1. Wave energy demo planned for Mich. Island community

Learning: "Beaver Island, a remote community in Michigan that received support from the Energy Department in 2022 to explore renewables, will soon be the home of a wave energy converter. The project planned by the University of Michigan could help reduce the island's reliance on diesel generators and imported power. The Great Lakes are poised to become a testbed for similar technologies and the team envisions eventually building a wave energy microgrid to support Beaver Island."

Implication: "The University of Michigan team is working with residents to incorporate social and environmental factors into the Beaver Island project, and researchers hope that eventually, this will serve as a model for other shoreline communities.'

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2. Solar-power-focused Fla. bank aims to go nationwide

Learning: "Climate First Bank, which is based in St. Petersburg, Fla., and specializes in loans for home solar-panel installations, has emerged from its three-year de novo phase with hopes of expanding nationwide."

Implication: According to their website, Climate First Bank is "the world's first FDIC-insured community bank dedicated to the environment and sustainability. Climate friendly personal and business banking solutions."

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3. New Houston study shows health impacts of full vehicle electrification in major U.S. cities

Learning: "A new study from the University of Houston shows that there's no one-size-fits-all strategy for full vehicle electrification in America's largest U.S. cities."

Implication: "Earlier this year, Texas ranked low in a study that looked at the closest EV charging stations equivalent to a trip to the gas station. However, another study showed that Texas is among the top of the pack for states with the most electric vehicle registrations, but Houston fell behind other large metros in the state for EV friendliness. Click here to read more about both reports."

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4. Deloitte Report Details Intersection of Decarbonization With DER Adoption

Learning: "Deloitte... in a new report published June 12 notes the importance of distributed energy resources (DERs) to the future of power generation and consumption. The report, titled 'DERstribution Transformation: Harnessing the power of the household to meet utility decarbonization and affordability goals,' says that 'Peak electricity demand could more than double by 2035 in a decarbonized grid scenario.'”

Implication: Key Takeaways from the report...

• DERs will use clean energy to deliver carbon-free electricity by 2035, meeting the ambitious climate goals of the Biden administration.
• DERs will require utilities to collaborate more closely with customers and businesses as energy generation becomes bi-directional.
• Utilities can leverage unprecedented federal funding to build resilient DERstribution capabilities; consumers will be offered rebates and incentives in 2024 to support DERs and clean energy.
• Technology is critical for DERs success. Advanced metering infrastructure, smart appliances, and a grid capable of handling bi-directional power flows is imperative for DERs to match clean energy supply and demand.

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5. Road trip to Le Mans seeks to debunk EV range anxiety

Learning: "With an eye for helping alleviate range anxiety regarding electric heavy-duty trucks, engineering group Danfoss Power Solutions today began driving one of its electric trucks from the company’s headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark, to Le Mans, France — approximately 1,300 km (808 mi.) — in time for the start of the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The electric Volvo truck, which Danfoss said weighs 20 tons and is 17m (55.8 ft.) long, has joined 47 electric cars for the journey."

Implication: "All aspects of the road trip are electrified, Danfoss said, and participants will rely on power from the cars for their camp, including cooking on electric grills...

Danfoss Editron, a part of Danfoss Power Solutions, designs, manufactures and delivers hybrid and fully electric drivetrains for the marine, off-highway, and on-highway sectors."