Environment

Nearly half of the coal industry is still on an expansion course in ‘reckless’ mining rush

Published

3 years ago

October 6, 2022

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The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas is the chief driver of the climate crisis.

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Nearly half of the coal industry intends to develop new projects to exploit the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel, according to German campaign group Urgewald, with many companies refusing to retire assets even as extreme weather events become worse and more frequent across the globe.

An annual update from Urgewald and 40 partner NGOs published Thursday found that 490 of the 1,064 companies on its Global Coal Exit List were pursuing new coal power plants, coal mines or new coal transport infrastructure.

It means 46% of the companies surveyed are committed to expanding despite last year’s U.N. climate summit in Glasgow ending with a global agreement to “accelerate efforts towards the phasedown of unabated coal.”

The research, which represents the world’s most comprehensive public database on the coal industry, said less than 3% of those surveyed had announced timely coal exit dates.

“Pursuing new coal projects in the midst of a climate emergency is reckless, irresponsible behavior,” said Heffa Schuecking, director of Urgewald. “Investors, banks, and insurers should ban these coal developers from their portfolios immediately.”

Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel in terms of emissions and therefore the most critical target for replacement in the transition to renewable energy sources.

To be sure, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas is the chief driver of the climate crisis.

In just the last few months, historic floods submerged one-third of Pakistan, Europe experienced its hottest summer in 500 years and China recorded the most severe heatwave in climatic history.

At the same time, some European governments have reluctantly turned to coal to help prevent a winter supply shortage amid a dramatic fall in Russian gas flows. Moscow has throttled gas supplies amid a bitter energy stand-off provoked by the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.

Clear and near coal exit dates

Speaking ahead of the COP27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh next month, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, “we are in a life-or-death struggle for our own safety today and our survival tomorrow.”

“This is no time for pointing fingers — or twiddling thumbs. It is time for a quantum level compromise between developed and emerging economies,” he added.

The NGOs report said there are currently more than 6,500 coal plant units globally with a combined capacity of 2,067 gigawatts. It says that whether humanity is able to keep global heating from surpassing the critical temperature threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius depends “first and foremost on how quickly we phase out this enormous coal plant fleet.”

The 1.5 degrees Celsius goal is the aspirational global temperature limit set in the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. It is recognized as a crucial global target because beyond this level, so-called tipping points become more likely.

The vast majority of companies on the GCEL still have no intention of retiring the coal assets, which are propelling us towards a breakdown of our climate systems.

Heffa Schuecking

Director of Urgewald

Under the IEA’s roadmap to net zero by 2050, published in May last year, the world’s richest countries must retire their coal power plants by the end of the decade — at the latest — and by 2040 for the rest of the world.

In stark contrast to high-income countries like Italy, France and the U.K., however, the U.S. has not yet set a national phase-out date for its coal power plants.

“While the warnings issued by IPCC and UNEP become more and more dire from one UN Climate Summit to the next, our data regarding companies’ transition plans remains depressingly consistent,” Schuecking said.

“The vast majority of companies on the GCEL still have no intention of retiring the coal assets, which are propelling us towards a breakdown of our climate systems. A real transition requires clear and near coal exit dates.”

Today, there are more than 6,500 coal plant units globally with a combined capacity of 2,067 gigawatts.

Saeed Khan | Afp | Getty Images

Urgewald’s Schuecking told CNBC that since the 2015 Paris accord was signed, the global coal plant fleet had seen a net increase of roughly 157 gigawatts. That’s the equivalent of Germany, Russia, Japan and Poland’s coal fleet added up together.

The research found that 467 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity were still in the pipeline worldwide. And, if realized, these projects would increase the world’s current coal power capacity by 23%.

“Stopping investing in or financing coal developers, that should be a no-brainer. I just don’t see how anyone can be serious about the Paris goals or be an institution that takes climate seriously if you’re still involved with coal developers,” Schuecking said.

China’s coal habit

China was found to be responsible for 61% of all planned coal power capacity additions and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the top four coal plant developers were found to be Chinese companies: China Huaneng Group, China Energy Investment Corporation, China Datang Corporation and China Huadian Corporation.

The report found that with 570 million metric tons, China Energy Investment Corporation was the world’s top thermal coal producer last year. This was closely followed by Coal India, which produced 557 million tons of thermal coal in 2021.

Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Asian People’s Movement on Debt and Development, a regional alliance of community organizations and NGOs, said the world welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s announcement last year that Beijing would stop building new coal power plants abroad.

“But China needs to adopt similar measures for its domestic energy system if it wants to become an actor for a 1.5°C world,” Nacpil said.

Environment

Tesla launches cheaper Model Y RWD in the US

Published

5 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Tesla launches cheaper Model Y RWD in the US

Tesla has opened orders for the Model Y Long Range RWD for $45,000 in the US. It’s the new entry-level Model Y following the design refresh earlier this year.

