25.5% Of US Electricity Coming From Renewable Energy

EV Battery Manufacturing Emissions debunk viral claims with lifecycle analysis, showing lithium-ion production CO2 depends on grid mix and is offset by zero tailpipe emissions and renewable-energy charging over typical vehicle miles.

Key Points

EV lithium-ion pack production varies by grid mix; ~1-2 years of driving, then offset by zero tailpipe emissions.

✅ Battery CO2 depends on electricity mix and factory efficiency.

✅ 75 kWh pack ~4.5-7.5 t CO2; not equal to 8 years of driving.

✅ Lifecycle analysis: EVs cut GHG vs gas, especially with renewables.

Electric vehicles are touted as an environmentally friendly alternative to gasoline powered cars, but one Facebook post claims that the benefits are overblown, despite fact-checks of charging math to the contrary, and the vehicles are much more harmful to the planet than people assume.

A cartoon posted to Facebook on April 29, amid signs the EV era is arriving in many markets, shows a car in one panel with "diesel" written on the side and the driver thinking "I feel so dirty." In another panel, a car has "electric" written on its side with the driver thinking "I feel so clean."

However, the electric vehicle is shown connected to what appears to be a factory that’s blowing dark smoke into the air.

Below the cartoon is a caption that claims "manufacturing the battery for one electric car produces the same amount of CO2 as running a petrol car for eight years."

This isn’t a new line of criticism against electric vehicles, and reflects ongoing opinion on the EV revolution in the media. Similar Facebook posts have taken aim at the carbon dioxide produced in the manufacturing of electric cars — specifically the batteries — to make the case that zero emissions vehicles aren’t necessarily clean.

Full electric vehicles require a large lithium-ion battery to store energy and power the motor that propels the car, according to Insider. The lithium-ion battery packs in an electric car are chemically similar to the ones found in cell phones and laptops.

Because they require a mix of metals that need to be extracted and refined, lithium-ion batteries take more energy to produce than the common lead-acid batteries used in gasoline cars to help start the engine.

How much CO2 is emitted in the production depends on where the lithium-ion battery is made — or specifically, how the electricity powering the factory is generated, and national electricity profiles such as Canada's 2019 mix help illustrate regional differences — according to Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist and director of climate and energy at the Breakthrough Institute, an environmental research think tank.

Producing a 75 kilowatt-hour battery for a Tesla Model 3, considered on the larger end of batteries for electric vehicles, would result in the emission of 4,500 kilograms of CO2 if it was made at Tesla's battery factory in Nevada. That’s the emissions equivalent to driving a gas-powered sedan for 1.4 years, at a yearly average distance of 12,000 miles, Hausfather said.

If the battery were made in Asia, manufacturing it would produce 7,500 kg of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of driving a gasoline-powered sedan for 2.4 years — but still nowhere near the eight years claimed in the Facebook post. Hausfather said the larger emission amount in Asia can be attributed to its "higher carbon electricity mix." The continent relies more on coal for energy production, while Tesla’s Nevada factory uses some solar energy. 

"More than half the emissions associated with manufacturing the battery are associated with electricity use," Hausfather said in an email to PolitiFact. "So, as the electricity grid decarbonizes, emissions associated with battery production will decline. The same is not true for sedan tailpipe emissions."

The Facebook post does not mention the electricity needs and CO2 impact of factories that build gasoline or diesel cars and their components. 

Another thing the Facebook post omits is that the CO2 emitted in the production of the battery can be offset over a short time in an electric car by the lack of tailpipe emissions when it’s in operation. 

The Union of Concerned Scientists found in a 2015 report that taking into account electricity sources for charging, which have become greener in all states since then, an electric vehicle ends up reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 50% compared with a similar size gas-powered car.

A midsize vehicle completely negates the carbon dioxide its production emits by the time it travels 4,900 miles, according to the report. For full size cars, it takes 19,000 miles of driving.

The U.S. Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy also looked at the life cycle of electric vehicles — which includes a car’s production, use and disposal — and concluded they produce less greenhouse gases and smog than gasoline-powered vehicles, a conclusion consistent with independent analyses from consumer and energy groups.

The agency also found drivers could further lower CO2 emissions by charging with power generated by a renewable energy source, and drivers can also save money in the long run with EV ownership. 

