Investors remain optimistic about long-term renewable energy growth in the United States, despite near-term headwinds from the Covid-19 pandemic. A new report by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) finds that a private investment goal of $1 trillion by 2030 in renewables and enabling grid technology is still feasible. Following a record level of investment in 2019 driven by the phasing down of the federal tax credits, expanded state renewable energy standards, improved cost competitiveness and increased demand, one-eighth of the total $1T goal has been met. Covid-19 has led to the loss of almost 100,000 jobs in the renewables sector, strained renewable energy project financing and caused project delays, reducing renewable energy capacity expected online in 2020 by 21%.

The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight publishes its plan to install overhead catenary system on 7,500 kilometres of the UK’s major roads for heavy transport. Drawing on experience from Sweden and Germany, the three-phase plan would cost €21 billion and cover approximately 65% of all the roads used by heavy goods vehicles in the UK. The plan would additionally extend the electricity grid infrastructure, supporting the installation of charging points for smaller electric vehicles at motorway services and other locations across the UK, the authors argue.

The annual update from the UK’s transmission system operator National Grid, shows pathways to a net-zero energy system but called on immediate action to achieve the 2050 target. Its recommendations include an additional 40 GW of generation capacity by 2030. It also called on the UK power sector to become carbon negative – using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage – in order to offset other areas like heating which will be unable to fully decarbonise by the deadline. Each scenario sees the role of hydrogen increase with round 80 TWh required by 2050 to decarbonise shipping and HGV sectors.