Clean Air

Clean energy news: January 2023

January 24, 2023

ElectraMeccanica relocates headquarters from Canada to Mesa; this three-wheel vehicle to be built in Mesa can’t fit a family, but it can deliver pizzas; Arizona EV battery maker expanding Tucson plant after years of development; Southern AZ voters overwhelmingly support copper mining in AZ; SRP approves new East Valley solar generating facility; Dimensional Energy plans hiring after opening Arizona facility; education group launches solar technician course for Amazon employees; $1 billion battery manufacturing plant proposed for southern Arizona; climate change could make rare heatwaves commonplace by 2050; regional clean hydrogen hub develops in Desert Southwest; Nikola’s federal loan application for Valley hydrogen hub advances; KORE Power poised to break ground on Valley battery manufacturing plant by end of 2022; capital raise of $75M is milestone for construction of KOREPlex, the lithium-ion battery gigafactory scheduled to break ground in Arizona Q4 2022; and Lectric eBikes offers viable transportation solution despite inflation and supply chain disruptions.

ElectraMeccanica’s Mesa plant is up and running: Meet the woman leading the growing team

January 4, 2023

Julie Ibara started with ElectraMeccanica in May 2021. At the time, the company’s assembly and technical center on Loop 202 and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport was just a piece of dirt. Ibara remembers a groundbreaking about a week after she started. In the summer of 2022, she got the keys to the 235,000-square-foot facility where she currently oversees 14 employees. In the short term, that number is expected to grow to 40-50 people who will assemble ElectraMeccanica vehicles. Her team has a goal of building ElectraMeccanica’s 2023 model of the Solo in the U.S., which is a single-seat, three-wheel electric vehicle.

Phoenix commits to 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2040

January 3, 2023

Phoenix City Council voted 8-0 to transition 100% of the city’s bus fleet to zero-emission models by 2040. Phase 1 of this transition plan includes a moratorium on purchasing compressed natural gas (CNG) buses after 2024, thereafter purchasing only low- and zero-emission buses, including hybrid-electric, battery-electric, and fuel-cell-electric buses.

Clean energy news: December 2022

December 19, 2022

Climate change could make rare heatwaves commonplace by 2050

December 8, 2022

During a nine-day heat wave in the Pacific Northwest in June 2021, temperatures rose a staggering 18 to 54 degrees above average. A new study in the journal Nature Climate Change describes the larger-scale forces at work — some of which could affect the Southwest.

Clean energy news: November 2022

November 22, 2022

AZ Corporation Commission approves changes to plan to expand wind power in Arizona; Arizona plans to give millions to ASU for water innovation, research; Lucid delivers first of its lower-priced Touring EVs; Nikola partners to accelerate charging infrastructure solutions; ASU leads $25M project to develop climate and environmental laboratory; Nov. 10 Arizona Electrification Summit convened energy leaders, highlighted new federal grants and tax incentives; EV fleet service provider signs purchase order for 100 zero-emission Nikola Tre battery-electric trucks; Chairwoman Lea Márquez Peterson proposes that APS partner with local startups and entrepreneurs to promote venture capital and innovation in Arizona energy industry; SRP honors Valley businesses for outstanding efforts in energy efficiency and being green leaders; EV carbon footprint will decrease over time, report says; driving an electric vehicle doesn’t need to cause range anxiety; Lucid enhances ownership experience with official line of Lucid vehicle accessories; SRP signs deal for two more battery storage stations to handle peak power demand; eight Arizona school districts get federal funding for electric school buses; Lectric eBikes announces new XP 3.0 model, next step in becoming greatest urban transportation solution; My View: Arizona policymakers set pace for innovators – and us – to keep water in our future; Cordia launches as new energy solutions provider dedicated to sustainability; and Phoenix private sector leads effort to build electric charging stations.

ASU leads $25M project to develop climate and environmental laboratory

November 16, 2022

Across Arizona, communities are increasingly forced to deal with the consequences of extreme heat exacerbated by climate change and urban growth. Cities in the region routinely experience more than 30 days above 110 degrees Fahrenheit each summer and growing populations continue to be strained by the complex interactions of extreme heat, atmospheric pollutants, and limited water supplies.

8 Arizona school districts get federal funding for electric school buses

November 2, 2022

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced which local school districts across the nation, including Arizona, are the winners of a rebate lottery Clean School Bus Program to transition from diesel to electric school buses. This is part of the $5 billion now available as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for clean school buses over the next five years (FY 2022-2026) to replace existing school buses with zero-emission and low-emission models, prioritizing funding for low-income, rural, and Tribal school districts.

Clean energy news: October 2022

October 25, 2022

I-10 to become first electric corridor network of electric heavy-duty charging centers; Aligned Data Centers to expand Phoenix footprint with two mega campuses; Nikola Corp. acquires large site in West Valley; Phoenix Water hosting town halls on Colorado River shortage; Nikola Corp. completes exchange offer to acquire Romeo Power common stock; Lucid says it’s on track for reduced production target after tripling Q3 output; Atlis Motors says Australian company placed order for EV charging stations; Arizona’s clean energy future could swing on governor’s race; don’t think of deserts as wastelands, researchers say, but as a key to our climate future; low-income communities in Phoenix, other cities learn to tackle climate-fueled heat; Arizona ranks among national leaders in solar growth; lithium-ion battery recycler proposes Pinal County facility; electric vehicle, semiconductor industries eager to build out Pinal County supply chain; Atlis Motors shares get a huge jolt on first day of Nasdaq trading; Arizona continues to attract solar development projects, more new jobs; Navajo Nation’s largest school district gets first electric buses; new electric vehicle registrations grew more than 250% over the last five years; and federal legislation energizes Arizona for a cleaner tomorrow.

Navajo Nation’s largest school district gets first electric buses

September 26, 2022

The Navajo Nation has now received the first of three electric buses to help its largest school district become more energy and fiscally efficient. “Chinle Unified School District is always a leader, so we like that, being first,” Chinle Unified School District Superintendent, Quincey Natay told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “I’ve talked to several districts across Indian Country about this exciting opportunity that my students are going to get to enjoy.” Chinle Unified School District is the largest school district in the Navajo Nation both in number of students and geographic area.

Clean Air

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