US & Denmark Unveil Big Plans For Wind Power
Here’s the thing about renewables like wind and solar that many people don’t get. The “fuel” that makes them work is free. That is not to say the devices we construct to harvest energy from wind and solar don’t cost anything and don’t contribute some greenhouse gas emissions. But let’s not pretend that somehow all the concrete, steel, and piping that go into making a thermal generating plant are inexpensive and carbon free.
And yes, getting the power generated by renewables from where it is made to where it is used requires building new transmission lines. But they don’t leak oil and gas into our rivers and oceans the way pipelines do. Isn’t it odd how fossil fuel apologists question the need for new transmission infrastructure when it involves electricity from renewables but never do when it comes to electricity from thermal sources? One is a scourge while the other is a blessing? Does that make any sense?
The central point is, once the fuel for thermal generating plants gets consumed, we have to go out and find more of it. Prices for coal, oil, and gas aren’t stable. They fluctuate constantly — sometimes wildly — which makes it hard to make long term business decisions. The world is about to get a hard lesson in the true cost of relying on fossil fuels this winter. With unnatural gas in short supply, prices are expected to skyrocket. The cost of electricity in some places could double or triple as a result.
Yet the cost of sunlight never goes up. It is free and always will be. All we have to do is gather it up and distribute it efficiently and humans will have all the electrical energy they could possibly need forever.
Wind Is Solar
Wind is just solar energy in a different format. Think about it. Wind is air moving from one place to another. And what causes the air to move? Temperature differences. And what causes temperature differences? The sun. Whether we are talking about a breeze that fills the sails of a boat or the jet streams that encircle the globe, the sun is the ultimate source of all air movements on Earth.
Denmark Opts For Wind Islands
Denmark has been experimenting with offshore wind power since 1991. It’s no wonder two of the world’s largest wind turbine companies — Vestas and Ørsted — are both Danish. For years, it has thought about constructing artificial islands in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to serve as bases for offshore wind farms. Now the government has officially sanctioned the idea. The Danish government will own 50.1% of the islands with private partners owning the rest.
The island in the North Sea will have a capacity of 3 GW, which is equal to the electricity consumption of three million households and twice the amount of energy provided by all offshore wind turbines in Denmark today. It also corresponds to approximately half of Denmark’s total electricity consumption. The capacity will be expanded in phases to a maximum of 10 GW, which could cover the electricity consumption of 10 million households and contribute to the further electrification of Denmark and its neighboring countries.
In the Baltic Sea, the artificial island will be located offshore near the island of Bornholm. Electricity from the offshore installation will be distributed from Bornholm to electricity grids on Zealand and neighboring countries. The turbines off the coast of Bornholm will have a capacity of 2 GW, corresponding to the electricity consumption of two million households.
The decision to establish the two energy islands was reached under the climate agreement of 22 June 2020, which was entered into by the Danish Government, the Liberal Party, Danish People’s Party, Social Liberal Party, Socialist People’s Party, the Red-Green Alliance, Conservative Party, Liberal Alliance and the Alternative.
The US Offshore Wind Initiative
Offshore wind is popular because the equipment can be placed well out to sea where it is invisible to people on land. We don’t object to a welter of poles, wires, and transformers cluttering up our built environment but heaven forfend we have to deal with the sight of a spinning turbine. Eeeek! Also, wind speeds tend to be more stable and predictable out over the ocean than they are on land, which makes offshore wind more reliable.
This past week, the US government announced plans for seven major offshore wind farms along both coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico. They are part of a plan by the Biden administration to create 30 GW of offshore wind energy by 2030 — enough for 10 million homes. Sharp eyed readers will note Danish authorities expect that much electricity to power 30 million homes, which tells you something about how much electricity the average home in the US uses compared to homes in the rest of the world.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said her department hopes to hold lease sales by 2025 for areas off the coasts of Maine, New York and the mid-Atlantic, as well as the Carolinas, California, Oregon and the Gulf of Mexico. The projects could avoid about 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions while creating up to 77,000 jobs, according to The Guardian.
In addition to offshore wind, the interior department is working with other federal agencies to increase renewable energy production on public lands, Haaland said, with a goal of at least 25 gigawatts of onshore renewable energy from wind and solar power by 2025.
The government’s wind initiatives will face a host of technical and political challenges. Who will ever forget a certain ex-president telling a group of fawning admirers that wind turbines “kill all the birds”? Yet the same people don’t bat an eye when offshore oil rigs (many of which are visible from land) spill millions of gallons of crude oil into the ocean, when pipelines threaten the water supply of millions of people, or fracking turns domestic drinking water toxic. Can you say “hypocrites,” boys and girls? Yeah, we knew you could.
