systems

Nevada is one of the nation’s largest solar markets, and conservationists want Nevadans to be aware of the federal tax incentives available.

Russell Kuhlman, executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation, is also a homeowner who installs solar panels. He realized that going solar isn’t cheap, but with newly expanded federal tax credits, you can get back 30% of your added investment.

Nevadans can also take advantage of net metering, which allows customers to use energy generated by a solar system to pay their monthly bills.

Kuhlman noted that the Inflation Reduction Act also includes incentives for more energy-efficient appliances.

“When I bought my house, everything was about 20 years old in terms of appliances,” Kuhlman said. “Now that I’m going solar, I’m taking even more advantage of these discounts on buying energy-efficient refrigerators, dryers, etc. So I’m hoping to combine all of these discounts and tax breaks.”

The Inflation Reduction Act included $8.8 billion to help increase home electrification and access to more efficient appliances. The Department of Energy estimates the rebates will save households nationwide up to $1 billion in energy bills annually and support more than 50,000 jobs.

Kuhlman noted that as more residential and commercial solar systems are installed, there will be less demand for what he calls “large-scale solar projects” on public lands.

“Reno and Vegas are some of the fastest growing cities with high potential for solar development,” Kuhlman said. “Trying to find a way to encourage these large-scale developments is another thing I think we should try to encourage.”

Yazmyn Pelaez, director of communications for the Nevada Conservation League, said solar investments can improve lives and homes as energy costs rise. He added that this is an opportunity to move away from fossil fuels and ensure that investments reach more communities.

“Not just landlords, but tenants,” Pelaez said. “We’re really working to make this transition as fair as possible because we want to make sure no one is left behind in this new clean energy transition.”

Pelaez acknowledged that many don’t have access to solar energy because they can’t afford to lease a solar system or have rooftops, but the community believes solar power can be a viable option. Such facilities are shared by community members who receive credits from their electricity bill for their share of the energy produced.

Disclosure: The Nevada Conservation League contributes to our fund for reporting on Citizen Engagement, Climate Change/Air Quality, Public Lands/Wildlife and Water. If you want to support public interest news, click here.

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The first satellite launched by a nonprofit organization is now preparing to deliver data on methane pollution from oil and gas facilities around the world.

The MethaneSAT satellite, supported by the Environmental Defense Fund, will help monitor methane emissions, a major contributor to global warming.

The advocacy group is focused on making data transparent, accessible and actionable, said Jon Goldstein, the foundation’s senior director of regulatory and legislative affairs.

“It’s going to help government, it’s going to help industry and it’s going to help communities who want to know, ‘What’s going on in my backyard?'” Goldstein said. “They will have this open, online source of information.”

Goldstein emphasized that the data collected should hold accountable the more than 50 oil and gas companies that pledged to “zero” methane and eliminate conventional gas flaring at last year’s COP-28 climate summit in Dubai.

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency published new methane regulations that were adopted in 2023. New Mexico adopted its own regulations in 2021, specifically against leaks from small facilities.

The new satellite is designed to measure known sources of methane and to discover and quantify previously unknown sources. Goldstein noted that this would allow companies and countries to take action more quickly to help reverse the Earth’s rising surface temperatures.

“It’s a very powerful greenhouse gas; 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, pound for pound,” Goldstein said. “That makes this a huge opportunity for people who want to quickly fix this problem, get out there and fix these leaks.”

New Mexico, second only to Texas as the largest oil-producing state in the United States, MethaneSAT was launched last week from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Disclosure: The Environmental Defense Fund contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environment, and Public Lands/Wilderness. If you want to support public interest news, click here.

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As the effects of climate change mount, New Yorkers and people across the country are fretting about the environment.

Environmental grief, also known as “solastalgia,” has become a growing response to climate change. A 2020 survey by the American Psychological Association found that almost 70% of people feel that climate change is affecting their mental health.

