ERROR in VID: BNEF says investments needed between now and 2050, (not 2025). OOPS!!

Storage company Form Energy says get ready for our long-duration battery in just a few years; FERC opens NOPR on transmission; BNEF says investments of between $92 trillion and $173 trillion will be needed between now and 2050 to stabilize climate; Samsung Heavy Industries joining the floating offshore wind crowd with a 9.5 MW floating turbine; UK's Go-Ahead Group plans to convert all 5,000 buses to clean fuels by 2035 and to be carbon-neutral by 2045; Universal Hydrogen signs LOI w/Icelandair, Air Nostrum, and Ravn Alaska to convert 21 existing planes to fuel cells and run on hydrogen

1) Storage company Form Energy's CEO says it will offer long duration storage to the grid by 2025, with a battery tech based on iron.
2) The FERC issues long-awaited NOPR to address transmission, to address renewables and create a more reliable grid.
3) Bloomberg New Energy Finance just released a report suggesting that investments between $92 trillion and $173 trillion will be needed between now and 2025 in order to achieve climate stability.
4) Samsung Heavy Industries rolls out 9.5 MW floating wind design, passing MHI Vestas 8.4 MW platform. Bigger machines in the offing. 5) UK's Go-Ahead Group, owner of 5,000 buses, plans to convert all of its buses to clean fuels by 2035 and to become carbon-neutral by 2045. Strategy includes bus-to-grid technology.
6) Icelandair, Air Nostrum, and Ravn Alaska have signed letters of intent with US hydrogen startup - Universal Hydrogen - to convert 21 existing planes to fuel cell electrics running on hydrogen.

Illegal battery storage facility catches fire in Illinois; hundreds die in Pacific NW heatwave, while grid faces new stresses; OR passes aggressive clean grid legislation, targeting 100% carbon-free by 2040; Shell turns on first 10 MW of 100 MW green H2 plant; Q1 global EVs sales jump 66%, to 550K; Canada advances clean vehicle target by 5 yrs - only zero emissions to be sold after 2035; Vestas pushes onshore turbine frontier to 6.2 MW; BOEM begins review of projects off VA and New England; NJ awards 2,600+ GW of offshore wind

1) Nearly a hundred tons of illegally stored lithium-ion batteries catcher fire in IL, causing evacuations of a thousand homes

2) Hundreds die in Pacific NW heat wave, and power outages affect Spokane as equipment overheats

3) OR lawmakers pass aggressive clean grid legislation, w/Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, to fully decarbonize their grids by 2040

4) Shell fires up first 10 MW of 100 MW green H2 plant in Germany

5) Global EV sales in Q1 rocket 66% to 550,000, w/Tesla a big leader

6) Canada advances zero emission vehicle target by 5 years to 2035

7) Vestas upgrades its 6.0 MW turbine to 6.2 megawatts

8) US BOEM initiates review of 3.0 GW project off VA and 2.0-2.3 GW project off souther New England

9) NJ announces two offshore wind winners - Ørsted w/1,148 MW Ocean Wind 2, & Shell/EDF w/1,510 MW Atlantic Shores.

PSEG to advance its net-zero greenhouse gas goals by 20 years from 2050 to 2030; Michigan's Consumers Energy proposes to cease using coal plants by 2025, 15 years ahead of schedule; U.S. bans some solar imports from Xinjiang, China over concerns related to forced labor; Sweden's HyBrit consortium planning to build hydrogen-fired carbon-free steel plant; CIP will support 100 MW floating wind project off Scotland; Flying electric race cars may be zipping around tracks in 2022.

1) New Jersey's PSEG is moving up its net zero target, from 2050 to 2030, and selling its non-nuclear fleet, including 6,750 MW of fossil gen;

2) Michigan's Consumers Energy proposing to stop coal-fired gen by 2025, 15 years ahead of schedule, and meet demand with used natural gas power plants to provide reliable energy during transition to a cleaner gen mix.

3) The U.S. bans import of some solar products made in China's Xinjiang region to address alleged human rights and forced labor abuses;

4) Sweden's HYBRIT consortium planing to build a commercial scale carbon free iron plant using H2 to make iron.

5) Danish fund manager, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners will fund a floating wind farm with a capacity of up to a 100 MW off the coast of Scotland.

6) Australia's Alauda is developing a racing series with electrically powered flying cars. The series is expected to include 3 events at different locations this year, w/electric flying cars controlled from the ground. Manned, pilot races are planned for next year.

