IRENA Study Finds Renewables Are Becoming Popular In Large Cities
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a study on renewable energy policies for cities last month. The reason for the focus on cities is due to their ability to scale up renewables and meet emission-reduction targets. Large cities have the revenue bases, regulatory frameworks, and infrastructure to support this while smaller ones usually don’t.
The study pointed out that it’s mostly cities that are raising awareness and moving towards energy transitions. Smaller and even medium-sized cities that have 1 million or fewer inhabitants usually don’t have the funding or political support to embrace renewables, and they are also not as highly visible as megacities.
The study analyzed six medium-sized cities from China, Uganda, and Costa Rica. They were chosen due to two reasons:
- They have effective policies in place, or
- They have untapped renewable energy sources that could launch their sustainable development.
A Quick Look At The Study
The study takes a dive into the challenges and successes that are seen in the deployment of renewable energy in medium-sized cities and provides case studies of the six cities studied. A quick look at the executive summary shows that these cities have a population range from 30,000 to 1 million inhabitants.
Image courtesy of IRENA.
Altogether, cities are responsible for around 70% of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Urban areas have high rates of air pollution as well, with 98% of cities with over 100,000 inhabitants in low- and middle-income countries failing to meet the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) air quality guidelines.
Renewable energy technologies (RETs) play a central role in easing the severity of climate change while providing cleaner air. Research is often focused on the urban trends of particular sets of global megacities and doesn’t really focus any attention on cities with 1 million or fewer inhabitants, which is the fastest growing category and home to some 2.4 billion people (59% of the world’s total urban population).
Cities are motivated to promote renewables by several factors, such as:
- Economic development and jobs.
- Social equity.
- Governance.
- Air quality.
- Secure and affordable energy.
- Such as access to clean energy.
- Climate stability.
- Energy-related policymaking requires a lot of flexibility — it involves governance structures and processes as well as the diverse motivations of many stakeholders.
Image courtesy of IRENA.
Cities’ plans need to be tailored to their own circumstances, and some factors shaping city energy profiles include:
- Demographic trends.
- Climate zone.
- Ownership of energy assets.
- Settlement density.
- Regulatory authority.
- Institutional capacity.
- Economic structure and wealth.
Image courtesy of IRENA.
Case Studies 1 & 2: Chongli District and Tongli Town
The two cities in this section are Chongli District and Tongli Town. In the cases of these two Chinese cities, the study found that both benefit from the availability of large-scale renewable energy projects, with wind and solar being the best options. It has a level of existing deployment which provides a solid base for the cities’ ambitious targets compared to other cities where renewables aren’t as present.
The Chinese cities benefit from the availability of financial resources that target renewable energy deployment. Tongli Town receives support from its upper-level administration, which has one of the largest revenue streams among Chinese city governments.
Tongli Town is one of the most replicable in developed cities that resemble Suzhou. Although Zhangjiakou City isn’t as wealthy as Suzhou, the Chongli District was able to receive financial support from the national government as a result of the Winter Olympics.
Its example shows that distributed renewables could also play a large role in cities. PV generation systems could be deployed outside of highly populated city centers, for example. Tongli Town also benefits from the relationship between local governments and local manufacturing industries that deploy RETs.
Showcase events such as the Winter Olympics also help a city gain visibility — this is what happened with the Chongli District. It and the Zhangjiakou Municipality linked the development targets of local renewables with the hosting arrangements of the Winter Olympics. This focused political attention and financial support on renewable energy projects.
Cross-governmental collaboration and existing manufacturing industries benefitting from renewable deployment also played key roles.
Case Studies 3 & 4: Kasese and Lugazi
This case study focused on the Ugandan cities of Kasese and Lugazi. Uganda has a variety of energy resources that includes hydropower, biomass, solar, geothermal, peat, and fossil fuels. Yet only 20% of the population has access to electricity. The World Bank estimated in 2017 that only 2% of the nation’s population has access to clean cooking fuels and technologies.
In Uganda, renewable energy deployment benefits the local communities in many ways while boosting socio-economic goals. In both Lugazi and Kasese, solar street lighting and solar home systems (SHSs) massively saved both municipalities and households while extending business hours for street sellers. It’s also improved public safety and telecommunications, which led to the creation of job opportunities.
Ugandan cities face obstacles to greater local deployment. Institutional constraints, such as narrow political mandates and tight municipal finances, present huge obstacles to effective policy action. Scaling up projects will need greater funding as well as capacity building. This requires a national enabling framework that supports the local government at the district and municipal levels. Kasese and Lugazi have benefited from initiatives targeting sustainable energy at the district level.
Financial resources for both district and municipal governments are needed. Renewables may offer savings in the long run, but the upfront costs usually surpass the funds available to Uganda’s municipalities and districts. For now, initiatives such as solar street lighting are usually linked to third-party financing support. An example of this is the World Bank’s Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme.
