Sustainability

The Nordic nation is now the third European country to wave goodbye to coal for power generation. Another 11 European states have made plans to follow suit over the next decade.

Also in the brief: SEIA disappointed by USTR’s decision to remove Section 201 tariff exclusions for bifacial solar modules, plus VC investment in energy and grid startups.

In response to the initial straw proposal on energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs released by state regulators, renewable industry leaders are calling for the inclusion of programs promoting energy storage.

Solar lags, at least in part, because the major components of panels — glass and silicon — while highly recyclable, are not as valuable as the lithium, cobalt and nickel in batteries.

Solar remains an interesting option to power water desalination despite obstacles to its widespread adoption. A recent study has highlighted the processing or dumping of brine waste as an important factor to consider.

A new type of sheltering in place.

In a rollback of Obama-era policy, the new regulation restricts carbon dioxide emissions standards by 1.5% a year through model year 2026, a figure opponents of the bill feel is not nearly enough.

“It is not clear why refineries, chemical plants, and other facilities that continue to operate and keep their employees on the production line will no longer have the staff or time they need to comply with environmental laws.”

A new report released by BankTrack, Oil Change International, Sierra Club and others takes a look at the trends in fossil fuel financing by the worlds top banks since the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement, grading each on the strength of their anti-fossil policies and habits.

Also in the brief: SolarEdge’s all-new Site Controller, America’s first successful solar town, students’ solar spring break brings solar to low-income families and more.