Lauren Goode: Yeah. You recommended a podcast episode with her too.
Michael Calore: I did, yeah.
Lauren Goode: Was it the Fresh Air one?
Michael Calore: Yeah. To you. Yeah. Yeah, because you were like, “Who is Kathleen Hannah?” I’m like, “Oh, you got to check her out.” So yeah, I think she was on another podcast last week. Anyway, the book is brand-new. You can get it as an ebook or an audiobook. She reads it, and if you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, I think you can listen to it as part of your subscription, so I would recommend doing that. That’s how I’m enjoying it, in her voice.
Matt Simon: I think I saw that at Green Apple actually.
Michael Calore: Yeah.
Matt Simon: San Francisco local people might be able to find it there.
Michael Calore: Yes.
Matt Simon: You should be there. Anyway. It’s a great bookstore.
Lauren Goode: Oh yeah. We just walked by it the other day.
Michael Calore: Yeah, it’s the best. One of the best in the world.
Lauren Goode: You had a great story about the book that you let go.
Michael Calore: Oh, yeah.
Lauren Goode: And it came back to you.
Michael Calore: Yeah. Between the Clock and the Bed?
Lauren Goode: That’s right.
Michael Calore: Edvard Munch. Yeah. That’s a boring story though.
Lauren Goode: I enjoyed it.
Michael Calore: Glad you did.
Lauren Goode: Yeah.
Michael Calore: What is your recommendation?
Lauren Goode: My recommendation, I just came up with this, because I came into the studio today without one prepared. Staycations.
Michael Calore: Say more.
Matt Simon: You mean as a concept or as a piece of media?
Lauren Goode: Oh, as a concept. Is there a piece of media called Staycations?
Matt Simon: I don’t know.
Lauren Goode: Is that like a magazine? We should start one.
Matt Simon: Yeah.
Lauren Goode: I like that idea. It’s a great time in media to be starting magazines. Staycation, so I have a good friend who has been loaning me access to her home office, and it’s great because it is not far from where I live, but sometimes on weekends I go there and it’s a different perspective. It’s a different place. I’m not thinking about laundry or cleaning or to-do’s or whatever I have to order from Amazon.com or whatever it is. I’m away, but I’m not far, and I really appreciate that. It’s been really head clearing. I’m also working on a book, so it’s helpful for that. I mean, that’s the primary thing.
But then also in the past couple months, I’ve had the opportunity to stay just north of here, like 30 minutes, and so I’m away, but I’m not away away, and it’s great. It’s just, get away for a staycation if you can. If you have the means, if you have friends who are saying, “Hey, I need someone to pet sit,” or “Do you want to take over my house for a weekend?” Or something like that. Just do it. Stay local, but just get a totally different perspective on where you live, your neighborhood, the people around you, try new restaurants, new venues, just yeah, do a staycation if you can.
The sugar alcohol occasionally gives me digestive issues, even though it’s naturally found in small quantities of grapes, pears, and mushrooms. However, I didn’t notice any adverse side effects from drinking these elixirs (even the highly caffeinated Odyssey 222 line).
The significance of using solar energy for the generation of electricity in your property cannot be overstated. Many countries have embraced this technology, resulting in a rise in solar inverter systems.
What is a solar inverter system?
Solar systems provide power for homeowners by converting solar energy from sunlight to home electricity with the aid of solar panels. The device does this by converting the DC power (generated by panels) to AC power, which is the power used in every home property.
A solar inverter system is like a middleman between the property and the electricity grid. The MIT Energy Initiative conducted a study on solar electricity where it found that solar energy enhances the value of real estate, saves money for homeowners, and protects the environment.
Having identified some reasons why solar inverter systems are beneficial to homeowners, let’s discuss those benefits and others in more detail.
Six pros of solar inverter systems for homeowners
Here are six compelling reasons to consider using solar inverter systems to power your property:
You’ll save money on electricity bills
A solar inverter system can greatly benefit homeowners who want to pay lower electricity bills. Solar systems allow you to power your property independently with energy from sunlight.
Additionally, if your solar inverter generates excess electricity you can earn credits from the national grid by selling the excess energy.
Studies show that homeowners can cut down their energy bills significantly, however be aware that there are exceptions. For example, the amount of funds you can save on electricity bills will depend on your power consumption rate and the type or size of your solar inverter system.
You’ll enjoy warranty and customer support
With solar inverters, homeowners can enjoy peace of mind because most inverter installation companies offer customer support and comprehensive warranties. These warranties can range from a decade to 25 years or longer depending on the company, protecting the solar inverter against malfunctions and defects. The technical support provided to homeowners includes monitoring the installation, making repairs, and offering maintenance services.
To make sure the device functions optimally, the customer support packages also ensure quick resolution of any issues. This reduces occurrences of downtime, improves the production of energy, and keeps your investment safe.
You’ll spend less on maintenance fees
Another way that solar inverters can benefit homeowners is the reduction in maintenance fees, which is due to the way that these inverters are built. The device has a minimal number of moving parts which makes them reliable and easy to maintain. There is no need for the regular maintenance associated with traditional fossil fuel systems.
Furthermore, installation firms may offer free maintenance as part of their support service to customers. Studies show that you may not need to replace any part of your inverter for a minimum of 5 to 10 years due to their durable nature. These benefits reduce the risk of unplanned expenses.
You could increase the value of your property
If you own a property that you want to sell, installing a solar inverter in that property could increase its value and make it inviting to buyers. Studies have shown that properties powered by solar energy are more sought after by buyers, and may sell faster than traditionally powered homes. These homes are seen as more suitable by environmentally conscious people.
Solar inverters are durable
Durability is probably the most significant benefit of solar inverters for homeowners, considering that these devices are built to last for 25 years or longer. The firms that build them use top quality components to ensure longevity. They also conduct numerous tests on the device to make sure it performs optimally.
Most importantly, solar inverters can endure tough environmental conditions like humidity and cold temperatures, making them a durable option. The fact that solar inverters have few components also reduces the chances of mechanical failure.
Solar inverters offer homeowners scalability
Solar electricity offers scalability, making it another significant feature of solar inverters that homeowners can enjoy.
Homeowners can increase the output of their device to suit their energy requirements. They simply need to install more panels or inverters to increase their energy supply. This option is best suited for homeowners that initially acquired smaller solar systems and want to boost their energy supply.
The option of scalability also gives homeowners a potential solution if their future energy needs decline. To generate less energy, you simply reduce the capacity of the inverter.
Conclusion
As you can see, solar inverters offer homeowners a multitude of benefits. They are smart investments for homeowners who want to stay independent of the national power grid. Solar inverters offer homeowners benefits like saving on electric bills, durability, scalability, and low cost of maintenance.
Some of the companies that install solar inverters offer homeowners full time customer support, a long warranty and maintenance services. Solar inverters have become very popular in many homes as a practical way to reduce your carbon footprint through the use of renewable energy, while also reducing your home’s reliance on the national grid and any associated shortages.
President Joe Biden recently said the United States would sharply increase tariffs on some Chinese goods, including electric vehicles, semiconductors and solar panels.
The White House said the move — which echoes some of the trade-war agenda of Biden’s predecessor, former President Donald Trump — aims to protect American industries’ competitiveness in the growing clean energy sector and curb unfair trade practices by China.
In a May 14 X post, Biden said he had “imposed a series of tariffs on goods made in China: 25% on steel and aluminum, 50% on semiconductors, 100% on EVs (electric vehicles), and 50% on solar panels. China is determined to dominate these industries. I’m determined to ensure America leads the world in them.” And in remarks at the White House that day, he called the tariffs “strategic and targeted.”
But not everyone approved.
Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, labeled the decision “horrible news for American consumers” and a “major setback for clean energy.”
“Tariffs are a direct, regressive tax on Americans, and this tax increase will hit every family,” Polis wrote as he reshared Biden’s post.
Experts say the tariffs could amount to a tax increase on many Americans. But they add that the notion that “every” American family will be hit is likely exaggerated.
“When it comes to these specific tariffs, the short-term effects may be limited,” said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank. “Very few Chinese-made electric vehicles are sold in the U.S. today, so there will be little direct effect. And Chinese aluminum and steel accounts for only a small fraction of US imports of those goods. … So the price effects will be small.”
