We're back to publishing this newsletter, we've got big plans for 2025. I hope you'll join us next Tuesday for a Zoom call to learn all about it and meet some other interesting people at the Earth Catalyst Winter 2025 Zoom Party & Knowledge Exchange.
Today: The top story across the green tech and sustainability world is China's announcement of the world's fastest bullet train, which will run across 60,000km of tracks - roughly the distance of 13 trips from Florida to Seattle. The renewable energy and technology transfer context is well-discussed by Clean Technica's Steve Hanley this morning. I recommend checking that out and then Exponential View's essay: The year-end wake-up: The ‘Chinese Sputnik’ that demands our attention. And how to maintain peace and prosperity in 2025 That essay shook me up this week and made resolve to think harder about how to effectively support private sector and deep cultural transformation, at a time of great power shifts.
Thanks for joining us here. Let's dig into your personal recommendations.
-Marshall Kirkpatrick
Earth Catalyst: Boosting your impact, with my experience, network, and technology.
Today and every day, our system scans over 1,000 green tech and sustainability organizations for updates. Below, you'll find:
A Visual of the Day
A digest-style Table of Contents for 130 selected updates from around the green tech and sustainability world
(If you subscribe by email) 3 personalized selections just for you and your work
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Visual of the Day
Seeing Wings in Timeless Motion
IRENA has published a collection of charts demonstrating the opportunity, need, and shortfall of dramatic investment in renewable energy sources, worldwide. This chart shows that the levelized cost of energy from solar power has dropped most dramatically over the past 13 years, though onshore wind remains a touch cheaper according to this data.
See more at 2024 – a Year of Records for Renewables, Yet Progress Falls Short to 3xRenewables by 2030
Today's Updates

Today's Updates
Table of Contents
Agriculture (8 stories) - Autonomous weeders in Salinas Valley, Soul Fire Farm's BIPOC support, Rock Hollow Dairy's silvopasture methods, and RHS frost data shape evolving agricultural landscape amid rising agtech investment forecasts
Carbon (5 stories) - Ice core studies reveal Antarctic temperature record reliability issues while global heat records continue breaking, with Australia hitting +1.46C and 2025 forecast for +1.29-1.53C above baseline
Circular (1 story) - Areca palm leaves and sugarcane bagasse emerge as key materials in biodegradable tableware transition
Ecosystems (17 stories) - Arbor Day Foundation's 10M-tree initiative, drone surveillance in Bangladesh, and wildlife crossings highlight conservation efforts, while new tarantula species, and jaguar sightings advance biodiversity research
Efficiency (5 stories) - Ground-source heat networks hit 400% efficiency as heat pumps deliver $3k savings; desert data centers and Carter-era wood stoves show efficiency's evolution
Finance (5 stories) - Carbon finance platform ETA Secretariat debuts, EU deforestation rules drive satellite tech adoption, Nevada launches C-PACE program, GFANZ relaxes net-zero requirements, Energy Central releases industry paper directory
Grid (7 stories) - PNNL's flow battery tool, Pakistan's 1,200-MWe Hualong One reactor, Trina Storage's 7GWh milestone, and Koeberg's return shape evolving grid landscape amid 20% global demand surge
Indigenous (12 stories) - Guna people face Panama island relocation; Amazon airstrip investigations; tribal fire management partnerships in California and Montana; global indigenous burn training unites 8 nations; Brazilian farming wisdom shared
Industry (7 stories) - Zijin Mining faces illegal operators in Colombia, REC Silicon closes US polysilicon plant, HIUV plans India expansion, Honda-Nissan merger talks surface amid Foxconn concerns
Policy (27 stories) - $5.8M in climate resilience grants to 400 U.S. organizations, $7,500 EV tax credit debates, $200M US Forest Service wildfire program, while Trump administration plans 300 climate policy reversals
Renewables (16 stories) - Record solar installations, China's 250-mile Kubuqi Desert project, ACWA Power's 1 GW China expansion, and efficiency breakthroughs from Huasun, LAPLACE, and EliTe Solar mark major industry growth
Transport (20 stories) - BMW leads US legacy automakers in EV sales while BYD surpasses VW globally; Tesla cuts prices as Chinese brands NIO, Li Auto, XPENG surge; Toyota slashes bZ4X pricing amid fierce competition
Agriculture
Autonomous weeders in Salinas Valley, Soul Fire Farm's BIPOC support, Rock Hollow Dairy's silvopasture methods, and RHS frost data shape evolving agricultural landscape amid rising agtech investment forecasts
Fig and almond trees thriving in UK thanks to fewer frosts, RHS says (The Guardian) - Fig and almond trees are flourishing across British gardens as ground frost days have dropped 14 percent, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.
