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December has been completely filled with huge cleantech tales. The solar energy and electrical automobile markets continue to grow quick, evolving, and even shocking. To be trustworthy, after I write these weekly and bi-weekly information highlights, there are finally ends up being way more huge and noteworthy information than I count on. It shouldn’t shock me — I write or edit a lot of the tales — however I in some way lose observe of simply how a lot has occurred or been introduced in current weeks till I produce there. However this time appears much more than regular. Let’s take a look.
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1. Solar energy is booming around the globe, and storage too.
All over the world, the solar energy market is rising — usually quick. A handful of current studies present us extra particulars on this. In India, solar power installations have been growing 106% this year and we simply obtained phrase of a brand new 431-megawatt solar project. China has gotten a 1 gigawatt offshore solar PV farm in addition to a 3 gigawatts photo voltaic farm on a former coal website. Europe is expected to add 110 gigawatts of solar next year. Within the US, clean power capacity installations are up 86% this year and residential energy storage installations hit a new record within the third quarter. For extra enjoyable on the US photo voltaic market, see “10 US Solar Stats for Your Christmas Parties.”
And the Philippines is reportedly building the largest solar-plus-battery project in the worlda 3.5-gigawatt photo voltaic PV mission mixed with a 4.5-gigawatt-hour battery storage mission, whereas the largest in the US — 1.2 GW of solar energy capability and 1.2 GW/7.2 GWh of battery capability — was authorised in Oregon.
2. That features a burgeoning floating photo voltaic PV market.
A part of this solar energy progress is within the enjoyable and multi-purpose new market of floating solar energy. The market is expected to reach 77 gigawatts in size by 2033. On that matter, the largest floating solar power plant in India was just recently commissionedand even Ohio is getting floating solar farms.
3. Chinese language EV producers proceed to broaden around the globe.
The Chinese language electrical automotive market accounts for about half of world auto gross sales. Increasingly more, electrical automotive leaders in that market are searching for new markets to develop into with a view to capitalize on their growing competitiveness and discover extra gross sales elsewhere. Maybe the most popular EV model in China in the meanwhile is Xiaomi, which is the second largest smartphone producer on the earth and has completely stormed the EV market on entry this 12 months, with more than 130,000 sales expected in its first 10 months on the market. Now we have now information the corporate is laying the groundwork for exports in Europe.
We additionally get information that Chinese EVs are getting a warm welcome in Mexico. And we’ve obtained BYD launching new fashions in the Philippines and Peru.
4. Hydrogen is bombing for giant automobiles as nicely now.
The hydrogen automotive market hasn’t precisely died, but it surely’s by no means been greater than a closely backed, loss-heavy division from just a few automakers with solely a tiny trickle of gross sales. Nonetheless, some severe folks have argued that it may very well be viable for giant automobiles that might profit from greater power density. More and more, although, that appears to be a facade as nicely. Michael Barnard dives into this with regard to heavy-duty trucks. After which also does with regard to ships.
5. Electrical bikes are flourishing in Nairobi, Kenya — and possibly elsewhere.
Remeredzai has an excellent on-the-ground account of the fast growing electric motorcycle scene in Nairobi, Kenya. It’s an thrilling story, and it’s nice to see all of the pics from town. One has to surprise — what number of cities around the globe is that this identical form of factor taking place?
6. Boat-to-grid!
This isn’t a significant matter but, but it surely’s a brand new one, so it obtained me excited. (We don’t usually see one thing new within the cleantech business lately.) Over in Europe, Volvo Penta is working on a boat-to-grid trial with Varberg Energi and Ferroamp.
7. US Division of Vitality sprinting to implement photo voltaic and wind initiatives and packages.
With the altering administration within the White Home and all the federal companies of the US, rather a lot is anticipated to be dropped from the clear power and EV agenda Joe Biden put ahead. Consequently, there’s a form of dash underway to get as a lot funded, began, or accomplished from the Inflation Discount Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation earlier than the tip of the 12 months. We maintain seeing extra bulletins, together with a flurry of them the other day. Yow will discover more DOE news here.
Associated to this, the US is adding a record amount of solar manufacturing capacity.
8. EV gross sales proceed to develop around the globe.
I do know — this can be a weekly story. However it’s necessary, particularly in a 12 months when it’s been extremely popular to assert EV gross sales are shrinking. I really like our new Latin American EV sales reports. And José Pontes did his huge month-to-month report on the top EV models in the world and top EV brands & automakers in the world.
Diving into the massive California auto market, we discover out that Tesla is still the 2nd highest selling automaker in the stateregardless of shrinking by 13% 12 months over 12 months within the first three quarters of the 12 months. The Tesla Model Y is the top selling automobile in the marketplace and the Mannequin 3 is in second place, with a number of different EVs performing nicely in their very own automobile courses as nicely.
Within the US as an entire, I explored the top selling models and the top selling auto brands and groups for EV sales.
Then there’s additionally Sweden, France, Germany, Norwayand the UK.
9. EV batteries last more than we thought.
Much more nice information for EVs, new analysis signifies EV batteries may last about 40% longer than common expectations. Don’t fear about having to exchange the battery in your electrical automotive — the automotive will most likely last more.
10. Lengthy-term assessment of Tesla Mannequin Y.
Just a few of our writers personal a Tesla Mannequin Y. One in every of them wrote up her 3-year review of the Model Yand one other wrote about his plan to minimize his total cost of ownership across 10 years with the Tesla Model Y.
11. Tesla Mannequin Q?
Particulars have began rising on what could also be a cheaper electric car model from Tesla — cheaper than the present Mannequin 3. It’s nonetheless early, however any considerably inexpensive mass-market automotive from Tesla can be huge information. Evidently Tesla is concentrating on a post-subsidy value of below $30,000 (however … we’re additionally anticipating Donald Trump will kill the federal EV subsidy). We’ll have extra particulars when the automotive is definitely able to be revealed, however we have now a place to begin on the rumors for now.
12. US EV charging community will get huge increase.
Associated to #7, EV charging station firms have been getting a lift in funding from the Biden administration. And that’s leading to some huge EV charging enlargement bulletins. Whether or not associated to that or not, although, a new partnership between Electrify America and Costco might go a great distance in offering extremely wanted EV charging infrastructure for the lots, GM and EVgo teamed up on a 2,000-station planand EVgo has plans to build another 7,500 stations by 2029 with help from the US Division of Vitality.
13. Ups & downs with robotaxis.
GM has pulled the plug on its Cruise robotaxi venture! In a little bit of a shocker, GM is ending its lengthy enterprise into robotaxis and going to refocus its Cruise autonomous driving group on enhancing autonomous driving options within the private vehicles GM sells. Is it attempting to maneuver extra within the path Tesla is headed? Or is it “giving up” on its goals? I assume there are other ways to interpret this for now.
On the identical time, Waymo is expanding into Miami and WeRide is expanding into Abu Dhabi alongside Uber.
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