Weekend Reads: - Smart Energy Decisions

Distributed Energy Resources, Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions, Solar  -  January 11, 2025

Weekend Reads: Banks Flee Climate Group; How Climate Change Worsens Wildfires

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

Exodus by Wall Street banks from climate group worries advocates (Reuters)  U.S. lenders have been rushing in recent weeks to leave one of the world's top banking sector climate coalitions, drawing scorn from campaigners who worry the industry is losing resolve to take action on fossil fuels.

Nuclear fusion could one day be a viable clean energy source – but big engineering challenges stand in the way (The Conversation)  The way scientists think about fusion changed forever in 2022, when what some called the experiment of the century demonstrated for the first time that fusion can be a viable source of clean energy. The experiment, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, showed ignition: a fusion reaction generating more energy out than was put in. In addition, the past few years have been marked by a multibillion-dollar windfall of private investment in the field, principally in the United States. But a whole host of engineering challenges must be addressed before fusion can be scaled up to become a safe, affordable source of virtually unlimited clean power. In other words, it’s engineering time.

WEBINAR | Clean Energy: What to Watch in 2025 (Smart Energy Decisions)  Smart Energy Decisions starts off its 2025 Webinar Series with a look back at the biggest trends in energy and sustainability during 2024 and what to expect in 2025. Industry expert Peter Kelly-Detwiler will present “The Fight for Supply” detailing the growing energy demand driven by data centers, AI vs. waiting terms on transformers and inflationary pressure. With so many decarbonization commitments in play, will it all get built? Joby Carlson, Climate, Energy and Sustainability Executive, will join Peter to explore the results of SED’s exclusive “What to Watch in 2025” survey to uncover the biggest challenges of 2024 and opportunities for 2025. Survey respondents include more than 150 energy customers and suppliers. SED’s Marjorie Ferris, Director of Sales, and Lisa Carroll, Energy Buyer Partnerships, will present the latest on our 2025 events. Join us to learn what you need to know for the exciting year ahead! REGISTER HERE

In 2024, solar contributed to the New England grid like never before (Maine Public Radio)  ISO New England is reporting that for the first time in a single year, it has recorded over 100 days in which energy demand actually went down in the middle of the day due to solar use.

How one school became a power plant for its community (RMI)  Students at Baltimore’s Elmer A Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School (Henderson-Hopkins) are getting more than just educational opportunities to learn about the new solar panels adorning the roof — they’re also first in line to get a discounted electricity bill due to the panels. This is a bit unusual for solar on a school; instead of powering the building below, this is a community solar project, where students’ families, staff, and the wider community will have the chance to subscribe to the project and take advantage of both clean energy generation and discounted electricity for their homes.

The role of climate change in the catastrophic 2025 Los Angeles fires (Yale Climate Connections)  The main way that climate change worsens wildfires is by drying out vegetation. Prolonged heat turns forests and grasslands into tinder, fueling faster, more intense burns. In the case of this week’s fires, vegetation growth in early 2024 was enhanced by a wetter-than-average winter in Southern California.

Tags: nuclear, Weekend reads

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