Elite domination of freshwater canals in coastal Bangladesh adversely affects local communities and livelihoods (CGIAR) - Control of freshwater canals by local elites in coastal Bangladesh denies vital water access to farmers and women, affecting agricultural livelihoods of 75% of marginalized populations.
Climate-smart practices support efficiency & resilience at this urban farm (Pasa Sustainable Agriculture) - Urban farm Shiloh serves Pittsburgh as an educational hub while utilizing no-till methods, cover crops, and mulching across its quarter-acre to boost climate resilience.
Climate-smart practices support healthy soils & healthy cows at this organic dairy (Pasa Sustainable Agriculture) - Pennsylvania's Rock Hollow Dairy maintains organic status for its 250-cow operation through rotational grazing, silvopasture, and seasonal calving strategies to address climate challenges.
December ’24 End of Year Letter (Soul Fire Farm) - Black-led Soul Fire Farm distributed 15,000 pounds of produce, built a program center, and supported 515 acres of BIPOC-stewarded farmland across the American Northeast and Southeast in 2024.
FarmWise's Vulcan Precision Weeders at work in the Salinas Valley (FarmWise) - Autonomous weeders deployed in California's Salinas Valley can now maintain vegetable crops across more than three acres per hour with self-calibrating, upgradeable systems.
GLP-1, GWP*, and the state of ag robotics: the top 10 guest posts on AgFunderNews in 2024 (AgFunderNews) - Guest posts on AgFunderNews in 2024 highlighted GLP-1 drugs' effects on food systems, while exploring robotics adoption and regenerative farming technologies.
Guest article: Agtech poised for a rebound in 2025? (AgFunderNews) - Global agtech investments are expected to surge in 2025, with AI, robotics, gene editing and sustainability solutions leading growth despite current market challenges, according to Rabobank analysts.
Carbon
Ice core studies reveal Antarctic temperature record reliability issues while global heat records continue breaking, with Australia hitting +1.46C and 2025 forecast for +1.29-1.53C above baseline
BoM data finds 2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record (The Guardian) - Australia experienced its second-warmest year in 2024, with temperatures soaring 1.46C above average, fueled by rising greenhouse gases and unprecedented nighttime heat.
Weatherwatch: 2025 likely to be another year of high temperatures (The Guardian) - Global temperatures in 2025 are forecast to reach between 1.29C-1.53C above preindustrial levels, making it one of the three warmest years ever recorded despite La Niña conditions.
Abrupt changes in biomass burning during the last glacial period (Nature) - Tropical wildfire activity surged up to 150 percent during Heinrich and Dansgaard-Oeschger climate events of the last glacial period, according to new ice core findings.
Limitations of ice cores in reconstructing temperature seasonality (Nature) - New research indicates ice cores from West Antarctica fail to accurately preserve seasonal temperature data, compromising their effectiveness as historical climate records.
Reply to: Limitations of ice cores in reconstructing temperature seasonality (Nature) - Scientists confirm ice core records reliably track West Antarctica's temperature shifts over thousands of years, despite preservation challenges, according to new research findings.
Circular
Areca palm leaves and sugarcane bagasse emerge as key materials in biodegradable tableware transition
Why Businesses Are Choosing Compostable Tableware Over Plastic? (EcoSoul Home) - Amid rising environmental concerns, businesses are increasingly adopting plant-based tableware made from Areca palm leaves and sugarcane bagasse as biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastics.
Ecosystems
Arbor Day Foundation's 10M-tree initiative, drone surveillance in Bangladesh, and wildlife crossings highlight conservation efforts, while new tarantula species, and jaguar sightings advance biodiversity research
Year In Review: The State of Biodiversity 2024 (CleanTechnica) - Global biodiversity continues its downward spiral, with 32% forest loss and a $711B annual funding gap, even as businesses increasingly acknowledge nature's economic importance.
10 notable books on conservation and the environment published in 2024 (Mongabay) - Ten new books delve into pressing environmental challenges, from Arctic warming and coral bleaching to Indigenous land rights and deforestation, offering fresh perspectives on human-nature relationships.
Bangladesh adopts new technology to fight wildlife crimes (Mongabay) - Bangladesh's forest department has deployed drones, GPS trackers and forensic tools to combat wildlife crimes, following years of technological gaps compared to neighboring nations.
Is it possible to have an eco-friendly firework display? (The Conversation) - Scientists report fireworks deposit toxic chemicals and microplastics into ecosystems, while proposed drone alternatives carry their own environmental impact concerns.