Our ruling
A cartoon shared on Facebook claims the carbon dioxide emitted from the production of one electric car battery is the equivalent to driving a gas-powered vehicle for eight years.

The production of lithium-ion batteries for electric cars emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide, but nowhere near the level claimed in the cartoon. The emissions from battery production are equivalent to driving a gasoline car for one or two years, depending on where it’s produced, and those emissions are effectively offset over time by the lack of tailpipe emissions when the car is on the road. 

We rate this claim Mostly False.    

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Global Wind Power Growth will hit record installations, buoying renewable energy, offshore wind, onshore capacity, and economic recovery, as GWEC forecasts resilient post-Covid markets led by China and the US with strong investment and jobs.

Key Points

Global Wind Power Growth is the forecast rise in capacity driving renewable energy, jobs, and lower emissions.

✅ 71.3 GW installed in 2020; only 6% below pre-Covid forecast

✅ 348 GW added by 2024; nearly 1,000 GW total capacity

✅ Offshore wind resilient; 6.5 GW in 2020, China-led

Wind power will continue to show record growth, as renewables set to shatter records over the next five years despite the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, and will make a crucial contribution to economic recovery... According to the latest market outlook by GWEC Market Intelligence, 71.3GW of wind power capacity is expected to be installed in 2020, which is only a 6% reduction from pre-Covid forecasts. This is a significant increase from original predictions that expected wind power installations to be reduced by up to 20 per cent due to the pandemic, demonstrating the resilience of the wind power industry across the globe.

From 2020 to 2024, the cumulative global wind energy market will grow at a compound annual rate of 8.5% and installing 348GW of new capacity, bringing total global wind power capacity to nearly 1,000GW by the end of 2024, which is an increase of 54% for total wind power installations compared to 2019. While some project completion dates have been pushed into 2021 due to the pandemic, next year is expected to be a record year for the wind industry with 78GW of new wind capacity forecasted to be installed in 2021. Over 50% of the onshore wind capacity added between 2020 to 2024 will be installed in China and the US, where U.S. solar and wind growth is supported by favourable government plans, led by installation rushes to meet subsidy deadlines.

The offshore wind sector has been largely shielded from the impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, GWEC Market Intelligence has indeed increased its forecast for offshore wind by 5 per cent to 6.5 GW of new installations in 2020, another record year for the industry, as offshore wind's $1 trillion outlook comes into focus, led by the installation rush in China. Up until 2024, over 48GW of new offshore wind capacity is expected to be installed, with another 157GW forecasted to be installed from 2025 to 2030 across key markets such as offshore wind in the UK and Asia.

“While the Covid-19 crisis has impacted every industry across the world, wind power has continued to grow and thrive. This is no surprise given the cost competitiveness of wind energy and the need to rapidly reproduce carbon emissions. Fossil fuel industries face market fluctuations and require bailouts to stay afloat, while wind turbines across the world have continued to spin and provide affordable, clean energy to citizens everywhere," says Ben Backwell, CEO of GWEC.

“Thanks to the localised nature of wind power supply chains and project construction, the sector has continued to generate billions in local investment and thousands of jobs to support economic recovery. However, in order to tap into the full potential of wind power to drive a green recovery, governments must ensure that energy markets and policies allow a continued ramp up in investment in wind and other renewables, and avoid unintended effects such as the Solar ITC extension impact on the US wind market, while disincentivising investment in expensive and declining fossil fuel industries," he says.

Biggest markets

China and the US will continue to be the two main markets driving growth over the next few years, with U.S. wind power surges underscoring the momentum. "We have increased or maintained our forecasts for onshore wind in regions such as Latin America, North America, Africa, and the Middle East over the next five years, with only minor decreases in Asia Pacific and Europe. However, these reductions are not necessarily a direct impact of Covid-19, but also a symptom of pre-existing regulatory issues, such as protracted permitting procedures, which are slowing down installations. In particular, offshore wind has demonstrated its resilience by exceeding our pre-pandemic forecasts for 2020, and will be an important source of growth in the decade ahead," Feng Zhao, strategy director at GWEC.