Case Studies 5 & 6: Cartago and Grecia, and Guanacaste
Costa Rica has a population of around 5 million people and is the smallest of the three countries that were studied in the report. Some key questions discussed in the country include what role is played by the public and private sectors and what degree to which electricity generation should be based on centralized and decentralized sources. Some of the key issues and challenges that shape the nation’s efforts to promote the use of renewable energy include:
- Mandates.
- Strengthening cities’ ability to act with a diverse set of actors.
- Transport as the next frontier.
For cities without the mandate, their scopes of action are limited and this is one of the main obstacles to a sustainable urban future. In the case of Cartago and Grecia, the cities have taken active measures to promote green policies in the transport and tourism sectors. Costa Rica’s “capital of renewable energy,” Guanacaste, has hosted several projects in the fields of wind, solar, and geothermal energy.
Another key lesson from the study in the case of Costa Rica is that when the share of renewables in the electricity mix is already high, transport becomes the next frontier. Compared to Columbia, Panama, and Chile, Costa Rica has a lack of municipal transport. The other countries are advancing with electric buses and other electric-mobility projects and these contrast with Costa Rica.
You can read the full 158-page report here.
This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes a new cargo e-bike launch from Tenways, Lime bringing its new e-bike and e-moped to its larger fleets, testing a 100 mile e-bike, California’s e-bike vouchers are set to open again in another lottery round, a new electric unicycle from InMotion, and more.
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![Redditor: my Polestar 2 window stopped a bullet from hitting me [pictures]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/POLESTAR_2.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
This one’s pretty simple, kids – it’s exactly what it says on the tin: a Polestar 2 owner took to the Polestar subreddit this week claiming that the window glass in his new EV actually stopped a bullet from hitting him. Plus, he says he’s got the pictures to prove it. (!)
The brand may be evolving into its own, but the OG Polestar 1 and Polestar 2 were little more than hot electric versions of Volvo cars – and Volvo cars are known throughout the world for their secure, planted feel on the road and absolutely bananas high-tensile steel safety cages. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Polestar 2 is one of the safest sedans on the road today … but is the car really bulletproof?
That’s what one redditor is claiming after his window was hit by what they believed to be a stray bullet just five days after taking delivery.
Now, as the growing brand rivalry between Polestar fans and their Tesla-driving counterparts might lead you to expect, some of the comments are pretty pointedly referencing Tesla – and pretty funny. Here are a few of my favorites:
Comment
byu/CptMerica29 from discussion
inPolestar
Comment
byu/CptMerica29 from discussion
inPolestar
Comment
byu/CptMerica29 from discussion
inPolestar
Comment
byu/CptMerica29 from discussion
inPolestar
Now, that was fun, sure – but it’s worth noting that a number of commenters claiming alternately that there’s no way this was a .22 caliber bullet (certainly not a .22 WMR) or that it was a stray shot from very far away. The consensus seems to be that a .177 caliber air gun pellet is most likely to blame, but my money is on a small piece of stone or gravel kicked up at a weird angle from a nearby vehicle.
Regardless, it seems like CptMerica29 is A-OK, and their Polestar 2 hardly seems worse for wear, either. Here’s hoping it’s the last time we have to have a debate about what kind of bullet was being fired at an EV driver for a long time.
If you’d like to try your hand at driving a Polestar 2 through a volley of flying debris and other assorted projectiles and letting us know how you do, click the link below to score a great deal on one near you (while you still can):
Disclaimer
I would like to believe this is obvious, but there’s a “do not use batteries as toothpaste” sticker on this pack of Duracell batteries for a reason, so I’m going to err on the side of caution here and tell any of you reading the above and taking it seriously that: I am kidding. That was a joke.
To be clear, it is my position that NO VEHICLE this side of a Mercedes-Benz EQS GUARD or Inkas Armored S Class is actually bulletproof – and that, yes, a .22 is a real gun with plenty of lethal stopping power and, also yes, a pellet gun can and has killed a lot of people. DO NOT SHOOT AT CARS, and do not sit in your cars and let others shoot at you if you can at all avoid it.
As getsome75 so eloquently puts it:
Comment
byu/CptMerica29 from discussion
inPolestar
Stay safe out there, kids.
SOURCE | IMAGES: CptMerica29; featured image via Polestar.
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![Slate emerges with customizable EV pickup available for under $20k [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/04/Slack-EV-driving-night.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
After about a month of speculation and subtle hints from industry insiders, American EV startup Slate has emerged from stealth to share its flagship model with the world. This simplified all-electric pickup arrives with over 100 accessories, a five-seat SUV configuration kit, and get this… crank windows. Even better, this no-nonsense pedigree of EV is priced refreshingly low, starting below $20,000 after US tax incentives.
As we pointed out last month, there was much more we didn’t know than we could confirm about a new EV brand called Slate. The American automaker was verified as an official business on LinkedIn as of March 5, giving us a sparse trail of breadcrumbs to follow to learn more.
According to the page, Slate had already established a team of 200 to 500 employees, and 46 additional open roles were listed. Some open jobs, such as plant manager and suspension engineer, hinted that Slate has been working on at least one EV.