10m trees to be planted in US to replace ones destroyed by hurricanes (The Guardian) - The Arbor Day Foundation will plant 10 million trees across six US states by 2028 to restore areas devastated by this year's hurricane season.
Fire crews do more than fight fires (High Country News) - Resource advisors protecting cultural sites and endangered species during wildfires have seen a 125% surge in training enrollment since 2019, reports show.
Lo que un antiguo saguaro puede enseñarnos (High Country News) - A 200-year-old saguaro cactus known as "Grandpa" has fallen at Arizona's Catalina State Park following heavy rains, ending its long service as vital desert wildlife habitat.
Why the West needs prairie dogs (High Country News) - Prairie dogs, now occupying just 2% of their historic range, remain vital ecosystem engineers that provide critical habitat for endangered species like black-footed ferrets across the American West.
Diversity and biogeography of the bacterial microbiome in glacier-fed streams (Nature) - Scientists studying 152 glacier-fed streams worldwide have discovered unique bacterial communities, finding regional variations and limited core species shaped by environmental factors and dispersal patterns.
A Year of Climate Extremes, In Photos (Yale E360) - Striking images capture Earth's hottest recorded year, as floods, hurricanes, and wildfires wreaked havoc across the globe in 2023.
A deadly parasite turns jaguar conservation into a human health priority (Mongabay) - Scientists discover deadly Spirometra tapeworms in jaguar droppings across Brazil's Pantanal, revealing the big cats' vital role in controlling parasites that threaten human health.
Four new tarantula species found in India’s Western Ghats mountains (Mongabay) - Scientists have discovered four new tarantula species in India's Western Ghats mountains, with experts noting that 25% of tarantula species identified since 2000 have surfaced in the pet trade.
Road to recovery: Wild animals staging a comeback in 2024 (Mongabay) - Five endangered species, from the Sombrero ground lizard to olive ridley turtles, showed remarkable population rebounds in 2024 thanks to global conservation initiatives.
Camera traps reveal first jaguar in northwestern Ecuador forests in years (Mongabay) - Camera traps have documented a lone jaguar traversing between two protected forests in northwestern Ecuador, marking the first confirmed sighting in the region since 2008.
What an ancient saguaro can teach us (High Country News) - A beloved 200-year-old saguaro cactus known as "Grandpa" collapsed during monsoon rains at Catalina State Park, marking the end of its centuries-long role in Arizona's ecological heritage.
NYBG Supports Urban Green Space Revitalization in Puerto Rico (NYBG) - New York Botanical Garden and Puerto Rican group CRES planted more than 100 trees at a San Juan skate park, marking their third annual urban restoration partnership.
How does the mountain lion cross the road? (Yale Climate Connections) - Federal funding of $350 million will help construct wildlife crossings and improve culverts across America's highways to protect migrating animals from climate change impacts.
Efficiency
Ground-source heat networks hit 400% efficiency as heat pumps deliver $3k savings; desert data centers and Carter-era wood stoves show efficiency's evolution
Basin & Range Geography Could Be Ideal For Cutting Edge Data Centers (CleanTechnica) - Experts say the unique geography of America's Southwest, where desert solar meets cooler mountain air, could transform the region into a prime hub for energy-efficient data centers.
Thermal energy networks are the next big thing (Volts) - Utilities are testing networked ground-source heat pump systems that achieve 400% efficiency while preserving jobs and replacing aging gas infrastructure.
One family’s New Year’s climate resolutions help tackle global warming (Yale Climate Connections) - A New York family's multi-year commitment to climate action includes switching to solar power, electric vehicles, and plant-based meals as part of their annual environmental resolutions.
Households using tax credits to switch to heat pumps saved up to $3,100 annually on utility bills. (ACEspace) - Households installing tax-credited heat pumps are saving up to $3,100 yearly on utility bills while achieving carbon-free heating, according to new data.
President Carter, an early champion of modern wood stoves, installed them in the White House (Heated Up!) - President Carter installed six wood stoves at the White House and Camp David in 1978-79, championing them as efficient alternatives to fossil fuels before EPA regulations existed.
Finance
Carbon finance platform ETA Secretariat debuts, EU deforestation rules drive satellite tech adoption, Nevada launches C-PACE program, GFANZ relaxes net-zero requirements, Energy Central releases industry paper directory
ETA Secretariat Now Staffed and Fully Operational (C2ES) - The Energy Transition Accelerator Secretariat launches with six experts managing a carbon finance platform to boost clean power adoption in developing nations.
