Science and Technology:
¶ “Why The Tiny House Is Perfect For Now” • The tiny house movement found its moment. The idea is that having less space and stuff can create room in our lives for more important things, and it has appeal. The roots of the tiny house movement can be traced to Henry David Thoreau, and its fans champion the dwellings’ green credentials. [BBC]
Tiny House (New Frontier Design image)
¶ “Stanford Researchers Bring “Dead” Lithium Back To Life” • Green Car Congress reports that the researchers might have found a way to bring rechargeable lithium batteries back to life with an increased boost to the range of battery life for both EVs and next-generation electronic devices. The study on the work has been published in Nature. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Researchers Pioneer New View Of Deep Rock Fractures For Geothermal Energy” • A team led by researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory demonstrated a way to monitor deep subsurface fractures. This is important because geothermal wells could provide an estimated 100 GW, enough power up to 100 million US homes. [CleanTechnica]
Experimental testbed in a mine tunnel (Hunter Knox, PNNL)
¶ “Climate Change Will Bring More Hurricanes To New York, Other Midlatitude Cities, Study Finds” • A study published in the journal Nature Geoscience projects that more hurricanes will be coming to midlatitude regions, which include major population centers such as New York, Boston, and Shanghai, because of climate change. [Yahoo News]
¶ “Fire And Ice: The Puzzling Link Between Western Wildfires And Arctic Sea Ice” • A study describes a link between dwindling sea ice and worsening wildfires. As the Arctic continues warming, it can sharpen the contrast between the two distantly connected systems, altering the jet stream, and exacerbating conditions in a fire-ravaged region. [CleanTechnica]
Wildfire (National Park Service, public domain)
¶ “Warming Lakes Are Losing Oxygen. Climate Change And Pollution Are To Blame” • Oxygen is disappearing in freshwater lakes at a rate nine times that of oceans due to a combination of pollution and warming waters, according to a study published in Nature earlier this year. And without oxygen, fish and other life in the ponds and lakes are dying. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Mercedes Says Its Electric Concept Has 620 Miles Of Range And Seats Made With Mushrooms” • Mercedes unveiled an all-electric concept car, the EQXX, that the company claims can go 620 miles on a single charge. The car is also made with such innovative recycled and sustainable materials as mushroom fibers and food scraps. [CNN]
Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX concept car (Mercedes-Benz AG)
¶ “Chile Races China For Global Green Hydrogen Boss Crown” • That was fast! No sooner does the firm Sinopec announce a massive new green hydrogen project in China to produce 20,000 tons per year, when along comes Chile with plans for a new project called H₂ Magallanes, which could pump out more than 880,000 tons per year. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “European Energy Explores Power-To-X Potential At Danish Port” • European Energy signed a letter of intent with the Danish Port of Hanstholm to provide solar and wind capacity and a power-to-x project to produce green hydrogen and methanol. The letter of intent is part of the port’s plans to become Europe’s first CO₂-neutral fishing port. [reNews]
Boats in Hanstholm Harbor (Ragnar1904, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Germany Calls Nuclear Power ‘Dangerous’ After EU Proposal To Classify It As Renewable” • After the EU announced a plan on Sunday to classify some forms of nuclear energy as renewable, the German government reacted almost immediately. It said on Monday that it will reject the EU plan, calling nuclear power technology “dangerous.” [TheHill]
¶ “Nordex Scoops 380 MW Of Finnish Wind” • Nordex has received an order for a 380-MW cluster of wind projects in Finland. Finnish utility company Fortum signed and closed an agreement with Nordex to supply, install and commission 56 N163 wind turbines of the latest 6.X variant for the Pjelax-Bole-Kristinestad Norr wind farm cluster. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Nordex image)
US:
¶ “30-Year Oil Industry Veteran Horrified By Millions Of Uncapped Oil Wells, Dedicated To Sealing Them” • The oil and gas industry has left millions of abandoned wells in the US, and American taxpayers will have to pay to close them. Curtis Shuck Jr, a 30-year veteran of the oil industry, founded the Well Done Foundation to help with that. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Florida Transit Agency Buys 60 Electric Buses” • A Florida transit agency, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority of Pinellas County, recently ordered 60 full-electric buses. Pinellas County includes St Petersburg. The 60 electric buses will be delivered over the next 5 years, though 24 of them will be delivered before the end of this year. [CleanTechnica]
Gillig electric bus (Courtesy of Gillig)
¶ “TVA Attempts To Block Solar Cooperative” • The Tennessee Valley Authority opposes the Jackson Sustainability Cooperative, claiming that it would weaken TVA business, and its operation would violate the law. A different organization, Jackson Energy Authority, said it is working with the TVA and plans a 25-MW solar project in the region. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “Massachusetts Advances Dozens Of Solar Projects On Hold For Nearly Two Years” • The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has issued an order expanding the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program from 1,600 MW to 3,200 MW of capacity, allowing dozens of solar projects to move forward. The order will take effect on January 14. [Solar Industry]
Have a delightfully unique day.
geoharvey 