Researchers at Lehigh University say that the risk of premature births or low weight births was reduced significantly after a coal fired generating plant in Pennsylvania was ordered closed by under the Clean Power Plan.
Reuters is reporting that 90% of Tesla automobiles need repairs after they come off the assembly line, with up to 2,000 parked outside awaiting attention. That’s according to 9 former employees who worked at the Tesla assembly plant in Fremont, California. Sour grapes? Possibly. Notably, 2 of the 9 were part of a group of 400 workers fired recently by the company, so they may have an ax to grind against their former employer. Still, the reports are cause for concern.
Batteries are the key to the zero carbon future, there’s little argument about that. But today’s batteries are less than ideal in many respects. They cost too much, are too big, weigh too much, function poorly in low temperatures, are prone to catch fire under certain circumstances, or simply don’t … [continued]
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Uber is a transportation company, not a tech company. The ruling may subject Uber to more regulation in European markets.
The annual Consumer Reports Owner Satisfaction survey is out and Tesla tops the list for the second time in as many years followed closely by Porsche and Genesis.
Every year, the California Energy Commission releases its Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) report, which gives details about the mix of energy experienced by all utilities within the state during the preceding 12 months. The report for this year, released in November, shows that all three of the state’s investor-owned utilities — Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric — are projected to derive 50% of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020. That is a full decade ahead of schedule. PG&E reports it used 32.9% renewable energy in the past year. The figure for SoCal Edison was 28.2%. San Diego Gas & Electric led the pack with 43.2% renewable energy.
Authorities in Germany predict that a third of all electricity consumed in that country this year will come from renewable sources — a new record.
Researchers in California have identified new siting strategies for solar panels and CSP facilities that could meet all the state’s energy needs without taking up valuable agricultural land or affecting conservation areas.
France has passed new legislation banning the extraction of fossil fuels by 2040 as it seeks to become a leader in the transition to renewable energy.
Vestas and Northvolt are teaming up to create more efficient storage solutions for wind energy systems.
