December 2 NEC Energy News
¶ “Renewable Energy Is Even Cheaper Than Previously Thought” • Researchers at Oxford showed that early models consistently underestimated both how quickly the costs of renewable energy would fall and the benefits of a rapid switch to clean energy. Costs of renewables are falling far faster than expected, even as costs of energy from coal and nuclear rise. [GreenBiz]
¶ “How California Hydropower Plants Navigate Intense Drought” • Although drought conditions in California reduced the water supply, hydroelectric generation during the period from April to September 2021 still increased. This was because hydro ramped up generating in response to higher average hourly electricity prices in the late afternoon. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Europe Unveils Its $340 Billion Answer To China’s Belt And Road Infrastructure Initiative” • The EU unveiled a €300 billion ($340 billion) alternative to China’s Belt and Road initiative. The EU claims their program will create “links, not dependencies.” The Global Gateway is aimed at helping the global recovery by mobilizing investments. [CNN]
¶ “Renewables Are Set To Soar” • New renewable electricity capacity will set another record this year, at 290 GW, a report from the International Energy Agency says. That’s equivalent to building hundreds of nuclear reactors, and it’s happening despite the global supply chain issues, the rising material costs, and the covid restrictions. [MIT Technology Review]
¶ “IEA Head: Gas Producers Are To Blame For Energy Crisis In Europe” • “The deliberate policies of energy producers” are to blame for the soaring gas and electricity prices in Europe, Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency, recently said at an industry event, in yet another lash-out at fossil fuel producers generally and Russia specifically. [Oil Price]
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