Monday, November 29, 2021

The Energy News Digest for November 29, 2021

The Energy News Digest is sponsored by the Northwest Public Power Association. 

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LINKS & PAYWALL ADVISORY

Links in The Energy News Digest lead to current stories. Media organizations update their websites regularly, which may result in broken links. Media attribution includes information about possible paywall restrictions.

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Europe’s Energy Crisis Is About to Get Worse as Winter Arrives (TIME Magazine)

https://time.com/6124191/winter-europe-energy/

Arizona: Unsustainable, Resource-Hungry & Loud: Why Chandler Wants to Ban More Data Centers. (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/chandler/2021/11/22/chandler-wants-ban-more-data-centers-after-years-complaints/8627569002/

Investors Are Buying Up Rural Arizona Farmland to Sell the Water to Urban Homebuilders (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/11/25/investors-buying-up-arizona-farmland-valuable-water-rights/8655703002/

Lummi Nation Declares Disaster as Tens of Thousands of Invasive European Green Crab Found (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article256140892.html

How Clean Is Green? Nevada Town Fights to Keep Solar Industry Out of Desert (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/clean-green-nevada-town-fights-keep-solar-industry-desert-rcna6578

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (See Stories Below)

1.      Europe’s Energy Crisis Is About to Get Worse as Winter Arrives

2.      Quick Take: Can Small Nuclear Reactors Really Help the Climate?

3.      Are We at the Dawn of a Nuclear Energy Renaissance?

4.      What Happens When America’s Coal Plants Die?

5.      Guest Essay: Christine Reid, Stanley J. Kocon & Kurt Miller: U.S. Hydropower Can Secure a Greener Tomorrow – And Create American Jobs

6.      Can the DOE’s Community Solar Target to Power 5 Million Homes Be Met? Not without State-Level Support

7.      How Clean Is Green? Nevada Town Fights to Keep Solar Industry Out of Desert

8.      Community Systems Offer Alternative Paths for Solar Growth

9.      The Underwater ‘Kites’ Generating Electricity as They Move

10.   Energy-Efficient Isn’t Enough, So Homes Go ‘Net Zero’

11.   More Oregonians Embrace All-Electric Home Movement, ‘Future-Fitting’ Upgrades That Improve Efficiency, Help Keep Harmful Smoke Out

12.   Forget Gas & Hydrogen. Your Next Boiler Should Be a Heat Pump

13.   British Columbia: Salmon Arm Stockpile of Burned-Out Lightbulbs Too Much for One Recycling Event

14.   Lummi Nation Declares Disaster as Tens of Thousands of Invasive European Green Crab Found

15.   Smaller Fish Tags to Help Sockeye Studies Above Grand Coulee Dam

16.   Washington State Seeks Tighter Wastewater Rules for Puget Sound – Sewage Plant Operators Push Back

17.   Investors Are Buying Up Rural Arizona Farmland to Sell the Water to Urban Homebuilders

18.   British Columbia: ‘Tiger Dam’ Being Built on Highway 1 in Abbotsford to Hold Back Floodwaters

19.   Researchers Try Producing Potato Resistant to Climate Change

20.   These Americans Are Just Going Around in Circles. It Helps the Climate.

21.   Hundreds of Millions in Broadband Spending Brings Pacific Northwest Closer to Closing Digital Divide

22.   Why Billions in Broadband Money May Go to the Wrong Places

23.   Task Force on Broadband Internet in Alaska Releases Report

24.   Utah: UTOPIA Fiber Completes Payson City Project & Publishes Results of Customer Feedback Survey

25.   Arizona: Unsustainable, Resource-Hungry & Loud: Why Chandler Wants to Ban More Data Centers.

26.   ‘JRR Token’ Is a Punny Name for a Cryptocurrency, But Tolkien’s Estate Is Not Humored

27.   Some British Columbia Municipalities Are Turning Off Comments on Their Facebook Posts to Protect Their Staff

28.   Local News Outlets Could Reap $1.7 Billion in Build Back Better Aid

29.   Jack Dorsey Steps Down as Twitter CEO; Parag Agrawal Succeeds Him

30.   Russia Says Twitter Mobile Slowdown to Remain Until All Banned Content Is Removed

31.   I Can’t Stop Watching These Power Plant Demolition Videos

32.   Washington State Perspective: Here Are Six Takeaways from the Tribal Nations Summit

WORD OF THE DAY

Truckle • \TRUCK-ul\ • verb – To act in a subservient manner: submit

“I will not truckle to your demands, Sir Richard,” bellowed Mortimer’s video-game avatar, just before he was crushed by the front hoof of a third-level hell beast summoned by his imaginary foe.

