Ivan Prock, P.Eng., BEng, MS on LinkedIn: Greenwashing, net-zero, and the oil sands in Canada: The case of Pathways… (2024)

#GridScaleBatteries #California #CaliforniaIndependentSystemOperators #CAISO #SAndPGlobalMarketIntelligence #EnergyInformationAgency #EIA "At 10,379 MW, California has increased its battery capacity by 1,250% over the last five years – up from 770 MW in 2019. The state is projected to need 52 GW of energy storage to meet its ambitious goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045.Developers plan to add 6,813 MW of battery power storage capacity in the California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) domain this year, dominated by four-hour lithium-ion systems, roughly double their additions in 2023, according to an analysis of S&P Global Market Intelligence data.“In just five years [since the beginning of the Newsom Administration], California has increased its battery storage capacity more than tenfold,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. “Our energy storage revolution is here, and it couldn’t come at a more pivotal moment as we move from a grid powered by dirty fossil fuels to one powered by clean energy.”The ever-growing battery energy storage fleet is becoming vitally important for California to maintain a clean and reliable power grid – storing energy from renewable sources like solar during the day to use when solar drops off in the evening hours.Only a couple of weeks ago, for the first time ever, battery energy storage became the largest source of supply to power the grid as its discharge went above 6 GW. The landmark event saw battery storage overtake gas, nuclear, hydro and renewables as the biggest source of supply for a period of about two hours in the evening peak.In what seems to become the new norm, battery storage was once again the single biggest supplier on the grid in the evening peak last weekend. According to data collected by CAISO'sGrid Status, a new record discharge of 6.52 GW was registered on the weekend. On April 30, the peak battery discharge rose to 6.76 GW, shattering the previous record.Five years ago, the record output for battery storage was a mere 120 MW, the data tracker shows.In its latest annual transmission plan, CAISO proposes to invest $6.1 billion in 26 grid improvements to connect new renewable energy projects by 2035. This would pave the way for 38 GW of new solar capacity, most of which would be paired with battery storage.CAISO’s latest plan aims to improve access for battery projects co-located with solar or wind, as well as stand-alone systems close to major load centers in the Los Angeles Basin, the Greater Bay Area, and San Diego.US installed battery capacity will double this year to 30 GW on the back of investment in California and Texas, the Energy Information Agency said in January."

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Video runs 3:07#ElectricConstructionEquipment #ElectricPileDriver #Liebherr #LB30 #Calgary #GrahamManagementServices #KIInternational "KI International is a pioneer in Calgary, Alberta, Canada when it comes to the use of the emission-free drilling rig LB 30 unplugged. Our LB 30 unplugged performs perfectly when drilling fully cased cast-in-place piles. In the city of Calgary, a new pedestrian overpass is planned to provide easier and safer access to key centers. Our LB 30 unplugged impresses with its quiet yet powerful operation. It aligns with the city of Calgary's climate strategy: reducing greenhouse gases and expanding the use of emission-free technologies."

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This thing looks huge!#UUV #BrianTheobald #JosephDeane #NorthropGrumman #MantaRay"Northrop Grumman’s massive Manta Ray underwater test bed completed at-sea trials this year, validating its ability to operate below the waves and with minimal human contact.In a photo first shared with C4ISRNET, the prototype is seen just below the surface of the water, with one fin and part of its almond-shaped body breaking through. The greyunmanned underwater vehicle— considered to be “extra large,” in military parlance — dwarfs the boat trailing it as well as the person aboard.Those working on the secretive project declined to provide specific measurements about its size, but said the UUV is modular. It was separated into pieces on the East Coast and shipped cross-country where “a small team was able to reassemble the vehicle on a standard Navy concrete pier using only common support equipment and a single crane,” according to Brian Theobald, a principal investigator and chief engineer at Northrop.“I think it is striking in its size and scale, even for those folks that have been there throughout the design process,” he saidin an interviewMay 2. “We see everything in model-based views, in CAD, et cetera, and it’s not until you see it actually built, full scale, that it truly hits home.”Its first dunk and subsequent trials off the coast of California revealed “no leaks or ground faults or other build issues,” he added. “I think we can all relate: Water is going to go into every single crevice and place that it can get to.”Northrop’s offering is years in the making. TheDefense Advanced Research Projects Agencyin 2020 kicked off the program with the thought of creating a large underwater drone that can operate independently of manned vessels and ports once underway. It was also meant to shepherd critical tech for a new class of what the agency called “payload-capable UUVs.”Northrop last month teased its prototype during the Sea-Air-Space naval conference in Maryland. The image the company shared was darkened and showed little more than its rounded nose and glider-like body.Key considerations forManta Ray developmentinclude threat detection, classification and communications capabilities, high-efficiency propulsion systems, and the ability to withstand the taxes of undersea environments. Having a drone that can survive on its own for protracted periods of time would reduce logistical demands and free up manpower.“The design goal is to be completely autonomous, requiring little human interaction or maintenance to achieve its mission goals,” Joseph Deane, Northrop’s Manta Ray program manager, said in an interview. “What makes it stand out is its low power usage, the ability to go very long distances, the autonomous aspect of it, to operate without human interaction for long periods of time. Those capabilities don’t exist right now.”TheDepartment of Defenseis increasingly interested in uncrewed technologies and their battlefield ..."