Reverend Chelsea MacMillan, a New York organizer for Greenfaith, a multi-faith climate action organization, said the group hosts grief circles for people to grieve about climate change.

“People are saddened by the decline in bird populations, the number of bighorn sheep, that are dying in the Sierra Nevada due to extreme weather,” he said. “It snowed heavily last year.

MacMillan added that people also lament the shorter and warmer winters. He sees a growing sense of hopelessness in these circles in response to a lack of political will.

Countries around the world are moving towards a climate-friendly future, but it is uncertain how effective these efforts are. United Nations report 2022
finds that global greenhouse gas emissions are falling. However, it is not fast enough to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.

While circles of grief focus on environmental issues, they are sometimes open to current events as well. MacMillan said people also suffer from a growing sense of indifference to the world. He noted that this distress has even caused some to question their faith.

“I think they see a lot of clergy and faith leaders not responding to these crises and instead focusing on the afterlife or their homogeneous communities and how we protect our homogeneous communities from these perceived threats in the world,” MacMillan said. .

MacMillan believes that times of crisis can strengthen one’s faith. He thinks that faith is not waiting for God or some higher power to save the day. Rather, it is to be an active participant in listening to the cries of the world.

Disclosure: GreenFaith contributes to our fund for reporting on Climate Change/Air Quality, Energy Policy, Environmental Protection. If you want to support public interest news, click here.

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A proposed urban reforestation program in Massachusetts aims to help cities mitigate the effects of climate change.

The legislation would create a state advisory board to help municipalities choose the best time to plant trees and which native species would be most effective in reducing urban heat islands created by large concrete slabs.

Rep. Steve Owens, D-Watertown, said funding would be prioritized for neighborhoods with less than 20% tree cover.

“Things like choosing optimal sites, analyzing existing tree cover,” Owens said. “It’s something people may or may not be able to do on their own.”

Owens noted that neighborhoods are losing trees to development and environmental factors faster than they are being replaced. He said studies have found that trees not only keep neighborhoods healthier and cooler, but are also linked to reduced crime.

The urban reforestation plan will build on Massachusetts’ long-running Gateway Cities Greening program, which aims to plant more trees in areas economically affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs.

Owens noted that many areas are considered environmentally fair neighborhoods, with more wooded areas and higher particulate matter in the air.

“It’s not only important to deal with the first dozen because they have the fewest trees, but because they’re typically the ones most affected by pollution,” Owens said.

Owens added that increased tree canopy cover is both a climate mitigation and carbon sequestration solution, which could help Massachusetts reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. The bill was introduced by the state’s Environment and Natural Resources committee.

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A former coal plant in Queensland, Australia is set to be transformed into a Tesla Megapack, a sustainable energy hub.

According to Teslarati, construction has begun on the nearly $330 million Tesla Megapack project funded by the Queensland Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Works Fund.

According to their website, Tesla’s megapacks are “a powerful battery that provides energy storage and backup, helping to stabilize the grid and prevent outages,” eliminating the need for gas and coal plants.

By building the Megapack in Swanbank, Queensland, the Swanbank government hopes to store enough energy to power two-thirds of the city of Ipswich when needed. In case of an accident at night, the power can supply the city with power for two hours.

This is not the first Tesla Megapack project in Australia, as the country is a leader in lithium batteries for energy storage. The United States is also providing infrastructure for such energy storage with solar mega-packs in California and Massachusetts.

Burning coal can cause respiratory diseases and warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. Converting a former coal plant into a Tesla Megapack is a big step forward for clean energy and safety in the form of outages.

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With the expansion of these megapacks, residents can feel more secure with renewable energy stored during power outages that could affect data, refrigeration, healthcare, and other products.

The Megapacks are the newest models of Tesla’s rechargeable energy storage products after the company discontinues the Powerpack in 2022. Thanks to Australia’s investment in Megapack projects and incentives for smaller, home Powerwalls, the government hopes to see success in more affordable energy projects.

