This week, states across the nation voiced their support for clean energy initiatives and re-committed to sustainability programs. New reports also indicate the U.S. Solar market is as strong as ever. In Europe, law-makers and businesses are working to increase wind power production by over five-fold. Additionally, electric vehicle sales are setting records and are expected to grow dramatically in years to come.

What news did you been reading last week? Share with us @GreentownLabs!

Solar Industry Mag– New York State Makes Big Renewable Energy Push

• In response to the President’s withdraw from the Paris Agreement, the state of New York is taking action to promote clean energy. The Clean Climate Careers Initiative, backed by Governor Andrew Cuomo will improve the state’s clean energy economy and prepare citizens for careers in the industry. The initiative will create 40,000 jobs in the sector by 2020.

“New York continues to tackle the challenges of climate change and create the high-quality, good-paying careers of tomorrow.”

CNBC– Hawaii becomes first state to enact legislation aligning with Paris Agreement

• Hawaii has become the first state to sign legislation supporting the Paris Agreement. Newly signed bills will implement parts of the Agreement and cut greenhouse gas emissions. The two acts that have been signed are backed by the state’s Senate majority leader.

“Hawaii is committed to environmental stewardship, and we look forward to working with other states to fight global climate change.”

EcoWatch– Top 10 States Leading the Renewable Energy Revolution

• New reports show that renewable energy is spreading in all parts of the U.S. The U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index shows that growth is not concentrated to a particular region but evenly throughout the country. For the eighth year in a row, Massachusetts ranked second behind only California.

“Seventeen states now get at least 10 percent of electricity from non-hydro, utility-scale renewables, a more than fivefold increase from when the index debuted in 2010.”

CleanTechnia– United States Added 2 Gigawatts Of Solar PV In 1st Quarter Of 2017

• After a record setting year in 2016, the U.S. solar market is showing no signs of slowing down in 2017. In Q1, 2 gigawatts of solar capacity were added. It marks the sixth straight quarter the nation has added at least 2 gigawatts of solar power.

“Solar is delivering more clean energy, adding jobs 17 times faster than the US economy and creating tens of billions of dollars in investment.”

Bloomberg– Europe Is About to Go Into Overdrive With Offshore Wind Power

• Three European nations, Germany, Denmark and Belgium have pledged to install 60 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity over the next decade. The agreement will increase wind power production by five-times from current levels. Energy ministers will be working with major offshore wind developers to implement the policy.

“Today’s statement is a clear recognition of the strategic importance of offshore wind as a clean, competitive and reliable energy source for Europe.”

Greentech Media– Electric Cars Hit the 2 Million Threshold Worldwide

• 750,000 electric vehicles were sold last year, setting a worldwide record & bringing global totals to 2 million. The biggest markets have been The U.S., China, Norway & the Netherlands. Experts predict there could be as many as 70 million electric vehicles on the roads by 2025.

“ Certain countries with vibrant electric-car markets could reach mass adoption much sooner, and these regions can be case studies for the rest of the world.”

GreenBiz- Hydrogen fuel finds a home in Hawaii

• Hydrogen fuel options are making a comeback in 2017. Three major auto-manufacturers are beginning to mass produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Toyota, Honda & Hyundai are all receiving positive reviews for their zero emissions cars. Other large businesses like Amazon are implementing hydrogen powered machinery into their operations. Over the last decade, drastic improvement has been made in size and safety of fuel cells, making widespread adaptation more possible.

“Those efforts are really paying off in the last five or 10 years. Hydrogen is becoming a viable storage vehicle for grid and for transportation.”