“We have seen a series of carbon neutrality commitments by major economies such as China, Japan and South Korea over the past few weeks. Since wind power is a key technology for decarbonisation, building on the evolution in 2016, these targets will increase the forecast for wind power over the next few decades. However, the right enabling regulatory and policy frameworks must be in place to accelerate renewable energy growth to meet these targets. China, the world’s largest wind power market and largest carbon emitter, has pledged to go carbon-neutral by 2060. To have a chance at achieving this target, we need to be installing 50GW of wind power per year in China from now until 2025, and then 60GW from 2026 onwards. It is crucial that governments firm up carbon neutrality targets with tangible actions to drive wind and other renewable energy growth at the levels needed to achieve these aims”, he says.

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Food Waste to Green Hydrogen uses biological production to create clean energy, enabling waste-to-energy, decarbonization, and renewable hydrogen for electricity, industrial processes, and transport fuels, developed at Purdue University Northwest with Purdue Research Foundation licensing.

Key Points

A biological process converting food waste into renewable hydrogen for clean energy, electricity, industry, and transport.

✅ Enables rapid, scalable waste-to-hydrogen deployment

✅ Supports grid power, industrial heat, and mobility fuels

✅ Backed by patents, DOE grants, and licensing deals

West Lafayette, Indiana-based Purdue Research Foundation recently completed a licensing agreement with an international energy company – the name of which was not disclosed – for the commercialization of a new process discovered at Purdue University Northwest (PNW) for the biological production of green hydrogen from food waste. A second licensing agreement with a company in Indiana is under negotiation.

Food waste into green hydrogen
Researchers say that this new process, which uses food waste to biologically produce hydrogen, can be used as a clean energy source for producing electricity, as well as for chemical and industrial processes like green steel production or as a transportation fuel.

Robert Kramer, professor of physics at PNW and principal investigator for the research, says that more than 30% of all food, amounting to $48 billion, is wasted in the United States each year. That waste could be used to create hydrogen, a sustainable energy source alongside municipal solid waste power options. When hydrogen is combusted, the only byproduct is water vapor.

The developed process has a high production rate and can be implemented quickly to support large H2 energy systems in practice. The process is robust, reliable, and economically viable for local energy production and processes.

The research team has received five grants from the US Department of Energy and the Purdue Research Foundation totaling around $800,000 over the last eight years to develop the science and technology that led to this process, much like advances in advanced nuclear reactors drive clean energy innovation.

Two patents have been issued, and a third patent is currently in the final stages of approval. Over the next nine months, a scale-up test will be conducted, reflecting how power-to-gas storage can integrate with existing infrastructure. Based upon test results, it is anticipated that construction could start on the first commercial prototype within a year.

Last week, a facility designed to turn non-recyclable plastics into green hydrogen was approved in the UK, as other innovations like the seawater power concept progress globally. It is the second facility of its kind there.

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France Plug-In Electric Car Sales September 2023 show rapid EV adoption: 45,872 plug-ins, 30% market share, BEV 19.6%, PHEV 10.2%, with Tesla Model Y leading registrations amid sustained year-over-year growth.

Key Points

France registered 45,872 plug-ins in September 2023, a 30% share, with BEVs at 19.6% and PHEVs at 10.2%.

✅ Tesla Model Y led BEVs with 5,035 registrations in September

✅ YTD plug-in share 25%; BEV 15.9%, PHEV 9.1% across passenger cars

✅ Total market up 9% YoY to 153,916; plug-ins up 35% YoY

New passenger car registrations in France increased in September by nine percent year-over-year to 153,916, mirroring global EV market growth trends, taking the year-to-date total to 1,286,247 (up 16 percent year-over-year).

The market has been expanding every month this year (recovering slightly from the 2020-2022 collapse and the period when EU EV share grew during lockdowns across the bloc) and also is becoming more and more electrifying thanks to increasing plug-in electric car sales.

According to L’Avere-France, last month 45,872 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in France (35 percent more than a year ago), which represented almost 30 percent of the market, aligning with the view that the age of electric cars is arriving ahead of schedule. That's a new record share for rechargeable cars and a noticeable jump compared to just over 24 percent a year ago.

