Energy Storage, GHG Emissions, Regulation, Regulation, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  April 8, 2023

Weekend Reads: U.S. Grid Transmission Progress; Greta Thunberg Embraces Nuclear

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

Greenhouse Gases Continued to Increase Rapidly in 2022 (NOAA)  Levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide – the three greenhouse gases emitted by human activity that are the most significant contributors to climate change – continued their historically high rates of growth in the atmosphere during 2022, according to NOAA scientists.

Grid Transmission Progress in the U.S. (CleanTechnica)  As the U.S. continues to see the highest levels of renewable energy investment in its history, the investment required to expand and improve the energy transmission grid will need to keep pace. This is happening through a combination of private investment and support by the Biden administration.

WEBINAR: AI-based HAVAC Management for Real-World Results (Siemens)  AI and analytics can be powerful tools in the overall management of your building when implemented with your goals in mind. Join Siemens experts to learn how cloud-based AI applications can optimize central air handling systems, working in tandem with your existing building automation equipment. Machine learning algorithms can now monitor and control key parameters to optimize operations based on your priorities. Real-world case studies will be presented that address the demands you face daily with handling excessive energy use, comfort control issues, and identifying and correcting operational issues. REGISTER HERE

The U.S. Can Hit Its 2030 Climate Goals, but a Lot Has to Go Right (Scientific American)  A pair of new laws coupled with new climate regulations gives the United States a chance of reaching its 2030 emissions targets under the Paris climate accord, but a lot could go wrong between now and 2030. Those are the conclusions of a report released by the Rhodium Group exploring America’s pathways to achieving its target under the Paris Agreement.

Combined 'SuperLab' Demonstrates Unique Hybrid Power Plant (NREL)  For a 60-minute period in January 2023, a power plant like no other existed in the U.S. Mountain West. It contained a solar array, lithium-ion battery, hydrogen electrolyzers, and a nuclear reactor, all coordinating with each other to provide reliable power. Even more unusual, the plant combined real and simulated technologies hundreds of miles apart. This unique power plant was part of a national research and development project to remotely connect energy assets in real time using the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Energy Sciences Network (ESnet).

Greta Thunberg Has Embraced Nuclear Power: Will the Greens Follow? (Forbes)  Green icon Greta Thunberg seems to be taking a pro-nuclear stance. The Swedish climate activist once decried nuclear energy as being “extremely dangerous, expensive, and time-consuming.” Her views seem to have changed in tandem with recent trends in public opinion as she recently argued that Germany shutting down its nuclear plants was a “mistake.”

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