Since launching the updated Model Y earlier this year, Tesla has only offered the best-selling electric SUV in a single Long-Range AWD configuration.

First, it was as a fully-loaded $60,000 Launch Edition, and last month, it started deliveries of the regular Model Y AWD starting at $49,000.

As we recently noted, Tesla didn’t have much of an order backlog for the new Model Y in the US, and it has already started gathering new Model Y AWD in inventory just weeks after launching the vehicle.

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Tesla even started offering subsidized financing rates on the new SUV this weekend.

Now, the automaker is starting to take orders for the new Model Y Long Range RWD

The new trim starts at $44,990 and enables 357 miles of range – an extra 30 miles over the AWD version.

However, due to its single motor powertrain, the lower-priced version is slightly slower with a 0-60 mph acceleration in 5.4 seconds rather than 4.6 seconds.

The automaker says that deliveries of the new version will start in the US in the next 3 to 5 weeks. It launched the new Model Y RWD in Europe weeks ago.

Tesla also offers a Standard Range RWD in Europe and China for even cheaper, and deliveries have already started in China.

Electrek’s Take

Tesla appears to have waited to open orders for the Model Y RWD in the US to optimize demand for the Long Range AWD.

But now it needs a cheaper model to sustain demand at the current production rate.

In the coming weeks, it will start building a mix of RWD and AWD in Fremont and Austin to

Interestingly, Tesla currently only offers the subsidized 1.99% financing rate on the Model Y Long Range AWD. I would assume that Tesla plans to take advantage of the boost in demand that the cheaper model will create.

However, US buyers probably won’t have to wait more than a few weeks before Tesla starts to offer lower interest rates on all versions, like it already does in Europe and China.

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Environment

Big Mack, hydrogen Honda, and a ride in the Tesla Semi at ACT Expo 2025 [part 6]

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Big Mack, hydrogen Honda, and a ride in the Tesla Semi at ACT Expo 2025 [part 6]

On today’s thrilling episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got some of the highlights of the 2025 ACT Expo, including the all-electric Windrose and Mack Pioneer Class 8s trucks, a hydrogen fuel sell [sic] from Honda, a fun charging surprise, and – after an eight year wait – we finally get a ride in the all-new (in 2017) Tesla Semi!

ACT Expo is North America’s premier clean truck and transport trade show – and for 2025 it was bigger than ever, with more exhibitors and more, more capable battery electric vehicles than ever. The downsides? NACFE have scored with their “messy middle” messaging, and the return of “clean diesel” talking points. We’ve got a brief rundown and links to all the details, below.

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Prefer listening to your podcasts? Audio-only versions of Quick Charge are now available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, and our RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (and sometimes Sunday). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.

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Got news? Let us know!
Drop us a line at tips@electrek.co. You can also rate us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show.

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Environment

Thousands of Texas homes are about to form a huge virtual power plant

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2025

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Thousands of Texas homes are about to form a huge virtual power plant

Texas virtual power plant — Photo: sonnen

Abundance Energy, sonnen, and Energywell are teaming up to bring smarter, more resilient energy to Texas homes through a huge new virtual power plant (VPP) initiative.

By combining behind-the-meter home batteries, solar power, and advanced energy software, the trio is building a network of connected homes that can work together to support the grid. Customers who install sonnenConnect home batteries through Abundance Energy will now be part of a system that automatically stores and shares power when it’s needed most. That means lower electricity bills, better reliability during extreme weather, and a cleaner energy mix overall.

The VPP will cover all of ERCOT, with the primary focus in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas. Each home will have two 4.8kW/20kWh sonnenCore+20 battery units. The current customer base that will be enrolled in the VPP equals 60 MWh, and this will continue to grow each month. The VPP is already on track to replace Tesla as the largest virtual power plant in Texas by the end of 2026.

Here’s how it works: The batteries are continuously managed using Energywell’s Proton platform and sonnen’s smart VPP technology. This system monitors solar generation, customer energy use, and real-time electricity prices, and then decides when to charge or discharge each battery. Instead of just sitting idle, these batteries turn into mini power plants that can react to grid needs in real time.

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And when thousands of batteries work together, they form a virtual power plant—a decentralized network that reduces the strain on the grid, especially during peak demand or power outages. Unlike traditional power plants, VPPs don’t burn fossil fuels. They use clean, stored electricity from homes and businesses, helping cut carbon emissions while keeping the lights on.

“Our mission is to empower homeowners with smarter, more sustainable energy solutions,” said Thomas Mandry, CEO of Abundance Energy. “This partnership delivers a new kind of VPP model that benefits customers and strengthens the Texas grid.”

Blake Richetta, CEO of sonnen, added, “With Abundance Energy and Energywell, we’re showing how everyday homeowners can become part of the solution to Texas’ energy challenges.”

As Texas continues to face grid reliability issues, especially in extreme heat or cold, this kind of flexible, customer-powered energy system will make homes more resilient and give customers more control over their power.

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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