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California, Texas, and the Plains States: keep on rocking solar and wind power!#SolarPower #WindPower #GridScaleBatteries #California #Texas #PlainsStates #SPPGrid

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Depending on the context, I don't JUST warn people of the consequences of the climate crisis, I'll also suggest steps that people can take to reduce those consequences, like switching to EVs, heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction stovetops, by super-insulating buildings, by adding solar panels and residential batteries to their houses, by avoiding air travel and cruise ship travel, reducing meat consumption, supporting solar (including parking lot solar) and wind power deployments, and strongly questioning the use of CCS, DAC, and SMRs, and the additional use of fossil fuel power plants.

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Power to the people, literally! I think that co-op power utilities are worth looking at.#WindPower #SolarPower #UK #RippleEnergy #KirkHillWindFarm #GraigFathaWindFarm #DerrilWaterSolarPark #WhitelawBraeWindFarm #BritishGas #Ecotricity #EDF #E_ONNext"British energy services company Ripple Energy has officially powered up the Kirk Hill wind farm, the largest people-owned facility in operation in the UK.The Kirk Hill wind farm is located in the west of Scotland and consists of 8 turbines, boasting a total capacity of nearly 19MW, enough energy to power the equivalent of over 20,000 households and businesses.It is part-owned by 5,600 customers, and the latest update from Ripple Energy shows that at least one of the 8 wind turbines is now generating power and supplying it to the grid.“With each member owning an average of a credit card sized slice of this incredible wind farm, they are actively changing the landscape of green energy in the UK,” Ripple Energy said on social media.“That’s real climate action to be proud of.”Backed by nearly 4,000 crowdfunded investors, Ripple Energy partners with utilities to enable co-ownership of large-scale wind farms and solar parks, delivering clean energy directly to co-owners.Customers are invited to make a one-off payment to acquire a share in the project through a managed co-operative that gives them a direct share of the solar or wind farm.Ripple Energy is then able to build the project, and upon completion, the buyer’s energy supplier buys electricity from the project and supplies it directly to the customer’s home through the grid.Kirk Hill’s co-owners are expected to begin seeing immediate savings on their electricity bills.News of Kirk Hill’s start of operations came only days after Ripple announced that British Gas, Ecotricity, EDF, and E.ON Next had become the latest suppliers to offer customers the opportunity to be involved with a Ripple managed co-operative.Kirk Hill is its second wind farm to begin operation, following on the heels of the Graig Fatha wind farm, which began generating electricity for its 900 co-owners in March, 2022.Two other projects are in the works, including the 42MW Derril Water solar park which is expected to be energised sometime early in 2025, and the 57MW Whitelaw Brae wind farm which is currently in the middle of its share offer."

#GHGEmissions #ElectricityProduction #CCS #Canada #Alberta #Ontario"...New data released today by the Government of Canada shows that Canada is finally starting to bend the curve when it comes to climate pollution. GHG emissions in 2022 were the lowest they have been in 25 years, with the exception of the pandemic years.However, more action is needed to get the country on track to avoid catastrophic and irreversible climate damages. Critically, Canada must quickly reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, given that producing and burning oil and gas accounts for over 80 per cent of Canada’s total emissions.The electricity sector is the main driver of emissions reduction, thanks to the coal phase out. Canada’s oil and gas industry, the country’s most polluting industry, is failing to do its part. Any achievements made in reducing the industry’s methane emissions were wiped out by an increase in oil and gas production. The oil and gas industry has been unwilling to reduce its emissions voluntarily, instead banking on ineffective technology like carbon capture and storage (CCS). Since 2000, CCS projects have permanently stored only 7MT of carbon. To put that into perspective, that’s around 0.0004 per cent of Canada’s emissions since 2000. The Government of Canada has been working on regulations to cap and cut the industry’s pollution for years. We cannot afford any more delays: It’s clear that a strong oil and gas emissions cap is urgently needed to force the industry to reduce its pollution.As transport emissions continue to rise, now is not the time for Canada to turn its back on public transit. The significant growth of transport emissions come from an uneven pandemic recovery: car traffic continues to rise, while public transit ridership is still down. It was particularly disheartening that at a moment when transport emissions are rising so rapidly, the 2024 federal budget stripped half a billion dollars from existing public transit investment programs, while continuing to delay the Permanent Public Transit Fund until after the next federal election.Contrary to the Alberta government’s repeated assertions, the province does not lead the country in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but in fact leads the country in producing dangerous carbon emissions. Alberta continues to generate more greenhouse gas pollution than any other province in the country, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of Canada’s emissions. The majority of the emissions increase from 2021 can be attributed to Ontario. Total GHG emissions for Canada have increased by 10 megatonnes since 2021, with 6Mt coming from Ontario alone. Ontario’s usage of natural gas was also singled out in the inventory. The province is driving up electricity sector emissions due to an increased reliance on natural gas and actively working to expand the natural gas network to new homes and communities...."