Polis’ office did not provide information for this fact-check.
Why Biden is imposing tariffs on about $18 billion of China’s imports
A tariff is a government tax imposed on goods and services imported from other countries. Countries often impose tariffs in the name of making their domestic companies more competitive with foreign counterparts; the tariffs either make the foreign items more expensive, putting them at a disadvantage in the marketplace, or they make foreign companies forgo entering the market at all.
Biden’s new round of tariffs apply to about $18 billion of annual imports from China, the White House said. Other Chinese goods that will face higher tariffs include batteries, battery components, certain minerals, cranes used at ports, certain medical products, steel and aluminum.
Under the new standard, the tariff rate for Chinese-produced electric vehicles will rise from 25% to 100% this year, while semiconductor tariffs will double from 25% to 50% by 2025. Tariffs on lithium-ion batteries, a key component of EVs, will increase from 7.5% to 25%. Tariffs on solar panels will rise from 25% to 50%. Tariffs on steel and aluminum will increase from 0% to 25%.
In pursuing the new tariffs, Biden has regularly accused China of flooding the global market with goods at what the White House calls “artificially low” prices. The White House says the Chinese government heavily subsidizes the nation’s companies, which allows Chinese competitors to overproduce because they don’t have to worry about turning a profit.
“When you make tactics like these, it’s not competition, it’s cheating, and we’ve seen the damage here in America,” Biden said while announcing the tariffs at the White House Rose Garden.
Trump, Biden’s expected 2024 presidential opponent, also pursued an aggressive tariff policy during his presidency to reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese imports and narrow the trade deficit. Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods totaled about $300 billion. Biden criticized those tariffs during his 2020 presidential run, arguing that they had little impact on consumers compared to the costs to Americans.
Who foots the bill for tariffs?
Polis’ first point is that tariffs amount to a tax on consumers. There’s significant evidence to support that.
After Trump imposed his tariffs, importers passed along most or all of the costs to consumers or to producers who use Chinese materials in their products, studies show. A U.S. International Trade Commission review found the tariffs were paid primarily by U.S. importers while prices for Chinese exporters were “largely unaffected.”
“In general, tariffs are passed on to consumers,” Gleckman said. “Not only do the prices of the tariffed goods usually increase, but so do prices of competing domestic products. Without low-priced foreign competition, domestic manufacturers are free to raise their own prices.”
Another problem with tariffs, Gleckman said, is that they encourage producers to move production to a nontariffed country. “So Biden may be protecting U.S. automakers from China, but what about, say, Brazil or Mexico?” he said.
And because studies have shown that lower-income Americans tend to spend a larger fraction of their income on goods, they could feel the pinch from tariffs more acutely than more affluent Americans would, as Polis said.
“The consensus has not changed: Tariffs are regressive, in that the people with lowest means will be paying the most when a tariff is placed on a good,” said Ross E. Burkhart, a Boise State University political scientist who specializes in trade policy.
How many Americans could be affected by the Biden tariffs?
However, Polis’ second point, that “every family” will be affected by the Biden tariffs, is exaggerated, experts said.
For starters, Burkhart said, electric vehicles “are still a niche product” that not every family will look to buy soon. And even within this niche market, Chinese EVs have almost no U.S. market share. According to the Atlantic Council, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, China shipped $368 million in EVs to the U.S. in 2023, a tiny fraction of the $7.4 billion shipped by European Union nations the same year.
Meanwhile, although steel, aluminum, and semiconductors are widely used throughout the economy, the new tariffs are levied narrowly at products from China, said Katheryn N. Russ, a University of California, Davis economist.
“Most steel from China already is subject to high prices,” Russ said. “The effect of a narrowly targeted tariff like this may be modest if producers can switch to suppliers in other countries, and domestic producers of these products still will be subject to price competition from other countries who are not facing a similar hike in the tariff.”
In any case, such materials “tend to be small input prices of finished goods, and Chinese exports of both products to the U.S. are generally declining,” said Scott Paul, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, an advocacy group comprising U.S. manufacturers and the United Steelworkers. “In a $25 trillion economy these very targeted measures won’t even be felt in a meaningful way.”
The White House is making much the same argument. In discussionswithjournalists during the run-up to announcing the new tariffs, Biden administration officials argued that their more targeted tariffs would be less likely to increase consumer prices — a crucial concern both economically and politically, given the high inflation during much of Biden’s term.
Our ruling
Polis called tariffs a “direct, regressive tax on Americans” and said Biden’s new tariffs on Chinese goods will “hit every family.”
There is widespread academic support for the notion that tariffs raise prices for consumers, and that lower-income consumers tend to be hurt disproportionately.
However, experts said the targeted nature of Biden’s tariffs on China’s clean energy sector should limit their inflationary effect, making it unlikely that “every family” would be affected in a significant way.
The scene is all too common: You get a handful of hours of sleep, reach for a cup of coffee every few hours, and then still feel sluggish. But a new study published in Scientific Reports shows that something rather unexpected can perk up your brain power1 the day following a horrendous night’s sleep.
The controversial expansion of Tesla’s only European Gigafactory was approved on Thursday, as the local council in the German municipality of Grünheide voted in favor of the carmaker’s plans to grow its facility near Berlin.
The majority of 19 council representatives supported Tesla’s plans to expand the factory. Eleven councilors voted in favor of the expansion, six voted against, while two abstained. The vote improves Tesla’s chances of being able to build more space for logistics, including a train station, although the company still has to secure the approval of local environment authorities. In July, Tesla announced plans to build 1 million electric cars per year at the site.
Around 50 protesters gathered outside the local government building as the result was announced, according to local reports. “It’s pretty disappointing,” says Esther Kamm, spokesperson for the anti-Tesla protest group, Turn Off the Tap on Tesla (TDHA), who watched the vote take place. She said the group would still try to stop the expansion by continuing to hold protests while exploring their legal options.
“It was a bad decision today, and this makes things harder, but it’s definitely not the end of the story.”
TDHA is just one of a wide alliance of environmental groups who oppose the expansion, claiming that the factory’s presence threatens to pollute local water supplies and describing the carmaker’s reputation as an environmentally friendly company as misleading.
“I’m pissed,” says Manu Hoyer, spokesperson for the Citizens Initiative Grünheide (Bürgerinitiative Grünheide), which represents local residents who oppose the factory, in a statement. “Today the local council ignored the vote of me and my fellow citizens.” In February, 65 percent of locals voted against the expansion plan in a nonbinding poll.
Last week, during a demonstration against the expansion, hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the factory, amid clashes with police. As part of a five-day protest, police said 23 demonstrators were detained and 27 officers injured.
Anti-Tesla protesters say they want to draw attention to the mineral mining necessary to build electric car batteries and the problems that can pose to local communities. Compared to conventional cars, electric car batteries require 170 kilograms more minerals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, according to 2021 figures published by the International Energy Agency.
Since February, a handful of protesters have been living in treehouses in the forest, just footsteps away from the Tesla factory, in another attempt to stop the site’s expansion. They currently have permission to stay until May 20. An attempt by police to force the camp to leave before that date was rejected today by a German court.
The school bus is in many ways ideal for V2G. “There’s no uncertainty in terms of the use of the bus,” says Patricia Hidalgo-Gonzalez, director of the Renewable Energy and Advanced Mathematics Lab at UC San Diego, who studies the grid but wasn’t involved in the project. “Having that clarity on what the transportation needs are—that makes it much easier for the grid to know when they can make use of that asset.”
Zum’s buses start operating at 6 or 6:30 am, drive kids to school, and finish up by 9 or 9:30 am. While the kids are in class—when there’s the most solar energy flowing into the grid—Zum’s buses plug into fast-chargers. The buses then unplug and drive the kids home in the afternoon. “They have large batteries, typically four to six times a Tesla battery, and they drive very few miles,” says Vivek Garg, cofounder and COO of Zum. “So there’s a lot of battery left by end of the day.”
After the kids are dropped off, the buses plug in again, just as demand is spiking on the grid. But instead of further increasing that demand by charging, the buses send their surplus power back to the grid. Once demand has waned, around 10 pm, the buses start charging, topping themselves up with electricity from nonsolar sources, so they’re ready to pick up kids in the morning. Zum’s system decides when to charge or discharge depending on the time of day, so the driver just has to plug in their bus and walk away.
