by fossil fuel takes only four days long and emits 90 percent less CO2 in the journey.

This is a groundbreaking step towards bettering the environment as maritime freight transport counts for 10 percent of trade in the whole world.

(POWERGRID International), Oct. 21, 2020 -Seven auto companies have plans to roll out new battery-powered pickup trucks over the next two years, aiming to cash in on a popular and lucrative market for expensive vehicles.

General Motors is among them, and on Tuesday its GMC brand introduced a new electric Hummer pickup, with a high-end version due in showrooms sometime in the fall of next year.

The Hummer will be joined by crosstown rival Ford’s electric F-150, Tesla’s Cybertruck and pickups from four startup companies. All intend to start producing them between June of next year and the end of 2022.

Prices announced thus far show they range from roughly $40,000 for a base Cybertruck to a loaded off-road Hummer “Edition 1” that will start at more than $112,000.

(ZME Science), Oct. 19, 2020 -Pick a region of the globe — any region. There’s a 95% chance electric cars in that area will be greener than petrol cars, even if the electricity comes from fossil fuels. In some areas, the difference is already huge.

The sale of electric cars is taking off in the world. Places like Scandinavia, China, California, or Japan are leading the way, but the rest of the world is also catching up. It’s a bumpy road, however, and misleading myths aren’t helping.

A particularly pervasive myth is that electric cars aren’t really that eco-friendly, that they produce more emissions than regular old cars. But while electric cars have their own environmental concerns (especially in regards to the elements in their batteries), when it comes to emissions at least, electric cars are almost always better. A study recently published in Nature clearly shows it.

(CleanTechnica), -Oct. 2, 2020 Tesla has released its 3rd quarter production and delivery numbers. The total figures for both production and deliveries were new quarterly records for the company — and by far.

The previous quarterly delivery record was 112,000 vehicles, in the 4th quarter of 2019. Last quarter’s 139,300 deliveries were more than 27,000 units higher.

(POWERGRID International), Sept. 28, 2020 -This week, September 26-October 4, 2020 is the tenth annual National Drive Electric Week, a coast-to-coast celebration of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States. Due to covid-19, more than 100 events planned for the week are virtual but there are plenty of in-person events, too.

The goal of Drive Electric Week is to highlight the environmental, health, and consumer benefits of clean plug-in vehicles. It’s hosted by Plug In America, Sierra Club, and Electric Auto Association.

“The need for clean vehicles and clean air is more evident than ever. This drive plays a major role in educating people about rebates, charging, and any other questions that people may have about EVs, in busting misconceptions, and in getting people who are charged up about EVs to spread the enthusiasm. This year looks different as we prioritize keeping people safe during the COVID pandemic and expanding EV education online, but the enthusiasm around electric vehicles and their benefits remains the same,” said Hieu Le, campaign representative with the .

(ZME SCIENCE), -Sept. 30, The company has announced in a blog post that it successfully completed the testing of the technology that will underpin its range of electric airplanes. The testing was part of Rolls-Royce’s ACCEL initiative, which aims to “build the fastest all-electric plane the world has ever seen”.

The testing didn’t involve a proper aircraft, but rather a full-scale model of the front part of the ionBird — which is what Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited has christened their future plane.

Still, the model included all the bits that needed testing. The electric engine developed around 500 horsepower, requiring 6,000 lithium-ion energy cells to do so. All in all, they store enough energy to fly the plane for around 320 km (~200 miles) at 480 km/h (~300 mph). To put things into perspective, the company explains that is roughly enough power to supply 250 houses, although they do not say for how long.

(Renewable Energy World), Sept. 23, 2020 -Elon Musk just presented a new battery design for electric vehicle (EV) giant, Tesla, during the company’s long-awaited event “Tesla Battery Day.”

The presentation began with the introduction of a new 4680 cylindrical cell design, also known as “tabless” batteries. This design will allow for five times the energy, six times the power with a 16 percent range increase, and will replace the current cobalt in their batteries.

Musk believes that the conditions in cobalt mining violates human rights, thus enforcing the replacement. Manufacturing has begun on these cells at the company’s pilot 10-gigawatt (GW) power production facility in California. The cell factory change alone enables a 14 percent cost per kilowatt hour (KWh) reduction, according to the company.

(CleanTechnica), -Sept. 21, 2020, The thought that a Tesla produces more CO2 than a Mercedes C-Class with a diesel engine is laughable, but that was the conclusion of a misleading and misguided study published in 2019 in Germany and covered even on engineering and tech news sites. Not only is this clearly incorrect on the surface; it has been proven false by a recent study explaining that electric vehicles last longer than initially expected and are much greener than fossil-fueled cars.

“A Tesla Model 3 currently emits 65% less CO2 than a Mercedes C-Class,” Auke Hoekstra, co-author of the study, said.

In this study, conducted by researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology, the researchers discovered that electric vehicle batteries last much longer than originally thought. Also, unlike what some believe, the production of the battery leads to significantly less CO2 than simplistic studies like the one referenced at the top have assumed — all of the CO2 emissions of an EV are less than half of that of ICE cars.

(CleanTechnica), -Sept. 20, 2020, There are 480,000 school buses in America, making them the largest fleet of commercial vehicles in the nation. By comparison, there are just 96,000 public transit buses, 35,000 intra-city buses, 7,400 airplanes, and 1,200 railway passenger cars. Now imagine all those school buses were electrics, equipped with batteries of about 150 kWh, and they all could be connected to the electrical grid using V2G technology. Consider that all those buses are only in service for a few hours a day, leaving their batteries available to supply electricity to the grid the majority of the day. Holy education, Batman! We now have the mother of all virtual power plants!

Nuvve Corporation, headquartered in San Diego, has partnered with Blue Bird, America’s largest school bus supplier, to bring electric school buses equipped with its vehicle to grid technology to school systems across America.

(CleanTechnica), -Sept. 15, 2020, With home/rooftop solar, a growing number of EV drivers are doing most of their driving on home-generated solar power. Solar panels mounted on vehicles themselves, on the other hand, have been the subject of well-deserved skepticism. But is this skepticism still well deserved in 2020?.

