Weekend reads - Smart Energy Decisions

GHG Emissions, Regulation  -  October 3, 2020

Weekend reads: China's path to carbon neutrality; Overcoming EV adoption obstacles

It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.

China’s Long Road to Carbon Neutrality Will Reshape World Economy (BloombergNEF) China’s recent pledge to achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 has surprised the world. As the world’s largest carbon emitter and energy consumer, China’s yet-unknown pathway to carbon neutrality is certain to disrupt the globe’s energy economy from Dhahran to Queensland to Sand Hill Road and everywhere in between. BloombergNEF’s examined the arduous road ahead of China and the implications for the rest of the world in a recent Research Note previously available only to BNEF clients, but downloadable here now.

Trump was forced to talk about climate at the first presidential debate (Grist) “I’d like to talk about climate change,” Chris Wallace said in the last 10 minutes of the first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday. “What do you believe about the science of climate change, sir?” he asked Trump. “Do you believe that human pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, contribute to climate change?” The question was not on the list of six debate topics Wallace had released ahead of Tuesday night’s debate. But the roughly 10 minutes the candidates spent talking about climate change were not only surprisingly extensive, thoughtful, and civil, they represented one of the most substantive conversations President Trump has ever been forced to have about climate change on the fly and on such a big platform. Wallace did not hold back.

Webinar: How to Gain Economic Advantage by Managing Supply and DERs as One (NRG Energy) Wednesday, October 07, 2020, 2:00 PM EDT/11:00 AM PDT. Texas businesses tend to think about — and treat — their competitive power supply contracts as distinct from their distributed energy resources (DERs). They focus on competitive supply as a way to achieve low and predictable rates. Meanwhile, they employ DERs, such as backup generators, energy storage, or microgrids, to enhance energy reliability and sustainability. But what if businesses instead managed the two together? It turns out that bundling them creates resource flexibility and economic opportunities not available when they are managed separately. In this webinar, In this webinar, NRG Energy and Concentric Power explain why and how an experienced supplier can bundle supply contracts and DERs to achieve better energy pricing. REGISTER HERE

Demand response failed California 20 years ago; the state's recent outages may have redeemed it (Utility Dive) California's recent blackouts revealed serious shortcomings in the state's energy transition planning, but may also have prompted a reconsideration of a distribution system resource that previously had a bad reputation. Demand response (DR) failed California in its 2000-2001 energy crisis and left regulators inclined to call on it only in the most dire energy shortages. But the recent heatwave-induced rolling blackouts had billion-dollar-plus costs and the performance of a new kind of DR got policymakers' attention.

Q&A: NAACP climate justice organizer on ‘black to green’ employment pipeline (Energy News) As the solar industry continues to grow, advocates want to ensure that job opportunities are accessible for Black people, who remain underrepresented in the sector. In Indiana’s coal country, a new program aims to create a “black to green” pipeline, recognizing the disproportionate burden that fossil fuels have placed on Black communities. The Power Up Solar and Jobs Program, administered by the Indiana State Conference of the NAACP and the Evansville Vicinity Branch, provides instruction and hands-on training in solar panel installation. It is targeted toward unemployed and underemployed workers, as well as formerly incarcerated individuals and young adults between the ages of 18 and 25.

Mainstream EV Adoption: 5 Speedbumps to Overcome (Visual Capitalist) Many would agree that a global shift to electric vehicles (EV) is an important step in achieving a carbon-free future. However, for various reasons, EVs have so far struggled to break into the mainstream, accounting for just 2.5% of global auto sales in 2019. To understand why, this infographic from Castrol identifies the five critical challenges that EVs will need to overcome. All findings are based on a 2020 survey of 10,000 consumers, fleet managers, and industry specialists across eight significant EV markets.

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