THIS WEEK
The Napa Valley of wind power, another kind of sun roof, and are cities getting too much credit?
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DEBATE
Is the 100% renewables plan feasible?
To have 100% renewables or not to have 100% renewables: that is the question for climate and energy experts. A bit of background: Stanford professor Mark Jacobson famously said that using 100% renewable energy is not only possible in the U.S. but desirable—the transition would create jobs, save money and maintain grid reliability. Now Jacobson's reports are being called into question by fellow high-profile climate change and energy researchers, 21 of whom authored a rebuttal released last week.
One of the primary problems with Jacobson's analysis, they say? "There's no realistic scenario whereby you can expand the output of the U.S. hydropower system by a factor of 10." But even if Jacobson's 100% goal misses the mark, utilities ought to plan for it anyway. And for those of you who want to dig deeper into the 100% debate, here's a handy guide.
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Are cities leading on climate change?
You may have read a headline or two that's said as much, but not everyone's buying that narrative. Here in Canada, meanwhile, two cities—one big, one small—recently unveiled solar power projects (in Vancouver's case, with the help of Clean Energy Canada).
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China's next big move
China's introduction of a national carbon trading market later this year is seen by some as President Xi Jinping's rebuttal to Trump, who a month ago took the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement. Here's a look at the opportunities and challenges Xi's plan could create.
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Shifting priorities
"Five or six years ago, funds weren't specifically targeting renewable investment; today it's a key component of infrastructure investment," David Giordano, head of North American, Latin American and Asia Pacific investments at BlackRock, says of institutional investors.
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Meanwhile, banks are betting on electric cars
Electric cars will represent 70% of Europe's vehicle market by mid-century: that's what Morgan Stanley is predicting. In a report last week, the bank said with carbon costs increasing and EV batteries falling in price, a crossover will happen in about a decade.
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Canadian auto supplier to build BMW hybrids
Auto supplier Magna International—one of Canada's biggest companies—will build BMW's new plug-in hybrid. Magna announced the news last week, saying it's part of a bigger business strategy, which is to produce electric cars for automakers on a contract basis.
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The Napa Valley of wind power
What California's Napa Valley is to wine, South Texas is to wind energy. The reason is timing. The days and evenings in the region are particularly windy, exactly when electricity demand is highest.
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When one Gigafactory is not enough
It's the best kind of problem to have. As demand for Teslas has begun to boom in China, the company's California factory is "bursting at the seams." The solution? Build another giant factory in China—or so say the rumours.
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Redefining the sun roof
“Car roofs have the potential to become a new market for solar panels," Panasonic's Shingo Okamoto says. The company's solar panels will be used on Toyota's next Prius plug-in hybrid.
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Do rebates for electric cars work?
A recent report calls into question the use of rebates for electric cars. Our take? "Last year, fully 95 per cent of electric car sales in Canada happened in the three provinces that offer rebates: B.C., Ontario and Quebec."
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Clean Energy Review is sponsored in part by Genus Capital Management, a leading provider of fossil-fuel-free investments.
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FRONT BURNER
CanWEA 2017: Annual Conference and Exhibition
October 3-5, 2017 | Montreal
The Canadian Wind Energy Associations's annual conference and exhibition is Canada's premier wind power event of the year. In 2016, 1,500 people attended the three-day event, alongside 150 exhibitors and sponsors, 50 speakers and two high-profile ministers. If those numbers blow you away (or toward Montreal), you can learn more.
Oct. 11-12, 2017
Generation Energy: Moving Canada Foward
The Government of Canada will be hosting this event in October. Details are still to come, but in the meantime you can check out the new website, Generation Energy, for easy-to-understand summaries of Canada's energy system. There's even a quiz! Learn more.
Sept. 22-24, 2017 | Across B.C.
Green Energy Doors Open B.C. 2017
Seeing is believing. Join the British Columbia Sustainable Energy Association this fall as it hosts Green Energy Doors Open, which will showcase clean energy projects from across the province. Learn more.
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IMAGE & MEDIA CREDITS
Featured Photo: Shutterstock
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