While directly powering a vehicle’s electric motor with on-vehicle panels is still pretty far out of the question (outside of very impractical experimental cars), using relatively low-power solar cells to charge a battery shows a lot more promise. Universities and companies with fairly deep pockets have been experimenting with battery-solar vehicles for decades, with some fairly good progress recently.

(Renewable Energy World), -Sept. 14, 2020, The largest electric vehicle infrastructure project in Minnesota’s history is getting underway as installations begin for a network of 22 fast-charging stations along major state highways.

The fast chargers can fully charge an electric vehicle in 30 to 40 minutes, substantially faster than the more common Level 2 chargers. They’re being installed by ZEF Energy as part of a state effort to build out a fast-charging network outside of the Twin Cities metro area, where a robust network already exists.

The $1.7 million initiative used money from the state’s share of the Volkswagen emissions cheating settlement, which is being managed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

(POWERGRID International), -Aug. 28, 2020,According to data released last month by the China Electric Charging Infrastructure Promotion, as of the end of July 2020, members of the Alliance reported that 566,000 public charging stations had been installed and put into service across the country, among which 326,000 are AC, 240,000 are DC, while 488 come equipped with both AC and DC capabilities.

From August 2019 to July 2020, the number of new public charging stations installed per month averaged just about 10,000 units.

In July 2020, the total charging power of all stations across China had reached some 670 million kWh, representing a year on year increase of 52.4 percent. The figure rose by 70 million kWh or 11.6 per cent from the prior month.

ZME SCIENCE, Aug. 18, 2020 -Vehicle electrification across the US could prevent hundreds to thousands of premature deaths annually, while also reducing CO2 emissions by hundreds of millions of tons. Taken together, these effects would prevent substantial economic damages, according to a new study.

Researchers from Northwestern University combined climate modeling with public health data to assess the impact electric vehicles (EV) can have on US lives and the economy. If EVs replace 25% of combustion-engine cars, the country would save $17 billion annually by avoiding damages from air pollution and climate change.

CleanTechnica , Aug. 15, 2020 -CrossWater is an autonomous, electrically-powered floating horizontal elevator designed to traverse bodies of water safely and comfortably. Imagine if people in New Jersey didn’t need to cross the George Washington Bridge or use the Lincoln Tunnel to get to Manhattan every day. Instead, they could go down to the banks of the Hudson River and be whisked across in a matter of minutes. Pair the CrossWater with bicycle sharing on both sides of the river and millions of trips by car could be eliminated every year.

Aug. 11, 2020,(CleanTechnica)-A new electric trolley began operating in Estes Park, Colorado in July, with a second on the way in 2021.

Motiv Power Systems, based in California, provided the all-electric chassis and collaborated with Wisconsin-based Hometown Trolley, the company that designed and constructed the body. Estes Park is a little over 60 miles northwest of Denver and is near the eastern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. This small town has a population of about 6,300, but the national park has several million visitors annually. Motiv’s Chairman and CEO, Matt O’Leary, answered some questions about the trolley for CleanTechnica.

Aug. 10, 2020,(CleanTechnica)-For those of who tend to think of Nikola as being pretty much a joke, it may be time to rethink that position. Construction of the company’s first factory is proceeding apace in Arizona, where it expects to produce 35,000 heavy duty electric trucks a year.

And it announced on August 10 that it has signed an agreement with Phoenix-based Republic Services for 2,500 zero emissions all electric refuse trucks, with the possibility of 2,500 more at a later time. Republic is the second largest refuse hauler in the United States.

Aug. 4, 2020,(CleanTechnica)-General Motors? CEO Mary Barra announced July 31 that her company is partnering with EVgo?, the largest EV charging network in the US, to add 2,700 fast chargers in 40 cities across America over the next 5 years. They will install the new charging stations at grocery stores, retail outlets, entertainment centers and other high-traffic areas. These are places where people typically spend 15 to 30 minutes, GM said, allowing them time to charge their vehicles while they run their errands.

The new EVgo fast charging stations will be available to customers starting early next year and will be located in highly visible areas. All drivers will be welcome, not just those who own GM electric vehicles. Most locations will be able to charge at least four vehicles simultaneously.

Aug. 4, 2020,(Energy Central)-Sandy Munro has done ultra-detailed teardowns and reverse-engineering of Telsa cars. He describes how the thermal management used in the Tesla Model Y is vastly superior to other carmakers.

This enables Tesla to have superior range. CEO Rahul Sonnad of Tesloop is using Telsa cars to take passengers to Las Vegas. They have been driven over 750,000 miles. Sandy thinks that battery day news will likely reveal new battery technology. This could be the Maxwell drycell technology or something solid-state. Elon said Tesla is open to supply software (autopilot), powertrain and batteries to other automakers.

Aug. 3, 2020,(Sarasota Herald Tribune)-Sarasota’s most famous test pilot is on a mission to reduce, and maybe eliminate, fossil fuels from air travel.

And 48-year-old Miguel Iturmendi, best known for his record-setting work with the world’s fastest and highest-flying glider, is confident the revolution will begin in his lifetime.

“There are other electrical airplanes, but none of them go into the stratosphere, and none of them recharge their batteries while they fly,” he says from inside a hangar at Payerne Air Base in western Switzerland. “And none of them come back with more power, with more juice, than when they left the ground.

July 29, 2020,(POWERGRID INTERNATIONAL )-Electric vehicle sales have grown exponentially in recent years, accompanied by dropping prices. However, adoption of EVs remains limited by their higher sticker price relative to comparable gas vehicles, even though overall cost of ownership for EVs is lower.

EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles are likely to reach sticker price parity sometime in the next decade. The timing hinges on one crucial factor: battery cost. An EV’s battery pack accounts for about a quarter of total vehicle cost, making it the most important factor in the sales price.

Battery pack prices have been falling fast. A typical EV battery pack stores 10-100 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. For example, the Mitsubishi i-MIEV has a battery capacity of 16 kWh and a range of 62 miles, and the Tesla model S has a battery capacity of 100 kWh and a range of 400 miles. In 2010, the price of an EV battery pack was over $1,000 per kWh. That fell to $150 per kWh in 2019. The challenge for the automotive industry is figuring out how to drive the cost down further.

July 20, 2020,(POWERGRID INTERNATIONAL)-Late last week, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a package of major clean transportation initiatives, including a “Make Ready” order approved by the New York State Public Service Commission to advance New York’s commitment to accelerate its transition to cleaner mobility.