U.S. surpasses 100 GW of installed wind, w/ add'l 150 GW anticipated through 2025; GM ups green investment ante from $27 bn to $35 bn through 2025, announces two more battery plants; GenOn to close four coal plants at 2,421 GW; Talen Energy installing 20 MW of batteries at defunct MD coal plant, part of 1 GW storage plan; U.S. BOEM proposes 7GW offshore wind lease in NY/NJ area.

1) The US just surpassed 100 GW of installed solar, doubling in past 3 years. Q1 installations at 5 MW, up 46% over 2020, and 58% of all US installed capacity for quarter. Utility-scale projects at 3.6 GW, and resi at 905 MW. Texas took 1.52 GW of the 5 GW.

2) GM announced plans for two more gigafactories by mid-decade, with a total of $35 bn invested in green tech through 2025, up from $27 bn in November.

3) energy company GenOn will close two coal units in Southern Maryland next year, 5 years ahead of schedule, and shutter add'l . plants near Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Total capacity of shutdowns is 2,421 MW.

4) Talen Energy will install a 20 MW proof-of-concept battery at closed AJ Wagner coal plant in MD. If successful, storage at plant could increase to 115 MW.

5) US Department of the Interior announces proposed 7 GW offshore wind lease in New York Bight, between NY and NJ.

“I’m excited to announce that I had my virtual book launch this week for “The Energy Switch: How Companies and Customers Are Transforming the Electrical Grid and the Future of Power.” I was astonished at the level of interest and especially the number of great questions from attendees on everything from policy to battery technologies and solar panels. I didn’t have time to answer them all, but the good news is that many of the answers to those questions are contained in the book!

The physical book launch is next week on June 15th at my family’s independent bookstore, and that’s the day we go from pre-order status to physical delivery! You can order from the usual suspects

But if you want a signed copy, you gotta go to the link for my family’s bookstore and put in the notes that you want me to sign it. Then send me an email and I will make it happen!

You can email me at: butwhypkd@gmail.com

Thanks!"

PJM finally holds capacity auction and prices sink; Norway rocks EV sales (again); China's BYD bringing e-buses to the U.S.; 7-11 is going to charge your EV; numerous companies lining up to recycle the batteries.

1) After 3 years, PJM holds capacity auction for 2022-23 delivery year, and costs averaged close to $50/MW a day for 144,477 MW of capacity, well under the $140 price reached in last (2018) auction. This, despite MOPR requiring state-subsidized resources to bid in at specific floor prices. Coal plants got hurt, and 2 Exelon nukes failed to clear price hurdles.

2) Norway registered 8,500 EVs in May, at 60.4% of all sales and 83% if plug-in hybrids included. Ford's Ford Mustang Mach-E, w/1,384 new registrations, came 1st.

3) China's BYD brings electric school buses to N. America, with bidirectional charging capabilities.

4) 7-Eleven upping its EV fast-charging game w/plans for 500 DC fast-charging stations at 250 N American locations by the end of 2022.

5) Lithium-ion battery recycling industry is gearing up quickly w/ two announcements last week. S. Korean steel company, POSCO to set up a recycling business w/Chinese company Huayou Cobalt, investing about €88 million to build processing plant in Gwangyang. Canadian companies, Stelco and Primobius, a JV between Australian company Neometals and Germany's SMS group, to build another facility to recover and recycle metals from lithium-ion batteries in North America, at 20,000 tons.

Ford's F-150 Lightning moves EVs squarely into "Average Joe" consumer-land; Ford & SK Innovation JV'ing on 60 GWh gigafactory; Highview Power inks $1 bn of long-term storage deals; the IEA says we must move a lot faster to attain 1.5 degrees C; Vistra to exit gas plants move to solar/storage; Vestas and friends to develop fully recyclable wind blades.

1) Ford F 150 Lightning has a number of great attributes, including a vehicle-to-house capability, the ability to drive power tools, & a trunk!

2) Ford & SK Innovation launch JV to develop 60 GWh battery plant in U.S.

3) Crogenic storage company Highview Power developing a 350 MW/2.1 GWh set of projects in Spain at $1 bn.

4) IEA: if we want to stay at 1.5°C by 2050, govts are going to have to redouble clean tech efforts. An estimated 630 GW solar and 390 GW of wind needed by 2030, plus storage and EVs.

5) Power plant owner Vistra done with new gas plants putting $1+ bn of solar and battery storage into TX & CA.

6) Vestas and allies achieve full recycling of wind turbine blades by splitting & recycling both fiber and epoxy in composite blades. Plan is to offer a fully-scoped solution ready for industrial adoption within 3 years.

