Burying power lines is an expensive but sure-fire way to practically eliminate the risk of utility-caused wildfires, which have devastated towns across California. PG&E, the nation’s largest utility, has been found liable for numerous wildfires in the state. In an effort to prevent future disasters, the utility is planning to underground 10,000 miles of distribution lines in fire-prone areas, including 2,100 miles through 2026. But it’s not cheap. PGE’s plan would likely cost tens of billions of dollars, to be paid for by customers through their utility bills. This is causing some to advocate for cheaper, alternate options such as insulating power lines, though PG&E maintains that undergrounding is by far the safer bet. The path forward will be at least partially determined in November, when PG&E’s regulator, the California Public Utilities Commission, votes on the utility’s proposed four-year budget.
China’s Lithium Supply Chain | WSJ U.S. vs. China
The U.S. used to be a global leader in lithium processing, but it lost its market control to China in the early 2000s. Since then, China has developed its own lithium supply chain, controlling 55% of the market. Now, the U.S. is trying to secure its own supply in a race for independence. Lithium is a critical component in batteries and the world’s transition to green energy. Demand for the light metal has surged and is expected to reach nearly 2.5 million metric tons by 2028. WSJ explores China’s major supply chain vulnerability and the U.S.’s long road to build its own.
Why EVs Are Piling Up At Dealerships In The U.S.
In August 2023, it took about twice as long to sell an EV in the U.S. as it did the previous January. Prices of EVs are down 22% year-over-year and that’s mainly driven by Tesla. About two thirds of EVs sold are Elon Musk’s brand. Companies like Ford have ramped up hybrid production as demand has leveled off. While slightly more than half of consumers say EVs are the future and will eventually replace Internal Combustion Engines, less than a third of dealers say so. This all comes at a time when investments in EVs are more than ever. So what’s really going on? Watch the video to learn more.
Why Electric Cars Failed 100 Years Ago
Robert and Jack spend the day with a staggeringly clean example of one of the very earliest electric cars: A 1901 Waverly Model 22. Built at a time when EVs outnumbered ICE cars, it is an incredible insight into the genesis of the electric car – but what happened? Why didn’t EVs catch on the first time around? Bobby and Jack go for a (very slow) drive to try to find out.
The new billion dollar battery disruptor!
Long duration energy storage will be the key to the transition away from fossil fuel and towards sustainable technologies like wind and solar. Many options already exist but perhaps one of the most promising is Redox Flow Batteries. Already hitting their acceleration curve, their market penetration is set to quadruple in the next seven years. So who are the main movers and shakers?
How to use the ocean as a giant battery
There is a way to harvest energy 24/7 from our oceans, through a technology called ocean thermal energy conversion. It would help provide reliable renewable energy, especially for vulnerable islands in tropical regions. The basic technology has been around for hundreds of years already. So, why hasn’t it caught on?
How Wave Power Could Be The Future Of Energy
The ocean has an incredible amount of power potential. China’s brand new Wave Energy Converters has been making a lot of news recently. While this ocean power device isn’t the first of its kind, its sheer size represents a breakthrough for this underutilized but potent branch of the renewable energy family tree. What is wave energy generation, and how does it compare to other renewables like solar panels and wind turbines? And if wave energy is so great, then why is it lagging behind solar, wind and others? Let’s dive into the ocean of renewable energy, where the waves may hold more untapped potential than the sun. Maybe the surfers were right all along.
What’s a Superconductor and Why Are Investors So Interested in LK-99? | WSJ
A group of scientists claimed to have discovered a superconductive material nicknamed LK-99 that works at room temperature and ambient pressure, which could allow for huge technological advancements. Despite skeptical feedback regarding the research, stocks for companies with a perceived connection to superconductors have skyrocketed.
WSJ explains why investors are closely watching developments in superconductor tech and what would need to happen to bring a superconductor that works at room temperature and pressure to market.
Why This NASA Battery May Be The Future of Energy Storage
What do you do if a satellite runs out of batteries? It’s prohibitively expensive to send a team into orbit and pop in some new AAs, and as a result many satellites use very efficient, reliable and long-lived nickel-hydrogen batteries. We’re talking about batteries that last decades. That sounds like the sort of battery that could revolutionize grid-scale energy storage and really help out renewables back here on Earth, which is why EnerVenue is backing nickel hydrogen batteries as the next step forward! But if batteries rugged and powerful enough for spacecraft already exist, then why haven’t we used it back here on Earth until now?
NASA says its new Sulfur Selenium Solid-State Battery changes everything
NASA has been developing sulfur selenium solid-state batteries for use in aircraft. The batteries have the potential to revolutionize electric flight, as they would allow aircraft to fly longer distances and carry more passengers.