Renewable Friday: We're Baaaaack!

The Trump environmental plan—a Hell of a way to run a planet

I have neglecting reporting on the Death of Carbon and the resistance against it during election season. Trump promises to make everything vastly worse, but he can’t actually stop reality. So let’s dive back in, with mostly good news for the world entire.

Bill Hare: "Donald Trump’s re-election to the White House is a major setback for climate action but ultimately it’s the US 🇺🇸 that could end up losing out, as the rest of the world will move forward without it" https://t.co/cWQdJMoYQ8

— Carbon Tracker (@CarbonBubble) November 7, 2024

Here’s hoping that Democrats take the House, and Speaker Hakeem Jeffries can lead the resistance.

Our Energy Technology Perspectives 2024 report includes a special series of online charts & interactive tools that map out the current state of clean energy manufacturing & trade and how they're expected to evolve over time.

Take a look ➡️ https://t.co/g5UQlFmxgL pic.twitter.com/VdLY9D81vR

— International Energy Agency (@IEA) October 31, 2024

The Shirelles - Mama Said (There’d Be Days Like This)

Renewables

International trade in clean technologies is on course to rise sharply ahead

Trade in the top clean technologies is on track to nearly triple to $575 billion by 2035, over 50% higher than the value of natural gas trade today 👉 https://t.co/RwX4b4vEZx pic.twitter.com/e3EcTCT41f

— International Energy Agency (@IEA) October 31, 2024

Incredible stat:

A single container ship of solar panels can provide as much electricity as more than 50 large LNG tankers of gas – or 100 large coal ships

There's many more insights in IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2024 – here's a selection 🧵

1/7 pic.twitter.com/9RUUDrB8Oo

— Simon Evans (@DrSimEvans) October 30, 2024

And then the solar panels provide electricity for decades, while the fossil carbon turns into CO₂, and you have to go back for more.

Change is coming:

Electricity generation capacity additions are swinging toward renewables – and fast.

Globally, zero-emission technologies accounted more than 90% of added capacity last year.

Members of the Clean Energy Ministerial are doing even better, with renewables now… pic.twitter.com/6kv9hvDAwl

— Jan Rosenow (@janrosenow) October 29, 2024

The massive growth of renewables means they're on course to meet around half of global electricity demand by the end of this decade ⚡️

By 2030, the share of solar PV & wind alone in the global power mix is set to double to 30%

More ➡️ https://t.co/sBlP39Q1xP pic.twitter.com/Ec3lfX7xN0

— International Energy Agency (@IEA) October 29, 2024

Thank you. One more doubling, please, and then we will only need more additions to meet growth in demand from countries rising out of poverty, from EVs and heat pumps, and those idiots running crypto-currency mining centers. As long as they generate more power than they consume, and share the excess, I’ll leave them alone.

Nuclear

The Economist on exponential #solar growth 📈: "The next ten-fold increase [in solar] will be equivalent to multiplying the world’s entire fleet of nuclear reactors by eight in less than the time it typically takes to build just a single one of them"🤯https://t.co/f1kg0CoLMO

— Carbon Tracker (@CarbonBubble) October 28, 2024

Storage

First stage of Australia's biggest battery project switched on, well ahead of schedule https://t.co/1gGlnUBfhx

— Dr Paul Dorfman (@dorfman_p) October 29, 2024

EVs

Electric vehicles now represent 19% of the passenger vehicle sales around the globe.

5 years ago EVs had a share of less than 3%. pic.twitter.com/hTdsF55kfm

— Jan Rosenow (@janrosenow) November 3, 2024

Green Industry

Green steel? Let’s talk about it.

Using just 40% green steel in cars by 2030 could save the same amount of CO2 from 3.5 mn cars annually… all for just €57 per vehicle.

The EU should tap into this opportunity to become a leader in green steel by setting targets for carmakers. pic.twitter.com/j07zuedE7V

— Transport & Environment (T&E) (@transenv) November 8, 2024

Yes, and we can use green steel in EVs, too, cutting their carbon footprint even further.

🆕 Just released!

New data shows that green public procurement could cut #concrete and #steel emissions by almost half!

