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Climate

AM Briefing: A Deadline Blown​

On the delayed Vineyard Wind 1 project, modular nuclear reactors, and America's sinking cities

Briefing image.
AM Briefing: BYD vs. Tesla
Heatmap Illustration/Getty Images

Current conditions: Parts of northern France are flooded after Storm Henk • China confirmed 2023 broke extreme heat records • A California-bound ship carrying 800 metric tons of lithium batteries is stuck in Alaska, riding out a major winter storm.

THE TOP FIVE

1. Tesla and Rivian release Q4 sales numbers

Tesla and Rivian yesterday reported their production and sales figures for the final three months of 2023: Tesla delivered 484,507, besting expectations. Rivian, a newcomer still trying to secure itself a foothold in the market, delivered 13,972 cars over the same time period, missing estimates by a hair. “The two companies’ numbers serve as snapshots of both the promise and peril of auto electrification as we roll into 2024,” writes Matthew Zeitlin at Heatmap. Tesla, having been overtaken by BYD in the global EV market, must now focus on scaling beyond the early EV adopters. Rivian, however, is at a very different stage, Zeitlin says: “not the early days of using investor money to develop a new vehicle, but the next stage, where you have an actual car to sell but you have to figure out a way to make money doing it.”

2. Vineyard Wind 1 project misses 2023 grid deadline

One of America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms missed its deadline to start supplying energy to the grid by the end of 2023. The Vineyard Wind 1 project is situated about 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and will eventually consist of 62 turbines that can power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in Massachusetts. Its first five turbines have been installed, and things were looking good for a December 31 launch. But at the very last minute a spokesperson said the project needed more testing. No timeline was given but the spokesperson said the goal was to “deliver power to shore soon.” The project was supposed to be fully operational by the middle of 2024 but developers have now “clarified” that the timeline is sometime within 2024. In December, the South Fork Wind project in New York became the first utility-scale offshore wind farm to generate power in the U.S.

3. U.K. fossil fuel electricity generation drops to 66-year low

The amount of the United Kingdom’s electricity that came from fossil fuels dropped by 22% last year to the lowest level since 1957, according toCarbonBrief. Electricity from coal, oil, and gas peaked in 2008 but has since plummeted thanks to the rapid expansion of renewables like wind and solar, a drop in electricity demand, and a boost in electricity imports. Coal use is down 97% since 2008; gas is down by 45%. Meanwhile, renewables output has increased six-fold, and last year renewable energy was the UK’s single largest source of power. “Overall, the electricity generated in the UK in 2023 had the lowest-ever carbon intensity,” CarbonBrief concludes.

On the flip side, UK power generation from nuclear plants dropped to a 42-year low last year as old stations were decommissioned. Without more nuclear power to fall back on during cloudy or wind-free days, the country may have to rely more on fossil fuels, explainsBloomberg.

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  • 4. Wyoming carbon removal project would rely on small modular nuclear reactors

    A major carbon removal project planned for Wyoming would rely on small modular nuclear reactors – a new kind of nuclear power plant that has never been built in the U.S. – prompting concerns about its feasibility, reports E&E News. Climate tech startup CarbonCapture recently received more than $10 million from the Department of Energy to explore plans for a direct air capture hub in Wyoming, dubbed “Project Bison.” Scientists say removing carbon from the air is necessary to help fight global warming. Small modular reactors could, in theory, provide carbon capture facilities with emissions-free power, but the nation’s first small modular reactors were axed last year as costs spiraled out of control. “It adds complication upon complication,” says Wil Burns, co-director of American University’s Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy. “You’re starting off with a complex new technology, and now you’re trying to wed another complex technology, including one that’s in transition.”

    CarbonCapture

    5. Study: Major East Coast cities are sinking

    New research from Virginia Tech and the U.S. Geological Survey finds that major cities on the East Coast – from New York to Virginia Beach – are sinking. The team analyzed satellite data to spot land subsidence and found that some areas are sinking by as much as 5 millimeters per year. This subsidence, when combined with sea level rise caused by climate change, means essential structures like roads to airports are at risk in many major U.S. cities. “The problem is that the hotspots of sinking land intersect directly with population and infrastructure hubs," says lead author Leonard Ohenhen.

    THE KICKER

    If you’re a journalist seeking comment on last year’s record temperatures, look no further than climate scientist Andrew Dressler’s “last year was hot” auto-response:

    X/AndrewDressler

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    Spotlight

    New York’s Battery Backlash Catches Fire

    Did a battery plant disaster in California spark a PR crisis on the East Coast?

    battery
    Heatmap Illustration

    Battery fire fears are fomenting a storage backlash in New York City – and it risks turning into fresh PR hell for the industry.

    Aggrieved neighbors, anti-BESS activists, and Republican politicians are galvanizing more opposition to battery storage in pockets of the five boroughs where development is actually happening, capturing rapt attention from other residents as well as members of the media. In Staten Island, a petition against a NineDot Energy battery project has received more than 1,300 signatures in a little over two months. Two weeks ago, advocates – backed by representatives of local politicians including Rep. Nicole Mallitokis – swarmed a public meeting on the project, getting a local community board to vote unanimously against the project.

    Keep reading...Show less
    Hotspots

    Bad News for Agrivoltaics in Ohio

    And more of the week’s top conflicts around renewable energy.

    Map of renewable energy conflicts.
    Heatmap Illustration

    1. Queen Anne’s County, Maryland – They really don’t want you to sign a solar lease out in the rural parts of this otherwise very pro-renewables state.

    • County officials this week issued a public notice encouraging all residents to consider the economic impacts of taking farmland out of use to build solar farms.
    • “The Queen Anne’s County Commissioners are concerned that large-scale conversion of farmland to solar energy facilities may impact the long-term viability of agriculture in the county and surrounding region,” read the notice, which told anyone approached by a solar company about their land to immediately consult an attorney and think about these “key considerations.”
    • “As more farmland is transitioned to solar use, the demand for these agricultural support services diminishes. If enough land is taken out of production, it could create serious challenges for those who wish to continue farming.”
    • It’s not immediately clear whether this was related to a specific project or an overall rise in renewables development that’s happening in the county. But there’s a clear trend going on. Officials said in an accompanying press release that officials in neighboring Caroline County sent a similar notice to property owners. And it seems Worcester County did something similar last month.

    2. Logan County, Ohio – Staff for the Ohio Power Siting Board have recommended it reject Open Road Renewables’ Grange Solar agrivoltaics project.

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    Policy Watch

    This Week in Trumpian Climate Chaos

    On the week’s top news around renewable energy policy.

    Musk and Trump in the Oval Office.
    Getty Images/Heatmap Illustration

    1. IRA funding freeze update – Money is starting to get out the door, finally: the EPA unfroze most of its climate grant funding it had paused after Trump entered office.

    2. Scalpel vs. sledgehammer – House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled Republicans in Congress may take a broader approach to repealing the Inflation Reduction Act than previously expected in tax talks.

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