The Remarkable Growth of Solar Power, in 7 Charts
By Michael Thomas, Distilled, May 24, 2023
Between 2000 and 2010, solar production grew by a factor of 20. The following decade, growth accelerated even more; between 2010 and 2020, production grew by a factor of 35. Over the last ten years, solar has grown by an average of 30% per year (Thomas, 2023).
By Wesley Early, Alaska Public Media, December 29, 2023
UAF researchers have been awarded a $9 million grant to explore a potential carbon capture and storage project from emissions at a coal-fired power plant not far from Anchorage. A first of its kind venture, the study will gauge carbon storage viability in and around Southcentral Alaska.
Vineyard Wind Delivers Power as First Large US Offshore Wind Farm
By The Maritime Executive, January 3, 2024
On the second day of the new year, the United States’ first large-scale commercial delivered its first power to the Massachusetts grid. Vineyard Winds expects the project to be operating at full capacity in early 2024 - producing power equivalent of over 400,000 homes.
The next frontier in EV battery recycling: Graphite
By Maddie Stone, Grist, January 5, 2024
When it comes to electric vehicles, graphite is a critical component, making up about 45% of the entire EV battery. Given global tensions and permitting delays for domestic mines, other solutions are needed to produce enough graphite for the EV boom. Today, companies are working on multiple solutions for recycling graphite, a process that was once looked at as inefficient and too costly.
Canada’s First eVinci Microreactor Coming
By Shane Lasley, Metal Tech News, November 23, 2023
Canada’s first Westinghouse eVinci microreactor is headed to Saskatchewan, thanks to an $80 million investment from the Saskatchewan Research Council. The planned location of the eVinci demonstration plant is said to be located at an industrial site to truly demonstrate the capabilities of the technology in remote communities.
BP wins approval to revamp oil refinery for biofuel production
By Patrick Temple-West, Financial Times, January 5, 2024
Biofuel, a renewable energy source derived from plant, algal, or animal biomass, is becoming all the rage among oil majors. On Tuesday, news broke that Western Australia’s EPA approved BP’s plan to revamp an oil refinery south of Perth so that it can make fuels from natural products like vegetable oils, animal fats and other biowaste.
Other companies exploring the biofuels space include ExxonMobil, who announced in 2023 that “its majority-owned affiliate, Imperial Oil Ltd, will invest about $560 million to move forward with construction of the largest renewable diesel facility in Canada (ExxonMobil, 2023).”
