Opinion:
¶ “This Is How We Defeat Putin And Other Petrostate Autocrats” • Along with its military machine, control of oil and gas supplies is Russia’s main weapon. Now is the time to remind ourselves that the costs of solar and windpower have dropped by an order of magnitude in the last decade. We have a way to reduce Putin’s power: Get off oil and gas. [The Guardian]
Wind turbines (Karyatid, Unsplash)
¶ “Russia’s Invasion Of Ukraine Adds Urgency To Europe’s Green Power Transition” • Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to add more urgency to Europe’s efforts to break its dependence on Russian oil and gas, as well as compel Europe to accelerate its transition to clean energy, say experts and EU officials. But those effortswon’t come easily. [Scientific American]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Tesla HEPA Filters: Can A Tesla Really Protect Your Lungs?” • EVs reduce pollution for everyone, but Tesla’s cars can go further to reduce pollution in its cabins. Tesla recently showed how safe the cabins of its cars can be when using the company’s so-called Bioweapon Defense Mode with HEPA filters when “under attack” by dense red smoke. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla testing HEPA filter (Tesla image)
World:
¶ “Airbus To Test Hydrogen-Fueled Engine On A380 Jet” • Airbus just moved one step closer to launching the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035. The French aircraft maker has announced plans to test hydrogen fuel technology using a modified A380 jetliner. It will be fitted with a special engine and liquid hydrogen tanks. [CNN]
¶ “These African Heritage Sites Are Under Threat From Rising Seas, But There’s Still Time To Save Them” • Extreme weather events and rising seas mean around 190 spectacular heritage sites on Africa’s coasts will be at risk of severe flooding and erosion in the next 30 years, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. [CNN]
Amphitheater in Sabratha, Libya (Franzfoto, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “Radiation Spike At Nuclear Plant Seized By Russian Forces” • A radiation spike has been recorded near Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant which has been seized by Russian forces, monitoring data shows. The rise was reportedly caused by heavy military vehicles stirring contaminated soil in the 4,000-sq-km (2,485 sq-mile) exclusion zone. [BBC]
¶ “Germany Doubles Pace Of Energy Transition” • With a change of government that reflected the country’s move towards greater climate action, Germany doubled its energy transition’s pace. While some use of coal will persist until 2030, and natural gas for another decade, Germany’s new government has set some very ambitious targets for 2030. [CleanTechnica]
Enel Green Power’s Aurora Solar Farm (Enel Green Power image)
¶ “Northvolt Will Convert Swedish Paper Mill To New Battery Factory” • Swedish battery company Northvolt said it has signed of a letter of intent to purchase the Kvarnsveden Mill in Sweden. Northvolt will develop the site into a manufacturing plant for active material and battery cells, reusing and refurbishing much of the existing site infrastructure. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Janus Trucks Converting Freightliner To Electricity – Seeing Lot Of Demand” • Janus announced that the second fully electric registered Class 8 prime mover in Australia has hit the roads. Its exchangeable batteries can be swapped in three minutes, giving it a range of up to 600 km (373 miles). And the JCM350 Janus Conversion Module is 480 HP. [CleanTechnica]
Conversion by Janus Trucks (Janus Trucks image)
¶ “Canadian Solar Signs PPA For 381-MW Brazil Solar” • Steel manufacturer Usinas Siderurgicas de Minas Gerais has signed a power purchase agreement with Canadian Solar for 50% of the total electricity production at its 381-MW Morada do Sol solar farm in Brazil. Canadian Solar will develop and build the project in the State of Goiás. [reNews]
¶ “Seaway 7 partners on offshore wind in Asia” • Seaway 7 and Sumitomo Electric Industries have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the development of offshore wind projects in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese and Asian offshore wind market is expected to grow substantially in the next decades. [reNews]
Offshore windpower (Seaway 7 image)
US:
¶ “Tesla Installs Megapacks On Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula” • The Kenai Peninsula of Alaska will no longer rely on gas turbines to distribute electricity to the community. Homer Electric installed a 37 Tesla Megapacks, which will provide grid stability even during freezing temperatures of minus 30°F. The are had been having problems with outages. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “USPS Finalizes Orders Of Gas-Powered Trucks” • The US Postal Service has said ‘no’ to EVs by placing an order for a gas-powered fleet. The Hill reported that the USPS announced its finalized plans to order a new fleet of majority gasoline-powered vehicles even though it contradicts the Biden administration’s emissions goal. [CleanTechnica]
USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (Courtesy of USPS)
¶ “US Offshore Wind Auction In NY, NJ Raises A Record $4.37 Billion” • The federal government announced a record $4.37 billion sale of six offshore wind leases off the coasts of New York and New Jersey. The success of the lease auction moves forward the Biden administration’s goal to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. [Verve times]
¶ “Convalt Energy Proposes A $5 Billion Renewable Energy Project In Northern Maine” • An energy company that operates renewable power projects overseas is trying to expand its US footprint, with a project in Maine. Convalt Energy is proposing a $5 billion energy generation and transmission project based in East Millinocket. [Maine Public]
Have a gleefully noteworthy day.
geoharvey 