🏭 EVs at depreciation risk. Residential solar costed <$4 per watt. Netherlands led in English proficiency.

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Today's Topics

🎓 Higher Education. Netherlands topped English proficiency scores
🍃 Green Skills. Residential solar cost remained less than $4 per watt
🏭 Advanced Manufacturing. EVs are at risk of rapid depreciation in value

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🎓 Netherlands topped English proficiency scores

The EF SET (Standard English Test) is a free, standardised online assessment, measuring reading and listening proficiency aligned with CEFR levels, used by nearly 2.2M test takers across 123 countries in 2024. Netherlands led globally with 624 points, reflecting compulsory English education from age 10, subtitled foreign media, and having nearly 100 bilingual schools. Standardised English requirements are increasingly required by European universities, as universities shift to more bilingual teaching as well as fully English taught courses across many EU universities.

🍃 Residential solar cost remained less than $4 per watt

US residential solar costs have nearly halved since 2010, driven by module efficiency gains alongside module price drops. The 30% Investment Tax Credits, extended through the Inflation Reduction Act, have contributed to increased investment in domestic solar units. Future reductions bank on innovations such as perovskite-silicon tandem cells, which are expected to surpass the efficiency levels of silicon cells. Solar energy has become increasingly important in the US energy landscape amidst ongoing increased power demand owed to expanding data centre infrastructure, which contributes to impacts such as water distress.

🏭 EVs are at risk of rapid depreciation in value

EVs depreciate nearly 60% within five years, surpassing that of gasoline vehicles. This is driven by factors such as battery degradation concerns and market oversupply. Rapid technology advances prompt consumers to opt for newer models, reducing the value of older ones. Since EVs have gained much popularity recently, the sentimental value attributed to older gasoline cars is also absent. This means a specific aftermarket for EVs will take a long time to establish in countries such as the US.

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