On weekends, holidays, or over the summer, the buses will spend even more time sitting unused—a whole fleet of batteries that might otherwise be idle. Given the resources needed to make batteries and the need for more grid storage, it makes sense to use what batteries are available as much as possible. “It’s not like you’re placing a battery somewhere and then you’re only using them for energy,” says Garg. “You’re using that battery for transportation, and in the evening you’re using the same battery during the peak hour for stabilizing the grid.”
Get ready to see more of these electric buses—if your kid isn’t already riding in one. Between 2022 and 2026, the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program is providing $5 billion to swap out gas-powered school buses for zero-emission and low-emission ones. States like California are providing additional funding to make the switch.
One hurdle is the significant upfront cost for a school district, as an electric bus costs several times more than an old-school gas-guzzler. But if the bus can do V2G, the excess battery power at the end of the day can be traded as energy back to the grid during peak hours to offset the cost difference. “We have used the V2G revenue to bring this transportation cost at par with the diesel buses,” says Garg.
For the Oakland schools project, Zum has been working with the local utility, Pacific Gas and Electric, to pilot how this works in practice. PG&E is testing out an adaptable system: Depending on the time of day and the supply and demand on the grid, a V2G participant pays a dynamic rate for energy use and gets paid based on the same dynamic rate for the energy they send back to the system. “Having a fleet of 74 buses—to be followed by other fleets, with more buses with Zum—is perfect for this, because we really want something that’s going to scale and make an impact,” says Rudi Halbright, product manager of vehicle-grid-integration pilots and analysis at PG&E.
A new benchmark in customer service. With TSC HOIST (an acronym for Hands On Interactive Support & Training), you’re not just receiving a service; you’re gaining a partner dedicated to elevating your drilling operations: www.drillpipe.com/hoist.
HOUSTON, May 14, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– TSC Drill Pipe, a leader in the oilfield equipment industry, is proud to announce the launch of its premier customer-centric program TSC HOIST, an acronym for Hands On Interactive Support and Training. This exclusive initiative redefines customer service by offering an unparalleled suite of services designed to put customers first and ensure the highest level of satisfaction in drill pipe operations and maintenance.
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The TSC HOIST program includes customer-focused rig visits, providing personalized attention to each customer, ensuring that their specific needs are met. The program supports customers’ preferred service and repair centers by granting them priority treatment with TSC Drill Pipe’s internal qualification assessments, expediting the licensing process to maximize cost efficiency for the company’s customers. Customers also enjoy direct access to field experts, allowing for immediate and expert consultation. Furthermore, the TSC HOIST program provides tailored on-site or remote training through TSC Drill Pipe and TSC University, equipping teams with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary for optimal performance. This comprehensive approach ensures that clients receive top-tier support and resources, directly contributing to the success of their operations.
With the launch of TSC HOIST, TSC Drill Pipe is setting new benchmarks in quality and customer service in the oil and gas industry. The TSC HOIST program is more than just a commitment to excellence — it’s a testament to TSC Drill Pipe’s dedication to its customers’ success.
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About TSC Drill Pipe
TSC Drill Pipe, a division of Texas Steel Conversion, Inc., leverages more than four decades of steel tubular processing expertise to ensure that our drill pipe has the highest dependability, consistency, and durability, and longest life of any drill pipe on the market.
Source: TSC Drill Pipe, a Division of Texas Steel Conversion, Inc.
The world runs on the work of frontline energy workers, but what powers their productivity and resilience?
The energy industry is experiencing significant change. As companies strive to boost production, embrace more sustainable practices, and prepare to power the AI-driven future of technology globally, there’s increasing demand for new digital tools. This shift isn’t just creating new career possibilities but is also sparking a profound transformation in existing roles across the industry. Frontline energy workers need to learn new skills and use emerging tools to meet the sector’s evolving requirements.
Technology is empowering frontline teams to be more productive and resilient, drive better business outcomes, and streamline costs. It also promotes knowledge sharing across roles, which is critical as an aging workforce and low retention rates among young people contribute to a growing skills gap.
Innovation is essential to the safety, efficiency, and productivity of frontline workers. By embracing digitalization, automation, and AI, industry leaders can instill confidence in the field and propel the energy sector toward a more sustainable and efficient future.
Adapting to the changing energy landscape requires frontline workers to adjust to evolving job requirements, such as remote or hybrid work and learning new skills. That’s where powerful digital tools can help energy companies stimulate their workforces and increase output.
Tools that are outdated, complex, or incompatible with modern innovations stifle productivity. New, more efficient tools need to integrate seamlessly so that employees are motivated to learn them. With Microsoft solutions, implementing technologies like AI doesn’t have to be disruptive. The right tools enhance existing workflows to increase productivity and improve communication and collaboration between frontline workers and managers.
Energy companies are successfully integrating Microsoft technology with their existing infrastructure. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) worked with Microsoft to implement Microsoft 365 and create an AI-powered bot called ChatOPG. Frontline workers use natural language to communicate with the bot, which answers questions, creates troubleshooting guides, and acts as a personal assistant. By embracing AI, the company is saving time for its workers and improving their experience, which helps attract and retain talent.
Adopting new technology is only a part of the solution. In our Work Trend Index survey, 60% of frontline energy workers reported that they anticipated increasing stress in the coming year. Meanwhile, 31% of workers didn’t feel that they were equipped with the right digital tools to do their jobs efficiently.
Business leaders can transform their organizations by embracing digital tools that improve the field experience for employees. With technology that promotes real-time training, frontline technicians can learn in the same environments where they’ll work. They get practical knowledge that promotes both retention and safe conditions in the field.
Companies can deliver the flexibility their frontline workers need by training them right in the field using Microsoft technology. When Clean Energy needed to train its employees remotely during COVID-19, it used Dynamics 365 Remote Assist to prepare technicians for work in the field. Using digital solutions, the company not only fostered employee retention but also improved resiliency and reduced training costs by 15%.
Automating work to save time with AI
According to research from McKinsey & Company, global electricity demand is projected to rise by between 100% and 180% by 2050. Energy companies must empower frontline workers with the tools they need to work quickly and safely.
By incorporating AI, companies can accelerate production and sustainability goals while reducing operational costs. Energy company Evergy is using the AI capabilities in Microsoft Power Platform to automate key tasks and save time. The company developed one AI-powered solution to automatically extract data from PDF receipts, making inventory tracking easier to review. With this system, Evergy is saving more than 5,600 manual hours per year.
Frontline workers can also request new automations that a team of internal developers build. By using Microsoft Power Automate, Evergy can deploy new automations in just one day. And the company is planning further improvements with AI using Microsoft Copilot.
Building the future of energy on the front lines
Energy companies can make frontline employees more productive, better connected, and safer in the field with innovative technology. By automating tasks, streamlining collaboration, and facilitating field training, business leaders can give frontline workers the tools and expertise they need to meet the industry’s growing demand and evolving needs.
Mara is sick. The 24-year-old has been living in a mosquito-infested forest near Tesla’s German gigafactory since March, and despite the 78 degrees Fahrenheit heat, a cold is spreading through the camp. Sitting on a makeshift bench, she tells me how she left Berlin to live among the pine trees, roughly an hour’s drive outside the city, in an attempt to stop the company from expanding.
This week, she will be joined by the notorious German climate group Here And No Further (Ende Gelände), known for its theatrical, often law-breaking blockades, for a five-day-long protest. Anticipating the arrival of hundreds of demonstrators, Tesla said it would shut the factory for four days, telling its employees to work from home, according to an internal email obtained by the German newspaper Handelsblatt.
Despite the absence of Tesla workers, the company employees and local authorities will be on high alert for troublemakers. The factory is separated from the forest by only a thin fence, and as I walk the forest track tracing the factory’s perimeter, a police car lumbers slowly past, carrying out patrols. On the two days I visit, a black Tesla stands guard at the end of the path connecting the factory fence and the forest camp.