The government is taking steps to address those concerns, however. The DOE announced last week it allocate $11.5 million to study the risks offshore wind development may pose to birds, bats, and marine mammals. It will also monitor changes in commercial fish and marine invertebrate populations at an offshore wind site on the east coast and spend $2 million on visual surveys and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds at potential wind sites on the west coast.
“In order for Americans living in coastal areas to see the benefits of offshore wind, we must ensure that it’s done with care for the surrounding ecosystem by coexisting with fisheries and marine life – and that’s exactly what this investment will do,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced.
The Takeaway
The bottom line is what is known in the industry as the levelized cost of electricity — the triple net, absolute measure of what it costs to generate kilowatt of electricity. Water seeks its own level, nature abhors a vacuum, and business craves the lowest cost option. Today, the LCOE of wind and solar energy is lower than thermal generation and getting cheaper all the time. And why not? The cost of fuel for renewables is zero. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that!
Fossil fuel adherents will fuss and fume about national security, energy independence, and the wonders of military might, but the truth is renewables not only slash carbon emissions, they can enhance national security, provide energy independence, and eliminate much of the need for standing armies to any country and all for free. What could we possibly be waiting for?
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Lucid Motors (LCID) is calling out the competition after the 2026 Air remains the most efficient EV in the US according to new EPA rankings.
2026 Lucid Air remains most efficient EV in EPA rankings
It has been 9 years since Lucid introduced the +400-mile-range Air, its first luxury electric sedan. Since then, the California-based EV maker has come a long way, introducing its first electric SUV, the Gravity, and plans to launch a series of more affordable midsize vehicles, starting later next year.
Lucid’s former CEO, Peter Rawlinson, who was a top engineer at Tesla before joining the luxury EV startup in 2013, promised the company’s innovations would be “the key to unlocking greater efficiency,” and ultimately, more affordable vehicles.
Rawlinson was not kidding. The 2024 Lucid Air Pure was deemed the “world’s most efficient car” with a record 5 miles of range per kWh and a 146 MPGe rating, the highest rating ever given to an EV by the EPA.
Even with a slate of new EVs hitting the market, many claiming next-level efficiency, the Lucid Air is still ahead of the pack.
According to new EPA rankings, the 2026 Lucid Air Pure RWD (with 19″ wheels) remains the most efficient EV in the US with a 146 MPGe rating.
The Air beat out the 2026 Tesla Model Y Standard RWD (138 MPGe), 2026 Tesla Model 3 Premium RWD (137 MPGe), 2026 Toyota bZ (131 MPGe), and the 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Plus EV (126 MPGe).
Other automakers often tout EV range using lenient WLTP or CLTC test cycles, masking efficiency gaps and inflating expectations. Now that official U.S. EPA numbers are out, the story changes. Lucid Air delivers S-Class size with unmatched efficiency, going farther on less energy… pic.twitter.com/yqYHMgF4tm
— Nick Twork (@ntwork) November 25, 2025
Lucid’s communications boss, Nick Twork, shared the news on social media, saying the Air “delivers “S-Class size with unmatched efficiency.”
While many automakers tout EV range using more lenient WLTP or CLTC test cycles, Twork said Lucid’s advantage “comes from a holistic engineering approach” that was designed years ago and “still ahead of any passenger car sold today.”
Electrek’s Take
By developing electric vehicle components from the ground up, including the powertrain, battery systems, and software, Lucid has an advantage over many legacy automakers that rely on third parties to outsource.
For one, Lucid’s innovations are already driving down costs. The first Lucid Air Dream Edition, launched in 2021, started at $169,000. Today, you can snag the Lucid Air for as low as $70,900.
Lucid is now ramping production of its first electric SUV, the Gravity. Last month, it launched the lower-priced Gravity Touring trim, starting at $79,900.
Starting later next year, Lucid will begin production of its midsize platform, which will spawn at least three “top hats” priced around $50,000. The first will be a midsize crossover SUV, followed by a more rugged SUV that will share design clues from the Gravity X concept. Although it’s yet to be confirmed, the third is expected to be a midsize sedan that could go head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3.
Rawlinson previously said Lucid’s midsize vehicles are aimed “right in the heart of Tesla Model 3, Model Y territory.”
