“We’re exploring the opportunity to develop a solar facility with Avangrid at the Nenahnezad Chapter House,” said Arash Moalemi, Deputy General Manager for Generation at the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority. “We want to pursue new economic development opportunities on lands there previously used for coal mining, and we want to create jobs in that area… Revenue from these projects will go back to the utility to connect more homes to the grid to power them up.”
CLEAN ENERGY
Must Be Equitable
Renewable power comes to Navajo reservation. A new partnership between the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority and energy company Avangrid is poised to bring up to a gigawatt of clean energy to the Navajo Nation. The project would develop solar, wind, and backup battery resources to power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the reservation and in nearby communities. The partnership is also expected to create hundreds of jobs for Navajo workers as well as a steady new funding stream for the Navajo government. (Albuquerque Journal)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Affordable
EV prices keep falling. EVs are poised to cross the threshold from luxury purchase to mass-market item, and it’s not just because of federal tax credits. Tesla has announced its next-generation car will retail between $25,000 and $30,000 — far below the average new car price of $48,763. Meanwhile, a number of other affordable EV offerings from Chevrolet, Nissan, and other automakers are also set to enter the market over the next few years. As automakers scale up EV production, company representatives and analysts alike expect manufacturing costs to continue coming down. (CNBC)
CLEAN ENERGY
Has Many Benefits
Electric school buses improve attendance. Replacing outdated and polluting diesel school buses with electric buses can significantly improve student attendance, according to a new study in Nature Sustainability. Diesel exhaust contains over 40 toxic air pollutants that can have direct damaging health impacts–including contributing to asthma, heart attacks, and strokes–for the children exposed inside the buses. The report estimates that over 350,000 additional student days of attendance were added in school districts that won EPA funds to adopt clean school buses. (Electrek)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is A Good Investment
U.S. clean energy investment is booming. More clean energy investments have been made in the last nine months than over the previous 5 years combined, according to a new report from the American Clean Power Association. Propelled by a boost of incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, the authors write that more than $150 billion has been committed to 26 solar factories, 10 battery factories and 10 plants producing components for wind power generation, as well as utility-scale renewable energy arrays. In total, the investments represent 96 gigawatts of new clean power capacity, which would be enough to increase the country’s existing renewable energy supply by as much as 30 percent. (Houston Chronicle $)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Replacing Fossil Fuels
U.S. to double EV fast chargers on highways. The Italian energy company Enel announced it would add 10,000 EV fast chargers across the U.S., significantly expanding the country’s charging capacity as the Biden administration steps up efforts to shift Americans to zero-emissions vehicles. The announcement comes in the wake of new tailpipe pollution standards that experts say will likely boost EV adoption nationwide, though analysts have noted that these ambitions will hinge on abundant charging infrastructure. Enel says it expects to install at least 2 million chargers overall this decade. (Wall Street Journal $)
After 18 years, major transmission line gets the green light. The TransWest Express transmission line has finally gotten approval to carry 3 gigawatts of wind power from Wyoming to California after a nearly two decade permitting battle. The $3 billion, 732-mile power line will be connected to the largest onshore wind farm in the country and supply enough energy to power 2 million homes across Arizona, Nevada, and the Golden State. While this is a major milestone, it’s also a warning — a major expansion of transmission lines will be needed to meet U.S. climate goals, but current permitting timelines could significantly hold back the energy transition. This dynamic has sparked a bipartisan effort to reform the permitting process, though some experts are concerned the efforts could steamroll long-established environmental review and community input processes. (Canary Media)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Challenging
Biden’s EV plans hinge on four big questions. The Biden administration has taken major new steps to accelerate the transition to electric cars and trucks, but experts say several key hurdles could stand in the way. For one, the U.S. electrical grid will need to be significantly strengthened and expanded, especially through the buildout of transmission to bring more clean energy online. Widespread availability (and reliability) of EV chargers will also be necessary to give drivers the confidence to switch to EVs. The U.S. will need to ensure there are adequate battery mineral supply chains to meet EV production targets. And finally, the Biden administration’s plans themselves will have to stand up to legal challenges from fossil fuel-backed opponents. (Washington Post $)
