Opinion:
¶ “Russia’s Days As An Energy Superpower Are Coming To An End” • In a matter of weeks, the war in Ukraine has upended an energy relationship between Europe and Russia that goes back decades. Russia’s role in the European and global energy system has been shaken. This is a profound shift that will mark the end of Russia as an energy superpower. [CNN]
Zapolyarnoye gas field (government.ru, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Putin’s Leverage Shows The Danger Of Relying On Fossil Fuels” • In the wake of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, the world needs a massive international effort to free democracies from their dependence on oil produced by Moscow and other dictatorial regimes. It needs a green energy Manhattan Project, like the World War II effort on atomic power. [CNN]
World:
¶ “Flights Are Taking Huge ‘Detours’ Around Russian Air Space. Here’s What That Means For The Climate Crisis” • In response to sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, Russia closed its airspace to airlines from dozens of countries. About 400 flights per month are being forced to take a wider berth, each using significantly greater amounts of fuel. [CNN]
Airplane taking off (Quintin Soloviev, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “These Fossil Fuel Companies Sent More Than $15 Billion In Taxes To Russia Since It Annexed Crimea, NGOs Say” • Nine European and US fossil fuel companies have paid a collective $15.8 billion to Russia in various forms of taxes and fees since the country annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, according to a group of NGOs. [CNN]
¶ “Great Barrier Reef: Australia Confirms New Mass Bleaching Event” • Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is being devastated by another mass bleaching event, officials confirmed. It is the fourth time in six years that such severe and widespread damage has been detected. Prior to 2016, only two mass bleaching events had ever been recorded. [BBC]
Coral bleaching (Ahmed Areef, Unsplash)
¶ “Directed Technologies Will Test Arcimoto EVs In Australia” • Directed Technologies and Arcimoto announced the testing of Arcimoto’s Fun Utility Vehicle and Deliverator across Australia. “It’s staggering to think that you can build a hundred Mean Lean Machines with the same amount of extracted material that goes into one Hummer.” [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Stellantis Will Partner With LG To Build A Battery Factory In Canada” • Stellantis and LG Energy Solution have plans to build a battery factory together in Windsor, Ontario, directly across the Detroit River from the Motor City. According to Electrive, the annual production capacity of the new $4 billion factory will be 45 GWh. [CleanTechnica]
Bridge to Windsor (N Band, Unsplash)
¶ “China’s Green Hydrogen Message Spells Bad News For Russia” • China announced an ambitious plan to jack up its production of green hydrogen. The plan appears aimed at increasing the nation’s deployment of hydrogen without an equal increase in its dependence on natural gas or coal, which are the main sources of hydrogen today. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Alinta Says Court Wind Farm Ruling Will Have ‘Dramatic’ And Chilling Effect On Renewable Energy Investment” • One of Australia’s biggest renewable energy investors says a court’s decision to uphold complaints against a Victorian wind farm could have “dramatic” and chilling effects on the country’s transition away from fossil fuels. [ABC]
Wind turbine (APA image, supplied)
¶ “Russian Agents Charged With Targeting US Nuclear Plant, Saudi Oil Refinery” • US and British officials accused the Russian government of running a years-long campaign to hack into critical infrastructure, including an American nuclear plant and a Saudi oil refinery. The US unsealed criminal charges against four Russian government officials. [Yahoo Finance]
US:
¶ “R&D Proves To Be The Right Investment For Tesla” • Tesla is proving that its R&D is a better investment than advertising. Last year, Visual Capitalist compared Tesla’s spending with that of legacy automakers such as GM, Toyota, and Ford. Tesla spent $0 on advertising but almost $3,000 per car on R&D. That idea has now been backed up by a study. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla (Vlad Tchompalov, Unsplash)
¶ “Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Partners With Area States To Develop Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub Proposal” • Connecticut is joining New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts to develop a proposal to become one of at least four regional clean hydrogen hubs designated through the federal Clean Hydrogen Hubs program. [EIN News]
¶ “Meta Chooses Kansas City For Construction Of $800 Million Data Center” • Missouri economic development leaders gathered at Union Station to announce plans to build a giant data-storage facility for Meta in Kansas City, Missouri. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, selected the Kansas City region for a new hyper-scale data center. [KSHB]
Kansas City (Darren Hibbs, Unsplash)
¶ “The University of Michigan Moves Toward 100% Renewable Purchased Power” • The University of Michigan announced steps toward procuring 100% renewable purchased power, plans for new geothermal heating and cooling systems, and $10 million in funding for more LED lighting in roughly 100 buildings on all three campuses. [The University Record]
¶ “Federal Officials: Russian Spies Tried To Hack Into Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant” • A federal indictment accuses four men, with ties to Russian spy outfits, of trying to gain control of US nuclear power plants through cyber sabotage. One plant targeted was the Wolf Creek nuclear generating station near Burlington, Kansas. [Kansas Public Radio]
Have a radically flawless day.
geoharvey 
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