In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB):
- Fossil fuel lobbyists are using Facebook ads to try to thwart crucial climate-change initiatives.
- GM says it will source 100% clean energy for its US sites by 2025.
- SolarReviews launches a new solar calculator that doesn’t require you to sign up.
- UnderstandSolar is a free service that links you to top-rated solar installers in your region for personalized solar estimates. Tesla now offers price matching, so it’s important to shop for the best quotes. Click here to learn more and get your quotes. — *ad.
Oil and gas lobbyists on Facebook
Two of the most powerful oil and gas lobbies in the US – the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Gas Association (AGA) – are flooding Facebook with hundreds of targeted ads opposing key climate initiatives in the $3.5 trillion budget “reconciliation” package.
Advertising data analyzed by independent think tank InfluenceMap shows that since August 11, when the US Senate passed a budget resolution, API has spent $423,000 on Facebook ads that have been viewed 21 million times.
The API’s daily Facebook ad spend (based on a seven-week rolling average) of $10,800 on August 8 surpassed its own previous record of $10,300, which was set when Joe Biden announced his pre-election climate plan in July 2020.
AGA’s Facebook ad spend has also spiked since August 11, although not to the extent of API’s. It has spent $18,000 on targeted Facebook ads that have been viewed 2.2 million times, urging people to contact their member of Congress.
The ads all convey similar messages that urge people to get their local representative to “vote no on higher energy costs” or vote against the “energy tax.”
Have you seen API or AGA ads opposing clean energy on Facebook? Let us know in the comments below.
GM: 100% clean energy by 2025
General Motors (GM) announced today that it plans to source 100% clean energy to power its US sites by 2025 – five years earlier than previously announced, and 25 years ahead of its initial target that was set in 2016.
By accelerating its clean energy goal, GM aims to avoid 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions that it would have produced between 2025 and 2030.
Earlier this year, GM announced its Science Based Targets, as well as plans to become carbon neutral in its global products and operations by 2040, aligned with the aspiration to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035.
The company announced in June that it will invest $35 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles and plans to introduce more than 30 electric vehicle models globally by 2025.
SolarReviews
US independent solar comparison website SolarReviews has released a free online Solar Calculator that includes desired electricity offset, financing structures, options for battery storage, and electric vehicle ownership features.
The calculator requires no personal information until you’re ready to receive actual quotes from solar providers, which is nice, because sometimes you want to get an initial idea without being bombarded by pitches.
It’s easy to use, well designed, and intuitive. By entering your zip code and estimated monthly power bill, the calculator generates the number of solar panels required for your home, the average cost of installation, savings over time, the recommended battery backup option, and cost savings estimates for charging an EV with a solar system.
You can access the calculator here.
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