Mara, who declines to share her surname, vaguely estimates that there are 50 to 100 people involved in this anti-Tesla movement. But on a Thursday afternoon, the camp is quiet. Above us is a city of treehouses. She shows me where she sleeps, a broad wooden platform—built 10 or so meters aboveground and draped in green tarpaulin. The height provides some respite from the mosquitoes, she says, as I catch three sinking into my arm at once. A man with a partially shaved head lies on a salmon-colored sofa eating cake. Closer to the road, activists talk in raised tones about Israel. Several people are barefoot. The group expresses its politics in banners hanging from the trees—electric cars are not “climate protection”; “water is a human right”; “there is no anticolonialism without a free Palestine.”
Germany is Europe’s car-manufacturing heartland, the birthplace of BMW, Volkswagen, and Porsche. So why Tesla? The company’s presence threatens everything from local water supplies to democracy itself, she argues. “This is an existential issue.”
Their reasons for being here are part environmental, part anti-capitalist, Mara explains, turning a piece of bark between dirt-encrusted fingernails. Tesla’s ambition, to produce 1 million electric cars a year in Germany, isn’t in service to the climate, Mara says. Instead she describes the 300-hectare Tesla factory as a byproduct of “green capitalism,” a plot by companies to appear environmentally friendly in order to convince consumers to keep buying more stuff. “This has been completely thought up by such companies to have more growth, even in times of an environmental crisis,” she says, adding that the protesters have had no contact with Tesla.
To people like Mara, Tesla is a symbol of how the green transition went wrong and, as a result, the company’s German gigafactory has become the target of increasingly radical protests. The activists moved into the forest in February, in an attempt to physically block Tesla from clearing another 100 hectares of forest for its expansion. One month after the forest camp appeared, unknown saboteurs blew up a nearby power line, forcing the factory to close for one week. (A left-wing protest group called Vulkan, whose members are anonymous claimed responsibility for the action.)
A view of the Exxon Mobil refinery in Baytown, Texas.
Jessica Rinaldi | Reuters
The Federal Trade Commission will wave through Exxon Mobil‘s roughly $60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources after reaching an agreement with the energy giant, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC.
The FTC will not block the deal now that the regulator and Exxon have reached a consent agreement, the source said. The agreement will bar Pioneer’s former CEO Scott Sheffield from joining the Exxon board.
The push to remove Sheffield was due to concerns about his prior discussions with OPEC, according to the source.
Exxon and the FTC both declined to comment. The agreement was first reported by Bloomberg News.
Exxon first announced the deal for Pioneer in October, in an all-stock transaction valued at $59.5 billion. Exxon said the acquisition would more than double its production in the Permian Basin.
“Pioneer is a clear leader in the Permian with a unique asset base and people with deep industry knowledge. The combined capabilities of our two companies will provide long-term value creation well in excess of what either company is capable of doing on a standalone basis,” Exxon chairman and CEO Darren Woods said in a press release at the time.
Shares of Exxon and Pioneer were both little changed in extended trading Wednesday.
— CNBC’s Pippa Stevens and Mary Catherine Wellons contributed reporting.
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. (We’re no longer recording the audio, so we can get this new written feature to members as quickly as possible.) Market check: Stocks surged Wednesday afternoon after the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at the end of its latest two-day meeting. According to their post-meeting statement, central bankers noted a “lack of further progress” in bringing inflation down to their 2% target. Fed chief Jerome Powell reiterated that concern at his news conference. Powell said that rate cuts would be considered when the Fed feels inflation is on its way to target. “We feel our policy stance is in a good place” and appropriately restrictive, he added. Early in 2024, expectations in the market were for as many as six cuts. Now, there are questions about whether there will be any cuts this year. April, which has historically been one of the stronger months of the year for the market, was rough. Monthly declines in the Dow , the S & P 500 and the Nasdaq broke five-month winning streaks for the three major stock benchmarks. While April overall was terrible, there were some big winners in the Club’s portfolio, including Alphabet up nearly 8%. Before last week’s strong quarter, CNBC learned that Alphabet’s Google had laid off hundreds of employees from so-called core teams. The reorg includes moving some roles to India and Mexico. Crude sinks: U.S. oil prices sank roughly 3% to under $80 per barrel Wednesday. That’s about a seven-week low on West Texas Intermediate crude . The reasons: stockpiles surged on lackluster demand as the U.S. and its international partners continue to push for a ceasefire between the Israelis and Hamas in Gaza. WTI has fallen 9% from its intraday high for the year of $87.67 per barrel. Our lone oil-and-gas stock, Coterra Energy , was down 2% on Wednesday. It’s set to report quarterly results after the close Thursday. Cruise IPO: Viking Holdings shares rose 10% in its debut as a public company Wednesday. The cruise line company Tuesday evening priced roughly 64 million shares at $24 each — toward the higher of the expected range. Viking is the latest in a recent revival of the long-dormant initial public offerings market. The IPO comeback of late has boosted the investment banking arms of Wall Street banks. Morgan Stanley is one of the lead underwriters of the Viking offering. Last month, the Club name delivered a much-needed rebound quarter . Investment banking revenue at Morgan Stanley rose 16% year over year, driven by IPO business. These deals must succeed to entice more private companies to become public, which is crucial to Morgan Stanley. Biggest winners: DuPont was the Club’s biggest winner Wednesday, jumping more than 7% after the chemicals company beat on quarterly earnings and raised guidance. DuPont’s semiconductor business rose 10%, and we see plenty of runway for growth next year thanks to artificial intelligence. GE Healthcare was next, rising nearly 2% after Tuesday’s 14% earnings-driven decline , which we thought was an overreaction. Amazon was our third-best stock, gaining more than 1.5% Wednesday following the e-commerce and cloud giant’s great quarter and what we think was conservative guidance. “There’s no incentive in giving some pie in the sky number,” Jim said during the Morning Meeting . Biggest losers: Starbucks was our biggest loser Wednesday following the terrible quarter and outlook that was out the evening before. Jim blasted the Starbucks CEO in a morning CNBC interview, saying he was “stunned” by Laxman Narasimhan’s lack of awareness of how bad things are at the coffee giant. Estee Lauder was next, dropping 14% after light guidance and worries about China overshadowed quarterly beats. Nvidia was our third-weakest stock Wednesday, dropping more than 5%. The AI chip giant enjoyed a 15% bump last week on all the spending plans from Big Tech. While inching higher Monday, Nvidia also was down 1.5% Tuesday. Club earnings : In a busy week with quarterly reports from 12 portfolio stocks, Thursday brings morning earnings from Linde , Stanley Black & Decker and Bausch Health . After the bell Thursday, Apple is out with its quarter following a bump earlier this week tied to an upgrade from the often-skeptical Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi. Apple has had a rough year, but Sacconaghi sees the pullback as an “attractive entry point.” Jim said the call is ill-advised, and we must wait for the release to see where Apple might go from here. As mentioned earlier, Coterra is also out with earnings Thursday evening, but the post-release conference call won’t be until Friday morning. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. (We’re no longer recording the audio, so we can get this new written feature to members as quickly as possible.)
We all have a finite number of hours in the day to work, cook and eat, sleep, socialize, exercise, pursue hobbies, do nothing and all of the other things that make life awesome. Nature abhors a vacuum and so we fill what time we have. As life remains full to the brim, I do everything I can to protect myself from the drains. These are the people, thoughts, activities, and tasks that make our days more exhausting than they need to be. I am talking about energy vampires and they can leave us feeling absolutely depleted at the end of the day. Imagine what they do over a week, a month and a lifetime?
The consequences of persistent exposure to energy vampires can be as damaging to our health as poor eating habits or lack of sleep and exercise. Managing the impact of energy vampires is challenging. We have to be smart and committed! This requires our own discipline, delicacy and diplomacy. I have definitely not mastered the subtle art of dodging the human energy vampires, but as an art, it’s always a work in progress. Here’s what I have for you that has helped me better handle them.
What Are Energy Vampires?
The Human Form of Energy Vampires
The most common type of energy vampires are the human form. These are people who tend toward the “me, me, me” train of thought, and find it difficult to see beyond their own point of view. The biggest challenge with the human energy vampire is that because they are so focussed on their needs and wants, they usually have absolutely no awareness as to the impact they are having. They don’t see the pile of exhausted humans that trail behind their interactions. With a simple conversation, a passive aggressive criticism, where before you had a skip in your step, you’re now feeling zapped of your physical, mental, emotional or spiritual energy (or a combination of these).