After decades of work removing carbon from the power (electricity) sector, the transportation sector is now responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. New York has a plan to decarbonize transportation, which includes a target of reducing emissions 85% by 2050. The state was also part of the recently announced MOU with 14 other states and DC to work on making all sales of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles zero emission vehicles by 2050 in partnership with NASCUM.

See also the article below this one.

July 15, 2020,(POWERGRID INTERNATIONAL)-This week, 15 states and the District of Columbia announced a joint memorandum of understanding (MOU), committing to advance and accelerate the market for electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including large pickup trucks and vans, delivery trucks, box trucks, school and transit buses and long-haul delivery trucks (big-rigs). The goal is to ensure that 100% of all new medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales be zero emission vehicles by 2050 with an interim target of 30% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2030.

States signing the MOU are California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

July 1, 2020,(Renewable Energy World) -Transportation accounts for nearly 70% of U.S. oil consumption and 28% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it a prime target for technological improvements that can reduce emissions and combat climate change. Electrification of the transportation sector represents one of the highest impact strategies to help achieve that goal.

Demand is rapidly growing for electrics due to long-term cost savings, tax incentives, declining battery costs, and environmental awareness. In 2020, it is anticipated that 2.7% of global passenger vehicle sales will be for EVs. That percentage is expected to grow rapidly – to 10% in 2025, 28 % in 2030 and more than half of all vehicle sales in 2040. In that year, more than 30% of passenger vehicles on the road worldwide will be electric. Even stronger gains are expected in electric buses, delivery vans and trucks, mopeds, scooters, and motorcycles.

June 17, 2020,(University of Birmingham) -The UK’s first hydrogen-powered train (HydroFLEX) is moving closer to commercial operation after the University of Birmingham has been awarded new funding by the Department for Transport.

The grant, worth £400,000, is part of InnovateUK’s First of a Kind (FOAK) Program. It will enable the HydroFLEX development team at the University of Birmingham and industry partners Porterbrook to develop the detailed final production design and testing of the HydroFLEX train

June 12, 2020,( CleanTechnica ) -Ellen, Denmark’s first all-electric ferry, entered revenue service in September last year. The electric ferry trial was supported by the Horizon 2020 program funded by the European Union, so of course the backers wanted to know if Ellen met all the program criteria. The results are now in and the answer is a resounding yes. After 10 months in service, the electric ferry has met or exceeded all expectations. In addition, it has proven that electric propulsion costs less than diesel power.

An electric ferry is a lot like an electric car. It costs a little more in the beginning but pays for itself with reduced fuel and maintenance costs over its lifetime. Reduced carbon emissions are a welcome bonus as well.

June 8, 2020,(ScienceDaily) -Washington State University researchers have made a key advance in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) that could make the highly energy-efficient and low-polluting technology a more viable alternative to gasoline combustion engines for powering cars.

Led by PhD graduate Qusay Bkour and Professor Su Ha in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, the researchers have developed a unique and inexpensive nanoparticle catalyst that allows the fuel cell to convert logistic liquid fuels such as gasoline to electricity without stalling out during the electrochemical process.

The research, featured in the journal, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, could result in highly efficient gasoline-powered cars that produce low carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming.

June 6, 2020,(CleanTechnica) -It’s long been the case that one of the top challenges to electrification of transport has been lack of models. Consumers like diversity, so the market needs to offer diversity. This is also true in less consumer-focused markets, for a different mixture of reasons. The good news out of the US and Canada is that the number of available and announced zero-emission truck, bus, and off-road equipment models is expected to increase 78% in 2020 — comparing the end of 2020 to the end of 2019.

“By the end of 2020, there will be 169 different zero-emission (ZE) medium- and heavy-duty vehicle models in commercial production compared to 95 models in 2019,” CALSTART reports.

June 6, 2020,(CleanTechnica) -Tesla Giga Berlin, like a seed sprouting, now has steel, dust, and concrete. These three items may not seem like much, but these are the tendrils of a new seed of success planted in Germany, one that is taking root.

This buildout is probably more comparable to GF1 and will likely take shape in a very similar fashion. If I recall, GF1 excavated their footings, which is handy as you don’t need to form them if the soil is competent enough not to slough, but it looks like a lot of sand here, so no such luck.

This person thinks that the buildout process is more comparable to Gigafactory 1’s in Nevada than Gigafactory 3’s in Shanghai, China. It will likely be similarly shaped, he or she assumes.

June 1, 2020 (CleanTechnica-Story by Jesper Berggreen) - A couple of months ago I introduced you to a UK company that converts classic cars to electric propulsion. The company, named eDub Services, was founded by a young man named Kit Lacey, and since my piece on his business, he and I have been in conversation about this fascinating field of entrepreneurship. I have an old Volvo 240 in my garage that one day will need an electric drivetrain for sure, so getting acquainted with someone like Kit is a good bet.

I talked to Kit about the concrete and chronological information on his rebuilds and how we could make it accessible for all of us curious about how such projects can be carried out. This series is the result, in Kit Lacey’s own words. So let’s begin at the beginning:

May 28, 2020 (CleanTechnica)- The city of Cracow in Poland has decided to order 50 Solaris Urbino 18 electric buses to help clean up its air and do its part (some of it) to stop global heating.

More specifically, the transit operator MPK placed the order, which will add the new 50 to an existing 28 Solaris electric buses. This makes it one of the top cities outside of China for electric bus procurement. No city outside of China has ordered this many electric buses.

The order also included 50 electric bus charging stations, and everything should be delivered by the end of the year. The cost of the order is reportedly $41.18 million (US Dollars).

May 25, 2020 (CleanTechnica)-Lordstown Motors is using the manufacturing delay caused by the coronavirus to reconfigure the Lordstown assembly plant it bought from General Motors last year to build its Endurance electric pickups trucks. It expects to manufacture 30 pre-production trucks before the end of this year.

CEO Steve Burns, who previously founded Workhorse, says he expects to build 20,000 electric trucks in 2021 and will hire 600 workers to make that possible, but that is just the tip of his ambitions. The Lordstown factory could build 400,000 cars a year at its peak, but Burns tells the Detroit Free Press that because electric vehicles have many fewer parts and components, it should be possible to build 600,000 electric trucks and SUVs there a year.