U.S. fuel pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline shuts down entire network following a ransomware cyber attack - the cyber battlefield widens; CA Q1 EV sales over 9%, with Tesla way in lead; NIO will bring EVs & battery swap network to Norway; AES to supply Google VA data centers w/90% clean energy on hourly basis; Talen Energy jumps into energy storage; Ford drops more money into solid state battery tech; Salesforce requires its suppliers to prove meaningful carbon reduction compliance

1) U.S. pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline shuts down network in face of ransomware cyber attack - the cyber battlefield extends to non-state actors

2) CA EV sales at 9% of total. Tesla's Model Y and 3 crush competition

3) NIO to bring EVs and battery swapping network to Norway

4) AES will supply Google w/90% carbon free energy mix on an hourly basis

5) Talen Energy to build out 1 GW of standalone energy storage on existing footprint, w/projects from 20-300 MW

6) Ford with add'l equity investment in Solid Power, developer of solid state EV batteries

7) Salesforce making suppliers prove meaningful carbon reduction compliance. Sustainability Exhibit says suppliers have 90 days to show plan, & one section has remedies related to a "climate breach."

Hawaiian islands posting solid renewables numbers, w/Maui at 50.8%; CAISO briefly hits 94.5 % renewables in April; Australia's solar pushing prices consistently negative in Q1; Hydrostor developing two 500 MW/5,000 MWh compressed air storage facilities in California; Hyundai & We Drive roll out bi-directional charging for 150 vehicles in Netherlands; Kia Motors & SK Innovations to develop a circular economy w/EV batteries; SEIA develops tool to help solar developers verify ethical supply chain.

1) HECO renewables numbers surge, w/Maui at 50.8%, Oahu 30%, Big Island at 43.4%.

2) California notches 94.5% renewables record last Saturday in April.

3) South Australia Q1 market prices between 10:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. were -$12/MWh.

4) Hydrostor developing two 500 MW/5,000 MWh compressed air storage facilities in CA.

5) Hyundai and We Drive testing EV sharing and bi-directional charging w/150 EVs in the Netherlands.

6) Kia Motors and SK Innovations to develop a circular economy around EV batteries.

7) SEIA addresses issue of forced labor, offers tool to help developers trace modules and verify an ethical supply chain.

XLinks eyes 10.5 GW renewables project in Morocco, to connect w/UK via 3.6 GW subsea cable; Chile's 110 MW CSP plant comes online; In (southern) Chile, large green NH3 plant planned; Thyssenkrupp wins green ammonia deal w/CF Industries in LA; Orsted & ATP bid on N Sea wind island; SDG&E goes for two H2 projects; China's Longi exports record 24.53 GW PV panels in Q1; U.S. Q1 sales of pure electric, plug-in hybrids, & hybrids total 7.8% of all sales.

1) UK-based company Xlinks looking to build 10.5 GW wind/solar complex in Morocco, ship power to UK via 2,400 mile, 3.6 GW, HVDC subsea line.

2) 110 MW concentrated solar project connects to grid in northern Chile.

3) Consortium eyes $3 billion green NH3 project in southern Chile, w/1.8-2 GW of wind tied to 1.4 GW electrolyzer.

4) Thyssenkrupp wins 20 MW electrolyzer deal to supply green NH3 to CF Industries' complex in Louisiana by 2023.

5) Ørsted and ATP to jointly bid in upcoming tender for Danish N Sea Island.

6) SDG&E announces storage project & two hydrogen facilities as part of net zero plan.

7) China's LONGi Solar w/2020 PV shipment record of 24.53 GW.

8) U.S. Q1 EVs, plug-ins & hybrids at 7.8% of total sales, up from 4.8% in 2020. Pure EVs at 99,000 vehicles.

Volvo to make 1st cars in world from fossil-free steel; Fiat runs short on batteries, cuts EV productional Turing plant by 1/3; GM & LG Chem in on $2.3 billion investment in 2nd battery factory in Tennessee; NetPower with new turbine to burn CH4 in pure O2 environment, capturing CO2; Chevron jumps into offshore wind game, with focus on new floating wind tech; NERC reports 25% of U.S. reporting utilities downloaded tainted version of SolarWinds software.

1) Volvo will produce cars from Swedish steel co SSAB's hydrogen-based steel.

2) Fiat needs more batteries, cutting weekly output of its EV 500 model from 300 to 210.

3) GM and LG Chem announce a $2.3 billion investment in 2nd battery factory in Tennessee, bringing total output to 70 GWh/yr.

4) NetPower announces plans for two natgas plants combusting methane within a pure oxygen environment, and capturing carbon for storage.

5) Chevron finally throws its immense weight into renewables, to develop a floating offshore wind platform.

6) NERC indicates 25% of U.S. utilities downloaded hacked SolarWinds software. Feds may create NTSB equivalent to formally investigate events and contributing factors, and oversee fixes.

