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☆ Investments in updating the electrical grid is entering a new phase of growth, which could benefit one stock in particular
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The effort to upgrade the U.S. power grid is heating up rapidly, according to UBS, which says the trend could be a driver for Quanta Services stock. Analyst Steven Fisher wrote in a Monday note that "electric grid investment is entering a new phase of growth, with renewables activity accelerating and large transmission projects gaining momentum." Fisher attributed the growth of these large scale projects to the IRA, which contained about $350 billion in funds for investments into renewable energy and updating the power grid. "For Quanta, we believe the implications of this new phase include potentially faster top-line growth, higher margins and increasing scope on projects," Fisher said. In addition to large transmission projects already planned, Fisher updated the list to include Oregon Public Utility Commission's Boardman to Hemmingway as well as Colorado's Power Pathway and Ready Wyoming .

Persons: Steven Fisher, Fisher, Boardman, Michael Bloom Organizations: UBS, Biden Locations: Oregon, Hemmingway, Wyoming

☆ Column: Europe's surging solar sector set for cannibalization risk
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

However, the rapid growth in solar supply capacity throughout Europe's electricity grids is already starting to erode producer profitability, as surplus power from solar sites depresses wholesale electricity prices and results in utilities earning shrinking revenues from renewables. However, since Russia's invasion of Ukraine snarled Europe's gas markets in 2022, Europe's power generators have accelerated the build-out of renewable energy capacity while cutting back on electricity generation from fossil fuels. However, those strong earnings may start to become harder to generate as additional volumes of solar capacity are brought online and compete with all other forms of generation to set wholesale electricity prices. California’s ‘Duck Curve’ electricity marketsEuropean solar power producers are not yet faced with anything like the problems seen in California, where solar can account for 40% of total electricity generation. But as more solar supply capacity gets added to Europe's generation system, solar producers must expect the extra competition from other solar sources to drive electricity prices lower for all electricity generators.

Persons: Gavin Maguire, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: Europe, Ukraine, California, Germany

☆ I'm the director of innovation at Imperial College London, and I don't think tech is the be-all and end-all to the climate crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Alyssa Gilbert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The global nature of the climate crisis demands innovation that mobilizes international support. This article is part of "Gains in Green Tech," a series showcasing some of the most transformative solutions to the climate crisis. In essence, we need innovation across business models, products, and services to unlock solutions that are already available to us. It implies that we don't need to modify our lifestyles to tackle the climate crisis. Tackling the climate crisis requires plenty of innovation — perhaps not all of it shiny tech.

Persons: Seratech, Sandberg, yasin hm, Alyssa Gilbert Organizations: Green Tech, Service, International Energy Agency

☆ China's capital grapples with scorching summer heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing’s temperature soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) again Thursday, as the Chinese capital grapples with what is shaping up to be one the most severe heat waves on record. China has been gripped by scorching heat waves for weeks, which authorities said had arrived earlier and been more widespread and extreme than in previous years. People shield themselves from the sun amid extreme heat on July 5, 2023 in Beijing. The persistent heat waves have put huge stress on the country’s power grids as demand for air-conditioning soared, with some local governments urging companies and residents to curb the usage of electricity. As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists say dangerous, record heat waves are set to become more frequent and more severe.

Persons: Tianyong Jia, heatstroke, Niño, El Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, heatstroke, China News Service, Beijing Daily, World Meteorological Organization, El Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Northern China, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, 17.18C

☆ US state attorneys general clash over EPA emissions plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Environmental Protection Agency in April proposed new 2027-2032 vehicle standards that would be the most dramatic reductions in history. The EPA estimates that to meet the new standards, automakers would need to have 60% of new production be electric vehicles by 2030 and 67% by 2032. The rules would cut emissions by 56% from existing 2026 requirements to speed the transition away from gasoline-powered engines to electric vehicles. Democratic attorneys general from New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois and other states said the EPA should go further. Many Republican state attorneys general have sued the EPA over its 2021 restoration of the Obama-era standards that were rolled back under Republican former President Donald Trump.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Joe Biden's, Kentucky's Daniel Cameron, Patrick Morrisey, Obama, Donald Trump, EVs, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, Leslie Adler, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Republican, Democratic, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, District of Columbia, West, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, General Motors, Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, American Petroleum Institute, Mazda, Ford, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, New York , California , Pennsylvania, Illinois, Chicago , New York, Los Angeles

☆ A solar storm is due to hit Earth today, sparking stunning auroras. Here's how to see them.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It should be relatively mild but could spark beautiful auroras visible from around the world. NOAA space weather prediction centerHead to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's space weather website for the latest forecast to see if auroras are likely to be visible where you are. As the sun becomes more active, it is more likely to send solar storms our way. Flights are more likely to be rerouted or grounded in bad space weather, for instance, experts previously told Insider. In the meantime, our dependence on satellite infrastructure has increased, and our vulnerability to space weather has therefore increased," said Verscharen.

