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As we approach the final day of 2024, we’re still seeing some solid savings across a variety of Green Deals, with today’s roundup led by Aventon’s New Years sale that has the Pace 500.3 Cruiser e-bikes continuing its Holiday bundle with a free extra battery for double mileage at $1,599. You’ll also find Anker’s newest SOLIX C200 DC 60,000mAh Power Bank Station down at $110, as well as Hoverfly’s GXL Max e-scooter hitting a new $330 low. Bringing up the rear are two one-day-only tool sales on Greenworks’ 80V 750 CFM Cordless Handheld Blower at its $170 low alongside Worx’s Nitro 40V 20-inch Cordless Snow Blower that is down at $350. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals from last week (including the final sales of the year) can be found in the links at the bottom of the page within our Electrified Weekly coverage.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Aventon is offering its final deals of 2024 with its Holiday savings through its New Year sale on its e-bike lineup. The notable standouts here are the ongoing bundles for the Pace 500.3 Cruiser e-bike and its step-through counterpart which are both down at $1,599 shipped on top of receiving extra batteries for double the mileage. Normally these models sit at a full $1,799 price tag, with discounts direct from Aventon dropping things to $1,399 before tariffs jacked up prices, while Best Buy saw costs taken as low as $1,099 at the start of the year, though there was no extra battery included then. While this sale lasts, you’ll score $200 off its going rate for the third-lowest price, but you’ll also be getting the $500 extra battery for free, making this a great opportunity for folks looking to really go the distance.

You won’t have to worry about not having enough commuting power here, as the Pace 500.3 e-bikes provide a standard 60-mile travel range (doubled to 120 miles thanks to the extra battery) and top speeds of up to 28 MPH. The 500W rear-hub motor and integrated 48V battery are ready to support you with four levels of PAS and a torque sensor for faster pick-up action. The upright cruiser frame sports integrated lights that deliver turn signal functionality, as well as other great features like the hydraulic disc brakes, puncture-resistant tires, an 8-speed Shimano derailleur, and an LCD smart “easy read” display with a concealed USB port so you can charge your smartphone while also syncing up with the Aventon app as you go.

For folks looking for less cost and similarly reliable commuting support (without any doubled mileage), I recommend also considering the Soltera.2 Commuter e-bike that is down at its lowest $999 shipped rate right now. It provides a 20 MPH top speed for up to 46 miles, with four levels of PAS and a torque sensor, but it’s the lightweight design that makes this model shine. At just 46 pounds, with a more compact design overall than the brand’s other models, this e-bike is perfect for urban commuters and folks living in smaller apartment spaces that might not have a garage for storage. There’s also the new and improved Soltera 2.5 model that is now available at $1,199 shipped.

You can browse the full lineup of Aventon’s New Year sale on the landing page here. 

Aventon New Years

Anker’s new SOLIX C200 DC 60,000mAh power bank station falls to $110

Amazon is outdoing Anker’s New Year sale pricing on the SOLIX C200 DC 60,000mAh Power Bank Station at $109.99 shipped, after clipping the on-page $60 off coupon. Normally this newer model would run you $170 at its full rate, which has seen a few discounts since releasing a few months ago, the biggest of which saw a drop to the $100 low with Cyber Monday savings. Today, you can score one at the second-lowest price we have tracked, which even beats the pricing from Anker’s current New Year sale by $10.

Anker’s SOLIX C200 DC power bank station is a smaller and more compact version of the brand’s new C300 DC and AC models, coming in with a slightly smaller 60,000mAh/192Wh LiFePO4 capacity. It delivers up to 300W of output power to your devices through its five port options (two USB-As, one 140W USB-C, one 15W USB-C, one car port). You can refill the units own battery via three ways, with its 140W USB-C port giving you an 80% charge in 1.3 hours through a wall outlet, or you can utilize up to 100W of solar input or the car port for 80% in 1.6 hours.