The human energy vampires could be friends, family members, co-workers or romantic partners.
Human energy vampires can suck the wind from your sails in many ways:
Overly dramatic: creating large problems or drama when there is in fact very little offence
Whiny: constantly complaining about everything that happens to them, or having a ‘why me?’ attitude
Negative: always seeing the bad things and never focusing on the good or practicing gratitude
Blaming: nothing is ever their fault and they are reluctant to take personal responsibility; they can often play the victim
Insecure: they feel sad, low or insecure about their lives and abilities, so they are constantly seeking affirmation from others
Jealous: feeling jealous or resentful of what you or other people have going on, so they may behave with spite or try to downplay your accomplishments
Dominant: always the centre of attention and very outgoing, but never stops to listen, pay attention or ask how anyone else is doing
Gossipy: focusing on other people’s behaviour and constantly talking about (or judging) others
Needy: relying on others too much, not developing resourcefulness or self-sufficiency
Prone to giving guilt trips: using emotional manipulation to make you feel guilty so they can get what they want
In general, energy vampires have trouble coping with their own lives so they feed off others to sustain themselves. Unfortunately, that is very draining and downright unpleasant for those around them.
Thought-Induced Energy Vampires
Thoughts in and of themselves can be our own worst energy vampire. We can manufacture our own stress around the future, around an activity, a work assignment, a relationship and let those thoughts spin beyond our grasp. I often refer to this form of vampirism as The Iron Filings. Think of being a kid in the 80s when you were allowed to play with magnets and loose iron filings in school. You’d drag the magnet along the floor and the iron filings would magnetize and stick to others. This is similar to what happens with our thoughts – one challenging thought begins to pick up speed and as it does, starts collecting a whole bunch of other stressful and draining thoughts along with it.
Our own stressful thoughts are one of the greatest drains on our energy, and producer of stress in our lives. Most often these thoughts pertain to things that happened in the past, or that might happen in the future, yet both are out of our control, are unchangeable (especially if they happened in the past), and have no bearing on reality and most likely not going to happen in the future. It’s basically a stress we create in our own mind that we allow to dominate our emotions and drain us of energy.
Our thoughts can turn any communication, task or activity into an energy drain simply by choosing to worry, dread, fret or delay (yes, procrastination is another very common thought-triggered energy vampire).
And some of us (I count myself here) are simply more sensitive to our surroundings and internal processes than others. This is where empathy comes in.
empaths and empathy
Energy vampires cannot feed off one another – they need someone who will bear the load of their problems and emotions. This could feasibly be anyone who is kind and compassionate, but often it is empaths that are especially susceptible to energy vampires. Have you ever heard of an intuitive empath. You know at least one. Me.
Empaths are highly sensitive and highly intuitive people who easily absorb other people’s emotions. Dr. Judith Orloff, a psychotherapist, has written extensively about empaths and how they can best survive in the world when it so easy for them to become overwhelmed with the problems of others. You can read more about the common traits of empaths here, which include being introverted and feeling replenished by nature, among many other qualities.
Empathy is an incredibly important quality to develop and practice. It allows us to understand how other people are feeling from their point of view, which in turn allows us to be warmhearted and understanding. Empathy has evolutionary roots and we are biologically designed this way (though some of us have a more innate ability than others, it can definitely be taught).
While we tend to think of human survival in terms of ‘survival of the fittest’, the truth is we can’t survive alone. Empathy allows us to create communities, feel connected to one another, find our community, have satisfying social lives and help each other survive and thrive. In a medical context, empathy from doctors, nurses and other medical professionals leads to greater patient satisfaction and better health outcomes. Studies of healthcare professionals show that staff who are burned out tend to have lower empathy. This makes sense – when you are depleted, you have less capacity to take on anything else.
Not all people who are empathetic are empaths, and this may allow them to set more distinct boundaries with energy vampires.
Intuitive empaths become prime targets and prime reactionaries to the internal vampires that are their own thoughts and external vampires that are energy-zapping humans. We are simply more sensitive and responsive to both our inner and outer environments.
Health Risks of Energy Vampires
Our brains and bodies are intricately connected, and we are designed to bond and socialize with other people. Social interaction can produce oxytocin, a hormone that can facilitate love, security and calm the nervous system. When we interact with energy vampires, the whole ordeal can cause us to release the stress hormone cortisol. This induces a stress cascade that may lead to:
First Work On Yourself
Sometimes what we experience in the world is actually a mirror of how we are. If you notice that everyone in your life is sucking the life out of you, take some time to take an honest look at yourself. Are you in any way an active participant in the patterns that are unfolding? This doesn’t excuse anyone else’s actions, but it may help you change or reduce how often this is happening.
The other thing to remember is the role our own thoughts play in how we experience the world around us. We have the power to turn an innocent comment into a major drama, simply by thinking of it that way. To combat these tendencies, it’s important to find ways to make our minds work in favour of a positive and stabilized mood, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), and allowing time to rest so we can be less reactive and have better responsiveness.
Yes, working on ourselves is key, but we also need to know how to arm against the energy vampires, too. I offer some guidance on how to work with them and, if needed, get away from them – because ultimately, we have the choice to decide how we respond to the world around us.
How to Deal with Energy Vampires in Life and At Work
In an ideal world, we’d “Marie Kondo” the heck out of those energy vampires and never have to deal with them (they certainly don’t spark joy!). Unfortunately, we can’t always avoid being in the presence of an energy vampire at work, at family gatherings or in social situations. And for those of us with active minds, even a passing, innocent comment can spark the internal thought-induced energy vampire. The magnet hits the iron filings and the cascade of spinning and draining begins. Thankfully, being around an energy vampire doesn’t have to suck the energy out of you.
A first step is realizing that we can’t change energy vampires (or anyone else, for that matter). We can only alter our own behaviours and attitudes. These tips can help you handle energy vampires and your own wellbeing at the same time.
The only thing we can ever control is how we respond to what’s happening in our minds and in our lives.
Reduce or Limit Contact with Energy Vampires
You may not be able to cut someone out of your life completely, but that doesn’t mean you have to see them or talk to them all the time. It is well within your right to turn down an invitation to a family dinner or after work drinks if you know an energy vampire will be there, or if the gathering is small enough that you can’t engage with other people. No need to create an elaborate excuse or lie – a simple, “I have plans” will suffice. If necessary, a full severing of ties may be needed.
Set Boundaries and Say No
If you are in a situation where you can’t avoid an energy vampire, set boundaries for both yourself and the vampire. For example, you may resolve to only stay for an hour and then make a polite exit, without being deterred by the energy vampire’s pleading. You can also set boundaries within the conversation you’re having with the other person by not encouraging their behaviour – that may mean shutting down the conversation or changing the topic. Dr. Orloff has some strategies that will help based on the type of energy vampire you are dealing with.
In some situations, you may be able to place a physical boundary by going to another room, shutting the door of your office or putting headphones on. If a physical barrier isn’t available, Dr. Orloff describes creating a mental/emotional shield for yourself that will help protect you.
Call the Energy Vampires on Their Behaviour
This option can be tricky and requires finesse, but sometimes you have to challenge energy vampires and confront their behaviours head on. They may learn empathy from this, or they might not, but at least it may redirect the interaction to a more positive light. For example, if someone is endlessly complaining you could tell them you will listen to one more complaint, and then they have to tell you five positive things about their day.
Encourage Resiliency
For the energy vampires who are needy and insecure, guiding them to resiliency or affirming a positive outcome can help. Instead of coming up with solutions or suggestions that will fix the problem for them (which may lead to them continually returning to you for solutions), say something like, “I’m confident you have the ability to figure this out” or “I know you are going to come up with the best solution that’s right for you/this situation”. In this way, you’re not directly addressing their insecurities with rote compliments but reminding them they have the skills and abilities to succeed.
Remind Yourself of Your Own Strength
Energy vampires seek you out because you are strong, competent and wonderful to be around. It’s this strength of character that will fortify you against them – an energy vampire can only drain you if you continue to let them. Remind yourself that you are strong – use a mantra if you find it helpful.