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You have to look after your soldiers.#USA #USMC"WASHINGTON — Now that the Marine Corps is engaged ina sweeping effort to fix problems in its barracksbuildings, Marine leaders have offered some explanations for how the barracks got to be substandard in the first place.As the Marine Corps’ budget chief sees it, one reason was years of spending more on weapons systems than onquality of life.“For too long, because we were taking risk in those types of initiatives in order to buy the weapons systems, they became more and more in disrepair,” Lt. Gen. James Adams, the deputy Marine commandant for programs and resources, said about the barracks at a panel discussion Wednesday at the Modern Day Marine conference in Washington.As the land wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were ending, the Marine Corps began to prepare for the next big conflict, which it anticipated might be a faceoff with the powerful Chinese military in the Indo-Pacific. In 2020, then-Commandant Gen. David Berger launched the Force Design initiative to update the Corps’ structure, training and platforms for that potential fight.Meanwhile, the barracks were in bad shape.A Government Accountability Office report in September 2023found widespread problems, such as mold and water issues, in barracks across the military. Media reports in ensuing months highlighteddilapidated,moldy,vermin-infestedandotherwise insufficientbarracks in the Marine Corps.Commandant Gen. Eric Smith, who took the helm of the Corps in summer 2023, has made improving the barracks a top priority.As part of the Barracks 2030 initiative, the Marine Corps plans to consolidate Marines in the better buildings and demolish the worse ones, install professional barracks managers and spend more money on restoring barracks. In February, the Corpsordered each barracks room to be inspected“wall to wall” so it could gather data about the problems and fix some of them immediately.In response to a Marine Corps Times question about who was at fault for the previous underinvestment in barracks, Adams said, “I wouldn’t say it’s a fault.”Previously, the Corps had spent approximately $200 million a year toward maintaining and modernizing its living facilities, he said. That wasn’t enough to stave off the degradation that happens to buildings over time.But it was hard to justify receiving additional funds for barracks, especially as the force shrank as the military withdrew from Middle East wars, according to Adams.“We didn’t have the data to say, ‘How are we tracking the facilities’ condition in detail to defend more than $200 million a year for that?’” Adams said. “But we did have the data to say, ‘We need this Force Design weapons system or this modernized vehicle or this modernized weapon platform.’”For fiscal year 2025, the Marine Corps is seeking from Congress $274 million for restoring barracks,a $65 million increase, and it has signaled viaits budget wish listthat it would like a further ..."

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#TreePlantings #RenewableEnergy #WELL #LEED #PrebenElnef #LEGOGroup #Gray_Hourigan #Virginia"VIRGINIA, USA, April 24, 2024:Today, the LEGO Group joined Chesterfield County officials at Rockwood Park to celebrate the planting of more than 1,440 trees across eight county parks. The tree-planting event was attended by government and economic development officials, including Dr. Joseph Casey, Chesterfield County Administrator, and James Holland, Chesterfield Board of Supervisors Chair, as well as community partners and employees of the LEGO Group.The reforestation project is helping to revitalize parks across the county by planting 17 species of trees native to the region, all hand-selected by an expert team of landscape architects and nursery professionals. This project is part of the company’s commitment to minimizing its environmental impact in the local region where it is building a more thanUS $1 billion manufacturing site, scheduled to open in 2027....When completed, the LEGO Group’s investment in Virginia will span more than 1.7 million sq. ft., including office spaces, molding, processing, packing buildings, and a warehouse. The new facility aims to reduce emissions from electricity and fuel use (scope 1 and 2) using on-site or off-site renewable energy. The site is designed to minimize energy use, in line with the company’s overall sustainability ambitions of reducing absolute global carbon emissions by 37% by 2032* as noted in the LEGO Group’s2023 Sustainability Progress Report.The company aims to achieve zero waste from factories to landfill, a shared ambition across the LEGO Group’s global operations, and secure WELL and LEED certification for the Virginia facility once completed.Community support through play-based programming for children and familiesToday’s tree planting ceremony marks the latest milestone in the LEGO Group’s ongoing community support for the region. In November 2023, the company announced$1 million in grant funding to six local nonprofit organizationsthat serve children and families, building on earlier grants of $300,000 to support play-based programming at the Children's Museum of Richmond and the Science Museum of Virginia.Progress on the reforestation project also builds onthe recent announcementof Preben Elnef as the permanent program lead at the Virginia USA site and Gray|Hourigan as the general contractor. The LEGO Group expects construction of the factory buildings to begin later this year and full production to commence in 2027...."