May 21, 2019 (CleanTechnica)-Rad Power Bikes is launching a new and improved version of the much loved RadWagon e-bike that starts off with a switch from 26? to 22? rims and tires. These smaller diameter, wider tires bring the immediate benefit of a lower center of gravity to the bike, making it more stable when hauling heavier loads.

“We went back to the drawing board and looked at all the ways we could improve our beloved electric cargo bike, keeping our customers’ feedback and requests at the forefront of our minds the entire time,” said Mike Radenbaugh, Rad Power Bikes’ Founder and CEO. “The result is a next-level people and cargo hauler that’s essentially a brand new cargo bike. With a patent-pending frame design, custom tires, and more adjustability than ever before, the RadWagon 4 is the raddest car replacing bike we’ve ever created.”

May 18, 2020,(TESMANIAN) -A few months ago, Tesla began working on creating its own battery for cars in the secret project Roadrunner which goal is goal is to mass-produce a new battery cell that will be more energy-intensive and cheaper.

Tesla enthusiast, JPR007/Twitter, offers a closer look at this. In his article, he concludes that Tesla is not only working on new chemical processes in cells and improvements in coating processes, but they are also working on new cell designs with different physical sizes and new drainage paths for the flow of electric currents.

He writes that we should expect to see new processes for assembling those cell connections into electrical paths outside of the cells, and possibly radical changes in module and battery pack design.

Tesla tries to achieve its goal in various ways, both through acquisitions of Maxwell and Hibar, and through internal developments like laser welding and heat pump capabilities.

May 15, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -With an $800-plus billion electric vehicle market looming over the horizon by 2027, the idea of charging your zero emission car on-the-go with a solar rooftop is trotting along not far behind. The key challenge is coming up with a system light enough, and efficient enough, to make the whole exercise in direct solar-powered mobility worthwhile.

Two companies that claim to have the solar EV roof all figured out are Royal DSM and Lightyear. Lightyear’s signature Lightyear One electric vehicle is set to launch next year with five square meters of built-in solar cells covering the roof and hood.

With that much juice, Lightyear estimates that its solar roof can provide an average of 70-90% of a car’s annual mileage.

May 15, 2020 (CleanTechnica) - Kyiv, Ukraine-based Delfast pushed e-bikes to the limit with its Top 2.0 and is now extending its lineup with a new model designed to meet the needs of law enforcement. The new Delfast TopCop e-bike was recently shipped off to the Brevard Police Department in North Carolina to give law enforcement officers there a chance to learn about, experience, and trial the TopCop in real world applications.

From the sound of things, early testing is going well and the department already sees many benefits of upgrading their officers to the platform. They started things off with a round of training given by two early adopter police officers. The training resulted in a lot of interest from officers across the department to put the TopCop e-bike into use in day to day enforcement work.

May 7, 2020 (CleanTechnica) - First up in the airborne electricity area is a newly unveiled family of low carbon aircraft called Cassio, from the startup VoltAero. The plan is to introduce Cassio in 4-, 6-, and 10-seat variations that meet EASA CS23 certification in the single-engine, general aviation category. However, there is a lot more going on under the hood than “single” would suggest.

Here’s the rundown from VoltAero:
“Cassio utilizes VoltAero’s hybrid-electric power module in an aft fuselage “pusher” configuration, integrating a cluster of electric motors with a high-performance internal combustion engine that serves as the range extender.”

Apr. 22, 2020 (CleanTechnica) - In response to a Twitter inquiry, Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently declared that the upcoming Cybertruck will “even float for a while.”

The Cybertruck has been envisioned as an off-road heavyweight vehicle pushed to its limits. Its ability to “float” like Musk stated in this tweet was related to wading through water, such as when an off-road vehicle would want to cross streams.

Back in 2016, Musk also tweeted about another Tesla model that might be able to float. “We *def* don’t recommended this, but Model S floats well enough to turn it into a boat for short periods of time. Thrust via wheel rotation.”

Apr. 8, 2020 (greener ideal) -The Future of Green Motoring

This focus on sustainability appeared to be a consistent concern across age groups as regardless of age the respondents spoke of the relative importance of sustainability and health attributes.

Apr. 12, 2020 (Hydrogen Fuel News) -Switch Maritime awarded a contract to All American Marine (AAM) to build the first US hydrogen fuel cell vessel, which will be a ferry operating in the California Bay Area. This project has now taken its first step toward construction by securing a shipyard.

The ferry will be a nearly 70 foot, zero-emission, 84-passenger aluminum electric-drive ferry.

The hydrogen fuel cell vessel construction project is called the Water-Go-Round, which will also be the name of the ferry. It already started at the Bay Ship & Yacht shipyard located in Alameda, California. That said, it is now being transferred to AAM. Once the ferry is launched, the Water-Go-Round will be the first H2 ferry in the U.S and will be the first commercial fuel cell ferry in the world.

Apr. 6, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -With all the grim global COVID-19 news, empty grocery stores shelves, lack of N95 masks in many parts of the country, and toilet paper hoarding, it seemed appropriate to mention some future fun and happier moments that undoubtedly will occur after we get past the current pandemic. Getting out on the water at a lake or ocean is certainly an enjoyable time for many people. Being able to do so on a motorized surfboard sounds even better.

Based in Sweden, Awake makes electric surfboards that can achieve a top speed of 30 knots and provide rides for up to 45 minutes per charge. Named the RAVIK and RAVIK S, the boards can be charged in about 80 minutes and batteries can be swapped quickly between sessions for riding continuity. Brand Manager Gustav Kjellberg answered some questions for CleanTechnica about surfing electric style.

Apr. 6, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -According to Armor, ASCA weighs only about 450 grams per square meter. To put that in perspective, it is about 30 times lighter than other technologies. A piece the size of a sheet of paper weighs only 30 grams — about the same as 6 sheets of paper the same size.

There are lots of clever people in the world and some of them work for Armor, a thin-film solar company located in France. One of its products is called ASCA, which uses semi conductor compounds based on organic polymers printed on flexible films. The flexibility means ASCA thin-film solar products can be mounted on curved surfaces, something traditional solar panels cannot do. In tests, it can be rolled and unrolled 50,000 with no loss of performance.