Practice Physical and Emotional Self-Care
Prioritize whatever you need to do to maintain your physical, emotional and spiritual health. That might be hobbies, baths, meditation, exercise, napping, or whatever you need to feel nourished and replenished, especially if an interaction with an energy vampire is depleting. I have a few detailed guides to self-care you can peruse for ideas:
Seek Out the Energy Boosters
Surround yourself with incredible people as much as you can – those who energize you, are supportive and empathetic, and have a true desire to help you succeed. The more time you spend in situations with an equitable energy exchange, the less you will feel depleted or taken advantage of.
Ask for Help
Call on partners, colleagues or friends to help you handle energy vampires: you don’t have to deal with them on your own. Some people are discerning and will naturally learn your cues quickly when you need them to step in and help, but in many cases it’s best to be upfront with what you need. Tell them to never leave you alone with Uncle So and So or devise other strategies to help you diffuse or handle energy vampire situations.
Children can also be energy vampires – though with the most innocent and pure of hearts, of course. While there are some gendered differences in how men and women develop and express empathy, the burden of empathy often falls to women through social conditioning. Ask for help with children, too, whether you are female or male, to keep yourself healthy and sane.
Keep It Professional at Work
Energy Vampires Further Reading and Resources
One more thing before I leave you on your way to ponder the vampires in your life. You could be one, too. Just something to consider. What is the energy you are putting out, and what is the energy you are taking? This is something to consider in your own interactions. We want to aim for the balance. With friends and family, optimally the balance is over a lifetime. Sometimes we give and sometimes we take. Giving, however, doesn’t need to be a drain. It’s ultimately up to each of us to determine the boundaries, and set our own limits.
On My Mind Episode 12: How to Handle Energy Vampires
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We have a few tips and pointers on what to think about before you shop for a portable power station.
Price: Portable power stations can be very expensive, but discounts, sales, and deals are common. If you can afford to wait, you can very likely get your chosen power station for less.
Capacity: Figure out how much power you need. The capacity is listed in watt-hours (Wh) or sometimes kilowatt-hours (kWh). If you think about the devices you want to run from it and how long you need to run them, you can start to calculate the capacity you need. Manufacturers will often display stuff like 12 hours of TV or 30 minutes of electric chain saw use, but consider that not all TVs draw the same amount of power. You must calculate how much the gadgets you own actually use.
Portability: The term “portable” is stretching it sometimes. Batteries are heavy. The larger-capacity power stations are typically on wheels and have telescopic handles, and they are still tough to cart around. If you’re looking for something you can actually carry on foot for a distance, you may need to temper your expectations on capacity.
Battery technology: There are various battery technologies, but the main ones used in portable power stations today are types of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, often lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (Li-NMC) or lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4 or LFP). The latter is safer (less prone to combustion) and tends to last longer (more cycles) before it starts to degrade. Overheating can be an issue for Li-NMC batteries and they degrade faster, but they do have a higher energy density. Zendure also offers semi-solid-state batteries in its top-of-the-line SuperBase listed above, which it promises are more stable and resilient, therefore safer, and have a higher energy density.
Ports: While you will find certain ports across the board with portable power stations, from AC outlets to USB-A, it is crucial to check the maximum charging rate and supported charging standards to avoid disappointment. You might find USB-C ports, car ports, barrel ports, and maybe inputs for solar, but assume nothing. Check the specs before you buy.
Charging speed: Large-capacity power stations can take a long time to recharge. Ensure you understand how quickly your chosen power station can charge from the mains and from other sources if you plan to use solar panels, a car battery, or another power source for top-ups. Some power stations enable you to fast-charge from two or more inputs.
Heat and noise: Batteries generate heat. If you are charging your power station up in a hurry or have a half dozen things plugged into it, things will heat up fast. Every power station we tested has fans to keep the temperature down, and these things can get surprisingly loud even under a relatively low load, especially if you have it in an enclosed space with you. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about this.
Maximum output: If you want to use power tools, an AC unit, or in the UK, a kettle, you need to be able to draw thousands of watts. Power stations all state the maximum output, but often they will have a surge function that enables them to go higher for a short period of time. Sometimes they give it a silly name. For example, Zendure calls this “AmpUp,” and EcoFlow calls it “X-Boost.” Make sure your chosen power station can handle the wattage you need.
UPS and EPS: Some power stations can act as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS); others are classed as an emergency power supply (EPS). If you have your power station plugged into the mains and then devices plugged into it, they will work from the mains, but if there is a power outage, a UPS will switch to battery power instantly (under 10 milliseconds). An EPS will also switch when there’s a blackout but may take a bit longer (30 milliseconds or so).
BOSTON — Nearly 100 cities and towns are sharing more than $11.8 million in state funding aimed at helping them reduce their energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change.
The state Department of Energy Resources is distributing the money to local governments through its Green Communities program, which provides funds for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects aimed at helping the state meet its ambitious goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Several communities north of Boston will be getting a piece of the latest round of grant funding disbursements, according to a new report to the Legislature.
Gloucester is getting $144,311 in grant money; Ipswich is getting $167,500; and Wenham is slated to receive $50,000, according to the state agency.
The grants will pay for myriad projects, including the acquisitions of hybrid police cruisers, battery-electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations.
Other projects include ventilation system upgrades, weatherization, and de-carbonization of schools, municipal buildings and facilities.
Combined, the projects are estimated to produce energy savings of more than 31,000 MMBTUs, or roughly the same amount of energy consumed by more than 240 households, according to the state agency.
When completed, the projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,897 metric tons every year — equivalent to taking 383 cars off the road.
The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is getting a nearly $64,000 grant for work on reducing energy consumption and costs, pollution and the development of renewable energy and alternative energy.
Meanwhile, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Ipswich, Andover, Haverhill and Methuen will each be getting $15,000 Municipal Energy Technical Assistance grants from the state to cover the cost of green projects ranging from decarbonization of buildings to energy storage.
About 290 cities and towns, accounting for about 89% of the state’s population, have been awarded a “green community” designation by the state agency.
Since 2010, the state agency has awarded more than $177 million in Green Communities grants, according to the Baker administration.
To qualify for funding, cities and towns must commit to reducing their energy consumption by 86,875 MM BTUs over the next five years.
That’s equivalent to the energy use of 673 homes, or taking 1,222 gas-powered cars off the road, according to the agency.
Massachusetts is required under a state law to meet ambitious benchmarks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” over 1990s levels by 2050.
A climate change bill signed by then-Gov. Charlie Baker in 2022 requires the state to meet incremental goals every five years to reach a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 before meeting the 2050 goal.
The plan calls for expanding the use of wind power, solar and hydropower, as well as continuing to reduce overall energy usage and reliance on fossil fuel sources to keep the lights turned on and heat and cool the state’s homes and buildings.
The state is also working to improve energy efficiency through the Mass Save program, which is funded by a surcharge tacked onto energy bills and proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing emissions from power plants.
The fees drum up about $2 billion a year, which helps pay for home efficiency audits and other programs to reduce energy consumption.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.
BOSTON — Nearly 100 cities and towns are sharing more than $11.8 million in state funding aimed at helping them reduce their energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change.
The state Department of Energy Resources is distributing the money to local governments through its Green Communities program, which provides funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects aimed at helping the state meet its ambitious goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Several communities north of Boston will be getting a piece of the latest round of grant funding disbursements, according to a new report to the Legislature.
Gloucester is receiving $144,311 in grant money; Ipswich is getting $167,500; and Wenham is slated to receive $50,000, according to the state agency.
The grants will pay for myriad projects, including the acquisitions of hybrid police cruisers, battery-electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations.
Other projects include ventilation system upgrades, weatherization, and decarbonization of schools, municipal buildings and facilities.
Combined, the projects are estimated to produce energy savings of more than 31,000 MMBTUs, or roughly the same amount of energy consumed by more than 240 households, according to the state agency.
When completed, the projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,897 metric tons every year – equivalent to taking 383 cars off the road.
The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is receiving a nearly $64,000 grant to reduce energy consumption and costs, pollution and the development of renewable energy and alternative energy.
Meanwhile, Andover, Haverhill, Methuen, Manchester-by-the-Sea and Ipswich will each get $15,000 Municipal Energy Technical Assistance grants from the state to cover the cost of green projects ranging from decarbonization of buildings to energy storage.
