Energy – Latest News and Analysis – Page 1

Trump announces US withdrawal from Paris climate agreement

January 20, 2025

On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Paris climate agreement. 196 nations signed the agreement, which Trump pulled out of during his first term in 2017.

The accord aims to prevent climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. It also aims to keep temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrialization levels.

The U.S. is currently the world’s second-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, following China and surpassing India. Since 1950, the United States has been responsible for about 20% of global CO2 emissions, according to data from the Global Carbon Project.

Laurence Tubiana played a key role in creating the Paris agreement. He highlighted ongoing climate disasters, such as the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, as stark reminders of the urgency of addressing climate change.

Scientists warn that the Earth’s temperature has risen 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit since the mid-1800s, surpassing the critical threshold. Scientists said 2024 was the warmest year on record, raising concerns about the long-term effects of higher temperatures.

Trump plans to increase domestic energy production, which clashes with global efforts to limit fossil fuel emissions. His withdrawal from the Paris agreement also contrasts with former President Joe Biden’s proposal to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% by 2035.

It will be at least a year before Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement is fully realized.

Trump’s national energy emergency allows roll back of environmental rules

January 20, 2025

During President Donald Trump’s inaugural address, he unveiled plans to declare a national energy emergency, and emphasized his administration’s intent to prioritize domestic fossil fuel production. The declaration of a national energy emergency, if implemented, would grant the president additional executive powers, including the ability to suspend certain environmental regulations.

“The inflation crisis was caused by massive overspending and escalating energy prices, and that is why today I will also declare a national energy emergency,” Trump said. “We will drill, baby, drill.”

While no president has ever declared a “national energy emergency,” there is historical precedent for regional energy emergencies. In the 1970s, during a period of fossil fuel shortages, then-President Jimmy Carter allowed state governors to temporarily lift certain environmental regulations. However, Carter urged state government leaders to use this authority sparingly and only as a “last resort.”

Unlike the circumstances of the 1970s, the U.S. today is a net exporter of fossil fuels, with oil and gas production at record levels. Despite this, Trump has expressed a desire to expand drilling and roll back federal regulations, aiming to encourage further growth in the oil industry.

Through the promotion of increased oil production, the president has pledged to lower energy costs. However, experts suggest that the 50% reduction in prices he discussed on the campaign trail may be challenging to achieve.

Trump could also use emergency powers to keep certain gas-fired and coal power plants operational, particularly those slated for closure due to environmental or economic considerations. Details on the administration’s next steps regarding this national energy emergency remain unclear, but such a declaration, if it happens, could mark a significant shift in U.S. energy policy.

Albuquerque spent $4M on solar panels, over 1,000 remain unused 6 years later

January 20, 2025

In 2019, the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, spent more than $4 million in bond revenue to install solar panels across seven municipal buildings. However, over 1,000 of these panels have sat unused during the last six years.

Panels on two of the buildings have yet to generate any power, while another operates at just 6% of its capacity. Officials say these delays are tied to changes in energy consumption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The solar investment was part of Mayor Tim Keller’s initiative to have all municipal operations run on 100% renewable energy by 2025. Albuquerque is currently meeting around 80% of those needs with clean power.

The city plans to bring the unused panels online and contribute to that total by the end of 2025, according to the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel.

The inactive solar panels are located in Albuquerque’s downtown district, where the local utility, the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), enforces protections to ensure grid reliability in an area that supports a large amount of the city’s critical infrastructure.

When COVID-19 hit in 2020, electricity usage in downtown Albuquerque dropped and has remained below pre-pandemic levels. This shift rendered the solar systems designed in 2019 too large for the reduced demand and out of alignment with PNM’s interconnection rules.

Officials are now considering solutions to address the issue, such as connecting the unused panels to other buildings or relocating them to new projects. The alternative would be leaving the panels idle until energy consumption increases, as projected over the next five years.

Since a typical solar panel’s lifespan is 30 to 35 years, according to the Department of Energy, in this scenario, about a third of these solar panels’ lives would be non-productive.

Despite this setback, Mayor Keller’s administration remains optimistic about reaching its renewable energy goals. To help achieve them, a new measure to install solar panels on 25 additional city buildings outside the downtown area has already received unanimous approval from the finance and government operations committee, and it now awaits a vote from the full City Council.

Turbine blade break at Australia’s largest wind farm prompts investigation

January 20, 2025

A turbine blade has broken at Australia’s largest wind farm, prompting an investigation by officials. The incident at the southwestern Queensland-based MacIntyre wind farm occurred in late December, about just two months after the 162-turbine project was connected to the power grid.

Renewable energy infrastructure company Acciona developed the wind farm. The company confirmed that the damaged blade remains attached to the turbine. Company officials also stated no injuries were reported.