Companies banking on tech and collaboration to comply with EUDR (Mongabay) - Global firms turn to satellite mapping and blockchain solutions to meet EU deforestation rules, while grappling with smallholder inclusion and supply chain transparency challenges.
New Commercial Energy Loan Program Will Help Local Businesses Reduce Energy Costs and Improve Energy Efficiency (Nevada Clean Energy Fund) - Nevada's new C-PACE program enables commercial property owners across seven jurisdictions to finance energy efficiency upgrades through the state's green bank.
Statement from GFANZ Leadership (GFANZ) - Financial institutions managing $130 trillion in assets can now remain in GFANZ climate alliance without net-zero pledges, as group shifts focus toward clean energy investment.
Papers Directory, Fourth-Quarter 2024 Update (Energy Central) - Senior consultant John Benson has released a comprehensive directory of energy industry educational papers, now available on the Energy Central platform.
Grid
PNNL's flow battery tool, Pakistan's 1,200-MWe Hualong One reactor, Trina Storage's 7GWh milestone, and Koeberg's return shape evolving grid landscape amid 20% global demand surge
New Coal-Killing Flow Battery Tool Now Available, For Free (CleanTechnica) - Scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have released a free tool that instantly forecasts flow battery performance, aiming to speed up energy storage development for data centers.
Pakistan Will Build Another Chinese-Designed Nuclear Power Unit (POWER Magazine) - Pakistan's nuclear regulator has approved construction of a 1,200-MWe Hualong One reactor at Chashma, marking the nation's third Chinese-designed HPR1000 unit and its largest nuclear facility.
A 2025 clean energy transition wish list (Renewable Energy World) - Global energy expert outlines ten priorities for 2025's clean power shift, emphasizing renewable deployment, storage advances, and grid modernization.
What comes after microgrids? Energy parks based around wind, solar and storage (RenewEconomy) - Energy parks combining renewable generation, storage and major consumers at single grid points could slash costs while boosting clean power access, a new Energy Innovation study finds.
Consecutive 4 Quarters | Trina Storage Recognized on BNEF Energy Storage Tier 1 List for Q4 2024 (TaiyangNews) - Trina Storage has retained its BNEF Energy Storage Tier 1 status through Q4 2024, having delivered 7GWh of battery systems worldwide by mid-2024.
Powering the future: Global demand, decarbonization, and innovation (Energy Central) - Global electricity demand surges 20% as digital expansion and renewable integration reshape power grids, with emerging markets accounting for 70% of consumption growth.
Second Unit of South Africa Nuclear Plant Back Online After Major Maintenance (POWER) - South Africa's Koeberg nuclear plant has restored its full 1,860 MW capacity as Unit 2 rejoins the grid following maintenance work that adds two decades to the facility's lifespan.
Indigenous
Guna people face Panama island relocation; Amazon airstrip investigations; tribal fire management partnerships in California and Montana; global indigenous burn training unites 8 nations; Brazilian farming wisdom shared
‘In 10 years we may cease to exist’: rising seas and influx of tourists threaten to engulf Panama island (The Guardian) - Rising seas and mass tourism threaten 30,000 indigenous Guna people in Panama with forced relocation from ancestral islands, as ocean levels could displace communities within a decade.
Mongabay’s most impactful investigations of 2024 (Mongabay) - Global environmental investigations in 2024 uncovered illegal Amazon airstrips, Javan rhino poaching networks, Cambodian timber cartels and Indigenous land rights violations worldwide.
Burning for Better in Southwest Montana (Fire Networks) - Montana agencies and landowners have united to conduct a 1,300-acre prescribed burn in Mill Gulch, aiming to protect sagebrush habitat and reduce wildfire threats.
Celebrating 10 Years of the Blog! (Fire Networks) - Network marks decade-long milestone with 680-plus published stories from global practitioners, researchers and indigenous communities sharing wildfire resilience strategies.
Community Weaving for Eco-Cultural Restoration: Partnering with Tribes in Lake County, CA (Fire Networks) - Local tribes and scientists unite in Lake County, California, combining traditional Pomo knowledge with modern research to protect Clear Lake's watershed and reduce wildfire risks.
Engaging Communities with Prescribed Fire: Lessons Learned from PBA Outreach in Fire-Prone Areas (Fire Networks) - Fire-prone communities in Trinity County are embracing prescribed burn initiatives through trauma-informed workshops, strategic facilitation, and sustained follow-up efforts, reports The Watershed Center.
Escape Into the Story: Three Longform Reads for Your Weekend (Fire Networks) - Interactive narratives delve into wilderness fire management, Texas wildfire resilience, and Fire Learning Network partnerships through three new StoryMaps.