About 290 communities, accounting for about 89% of the state’s population, have been awarded a “green community” designation by the state agency.
Since 2010, the state agency has awarded more than $177 million in Green Communities grants, according to the Baker administration.
To qualify for funding, communities must commit to reducing their energy consumption by 86,875 MM BTUs over the next five years. That’s equivalent to the energy use of 673 homes, or taking 1,222 gas-powered cars off the road, according to the agency.
Massachusetts is required under a state law to meet ambitious benchmarks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to “net zero” over 1990s levels by 2050.
A climate change bill signed by then-Gov. Charlie Baker in 2022 requires the state to meet incremental goals every five years to reach a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 before meeting the 2050 goal.
The plan calls for expanding the use of wind power, solar and hydropower, as well as continuing to reduce overall energy usage and reliance on fossil fuel sources to keep the lights turned on and heat and cool the state’s homes and buildings.
The state is also working to improve energy efficiency through the Mass Save program, which is funded by a surcharge tacked onto energy bills and proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a cap-and-trade system aimed at reducing emissions from power plants.
The fees drum up about $2 billion a year, which helps pay for home efficiency audits and other programs to reduce energy consumption.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.
Preschool teacher Iris Mejías and her husband Alexis García, a retired university professor, stand next to the geomembrane biodigester that since December 2023 provides about four cubic meters of biogas daily for their agricultural activities and the needs of their home in the semi-urban neighborhood of Sierra Maestra, in the municipality of Boyeros on the south side of Havana. CREDIT: Jorge Luis Baños / IPS
by Luis Brizuela (havana)
Inter Press Service
HAVANA, Apr 26 (IPS) – Just to obtain a good fertilizer it was worth building a biodigester, says Cuban farmer Alexis García, who proudly shows the vegetables in his family’s garden, as well as the wide variety of fruit trees that have benefited from biol, the end product of biogas technology.
García and his wife Iris Mejías organically grow all the agricultural products that make them self-sufficient, on the land around their home in the semi-urban neighborhood of Sierra Maestra, in the municipality of Boyeros on the south side of Havana.
“I used to use a little urea, but because of the economic situation it has become very difficult to import this and other fertilizers. The bioproducts are an opportunity to make up for that shortage and, in some cases, function as pesticides,” García, a 62-year-old retired university professor who is now dedicated to his crops, told IPS.
Biol is the liquid effluent with a certain degree of stabilization that comes out of the biodigester, once the process of anaerobic digestion of organic matter, which includes animal manure, crop waste and/or liquid waste, has been completed. It is rich in nutrients for crops and for restoring soil through fertigation.
García pointed out that the challenges of obtaining energy and the need to process manure prompted the installation of the geomembrane biodigester, which as of December 2023 provides about four cubic meters of biogas per day.
This is one of the three types of biodigesters most used at a small and medium scale in Cuba, together with the mobile type, also known as the Indian model, and the fixed dome or Chinese biodigester.
“I had read a little about it and wanted to have a biodigester. With some savings we decided to start building one. In addition to the support of our sons Alexis and Alexei, we had the backing and advice of José Antonio Guardado,” coordinator of the Biogas Users Movement (MUB), said García.
Founded in 1983, the MUB brings together some 3,000 farmers who use this technology in this Caribbean island nation of 11 million people.
Preschool teacher Iris Mejías uses biogas to cook food, which gives her autonomy, saves money and improves the quality of life in her home in the south of the Cuban capital. CREDIT: Jorge Luis Baños / IPS
Biogas opportunities
Mejías, 59, said that “with biogas you lose the fear of not having enough fuel for cooking. It provides security.”
Meiías, a teachers at a preschool for the young children of working mothers, says that when the economic crisis became more severe in the 1990s, she cooked with firewood, charcoal, kerosene and even coconut shells to prepare her family’s daily meals.
“If you cook with electrical equipment, you depend on the power supply, or if you have a gas cylinder (liquefied petroleum gas), you worry that it will run out and you won’t have a spare. In both cases the biodigester saves money,” she said.
Mejías said it is easier to cook food for domestic animals and heat water “without smut or smoke that makes it necessary to wash your hair every day or makes it difficult to take care of your hands.”
Studies show that methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a warming power 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Proper management of the biological methane resulting from the decomposition of agricultural residues and manure can generate value and be a cost-effective solution to avoid water and soil contamination.
Therefore, its extraction and use as energy, especially in rural and semi-urban environments, can be a solution to reduce electricity consumption and help combat climate change.
According to García, the island could receive greater energy benefits if there were clear incentives for the installation of biodigesters.
Although the acute domestic economic crisis has had a very negative impact on the national swine and cattle herd, “many dairies and pig farms do not know what to do with the daily output of manure. In fact, our biodigester is fed from nearby facilities where it is piled up and they give it to us for free,” he said.
Alexis García dries coffee beans next to solar panels installed on the roof of his house in southern Havana. The possibility of storing energy with the back-up of recovered batteries provides the family with approximately three hours of autonomy during blackouts. CREDIT: Jorge Luis Baños / IPS
Other incentives
Cuba has a biogas production potential of 615,595 cubic meters per year from agricultural and industrial production, according to the Bioenergy Atlas 2022.
That volume represents 189,227 tons of oil equivalent per year or 710,095 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. Of the total, 63 percent comes from agricultural production, he said.
In García’s opinion, Cuba’s rural environment “is in a better position to achieve the desired energy independence. But economic facilities would be necessary, such as loans for the construction of biodigesters, bonuses for people to produce that energy and access to buy lamps, pots and even refrigerators that use biogas.”
Of Cuba’s 11 million inhabitants, about 23 percent, some 2.3 million people, live in rural areas, according to official statistics.
On the other hand, it is estimated that there are some 5,000 biodigesters on the island, although conservative estimates by specialists consider it possible to expand the network to 20,000 family units.
Experts argue that the direct use of biogas is more efficient than transforming it into electricity.
A significant percentage of Cuba’s four million households use electricity as the main energy source for cooking and heating water for bathing, which represents about 40 percent of consumption.
Cuba is a country highly dependent on fuel imports.
During the last five years, in parallel to the deterioration of the domestic economic situation, the decline of the main sources of foreign currency and the strengthening of the U.S. embargo, the authorities have faced increasing difficulties in meeting the demand for fuel.
About 95 percent of Cuba’s electricity generation relies on fossil fuels. The government aims to increase clean sources from the current five percent to around 30 percent of electricity generation by 2030.
“Imagine what it would mean if not all, at least most of the houses in the Cuban countryside had a biodigester or solar panels. Any strategy that encourages independence from the national power grid, or that provides energy, would be very positive,” said García.
In recent years, the international Biomas-Cuba project (2009-2022) focused on helping to understand the importance of renewable energy sources in rural environments, the role of on-farm biodigesters and waste treatment systems in swine facilities.
Ministerial Order 395 of the Ministry of Energy and Mines of 2021 stipulated that each of Cuba’s 168 municipalities must have a biogas development program and strategy, and coordinate its management and implementation with their respective provinces.
In addition, the non-governmental Cuban Society for the Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources and Respect for the Environment (Cubasolar), together with the MUB, encourages training workshops and the advice of specialists.
Banana clusters can be seen growing in the backyard of the García-Mejías home in southern Havana. Both the vegetables in the nursery and the fruit trees benefit from biol, the end product of biogas technology, which provides fertilizer. CREDIT: Jorge Luis Baños / IPS
Moving towards energy independence
One of the aspirations of the García-Mejías family is to achieve energy sustainability for their home and agricultural production.
“We foresee the construction of a second biodigester, but this one will have a mobile dome, which should provide two cubic meters of biogas per day, but much more efficiently, and with a higher pressure. With a higher volume we can benefit some neighbors,” García said.
On the roof of their house, six 720-watt solar panels backed up by recovered batteries give them autonomy of approximately three hours of electricity in the event of a power failure.
“We plan to install a wind turbine, as well as a solar heater made of plastic pipes. We want to set up a demonstration area in the house to show the advantages of renewable energies and demonstrate how everything we do is done using these energy sources,” said the former professor.
“We need a greater culture and awareness about renewable energies. There is resistance among some places and people. On the other hand, there are the high prices which do not foment the rapid expansion of technologies and equipment,” García said when IPS asked him in his home about the obstacles to increasing the household use of renewables.