Apr. 3, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -Last month, Lucid Motors quietly took a pre-production Lucid Air electric sedan on a 400-mile (643 km) drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The run was part range test, part proof of concept, and part PR mission, and went off without a hitch. Then, once the Lucid crew made it to LA?

They charged up, and drove back.

Regardless of where you stood on Lucid’s chances of making it to production a few years ago, the company seems to be batting 1.000 since opening its California Headquarters and receiving a billion-dollar cash infusion from Saudi Arabian investors back in 2018. The fact that its massive Arizona production line is still on schedule as well is just icing on Lucid’s competency cake.

Mar. 26, 2020 (greener ideal) - There are many problems that the automotive industry causes for the environment. Gasoline and diesel release carbon dioxide emissions, cause harmful petroleum leaks and even implement disruptive mining practices.

Today, many eco-conscious drivers and scientists are looking for ways to power their cars with cleaner and alternative sources of energy.

Some of the most popular alternative energy sources include biodiesel and electricity. However, it’s the more uncommon ones that hold the most promise.

A rise in popularity of electric powered vehicles makes electric and battery-powered cars a front-runner, however there are many power sources still out there to research and test out in the future. From the energy sources that are well-known like electricity and solar, to some that you’ve never even heard of, like tequila and coffee grounds, we put together a list of promising and interesting potential power sources being implemented or researched to power our future on the road.

Mar. 26, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -The Norwegian auto market continues to electrify more and more, with a whopping 68% of new vehicle sales being plug-in vehicle sales in February. Unsurprisingly, in a market that plugged into the EV revolution, many EV enthusiasts are not keen on calling plug-in hybrids “electric vehicles,” but plug-in hybrids still offer a significant improvement compared to plugless vehicles.

As Max Holland wrote earlier this month, fully electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 50% of new vehicle sales in the country. In this piece, based on EV Volumes data, I’ll dive into the model breakdown. For more on the fuel shift, check out Max’s piece.

Mar. 26, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -A popular meme for those opposed to electric cars — that would be Charles Koch and his army of subservient minions — is that electric cars have higher carbon emissions than conventional cars.

You see it all the time in supposedly ethical publications — a story planted by the anti-EV crowd suggesting that when you add up all the emissions associated with manufacturing an electric car, especially the battery, and include the emissions created to generate the electricity needed to charge it over its lifetime, the total is greater than it would be for a similar vehicle powered by a gasoline or diesel engine.

You only need to have the IQ of your typical head of iceburg lettuce to know that’s a lie, but urban legends die hard...

Mar. 18, 2020 (ENN Network) - An EU project is now underway to investigate the possibilities of hybrid-electric aircraft. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology are part of the project and will develop innovative heat management concepts and support aircraft design.

Few people today doubt that the Earth's atmosphere is affected by carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. The largest sources of emissions come from agriculture, industry and transport. Transport accounts for 25% of global emissions and aviation account for about 3%.

“A reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is a major key for aviation to continue to contribute to the development of society and the mobility of people. It requires innovative thinking and ambitious research that goes far beyond small improvements. The goal of this project is to find out if hybrid-electric flying can be a solution to the problem”, says Carlos Xisto, associate professor in the Division of Fluid Dynamics at the Department of Mechanics and Maritime Sciences.

Mar. 14, 2020 (CleanTechnica) -Volkswagen issued a press release this week focusing on the upcoming launch of its ID.3 electric car. It confirms that deliveries of its ID.3 First Edition models will begin this summer and adds this interesting twist. The company says virtually all of those cars — 30,000 of them — will be delivered simultaneously. “The objective is to deliver the 30,000 pre-booked ID.3 vehicles in the 1st Edition to customers throughout Europe at almost the same time,” the company says.

There have been rumors suggesting Volkswagen is having major problems with the software installed in the first cars, which started rolling off the assembly line last November. The press release refers to that issue in oblique terms. “During production, the current software version will initially be transferred to the vehicle. Over subsequent months, the digital functions will be regularly updated.” The suggestion is, “Don’t worry, people, We’ve got this covered.”

Mar. 10, 2020 (POWERGRID INTERNATIONAL) - Vermont utility, Green Mountain Power (GMP), announced yesterday the launch of a program to expand fast charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) in Vermont in an effort to combat the state’s largest source of carbon emissions: transportation.

The program’s goal is to incorporate fast charging into parts of the state without it and encourage fast charging development along interstates and other busy roadways. The GMP program estimates that it will result in around 20 new charging stations, doubling the current 17 available.

Businesses, communities, and other organizations interested in installing a fast charger for public use can apply to GMP’s pilot program, which offers $40,000 towards the electrical interconnection of a fast charger at 20 different locations.

Mar. 3, 2020 (REUTERS) -The century-old Amsterdam canal boat Gerarda Johanna looks like a classic with wood paneling, but beneath its floorboards lies a high-tech underbelly: rows of lithium ion batteries, 66 in all, with an electric drive train powering its propeller.

The boat is part of a push by Amsterdam’s new Green Party mayor to ban diesel engines from the center’s ancient canals by 2025, helping the city’s efforts to combat climate change.

The transition among commercial vessels is well underway, with 75% of the 550 on the city’s water qualifying as emissions free, according to city spokesman Wouter Keuning.

Mar. 3, 2020 (Green Car Congress) —Highland Electric Transportation has selected Thomas Built Buses Inc.’s Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus powered by Proterra electric vehicle technologyand the Proterra 60kW charging system for deployment with the Beverly Public Schools, in Beverly, Massachusetts.

The project represents the first all-electric school bus in Beverly and the first Thomas Built all-electric school bus in New England.

In January 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) announced the availability of VW Settlement Trust-funded open grant programs aimed at reducing emissions of nitrogen oxide and greenhouse gas across Massachusetts, while supporting electrification of the state’s transportation network.

(greener ideal), Oct. 19, 2017 -After solar power, solar water heating is often the next step that homeowners take to make their home more sustainable.

A solar water heating system works by converting sunlight into heat using a solar thermal collector. This heat is then used to heat water in homes and swimming pools.