Persons: —, Daniel Verscharen, auroras, Igor Hoogerwerf, SANKA VIDANAGAMA, It's Organizations: Service, University College London, NOAA, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Mount Cook National, Getty, Royal Photographic Society Locations: Europe, Michigan, Maine, New York, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, Phoenix , Arizona, Aurora, Mount, Christchurch , New Zealand, AFP

☆ China's northern cities brace for more torrid heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] A man pulls a cart carrying jugs of water amid the orange alert for heatwave, at a hutong alley in Beijing, China July 5, 2023. The torrid heat has gripped China for several weeks, pushing local governments to ask residents and businesses to curb the usage of electricity. It is expected that the maximum temperature in most areas of the city will rise above 40 degrees Celsius, according to the state-backed Beijing Daily. The meteorological observatory in northern Hebei province also issued a red alert, with temperatures in some areas expected to reach 40-43 Celsius on Thursday. China's Meteorological bureau issued orange alerts, the second highest alert, in mostly northern China with temperatures expected to hit 40 degree Celsius and above.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Bernard Orr, Ella Cao, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Beijing Daily, China's Meteorological, Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture, Tourism, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Tingshu Wang BEIJING, Hebei province, North China, Mongolia, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Chongqing

☆ Republican attorneys general urge Biden to drop EPA emissions plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Signage is seen at the headquarters of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. The Environmental Protection Agency in April proposed new 2027-2032 vehicle standards that would cut emissions by 56% versus existing 2026 requirements. Many Republican state attorneys general have sued the EPA over its 2021 restoration of the Obama-era standards that were rolled back under Republican former President Donald Trump. The group called the proposal a "de facto battery electric vehicle mandate" and noted that EVs represented about 6% of new light-duty vehicles sales in 2022. Mazda (7261.T) said separately that it was worried about the "exceptional stringency" of the rule, while Ford Motor (F.N) said the EPA should "avoid setting criteria emissions requirements that will force unnecessarily large or ill-timed investments."

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Biden, Kentucky's Daniel Cameron, Patrick Morrisey, Obama, Donald Trump, EVs, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, Leslie Adler Organizations: United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, Republican, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, West, Alliance, Automotive Innovation, General Motors, Volkswagen, Toyota, Hyundai, American Lung Association, American Medical Association, Mazda, Ford, Thomson Locations: Washington ,

☆ Explainer: How is extreme weather testing China's climate resilience?
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BEIJING, July 5 (Reuters) - Dramatic swings between extreme heat and intense rainfall are testing China's ability to cope with increasingly wild weather, as high temperatures challenge power grids and water security while floods ruin crops and threaten urban populations. The average number of high-temperature days stood at 4.1 in January-June, already higher than the full-year average of 2.2 days. Heatwaves spur demand for electricity to cool homes, malls and offices, taxing power supply and even triggering blackouts. Factories also shut when power demand exceeds supply to meet demand from residential and non-industrial users. The southern province of Hunan, which produces around 13% of China's rice, has been hit by continuous rain since late June.

Persons: Qiaoyi Li, Ethan Wang, Qin, Ryan Woo, Andrew Hayley, David Stanway, Sonali Paul Organizations: Factories, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Beijing, Yunnan province, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhengzhou, Guangxi, CHINA

☆ The sun has produced a record number of sunspots — and it could mean power outages, grounded flights, and beautiful auroras
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Scientists are paying close attention to this number because it can help predict if powerful solar flares may cause problems for Earth. Because we're seeing more sunspots than expected, we're likely to see a much stronger solar maximum than had been anticipated. A solar maximum is on its wayThe sun follows a solar cycle, whereby its activity grows and wanes approximately every 11 years. The latest solar cycle was particularly quiet and may have lulled us into a false sense of security, he added. Still, if the sun peaks at 200 sunspots, it will be far from the biggest solar maximum on record.