UPS subsidiary Flight Forward to buy 10 vertical take-off and landing electric aircraft; GM continues to investigate new battery tech to cut costs & improve performance; Norway's wealth fund finally buys a big renewable (offshore wind) project; 85% of new cars registered in Norway in March were electric; 6% of new EU bus sales had a plug as well; VW indicates EV bi-directional capability may come as early as next year

1) UPS subsidiary Flight Forward buying 10 vertical take-off & landing electric aircraft. These VTOLs will be used out of Atlanta by 2024 to replace Cessnas that delivery short-haul speed freight.

2) General Motors testing multiple battery chemistries, technologies, and manufacturing processes to make less expensive and better batteries w/longer range.

3) Norway's $1.3 trillion wealth fund commits to buy 50% of 752-MW offshore wind farms from s Ørsted for about $1.6 billion.

4) 85% of all March car registrations in Norway were electric.

5) 6.1% market share of new EU bus registrations were electric.

6) VW's EVs may go bidirectional as early as next year.

Siemens Gamesa gets 1st firm order for 100 of its 14 MW turbines; Orsted announces big offshore wind-to-H2 plan for industry on Dutch/Belgian border; China now up to 550 EV battery swap stations; Finnair looking at buying electric short-haul planes; Biden admin goes big on transmission and transportation in proposed infrastructure bill

1) Siemens Gamesa notches 1st firm order for 100 x 14MW turbines for N. Sea project, online by 2026.

2) Ørsted announces 2GW of offshore wind and 1 GW of electrolyzers to supply H2 to ind'l cluster in Europe.

3) China now has 550 EV battery swap stations.

4) Finnair expresses interest in buying 20 electric short-haul aircraft from Swedish aerospace startup Heart Aerospace.

5) Biden Administration goes big w/infrastructure bill, w/$174 billion plan to "win the EV market," & create domestic supply chain for EVs. It also looks for 500,000 EV chargers by 2030, 50,000 electric transit vehicles, & electrification of at least 20% of school buses. Also an ITC for transmission to catalyze growth of 20 GW of high-voltage lines. The plan targets $180 bn of research investment for "technologies of the future" & $35 bn for research/innovation to address climate change & adaptation.

Biden & team targeting 30 GW of offshore wind; MA w/new climate plan; Britain's Crown Estate developing leasing round for floating wind projects in Celtic Sea; Biden team targeting reduction in solar costs w/R&D investments; NEV PUC approves $2.5 bn 600-mile transmission project to accelerate renewables; Australia adds 31,000 resi batteries in 2020; US DOE launches $75 mn Grid Storage Launchpad facility for long duration storage; NREL black-starts a grid w/batteries & solar

1) Biden Admin looks for 30 GW offshore wind, in line w/targets of East Coast states.

2)MA Governor signs aggressive climate bill w/efficient appliances & buildings, environmental justice, & 5,600 MW offshore wind.

3) Britain's Crown Estate w/new leasing round for floating wind projects in Celtic Sea.

4) Biden administration aiming for 60% reduction in solar costs by 2030;

5) Nevada, PUC OKs $2.5 bn, 600-mile, GreenLink transmission project supporting expansion of renewables.

6) Australia installs 31,000 battery systems in 2020, w/cumulative total at 110,000 installations;

7) DOE readies $75 million Grid Storage Launchpad facility at PNNL in Washington State, w/ 30 research labs;

8) NREL shows batteries & renewables capable of black-starting a power grid.

Renault joins Veolia & Solvay in battery recycling effort; Audi to stop R&D on combustion engines; Texas wind farms lose billions in Feb freeze; CA agencies warn renewable investments vastly insufficient to meet 2045 goals; IRENA warns on similar issue globally, w/$131 tn needed to meet 2050 1.5 degree target; SPP hits new renewable mark; VW lays out EV manifesto w/battery cost reduction of 50% & 6 gigafactories

1) Renault Group teams up w/waste & recycling co Veolia & chemical group Solvay, to recycle li-ion batteries.

2) Audi ceases investments in new internal combustion engines; Mercedes as well.

3) Dozens of Texas wind farms lose billions of dollars in February freeze, owing to contract structures obligating deliveries.

4) CA agencies: state behind in necessary investments for decarbonized grid by 2045. Meanwhile, state IOUs push back against net metering.

5) IRENA cites enormous gap to close if world to stay at 1.5°C target by 2050. Investment must increase to estimated $131 trillion by 2050 to avert catastrophic climate change.

6) SPP sets new renewables record (wind) at 81.39% on 3/14.

