Forbes: NuScale First to Submit SMR Nuclear Application to NRC

NuScale Power is a company with a mission -- to build the first small modular nuclear reactor in America. As of now, they are certainly on track.

Last week, NuScale announced their submission of the first design certification application for any SMR in the United States to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They did all the legwork and got all their ducks in a row before submitting, something that is critical for success with the NRC.

The application consisted of 12,000 pages of technical information. After a quick review period of two months to see if any additional information is required prior to starting their full review, the NRC will take 40 months to review and issue a design certification. That certification will be valid for 15 years to support a combined license application for NuScale to construct and operate this new type of power plant.

The Economic Times: India Poised for Huge Growth in Solar Energy, Says Piyush Goyal

India is poised for huge growth in solar energy, and it won't stop at the 100 GW solar power target to be achieved by 2022, Power Minister Piyush Goyal has said.

"The 100-gigawatt target for solar should not be a constraint. India won't stop at 100 GW," Goyal said, addressing the first India-specific session at a conference in Abu Dhabi.

"With the advent of new technology in storage, we are poised for huge growth. Solar growth will support landowners to derive income and solar industry to build their business," he said as per a statement issued today by industry body FICCI, which has organized the World Future Energy Summit from January 15-18.

Bloomberg: Swiss Solar Pilot Who Circled Globe Wants to Talk Climate With Trump

Bertrand Piccard, the Swiss pilot who circumnavigated the world in a solar-powered plane, wants to convince Donald Trump that investing in clean energy is key to creating jobs and growth.

Piccard, the chief executive officer of Solar Impulse SA, wants to meet Trump after he’s inaugurated to highlight the falling costs of renewables compared to fossil fuels, he said Monday in an interview ahead of the World Economic Forum.

Trump has criticized solar and wind energy as being too expensive. His election platform pledged to reverse environmental regulations and pull the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Agreement to limit global warming. The president-elect is eyeing the U.S. coal industry to stimulate the economy and create new jobs.

Fox Business: China, Europe Drive Shift to Electric Cars as U.S. Lags

Electric cars will pick up critical momentum in 2017, many in the auto industry believe -- just not in North America.

Tighter emissions rules in China and Europe leave global carmakers and some consumers with little choice but to embrace plug-in vehicles, fueling an investment surge, said industry executives gathered in Detroit this past week for the city's annual auto show.

"Car electrification is an irreversible trend," said Jacques Aschenbroich, chief executive of auto supplier Valeo, which has expanded sales by 50 percent in five years with a focus on electric, hybrid, connected and self-driving cars.

Wall Street Journal: Electric Vehicles Could End Vehicle Ownership as We Know It

In the past few years, with the convergence of better battery technology, lighter materials and smaller, more powerful electric motors, entirely new kinds of transportation have bloomed. The electric powertrain, unlike that of the internal combustion engine, scales smoothly from tiny to huge, powering everything from 5-kg electric skateboards to 20-tonne electric buses.

This Cambrian explosion of new vehicles enables two other revolutions: self-driving technology and the shift from vehicle ownership to transportation as a service. Taken together, these ­forces have the potential to transform our way of life as much as Ford’s Model T did over a century ago.

As the convenience and safety of electric, autonomous ride-hailing services appeals increasingly to the masses, the nature of network optimization means it will probably make sense for the Ubers and Lyfts of the world to cater to our needs with everything from a one-seater to a party barge.