You’ll also find the larger 90,000mAh C300 DC and C300 AC models matching their direct Anker discounts at Amazon for $150 and $190 at the moment. Not only are you getting the expanded 90,000mAh LiFePO4 capacity here, but they also come sporting different variations of built-in lights for camping trips. You can get the full rundown on its other capabilities in our launch coverage here.

Be sure to also browse through the lineup of New Years deals direct from Anker’s SOLIX sale through January 5 to secure some of the lowest returning prices we saw during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Hoverfly GXL Max e-scooter

Commuting independence is affordable with Hoverfly’s 16-mile trekking GXL Max e-scooter at new $330 low

Amazon is offering the Hoverfly GXL MAX Electric Scooter for $330.41 shipped. It’s been slowly cascading down from its usual $500 price tag from Amazon (with a higher $530 MSRP elsewhere), with costs at its lowest just after Cyber Monday when it hit $360 for the first time. That rate is getting beaten out here today with this 34% markdown, saving you $170 at a new all-time low. This price also beats out Hoverfly’s direct website where it’s currently discounted to $450.

Finding a reliable commuting solution for your day-to-day life doesn’t have to be a financial hassle, and your wallet will certainly get some relief with Hoverfly’s GXL MAX e-scooter. This scooter provides speeds up to 15.5 MPH for as long as 16 miles of travel on one charge thanks to the combination of its 300W motor and 36V 7.8Ah battery. It also comes with added features like the anti-flat 10-inch honeycomb and shock-absorbing tires for more comfortable riding, while also weighing in at just 35 pounds, making it easily manageable to carry up and down stairs or into your place of work to charge before heading home later.

Greenworks 750 CFM handheld blower

Get 170 MPH of debris-clearing force with this Greenworks 80V cordless blower at $170 low (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the Greenworks 80V 750 CFM Cordless Handheld Blower for $169.99 shipped through the rest of the day. Normally this model would run you $250, which we’ve seen discounted a few times in 2024 to either $180 or $170. You can score it here today with $80 struck from the tag, saving you $80 at the lowest price we have tracked to date. The closest model you’ll find at Amazon is this 500 CFM model for $200, with Greenworks’ direct site offering it refurbished at $180 or brand new for nearly $400, meaning you’ll be getting it from Best Buy at much less cost while the savings last.

With this Greenworks leaf blower in your arsenal, you’ll get plenty of strong force hitting up to 170 MPH speeds to clear out leaves and debris from around your home. The included 2.5Ah battery provides a 60-minute runtime on a single charge, with it easily switching out with other batteries from the brand you may already have for extended duties. It’s been given a quieter design thanks to the brushless motor and also sports a variable speed trigger for on-demand power bumps as you need them, complete with a cruise control and turbo function – plus, the whole thing comes in much lighter than other models at just 8.82 pounds.

Wox 40V 20-inch cordless snow blower

Clear out your walkways with Worx’s Nitro 40V 20-inch cordless snow blower at $350 (Today only)

Coming at us through its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is giving you the chance to get ahold of the Worx Nitro 40V 20-inch Cordless Snow Blower with two 4.0Ah batteries for $349.99 shipped. We normally see this model and battery combo sitting at a $440 price tag most days, with discounts offering the biggest cash savings during Cyber Monday that saw things taken to the $300 low. Today, you can score it with a 20% markdown here, slashing $90 off its going rate and giving it to you at the third-lowest price we have tracked overall. It’s even matching in price at Amazon and beating out its price direct from Worx, where it’s currently discounted to $360.

With winter having arrived and blanketed plenty of the nation in powder, this Worx snow blower provides you with the means to clear a 20-inch wide path, tossing snow up to 20 feet out of the way with its 180-degree rotating chute. There is a one-touch snow deflector here for quicker adjustments to its throwing height and distance, as well as LED headlights for visibility at darker hours. Storage has been simplified thanks to the collapsible handle, saving you some space when it’s not in use. Along with the two 4.0Ah batteries, you’ll also get a 4A dual-port charger too.