Persons: —, Auroras, Keith Strong, Mathew Owens, Owens Organizations: Service, Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, NASA, Federal Aviation Administration, Riverton, Twitter, Royal Observatory, University of Reading Locations: North America, Central America, South America, Arizona, Riverton, Belgium

LAUNCESTON, Australia, July 3 (Reuters) - Australia's exports of new energy metals are expected to rise in value above those of thermal coal, the polluting fuel that has been the mainstay of electricity generation across much of Asia. In contrast, exports of thermal coal are expected to slide to A$38 billion in 2023-24 fiscal year, down from A$64 billion in the prior year, according to the report, released on Monday. Australia is the world's second-biggest exporter of thermal coal behind Indonesia, and is the top exporter of coking coal, which is mainly used to make steel. While exports of battery metals are expected to overtake those of thermal coal this fiscal year, the driver isn't increased volumes of shipments of the metals, or decreased export of coal. The government expects the volume of thermal coal exports to actually increase in 2023-24 to 201 million metric tons, up from 178 million in 2022-23.

Persons: Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Australian government's Department of Industry, Science, Resources, Newcastle, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LAUNCESTON, Australia, Asia, Indonesia, United States, Qatar, Ukraine

☆ China’s Catch-22 situation for the economy – and how to invest around it
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A look through China's economy today reveals a few dilemmas, especially for investors trying to gauge future growth. The nature of China's economic recovery over the last few months from Covid have unique characteristics that aren't easily captured in broad strokes, Goldman Sachs' Andrew Tilton and a team pointed out back in late May. That means the stock winners of China's recovery are likely hidden under broader market performance. One month since Goldman's assessment, China's economic trajectory remains the same. "If weak confidence becomes so entrenched, it could be self-fulling and derail the economic recovery."

Persons: outflows, Michael Pettis, Chang Li, There's, — it's, Goldman Sachs, Andrew Tilton, Covid, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Peking University, CNBC, Citi, AIA, Hong Locations: U.S, China, Hong Kong, Shenzhen

SAO PAULO, June 30 (Reuters) - Power grids around the world are not yet ready for the so-called flying car, an executive with Brazilian start-up Eve Air Mobility (EVEX.N) told Reuters, adding that the electric aircraft maker is in talks with power providers to bridge the gap. Eve's Services & Operations Solutions Vice President, Luiz Mauad, said the nascent industry does face challenges when it comes to the power supply the electric aircraft needs to recharge. But he expressed optimism they would be overcome in time for Eve to meet its target of starting commercial operations in 2026. Mauad said Eve has been talking to global power generators and distributors about making infrastructure adequate for the electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), including the so-called vertiports they would take off from. "But there is still the 'final mile' challenge so that power can get to the vertiports."

Persons: Luiz Mauad, Eve, Mauad, Eve's, Gabriel Araujo, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: SAO PAULO, Mobility, Reuters, Services, Operations, planemaker Embraer, EMBR3, Thomson Locations: Brazilian, Brazil, United States, India, France

☆ Powerful solar flares have been causing radio blackouts on Earth — here's a time-lapse video of 4 years of intense storms on the sun
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The sun is about to enter a peak activity period, letting off space weather-causing solar flares. These solar flares aren't dangerous but have caused sporadic radio blackouts on Earth. A few powerful solar flares have already sent space weather towards our planet in recent months. NOAA/InsiderHere's what this looks like:In the time-lapse video, solar flares appear as an intense brightening of a region on the sun. How solar flares can lead to radio blackoutsDuring certain space weather events, such as solar flares, solar energetic particles travel down geomagnetic field lines in the polar regions.

Persons: —, Mathew Owens, We're, aren't Organizations: Service, NOAA, NASA, University of Reading, Federal Aviation Administration, Riverton Locations: Riverton , Utah, New Mexico, Belgium

An array of startups offers second-life energy storage using old EV batteries. The second-life energy storage idea is in theory simple. The problem is a lack of old EV batteries that shows no sign of easing. He has just sold the car for $3,000 to pay down credit card debt, but wants another used EV. Commercial vehicles provide the best hope thus far for second-life batteries, industry officials said.

Persons: Steven Meersman, Nick Carey LONDON, Hans Eric Melin, Melin, EVs, Elmar Zimmerling, Thomas Becker, Antoni Tong, Jonathan Rivera, Rivera, —, Asad Hussain, Zenobe, Nick Carey, Paul Lienert, Daniel Leussink, Ben Klayman, Barbara Lewis Organizations: REUTERS, Global, Nissan, Energy, EV, Mercedes, P Global Mobility, CES, Tesla, BMW, International Energy Agency, Leaf, Mobility Impact Partners, Victoria Waldersee, Thomson Locations: Portsmouth, Britain, recyclers, U.S, Leipzig, 16GWh, Paris, Europe, Coeur d'Alene , Idaho, London, Australia, New Zealand, Detroit, Berlin, Tokyo

☆ How About if We Don’t Make AI All That Intelligent?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Joe Queenan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Illustration: Mark MatchoThese days everyone is worried that artificial intelligence will allow machines to take over the world because computers will be so much smarter than us. Armed with powerful tools that we foolishly gave them, machines will have the ability to shut down power grids, disrupt air-traffic control systems or send the stock market into a free fall. They will be able to rig football games, close the Panama Canal, sabotage military operations, perhaps even start wars.

