Clean energy news: February 2023
Arizona needs more convenient EV charging stations, but gas stations can’t compete
The growth of electric vehicles in Arizona has created new opportunities for fuel retailers. No other industry has the locations, the amenities and the experience that drivers have come to expect when they make a pit stop on their journeys, and fuel retailers like Circle K are expanding services to include high-speed EV charging. This comes as a surprise to some people who assume traditional refueling stations view EV charging as a threat to our existence. Read more >>
SRP Solar for Nonprofits to provide solar energy systems to two Valley nonprofits
Two Valley nonprofit agencies, Native Health and Catholic Charities Community Services, have been selected to receive new solar energy systems as part of the SRP Solar for Nonprofits program. The donated solar systems will be built on top of parking lot structures, or “solar canopies,” also donated by SRP Solar for Nonprofits. The Solar for Nonprofits program is funded by SRP customers who contribute as little as $3 a month. Since 2007, the program has awarded 51 solar systems to deserving Valley-based nonprofit organizations which SRP works to install. Read more >>
Lucid joins the EV price war with $7,500 ‘credits’ on some models
Lucid Group Inc. (Nasdaq: LCID) on Thursday said it will offer buyers of some of its luxury electric sedans a $7,500 “credit,” joining the price cutting of rivals Tesla Inc. and Ford Motor Co. The Newark, California-based company in an announcement said customers who buy its Air Touring and Air Grand Touring models in “certain configurations” by March 31 will be eligible for the discount. Lucid’s “credits” appear to be an effort to make its sedan prices competitive with EVs that are eligible for new federal tax credits. Those new credits are available on certain U.S.-built electric cars priced under $55,000 and electric trucks and SUVs priced under $80,000. Read more >>
U.S. Dept. of Energy approves funds for Arizona’s updated Weatherization Assistance Plan
The U.S. Department of Energy recently approved the Arizona Department of Housing’s updated Weatherization Assistance Program plan. The DOE is expected to release 35% of total funding to the state as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which amounts to $47 million, according to a press release. Arizona’s WAP is among the first in the nation to be approved. Local clean-energy advocates applauded ADOH for seizing the opportunity to apply for these additional funds to secure more than $23 million for Arizona to enable low-income individuals, families, retirees and veterans to reduce their energy bills. Read more >>
Maricopa County’s ozone pollution is high and getting worse
Maricopa County’s ozone levels are getting worse, harming the health of its 4.5 million residents and threatening to cost the region billions of dollars in the coming years. In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency reclassified the county from marginal to moderate for non-attainment of ozone limits. This means we not only are failing the EPA’s latest ozone standards but also that our air has more of one of the most dangerous air pollutants. Ozone concentration is measured as an amount of light energy per volume of air from which the concentration in parts per billion is deducted. The county is failing to meet the EPA’s standard of 70 ppb, which was set in 2015. Read more >>
ASU startup scores funding from Shell for fire-safe lithium-ion battery research
An Arizona State University startup has received funding to validate research for fire-safe lithium-ion batteries. Safe-Li, which holds a license to commercialize fire-safe lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery technology, received $300,000 in seed funding and was accepted into Shell’s GameChanger Program, according to an ASU announcement. The GameChanger program assists startups with early-stage ideas that have potential to impact the future of energy. GameChanger will provide Safe-Li with support and expertise, but the startup will maintain independence to make its own decisions. Read more >>
Without an energy office, will Arizona get its full share of the Inflation Reduction Act?