Best ongoing holiday e-bike deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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Environment

The oil-rich Gulf states are better-positioned to weather the tariff storm — but crashing crude prices could spell trouble

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6 hours ago

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April 9, 2025

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The oil-rich Gulf states are better-positioned to weather the tariff storm — but crashing crude prices could spell trouble

U.S. President Donald Trump with Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince of Saudi Arabia, at the start of the Group of 20 summit on 28 June 2019.

Bernd von Jutrczenka | picture alliance | Getty Images

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The wealthy Arab Gulf states are in a better position than many other regions of the world to manage the economic impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, economists and regional investors say. But a shaky outlook for the price of oil could put some countries’ budgets and spending projects at risk.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar make up the Gulf Cooperation Council. Together, they comprise around $3.2 trillion in sovereign financial assets, accounting for 33% of the total sovereign assets worldwide, according to GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. 

The GCC also holds approximately 32.6% of the world’s proven crude oil reserves, according to the Statistical Center of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

That makes it both an asset for the Trump administration as well as vulnerable to its policies, as Trump has long pushed for OPEC, the oil producer alliance led by Saudi Arabia, to pump more oil to help lower oil prices and offset inflation in the U.S. 

A lower oil price, however, can significantly impact the budget deficits and spending plans for those countries, whose economies — despite diversification efforts — still rely heavily on hydrocarbon revenues.  

Beneficial relations with Trump  

Ben Powell, BlackRock’s chief investment strategist for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, who is based in Abu Dhabi, said the region’s warm relations with Trump strengthens its hand when it comes to potential tariff negotiations. Some GCC countries have also expanded their role in global diplomacy. One example is Riyadh’s hosting of peace talks to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which has made it ever more important to Washington.  

“I do think the Middle East, with the deep relationship with the U.S. that they have, should come out okay,” Powell told CNBC’s “Access Middle East” on Monday. 

How to invest as markets sink, according to Blackrock's Ben Powell

“I think we’re all going to be swept into the maelstrom over the next short period of time. That’s inevitable. But the Middle East, with the balance sheet strength that they have, with the energy support that they still have, providing funding on a near ongoing basis … for me, the Middle East — maybe not today, but over time — should be a relative winner within that mix” when it comes to emerging markets, Powell said.

In considering what the firsthand impact of tariffs might be, Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, noted that the U.S. is not a major export market for the Gulf.

“The GCC should be in a relatively favourable position to withstand headwinds, especially the UAE,” she wrote in a report for the bank on Friday. 

While the region faces the blanket 10% universal tariff as well as previously imposed tariffs on all foreign steel and aluminum — products that the UAE and Bahrain both export — “we expect the direct impact to be relatively contained, as the US is not a key destination for Gulf exports, averaging just c.3.7% of the GCC’s total exports in 2024,” she said.

Threat to spending plans

But the oil price outlook is critical for Gulf states’ budgets and future spending plans — particularly for Saudi Arabia, which has embarked on trillions of dollars worth of ambitious mega-projects as part of Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping initiative to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil. The success of the plan, perhaps ironically, relies heavily on oil revenues. 

Global benchmark Brent crude was trading at $61.44 per barrel on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. in London, down nearly 17% year-to-date. Additional pressure was put on the price after OPEC+, the oil producer alliance led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, made a surprise decision to accelerate planned crude production hikes, further bolstering global supply. 

Crude and copper have a lot of room to move lower, says Citi's Max Layton

Saudi Arabia needs oil at more than $90 a barrel to balance its budget, the International Monetary Fund estimates. Goldman Sachs this week lowered its oil price forecast for 2026 to $58 for Brent and $55 for U.S. benchmark WTI crude. That’s a significant move lower from its forecast just last Friday of $62 for Brent and $59 for WTI in 2026.

