March 22 NEC Energy News
¶ “Robots To Retrieve Radioactive Sandbags At Fukushima Plant” • Robots will begin moving sandbags that were used to absorb radiation-contaminated water at Fukushima as soon as next week, a spokesman said. Radiation levels on the sandbags’ surface are as high as 4.4 sieverts per hour, which means “humans can die if they approach” them. [The Peninsula Qatar]
¶ “Red Tape Hinders Global Clean Energy Goals” • Analyses from Bloomberg New Energy Finance and the International Energy Agency find that the goal of tripling renewable capacity by the end of the decade is feasible if governments cut down on lengthy permitting processes. For example, the US has overlapping state and federal requirements. [OilPrice.com]
¶ “Bill McKibben Sees Trouble Ahead For Tesla And Big Oil” • Bill McKibben, in a Substack post, suggested that Tesla and Big Oil have a common weakness. He says both are way behind the technological curve. The proof? BYD announced a few days ago that it has developed a battery for an electric car that can be recharged in just five minutes. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Solar Exceeds 10% Of US Electric Generating Capacity” • Solar currently represents 10.53% of total available installed generating capacity in the US, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Solar capacity is approaching that of its renewable energy counterpart in wind, which is now 11.77% of available capacity. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “BlueShift Electro-Chemical Process Extracts Critical Minerals From Industrial Waste And Seawater” • There are many minerals and other valuable components in wastewater. But extraction can be costly and have negative environmental impacts. BlueShift, a startup, says it has answers to those problems and has landed $2.1 million in seed money for a pilot project. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Subsea7 Renewables Unit Sees 2024 Earnings Rise” • In 2024, Subsea7’s renewables business unit saw its adjusted earnings rise to $185 million, up from $103 million in the previous year. Revenue increased by 29% to $1.2 billion in 2024, while net operating income was $53 million, up from a prior year loss of $74 million. [reNews]
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