Low-cost solar and batteries plus backup power come together in one Maryland county’s all-electric transportation hub.
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More DMV News
Fairfax County Adopts Climate Resilience Plan
DCist
Fairfax County now has a plan to become more resilient in the face of a warming planet. The County Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the plan, which lays out a roadmap to help residents and infrastructure adapt to a warmer and wetter climate.
Gov. Youngkin Wants a Small Modular Reactor. What Exactly is That?
Virginia Mercury
Within the span of two months, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin made it clear he wants Virginia to be a leader in the use of nuclear technology, specifically by having a small modular reactor operational in Southwest Virginia within the next decade.
Prince George’s Expanding Compost Program to Curbside Pickup
NBC Washington
Prince George’s County’s compost program will include curbside pickup to help fight climate change and its disproportionate impact on communities of color. Prince George’s County has the largest and most advanced composting facility on the East Coast and the largest one in a Black and brown community in the country.
VCU launches Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment
VCU News
The institute will help faculty from across the university work on projects that address the climate change crisis. The goal of ISEE is to address the existential threat of climate change by creating sustainable energy systems and sustainable ecologies, while educating students and working with community partners to meet these challenges.
National and International News
Electric School Buses to Get $1B Boost from Biden Administration
Canary Media
The funding will cover the costs of nearly 2,300 new electric school buses, quadrupling the nation’s current fleet. It’s a win for the climate — and for kids’ health.
COP27 Kicks Off with Deal to Discuss Climate Compensation
Reuters
Delegates from nearly 200 countries kicked off the U.N. climate summit in Egypt on Sunday with an agreement to discuss compensating poor nations for mounting damage linked to global warming, placing the controversial topic on the agenda for the first time since climate talks began decades ago.
Why the Feared Wave of Solar Panel Waste May Be Smaller and Arrive Later Than We Expected
Inside Climate News
If solar panels can last 40 to 50 years, which is roughly double what used to be the rule of thumb for lifespan, this changes the equation for the timing of their replacement and the amount of waste produced by the energy transition. And that kind of longevity is not much of a stretch, considering that new panels often come with warranties in the 25-year range, which indicates they should last well beyond that timeframe.
Electric Utilities Aren’t Doing Enough to Address Inequities in Today’s Power System, Advocates Say
Utility Dive
Advocates say the sector is still not doing enough to address years of lagging investment in low-income communities and to help customers of color struggling with unaffordable bills.
How Will DOE Loan Out $250B to Make Dirty Energy Systems Clean?
Canary Media
A new Biden admin program can help replace coal plants with clean energy, switch gas pipelines to hydrogen, upgrade transmission, and more. Here are the wonky details.