“People hear about the biodigester and think it’s difficult. It takes a little work, but then the benefits are many. There is a lack of information in the media. People come to us looking for help in building biodigesters. We also receive students, which opens up an opportunity for the new generations to grow up with the culture of using nature in a sustainable way,” he added.
Renewable energy for small island states formed part of the debate at the Fourteenth Session of the IRENA Assembly in Abu Dhabi. Credit: Amitava Chandra / Climate Visuals
by Aimable Twahirwa (abu dhabi)
Inter Press Service
ABU DHABI, Apr 24 (IPS) – Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a distinct group of 39 states and 18 associate members, are making efforts to promote the blue economy as they possess enormous potential for renewable energy relying on the sea.
Experts predict that switching to renewables will help SIDS countries decarbonize power generation as an appropriate option for islands to cut their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, fulfill Paris Agreement pledges and contribute to the global fight against climate change.
In addition, ocean energy technologies, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), are likely to offer high predictability, making them suitable to provide a continuous supply of power.
Dr Vince Henderson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Business, Trade, and Energy, Dominican Republic, told IPS that the key has been prioritizing the development of various forms of renewable energies, focusing on clean and efficient energy exploration and exploitation.
While SIDS have shown climate leadership through 100 percent renewable energy ambitions, experts believe that realizing these ambitions is critical.
“Renewable energy innovations are a winning formula for our blue economy’s development,” said Henderson, whose country generates 85 percent of its electricity from imported fossil fuels.
A delegation of Ministers from SIDS member countries addressed a press briefing at the Fourteenth Session of the IRENA Assembly in Abu Dhabi. Experts predict that the widespread use of renewable energy among SIDS could have a positive impact on reducing the cost of renewable energy. Credit: Aimable Twahirwa/IPS
By 2030, the renewable energy generation output for the whole SIDS member states is anticipated to reach 9.9 GW from current 5 GW.
“Improving a new system for mobilizing the much-needed financing to implement effective decarbonization actions is crucial,” Henderson said in an exclusive interview.
While some experts believe that the widespread use of renewable energy among SIDS could have a positive impact on reducing the cost of renewable energy, such as solar photovoltaic, wind, and bioenergy, providing reliable and affordable electricity is considered an important step to ensure that the SIDS population is accessible to reliable social services such as health, education, public transport, and housing services.
Arieta Gonelevu Rakai, Regional Programme Officer, Islands, at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), told IPS that despite progress achieved in decarbonizing the electricity sector, challenges remain in transport, industry, tourism, and services for islands.
The ambitious target means that Island states will continue to upgrade renewable technologies to stimulate the rapid expansion of renewable energy installation while improving the efficiency and stability of power generation
“International cooperation and collaborations between governments, regional and multilateral institutions, and the public and private sector are needed to drive this transformation,” said Rakai during an exclusive interview.
Through established partnerships such as the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative (LHI), which is coordinated by IRENA, small islands saw a steady increase in the newly-installed capacity of clean energy thanks to a partnership with various stakeholders working with donor agencies to provide streamlined access to grants.
While new efforts seek to explore energy for the benefits of blue economic resources, some experts believe that renewable technologies, although not yet cost competitive with fossil fuels, are set to become less costly over time.
Miriam Dalli, Malta’s Minister of Environment, Energy, and Regeneration of the Grand Harbour, stressed that for small islands to meet their internal electricity demand while reducing their imports of electricity and fossil fuels, the development of alternative energy sources is crucial.
For example, Malta, being an archipelago situated in the Mediterranean Sea, in which the islands generally use diesel generators to produce electrical power, is emphasizing increasing the share of primary energy consumption that comes from renewable technologies, with a major focus on solar and wind that sweeps its coasts and land.
Sea wave energy happens to be another source of renewable energy in Malta, using the energy released by the wave to produce energy.
“Marine energy is turning to be the most viable means for Small Island’s energy generation,” Dalli told IPS of the initiatives currently undertaken by the Mediterranean Archipelago to shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.
Scientists and decision-makers gathered earlier last week in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the 14th Session of the IRENA Assembly. Current global efforts to decarbonize both energy supply and demand from renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, and biomass can help small islands reap the benefits of a rapidly growing ocean economy.
According to the latest IRENA’s projections, ocean energy can provide clean, local and predictable electricity to coastal countries and island communities around the world, with the potential to generate a total capacity of 350 gigawatts (GW) by 2050.
The deployment of ocean energy technologies, according to experts, can also facilitate new revenue streams and higher cash flows for territories, helping to reduce the levelized cost of electricity in these locations.
Kerryne James, Minister of Climate Resilience, Environment, and Renewable Energy of Grenada, points out that some islands, such as Grenada, are perfect for solar and geothermal power.
Grenada’s clean energy goals for increasing energy efficiency and implementing renewable energy from geothermal, wind, and solar technologies are matched by its renewable resources, which more than exceed current electric sector capacity.
“We are currently implementing appropriate plans to further explore various renewable energy sources and support grid resilience,” she told IPS.
For the second time this year, a typical Duke Energy Florida customer will see lower electric bills, this time because of a rate reduction the company is proposing to begin in June to reflect anticipated lower fuel prices.
The company filed a fuel midcourse rate request with the Florida Public Service Commission to account for lower projections for natural gas costs.
Under the proposal, a typical Florida residential customer with a monthly usage of 1,000 kWh would see their bill decline by $5.90, or almost 4%. The savings would be on top of a $11.29 decrease, or about 6%, a decrease that typical residential bills began showing in January.
Similarly, typical commercial and industrial customers will see a bill decrease between 3.5% and 7.0%, varying based on factors, such as industry type and differences in customer use patterns.
“With fuel prices expected to decline, we have an opportunity to lower rates for a second time this year for our customers, just as we prepare for the higher energy usage that come with summer months,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “We remain committed to providing the best possible price for Florida’s growing population, while delivering the reliable power and customer service our customers deserve today, tomorrow and for many years to come.”
Duke Energy Florida ensures customers receive the best service to their homes, businesses and communities through expertly managing its fuel resources, and its complex systems of power generation, transformers, wires and poles across 13,000 square miles – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, under the most challenging conditions.
The company also offers several easy-to-use energy efficiency programs and tools to help Florida customers have more control over their energy use and bills.
Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,300 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.
HOUSTON, April 18, 2024 (Newswire.com)
– ComboCurve, a leader in energy analytics and forecasting for the oil and gas industry, today announced the release of version 36 of its software, which includes the integration of customs streams into the ComboCurve platform. This upgrade affords users limitless modeling flexibility and augments the existing forecasting and economic evaluation, further reinforcing ComboCurve as a leader in enhancing capital efficiency and operational effectiveness within the energy industry.
The release of V36 marks a milestone in analytics and forecasting. Users will be able to import and forecast up to 40 distinct streams, 20 at both the company and project levels, surpassing legacy software limitations. Organizations can now leverage data from non-traditional streams, from CO2 emissions to total liquids and flare meters, offering energy companies an exceptional level of detail and flexibility.
“Custom Streams enables our clients to perform sophisticated, granular forecasting and economic analyses on streams like helium, CO2, sulfur, and lithium,” said Armand Paradis, CEO and founder of ComboCurve. “It outperforms traditional legacy solutions and is significantly easier to use than these older systems.”
Central to this release is the integration of custom streams with ComboCurve’s Scenario Module, prioritizing streamlined revenue modeling and accurate expense estimations. This significant update boosts the platform’s economic analysis capabilities, enabling users to incorporate pricing, differentials, and expenses across a broader dataset.
“At the heart of ComboCurve is our data, and the introduction of custom streams to our SaaS platform reaffirms our commitment to supporting the big data needs for the oil and gas enterprise,” says CJ Montano, CTO of ComboCurve. “Our ability to elastically incorporate data variability, visualization, and performance at scale within already accepted workflows proves the power of the cloud and sets the tone for our future data strategy.”
About ComboCurve
Headquartered in Houston, ComboCurve is the fastest-growing platform in the energy industry. The company provides advanced data analysis tools and seamless integrations that enable decision-makers to make informed, data-driven strategic decisions. For more information, contact ComboCurve or follow us on LinkedIn.