A spokesperson for Acciona said that the company is working with their turbine supplier, Nordex, to identify the cause of the failure and to determine a safe method for removing the blade.

“Our investigation team are working with our turbine supplier to review all records specific to the affected wind turbine and blade,” Acciona spokesperson Andrew Tshaikiwsky said. “The investigation and recovery process will take some time to conduct to ensure that gain a thorough understanding of what caused the blade failure.”

Officials established an exclusion zone around the affected turbine. The zone will remain in place until inspections are finished.

This incident in Australia follows another blade failure over the summer at the Vineyard Wind project off the coast of Massachusetts in the United States. In that case, debris from the turbine washed up on nearby beaches for more than a month.

Scientists say China solar space station may create more energy than all Earth’s oil

January 17, 2025

Scientists in China are constructing a large-scale, space-based solar power station, which they claim could generate more energy annually than all the oil on Earth combined. The proposed structure will be over half a mile long, and located approximately 22,236 miles above Earth, transmitting power back to the planet via microwaves.

This endeavor aims to address limitations of terrestrial solar power infrastructure, including disruptions caused by cloud cover and atmospheric absorption. Solar energy in space is reportedly 10 times more intense than at Earth’s surface, offering significant potential for continuous energy collection.

Historically, large-scale, space-based solar power systems have faced challenges due to the need for multiple rocket launches. To overcome this, Chinese scientists are developing reusable heavy-lift rockets, capable of carrying at least 150 tons into orbit. These rockets are intended to reduce the number of launches required to assemble the solar array.

The project’s lead scientist has compared the endeavor to the Three Gorges Dam, a landmark hydropower project in central China. The dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric facility, generates enough energy to power nearly 9.5 million homes annually.

Fire at massive Calif. battery storage facility forces over 2,000 evacuations

January 17, 2025

A fire at one of the world’s largest battery storage facilities, the Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County, California, forced hundreds of residents to evacuate on the night of Thursday, Jan. 16. Located approximately 100 miles south of San Francisco, the facility houses tens of thousands of lithium-ion batteries, including some owned by Tesla.

Local authorities reported that around 2,000 residents have been told to evacuate, while others were instructed to shelter in place.

Lithium-ion battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish once ignited, prompting a large-scale response from firefighters across multiple counties, though they are not engaging with the fire and are waiting for it to burn out on its own.

Nearby offices and schools were closed as a precaution, and Highway 1 was shut down to traffic. Residents as far as Santa Cruz County were advised to keep windows and doors closed to limit outdoor exposure to potential hazards. Officials described the incident as a “disaster,” but stated that the fire is expected to remain contained within the plant’s concrete structure.

Vistra Energy, the owner of the facility and the largest competitive power generator in the U.S., said that the cause of the fire “has not yet been determined.” The company added that an investigation will be launched once the situation is under control.

“Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel, and Vistra deeply appreciates the continued assistance of our local emergency responders,” Vistra Energy said in a statement. “All site personnel were safely evacuated.”

Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims his company’s technology is not the reason behind the fire, posting on X that their Megapacks at the facility were “operating well.” Musk also asserted that any media outlets attributing blame to Tesla over the incident were false.

Sweden building world’s second nuclear waste storage site amid safety concerns

January 16, 2025

Sweden has started building the world’s second-ever long-term storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. The site is located in Forsmark, Sweden, approximately 90 miles north of Stockholm, Sweden.

The site is designed to securely contain highly radioactive waste for 100,000 years. Finland remains the only other country nearing completion of a permanent storage solution for nuclear waste.

Permanent storage for nuclear waste has been a longstanding challenge for the industry since the advent of commercial nuclear reactors in the 1950s.

Globally, around 300,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel are awaiting disposal, according to the World Nuclear Association. Nuclear scientists currently store most of this waste in cooling ponds near the reactors that produce it.

The Forsmark repository will feature nearly 40 miles of tunnels buried over 1,600 feet deep in bedrock estimated to be 1.9 billion years old.

Engineers designed the site to hold 12,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel. The fuel will be encased in corrosion-resistant copper capsules, packed in clay and buried.

Officials expect the site to begin receiving waste in the late 2030s, and final closure is projected for around 2080, when the site reaches capacity.

However, the project faces potential delays due to safety concerns. MKG, the Swedish nongovernmental organization Office for Nuclear Waste Review, filed an appeal with a Swedish court calling for additional reviews of the facility.

MKG highlighted research suggesting the copper capsules could corrode over time, potentially releasing radioactive elements into groundwater.

The estimated cost of developing the repository exceeds $1 billion, and will be funded by Sweden’s nuclear industry. It is intended to store waste from the country’s existing nuclear power plants, but will not accommodate waste from future reactors. Sweden already announced plans to construct 10 additional nuclear reactors by 2045.

