“The people are tired of constant power outages and their appliances getting ruined,” said Arturo Massol Deyá, associate director of Puerto Rican non-profit Casa Pueblo, discussing the role that solar power can play in meeting the island’s energy needs. “We need public policy to create a business model that focuses on helping you generate your own power, not just one that provides power.”
CLEAN ENERGY
Must Be Equitable
Solar power can be a lifeline for Puerto Rico. While Puerto Rico is still reeling from frequent power outages and rising electric bills, communities with local solar networks are demonstrating how renewable energy can make the island’s grid cheaper and more resilient. Despite these benefits, solar power remains elusive for much of Puerto Rico: it accounts for just 2.5 percent of energy production, even though the island is officially aiming to achieve 23 percent clean energy by 2024 and 100 percent clean energy by 2050. High upfront costs, proposed taxes on solar installation owners, and a chaotic financial situation stand in the way of widespread adoption. (The New York Times $)
Labor deal ensures union workers will build offshore wind farms. The deal between North America’s Building Trades Unions and wind power developer Ørsted is the first-of-its-kind in the U.S., setting standards for working conditions and equity for the growing industry. Offshore wind development is expected to create 80,000 direct jobs, along with tens of thousands of indirect jobs. As part of the agreement, Ørsted will commit $23 million to apprenticeship programs to grow the supply of offshore wind workers. (Press of Atlantic City)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Replacing Fossil Fuels
New Mexico adopts clean car rules. Following California’s lead, New Mexico will become the 18th state to accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation. The state’s Environment Department expects the rule will eliminate 130,000 tons of climate pollution and more than 1,700 tons of ozone-causing pollutants by 2050. While some auto dealers and skeptics claim that the state has inadequate infrastructure to handle the shift to electric cars and trucks, proponents and officials argue the rules will provide incentives that will boost the infrastructure and services the state will need to meet its targets. (NM Political Report)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is a Good Investment
New EV battery plants are coming to the U.S. The world’s largest battery maker, CATL, is planning to build new facilities in the U.S. to place battery production next to vehicle sales, Reuters reports. Relatedly, Automotive News reports that Hyundai is likely to open a new EV manufacturing site in Georgia. These announcements come as the Biden administration pushes for more investment in domestic EV supply chains, and southeastern states like Georgia have worked to establish themselves as hubs for the growing EV industry. (Reuters, Automotive News)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Affordable
The clean energy transition must start now. While many countries have adopted plans relying on methane gas as a “transition” fuel to a zero-emission future, clean energy is already the more economical choice according to a new study from TransitionZero. High gas prices and market volatility have made fossil fuels more expensive, while costs of clean energy sources like solar and wind power have plummeted. Instead of shifting from coal to methane gas, the study suggests that countries should shift directly from coal to renewables and urges policy changes to achieve the full benefits of clean energy economics. The cost of switching from coal to clean energy has fallen by 99 percent since 2010. (The Guardian)
CLEAN ENERGY
Has Many Benefits
EV demand boosts mineral recycling efforts. A growing demand for electric vehicles is fueling demand for battery minerals, and new recycling efforts are aiming to shore up supply. Yale Climate Connections reports that startup Nth Cycle is testing technology that could extract and refine minerals from waste sources like mine waste, low-grade ore, and recycled battery waste — all while using less energy than traditional mineral refining technologies. Meanwhile, Tesla’s in-house recycling efforts have allowed the company to recover 92 percent of its original raw materials for future use, Clean Technica reports. (Yale Climate Connections, Clean Technica)
CLEAN ENERGY
Is Challenging
Renewable energy growth slows as commodity prices rise. Clean energy has seen a decade of accelerating growth, but that rate of growth is forecast to slow next year as supply chain bottlenecks drive up prices, according to the International Energy Agency. 319 gigawatts of clean energy capacity will be added this year and 317 gigawatts are planned for next year, representing the first slowdown in 10 years. The cost to install utility-scale solar or onshore wind power is projected to rise 15 to 20 percent compared to 2020. (Bloomberg $)
MULTIMEDIA
Video: The Salton Sea could produce the world’s greenest lithium, if new extraction technologies work