🔓 The EU should not miss this opportunity to unlock public procurement’s green and economic potential.

Learn more in our new report: https://t.co/Sij0JAPHj0 pic.twitter.com/kef7vOYFxE

— ECOS 🌳 (@ECOS_Standard) November 8, 2024

The future of climate tech is no longer theoretical — it’s happening now. Our State of the Transition report highlights how solutions like green steel, cleaner cement, and a stronger grid are already being deployed at scale.

Download the report: https://t.co/7S1jR0qflV

— Breakthrough Energy (@Breakthrough) November 1, 2024

Check out this video from @ForOurClimate about why #greensteel transition is key to the success of the South Korean economy, and must be supported with government funding to protect Korea’s national and economic security.

Germany’s steel industry, half the size of Korea’s,… https://t.co/8Is9x0BiDZ

— Lead the Charge (@Lead_theCharge) November 4, 2024

Countries and Regions

"South Australia is rich in magnetite, a type of iron ore that, when processed, is pure enough for making green iron and steel. It also has abundant wind and sun, one of the country’s two remaining steelworks and... political resolve," via @MikeMillerDC.https://t.co/wkqtSW8XsO

— Todd N. Tucker (@toddntucker) November 3, 2024

China State Grid unit completes first phase of 1 GW solar-thermal project: State Grid Turpan Power Supply Co. says it has completed the first phase of a 1 GW hybrid solar-thermal energy storage project in western… https://t.co/kNpEdNciPK #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #innovation pic.twitter.com/q3KLNmU15o

— pv magazine (@pvmagazine) October 31, 2024

#COP29 Clips: From a small village in Vietnam to leading climate initiatives at RMI, Thanh Ha’s story is of resilience and passion for sustainability 🌍✨

Thanh is now working to decarbonize one of the world’s largest emitters, the steel industry.https://t.co/yUZaiemTkk pic.twitter.com/BcRm8wJLxn

— RMI (@RockyMtnInst) November 6, 2024

On Thailand's eastern coast, plans are underway to build an electric arc furnace that will deliver green steel to Europe and benefit from contentious new rules that will force buyers to pay tariffs on high-carbon imports. https://t.co/m3X6L4M4Ia https://t.co/m3X6L4M4Ia

— Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) November 8, 2024

Los Angeles voted 12-0 to ban new drilling and to close all 5,000 existing oil and gas wells in the city. This is a historic victory by @STAND_LA and all citizens over the oil industry and environmental racism.

IT CAN BE DONE! Who's next?#ActOnClimate #climate pic.twitter.com/htQXUBQQMn

— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) October 30, 2024

Ameren Illinois team recognized by AGA with research and innovation award

A three-member team at Ameren Illinois recently received national recognition from the American Gas Association (AGA) for developing a process that uses customer gas usage data to proactively identify natural gas leaks at customers’ residences.

Hoosiers for Renewables

We are working to help build an Indiana where clean affordable renewable energy benefits all Hoosiers.  Our purpose is to inform and educate Hoosiers about renewable energy benefits for Indiana.  We believe Indiana’s economy will grow and work best for everyone when there is a mix of energy sources.  Renewable options, like wind, solar, storage, hydrogen biomass and more, should be a growing part of that mix.​

Denial

The UN says the fossil fuel industry is running “a massive mis- and disinformation campaign” to delay the transition to clean energy.

They're working directly against our governments and that should preclude them from any access to #COP29.https://t.co/mVhpkTpW9A pic.twitter.com/CE1ZtXdx5o

— Simon Oldridge #CANBill (@SiOldridge) November 5, 2024

Context: The National Legal & Policy centerhttps://t.co/GDPw0ZHgCJ
is a viper's nest of Wrong-Wing liars, in bed with the Heartland Institute, also a den of climate deniers.

No whales have died of offshore wind, Many animals die of offshore oil & gas drilling & ship spills. https://t.co/TJ8rAJ0wnD

— Mokurai Delusion Fighter 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 (@Mokurai) November 8, 2024

“But why can’t climate activists be more patient?” pic.twitter.com/ttlsgC9MZI

— Climate Defiance (@ClimateDefiance) October 29, 2024