The Warmth That Keeps Us Coming Back (Fire Networks) - Despite mounting health risks and losses in 2024, fire leader Lenya Quinn-Davidson emphasizes the vital role of human connection and hospitality within fire management culture.
Untrammeling the Wilderness (Fire Networks) - Scientists urge federal wilderness managers to embrace prescribed and Indigenous burning practices, citing data showing 120 years of fire suppression has damaged natural ecosystems.
Voces del Fuego (Voices of Fire) (Fire Networks) - Fifty fire practitioners from 27 organizations across eight countries unite in California's first Spanish-language prescribed burn training, captured in the film "Voces del Fuego."
Oficina Agroflorestal na Aldeia Galheiro Novo (Meli-bees.org) - Indigenous Brazilians in Tocantins hosted a workshop blending ancestral farming wisdom with modern sustainability methods to boost food independence and ecological stewardship.
Growing the Hanukkah Candlelight | Dayenu (Dayenu) - Jewish climate advocates draw inspiration from Hanukkah's nightly candle-lighting ritual to amplify their environmental justice movement.
Industry
Zijin Mining faces illegal operators in Colombia, REC Silicon closes US polysilicon plant, HIUV plans India expansion, Honda-Nissan merger talks surface amid Foxconn concerns
An underground gold war in Colombia is ‘a ticking ecological time bomb’ (Mongabay) - Chinese mining giant Zijin has lost majority control of its Colombian gold mine to illegal operators who use mercury and explosives while working for criminal groups.
Five Ways Industrial AI will Transform Safety & Sustainability in 2025 (LNS Research) - AI-driven manufacturing will boost safety through enhanced training, personalized assistance, decision support, knowledge automation, and predictive incident prevention, transforming industry practices by 2025.
Direct fabrication of lasers on silicon suggests solution to chip-production problem (Nature) - Scientists have developed a technique to fabricate lasers directly onto silicon wafers, marking a significant advance in photonic chip production that aligns with current manufacturing methods.
REC Silicon pulls the plug on polysilicon production at Moses Lake plant (Renewable Energy World) - After failing product purity tests, REC Silicon's Moses Lake facility shutters operations, marking the end of U.S. polysilicon production for solar cells.
HIUV Taking Module Encapsulation Solutions To India With Local Manufacturing (TaiyangNews) - Chinese encapsulant manufacturer HIUV will establish local production in India through partnerships by 2025, while advocating EPE-EVA combinations for TOPCon solar modules.
Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines (EnergyCentral) - Energy expert Charley Rattan details critical insights on hydrogen pipeline infrastructure as global markets shift toward sustainable fuel solutions.
Taking A Second Look At The Honda/Nissan Merger (CleanTechnica) - Industry analysts question Honda CEO's merger proposal with Nissan, suggesting the move primarily aims to block electronics giant Foxconn from acquiring the struggling automaker.
Policy
$5.8M in climate resilience grants to 400 U.S. organizations, $7,500 EV tax credit debates, $200M US Forest Service wildfire program, while Trump administration plans 300 climate policy reversals
Harnessing Our Power (Anthropocene Alliance) - Environmental justice network grows to 400 U.S. organizations, securing $5.8M in climate resilience grants while launching five State Organizing Centers this year.
The Case For And Against EV Incentives (CleanTechnica) - Experts clash over $7,500 EV tax credits, with supporters citing manufacturing benefits while critics argue the incentives mainly help affluent buyers.
In The New Year, Climate Activists Must Resolve To Appeal To Emotional Intelligence And Local Contexts (CleanTechnica) - Climate activists are being urged to emphasize emotional connections and community-specific approaches in 2025, as potential Trump policies threaten environmental progress.
‘Moving to the mountaintops’: rising seas displace tens of thousands in Papua New Guinea (The Guardian) - Rising seas and coastal erosion have driven 40,000 Papua New Guinea villagers from their ancestral fishing communities to inland settlements over the past ten years.
California will require insurers to offer home coverage in wildfire-prone areas (The Guardian) - California's new mandate forces insurers to provide home coverage in wildfire zones, permitting reinsurance costs to be passed to consumers despite warnings of 40% premium hikes.
Former EU environment chief warns against backsliding on climate crisis (The Guardian) - Former EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius condemns the one-year delay in deforestation law implementation, cautioning it signals a dangerous retreat from climate commitments.
Starmer faces test of climate leadership with big decisions on carbon budget (The Guardian) - Labour leader Keir Starmer confronts pivotal climate policy choices as the Climate Change Committee prepares emissions reduction targets for 2038-2042.