Actor Timothée Chalamet fined after riding Lime bike to movie premiere

January 16, 2025

Actor Timothée Chalamet took an unconventional ride to attend the London premiere of his film, “A Complete Unknown.” However, the decision came with an unexpected cost.

The 29-year-old Oscar nominee opted to ride a Lime bike to the event, citing a traffic jam as the reason for his choice. Chalamet explained that while the bike provided a practical solution to this problem, he was ultimately fined $79 by Lime for parking it at the venue, which was not permitted.

“I actually wasn’t allowed to park there and I got a £65 ($79) fine,” Chalamet said. “And actually it’s horrible because it was actually kind of an advert for them.”

Speaking further about the incident, the Dune star defended his choice, calling the ride “ecological.”

Lime bikes, a popular brand of electric bicycles, are available in over 280 cities across nearly 30 countries. Designed for short-term rentals, they aim to provide efficient transportation in urban areas. According to the company’s website, the bikes offer one of the world’s “most sustainable modes” of transportation.

Renewables aided 2024 Texas summer power surge, winter challenges remain

January 16, 2025

Solar power and utility-scale batteries played a pivotal role in helping Texas maintain grid stability amid the extreme heat and record high energy consumption during the summer of 2024. However, a new study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas warns that these resources may not be able to handle future energy demands and potential winter challenges.

Last summer, solar energy provided nearly 25% of Texas’ mid-day power needs between June and August. Battery storage systems supplemented this by discharging energy during evening hours. This compensated for declining solar output when the sun went down.

In late August, both solar and battery storage set new records during a peak load event. This performance marked a significant improvement from 2023, as in the summer of 2024, Texas avoided issuing energy conservation appeals to consumers like it had been forced to do multiple times the prior year, demonstrating greater resilience during warmer months.

Winter poses unique challenges

Despite this progress, experts caution that winter poses unique challenges. Peak demand often occurs in the early morning, when solar generation is unavailable and current battery storage capacities may be insufficient for extended demands during extreme cold.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas also projects substantial growth in energy demand due to the expansion of data centers, industrial operations and electrification trends.

By 2030, peak summer load could rise to 148,000 megawatts, significantly higher than the 85,000-megawatt peak recorded in 2024.

Price reductions may deter investment

While solar and battery storage has lowered wholesale electricity prices — benefiting consumers — these price reductions may deter further investment in additional battery storage and dispatchable power generation.

Texas’ energy-only market design, which compensates generators solely for electricity produced, may require adjustments to incentivize new capacity and ensure future reliability.

Additionally, the state’s standalone grid has been criticized for past resilience issues. The federal government has allocated $360 million to create a new connection between Texas and the national grid, although experts estimate this project could take a decade to complete.

BP to slash thousands of jobs in cost-cutting move

January 16, 2025

British Petroleum, the U.K.-based oil and gasoline company commonly known as BP, is cutting nearly 5,000 jobs worldwide. Those cuts get even bigger when you factor in that the corporation is also slashing 3,000 contractors.

Last fall, BP announced that it had identified $500 million in cost-saving cuts this year, as part of a larger plan to reduce spending by $2 billion, by the end of 2026.

The Associated Press obtained an email from CEO Murray Auchincloss to staff, in which he said the company is focusing its resources on “our highest value opportunities.” He noted that 30 projects had stopped or been delayed since last June.

BP has underperformed compared to European rivals. In a report released on Tuesday, Jan. 14, BP said weaker refinery margins and turnarounds, which refers to maintenance, repairs and upgrade work on facilities or plants, led to a $100 to $300 million blow to profits in the fourth quarter in 2024. Further declines are expected in oil production.

BP is now trying to increase digital capabilities in its business as artificial intelligence takes on a greater role in engineering and marketing. Auchincloss said the company is uniquely positioned to grow value through the energy transition. It has also scrapped plans to reduce oil and gas output by 40% by 2030.

The job cuts amount to about 5% of BP’s entire workforce. Many contractors have already been let go. The current workforce stands at about 87,800.

Trump announces US withdrawal from Paris climate agreement

Trump’s national energy emergency allows roll back of environmental rules

Albuquerque spent $4M on solar panels, over 1,000 remain unused 6 years later

Turbine blade break at Australia’s largest wind farm prompts investigation

Scientists say China solar space station may create more energy than all Earth’s oil

Fire at massive Calif. battery storage facility forces over 2,000 evacuations

Sweden building world’s second nuclear waste storage site amid safety concerns

Actor Timothée Chalamet fined after riding Lime bike to movie premiere

Renewables aided 2024 Texas summer power surge, winter challenges remain

Winter poses unique challenges

Price reductions may deter investment

BP to slash thousands of jobs in cost-cutting move

Certified unbiased reporting

Transparent and credible

Newsletter

Stay connected