New York Times: Britain Calls for Closing of Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2025
The British government on Wednesday called for the closing of all coal-fired power plants in the country by 2025, and proposed that use of the plants be restricted two years before that.
The move, announced in advance of the United Nations conference on climate change set to open in Paris on Nov. 30, appeared aimed at showing Britain as a leader in reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The push came as the European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, said in a report that the bloc would probably achieve its goal of reducing emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared with levels that existed in 1990.
National Journal: GOP Grasps For Leverage Over Paris Climate-Change Deal
Republicans are furious that President Obama plans to join a sweeping new global climate-change pact that will probably leave Congress on the outside looking in. So they’re trying to find political leverage where they can.
That’s why GOP senators are making a new threat ahead of the United Nations climate summit that begins Nov. 30 in Paris: They won’t provide a dime for a major White House pledge to help developing nations fight climate change unless Obama agrees to submit the climate deal to the Senate for its advice and consent.
Sens. John Barrasso and James Inhofe are circulating a letter among colleagues that targets Obama’s late 2014 pledge to steer $3 billion into the Green Climate Fund, a multinational effort that supports developing nations’ efforts to cut emissions and become more resilient to the effects of global warming.
The Detroit News: GM, TARDEC to Modify Chevy Colorado to Run on Hydrogen
General Motors Co. said Thursday that the automaker and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC) are altering a Chevy Colorado pickup to run on hydrogen fuel cells and will test the vehicle in extreme military use for a year.
GM said it would announce more details on the vehicle and timing later.
“Hydrogen fuel-cell technology is important to GM’s advanced propulsion portfolio, and this enables us to put our technology to the test in a vehicle that will face punishing military duty cycles,” said Charlie Freese, executive director of GM’s global fuel cell engineering activities, in a statement.
Cleantech Canada: Toronto Firm Launches Project That Uses Giant Underwater ‘Balloons’ to Store Energy
Three kilometers off the south shore of Toronto Island, underneath 55 meters of water, a series of balloon-like structures chock-full of compressed air are pumping electricity into Toronto’s energy grid.
In the frigid depths of Lake Ontario, Toronto cleantech startup Hydrostor Inc. and its partner, Toronto Hydro, have launched the world’s first underwater compressed-air energy storage system.
“This event marks an important milestone for our company, and we’re thrilled to have the world’s first underwater compressed-air energy storage system in service,” the company’s CEO, Curtis VanWalleghem, said. “We’re now focused on commercializing this technology globally to bring our green energy storage solution to countries around the world.”
Renewable Energy Focus: Gamesa Unveils Debut Model From Newest Platform
The company presented this product at European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) 2015, one of the sector's hallmark events, which is taking place in Paris (France) between 17 and 20 November.
The new platform builds from the technology proven in the company's 2.0 MW and 2.5 MW platforms, installed in 35 countries (cumulative installed capacity: 20.9 GW), by leveraging the same mechanical and electrical systems but boosting nominal capacity to 3.3 MW.
José Antonio Malumbres, Gamesa's CTO, stated: “This new product is the only turbine on the market designed for medium wind speeds; [it] combines a 132-meter rotor with nominal unit capacity of 3.3 MW. This guarantees an optimal capacity factor and, by extension, maximizing output."