Clean energy news: August 2023
Why is it so hot in Phoenix this year? Climate change may not be the only explanation
This year’s summer heat wave in Arizona has already killed 59 people with 345 deaths now under investigation. Our July set a new record for the most consecutive days (31) with high temperatures at or above 110 degrees, reports The Arizona Republic’s Fernando Cervantes Jr. That we know. What we don’t know is why. Why are we seeing these record-smashing temperatures this year in metro Phoenix and across the globe? Is climate change the only cause? Some will scoff at the question. But it’s actually a mystery that will take time to study and understand. Read more >>
ElectraMeccanica plans to merge with UK truck maker Tevva
ElectraMeccanica has agreed to merge with U.K.-based electric truck manufacturer Tevva in a move that both companies say will boost their market share in the commercial electric truck industry. At closing of the proposed deal, the combined company will operate as Tevva Inc. and trade on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol “TVVA.” The merger — subject to shareholder and regulatory approval — is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023. Under the terms of the deal, Mesa-based ElectraMeccanica (Nasdaq: SOLO) shareholders will own 23.5% of the combined company, with Tevva shareholders owning 76.5%. Read more >>
Arizona Gov. Hobbs declares a state of emergency due to extreme heat
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has declared a state of emergency due to ongoing high temperatures around the state. A press release from the Governor’s Office on Friday afternoon cited 30 consecutive days of excessive heat warnings in Coconino, Maricopa and Pinal counties. “Extreme heat threatens our health. It can lead to illness, emergency room visits, and even loss of life,” Hobbs said. “Arizonans deserve action. I’ll use every resource at my disposal to help keep Arizonans safe …”. Read more >>
Global energy storage company will source batteries from planned Arizona factory
Switzerland-based Energy Vault, a global energy storage solution company, has partnered with Idaho-based KORE Power Inc. to acquire lithium-ion batteries from the manufacturer’s new Phoenix metro plant. The two have signed an agreement for an initial delivery of 1.3 gigawatt hours of lithium ion batteries in 2025 with plans to increase to 7 gigawatt hours in 2027. Through the first phase of the agreement, KORE Power said it will manufacture batteries at its new KOREPlex facility in Buckeye, which is expected to be operational by 2025. Read more >>
Mesa Mayor John Giles joins federal electric vehicle committee
Mesa Mayor John Giles has been named a member of a federal committee that will focus on promoting the widespread adoption of electric vehicles nationwide. The city of Mesa announced Monday that Giles is among 23 members of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation’s Electric Vehicle Working Group, which consists of automotive industry experts and policy leaders who will make recommendations to U.S. Energy and Transportation secretaries. Read more >>
Recycling plant opens in Arizona to address solar panel waste
A recycling plant has opened in Yuma, Arizona, to tackle the growing issue of solar panel waste. Known as North America’s first utility-scale solar panel recycling plant, it aims to address the increasing amount of worn and damaged panels ending up in landfills. The founders of We Recycle Solar refer to this as a “tsunami” of solar waste that needs to be addressed in order to support plans for clean, solar electricity and combat climate change. The plant receives panels from various locations across the country, including its main collection warehouse in Hackettstown, New Jersey. As more and more panels pile up, the need for recycling is becoming increasingly urgent. Read more >>
APS activates giant batteries at Arizona solar facilities to release power after sunset
A network of solar generating stations has been sending electricity to Arizona Public Service Co. and its customers for the past decade. Now, the company is storing more of that power during the day for release at peak-demand evening hours when the sun is no longer shining. APS said it recently activated giant batteries at nine solar-panel locations for night use through the heat wave this summer. Most of the nine locations are located west of Phoenix, taking advantage of prime solar availability in southwestern Arizona, said Ben Cluff, APS’ director of renewable resources. Read more >>
Nikola Corp. stock rises after company lands $16.3M in infrastructure grants
Shares of Nikola Corp.’s received a boost Tuesday after the Phoenix-based electric truck maker announced it landed $16.3 million in hydrogen infrastructure grants. Nikola’s HYLA brand received four grants to support seven hydrogen refueling stations in California. The grant award consisted of $7 million from the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District, $4.4 million from the South Coast AQMD, $3.3 million from EnergIIZE West Sacramento California Energy Commission and $1.6 million from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee. Read more >>
Nxu announces first product shipment, achieving important milestone on the path toward an electrified future
Nxu Inc., (NASDAQ: NXU) (“Nxu”, “the Company”), a vertically integrated technology company creating energy storage and charging solutions for the infrastructure we need to power our electrified future, announced today that it has shipped its first customer product. This technology system, designed and developed by Nxu, is a key component in large-scale battery pack systems to ensure consistent performance in all operational conditions, as well as part of Nxu’s charging technology. Read more >>
Report: Arizona added 13,000 clean-energy jobs in past year, 7th best in US
Arizona added almost 13,000 clean-energy jobs in the past year, good enough for seventh-most among states and evidence that the state is becoming a “powerhouse” for clean energy and electric vehicle production, a new report says. The report from Climate Power said those were part of the more than 170,000 jobs nationwide that it claims have been created in the past year as a result of private investments spurred by the August 2022 passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. That act allocates $369 billion for the Clean Energy Plan over the next decade. Read more >>
Climate Power report finds that since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, thousands of jobs and $8.31 billion in investments have been generated in Arizona
In just under a year since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ clean energy plan has helped turbocharge our clean energy economy. Over the past year, clean energy businesses have announced or moved forward with more than 170,000 jobs across 44 states, according to Climate Power’s new report. Across Arizona, climate and clean energy investments have already spurred $8.31 billion in investment, the 11th highest in the nation, and created or advanced over 12,700 good-paying clean energy jobs, the 6th most in the county. Read more >>
SRP will see a major expansion of solar power from huge project near Flagstaff
Utility Salt River Project has inked another deal for more solar power with a company operating near Flagstaff. Along with an earlier contract, the two agreements will provide roughly one gigawatt of electricity once operational in 2025 — enough power for about 180,000 average-sized homes. Both contracts, of roughly the same size, are with Clēnera, a subsidiary of Enlight Renewable Energy of Israel. Financial terms were not disclosed. Read more >>