In November 2015, the five remaining state employees assigned to secure federal funds for energy efficiency on behalf of Arizonans were abruptly let go from their jobs and their roles were dissolved. It was another step in then-Gov. Doug Ducey’s process of dismantling what he saw as excess government. Over its 40-year history, the State Energy Program had secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars for energy-efficiency projects throughout Arizona, including $115 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and $715,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2012, as reported by The Arizona Republic. But the Governor’s Office viewed the program as excessive and saw an opportunity to “cut down on the overhead.” Read more >>
2023 and beyond: How electric vehicles are changing the world
Electric vehicles are one of the hottest topics in the auto industry going into 2023, with exciting developments underway that could continue to revolutionize transportation. The number of electric and plug-in hybrid models available in the US is already nearly 100, with another fifty or more soon to be released. In fact, 2023 may be the year of the electric SUV, as several companies introduce their first electric sports utility vehicles. This includes the Chevy Equinox and the Toyota bZ4X, as well as the Cadillac Lyriq, a midsize SUV that is the brand’s first electric vehicle, according to Kelley Blue Book. Read more >>
Phoenix City Council votes to spend $230M on low- and no-emission buses
The Phoenix City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to spend up to $230 million over the next five years to purchase low- and no-emission buses as part of the city’s plans to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. “We’re good on clean tech as a City Council,” Mayor Kate Gallego said after the vote. Phoenix has more than 500 buses that regularly travel 48 routes. While the current buses use alternative fuels that are considered cleaner than traditional gasoline, the City Council in December voted to transition to a zero-emission fleet by 2040. Read more >>
Here’s how new legislation could boost Arizona solar development
For about 300 days each year, the sun shines down on the Valley, making it a refuge for those wanting to pack away their parkas in favor of flip flops. Such conditions are nice for pool parties and tee times, but Phoenix’s glut of sunny days are also conducive for solar power generation. With President Joe Biden’s signature on the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), federal funds will make it easier for residents and developers to harness one of Arizona’s greatest assets and convert it into clean energy. The question now: How will the new legislation boost Arizona solar development? Read more >>
Nikola Corp. unveils HYLA brand to represent its growing hydrogen business
Nikola Corp. (Nasdaq: NKLA) has unveiled a new brand, HYLA, to represent its hydrogen business, the company announced on Wednesday. HYLA encompasses Nikola’s energy products for producing, distributing and dispensing hydrogen to fuel its zero-emissions electric trucks and those of other manufacturers, Nikola said at a brand launch event attended by more than 300 people at its Phoenix headquarters. Read more >>
AMW debuts proprietary megawatt AC/DC charge handle and cable design, successfully delivering unprecedented 1,200A+ and 1,000V+ in charge tests
Atlis Motor Vehicles (Nasdaq: AMV), a vertically integrated electric vehicle technology ecosystem company, and the first battery cell manufacturer to be fully owned and operated in the US, today debuted the design of their AC/DC charge handle and charging cable, capable of delivering up to 1.5MW of power. The Atlis team successfully delivered greater than 1,000 volts and more than 1,200 amps of electric current through the cable while maintaining a temperature below 30 degrees Celsius on the surface with minimal loss of power. Read more >>
Partnership brings collaboration and investment to large-scale U.S. green hydrogen production projects
Nikola Corporation, a global leader in zero-emissions transportation and energy supply and infrastructure solutions, and Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) have executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on and evaluate the co-development of large-scale U.S. green hydrogen production facilities. Supply of green hydrogen for any potential projects will be underpinned by Nikola as a potential offtaker, which has a large demand for green hydrogen in order to decarbonize the transportation sector and other industries. Read more >>
Phoenix launches shared micromobility program: E-scooters, e-bikes, pedal bikes more accessible
The City of Phoenix launched its permanent Shared Micromobility Program by hosting a special event in downtown with vendors Lime and Spin. The vendors showcased their inventory of e-scooters, e-bikes, traditional pedal bikes and adaptive bikes to downtown stakeholders and the media. Various vendors have operated e-scooters in downtown Phoenix since September 2019 as part of a city-managed pilot program. On December 14, 2022, City Council authorized the Street Transportation Department to finalize an agreement with Lime and Spin to be the official vendors when the pilot program ended. Read more >>
More federal dollars coming from climate law for Western wildfire management
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend nearly $500 million on projects to reduce wildfire risk in 11 areas in Western states, including Arizona, the department said Thursday. The new funding, $490 million, comes from Democrats’ budget, climate and taxes law that passed last year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a call with reporters. The funding will allow the U.S. Forest Service, an agency within USDA, to treat more than 27 million acres across seven states, including Arizona, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon. Read more >>
Massive Jove Solar project in Arizona moves closer to reality
La Paz County, Arizona, could soon be the site of a large-scale solar energy facility if the U.S. government approves Jove Solar LLC’s application for a 30-year right-of-way grant. The project’s plan and the environmental concerns were discussed during a virtual public scoping meeting held by the Bureau of Land Management Tuesday. If approved, the Jove Solar Project would produce up to 600 megawatts of energy to sell to either California or Arizona, which would support the growing energy demand. The site would include 3,495 acres of public land managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and an additional 38 acres of land in La Paz County. Read more >>