7) VW's Power Day highlights plan for six 40 GWh battery factories in Europe, w/battery cost cutting goal of 50%.

GM plans evolution to lithium metal batteries; DOE to focus on battery technology research; offshore Vineyard Wind project moves through federal environmental review; VW to increase emphasis on recycling battery materials; Salzgitter AG to create wind-to-hydrogen steel plant

1) GM President Mark Reuss indicates company will evolve battery tech to lithium metal.

2) DOE will devote billions of dollars to new EV and battery R&D through its Loan Program Office, a strategic move to claw back some dominance from China.

3) Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completes analysis of 800-MW Vineyard Wind Project off Massachusetts.

4) VW increases focus on recycling used batteries, initiating a pilot battery recycling program in Salzgitter, Germany.

5) Salzgitter AG, one of Europe's largest steel producers, announces wind-to-hydrogen steel plant, w/30-MW wind farm & two Siemens 1.25-MW electrolyzers. Goal is to eliminate carbon in iron ore smelting and reduce CO2 emissions by around 95% by 2050.

Xcel files plan to build $1.7bn, 560 mile line to coordinate w/3 utilities to bring CO renewables to load centers; six SE US utilities to collaborate in build-out of EV charging network; Texas actors squabble as ratepayers suffer; Highview power advances liquid air long-duration storage.

1) Xcel Energy files a plan w/regulators $1.7 billion 560-mile transmission project to move renewable energy to load, will collaborate w/3 other utilities.

2) FERC Chair Richard Click says U.S. won't reach GHG goals w/o high-voltage transmission lines to integrate more renewables.

3) AEP, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, Entergy, Southern Co, & TVA create Electric Highway Coalition to develop network of EV fast chargers across SE U.S.

4) Texas actors point fingers, w/gas & utility operators disagreeing on root causes. W/o intelligent & combined oversight, don't expect improvements soon.

5) ERCOT is in a bind, and $2.5 billion short-paid. Moody's downgrades and notes current protocols dictate uplift payments will be recouped in 80 years (not a typo).

6) Frozen air storage company Highview Power claims a dozen firm projects in pipeline, at roughly 400 MW and 4 GWh. Another 60 projects possible. Let's hope some are in Texas.

Montgomery County, MD to lease 326 bi-directional e-buses; Hydrogen Council reports 228 H2 projects in pipeline, w/value > $300 billion; FERC gives prelim approval to 2.2 GW, $3.6 billion Navajo Energy Storage pumped-hydro project; NY's Port of Albany eyeing $200 mn facility to manufacture offshore wind towers; Dragos reports growing number of state-sponsored cyber actors, w/increased focus on utilities; USPS awards Oshkosh 10-yr contract for electric delivery vehicles

1) Montgomery County votes to lease 326 e-buses that will be bi-directional.

2) Hydrogen Council counts 228 H2 projects in pipeline, worth $300 bn, w/concentration in Europe.

3)FERC issues permit for 2.2 GW, $3.6 billion Navajo Energy Storage pumped-hydro project, w/transmission from now-defunct Navajo coal plant, w/10 hours of supply to markets in AZ, CA, & NV. Water to come from Lake Powell.

4) NY Port of Albany looking at $200 mn factory for offshore wind towers, w/ up to 150 manuf'd annually over anticipated 30-year period.

5)Cybersecurity firm Dragos sees increase in new threat groups, w/growing focus on power sector.

6) USPS awards Oshkosh Defense contract to delivery betw 50,000 & 165,000 electric delivery vehicles over 10 yrs.

Norway's TECO 2030 planning on fuel cell gigafactory for ship propulsion; Vestas investing in a wooden wind tower company to decarbonize supply chain; Ford going all in on EVs in Europe, with completely all-electric lineup by 2030; geothermal company Eavor gets a $40 million investment from BP, Chevron others to advance its novel geothermal loop technology.

1) Norwegian company TECO 2030 to build a fuel cell 'giga factory' to serve ships, with 1.2 GW of output per year. A 3x400-kW maritime fuel cell set-up will be deployed in vessels.

2) Vestas investing in a wooden wind tower company Modvion to decarbonize its supply chain. Modvion makes laminated veneer lumber towers that are assembled modular fashion on site, claiming ability to reach 120 meters.

3) Ford fully committed to EVs in Europe, with all passenger vehicles in Europe to be all-electric by 2030. Company will spend $1 billion of to convert Cologne, Germany plant into first European EV facility.

4) Geothermal company Eavor gets $40 million investment from BP, Chevron, others for horizontally drilled, miles-long, deep geothermal loops. This tech requires no pumps and creates dispatchable electricity supply.