What's up with US energy policy? Everybody knows that coal is far more expensive than natural gas and renewables.

https://cleantechnica.com/2025/04/15/trump-or-no-trump-coal-is-out-and-renewable-energy-is-in/

Manitoba is ending some of its #hydroelectric #electricity exports to the US and redirecting that energy for domestic development and to offset reliance on #fossilfuel / diesel power in northern communities.

The amount #electricity being redirected is around 500MW - this is an amount of power roughly equivalent to the power of the upcoming Rolls-Royce small modular #nuclear reactor (SMR).

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2025/04/14/manitoba-freezes-some-electricity-exports-to-u-s-plans-to-turn-northward

In a historic first, in #US in #2024, #wind and #solar accounted for 17% of total electricity generation, surpassing #coal, which fell to a record low of 15%, according to a new report from global energy think tank Ember.
Despite growing #emissions, the #carbon intensity of #electricity continued to decline. The rise in power demand was much faster than the rise in power sector #CO2 emissions, making each unit of electricity likely the cleanest it has ever been.
https://electrek.co/2025/03/11/in-a-historic-first-wind-and-solar-combined-overtake-coal-in-the-us/

When there are cheaper sources of power that the government actively looks to avoid harnessing and distributing to the people at large, you know that that government is not putting public interests first but private ones.

Another of the more unusual Osprey nest locations SSEN Alyth substation Osprey nest camera.

https://www.youtube.com/live/p4d48vSXecE?si=S64Haz7Om-zNr60p

https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/news/news--views/2024/1/new-alyth-substation-powers-up/

Ontario collected about $260,000 from the one day an electricity surcharge was in effect on exports to the United States

> Premier #DougFord announced on March 10 that #Ontario was placing a 25-per-cent #surcharge on #electricity the province sends to 1.5 million homes in three states as one retaliatory measure against tariffs imposed on Canadian goods by U.S. President #DonaldTrump.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-ontario-collects-260000-from-one-day-electricity-surcharge-on-us/ #TradeWar #Canada #tariffs

https://www.europesays.com/uk/9786/ Facing Trump tariff threat, Germany’s new government bets big on boosting economy – POLITICO #Budget #Cars #Companies #Competitiveness #Conflict #Debt #Diesel #ElectricVehicles #Electricity #Energy #EnergyPrices #EU #Europe #Exports #farmers #FriedrichMerz #gas #Germany #Growth #Industry #infrastructure #Investment #MarcelFratzscher #Policy #PublicFunding #Regulatory #Research #Security #Stability #Steel #SupplyChains #Tariffs #Tax #Technology #Trade #War

**AI is set to drive surging electricity demand from data centres while offering the potential to transform how the energy sector works**

_“Global electricity demand from data centres is set to more than double over the next five years, consuming as much electricity by 2030 as the whole of Japan does today. The effects will be particularly strong in some countries. For example, in the United States, data centres are on course to account for almost half of the growth in electricity demand; in Japan, more than half; and in Malaysia, as much as one-fifth.”

https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electricity-demand-from-data-centres-while-offering-the-potential-to-transform-how-the-energy-sector-works.

#News #Data #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Technology #Tech #Electricity #Energy @ai

UK PSA: RadioTeleSwitch Service to be withdrawn in June 2025 (30th June apparently).

If your electricity supply meter uses the RTS service to switch between peak and off peak rates then you need to ensure your electricity meter is updated as soon as possible.

Upgrading to a Smart Meter is the suggested option.

Technical details on the RTS service which send a phase modulated message via 198KHz on the BBC Radio 4 signal is covered by @officialm3hhy in this episode.

https://youtu.be/DEjDdtCRNlQ

Actually not a bad design other than relying on Long Wave radio signals which uses 500KW valve based transmitters; the valves are now out of stock and no more are manufactured anywhere

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/replacing-your-radio-teleswitch-electricity-meter

**Global Electricity Review 2025**

“_Record renewables growth led by solar helped push clean power past 40% of global electricity in 2024, but heatwave-related demand spikes led to a small increase in fossil generation._”

https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/global-electricity-review-2025/.

#SolarPower doubling every 3 Years; 41% of world #Electricity now #LowCarbon

https://www.juancole.com/2025/04/doubling-electricity-carbon.html

2 contrasting stories about #electricity in #Scotland:
In the #Borders, controversy about where to put new cross border #pylons. As electricity continues to replace fossil fuels and more #renewable sources come online such stories are increasingly common
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq80xp9g049o
But in #Renfrewshire, the renewal of the National #Grid sees some of the oldest transmission towers (1929) being demolished- a reminder that they've been part of the #landscape for almost a century
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c9djlp85n62o

I get dozens of #power #energy #electricity #comparison #calls form #indian call centres in Sydney and Melbourne - they won't give up - they want to make me change my power company no matter what so they get a commission - evil #telemarketers #australia - Indians won't comply with Australian laws not to ring so much - they will ring to make money, that is all they care about - brutal marketing technique - this is all because of war in Ukraine pumping up power prices for about last 2 years and government doing nothing but giving subsidies but not curtailing prices - power companies are raking in the profits from government subsidies and high prices

'UK to build its largest 1.8 GW pumped hydro project, to power 1.4 million houses'

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/uk-largest-pumped-hydro-project-gilkes-energy

'When full, the project’s upper reservoir will store enough energy to generate 22 hours of electricity, integrating more renewables into the UK energy system.'

I often see this kind of #electricity distribution board on YouTube being hand built in #India (often in utility/workshop area near incoming supply).

One thing I've always wondered is why the bayonet #lampholder is mounted there, surely the lamp will glare in the eyes of anyone trying to use it? Or is it just to test lamps so see if they are working?

Also why do very few people wire up protective #earth on these things when they are feeding 3 pin sockets?

First month on record: #fossilfuels drop below 50% of #US power mix
What this means is that #cleanenergy generated more than half – 50.8% – of US #electricity for the first month on record. Together, wind and #solar reached an all-time high, generating 83 TWh of US electricity, 11% higher than the previous record of 75 TWh set in April 2024. #Fossilfuel generation fell by 2.5% (-4.3 TWh) compared to March 2024.
https://electrek.co/2025/04/04/first-month-on-record-fossil-fuels-drop-below-50-of-us-power-mix/

Fossil fuels accounting for 49.2% of #electricity generated in the United States in March - the first time the figure has fallen below one-half. Spring is the very best time for #solar so this won't be repeated easily but it's still amazing. #renewables

https://electrek.co/2025/04/04/first-month-on-record-fossil-fuels-drop-below-50-of-us-power-mix/