Winds of change: Climate change could hit wind power in Northern Hemisphere

Climate change could hamper wind-power production in the Northern Hemisphere over the next 100 years, a study has found – but countries below the Equator could benefit. The work, which researchers from the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute in the US called “the first of its kind”, analysed international and renewable industry predictions of winds and temperatures over the next century. If carbon dioxide emissions continue at high levels, the researchers predict that the input available for windfarms will drop in the Northern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes, including North America, Japan, Mongolia and the Mediterranean. The decrease is expected because of rising temperatures at the North Pole, reducing the difference from the warm Equator and causing slower winds. In the Southern Hemisphere, countries including Brazil, South Africa and Australia could benefit from a wind-power boom as land masses warm and intensify the temperature gradient with surrounding oceans. Despite high adoption of wind-power technology in Europe, continued output is “a big question mark” because of uncertainty in international predictions, said lead author Kris Karnauskas.

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Comfort Systems USA Announces Acquisition

Business Wire | February 01, 2024

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. today announced that it has closed its previously announced transaction to acquire Summit Industrial Construction, LLC (“Summit”) headquartered in Houston, Texas. As previously disclosed, Summit is a specialty industrial mechanical contractor offering engineering, design-assist and turnkey, direct hire construction services of modular systems serving the advanced technology, power, and industrial sectors. Summit’s capabilities encompass a wide range of modular and site-based construction, including process piping, equipment setting, large pipe rack trestles, and related steel erection and specialty concrete work. Summit is a trusted supplier to some of the world’s largest advanced technology, power and industrial companies and is currently deployed on several major chip fabrication projects. Initially, Summit is expected to contribute annualized revenues of approximately $375 million to $400 million, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of $35 million to $40 million. In light of the amortization expense, Summit is expected to make a neutral to slightly accretive contribution to earnings per share in 2024 and 2025. Brian Lane, Comfort Systems USA’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are delighted to announce the closing of our agreement to acquire Summit, an extremely capable provider of modular and other complex mechanical services. Summit brings a stellar reputation as a modular technology leader in growing end markets, including multiple ongoing and large semiconductor projects. We are happy to welcome Summit’s wonderful leadership team and excellent production and craft workers across many states, and we are confident Summit will continue to innovate and grow as a part of our network of world-class contracting companies. We are grateful that Summit has chosen to become part of Comfort Systems USA.”

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