What's even more impressive is that passenger all-electric car registrations increased to over 30,000 (up 34 percent year-over-year), taking a record share of 19.6 percent of the market. That's basically one in five new cars sold, and in the U.S., plug-ins logged 19 billion electric miles in 2021 as a benchmark.

Plug-in hybrids are also growing (up 35% year-over-year), and with 15,699 units sold, accounted for 10.2 percent of the market (a near record value).

Plug-in car sales in France – September 2023

So far this year, more than 341,000 new plug-in electric vehicles have been registered in France, including over 321,000 passenger plug-in cars (25 percent of the market), while in the U.S., EV sales are soaring into 2024 as well.

Plug-in car registrations year-to-date (YOY change):

• Passenger BEVs: 204,616 (up 45%) and 15.9% market share
• Passenger PHEVs: 116,446 (up 31%) and 9.1% market share
• Total passenger plug-ins: 321,062 (up 40%) and 25% market share
• Light commercial BEVs: 20,292 (up 111%)
• Light commercial PHEVs: 281 (down 38%)
• Total plug-ins: 341,635 (up 43%)

For reference, in 2022, more than 346,000 new plug-in electric vehicles were registered in France (including almost 330,000 passenger cars, which was 21.5 percent of the market).

We can already tell that the year 2023 will be very positive for electrification in France, with a potential to reach 450,000 units or so, though new EV incentive rules could reshape the competitive landscape.

Models
In terms of individual models, the Tesla Model Y again was the most registered BEV with 5,035 new registrations in September. This spectacular result enabled the Model Y to become the fifth best-selling model in the country last month (Tesla, as a brand, was seventh).

The other best-selling models are usually small city cars - Peugeot e-208 (3,924), Dacia Spring (2,514), Fiat 500 electric (2,296), and MG4 (1,945), amid measures discouraging Chinese EVs in France. Meanwhile, the best-selling electric Renault - the Megane-e - was outside the top five BEVs, which reveals to us how much has changed since the Renault Zoe times.

After the first nine months of the year, the top three BEVs are the Tesla Model Y (27,458), Dacia Spring (21,103), and Peugeot e-208 (19,074), slightly ahead of the Fiat 500 electric (17,441).

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AP Renewables Inc. Climate Bond Award recognizes Asia-Pacific project finance, with ADB and CNBC citing the first Climate Bond, geothermal refinancing in local currency, and CGIF-backed credit enhancement for emerging markets.

Key Points

An award for APRI's certified Climate Bond, highlighting ADB-backed financing and geothermal assets across Asia-Pacific.

✅ First Climate Bond for a single project in an emerging market

✅ ADB credit enhancement and CGIF risk participation

✅ Refinanced Tiwi and MakBan geothermal assets via local currency

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and CNBC report having given the Best Project For Corporate Finance Transaction award to a the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power, AP Renewables Inc. (APRI), for its innovative and impactful solutions to key development challenges.

In March 2016, APRI issued a local currency bond equivalent to $225 million to refinance sponsor equity in Tiwi and MakBan. ADB said it provided a partial credit enhancement for the bond as well as a direct loan of $37.7 million, a model also seen in EIB long-term financing for Indian solar projects.

The bond issuance was the first Climate Bond—certified by the Climate Bond Initiative—in Asia and the Pacific and the first ever Climate Bond for a single project in an emerging market.

“The project reflects APRI’s commitment to renewable energy, as outlined in the IRENA report on decarbonising energy in the region,” ADB said in a statement posted on its website.

The project also received the 2016 Bond Deal of the Year by the Project Finance International magazine of Thomson Reuters, Asia Pacific Bond Deal of the Year from IJGlobal and the Best Renewable Deal of the Year by Alpha Southeast Asia, reflecting momentum alongside large-scale energy projects in New York reported elsewhere.

ADB’s credit enhancement was risk-participated by the Credit Guarantee Investment Facility (CGIF), a multilateral facility established by Asean + 3 governments and ADB to develop bond markets in the region.

APRI is a subsidiary of AboitizPower, one of Philippines’ biggest geothermal energy producers, and the IRENA study on the Philippines' electricity crisis provides broader context as it owns and operates the Tiwi and Makiling Banahaw (MakBan) geothermal facilities, the seventh and fourth largest geothermal power stations in the world, respectively.