Persons: Matcho Locations: Panama

☆ Power Grids Are Teetering Worldwide. Here’s Why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Manuela Andreoni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

That’s because a weather system called a heat dome is parked over Texas, Oklahoma and parts of Mexico. And, there’s a lot of worry about the Texas electric grid. That heat dome could stay in place until early July. As people turn up their air-conditioners to stay cool, will the grids hold? Today, I want to explain to you why electric grids are an enormous concern during extreme heat waves and what policymakers can do about it.

Organizations: Corpus Christi Locations: Texas, Corpus, Texas , Oklahoma, Mexico, Arkansas , Louisiana, Kansas

Henriette Borgund knows attackers can find weaknesses in the defences of a big renewables power company - she's found them herself. She joined Norway's Hydro (NHY.OL) as an "ethical hacker" last April, bringing years of experience in military cyberdefence to bear at a time of war in Europe and chaos in energy markets. They're nervously monitoring a hybrid war where physical energy infrastructure has already been targeted, from the Nord Stream gas pipelines to the Kakhovka dam. It said Russia had tried to destroy digital networks and cause power cuts, and that missile attacks on facilities were often accompanied by cyberattacks. "Companies in the energy space, their core business is producing energy, not cybersecurity," said Jalal Bouhdada, CEO of cybersecurity firm Applied Risk, a division of DNV.

Persons: Nora Buli, Henriette Borgund, she's, shoring, Michael Ebner, cyberattacks, didn't, Swantje Westpfahl, James Forrest, Cem Gocgoren, Stephan Gerling, Mathias Boeswetter, Leonhard Birnbaum, Jalal Bouhdada, Nina Chestney, Christoph Steitz, America Hernandez, Paris Pavel Polityuk, Guy Faulconbridge, Pravin Organizations: REUTERS, Norway's Hydro, Reuters, Hydro's Oslo, Hydro, Ukraine, cyberattacks, Germany's Institute for Security, TRITON, Triton, Svenska, ICS CERT, University of Tulsa, E.ON, " Companies, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Norwegian, Fosen, Norway, Ukraine, OSLO, LONDON, FRANKFURT, Europe, Nord, Russia, Ukrainian, Moscow, United States, Russian, Capgemini, Saudi, Swedish, DNV, Oslo, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Kiev

☆ London's solar street thrives on people power
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Natalie Thomas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/5] Roofers install solar panels on the roof of renegade artists Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell's house in London, Britain, June 6, 2023. Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell raise funds to install solar panels on the rooftops of all the houses on their street. After raising 113,000 pounds ($141,000), partly through crowd-funding publicised by sleeping on their roof for three cold, winter weeks, artist couple Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell have arranged for solar panels to be installed on dozens of houses on their street. Households powered by solar panel-derived electricity draw less power from the national grid, cutting energy bills, and they can also sell any excess energy back. Industry analysts say community projects tend to be more efficient than individual solar installations as costs fall with scale.

Persons: Dan Edelstyn, Hilary Powell's, Hilary Powell, Anna Gordon LONDON, Powell, Ejaz Hussein, It's, Rebecca Dibb, Ofgem, Edelstyn, Sachin Ravikumar, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Industry, Octopus Energy, Community Energy, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Waltham Forest

☆ Russia's 'least capable' troops aren't in Ukraine, but they're still causing problems next door, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Moldova, next door to Ukraine, has been under pressure from Russia for decades. Amid the war in Ukraine, Kyiv and Western officials say Moscow is stepping up its interference. As a result of a 1992 war between Moldovan forces and Transnistrian separatists, Russian troops entered the breakaway region to support the separatists. Following that war, Transnistria gained a form of autonomy. SERGEI GAPON/AFP via Getty ImagesMoldova declared a state of emergency after Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2022, and it remains in effect.

