September 5 NEC Energy News
¶ “Canada Might Be Getting A 1,000 Kilometers Per Hour Vacuum-Tube Train” • A Canadian company has unveiled plans for a fully electric train-style vehicle which could travel at 1,000 km/h (621 mph) and, it claims, would cost less than a plane ticket to travel on. FluxJet will be propelled at ultra-fast speeds along a protected tube-guideway. [CNN]
¶ “Chance Of California Power Outages Up As Heat Wave Worsens” • California’s chance of power outages will grow in the coming days, as the state prepares to enter the worst stretch yet of an ongoing heat wave, officials said. Also, Governor Newsom legislation to allow the state’s last nuclear plant to stay open beyond its planned 2025 closure. [WHIO-TV]
¶ “Scientists Make A Major Breakthrough In The Race To Save Caribbean Coral” • Scientists at the Florida Aquarium have made a breakthrough in the race to save Caribbean coral. For the first time, marine biologists have successfully reproduced elkhorn coral, a critical species, using aquarium technology. The coral are vital for protecting coastlines. [CNN]
¶ “Hydrogen Bromide Flow Battery For Large-Scale Renewables Storage” • Dutch startup Elestor secured €30 million in funding from a consortium of lenders led by Equinor. It will use the funds to continue developing its hydrogen bromide flow battery technology. Elestor plans to build a gigawatt-scale production facility. [pv magazine Australia]
¶ “Lithium Spot Prices Up ~900% Since January 2020” • Given the combination of the increase in demand for lithium and a lack of investment in the supply, it should be no surprise that the cost of lithium has gone up a lot over the last two years. The future relationship of supply and demand is not clear. As new sources come on line, demand is increasing. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Buick Offers Dealers Buyout Option As Electric Car Plans Accelerate” • If you own a new car dealership, preparing to sell EVs can be an expensive proposition. Service people need to be retrained, and new tools and equipment need to be purchased. Buick will offer all of its 2000 US dealers an opportunity to opt out of the EV future. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Inflation Reduction Act To Give US Solar Energy Industry A Much Needed Boost” • The latest data from the US Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie show a near leveling off of growth. But this forecast was based on the idea that the Investment Tax Credit would start declining in 2024. It has now been extended to 2032! [CleanTechnica]
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