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National Grid Renewables has broken ground on what will be the largest solar farm in Kentucky once it comes online in 2024.

Kentucky’s largest solar farm is coming

The 160 megawatt (MW) solar farm is called Unbridled, and it’s in Henderson and Webster counties, in western Kentucky. National Grid is partnering with North Dakota-based Wanzek Construction to build the solar farm. It will be capable of generating enough clean energy annually to power around 120,000 households.

Unbridled has a power purchase agreement with electric utility Big Rivers Electric Corporation that was agreed in 2020.

The solar farm is expected to provide around $42 million in direct economic impact over the first 20 years of operations. This includes the creation of at least 200 jobs, the production of more than $11 million in new tax revenue, and more than $24 million to local farmers and landowners. 

Blake Nixon, president of National Grid Renewables, said, “Unbridled is our first project within the state and exemplifies our commitment to the clean energy transition and the benefits it provides to rural economies in the form of new tax revenue and jobs throughout America.”

As of the third quarter of 2023, the percentage of Kentucky’s electricity from solar was a measly 0.41% – that’s only enough solar to power 18,311 homes. The state is ranked 43rd in the US for solar energy, so Unbridled will significantly boost its renewable capacity next year.

Even more renewable growth is coming for the Bluegrass State. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) projects Kentucky’s solar gain to be 3,370 MW over the next five years, which would rocket the state to 16th in the country for installed solar.

Electrek’s Take

This 160 MW solar farm is a milestone for Kentucky, the fifth-largest coal-producing state in the US. About 1 out of 5 US operating coal mines are there – more than any other state except West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

And as of 2022, according to the US Energy Information Administration, around 68% of Kentucky’s utility-scale electricity net generation was coal-fired.

Coal is at a point of no return, and renewables will provide clean electricity and substantial economic benefits. It’s encouraging that Kentucky is starting to embrace renewables.

Read more: US smashes solar records in 2023 – but 2024 will bring road bumps

Photo: National Grid Renewables


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Cleveland-Cliffs shares jump 17% as steelmaker looks into rare earths mining

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Cleveland-Cliffs shares jump 17% as steelmaker looks into rare earths mining

Signage outside the Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Cleveland Works steel mill in Cleveland, Ohio, US, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022.

Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Cleveland-Cliffs is looking into building a rare earths mining business, CEO Lourenco Goncalves told investors Monday.

The steelmaker has two sites in Michigan and Minnesota where geological surveys have found indications of rare earths, Goncalves said in a statement on Cleveland-Cliffs’ third-quarter earnings.

Shares of Cleveland-Cliffs were trading about 17% higher.

“If successful, it would align Cleveland-Cliffs with the broader national strategy for critical material independence, similar to what we achieved in steel,” the CEO said “American manufacturing shouldn’t rely on China or any foreign nation for essential minerals, and Cliffs intends to be part of the solution.”

Rare earths are used to manufacture magnets that are key inputs in U.S. weapons platforms, electric vehicles, semiconductor fabrication, robotics and other applications.

China dominates the global rare earth supply chain and the U.S. is dependent on Beijing for imports. Beijing imposed strict export controls on rare earths earlier this month, provoking President Donald Trump to threaten 100% tariffs in retaliation.

The U.S. has only one commercial rare earth mine. The Defense Department struck a deal in July with the mine’s owner, MP Materials, that included an equity stake, a price floor and an offtake agreement.

Investors have been speculating that the Trump administration will strike similar deals with other U.S. companies that are trying to stand up domestic rare earths mines and processing facilities.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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Lucid (LCID) enlists big-name stars to hype its new luxury electric SUV

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Lucid (LCID) enlists big-name stars to hype its new luxury electric SUV

Lucid Motors (LCID) is recruiting more high-profile stars to spotlight its new luxury electric SUV, the Gravity.

The luxury EV maker is teaming up with some of the NBA’s biggest stars, Jalen Brunsen and Josh Hart, in its latest collaboration.

Lucid enlisted Jalen and Josh, teammates on the New York Knicks, for a new market campaign designed to celebrate “those who refuse to settle for the status quo.”