Persons: —, that's, John Sullivan, SERGUEI VORONIN, Chișinău, Maia Sandu, Diego Herrera Carcedo, SERGEI GAPON, Moldova's, John Kirby, Kirby, Pierre Crom, Thomas de Waal, Dara Massicot, Massicot, Jamar Marcel Pugh, Sandu, Ursula von der Leyen, Constantine Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, Georgetown University, Getty, Moldovan, NATO, EU, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images Moldova, White House National Security Council, Carnegie, RAND Corporation, US Army National Guard, European Commission, Fletcher School of Law, LinkedIn Locations: Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Transnistria, Kyiv, Western, Moscow, Soviet Union, Romania, Europe, Baltic, Poland, Bender, Transnistrian, Chisinau, May, Lithuania, Sweden, AFP, Russian, Carnegie Europe, NATO, Bulgaria

LITTLETON, Colorado, June 12 (Reuters) - A heat wave across China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea looks set to drive coal use for electricity generation to new highs over coming weeks, priming the region that accounts for more than 60% of world coal emissions to boost pollution further. Forecasts for Beijing, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea are all calling for temperatures well above local long-term averages in the coming weeks, according to Refinitiv data. This means power producers will expect greater electricity demand over the coming months from homes, apartments and businesses, and rack up power generation fuels accordingly. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have all reduced year-to-date coal imports compared to the same period in 2022, but China's sheer scale means its increased tonnage more than outweighs the decline in imports seen elsewhere in East Asia. A steep jump in China's thermal coal imports has lifted total East Asia coal imports to new highs in Jan-June 2023China's coal consumption will also set the overall tone for regional emissions, even if other countries continue to pare back coal use in power mixes.

Persons: Gavin Maguire, Tom Hogue Organizations: Authorities, International Energy Agency, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LITTLETON , Colorado, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei, Seoul, Asia, Korea, East Asia, pare

☆ China's southern cities call for power saving as grid stress increases
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Industrial and oil refining cities in southern China are urging firms and citizens to curb electricity, while Hainan province called for less power usage at peak times, as grids become more stressed due to persistent searing hot weather. Southern China has been beleaguered by a combination of sizzling hot temperatures and heavy rainfalls in recent weeks, with power loads in several cities approaching historic highs due to soaring demand for air-conditioning. The oil refinery city, whose power load broke records three times as of Monday, asked industrial firms to actively reduce power consumption and strengthen power-saving technology transformation. It also suggested that state-owned firms, residents and commercial venues set cooling temperatures to no less than 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the statement. Jiangmen, another industrial city in Guangdong, is also proposing to cut unnecessary power usage amid the power consumption peak.

Locations: China, Hainan, Southern China, Maoming, Guangdong

☆ Why the U.S. Electric Grid Isn’t Ready for the Energy Transition
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Nadja Popovich | Brad Plumer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +13 min

Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. Power lines 100KV 345kV 500kV Data reflects the contiguous U.S. That makes it hard to build the long-distance power lines needed to transport wind and solar nationwide. To make the plan work, the nation would need thousands of miles of new high-voltage transmission lines — large power lines that would span multiple grid regions. Utilities are sometimes wary of long-distance transmission lines that might undercut their local monopolies. “The grid is already a critical element of our energy system,” said Matteo Muratori, an analyst at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

☆ Time-lapse video shows increasingly powerful solar storms raging as the sun becomes its most active in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A time-lapse video shows the sun getting more chaotic over the past four years. That's because solar activity could impact Earth, creating bursts of electromagnetic energy that can affect everything from the power grid to GPS signals. NOAA/InsiderAs solar activity ramps up, more sunspots and eruptions have been appearing on the sun's surface, sending solar winds into the universe that can hit our planet. Here's what this looks like:In the time-lapse video, solar flares appear as an intense brightening of a region on the sun. Meanwhile, the sun's surface appears gradually less homogenous, indicating more magnetic activity at the surface.

Persons: —, Mathew Owens, We're, aren't, Owens Organizations: Service, NOAA, University of Reading, NASA Locations: Riverton , Utah, New Mexico, Belgium

The fund, focused on projects in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, could invest across wind and solar as well as other clean technologies such as batteries and grid infrastructure. "You have folks now that are really trying to focus their portfolio construction around the different sub-sectors in infrastructure," Giordano said, citing increasing demand from pension schemes attracted to assets that match long-term liabilities. As a result, the company said it is targeting between $5 billion and $7 billion for its fourth fund, after $4.8 billion was raised for its predecessor, which closed in April 2021. Among the investments made by the third fund was one in high-power charging network IONITY, which raised 700 million euros in November. Depending on the amount raised, the fund could make around 18-22 investments across a mixture of early stage and developed projects, Giordano said, and could also consider co-investments.

Persons: BlackRock's Giordano, Climate Infrastructure David Giordano, Giordano, Simon Jessop, Susanna Twidale, Elaine Hardcastle Organizations: BlackRock's, LONDON, BlackRock, Renewable Power Fund, Economic Co, Climate Infrastructure, Reuters, European Union, International Energy Agency, Waratah Super Battery, Thomson Locations: United States, Australia, Europe, Americas, Asia

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