After reporting Q3 earnings last month, Lucid said it had enough liquidity to fund it through the first half of 2027 and confirmed it’s on track to begin production of the midsize platform in late 2026.
Ready to test Lucid’s luxury EVs for yourself? Lucid is running a Cyber Monday Special, offering $2,000 toward an Air or $3,000 toward a Gravity. Check out the links below to find Lucid Air and Gravity models in your area.
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Hyundai Motor and Kia are racing past US rivals, scoring their largest market-share jump since the pandemic. The Korean auto giants’ market share reached a record 10.9% in October.
Hyundai and Kia capture record US market share
Hyundai and Kia’s big bet on the US is paying off. Despite the new tariffs on imported vehicles and loss of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, the Korean automaker is outpacing the competition.
Thanks to strong demand for electrified vehicles, especially SUVs, Hyundai and Kia captured a record 10.9% share of the US market in October.
Hyundai Motor, including Genesis and Kia, saw its combined US market share rise 3.4% from 7.5% in 2019. According to The Korean Economic Daily, this was the largest gain among major OEMs, including the “Big 3” GM, Ford, and Stellantis.
The growth is primarily due to its expanding lineup of hybrid SUVs, including the Tucson, Sorento, Telluride, Santa Fe, and Palisade.
Since 2020, Hyundai and Kia’s US hybrid market share has surged from just 5% to 14% this year. Through October, the Korean automaker sold 257,340 hybrids, already topping the roughly 222,500 it handed over in 2024.
Although hybrid sales surged, Hyundai and Kia’s EV sales dropped in October following the loss of the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Hyundai sold just 1,642 IONIQ 5s last month, a 63% decrease from October 2024 and significantly fewer than the over 8,400 sold in September.
Kia didn’t fare much better with just 666 EV9s and 508 EV6s sold in October, a stark contrast from the 1,941 and 1,732 sold in October 2024.
The policy changes caused Kia to delay the launch of several new EVs, including the EV4, its first electric sedan, and the high-performance EV9.
Hyundai Motors North America CEO, Randy Parker, said the policy changes have “temporarily disrupted the market,” but the company is confident it will reset over the next few months.
After the US and South Korea agreed to lower tariffs from 25% to 15% last month, Hyundai and Kia are now on par with Japanese automakers, including Toyota. Japan reached a similar deal with the US in September.
With local production picking up at Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant America and Kia’s West Point plant in Georgia, the Korean automakers expect to carry the momentum into 2026.
Hyundai and Kia have been pushing some of the strongest promotions to make up for the loss of the federal tax credit. Kia introduced a $10,000 customer cash discount across its entire EV lineup last month. Meanwhile, Hyundai is still offering IONIQ 5 leases as low as $189 per month, which is about as low a payment you’ll find for an all-electric vehicle.
Interested in testing one for yourself? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis vehicles near you.
Electric Vehicles:
Hybrid vehicles:
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If you ask the average American which country is doing the most to improve e-bike battery safety, most people probably wouldn’t guess China. But that’s exactly where the world’s strongest, most comprehensive lithium-ion safety rules are coming from – and the latest round just went into effect today.
Beginning December 1, China has officially banned the sale of all e-bikes built to the older national standard, replacing them with a new, far stricter rule set known as GB 17761-2024. Under the announcement from the State Administration for Market Regulation, any e-bike sold in China from today forward must carry a valid CCC certification under this brand-new standard. Older certificates are now invalid, and retailers caught selling non-compliant bikes face enforcement from local regulators.
The new rules go far beyond what most countries require. They tighten fire-resistance requirements, restrict the amount of plastic allowed on an e-bike, cap total vehicle weight, and mandate improved electrical safety. The regulations also work hand-in-hand with a second standard, the already-implemented GB 43854-2024, which sets some of the toughest lithium-ion battery testing requirements in the world, including mandatory over-charge protection, thermal abuse tests, puncture tests, and a ban on repurposed or second-hand cells, a major cause of past fires.
Balancing safety and convenience for existing owners, Chinese regulators also built in consumer protections. Bikes that were already purchased and registered under the old rules won’t be forced off the road. And companies are required to support repairs and spare parts for at least the next five years. But unregistered “old-standard” bikes must have been formally plated already, or they’ll no longer be legal to operate.
For a country often stereotyped as producing unsafe batteries, the reality is almost the opposite. China is now setting the global pace on e-bike safety – aggressively tightening standards, sharply reducing fire risks, and pushing manufacturers to meet levels of testing that most of Europe and the US still haven’t matched.
via: ITHOME
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