Opinion:
¶ “House Democrats’ Climate Bill Fails to Meet Urgent Crisis” • House Energy and Commerce Democrats introduced revamped legislation today that aims for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But it fails to set adequate measures to meet those goals, as it does not include any binding mechanisms to achieve its targets. [Center for Biological Diversity]
The road ahead (UnKknown Traveller, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “In February The US Experienced Record Cold Temperatures While Much Of The Planet Hit All-Time Highs” • While some of the coldest weather in a century was gripping millions of people in American for over a week in February, large areas of the globe were basking in the warmest weather they had ever observed during winter. [CNN]
¶ “Low Carbon Concrete – Starting From The Ground Up” • Of all global CO₂ emissions, 8 to 11% come from the manufacture of concrete. Several companies use CO₂ or reduce CO₂ emissions in their products in different ways to produce “green” concrete products that range from somewhat lower carbon, to zero carbon and carbon negative. [CleanTechnica]
Concrete truck (Courtesy of Wilsonville Concrete)
¶ “Argonne Climate Model Is Helping PG&E Plan For Climate Change, Wildfire Impacts” • As part of a wider effort on the part of Pacific Gas and Electric Co to protect its customers’ safety and support grid reliability, it is sponsoring research at the US DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory to produce local climate-change models. [Transmission & Distribution World]
World:
¶ “Volkswagen Uses Pollution-Absorbing Paint To Advertise ID.3 In UK” • Volkswagen ID.3 EVs are manufactured using 100% renewable electricity. Volkswagen plans to recycle the batteries in its EVs. Now, its large outdoor ads for the ID.3 use a special paint called Airlite to paint the exterior walls of buildings in London. Airlite absorbs several pollutants. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID.3 ad (Courtesy of Volkswagen)
¶ “Volvo To Go Fully Electric By 2030” • By the end of the decade, the only Volvo you’ll be able to buy will be electric. Volvo announced plans to stop selling cars that run on fossil fuels by 2030, part of an growing trend within the industry to respond to pressure to tackle the climate crisis. And you’ll only be able to buy a Volvo online. [CNN]
¶ “Electric Boda-Bodas Launch: A Promising Day For Electric Transportation In East Africa” • Kenya and Uganda both have electricity grids predominantly powered by renewables. Both nations are also faced with the interesting problem of having excess generation capacity. In both countries, it makes sense to use electric motorcycles. [CleanTechnica]
Electric motorcycles
¶ “Invest Energy To Pump RM2.2 Billion In Renewable Energy” • Invest Energy Sdn Bhd, a company in the renewal and clean energy sector, plans to invest RM2.2 billion ($540 million) over the next five to seven years in increasing its investments and presence in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region, especially Vietnam. [New Straits Times Online]
¶ “Mastretta Launches Electric Cargo Bike That Can Haul 400 Pounds” • Mastretta claims that its four MX3 configurations will meet just about every need, and it’s kind of hard to argue with that assertion in the face of what is, perhaps, the bikes’ most impressive feature: the MX3 Cargo 200 Remolque’s 440 lb. towing capacity. [CleanTechnica]
Mastretta electric cargo bikes (Image courtesy of Mastretta)
¶ “French Feb Nuclear Falls To Record Low As Maintenance Season Starts Early” • Average French nuclear generation fell to a record low in February of 45 GW, down 5.5% on the year, grid operator data showed. When two reactors came offline for annual maintenance on February 27, an unprecedented 11 units started maintenance before March. [S&P Global]
¶ “The Greek Island Where Renewable Energy And Hybrid Cars Rule” • Tilos is now the first island in southern Europe to build a hybrid power station with battery storage. It could become an example for other isolated communities looking to go green. Islands have long been centers for experiments on new energy technologies. [Inside Climate News]
Village of Livadhia, Tilos (Fredrik Rubensson, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
US:
¶ “John Kerry Has A Warning For Big Oil” • John Kerry had some tough talk for the leaders of Big Oil. The message: embrace clean energy or get left behind. “You don’t want to be sitting there with a lot of stranded assets. You’re gonna wind up on the wrong side of this battle,” Kerry said at the energy conference CERAWeek by IHS Markit. [CNN]
¶ “Joby Aviation Set To Take Its EVTOL Public In $6.6 Billion SPAC Deal” • Toyota put a $394 million investment Toyota put into Joby Aviation last year, before the first of the company’s tilt-rotor aircraft even took to the air. Now, through a reverse merger with a special purpose acquisition company, it’s being valued at $6.6 billion on the NYSE. [CleanTechnica]
Joby EVTOL (Image from The Verge, via MotorAuthority)
¶ “Most Georgians Believe In Global Warming, Favor More Solar” • As the Biden administration gets more aggressive on climate change, 77% of registered Georgia voters surveyed say they believe global warming is occurring and most say they are willing to pay more to combat it, according to a poll from the University of Georgia. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
¶ “Hershey Announces Bold 2030 Goals To Address Climate Change And Reduce Environmental Footprint” • The Hershey Company has announced new commitments to advance its environmental progress and contribute to global climate action. Hershey has taken on ambitious new goals to reduce its global emissions. [CSRwire.com]
Have a fundamentally carefree day.
geoharvey 