The ease, affordability, and excitement of riding an e-bike compared with other modes of transportation has unleashed a tsunami of state and local level incentives across America. With the release of a report by Alexandria city officials last month indicating the city’s intent to launch its own e-bike rebate program this coming summer, the wave of e-bike incentives may finally be reaching Virginia.
See the full story at the Greater Greater Washington.
More DMV News
Virginia Districts Roll on With Electric School Buses Despite Lack of State Funding
Energy News Network
A lack of state money isn’t curbing Virginia school districts’ enthusiasm for ridding their fleets of polluting, noisy diesel-powered buses. The state hasn’t offered specific funding since a 2019 allocation but still ranks fourth nationally in electric school buses thanks to resourcefulness by districts and advocates.
As Maryland’s General Assembly Session Opens, Environmental Advocates Worry About Funding for the State’s Bold Climate Goals
Inside Climate News
Environmental advocates are looking to Gov. Wes Moore to advance the state’s clean energy and pollution reduction targets despite a budget shortfall and pushback from oil and gas companies.
As Data Centers Continue Spreading Across Virginia, State Lawmakers Propose New Development Rules
Virginia Mercury
As data centers continue to proliferate across Virginia, the General Assembly this winter is poised to take up a host of bills intended to address their impacts, including increased electricity costs and environmental pressures.
Democratic Legislator Wants to Fill Environmental Justice Council Vacancies
Virginia Mercury
A freshman delegate wants to create a deadline for filling vacancies on Virginia’s Council on Environmental Justice, following months of delay by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration in appointing members to it, limiting the council’s ability to do its work.
National and International News
2023 Smashes Record for World’s Hottest Year by Huge Margin
The Guardian
2023 “smashed” the record for the hottest year by a huge margin, providing “dramatic testimony” of how much warmer and more dangerous today’s climate is from the cooler one in which human civilization developed.
Clean Electricity is Driving Down US Emissions
Canary Media
America’s electrical grid is increasingly powered by renewable energy, and this helped slash the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions last year — even as the wider economy grew, according to new estimates by Rhodium Group.
Good News – the World Has a Real Chance of Achieving Its Goal of Tripling Renewables by 2030
Electrek
The world added 50% more renewable capacity in 2023 than in 2022 –and that means it has a real chance of achieving the goal set by governments at the COP28 climate change conference of tripling global capacity by 2030.
Buildings Can Reduce Energy Intensity By Up to 38%
Utility Dive
Transforming energy demand through actionable interventions can help buildings reduce their energy intensity by as much as 38% relative to current levels, according to a January 2024 white paper released by the World Economic Forum and PwC.
AI Comes Up with Battery Design That Uses 70 Percent Less Lithium
New Scientist
Artificial intelligence can accelerate the process of finding and testing new materials, and now researchers have used that ability to develop a battery that is less dependent on the costly mineral lithium.