Plus: Koning’s webinar; CEOs call for US carbon tax; Ireland to add 600 electric trains; Alberta hydrogen truck pilot
Hi Everyone,
I’m going to start by pointing you to my very first webinar that I did recently for the Energy Futures Lab, of which I am am proud to be a ‘Fellow’. The first 35 min or so is my presentation on ‘Top Energy Trends’, with Q&A rounding out the hour. Note that this is looking at global trends and then closing with how they may apply to Alberta. Granted it could have been a little sharper in places, but I invite you to listen in. Tell me what you think I may have missed, under/over-emphasized or got it right.
It’s been an topsy-turvy couple weeks, so forgive me if I missed some big stories (and let me know!) That said, I’m noticing a trend: less weighty stories intermingled in a long march of many ‘little stories’ marking the energy shift. It is making it harder for me to pick out what really matters, but I remain committed to helping you connect the right dots to understand the big picture.
As always, forward on to others you think might be interested and encourage them to subscribe. Have a great week!
Peter
Solar, onshore wind costs set to fall below new fossil fuel energy: report | Reuters
Excerpt: “Onshore wind and solar PV are set by 2020 to consistently offer a less expensive source of new electricity than the least-cost fossil-fuel alternative without financial assistance,” said IRENA, a government-backed body that aims to support countries in their transition to sustainable energy sources.
Chevron starts deploying EV charging stations at its gas stations | Electrek
Comment: The move by Chevron is being called both ‘landmark’ (the first oil company in the US to install chargers at its gas stations) and ‘dabbling’ – 12 chargers at 5 stations is hardly a big move for a large company like Chevron. Let’s not forget that the biggest profit margins at a gas station are for what’s in the convenience store, so getting people to spend time inside buying stuff helps with the bottom line for sure, if not for Chevron, for the store owner.
Vestas takes aim at cheaper U.S. wind power with new turbine | Reuters
Excerpt: The turbine with its 138 meter rotor diameter has the industry’s largest swept area, a crucial measure for how much energy can be harnessed, for a turbine with a tip height under 500 feet, which is often a requirement in the United States. Vedel expects the annual energy production from the new turbine to be more than 30 percent higher compared to the older V120-2.2 MW turbine.
Comment: It will also be important to watch the ‘repowering’ of existing turbines – the replacing of old turbines with more efficient ones. Which brings me to another point: big wind turbine manufacturers like Vestas ought to be designing their equipment with circularity in mind. Old blades, for example are hard to recycle.
BP’s ‘Energy Illustrated’ video on importance of fuel efficiency to reduce auto emissions
BP runs a series of videos providing insights into the energy system. This is a really good video demonstrating the importance of vehicle fuel efficiency improvement for reducing oil demand over electric vehicle adoption. Click the picture below and scroll down the page to load the video.
CEOs descend on Washington demanding carbon price – Houston Chronicle
Excerpt: Top officials from 75 companies descended on the U.S. Capitol Wednesday to try to convince lawmakers to support the creation of a carbon price mechanism to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Among them were more than 20 companies from the Fortune 500, including brand names like Levi’s, Johnson & Johnson and Pepsi, along with European oil majors BP and Shell, who took meetings with Republicans and Democrats in Congress in a bid to increase momentum for legislation addressing climate change.
China dominates in solar installations | Wood Mackenzie
Check out this animated time-sequence of solar installations by country from Wood Mackenzie.
Milestone reached as EV charging sites outnumber petrol stations | Current News
Comment: Careful here. Locations do not equal refuelling pumps, and charging locations do not equal charger. That said, with the fast buildout of EV chargers, it’s not hard to imagine charging stations outnumber gas pumps.
Quebec town offers free public transit
Comment: I love it how small towns are showing the way for larger cities: Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, a town of almost 10,000 has made its public transit free all the time – following the lead of other cities in Europe. I now challenge the leaders of larger centers to do the same.
Some other headlines of interest…
- Conoco to install big battery to cut emissions at Darwin LNG facility | RenewEconomy
- German storage system proves batteries ‘profitable without subsidy’ | Energy Storage News
- Zero-emission transport trucks set to hit Alberta roads | CBC News
- Toyota stunned as consumers flock to hybrid version of new RAV4 SUV | The Driven
- Masdar wins tender to build 800MW solar project in Morocco | The National
- UK Big Six player Centrica opts for solar, storage to underpin global EV offering | Energy Storage News
- What do the plastics and climate crises have in common? The same someone profiting from the status quo | GreenBiz
- Hyundai debuts 70-passenger electric double-decker bus | Electrek
- Rhode Island regulators approve 400MW offshore wind project | US News
- Q&A: Facebook reaches 75% renewable energy | Facebook
- Barcelona to receive 100+ new electric buses, replacing diesel buses | Electrek
- Germany votes to legalize electric scooters | Automotive News Europe
Review: VeloMini Scoot and T1 trailer turns an electric scooter into a truck | Electrek
Cool idea…but calling it a ‘truck’ is a stretch. Could be a fit for some downtown delivery applications.
