December 27 NEC Energy News
¶ “Deborah Katz: ‘What Could Go Wrong?’” • Whether NorthStar has done a good job cleaning up Vermont Yankee is important, but it doesn’t address the larger issues. The colossal failure of nuclear power can be seen in decommissioning, with the years of shipments of “low-level” waste to Texas. This small reactor will cost close to $800 million to clean up. [Greenfield Recorder]
¶ “Nuclear-Power Stocks Slide After Regulator Rejects Plan To Power Amazon Data Center” • The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected a deal between Amazon and Talen Energy. According to FERC Commissioner Mark Christie, approving the proposal would spark consequences for both grid reliability and consumer costs. [AOL.com]
¶ “Nearly All Of Uruguay’s Grid Runs On Green Energy” • It has a population of just under 3.5 million inhabitants, produces nearly 550,000 tons of beef per year, and has a reputation for soccer that includes two World Cups. Uruguay has also achieved what many countries have pledged for decades: 98% of its grid runs on green energy. [Fast Company]
¶ “New Flow Battery Membrane Aims To Kill Natural Gas, Not Just Coal” • A multi-institutional team based at Imperial College in London and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics in China has been developing a new membrane for flow batteries with a potential to combine low toxicity with high energy density and a long lifecycle. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Big Oil Backtracks On Renewables Push As Climate Agenda Falters” • Major European energy companies like BP and Shell doubled down on oil and gas in 2024 to focus on short-term profits. They slowed down, and sometimes reversed, climate commitments in a shift that they are likely to stick with in 2025, instead of spending on wind and solar projects. [MSN]
¶ “Climate Crisis Exposed People To Extra Six Weeks Of Dangerous Heat In 2024” • The climate crisis caused an additional six weeks of dangerously hot days in 2024 for the average person, supercharging the fatal impact of heatwaves around the world. The effects of human-caused global heating were far worse for some people. [The Guardian]
¶ “New York To Charge Fossil Fuel Companies For Climate Damage” • Large fossil fuel companies will have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Gov Kathy Hochul. Companies responsible for large greenhouse gas emissions will pay into a state fund for projects to address climate change. [ABC News]
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