“A weaker global demand and greater supply adds downside risk to our Brent forecast for 2025, though we wait for more market clarity before making any changes,” ADCB’s Malik told CNBC on Monday. OPEC+ is meant to increase oil production levels again in May, and she predicts the group will pause that plan if crude prices stay where they are or fall further. 

“Our greatest concern would be a sharp and sustained oil price fall, which would require a reassessment of spending plans – government and off budget – including capex, while also potentially affecting banking sector liquidity and wider confidence,” Malik warned.

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World’s first-ever global emissions tax is on the table at crunch shipping talks

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April 9, 2025

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World's first-ever global emissions tax is on the table at crunch shipping talks

Aerial view of containers for export sitting stacked at Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal on April 5, 2025 in Qingdao, Shandong Province of China. 

Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images

The United Nations shipping agency is on the cusp of introducing binding regulations to phase out fossil fuel use in global shipping — with the world’s first-ever global emissions levy on the table.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will this week hold talks at its London headquarters to hammer out measures to reduce the climate impact of international shipping, which accounts for around 3% of global carbon emissions.

Some of the measures on the table include a global marine fuel standard and an economic element, such as a long-debated carbon levy or a carbon credit scheme.

If implemented, a robust pricing mechanism in the shipping sector would likely be considered one of the climate deals of the decade.

An ambitious carbon tax is far from a foregone conclusion, however, with observers citing concerns over sweeping U.S. tariffs, a brewing global trade war and reluctance from members firmly opposed to any kind of levy structure.

Sara Edmonson, head of global advocacy at Australian mining giant Fortescue, described the talks as “absolutely historic,” particularly given the potential for a landmark carbon levy.

“I think it would be an absolute game-changer. No other industry on a global level has made a commitment of this size and I would argue most countries haven’t made a commitment of this size,” Edmondson told CNBC via telephone.

She added, however, that “the jury is still very much out” when it comes to a global carbon price.

It’s not really a question of whether they get agreement, it’s just how ambitious it is, how effective it is and how many unhappy people there are.

John Maggs

President of the Clean Shipping Coalition

“There are also a lot of discussions around levy-like structures because obviously the word levy in very polarized countries like the U.S., like Australia and even in China, can be very challenging. But I think there are really good discussions around levy-like structures that would ultimately have an equivalent effect,” Edmondson said.

The IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) is scheduled to conclude talks on Friday.

‘A great opportunity’

Some of the biggest proponents of a global greenhouse gas emissions charge on the shipping industry include Pacific Island states, such as Fiji, the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu, and Caribbean Island states, including Barbados, Jamaica and Grenada.

Those opposed to a carbon levy, such as Brazil, China and Saudi Arabia, have raised concerns over economic competitiveness and increased inequalities.

“For countries like Vanuatu … we see the UNFCCC isn’t moving fast enough — and this is the great opportunity,” Vanuatu Minister Ralph Regenvanu said Monday.

Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Arsenio Dominguez delivers a speech at the IMO Headquarters, in London, on January 14, 2025.

Benjamin Cremel | Afp | Getty Images

The UNFCCC refers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a multilateral treaty that has provided the basis for international climate negotiations.

If adopted, it would be “the first industry-wide measure adopted by a multilateral UN organisation with much more teeth than we could get in the UNFCCC process,” Regenvanu said.

Delegates at the IMO agreed in 2023 to target net-zero sector emissions “by or around” 2050 and set a provision to finalize a basket of mid-term carbon reduction measures in 2025.

Calls for a ‘decisive’ economic measure

“We’re going to get something,” John Maggs, president of the Clean Shipping Coalition, a group of NGOs with observer status at the IMO, told CNBC via telephone.

“The timetable is quite clear and they are working really, really hard to stick to it. So, I think it’s not really a question of whether they get agreement, it’s just how ambitious it is, how effective it is and how many unhappy people there are,” Maggs said.

Clean Shipping Coalition’s Maggs warned that a sizable gap still exists between progressive and more conservative forces at the IMO.

