By Carolyn Fortuna, CleanTechnica
If you were a mayor of a US city, what would you be doing to convert your municipality to renewable energy? What energy efficiency measures would you pursue? If you and other mayors are working to achieve a zero emissions community currently, what obstacles stand in your way from achieving these goals?
A recent report, “Leveraging New Technologies to Modernize Infrastructure and Improve Energy Efficiency in America’s Cities,” provides timely information on how mayors are working in the US to incorporate energy technologies and infrastructure improvements. Continue reading here.
Photo: Lincoln, Nebraska is among the participating cities. See page 16 of the report.
ELECTRIC VEHICLES & CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
- 10,000 North American school buses will be converted to fully electric, Electrek
Each bus will have the ability to deliver full vehicle-to-grid capabilities, with the SEA-Drive power system able to feed electricity back into the grid, improving stability when connected to a charging station. - Major US utilities plan nationwide charging network, anticipating 22M EVs by 2030, Utility Dive. More than 50 utilities, primarily investor-owned power companies, have banded together to install electric vehicle (EV) fast charging infrastructure along major U.S. highway corridors by the end of 2023, the National Electric Highway Coalition (NEHC) announced Tuesday.
- EV charging network to link Minnesota, North Dakota reservations seeking freedom from oil, The Jamestown Sun. Clean energy groups on the Standing Rock reservation in North Dakota and Red Lake reservation in Minnesota were awarded $6.7 million in federal funding to build out electric vehicle infrastructure in the tribal communities.
- Check out new EV models (including electric pickups!) on PlugStar
Many new electric vehicles are hitting the road, including Rivian pickup trucks and the 520-mile Lucid Air. So many vehicles, like these, are game-changers for EVs.
UNION PACIFIC NEWS
Union Pacific Railroad Works to Cut Its Carbon Emissions, U.S. News & World Report
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Union Pacific railroad plans to expand its use of renewable fuels and explore using battery-powered locomotives in the coming years to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases. The Omaha, Nebraska-based company said Monday that it plans to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases 26% by 2030 when compared to its 2018 levels. Photo Credit: Union Pacific
NEW APP
Caremiles App Helps Drivers Calculate Vehicles’ Climate Impact, CleanTechnica
One way to find out how your car — whether it’s an EV or not — is impacting the environment is by looking into the caremiles app. This is a new app with a focus on helping drivers calculate their personal vehicles’ impact on the climate. And with every mile tracked, caremiles plants a tree. I had a chance to interview caremiles founder Kashif Sohail and asked him a few questions.
ENERGY STORAGE
US installs record 3,515 MWh of energy storage in Q3, Renewables Now
Wood Mackenzie projects that up to 4.7 GW of utility-scale storage will become operational in 2021.“The pace of energy storage installations will continue breaking records for years to come, particularly once Congress enacts an ITC [investment tax credit] for energy storage.” – Jason Burwen, interim chief executive of the US Energy Storage Association.
Image Credit: Portland General Electric
ALSO IN THE NEWS
Grid stability and 100% renewables, PV Magazine
New research from Stanford University professor Mark Jacobson seeks to remove any doubts about grid stability in a world powered entirely by renewable energy. The latest study models 100% wind, water and solar powered grids across the United States, finding no risk of blackouts in any region and also broad benefits in cost reduction, job creation and land use. NPPD Photo
- ‘Earthshots’ Guide Intensifying DOE Efforts in Technology Development, American Institute of Physics
- Power Plant Coal Stockpiles Fall To Lowest Levels Since 1978: EIA, American Public Power Association
- Iowa City recognized as leader on climate action, The Gazette
FEATURED WEBINAR RECORDING
Benefits of Scaling Local Solar and Storage
In this Clean Energy States Alliance webinar, Local Solar for All’s Karl Rabago discussed how advanced utility planning modeling shows that scaling local distributed energy resources (DERs) can lead to a least-cost clean grid. Using Vibrant Clean Energy’s sophisticated WIS:dom®-P utility planning model, Local Solar for All recently released a study that examines how DERs can support decarbonizing the grid by 2035. Photo Credit: Fresh Energy