If you plan to install a solar water heating system in your home, make sure to include domestic hot water as well. There’s little point in installing a solar water heating system if you can’t benefit from domestic hot water which is a necessity all year round.

Jan. 31, 2020,(SAGE journals) -Over recent years, few areas of international development research have seen as much transformation as those relating to energy access and low carbon transitions. Ghana, amongst other African economies, has seen an increase in energy demand surpassing the supply of energy in the last decade. The incorporation of the incorporation of renewable energy into the mix is, therefore, seen as a significant role in addressing the energy needs by replacing conventional fuels with clean and reliable domestic electricity with the advantage of local economic opportunities.

The country has adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG); SDG goal 7 targets ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. This target presents a formidable challenge to Ghana because the country still relies mainly on non-renewable energy sources. The country has a huge potential for renewable energy that remains underexploited. This study, therefore, seeks to assess the current renewable energy resource situation, examine the trend in Ghana’s energy consumption and undertake a comprehensive review and critical evaluation of Ghana’s renewable energy drive and policies.

July 24, 2019,(Scientific American) - EWPG Holding AB is a Swedish company, founded in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2011, that has developed a patented, smart and cost-efficient technology for turning ocean and sea waves into green electricity. Eco Wave Power is the only wave energy company in the world, to own and operate a wave energy array, which is connected to the grid in accordance with a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

April 1, 2020 (AENews)-Since 2011, French Company Ciel & Terre has been developing large-scale floating solar solutions. Their innovative Hydrelio Floating PV system allows standard PV panels to be installed on large bodies of water such as: drinking water reservoirs, quarry lakes, irrigation canals, remediation and tailing ponds, and hydro electric dam reservoirs. This simple and affordable alternative to ground-mounted systems is particularly suitable for water-intensive industries who cannot afford to waste either land or water.

The main float is constructed of high-density thermoplastic (HDPE) and is set at a 12 degree angle to support a standard 60 Cell PV solar module. A secondary non-slip HDPE float is then used to link the main floats together and provide a platform for maintenance and added buoyancy as illustrated when you click on the link to the story.

Dec. 16, 2019  (ScienceDaily)- Artificial Intelligence may be just the thing to accelerate spray-on solar cell technology, which could revolutionize how consumers use energy.

It's a stunning example of how 3D printing is not only a viable and affordable construction method of the future but also a revolutionary system that can help reduce plastic waste.

A research team at the University of Central Florida used Machine Learning, aka Artificial Intelligence to optimize the materials used to make perovskite solar cells (PSC). The Organic-Inorganic halide perovskites material used in PSC converts photovoltaic power into consumable energy.

Sept. 18, 2019 (U.S. Energy Information Administration)-In 2018, about 4,178 billion kilowatthours (kWh) (or 4.18 trillion kWh) of electricity were generated at utility-scale electricity generation facilities in the United States.1 About 63% of this electricity generation was from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, petroleum, and other gases). About 20% was from nuclear energy, and about 17% was from renewable energy sources. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates that an additional 30 billion kWh of electricity generation was from small-scale solar photovoltaic systems in 2018

Bright Hub -One of the most beneficial ways of increasing the efficiency of a wind turbine is to modify the design of the turbine blades. Although there are already many types of blade designs already in the market, only a few designs have turned out to be useful.

Whalepower, a Canadian company that uses bio-mimicry, a concept of adapting the designs of nature into developing mechanical machine, has changed the design of the conventional turbine blades from flat smooth blades to a ridged design similar to that of whale fins. The blades of whale power turbine features a series of ridges just like the tubercles or bumps found on the humpback whale fins.

Apr. 4, 2019 (Power Technology) —How are modern stadiums using renewables as a source of energy and which are the best stadiums for renewable energy in the world?

Sports stadiums require a huge amount of power, in particular on match-days when lighting, air-conditioning and video screens all electricity, along with a vast multitude of other energy-intensive demands. Even when not in use, stadiums and other sporting arenas need large amounts of power for maintenance.

The possibilities for incorporating renewable energy technology into stadiums and the surrounding areas provide a huge opportunity for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This can include placing solar panels on roofs and on the roads leading towards the arenas.

In the U.S. several landfills have already been converted into solar farms. The project also provides the opportunity to convert an unusable land and turn it into something that can become the asset of the community.

Water is a finite resource, as water wars in California can attest. Reducing our water footprint is essential to conserving this life-giving substance.

Solar Thermal Magazine Feb.10, 2019 -You would think that a state that refers to itself as the sunshine state would be rushing to install solar power technology. I mean with all that sunshine ( not to mention wind, wave and tidal energy) available why buy electricity from out of state.

Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), already a self proclaimed leader in solar energy, has announced a groundbreaking “30-by-30” plan to install more than 30 million solar panels by 2030 and make the state of Florida a world leader in the production of solar energy.

Jan. 7, 2020 (Arcadia Blog) -One of the most popular clean energy sources in North America, solar power, has skyrocketed in use in the U.S. over the last decade. Current estimates show that the volume of solar energy generated across installations nationally is enough to power 12-million American homes, and that number is only expected to grow.

They’re limited to generating energy during the day — but function less efficiently the cloudier it is outside, collecting an estimated 10 to 25 percent of their typical output on cloudy days.

But recent research from Soochow University in Suzhou, China, stands to change this. In 2018, a research team from the Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials crafted a solar cell that simultaneously generates electricity from sunlight and rainfall — allowing solar panels to continue to collect energy at full capacity during storms and subsequently expanding the duration of time at which a panel can function in any given day. Unlike typical solar panels, these panels would continue working on cloudy days and crucially, could even work at night.

January, 2019 Arcadia Power Blog -The fight against climate change is a fight for everyone, from individuals to businesses, national and local governments.

Among many leaders driving change towards a 100% renewable energy future, find these 156 major global companies—each of whom have pledged to go 100% renewable in the near future.

Look for your trusted bank, service, or a favorite brand, and see when and how each of them are working to meet their goals. Click to read on.

Around the world, cities, states, countries, and companies (and people just like you!) are making the switch to clean, renewable energy to help confront climate change – and because it just makes good economic sense.

Renewable energy is both a clean alternative to the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis and an engine for job creation. What’s not to love? But like any new technology, as it starts to take hold, there are bound to be questions.