“Energy infrastructure is at the heart of what we do and we’re really looking forward to partnering with CleanCo Queensland, Tesla and of course the local community to reimagine Swanbank through the Clean Energy Centre,” said executive general manager Belinda Watton of Yurika.

“Along with cheaper, cleaner and more reliable energy, this state-owned asset supports the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan, creates jobs for Queenslanders and represents an incredibly positive investment in our clean energy future,” Watton said.

“This major battery is evidence that the Miles Government is taking real action to decarbonise our state’s economy in a way that makes living costs more affordable for Queenslanders,” Queensland Minister for Energy and Clean Economy Mick de Brenny said.

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An international team of researchers led by Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany has successfully designed a large-scale organic photovoltaic (OPV) panel, setting a new global benchmark with an unprecedented efficiency of 14.5. %. This landmark achievement represents an important milestone in the field of renewable energy, especially solar technology, as it demonstrates the vast potential of organic photovoltaic materials.

The joint effort involved experts from different countries who combined their knowledge and resources to solve problems related to increasing the efficiency of OPV panels. Known for their flexibility, lightness, and low-cost manufacturing potential, organic photovoltaic panels have been the subject of intense research due to their promise as a sustainable energy solution. However, one of the main obstacles to their widespread adoption has been their relatively low efficiency compared to traditional silicon-based solar panels.

The research team’s success in creating an OPV panel with an efficiency rate of 14.5% is a significant improvement over previous records. This achievement not only demonstrates the feasibility of using organic materials for high-efficiency solar panels, but also opens up new opportunities for further research and development in this field. Increased efficiency can lead to more practical applications of OPV technology, making renewable energy sources more accessible and affordable to a wider range of users.

The breakthrough was made possible by innovative design strategies and optimization of OPV panel structure and materials. By carefully selecting and combining different organic compounds, the researchers were able to increase the panel’s ability to absorb sunlight and convert it more efficiently into electricity. This optimization process involved complex testing and tweaking to achieve the optimal balance between performance and stability.

This achievement is poised to have a profound impact on the renewable energy landscape, encouraging further investment and research in organic solar technologies. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change and the need for sustainable energy solutions, advances like these offer hope for a cleaner, more renewable future. The researchers are optimistic that with continued innovation, OPVs can play a crucial role in the global transition to renewable energy sources, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and reducing the environmental impacts of energy production.

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Jason Graziadei • March 08, 2024

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A more than decade-long initiative to build Nantucket’s largest solar farm on the Wannacomet Water Company property off Milestone Road quietly ended this week.

On Wednesday, the Board of Elections formally voted to abandon the project by voiding the lease agreement with Solar Star Tranquility, a subsidiary of French energy giant TotalEnergies, which was selected to develop a 3.8 megawatt ground-mounted solar array in 2019. . The vote on the “mutual termination agreement” was passed without discussion among the members of the Selection Board.

Permitting issues — notably the state’s ruling last August that the property was subject to an article of the Massachusetts Constitution requiring state legislative approval — ultimately led to the project’s demise.

The solar farm has been in the works since 2011, when island voters at the Annual Town Meeting authorized a 25-year long-term lease of its property through a power purchase agreement for solar array development.

Wannacomet Water Company director Mark Willett said there was the possibility of a “smaller-scale” project on the property at some point in the future – specifically, solar panels on the roofs of the water company buildings – but confirmed the original project. It would be the largest solar array on the island.

“The size of the project is dead on, but we’re trying to do something smaller scale within Department of Environmental Protection regulations and what we can do at the well site,” Willett said. “Being on a well site and being a state-protected property, it’s always going to be a pretty big leap to get that. So we’re looking at doing some solar on the roofs and maybe a small ground array to offset the energy use here.”

The Solar Star Tranquility project would involve thousands of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic panels on two sites totaling 10.10 acres of Wannacomet Water Company property. The city hoped that during the property’s 25-year lease, the solar panels would offset the water company’s and the city’s energy use, while also helping to reduce peak electricity demand on the island during the summer months and generate clean energy. Offsetting 86,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Plan of proposed solar array on Wannacomet Water Company property between Milestone and Old South roads.

