Plus: China is #1 natural gas importer; Fishermen file climate lawsuit against oil companies
Hi Everyone,
What is Graphene? Here is what you should know. It’s a slightly longer read, but I encourage you learn about it.
I read recently that electric car sales in Canada are going through the roof (percentage-wise from a very small base), with Chinese cars coming to Canada, but you can’t have one yet. Tell me what you think: does Canada need more government subsidies to promote EV purchases? Why or why not?
As always, comments and questions welcome. Please forward on to others who may be interested.
Thanks,
Peter
China overtakes Japan as world’s top natural gas importer
Excerpt: China has overtaken Japan to become the world’s top importer of natural gas, as Beijing’s crackdown on pollution boosts its demand for the more environmentally friendly fuel, while the restart of nuclear reactors in Japan reduces its LNG imports. …more from REUTERS
Ford, Walmart to collaborate on designing automated-vehicle delivery
The automaker is teaming with Walmart and Postmates to inch a little closer to the concept of AVs delivering groceries to customers’ homes. …more from REUTERS
Solar panels increase grasses for sheep and cows by 90%
Comment: Granted this doesn’t apply in arid climates often well suited to solar, yet the finding makes the case that installing solar doesn’t have to be to the exclusion of other land uses.
Excerpt: Researchers have determined that an Oregon solar facility altered the microclimate variables of mean air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, and soil moisture beneath itself significantly – increasing water efficiency, allowing for much greater biomass growth. …more from PV Magazine
EDF signs PPAs for huge California solar-plus-storage project
“The inclusion of storage provides the agencies with a 100% clean and partially dispatchable product, allowing them to mitigate the ‘duck curve’ risk and monetise price spikes,” EDF Renewables product development director for renewables and energy storage Valeri Barros said. …more from Energy-Storage.news
Germany announces $1 billion investment in local battery cell production to support EV growth
Excerpt: The German government doesn’t like to see its local automakers rely on battery cells from Asia to build electric vehicles, which is why it announced today a 1 billion euro investment to support local battery cell production. …more from Electrek
Spain considers ban on sale of gas and diesel cars by 2040
Excerpt: The government presented a blueprint yesterday that foresees an end to state financial subsidies for fossil fuels and a prohibition on hydraulic fracturing. Associated Press via E&E News/Climate Wire
U.S. Coal Plant Retirements Near All-Time High
Excerpt: Coal plants retiring this year produced 127,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity in 2017, enough to power 12 million homes. Replacing just half of that generation with natural gas could boost demand for the fuel by as much as 1.5 billion cubic feet per day. …more from BloombergNEF
‘Paying the price:’ U.S. fishermen file fourth climate lawsuit naming Encana
Excerpt: The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations — the largest commercial fishermen’s group on the West Coast — has included Encana in a lawsuit attempting to link greenhouse gas emissions from 30 energy companies to damage in the crab fishery. …more from Financial Post
Canadian state-owned utility pairs with Stem to deliver no-money-down storage in Ontario
Excerpt: “Stem’s services in Ontario are focused on providing industrial customers with no-money-down options to control their energy costs, using artificial intelligence to help manage energy decisions now and into the future,” the representative said. …more from Energy-Storage.news
82% Of G20’s Energy Supply Still Comes From Fossil Fuels
Excerpt: A new report published this week has determined that 82% of the G20’s energy supply is still sourced from fossil fuels and none of the countries’ climate pledges are on a 1.5˚C-compatible pathway, contributing to a current trend which will see global warming of 3.2˚C unless G20 nations halve their emissions by 2030. …more from CleanTechnica
As smart meters proliferate, a new kind of demand response becomes entrenched
Excerpt: ConEdison plans to deploy 5 million smart meters by 2022, for instance. FERC staff’s analysis noted that in Massachusetts, Kentucky and other places, “state regulators and utilities are taking more targeted or cautious approaches to advanced meter deployment.” …more from Utility Dive