Ambition and honesty – What Climate Home readers want in 2025 (Climate Home News) - Readers call for stronger climate commitments from governments and businesses in 2025, emphasizing emissions reductions, adaptation measures and accountability in progress reporting.
At Extinction Rebellion, we aimed for UK net zero in 2025. That won't happen – so here’s what to do instead | Rupert Read (The Guardian) - Former climate activist urges shift from ambitious 2025 net-zero targets to community-based environmental initiatives as Britain grapples with mounting ecological pressures.
Infrastructure neglect and poverty lead to parasites in the Mississippi Delta (The Guardian) - Researchers found 38% of sampled children in the Mississippi Delta carry intestinal parasites, highlighting severe infrastructure and sanitation deficiencies in America's poorest region.
Trump aims to crush legal curbs on his climate rollback – but it may not be easy (The Guardian) - Legal experts warn Trump's fossil fuel deregulation plans face hurdles from state courts and limited federal authority in climate accountability cases.
Community Wildfire Defense Grants: A Round Three Application Primer (Fire Networks) - US Forest Service launches $200 million grant program, enabling communities and Tribes to mitigate wildfire risks through February 2025.
18 Climate Books to Read in 2025 (Heatmap News) - A curated preview of 18 climate-focused books set for 2025 release, plus 14 honorable mentions, offers readers diverse perspectives across fiction, nonfiction, and natural history.
Federal Grant Complexity Stymies the Energy Transition in Wyoming Coal Country, New Report Finds (Inside Climate News) - Federal grant applications are so complex that Wyoming coal communities can't access energy transition funds, a Resources for the Future report reveals.
Heat Is Claiming Mexico’s Young People (InsideClimateNews) - Young workers and children under 5 account for most of Mexico's 73,000 heat-related deaths, with 75 percent of fatalities striking those under 35 between 1998 and 2019.
Jimmy Carter, Visionary (InsideClimateNews) - Former President Jimmy Carter championed electric vehicles and installed White House solar panels while proposing carbon cuts that matched 2015 Paris Accord levels four decades early.
Science in 2025: what to expect this year (Nature) - Global science milestones in 2025 include new lunar expeditions, three decades of UN climate talks, potential US political shifts, and expanded access to obesity medications.
2025 – The Year Ahead - Personal freedom and fiscal restraint (EnergyCentral) - The incoming administration plans 300 executive orders targeting Biden's climate policies, including Paris Accord withdrawal and ending electric vehicle mandates.
How New York state is defying Donald Trump’s plans to roll back climate action (The Verge) - New York state lawmakers have passed legislation forcing oil companies to pay for climate disaster infrastructure, directly challenging former President Trump's environmental rollback agenda.
External evaluations (UNDRR) - External assessments reveal four key disaster risk reduction evaluations spanning sustainable cities, UN integration, climate adaptation funding, and worldwide risk reporting.
Portraits of catastrophe and courage in 2024 (Yale Climate Connections) - Global temperatures surpassed 1.5°C above preindustrial levels for a second consecutive year, as floods, hurricanes, and wildfires wreaked havoc across the planet.
EOPA Webinar on Building Electrification in New York State - December 17, 2024 (EOPA) - Experts gathered at EOPA's New York State webinar to explore policies and incentives aimed at reducing building emissions through electrification initiatives.
Thank you for supporting the youth climate movement and ACE this year 💚 (ACE) - Youth climate group ACE mobilized 1.1 million members, registered 100,000 young voters, and delivered climate education while advancing renewable energy programs throughout 2023.
Centrelink payments increase, higher passport fees and pay rises: all the 1 January changes in Australia in 2025 (The Guardian) - More than 1.3 million Australians will see Centrelink payments rise alongside steeper passport fees and tighter emission rules as sweeping policy changes take effect.
Republican-run states see opportunity to push extreme policies under Trump (The Guardian) - Republican leaders across 23 GOP-controlled states aim to advance conservative agendas on taxes, education, environment and social policies under a potential second Trump presidency.
South Australia bans fishing of many sharks and rays in its waters (Mongabay) - South Australia has imposed fines of up to A$20,000 for fishing endangered sharks and rays within 5km of its coastline, affecting both recreational and commercial sectors.
Asia-Pacific Scientific and Technical Advisory Group (AP-STAG) (UNDRR) - Asia-Pacific Scientific and Technical Advisory Group delivers disaster risk reduction expertise and policy guidance to seven Asian nations, supporting regional Sendai Framework implementation.