Keep a lookout this Wednesday, October 22, during the New York Knicks home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers to see Jalen and Josh hype the Lucid Gravity electric SUV.

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Lucid, Hart, and Brunson plan to showcase “how precise performance, cultural influence, and athletic excellence come together — on the court, on the road, and in the moments that move individuals.” The partnership is the latest as Lucid builds a roster of high-profile celebrities and athletes to promote the brand.

Lucid-stars-electric-SUV
NBA superstars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart alongside the Lucid Gravity (Source: Lucid Motors)

“To be one of the best, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes,” Brunson said, adding “It’s a commitment to improving every day, and never accepting that you can’t reach that next level. I see that same passion for excellence in Lucid.”

Lucid said the collaboration “underscores the brand’s mission to compromise nothing” as it builds a roster of high-profile celebs and athletes to promote the new Gravity electric SUV.

In August, Lucid teamed up with Timothée Chalamet, its first global brand ambassador, for an ad campaign called “Driven.”

Lucid also attended NFL star Travis Kelce’s, Kelce Car Jam last month. For every test drive, Lucid donated $87 to Kelce’s Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation. Kelce founded Eighty-Seven & Running in 2015 to mentor disadvantaged youth, help develop their skills, and motivate them to get out and do their best.

As it ramps up output, the EV maker has been actively promoting the Gravity. Last week, Lucid trolled Tesla on social media in a video asking Elon Musk’s Grok, “What’s the best luxury EV?”

Grok’s answer: The 2025 Lucid Air. Do you agree? ChatGPT and CoPilot said the same.

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Elon Musk threatens to leave Tesla (TSLA) if he doesn’t get his ridiculous pay

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Elon Musk threatens to leave Tesla (TSLA) if he doesn't get his ridiculous pay

Elon Musk has openly threatened to leave Tesla, or at least his role as CEO, if he doesn’t get his ridiculous compensation.

He is now saying the quiet part out loud.

Tesla shareholders are about to vote on a new, controversial compensation package for Elon Musk.

While many are focused on the ridiculous size of the stock options, which could be worth up to $1 trillion, many analysts have highlighted other problems with the package.

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A Reuters report last week noted that, with business as usual and a market capitalization growth below the S&P average, Musk could still receive one or even two tranches of his compensation package, worth between $20 billion and $40 billion.

In short, under the rules of the package, Musk could receive the biggest payday in history for returning below average returns.

That’s on top of the CEO already having received more compensation from Tesla than the company has earned in profits since its existence.

One commentator on X pointed out the concern about the first tranche of the compensation plan. Instead of addressing the genuine concern, Musk responded by boasting about Tesla’s market capitalization and suggesting that he won’t be Tesla’s CEO if he doesn’t get the pay:

Tesla is worth more than all other automotive companies combined. Which of those CEOs would you like to run Tesla? It won’t be me.

The CEO then shared posts encouraging Tesla shareholders to vote for the shareholders meeting, which is happening on November 6th.

Electrek’s Take

There are many issues with this comment. First off, it completely ignores a real problem with the comp package. Even if you believe that Musk would deserve $1 trillion in compensation for bringing Tesla’s valuation to $20 trillion, the package shouldn’t allow for Musk to make tens of billions from below average return.

It looks like the package is being used as a trojan horse to dazzle shareholders with the promise of unlikely crazy returns when the more likely outcome is to give Musk what would still be a record compensation for Tesla delivering a below average return on investment.

The fact that Musk doesn’t want to address this clear issue is a red flag.

Furthermore, Musk is using a dirty card: you play by my rules or I’m gone.

This is what I previously called the ‘Tesla Dilemma’: Elon Musk is destroying Tesla’s profitable car business, but at the current valuation, his lies about self-driving and robots is what is keeping the stock alive.

Therefore, Tesla shareholders are disincentivized to vote against Musk if he threatens to leave because he would leave with his stock pumping lies – leading in the stock crashing.

He has a complete hold on Tesla and he is going to force shareholders to give him another ridiculous stock compensation package.

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