“My feeling from the progressive side is that people are optimistic and confident because the case they are making is a sound one and they’ve got the technical expertise to back them up,” Maggs said.

“But, at the end of the day, China and Brazil and others aren’t just going to go, ‘OK you can have your way.’ There is going to be payment exacted in some way or other,” he added.

PORTSMOUTH, UNITED KINGDOM – OCTOBER 28: The container ship Vung Tau Express sails loaded with shipping containers close to the English coast on October 28, 2024 in Portsmouth, England.  

Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images

The international shipping sector, which is responsible for the carriage of around 90% of global trade, is regarded as one of the hardest industries to decarbonize given the vast amounts of fossil fuels the ships burn each year.

Angie Farrag-Thibault, vice president of global transport at the Environmental Defense Fund, an environmental group, said a successful outcome at the IMO would be an ambitious global fuel standard and a “decisive” economic measure to ensure shipping pollution is significantly reduced.

“These measures, which should include a fair disbursement mechanism that uses existing climate finance structures, will encourage ship owners to cut fossil fuel use and adopt zero and near-zero fuels and technologies, while supporting climate-vulnerable regions at the speed and scale that is needed,” Farragh-Thibault said.

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The US wind industry’s 5-year outlook is now a total roller-coaster

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15 hours ago

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April 9, 2025

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The US wind industry's 5-year outlook is now a total roller-coaster

US wind 5-year outlook
Photo by Amol Mande on Pexels.com

The US wind industry installed just 5.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 – the lowest level in a decade, according to Wood Mackenzie’s new US Wind Energy Monitor report. Installations are expected to rebound in 2025, but the real concern lies in US wind’s sharply downgraded 5-year outlook. As for the reason behind that bleak forecast, we’ll give you one guess as to why, and it starts with a T.

Wood Mac reports that 3.9 GW of onshore wind came online last year, along with 1.3 GW of onshore repowers and 101 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind.

Onshore wind

The US is expected to achieve more than 160 GW of installed onshore capacity by 2025, and onshore growth is projected to bounce back from 2024 and surpass 6.3 GW this year.

“The cliff in 2023 and 2024 created by the Production Tax Credit (PTC) push in 2022 will come to an end,” said Stephen Maldonado, research analyst at Wood Mackenzie. “Despite the uncertainty created by the new administration, the massive number of orders placed in 2023 culminating in projects now under construction support the short-term forecast.”

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The pipeline for onshore has 10.8 GW currently under construction through 2027, with another 3.9 GW announced.

GE Vernova led onshore wind installations in 2024 with 56% of the market and will continue to lead in connections for the next five years. It was followed by Vestas (40%) and Siemens Gamesa (4%).

Offshore wind

Offshore wind is projected to increase in 2025 as well, with 900 MW of installed capacity, up from a disappointing 101 MW in 2024. However, several projects have been shelved in the wake of Trump’s anti-wind executive orders, which downgraded the five-year outlook by 1.8 GW.

Electrek’s Take on US wind’s 5-year outlook

According to Wood Mac, 33 GW of new onshore wind capacity will be installed through 2029, along with 6.6 GW of new offshore capacity and 5.5 GW of repowers. However, due to Trump’s anti-wind policy and economic uncertainty, this five-year outlook is 40% less than a previous total of 75.8 GW. ​Growth will happen, but it’s going to be slower.

The main reason is Trump’s flourish of his Sharpie on executive orders that include “temporary” withdrawal of offshore wind leasing areas and putting a stop to onshore wind on federal lands. Plus, firing all those federal employees will likely make permitting wind farms a slower process. (Trump just wrote more executive orders today allowing coal projects on federal lands; he won’t have federal employees to issue permits for those, either.) He’s worked to throw up obstacles for wind projects in favor of fossil fuels. He won’t stop the wind industry, but he’s managed to get some projects canceled, and he’ll make things more of a slog over the next few years.

Read more: Coal is dead and Trump’s executive order won’t revive it

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