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What really broke on the grid during Storm Fern – it wasn’t wind or solar

Winter Storm Fern knocked out power for millions of people across the US and reignited a familiar political and media fight over what really causes large-scale outages during extreme weather. To separate the rhetoric from the operational reality, Electrek spoke with Leah Qusba, CEO of GoodPower, a research, strategic communications, and campaigning organization focused on advancing the global renewable energy transition.

In this Q&A, Qusba walks through what tends to fail first during major winter storms, what outage data shows about the role of wind, solar, and fossil generation during Fern, why fuel supply and winterization still matter more than the generation mix, and how coordinated disinformation campaigns exploit moments of uncertainty after grid emergencies and what works to counter them.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk lied about “refusing” Epstein island invite, newly released DOJ emails show

Elon Musk claimed he “refused” invitations to visit Jeffrey Epstein’s private island after the financier was already convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor, but newly released Department of Justice documents prove that was a lie.

The emails show Musk actively trying to plan a visit and asking Epstein about “the wildest party” on his island.

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Fresh with funding, Aptera shares solar EV production update ahead of deliveries this year [Video]

Days after completing a $9 million equity raise, solar EV startup Aptera Motors posted its latest progress update video, detailing how it intends to use the fresh funds. While it still has a way to go, Aptera is continuing production of its solar EV validation builds with hopes of delivering SEVs to customers before the end of the year.

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Navee XT5 Pro e-scooter at new $1,100 low, Aventon Level 2 e-bike hits new $999 low, Heybike Valentine’s Day sale lows, Anker, more

Our end-of-the-week Green Deals is being led by the Navee XT5 Pro Electric Scooter that has fallen to a new $1,100 low, while we also have Aventon’s Level 2 Commuter e-bike falling to a new $999 low in a weekend flash sale, as well as Heybike’s Valentine’s Day e-bike Sale taking up to $700 off its lineup and returning several models to their all-time lowest rates, like the Mars 2.0 Folding Fat Tire e-bike at $899. There’s also a 72-hour Anker SOLIX flash sale with options like the C2000 Gen 2 Power Station and alternator charger bundle at $1,148, among others – plus, we have some of the best prices of the last six months on EGO Power+ and Worx lawn care tools/equipment. All these and more are waiting for you below, and don’t forget the hangover deals at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s EcoFlow January Monthly Madness EcoCredit event, as well as Lectric’s Valentine’s Day e-bike Sale with up to $753 savings, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

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Tesla announces launch in Morocco

Tesla is officially expanding into Morocco, marking another step in the automaker’s push into African markets. The company will host a launch event on February 6 in Casablanca, introducing the Model 3 and Model Y to the North African nation.

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Wheel-E Podcast: Rad got bought, NJ hates e-bikes, fake UL lawsuit, more

This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes a range of stories from new e-bike laws in New Jersey and Amsterdam, Rad Power Bikes getting bought out of bankruptcy, the clever way that e-bike batteries can be used for extra power during storms or even power a food truck, Honda’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, and more.

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