QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We view solar energy projects and energy supply generally as an essential business for U.S. and worldwide markets,” said Kevin Smith, Lightsource BP's Americas CEO, on the company moving forward with a big project in Texas. “It’s important to keep our focus on a clean energy future.
Clean energy jobs continued to grow in 2019, according to this year’s U.S. Energy and Employment Report. Wind and solar generation jobs were among the fastest growing. Wind now employs 114,000 people full-time, a growth of 3.2 percent from 2018, and solar employs 248,000 full-time, a growth of 2.4 percent. Part-time solar jobs increased 4.3 percent. The authors of the report suggest that in addition to health care, coronavirus economic recovery plans should also focus on energy, with an eye toward job creation in low-carbon motor vehicles and energy infrastructure. By far the largest source of clean energy jobs is in energy efficiency and Energy Star-certified products. (E&E News $)
Global wind power capacity grew by nearly a fifth in 2019, fueled by a record year for offshore wind, making it one of the strongest years on record. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, wind power capacity grew by 60.4 gigawatts, or 19 percent, compared with 2018. While 2020 was expected to be a record year for wind energy projects, the global coronavirus pandemic could slow growth. The Global Wind Energy Council urged governments to use the booming wind energy industry to help spur economic recovery, echoing a similar message from the head of the International Energy Agency. (The Guardian)
Trucking fleets are starting to electrify, testing out vehicle models from start-ups and established companies alike. Medium- and heavy-duty trucks account for around 8 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and all-electric models reduce emissions, cost less, are easier to maintain and quieter overall. On average, a diesel truck costs $1.38 per mile to operate, while Tesla’s electric Semi cost $1.26 per mile. UPS, PepsiCo, Walmart and other Fortune 500 companies are all in line for electric truck deliveries slated to begin in 2021. Detroit has become a major hub for manufacturing electric trucks of all sorts, delivering engineering and production jobs to the city. (New York Times, Detroit Free Press)
Lightsource BP closed on a $250 million financing package for a 260-megawatt solar project in Texas. Despite COVID-19’s impacts on the energy industry, CEO Kevin Smith struck an optimistic tone with the announcement. The company, backed by BP, is moving ahead with its global plans to install 10 gigawatts of solar through 2023, with about 4 gigawatts of that in the U.S. The Texas project is already under construction and work will continue with social distancing, with a workforce of 125 spread across the project’s 1,500 acres. (Greentech Media)
The U.S. wind and solar industries estimate the coronavirus outbreak will lead to significant job loss. Just a month ago, solar jobs were projected to grow 7.8 percent in 2020 but now the Solar Energy Industries Association says the sector’s workforce could be slashed in half. The wind industry says the virus is putting at risk up to 25 gigawatts of projects, $35 billion in investment and more than 35,000 jobs, around a third of wind’s total U.S. workforce. The renewable energy industry has been lobbying for Congress to help by extending certain tax credits or making them refundable or payable directly to business and customers. (Bloomberg, S&P Global)
California energy regulators are considering a proposal that would weaken the state’s power-sector emissions reduction target over the next decade. The proposal, to cut power-sector emissions by just 25 percent during the 2020s, comes despite recent research reports that show California is not on track to meet its overarching climate goals. Critics say the new target, put forward by the state’s Public Utilities Commission, will lead to an unacceptably slow transition to cleaner energy. The Commission argues the less aggressive target is already challenging enough. What happens in California, seen as a leader in tackling climate change, will have impacts nationally and globally. (LA Times)
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