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

1.      Europe’s Energy Crisis Is About to Get Worse as Winter Arrives (TIME Magazine)

https://time.com/6124191/winter-europe-energy/

2.      Quick Take: Can Small Nuclear Reactors Really Help the Climate? (Washington Post – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/energy/can-small-nuclear-reactors-really-help-the-climate-quicktake/2021/11/26/bb40da98-4ebd-11ec-a7b8-9ed28bf23929_story.html

3.      Are We at the Dawn of a Nuclear Energy Renaissance? (Huffington Post)

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nuclear-power-revival-climate_n_619e8b35e4b07fe20114c6b0

4.      What Happens When America’s Coal Plants Die? (The Guardian, UK)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/26/what-happens-when-americas-coal-plants-die

SOAPBOX SERENADE – VOX POPULI

5.      Guest Essay: Christine Reid, Stanley J. Kocon & Kurt Miller: U.S. Hydropower Can Secure a Greener Tomorrow – And Create American Jobs (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/28/christine-reid-stanley-j-kocon-and-kurt-miller-us-/

6.      Can the DOE’s Community Solar Target to Power 5 Million Homes Be Met? Not without State-Level Support (Utility Dive)

https://www.utilitydive.com/news/can-the-does-community-solar-target-to-power-5m-homes-be-met-not-without/610547/

RENEWABLE ENERGY & SELF STORAGE

7.      How Clean Is Green? Nevada Town Fights to Keep Solar Industry Out of Desert (NBC News)

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/clean-green-nevada-town-fights-keep-solar-industry-desert-rcna6578

8.      Community Systems Offer Alternative Paths for Solar Growth (Associated Press)

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2021-11-28/community-systems-offer-alternative-paths-for-solar-growth

9.      The Underwater ‘Kites’ Generating Electricity as They Move (British Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59401199

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

10.   Energy-Efficient Isn’t Enough, So Homes Go ‘Net Zero’ (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/technology/energy-efficient-isnt-enough-so-homes-go-net-zero/

11.   More Oregonians Embrace All-Electric Home Movement, ‘Future-Fitting’ Upgrades That Improve Efficiency, Help Keep Harmful Smoke Out (Bend Bulletin, OR – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.bendbulletin.com/ap/more-oregonians-embrace-all-electric-home-movement-future-fitting-upgrades-that-improve-efficiency-help-keep/article_9ef2ec35-ceaf-5365-a499-f9ec5496f73a.html

12.   Forget Gas & Hydrogen. Your Next Boiler Should Be a Heat Pump (Bloomberg News)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/forget-gas-and-hydrogen-your-next-boiler-should-be-a-heat-pump

13.   British Columbia: Salmon Arm Stockpile of Burned-Out Lightbulbs Too Much for One Recycling Event (Saanich Observer, BC)

https://www.saobserver.net/news/salmon-arm-stockpile-of-burned-out-lightbulbs-too-much-for-one-recycling-event/

FISH & WILDLIFE

14.   Lummi Nation Declares Disaster as Tens of Thousands of Invasive European Green Crab Found (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article256140892.html

15.   Smaller Fish Tags to Help Sockeye Studies Above Grand Coulee Dam (KUOW Radio, Seattle, WA)

https://www.kuow.org/stories/smaller-fish-tags-to-help-sockeye-studies-above-grand-coulee-dam

ENVIRONMENTAL AFFLATUS – CLEAN UP ON AISLE THREE

16.   Washington State Seeks Tighter Wastewater Rules for Puget Sound – Sewage Plant Operators Push Back (Seattle Times, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/washington-state-seeks-tighter-regulations-of-wastewater-in-puget-sound-but-sewage-plant-operators-push-back/

WATER, WATER, ANYWHERE?