Renewables
Record solar installations, China's 250-mile Kubuqi Desert project, ACWA Power's 1 GW China expansion, and efficiency breakthroughs from Huasun, LAPLACE, and EliTe Solar mark major industry growth
Canary Media’s top 10 clean energy stories in 2024 (Canary Media) - Clean energy saw dramatic shifts in 2024, with record solar installations and battery storage growth, while Hawaii completed its coal-to-battery transition amid challenges in EV adoption and rooftop solar policies.
The Great Solar Wall Of China (CleanTechnica) - China's ambitious 250-mile solar farm in Kubuqi Desert, set to power Beijing with 100GW capacity, has begun installing 5.4GW towards its 180 billion kWh annual generation goal by 2030.
USDA Funds Renewable Energy Project In Rural Texas (CleanTechnica) - A $1.4 billion USDA grant will help Texas' San Miguel Electric Cooperative transition from coal to solar, battery storage, and geothermal energy by 2027.
We’re Opening the Mail Bag (Heatmap News) - Podcast hosts tackle listener questions about artificial intelligence's power consumption, solar panel production costs, and climate policy impacts in special year-end episode.
Wind energy jobs are taking off, but so are risks (High Country News) - Wind energy's workforce of 131,327 faces mounting safety concerns amid low unionization rates of 12 percent, hazardous equipment conditions and extended work hours.
2024 – a Year of Records for Renewables, Yet Progress Falls Short to 3xRenewables by 2030 (IRENA) - Global renewable energy capacity hit 3,865 GW last year, accounting for 86% of new power additions, though annual growth must reach 16.2% to meet 2030 tripling targets.
Saudi Group Announces 1 GW of Renewables as Part of $50 Billion China Investment (POWER) - Saudi energy giant ACWA Power will develop 1 GW of renewables in China, part of a $50 billion initiative targeting 20 GW capacity and green hydrogen production by 2030.
Supply chain woes could delay a New Jersey offshore wind project— again (Renewable Energy World) - Supply chain disruptions and turbine blade manufacturing issues have forced Leading Light Wind to seek another postponement of its New Jersey offshore wind development.
Huasun Secures 840 MWp of HJT Solar Modules in Two Recent Bids with PowerChina for 2024 (TaiyangNews) - Chinese solar maker Huasun clinches 840 MWp HJT module supply deals with PowerChina, including 339.68 MWp for Bohai Bay offshore project.
LAPLACE’s Wet Tools & Metallization Production Equipment For TOPCon (TaiyangNews) - LAPLACE has expanded its TOPCon solar cell production equipment line, achieving 26.89% R&D efficiency while developing tools for XBC technology.
Manufacturers Must Shift To Zero Busbar To Reduce Costs & Improve Efficiency (TaiyangNews) - Leading solar manufacturers could slash metallization costs and boost efficiency up to 24.5% by adopting zero busbar technology for heterojunction cells, according to Forschungszentrum Jülich researchers.
Metallization Solutions From Solamet To Improve Solar Cell Efficiency (TaiyangNews) - Solamet's metallization solutions, featuring fine-line printing and low solid content pastes, reduce silver usage while pushing TOPCon solar cell efficiency past 26%, according to the company's Technical Director.
Middle East & Africa Solar PV News Snippets: EliTe Solar Breaks Ground On Solar Cell Fab In Egypt & More (TaiyangNews) - EliTe Solar commences 5 GW solar factory construction in Egypt as AMEA Power secures $850M license for storage project, amid expanding solar initiatives across Africa and Middle East.
TOP SOLAR MODULES 2024 (TaiyangNews) - Leading solar modules hit record efficiencies in 2023-2024, according to TaiyangNews' third annual market survey tracking monthly performance gains.
Tracking Efficiency Improvements In Solar Modules (TaiyangNews) - Leading solar manufacturers achieved efficiency milestones as seven modules surpassed 23%, with two reaching 24%, amid industry efforts to boost performance in a challenging market.
2024 Hanukkah Green Menorah | Dayenu (Dayenu) - Ancient Jewish wisdom inspires eco-friendly Hanukkah celebrations, as prophet Zechariah's vision of olive tree-powered menorahs resonates with today's climate-conscious observers.
Transport
BMW leads US legacy automakers in EV sales while BYD surpasses VW globally; Tesla cuts prices as Chinese brands NIO, Li Auto, XPENG surge; Toyota slashes bZ4X pricing amid fierce competition
These Automakers Are Electrifying Fastest In USA — New Report (CleanTechnica) - BMW Group dominates America's shift to electric vehicles among traditional manufacturers, capturing 15.6% of EV sales, with Geely at 12.7% and Mercedes-Benz following at 9.7%.