April, 2017 (Curbed.com)-From bike shares to newly redesigned electric bikes, there are more options than ever for biking in American cities. Bike companies are also working to change the industry, specifically through the use of “power-boosting technology.”

Pedal-addicts might remember when the prototype of the bright red Copenhagen Wheel was released by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lab in 2009. The company Superpedestrian—which launched in 2013—just debuted a new version of the product to consumers after years of intense anticipation and improvements.

While it’s hard to miss a massive solar array or a field full of wind turbines, so much of the action with geothermal energy happens out-of-sight that it tends to not generate as much love as its buzzier brothers in the renewable energy landscape.

And that’s too bad, because geothermal energy is pretty awesome. It takes the natural functions of the Earth and puts them to great use heating homes, creating electricity, and helping to propel the global shift from the dirty fossil fuels driving climate change to renewables.

May 11, 2018 -California has faced its fair share of challenges due the climate crisis. But now it’s fighting back with a powerful weapon: renewable energy.

More than that, the Golden State is proving that we can start a renewable energy revolution right now.

With the White House stepping out of the climate fight, California has stepped up in a big way, leading a coalition of 16 states and the District of Columbia suing to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from weakening fuel efficiency standards.

Renewable energy is energy generated from ongoing natural processes like wind or sunlight that are not depleted when used. Unlike fossil fuels, these types of energy are theoretically unlimited. In contrast, fossil fuels like oil and gas are finite resources formed in the earth over hundreds of millions of years from the remains of plants and animals.

Importantly, and unlike fossil fuels, renewable energy is clean and doesn’t release carbon pollution into the atmosphere (which drives climate change). Burning fossil fuels does.

Mar. 20, 2018 -Months after Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico is still struggling to become fully energized. A number of grassroots efforts think solar energy can speed the recovery and prevent a total blackout when the next storm hits.

Mar. 24, 2018 -With all the talk of hyper-performance electric vehicles (EV) and other ‘unobtainium’ cars, we’re happy to report a refreshing story that should appease those unhappy with electric vehicle (EV) affordability. How about a 3D-printed EV for $7,500? And the best part is that you won’t have to wait for it very long.

Feb. 27, 2018 -Are you passionate about green energy and protecting our planet? Are you looking for a career you can be proud of that offers possibilities we aren’t even aware of yet? Look no further than the renewable energy industry.

You could be working in wind or solar power in no time with the right education and tools to get you set on this exciting path. Here are some of the best degrees to pursue and the career choices that may come your way.

Jan. 21, 2018 - A team of talented scientists from Stanford University situated in Stanford, in Silicon Valley, 20 miles (approximately 30 Km) out of San Jose, California, USA have successfully displayed the usage of nanotechnology. The method to manufacture crystalline silicon (c-Si) thin-film solar cells which are being claimed to be more efficient at capturing solar energy.

Jan. 2, 2018 - Not too long ago, the mention of hydrogen, or concentrating solar power, or both at the same time, would be met by a roll of the eye from alternative energy insiders. Hydrogen is an abundant and clean-burning fuel, but the primary source of hydrogen is natural gas. Concentrating solar power has a built-in energy storage element, but it is more complicated and expensive than other solar technologies. Et cetera, et cetera, and so on and so forth.

Dec. 15, 2017 - It is easier to believe in the future of solar today than it was decades ago. This article honors eight of the women who believed and persevered and pioneered the PV industry of today and without who it might be a very different industry indeed.

Each woman has in her own way championed the cause of climate change as well as the cause of the solar industry and has worked tirelessly educating, conducting research and deploying solar technologies to ensure the future of the industry.

May 13, 2019, -A new floating solar farm in Albania crossed the CleanTechnica radar last month, and going by the comment thread it appears that not everyone in the whole entire world thinks that waterborne solar panels are such a great idea. On the other hand, the skeptics are being overruled by some heavy hitters in the renewable energy industry.

Among those in the latter category is Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, CEO of Norway’s Statkraft. He sat down with CleanTechnica last week to provide his insights on renewable energy in general and floating solar in particular.

July 6, 2020,(4C Offshore) -Transmission System Operator (TSO) 50Hertz has launched an economic and climate initiative for the grid area the company is responsible for: the eastern German states as well as the city states of Berlin and Hamburg. With the slogan “From 60 to 100 by 2032: for an economy with prospects”, 50Hertz has set itself the specific goal of getting the electricity demand in its grid area covered – and securely integrated – with 100 percent renewable energies by 2032. In 2019, the annual average share of renewables attained about 60%.

0Hertz stated it will align its entire corporate strategy with this new objective and use all its know-how to that end in the scope of its statutory duty to operate the grid securely and reliably. This involves new approaches to system operation, a consistent digitization of the integration of an increasingly volatile electricity supply as well as the participation in innovative models of sector coupling to generate heat and produce hydrogen from “green” power.

June 8, 2020,(Outsider Club) -The electric car revolution is in full swing. Countries all over the world are curbing emissions. Consumers are trying to stretch their miles per gallon and geopolitical concerns over oil never seem to go away.

Gas guzzlers are on the way out...

But while Tesla is getting the lion’s share of the media attention, there is another fuel that is a far better bet for investors.

t’s a new kind of vehicle that could transform the way we travel. It doesn’t involve lithium or batteries or rare earths. It doesn’t involve solar, wind, water, biofuels, or any other form of renewable energy you’ve heard of.

And best of all, it doesn’t involve oil, coal, or any other fossil fuel, and 100% emissions free...

We're talking about hydrogen fuel cells.

From Wageningen University: Experiments have proven that plants can serve as a source of clean and renewable energy.

As part of the European project PlantPower, researchers are studying whether this technology is suitable for large-scale applications.They are also examining the technical feasibility and the economic profitability.

Scientists all over the world are looking for alternatives to fossil fuels. Plant materials are already used as an energy source through bio-fermentation. Now it appears that living plants can also contribute to energy production. In a plant microbial fuel cell, living plants work together with micro-organisms to create electricity.

This results in clean and renewable energy, while the plant remains alive. The first practical tests have been very promising. In projects supported by the EU and Agentschap NL (an agency of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs), European and Dutch institutes, universities, and businesses are cooperating to gain more knowledge about this technology and its applications.

