Opinion:
¶ “American West is drying out. Things will get ugly” • A depleted Lake Mead illustrates the effects of a drought brought on by climate change. Stories are popping up across the West of possible rationing, coming restrictions and looming standoffs between farmers and the government over the most precious natural resource. [CNN]
Drought in California, 2014 (Pete Souza, White House photo)
¶ “The Fully Electric Future Of Landscape Maintenance” • You have probably noticed the electric car ads on television and the news about automakers promising to go all-electric in the next 10 years. You may not have noticed the same thing happening in the world of outdoor landscape maintenance equipment, but it is, and it’s happening faster. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The Fires Of The Past Foretell The Fires Of The Future” • During the past two decades, we Coloradans have gotten used to billowing clouds of smoke over the mountains in summer. But 2020’s fires broke records. They seem to have usher in a whole new and terrifying “normal,” when the fires start before summer, and they stay around in the fall. [Sierra Club]
Smoky sunset (Kym MacKinnon, Unsplash)
¶ “Why Norway Leads In EVs – And The Role Played By Cheap Renewable Electricity” • Norway leads the world: 60% of new cars sold are EVs, compared with 2% in the US. How did they do it, and what can the rest of the world learn from Norway? Three posts explain why Norway leads in electric vehicle uptake and why the USA can be optimistic. [Forbes]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Drought And Extreme Heat In The US West – The Climate Change Connection” • The American West has been blasted with sweltering heat this week, but it is just part of a decades-long drought. Simon Wang, a professor of climate dynamics at Utah State University, commented, “As a meteorologist, of course, this isn’t a surprise.” [Digital Journal]
Dried river bed (NOAA image)
¶ “Superpedestrian Bringing ‘World’s Safest And Smartest E-Scooter’ To Sharing Service In 30 European Cities This Year” • Superpedestrian claims to use the safest and smartest electric scooter in the world, the LINK. It has 73 sensors and 5 processors. It took 8 years to develop the AI system, and 2 years to design and validate the chassis and powertrain. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Tesla Adapted Model 3 For UK Emergency Services – Police, Fire, Ambulance, Paramedics” • In the UK, Tesla made a new Model 3 police car available to emergency services. It is being used for trials as a part of the UK government’s Road To Zero strategy. The Model 3 is specially adapted to enable emergency services to transition fleets to EVs. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla police car (Photo courtesy of Tesla UK)
¶ “DP Energy Joins Forces With Spanish Giant Iberdrola To Develop Offshore Wind Projects” • From its headquarters in north Cork, DP Energy operates sustainable energy projects in Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and Australia. Now the company has partnered with Spanish energy giant Iberdrola to develop three wind projects off the Irish coast. [Business Post]
¶ “Trillions Available To Support The Global Energy Transition” • The just energy transition has already kicked off in Africa, but it is going to require the scaling up of investment in renewable energy. There is enough finance already available in the global economy, according to Dr Olufunso Somorin of the African Development Bank. [News24]
Wind turbines in South Africa (Charl Folscher, Unsplash)
¶ “€125 Million Secured For Africa Renewable Energy Fund II” • The Africa Renewable Energy Fund II had its first close at €125 million, following a joint investment of €17.5 million from The Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and the Climate Technology Fund through the African Development Bank. AREF II invests in early-stage projects. [East African Business Week]
¶ “Belgium Court Deems Inadequate Climate Policy A Human Rights Violation” • Climate campaigners claimed a “historic victory” after a Brussels court condemned Belgium for its climate policy that breaches the country’s duty of care and human rights obligations. The verdict from the Court of First Instance followed a six-year legal battle. [EcoWatch]
Grand Place, Brussels (Stephanie LeBlanc, Unsplash)
¶ “North Korea Attempted To Hack South Korea’s Nuclear Think Tank, Lawmaker Says” • A North Korean hacker group allegedly broke into South Korea’s nuclear research center last month, marking the latest in a series of cyberattack attempts, a South Korean lawmaker said in a press briefing. A cybersecurity firm tracked the IP addresses of the attackers. [WCMY]
US:
¶ “Tesla Model S Plaid Gets EPA Range Of 348 Miles And 101 MPGe Rating” • Tesla’s new Plaid Model S has received official ratings from the EPA. It has an all-electric range of 348 miles, according to the EPA, and a 101 miles per gallon equivalency rating. A Long Range version is tailored for range, and it got a range rating of 405 miles. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model S Plaid (Photo courtesy of Tesla)
¶ “Tesla Is At Apex Of The Used Electric Vehicle Market” • The aftermath of the pandemic, with an added global semiconductor shortage, has caused the prices of all used cars to soar. Demand for used cars is up 58% from last year. EVs have been going along for the ride, and Teslas, which have always retained value well, are keeping value best. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Small Wave Energy Power Plants Could Be Wave Energy’s Path Forward” • With funding from the US DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office, NREL researchers are developing ways for many small energy converters to be aggregated. This approach to wave energy could help energy generation from ocean waves become a reality. [CleanTechnica]
Have an effortlessly majestic day.
geoharvey 
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