This week at Greentown Labs, we hosted our Grand Opening of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation, with more than 500 attendees, and speakers including Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone! The event was a huge success, and you can read more about it here!
In other cleantech and energy news, renewable energy jobs topped 10 million, the time for hydrogen fuel has arrived, and news ideas surrounding nuclear energy are brought forth.
What news have you been reading this week? Share with us @GreentownLabs!
Boston Business Journal – From auto body shop to clean-tech incubator: Inside Greentown Labs’ new HQ
- The Grand Opening of the Global Center for Cleantech Innovation took place this past Wednesday, and was a huge success. The event included inspiring remarks from Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, Somerville Mayor Curtatone, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, and our CEO Emily Reichert.
“‘This is ground zero right now for all the big thinking that’s going on in clean energy and climate solutions, right here in Somerville,’ Baker said to an overflowing auditorium during the opening ceremony. ‘And you all sit here like, ‘Well, yeah, sure.’ But to anybody who has any sense of history, this is really special.'”
Greentech Media – It’s Official. All New California Homes Must Incorporate Solar
- The California Energy Commission voted unanimously that starting in 2020 virtually all new homes in California will be required to incorporate advanced efficiency measures and rooftop solar.
“California has a mandate for new homes to be “net-zero energy” — meaning they produce more energy than they consume — by 2020, and for all new commercial buildings to be net zero by 2030.”
Bloomberg – Renewable Energy Jobs Top Record 10 Million Led by Solar: Chart
- Total jobs for the renewable energy industry topped 10 million for the first time.
“The solar photovoltaic sector was the largest employer in the renewable energy industry last year, accounting for 3.4 million jobs, up from 3.1 million in 2016, according to International Renewable Energy Agency data. Bioenergy was the second biggest employer at about 3.1 million jobs, more than double the size of hydropower, which came in third at 1.5 million.”
Futurism – Cheap Hydrogen Fuel Was A Failed Promise. But Its Time May Have Arrived.
- Researchers figured out how to use ammonia as a cheap source for hydrogen, a development that could jumpstart the hydrogen fuel cell industry.
“In effect, the researchers figured out how to use ammonia as a cheap, clean source of hydrogen that could be pretty darn useful. As of 2016, transportation made up over a quarter of American greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. One of the biggest potential uses for hydrogen power is emission-free vehicles.”
Forbes – Solar And China Dominate Clean Energy Investment In First Quarter
- Emerging markets dominated investment in clean energy in the first quarter of 2018, with 40% of funding going to projects in China.
“We expect the world to install even more solar this year than last year’s record of 98GW. Two of the main drivers are the ongoing boom in China for both utility-scale and smaller, local PV systems, and the financing of very large solar parks in other developing countries as cost-competitiveness continues to improve.”
Cleantechnica – US Overtakes India On EY Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index, China Remains On Top
- The U.S. and Germany are now higher on the renewable energy country attractiveness index than India, with the U.S. moving up to second and Germany moving to third.
“Rising interest rates are likely to increase the cost of cheap capital that has underwritten the dramatic roll-out of renewable energy capacity over recent years. Government subsidies for clean power are being reduced around the world and financiers are anticipating tougher times ahead for project developers. However, movements in the Index suggest that these developments are just headwinds as the renewable energy sector continues to mature and markets expand.”
Think GeoEnergy – World Bank/ ESMAP: Geothermal Energy on a hot path to ending energy poverty
- Geothermal energy production has stagnated in the past, but the climate around the renewable energy source is changing. Geothermal has potential to provide cheap and reliable power to countries that need it most, and multilateral financing continues to ramp up worldwide.
“Over the past five years, geothermal development has taken a different course, driven primarily by two factors: a global commitment to low-carbon development and the Sustainable Development Goal on energy (SDG7), and the strategic deployment of concessional climate financing to mitigate risks associated with initial stages of geothermal development.”
New Atlas – Throttling nuclear power production could lead to cheaper, greener energy
- New studies suggest nuclear power plants do not need to operate at maximum capacity to be efficient and produce low cost electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“According to new research from MIT and the Argonne National Laboratory, throttling down the capacity of nuclear power plants and adapting their output dynamically to compensate for the unpredictability of renewable sources could lead to savings for both consumers and nuclear plant owners.”