Science and Technology:
¶ “How Coastal Forests Are Managed Can Impact Water Cycle” • Younger trees take up and release less water than mature trees, researchers from North Carolina State University found in a new study that tracked water in wetland pine forests. Managers should time timber harvests to leave older trees alongside new growth to mitigate runoff. [EurekAlert]
Carolina Beach State Park (FL Smith, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “En-ROADS Brings Climate Science To The Masses” • Climate science is complicated, and it’s easy to think the subject is much too complex for ordinary people to understand. Scientists use computer models to study it. But what if ordinary folks could do that? En-ROADS is an interactive simulation tool for the masses to study climate change. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Rolls-Royce, Tecnam, And Widerøe To Deliver An All-Electric Passenger Aircraft In 2026” • Rolls-Royce, the world’s second biggest manufacturer of aircraft engines, is pretty serious about electric aircraft. Now, it has announced plans to partner with Tecnam and Widerøe to deliver a working electric passenger aircraft in 2026. [CleanTechnica]
Electric passenger plane (Image provided by Rolls-Royce)
¶ “Uganda Climate Change: The People Under Threat From A Melting Glacier” • As a child, Ronah Masika’s family could grow its own food, but as Uganda’s glacier melted, things changed. She said, “Now I and other people find it difficult to sustain ourselves with what we plant at home, because everything gets destroyed by floods or drought.” [BBC]
¶ “Small-Scale Solar Is Now Second Biggest Player In Australia’s Renewable Energy Mix” • Renewable energy almost doubled in the last five years and accounts for over a quarter of Australia’s electricity supply, growing from 14.6% in 2015 to 27.7% in 2020, a Clean Energy Australia report says. And small-scale solar is now second only to windpower. [pv magazine Australia]
Rooftop solar system in Victoria (Sustainability Victoria image)
¶ “India’s Greenko Plans $4.8 Billion Pumped Storage Project” • Media reports say Greenko plans to invest $4.3 billion to set up a 2-GW hybrid solar-wind project supported by 8,000 MWh of pumped hydro storage in Rajasthan. The project is likely to be completed by 2024 and will be the world’s largest renewable energy asset, the company said. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Credit Suisse Says China To Ramp Up Local Demand And Supply Of Renewables” • Analysis by Credit Suisse shows that China will have several opportunities to speed up local demand and supply of renewable energy sources to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2060 and end dependency on foreign manufacturing. [Green Queen Media]
Wind turbines (Credit Suisse image)
¶ “India Imposes 40% Import Duty On Solar Modules” • India’s Minister of New and Renewable Energy has announced the imposition of a basic customs duty on solar cells and modules. Solar cells brought into India will have a 20% duty, while a 40% duty will be levied on imported modules. These duties will be imposed starting 1 April 2022. [CleanTechnica]
US:
¶ “Biden Launches Major Push To Expand Offshore Wind” • The White House laid out an ambitious strategy to raise the first fleet of American offshore wind farms, announcing specific plans that could boost an eager industry and help the country meet climate targets. President Biden mandated a wind energy lease auction in the New York Bight as early as this year. [E&E News]
Block Island Wind Farm (Gary Norton, NREL)
¶ “Biden Administration Launches Task Force To Ensure That Scientific Decisions Are Free From Political Influence” • A task force is being set up to review the federal government’s scientific policies to ensure that they are free from inappropriate political influence. Several top health officials say they had been pressured by the Trump administration. [CNN]
¶ “ElectraMeccanica Chooses Mesa, Arizona To Build SOLO Car” • ElectraMeccanica has been looking for the right city to build its headquarters and production facilities for about a year. It worked with officials to see what kind of incentives they could get to set up shop, and Arizona offered it a good mix of flexibility and workforce availability. [CleanTechnica]
ElectraMeccanica SOLO Car (ElectraMeccanica image)
¶ “CASE Announces Industry’s First Electric Backhoe-Loader, NY Utilities Take First Deliveries” • CASE has announced the first all electric backhoe. The cost savings are obvious. Instead of a constantly running diesel engine using fuel and wearing down, the machine can use little to no energy when it’s not operating, but respond instantly when needed. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “A Renewable Energy Bill Is Fueling A Fight Over Local Control In Indiana” • A bill in Indiana that would expand renewable energy is drawing unusual battle lines. It would propose doing away with local ordinances around renewables and instead develop a uniform set of statewide requirements. Many local groups are very opposed to this. [Gizmodo]
Indiana wind turbines (Mattchobbs, placed in the public domain)
¶ “Vote Solar Begins Work In Pennsylvania, Pushes For Greater Renewable Commitment” • Vote Solar is supporting one of its first legislative efforts in Pennsylvania. A bill before the Senate would amend the state’s 2004 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard Act to increase Pennsylvania’s renewable energy goal from 8% by 2026 to 18%. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “Nuclear Security Represents $4 Billion Annual Subsidy In US, Trillion For Fleet For Full Lifecycle” • The nuclear industry requires, but doesn’t pay much of the price of, overlapping layers of security on its international and national supply chains, plant sites, and waste management. The cost constitutes a subsidy of roughly $4 billion per year. [CleanTechnica]
Have a spectacularly easy day.
geoharvey 