Aside from promising “the next generation of innovation in the industry” (despite not confirming what industry), Slate’s website stated that we would learn more on April 24. We had heard rumblings that the Troy, Michigan-based startup was on the cusp of debuting a simple, all-electric pickup.
However, that wasn’t confirmed until two days ago, when the first real-world images of the EV emerged ahead of Tesla’s earnings call. Our readers pointed out that “Slate” is an anagram of “Tesla,” which offers interesting fodder to the conspiracy theory scene at best.
While Slate’s name may be a tongue-in-cheek nod to reimagining an EV industry Tesla championed early on, the name seems more rooted in the fellow American company’s clean slate approach to EV design. From what we’ve now seen, Slate is breaking from the trend of other startups kicking off market entry with top-tier, luxe models starting in the $80-$100k range.
Instead, it has created a no-nonsense EV pickup that starts at a super low price, leaving the upgrades and customizations to the customer. Better still, if you US customers prefer a five-seat option, Slate also offers that. See below:
Slate debuts EV that can be 2-seat pickup or 5-seat SUV
Slate has officially arrived and, in my opinion, is a welcome breath of fresh air (because of no emissions, of course) to an American EV industry that is growing by the day, but has yet to reach critical mass in adoption.
Much of that struggle relates to pricing (not to mention lackluster local charging infrastructure). Most EVs are not affordable enough for the average consumer yet, and to get an electric pickup like Slate is now offering, for example, you have to opt for a model from Ford, GM, or Rivian that will cost at least $63,000 and will easily go up from there with added features like range.
Instead of coming out swinging against the big boys, Slate has dug itself a nice little niche in simplified affordable EVs that are modular and customizable. Slate’s first CEO, Chris Barman, elaborated:
The definition of what’s affordable is broken. Slate exists to put the power back in the hands of customers who have been ignored by the auto industry. It is a radical truck platform so customizable that it can transform from a 2-seat pickup to a 5-seat SUV.
Steel wheels, HVAC knobs, and crank windows – Slate is most certainly taking a clever approach to affordable US EVs for all. Designed to be “approachable and timeless,” the startup flagship model is truly a black slate canvas that puts the brush in the hands of its customers.
The company shared it will offer over 100 accessories, available a la carte or in a bundle, available from your initial order or years down the road. The dash also includes a universal phone mount with USB power, enabling you to use whatever smart device and OS you’d like. Have it custom wrapped by the Slate team or do it yourself, Slate is not only offering variety to customization, but also the process by which it is achieved.
Another example is Slate’s flat pack SUV Kit, which turns the EV pickup into a 5-seat SUV, complete with a roll cage, airbags, and rear seat. Again, you’ll have the choice to have Slate integrate it in Michigan or do it yourself, adding a bit of a DIY “gearhead” philosophy the EV segment has lacked since day one.
“But Scooter, what about specs?” Don’t worry my friends, we got you:
- Dimensions:
- Length: 174.6 inches
- Wheelbase: 108.9 inches
- Width: (w/o mirrors): 70.6 inches
- Height: 69.3 inches
- Pickup Interior Volume: 55.0 ft3
- SUV Interior Volume: 80.5 ft3
- Frunk Cargo Volume: 7 ft3
- Bed Cargo Volume: 37 ft3
- SUV Cargo Volume (behind seats): 34 ft3
- Weights:
- Curb Weight: 3602 lbs.
- Max Payload: 1433 lbs.
- Max towing: 1,000 lbs.
- Power and Battery:
- Powertrain: Single motor, RWD
- Battery: 52.7 kWh (standard) or 84.3 kWh (add-on)
- Power: 150 kW (201 hp)
- Torque: 264 Nm (195 lb-ft)
- Acceleration (0-60 mph): 8 seconds (est.)
- Top speed: 90 mph
- Charging and Range:
- Onboard charger: 11 kW
- Level 1 AC: 3.6kW / 20-100% in 11 hrs.
- Level 2 AC: 11kW / 20-100% in under 5 hrs.
Level 3 DC: 120kW / 20-80% in under 30 mins. - Charging Configuration: NACS
- Standard Range (52.7 kWh) (est.): 150 miles
- Large Pack Range ((84.3 kWh) (est.): 240 mi.
- Combined city/highway (est.): 96 MPGe
- Bed Dimensions (Pickup):
- Bed width (between wheel wells): 42.9 inches
- Bed Width Min./Max.: 50.0 inches /54.9 inches
- Bed Length: 60.0 inches
- Bed Length (Tailgate Down): 81.6 inches
According to Slate, its flagship EV will be sold directly to consumers and is available to reserve now with a $50 deposit. The trucks will be built in the US and start at an MSRP below $20,000 (after federal tax incentives). No timeline on when production may begin, but a representative for Slate told Electrek that initial customer deliveries are… slated to begin in Q4 2026. Not too shabby.
While we await more details regarding this new American brand, here’s a better look at Slate’s first EV from a video it provided below:
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