Opinion:
¶ “The End Of The World’s Capital Of Brown Coal” • Germany is slowly shuttering its prolific lignite mines, which produce the least efficient type of coal. The ghostly towns set to be destroyed to make way for mines may hold a lesson for how to move on. The effects on the people of closing mines, with jobs lost, also has to be considered. [BBC]
German lignite mine (C M, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “2020: Climate Indicators Reveal Worsening Climate” • A report from the World Meteorological Organization makes it clear that globally, 2020 was one of the three warmest years on record, despite a cooling La Niña event. The global average temperature was about 1.2° Celsius above the pre-industrial (1850-1900) level. [Met Office]
World:
¶ “Green Hydrogen Pokes At LNG, Hits A Nerve” • Last week, the global energy firm Uniper announced that it has scrapped plans for a massive liquefied natural gas terminal at Wilhelmshaven in Germany. Instead, the company will build an equally massive but less planet-killing green hydrogen hub at the site, with a green ammonia twist to boot. [CleanTechnica]
LNG ship (photo courtesy of Uniper)
¶ “Carbon ‘Surge’ Expected In Post-Covid Energy Boom” • The International Energy Agency predicts a major increase in CO₂ emissions from energy this year, as world economies rebound. The IEA says total energy emissions for 2021 will still be slightly lower than in 2019, and increased use of coal in Asia will push global demand up by 4.5%. [BBC]
¶ “Toyota Introduces Beyond Zero Electric SUV At Shanghai Auto Show” • At the Shanghai Auto Show this week, Toyota introduced its new bZ brand, which stands for Beyond Zero. The first offering will be the bZ4X, an electric SUV about the size of the hot selling RAV4. It appeared in concept form, and the specs are not known yet. [CleanTechnica]
Toyota Beyond Zero Electric SUV (Image courtesy of Toyota)
¶ “Amazon Becomes Europe’s Largest Corporate Buyer Of Renewable Energy” • Amazon announced nine new utility-scale wind and solar energy projects in the US, Canada, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Amazon now has 206 renewable energy projects around the world. They have a total of 8.5 GW of electricity generating capacity. [Irish Tech News]
¶ “Luxcara Inks Swedish Wind Offtake With Amazon” • Wind plant operator Luxcara has signed a power purchase agreement with Amazon for what it says is a significant share of the power to be produced by a 374-MW wind farm in Sweden. It will begin providing power to Amazon in 2023. Amazon’s goal is to be 100% powered by renewable energy in 2025. [reNEWS]
Wind turbines (W Hasselmann, Unsplash)
¶ “WA Green Hydrogen Project Grows From 1 GW To 8 GW, Following Commitment From French Powerhouse” • Province Resources has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with French giant Total Eren. Province now saying it plans to install 8 GW of renewable energy capacity. Earlier this year, it announced a project goal of 1 GW. [pv magazine Australia]
¶ “Capstone Soaks Up Alberta Sun” • Capstone Infrastructure Corporation and Obton have started commercial operations at the 132-MW Claresholm solar farm in southern Alberta. In addition to its electricity, Claresholm will provide on-going employment along with long-term property tax revenue to the local economy. [reNEWS]
Claresholm solar array (Capstone image)
¶ “Fourth Nuclear Power Plant ‘Outdated Technology’: Deputy Economics Minister” • The mothballed Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City is “outdated technology,” the Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs said. He said, “We cannot solve the problems we will face 10 years from now with technology that is already two decades old.” [Taipei Times]
US:
¶ “Blinken Warns US Is Falling Behind China In Race To Capitalize On Climate Opportunities” • US Secretary of State Tony Blinken said that “coming up short” in efforts to address climate change “will have major repercussions” for US national security and its economy, warning that the country is falling behind China on renewable energy. [CNN]
Wind turbines (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)
¶ “CNN To Host Climate Crisis Town Hall With Officials Of The Biden Administration ” • Senior Biden administration officials will answer questions on how President Joe Biden plans to remake US climate policy in a globally broadcast CNN town hall, the network announced. “CNN Town Hall: The Climate Crisis” will air Friday at 10 p.m. ET. [CNN]
¶ “Grim Colorado River Shows Future Of Water Restrictions Is Here” • The West is dry and getting drier. The US government predicts that Lake Mead’s water level will fall below 1,075 feet (328 meters) by June, the level that triggers official government water shortage procedures for the seven states that get their water from the Colorado River. [Earther | Gizmodo]
Lake Mead (Ricardo Frantz, Unsplash)
¶ “Miners’ Union Backs Shift From Coal In Exchange For Jobs” • The nation’s largest coal miners’ union said it would accept President Joe Biden’s plan to move away from coal and other fossil fuels in exchange for a “true energy transition” that includes thousands of jobs in renewable energy and spending on technology to make coal cleaner. [WITF]
¶ “US Developer Starts 79-MW Michigan Solar Build” • DE Shaw Renewable Investments has reached financial close and started building the 79-MW Assembly Solar 3 project in Michigan. It is part of the Assembly Solar project, which will total 239 MW once completed. Financing for the construction and operation was provided by a syndicate of lenders. [reNEWS]
Have a suitably enchanting day.
geoharvey 
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