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Audubon Florida Climate and Energy News Roundup

Today we share news about a new solar energy canopy in Pinellas County, how electric vehicle prices are coming down, some (cautiously) good news about climate change, and more.

Barred Owl. Photo: Donald Sawin

Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Duke Energy Bring Clean Energy to Pinellas County with New Solar Canopy

From Clearwater Marine Aquarium

“Clearwater Marine Aquarium is now harvesting the power of the sun in collaboration with Duke Energy by installing 250-kWac solar photovoltaic panels for Florida customers. The Dolphin Solar Canopy is located on the top floor of Clearwater Marine Aquarium’s parking garage… The 665 solar panels will provide shade for vehicles parked beneath it and will produce enough clean energy to effectively replace carbon emissions created from burning the equivalent of over 313,000 pounds of coal each year.”

Read the entire article.

SEED Project Aims to Expand Solar Access, Reduce Energy Bills | Sustainable Tallahassee

From Tallahassee Democrat

“In February of 2019 the Tallahassee City Commission unanimously passed the Clean Energy Resolution, taking the bold step of moving Tallahassee to a 100% clean, renewable energy future by 2050. This goal bolsters the city's shift away from fossil fuels toward cleaner, renewable energy sources like solar…SEED (Solar Energy Equity Deployment) is a project led by ReThink Energy Florida that is exploring different ways to expand solar access and reduce residents’ energy bills in the Bond, Frenchtown, and Griffin Heights neighborhoods. The SEED project is one of eight teams across the country selected by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to participate in the Solar Energy Innovation Network (SEIN), which is focused on equitable adoption of solar in underserved communities.”

Read the entire article.

Forget Storage Batteries and Gas Generators. Electric Vehicles Are Powering Homes When Utilities Go Down

From Sun-Sentinel

“Soon you’ll be able to say goodbye to gas-powered generators and storage batteries if you want to power your home during a utility outage. Your backup power source will be sitting in your driveway or garage, ready to keep your lights on, your fridge cold and your air conditioner blowing. Best of all, your power source will run silently, emit no dangerous exhaust, and be capable of safely running inside or outside during hurricanes and for at least a couple days afterward while your utility works to restore power… Just a handful of vehicles with so-called Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) capabilities are available now — and require costly aftermarket gear — but industry analysts expect their numbers to increase as more EVs come to market.”

Read the entire article.

Cheaper Electric Vehicles Coming Despite High Battery Costs

From The Journal-Courier

“Even though battery costs are rising, auto companies are rolling out more affordable electric vehicles that should widen their appeal to a larger group of buyers. The latest came this week from General Motors, a Chevrolet Equinox small SUV with a starting price somewhere around $30,000 and a range-per-charge of 250 miles. You can get range of 300 miles if you pay more.”

Read the entire article.

Reasons for (Cautious) Optimism: the Good News on the Climate Crisis

From The Guardian

“There is no shortage of things to say about what’s going wrong. The extent of damage caused at 1.2C of global heating since pre-industrial levels is proving greater than was forecast by climate scientists not that long ago…But there is also evidence that action to combat the climate crisis is belatedly accelerating. Acknowledging that every fraction of a degree of global heating avoided makes a difference, here are some things to be positive about.”

Read the entire article.

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