"Texas is, by rhetoric, anti-renewables. But frankly, renewables are bailing us out," said Michael Webber, an energy expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin. "They're rocking. That really spares us a lot of heartache and a lot of money."
CLEAN ENERGY
Must Be Equitable
Rural Illinois residents envision a just transition. Illinois’ landmark 2021 climate legislation committed the state to a transition to clean energy, but it raised questions about implications for the rural communities that have historically relied on coal. Black communities in particular have been both burdened by coal’s toxic legacy, but also felt the economic fallout of the declining industry. As the state and community-based organizations begin enacting the transition, some advocates believe the growing clean energy economy can deliver real opportunity and new economic lifelines for communities that have been left behind. (Energy News Network)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is A Good Investment
U.S. looks to outcompete China in battery production. As global demand for battery technologies continues to grow, the Biden administration is taking new steps to boost U.S. battery production and challenge China’s dominance in the market. This is in line with the President’s target of 50 percent EV sales by 2030. Among other efforts, the Department of Energy recently announced over $3 billion in funding to boost domestic battery supply chains. (The Hill)
CLEAN ENERGY
Has Many Benefits
Recycling means clean energy won’t go to waste. On top of its ability to produce energy without climate pollution, a key advantage of clean energy over fossil fuels is that its technologies can be recycled. Through policy, regulation, design standards, and a nascent recycling market, governments and businesses are beginning to lay the foundation for a more circular clean energy economy, Canary Media writes. One example is the growing re-use of old electric vehicle batteries to build large-scale energy storage systems, The Wall Street Journal reports.(Canary Media, Wall Street Journal $)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Replacing Fossil Fuels
Wind and solar keep the A/C on in Texas. Following an early heat wave causing record electricity demand in Texas, the state’s vast wind and growing solar arrays have been key to keeping the grid stable. Experts fear earlier and prolonged heatwaves could lead to more blackouts, like the deadly weeklong event in February 2021 following Winter Storm Uri. But wind and solar power are providing nearly 40 percent of total peak energy demand while keeping costs low, and the state is rapidly growing its renewable resources. (CNN)
Biden sets EV charging standards. The Biden administration has proposed new rules to guide the development of a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2030, part of its effort to rapidly boost EV adoption. The rules will guide how $7.5 billion in federal funding is spent on charging infrastructure, and come at a moment when rising gas prices have coincided with high growth in EV sales. The standards aim to position chargers every 50 miles along interstates, requiring states to provide at least four fast chargers at each station, and requiring stations to share real-time data about pricing and charger availability. (New York Times $)
Conservatives support clean energy, too. While many right-leaning groups have been historically hostile to renewable energy sources, national polling shows that a majority of conservatives are supportive of clean energy. Wind and solar have been controversial among Republicans, but many are embracing the renewables as energy markets shift decisively in favor of clean energy and as volatile global oil and gas prices make a strong case for clean energy as a path to energy security. Proposed renewable energy projects remain divisive in conservative areas, but some within these communities are working to increase grassroots support for clean energy and craft policy that empowers private residents and businesses to install solar arrays at their discretion. (USA Today $)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Challenging
Battery shortage threatens to slow U.S. energy transition. Supply chain bottlenecks, rising commodity prices, and competition from the electric vehicle industry are weakening the growth of grid-scale battery storage projects across the U.S. Utility-scale battery storage is a critical part of the U.S. power sector's energy transition plan, and the slowdown in installations could slow the pace of this transition and threaten grid reliability. Without adequate storage, excess energy produced by renewables like wind and solar cannot be deployed on-demand. (Reuters)