Apr. 11, 2017 - Can you imagine a world in which you could spray on your power source and place it wherever you’d like? Maybe on the windows of your home or on the roof of your car. Perhaps on the sides of your tall business building.

Well, solar technology companies are working on a way to literally spray on solar cells to any convenient surface, which will harness power from the sun and eliminate dependence on wasteful energy. To boot, this futuristic option may be more affordable than the solar panels being created in Silicon Valley today.

Nov. 25, 2019  (Environment Florida) —Clean energy is sweeping across America and is poised for more dramatic growth in the coming years.

Wind turbines and solar panels were novelties ten years ago; today, they are everyday parts of America’s energy landscape. As recently as 2010, energy-saving LED light bulbs cost $40 apiece; today, they cost a few dollars at the hardware store. Just a few years ago, electric vehicles seemed a far-off solution to decarbonize our transportation system; now, they have broken through to the mass market.

Virtually every day, there are new developments that increase our ability to produce renewable energy, apply renewable energy more widely and flexibly to meet a wide range of energy needs, and reduce our overall energy use — developments that enable us to envision an economy powered entirely with clean, renewable energy.

Aug. 2, 2018 (nocamels)-Autonomous vehicles, electrification, connected cars and shared transport are the megatrends now remaking the auto industry. Offshoots of these four main forces include ways to detect sleepy drivers, infotainment solutions, digital cockpits, intelligent transport systems, vehicle cybersecurity, and satellite navigation technologies.

The Israeli companies in the car arena address all these needs as well as future ones.

Forbes Magazie, Jan. 14, 2019  - Two recent developments in the world of fusion power are giving scientists and policymakers newfound optimism for the elusive ‘holy grail’ of energy technologies. The first is a discovery by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) which uses radio frequency (RF) technology to greatly reduce so-called ‘plasma disruption’ – the leading challenge to achieving a sustained, net energy gain fusion reaction. This is a key element in making fusion a feasible source of electricity.

Environment Florida, May 31, 2019  - Solar power is expanding rapidly. The United States now has over 60 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity installed — enough to power nearly one in every 11 homes in America. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have invested in solar energy and millions more are ready to join them.

America’s major cities have played a key role in the clean energy revolution and stand to reap tremendous benefits from solar energy. As population centers, they are major sources of electricity demand and, with millions of rooftops suitable for solar panels, they have the potential to be major sources of clean energy production as well.

Jan. 29, 2020, CleanTechnica -When Hyundai and KIA announced last week that they were jointly investing $100 million in UK startup Arrival, they probably knew something we didn’t know — until now. UPS has signed a deal with Arrival to buy 10,000 of its electric delivery vans between now and 2024 and to possibly purchase another 10,000 after that.

The vans will be placed in service in the UK, Europe, and North America. UPS has also invested an undisclosed amount in the company.

PBS.org, Mar.15, 2019

1832-39 Scottish inventor Robert Anderson invents the first crude electric carriage powered by non-rechargeable primary cells.

1835: American Thomas Davenport is credited with building the first practical electric vehicle -- a small locomotive.

1859: French physicist Gaston Planté invents the rechargeable lead-acid storage battery. In 1881, his countryman Camille Faure will improve the storage battery's ability to supply current and invent the basic lead-acid battery used in automobiles.

For the rest of the history, click now

Jan. 2, 2019 Arcadia Power -Despite a number of alarming climate change headlines, 2018 had many big wins for renewable energy. The proliferation of solar and wind power went beyond almost all previous predictions, a record number of states, communities, and companies have joined the renewable energy 100 pledge, and many more.

Here’s a small collection of some of our favorite renewable energy headlines and milestones from the past year. Sneak preview: the future is bright.

March 12, 2017 - The Netherlands is covered with bike paths, connecting more or less every destination a person might wish to go to and greatly increasing the convenience of cycling as a sustainable mode of transport.

In the densely populated country, where space is scarce, a consortium of companies and research labs called SolaRoad is endeavoring to make those cycle lanes reduce carbon emissions in yet another way: by having them to generate solar electricity.

View a chart showing all of the reported projects in North and Central America that have 100% renewable energy goals, including some you would not have expected.

Feb. 7, 2017 - The first Wattway solar road pilot in America has popped up in rural west Georgia. The Ray C. Anderson Foundation, named for sustainable manufacturing pioneer Ray Anderson, is testing renewable technologies along an 18-mile stretch of road, and recently installed 538 square feet of Colas‘ Wattway solar road system near the border between Georgia and Alabama.

Feb. 14, 2017 - Here is a vision of the future in a warming world without fossil fuels.

No switching on the air conditioning because your roof re-radiates the sun’s heat back into space.

You don’t have to worry that the current from solar energy will turn off at night, because the same sunlight that powered the refrigerator has also turned two greenhouse gases into hydrocarbon fuel that serves as battery back-up.

The new Solar Farmhouse contains everything the quintessential home possesses -- the quaint front porch, the white wood siding, the gabled roof, and the simple lines -- updated with a slew of net-zero features, including a passive solar design, air-tight building envelope, and open plan.

In 2017 renewable energy represented 17.5 % of energy consumed in the EU, on a path to the 2020 target of 20 %.

The share of energy from renewable sources used in transport activities reached 7.6 % in 2017.

These stats will be updated in Feb. 2020. Stay tuned.

Gardens by the Bay will be Singapore's largest garden project and is central to their continued development of Marina Bay.

There are various incentives being offered. The article explains it in detail.

The world needs widely available reliable, affordable, carbon-free energy. New tools are needed to power the world.

Bill Gates, George Soros and others are behind this.

Affordable, lightweight, and versatile, batteries made of porous materials could soon transform energy storage.

Nov. 25, 2019  (Environment Florida) —Wind turbines and solar panels were novelties ten years ago; today, they are everyday parts of America’s energy landscape. As recently as 2010, energy-saving LED light bulbs cost $40 apiece; today, they cost a few dollars at the hardware store. Just a few years ago, electric vehicles seemed a far-off solution to decarbonize our transportation system; now, they have broken through to the mass market.

Virtually every day, there are new developments that increase our ability to produce renewable energy, apply renewable energy more widely and flexibly to meet a wide range of energy needs, and reduce our overall energy use — developments that enable us to envision an economy powered entirely with clean, renewable energy.