“The awards exemplify the ever-growing importance of the private sector in implementing development work in the region,” ADB’s Private Sector Operations Department Director General Michael Barrow said.

“Our partners in the private sector provide unique solutions to development challenges — from financing to technical expertise — and today’s winners are perfect examples of that,” he added.

The awarding ceremony took place in Yokohama, Japan during an event co-hosted by CNBC and ADB at the 50th Annual Meeting of ADB’s Board of Governors.

The awards focus on highly developmental transactions and underline the important work ADB clients undertake in developing countries in Asia and the Pacific.

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Alberta Leads Canada’s Renewable Surge showcases how the province is transforming its power grid with wind, solar, and hydrogen energy projects that reduce carbon emissions, create sustainable jobs, and drive Canada’s clean electricity future.

Key Points: Alberta Leads Canada’s Renewable Surge

It is a national clean energy initiative showcasing Alberta’s leadership in renewable electricity generation, grid modernization, and sustainable economic growth.

✅ Expands solar, wind, and hydrogen projects across Alberta

✅ Reduces emissions while strengthening grid reliability

✅ Creates thousands of clean energy jobs and investments

Alberta is rapidly emerging as a national leader in clean electricity, driving Canada’s transition to a low-carbon energy future. A federal overview highlights how the province has become the powerhouse behind the country’s renewable energy growth across the Prairies, phasing out coal ahead of schedule and attracting billions in clean-energy investment.

In 2023, Alberta accounted for an astonishing 92 percent of Canada’s increase in renewable electricity generation, reflecting a renewable energy surge across the province. Solar and wind developments have expanded dramatically, as new lower-cost solar contracts are signed, reducing the province’s reliance on natural gas and cutting emissions from the power sector. Alberta’s vast land area and strong wind and solar resources have made it an ideal location for large-scale renewable projects that are transforming its energy landscape.

Federal programs are helping fuel this momentum. Through the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program, 49 Alberta projects have already received over $660 million in funding, with an additional $152 million announced in the 2024 federal budget. Flagship developments include the Forty Mile Wind Farm and the Big Sky Solar Power Project, each backed by $25 million in federal support. These investments are creating jobs, strengthening grid reliability, and positioning Alberta at the forefront of Canada’s clean energy transition.

Although fossil fuels still dominate Alberta’s electricity mix, a major change is underway. In 2022, coal and natural gas accounted for 81 percent of electricity generation, while renewables and other sources contributed 18 percent, and the province’s hydroelectric capacity remained comparatively small. However, Alberta has successfully phased out coal generation ahead of the federal deadline, marking a milestone achievement in the province’s decarbonization journey.

Alberta’s renewable expansion features some of the country’s most significant projects. The Travers Solar Project in Vulcan County generates up to 465 megawatts — enough to power about 150,000 homes. Indigenous-led solar initiatives are also expanding, underscoring the province’s solar power growth, supported by $160 million in federal funding that has already created more than 1,500 jobs. On the wind side, the 494-megawatt Buffalo Plains Wind Farm, Canada’s largest onshore installation, began operating in 2024, followed by the 190-megawatt Paintearth Wind facility, which signed a 15-year power purchase agreement with Microsoft.

Beyond wind and solar, Alberta is exploring new technologies to maintain a stable, low-carbon grid while addressing solar expansion challenges related to grid integration. The province is collaborating with Saskatchewan on the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) to provide reliable baseload power and support the long-term shift toward net-zero electricity by 2050. Projects integrating carbon capture and storage are also moving forward, such as the proposed Moraine Power Generating Project — a 465-megawatt natural gas plant that is expected to create more than 700 jobs during construction.

The economic potential of Alberta’s clean energy transformation is substantial. Clean Energy Canada estimates that between 2025 and 2050, the province could gain more than 400,000 new jobs in the clean energy sector — triple the number currently employed in the upstream oil and gas industry. These positions will span renewable generation, hydrogen production, grid modernization, and energy storage.

With strong federal backing, aggressive private investment, and rapid deployment of renewable energy, Alberta is redefining its energy identity. Once known for its fossil fuel resources, the province is now positioning itself as a powerhouse for both green energy and fossil fuels in Canada, demonstrating that economic growth and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

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