Despite support from island voters at Biennial Town Meeting (2011 and 2016), along with approval from the Board of Selectmen and the Nantucket Water Commission, the project faced unexpected headwinds due to the restrictive nature of water company ownership.

As recently as last May, TotalEnergies representatives told the public that construction would begin in the fall of 2023. But it never happened.

For the previous two years, the Nantucket Land and Water Council (NLWC) had expressed concerns about several of the project’s political implications, saying it was subject to Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution. The provision is intended to ensure that land acquired by municipalities for conservation of natural resources cannot be used for other purposes without a two-thirds vote of the state legislature.

NLWC’s attorney wrote a legal opinion arguing that the water company’s property was indeed subject to Article 97, while city counsel KP Law wrote a conflicting opinion that it was not. In August 2023, the State Executive Office for Energy and Environmental Affairs reported that the property was subject to Article 97.

“This protection given to the property when it was first handed over to the city is incredibly important because this property sits directly above our public water supply well sites,” NLWC Executive Director Emily Molden wrote after the state’s decision. “After the 25-year lease for the proposed solar facility expires, we were deeply concerned about how future uses could affect this site and community water. Section 97 helps protect our right to clean water along with other natural waters. The long-term protection of this area and the public water supply must be a top priority for the city. The health and well-being of our community depends on it.”

According to the contract between the city and TotalEnergies, the state’s decision posed a “significant risk to the timely permitting, financing and development of the solar project.”

While the water company’s solar project is gone — at least for now — the city recently flipped the switch on a smaller, 232-panel solar array at the Surfside Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Bartlett’s Farm has about seven acres. working solar array. The number of private solar installations on Nantucket also continues to grow:

New York’s passion for transitioning to renewable energy sources is taking a significant step forward with the Horseshoe Solar Project in Rush, New York. The Invenergy-led initiative aims to generate 180 megawatts of energy through 600,000 solar panels, powering 35,000 to 50,000 homes annually, addressing the state’s growing electricity demand and creating jobs. The project, which was first presented to the public in 2019, reignited public debate during a recent virtual public hearing, particularly around potential environmental impacts.

Public Concerns and Company Responses

Despite the project’s promise of a greener future, it has not been without its detractors. Local resident Robin Rapport raised the issues during the public hearing, expressing concern about the project’s potential to alter water flow and increase pollution. These concerns highlight the need for a detailed environmental impact analysis, something critics claim has not been sufficiently addressed by Invenergy. In response, the company emphasized its commitment to sustainable development and the economic benefits the project will bring to the region, stressing that the solar farm will generate more revenue than traditional agriculture.

Regulatory Approvals and Next Steps

The project has received support from state officials as Horseshoe Solar nears groundbreaking, expected to begin in 2024 and be completed by 2025. The director of the state’s renewable energy office heralded Horseshoe Solar’s approval as a “huge victory for New Yorkers,” aligning with the goal of creating a zero-emissions grid by 2040. public concerns about environmental safety and procedural transparency.

Looking Ahead: Balancing Growth and Sustainability

The Horseshoe Solar Project embodies the challenges and opportunities inherent in the transition to renewable energy. While the project promises to make a significant contribution to New York’s energy sustainability and economic growth, the project also emphasizes the importance of community involvement and environmental stewardship. Addressing the concerns of Rush residents and ensuring strong environmental safeguards will be critical for Invenergy as it moves forward, demonstrating the broader tension between rapid technological progress and the imperative of environmental protection.

As the Horseshoe Solar Project moves forward, its development will likely serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country, highlighting the complex dance between innovation, environmental responsibility and community involvement. The importance of harmonizing these elements cannot be overstated, with increasing renewable energy projects laying the groundwork for a future where green energy and public welfare go hand in hand.