17.   Investors Are Buying Up Rural Arizona Farmland to Sell the Water to Urban Homebuilders (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-environment/2021/11/25/investors-buying-up-arizona-farmland-valuable-water-rights/8655703002/

18.   British Columbia: ‘Tiger Dam’ Being Built on Highway 1 in Abbotsford to Hold Back Floodwaters (Abbotsford News, BC)

https://www.abbynews.com/news/tiger-dam-being-built-on-highway-1-to-hold-back-floodwaters/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

19.   Researchers Try Producing Potato Resistant to Climate Change (Associated Press)

https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-university-of-maine-environment-and-nature-002430d7c76076523d6191c13abe7b35

20.   These Americans Are Just Going Around in Circles. It Helps the Climate. (Yahoo! News)

https://news.yahoo.com/americans-just-going-around-circles-195345213.html

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

21.   Hundreds of Millions in Broadband Spending Brings Pacific Northwest Closer to Closing Digital Divide (Spokane Public Radio, WA)

https://www.spokanepublicradio.org/post/hundreds-millions-broadband-spending-brings-pacific-northwest-closer-closing-digital-divide

22.   Why Billions in Broadband Money May Go to the Wrong Places (Politico)

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/11/29/fcc-broadband-maps-biden-523425

23.   Task Force on Broadband Internet in Alaska Releases Report (KINY Radio, Juneau, AK)

https://www.kinyradio.com/news/news-of-the-north/task-force-on-broadband-internet-in-alaska-releases-report/

24.   Utah: UTOPIA Fiber Completes Payson City Project & Publishes Results of Customer Feedback Survey (Broadband Breakfast)

https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/11/utopia-fiber-completes-payson-city-project-and-publishes-results-of-customer-feedback-survey/

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY

25.   Arizona: Unsustainable, Resource-Hungry & Loud: Why Chandler Wants to Ban More Data Centers. (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/chandler/2021/11/22/chandler-wants-ban-more-data-centers-after-years-complaints/8627569002/

26.   ‘JRR Token’ Is a Punny Name for a Cryptocurrency, But Tolkien’s Estate Is Not Humored (National Public Radio)

https://www.npr.org/2021/11/28/1059600383/jrr-token-is-a-punny-name-for-a-cryptocurrency-but-tolkiens-estate-is-not-humore

PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING & MEDIA

27.   Some British Columbia Municipalities Are Turning Off Comments on Their Facebook Posts to Protect Their Staff (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fernie-tofino-facebook-comments-1.6261912?cmp=rss

28.   Local News Outlets Could Reap $1.7 Billion in Build Back Better Aid (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/nation/2021/11/29/build-back-better-local-news-outlets-biden-democrats-bill/stories/202111290071

29.   Jack Dorsey Steps Down as Twitter CEO; Parag Agrawal Succeeds Him (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

https://www.opb.org/article/2021/11/29/jack-dorsey-steps-down-as-twitter-ceo-parag-agrawal-succeeds-him/

30.   Russia Says Twitter Mobile Slowdown to Remain Until All Banned Content Is Removed (Reuters)

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-twitter-mobile-slowdown-remain-until-all-banned-content-is-removed-2021-11-29/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI – SEETHING STEW OF SCIENCE

31.   I Can’t Stop Watching These Power Plant Demolition Videos (Gizmodo)

https://gizmodo.com/i-cant-stop-watching-these-power-plant-demolition-video-1848117789

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT TODA

32.   Washington State Perspective: Here Are Six Takeaways from the Tribal Nations Summit (Tacoma News Tribune, WA – Paywall Advisory)

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article256043492.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER – DIVERSIONS

New Zealand Politician Cycles to Hospital in Labor, Gives Birth

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/new-zealand-politician-cycles-hospital-labour-gives-birth-2021-11-28/

Merriam-Webster Chooses Vaccine as the 2021 Word of the Year

https://apnews.com/article/merriam-webster-word-of-year-vaccine-89de731624901bc53f4febdbc5925f80

O Holy ‘Fight’: Lawyer & Neighbors Are at Odds Over Home’s Holiday Display at West Hayden Estates

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/nov/29/o-holy-fight-lawyer-and-neighbors-are-at-odds-over/

United Kingdom – ‘Oh Wow’: Remarkable Roman Mosaic Found in Rutland Field

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/nov/25/archaeologists-examine-roman-villa-discovered-beneath-rutland-farmers-field

SONG OF THE DAY

Paul Anka – You’re Having My Baby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umrzGr_etQw