edit maybe the state is South Australia, or at least that is what the comments said but idk

world’s first 100 MWh-class battery energy storage facility using 628 Ah ultra-large battery cells has entered operation.

I'm a little wary of plug-in solar in the US. Some of the bills propose allowing 1200 watt panels which can overload wiring depending on what else is on the circuit and how in the wall wiring is run. Limiting plug-in panel wattage to, say, 400 watts might be necessary

The city of Boston, Massachusetts, is looking to tap into the nearby Charles River in order to generate a low-carbon and low-cost heat source.

As reported by Canary Media, Boston's historic steam heating network is undergoing a major transformation by Vicinity Energy. The company is in the process of replacing gas with electric boilers and large-scale heat pumps that draw warmth from the Charles River. The appliances will heat millions of square feet of the city's buildings.

The project is looking to significantly cut down on air pollution in the city and create a model for urban decarbonization that uses existing infrastructure.

"That project was greenlit this summertime," Vicinity Energy CEO Kevin Hagerty told Canary Media. "We're anticipating that being completed midway through 2028. We'll turn the heat pump on and turn the Charles River into a renewable energy resource."

Dozens of public comments opposing the $98 million Crossroads Solar project appear to be fabricated. Ohio’s siting board may block the project anyway.

Archived copies of the article:

• archive.today — should load after this post goes up
• ghostarchive.org

Interesting video by Hank Green about all the ways coal is bad, addressing many of the false claims of the coal lobby.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/59615557

Includes 1% O&M costs, 5% financing "mortgage" fully paid back in 25 years.

Project Summary: Nebraska "Zero-Cost" 1 kW Baseload Datacenter

This model establishes a net-zero electricity cost for a 1 kW continuous datacenter load in Nebraska. It utilizes a Hybrid CapEx Strategy (Chinese hardware + 35% Western Premium) and is financed at a 5% interest rate.

1. Core System Configuration

• Solar Array: 53 kW DC - Sized to generate sufficient annual H2 revenue to offset all debt.
• LFP Battery: 150 kWh - Sized for 24-hour summer H2 operation (130 kWh nightly discharge).
• Electrolyzer: 12 kW - High-utilization unit for summer surplus conversion.
• Baseload Load: 1 kW - Constant 24/7/365 datacenter power requirement.

2. Financial & Cost Assumptions

• Financing: 5% annual interest rate over a 25-year amortization term.
• Western Premium: A 35% markup on all base Chinese hardware costs to cover logistics, U.S. import duties, and Nebraska-based labor and permitting.
• Hardware Base Pricing (Pre-Premium):
  • Solar Panels: $0.35/Watt
  • LFP Batteries: $80/kWh
  • Electrolyzer + BoS: $500/kW
• Annual O&M: 1% of total CapEx per year for maintenance and insurance.

3. Operational & Environmental Assumptions

• Location: Nebraska, USA (~41°N Latitude).
• Solar Yield: 1,400 kWh/year per 1 kW of installed solar.
• Peak Sun Hours (PSH):
  • Summer Max (June 21): 7.5 PSH.
  • Winter Average (Dec/Jan): 1.9 PSH.
• H2 Efficiency: 50 kWh per 1 kg of Hydrogen produced.
• Water Feedstock: ~9 litres of deionized water per 1 kg of H2.
• Byproducts: Oxygen (O2) is vented; no revenue or compression costs included.

4. Economic Performance (The "Zero-Cost" Result)

• Total System CapEx: $49,316
• Annual Expenses (Debt + O&M): $3,989
• Annual H2 Yield: ~2,000 kg
• Required H2 Sale Price: $2.00/kg to achieve breakeven.
• Net Cost of Electricity: $0.00 / kWh (fully subsidized by H2 sales).

5. Seasonal & Winter Analysis

Summer Max (June 21)

• System achieves 24-hour saturation of the 12 kW electrolyzer.
• Total Daily Production: ~397 kWh.

Winter Average (Dec/Jan)

• Average Daily Production: 100.7 kWh.
• Daily Baseload Demand: 24.0 kWh.
• Average Winter Surplus: 76.7 kWh/day (used for H2 or sold).

Resiliency (Dark Day Buffer)

• The 150 kWh battery can sustain the 1 kW load for ~6 days of 0% solar production.
• Deficit Strategy: Any deficit beyond 6 days is covered by Employee BEVs at a payout of 20¢/kWh.