Electric Vehicle Sales Leaders — Best Selling OEMs, Part 3 of 4 (CleanTechnica) - Chinese automakers Li Auto and AITO outpace Volkswagen and BMW in global EV sales growth, marking a significant shift in market dominance.
Big Discounts on Tesla Inventory to End 2024 (CleanTechnica) - Tesla slashes prices up to $7,300 across its entire vehicle lineup as 2024 draws to a close, with buyers rushing to secure deals before EV tax credits potentially expire in 2025.
Lucid Gravity Deliveries Begin (CleanTechnica) - Luxury automaker Lucid has commenced deliveries of its $95,000-$127,000 Gravity electric SUV to select employees and family members.
Europe EV Sales Report — In November, 25% of New Cars Had a Plug (CleanTechnica) - Plugin vehicle registrations across Europe hit 25% of all new car sales in November, with battery electric vehicles growing 1% while plug-in hybrids dropped 9% year-over-year.
The Top Selling Plugin Vehicle Brands in Europe (CleanTechnica) - Tesla dominates Europe's plugin vehicle sales with 10.6% market share, while Volkswagen Group leads all automotive groups at 21.5%.
NIO’s ESG Rating Gets Boosted (CleanTechnica) - Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer NIO has earned a prestigious AA ESG rating from MSCI, elevating its position among the world's leading automotive companies.
We Need To Be Honest About EV Drawbacks (CleanTechnica) - Electric vehicle advocates call for transparent dialogue about EV ownership challenges, as charging infrastructure gaps and maintenance needs continue impacting consumer adoption rates.
Tesla Should Truly Open The U.S. Supercharger Network (CleanTechnica) - Despite Tesla's claims of an open charging network, its U.S. Superchargers remain inaccessible to older Nissan LEAFs, EV conversions, salvage Teslas, and non-standard electric vehicles.
UK Engines Manufacturers Report Hydrogen Engines Essential For Solving Climate Change (CleanTechnica) - British engine makers face scrutiny over claims that hydrogen power could solve climate issues, as critics highlight cost concerns and hydrogen's 20-30% efficiency losses in transportation applications.
What To Expect For EVs In 2025 (CleanTechnica) - Global market forces and private investment are expected to drive EV adoption and charging expansion in 2025, despite Trump's election victory and potential policy shifts.
BYD Became 2nd Best Selling Automaker in World in November! (CleanTechnica) - Chinese automaker BYD surged past Volkswagen to claim second place globally with 417,000 vehicles sold in November, behind only Toyota's 667,900 units.
The 5 Biggest Electric Vehicle Stories of 2024 — BYD, Tesla, & More (CleanTechnica) - Chinese automaker BYD has surged to become the world's second-largest car manufacturer as China's EV market share tops 50%, while Tesla experiences sales plateau in 2024.
Modular Charging: LEGO Logic For Electric Trucks (CleanTechnica) - A new modular microgrid system combines solar power, batteries, and megawatt chargers in LEGO-like blocks, enabling scalable electric truck charging at depots and stops nationwide.
Toyota bZ4X EV Gets $6,000 Price Cut For 2025 (CleanTechnica) - Toyota slashes its 2025 bZ4X electric SUV price by $6,000 to $39,000, despite no improvements to its limited range and charging capabilities.
XPENG & NIO Sales Soar to Record Highs in December (CleanTechnica) - Chinese automakers XPENG and NIO shattered their previous sales records in December, delivering 36,695 and 31,138 electric vehicles respectively, marking increases of 82% and 72.9% from last year.
Federal Court Largely Greenlights New York’s Congestion Pricing Program (EDF) - A federal court has upheld New York's congestion pricing program, slated for January 5th implementation, with only minor analytical adjustments required for mitigation measures.
Tesla Cybertruck Not Off To A Good Start … (CleanTechnica) - Tesla's highly anticipated Cybertruck struggles with demand as buyers reject higher prices and reduced range, prompting the company to offer lifetime free Supercharging incentives.
Faraday Future Is Still Alive, & Showing Off More Affordable Electric Car At CES 2025 (CleanTechnica) - Luxury EV maker Faraday Future will unveil its first FX prototype, a more affordable electric model, at CES 2025 following a $30 million funding boost.
It’s A Wrap — Sprucing Up Tesla Vehicles (CleanTechnica) - Tesla owners are spending up to $6,500 on custom vehicle wraps to differentiate their cars, as the brand's once-distinctive designs become increasingly common on roads worldwide.
Those are today's updates! Thanks for reading, may you find lessons learned here that boost the impact of your work.
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