Opinion:
¶ “What Is Biodiversity And How Are We Protecting It?” • World governments are meeting in China later this year, to discuss how to stop human activities from causing the extinction of animal and plant species. They hope to come up with a long-term plan to reverse the threat to life on Earth – in all its varieties – at the UN Biodiversity Conference. [BBC]
Mangrove forest (David Clode, Unsplash)
¶ “Misinformation Is Derailing Renewable Energy Projects Across The US” • Researchers say that misinformation is raising doubts about renewable energy and slowing or derailing projects. The opposition comes at a time when climate scientists say the world must shift quickly away from fossil fuels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. [NPR]
World:
¶ “Pressure Grows For Deal To Save Nature” • A global agreement to reverse the loss of nature and halt extinctions is inching closer, as talks in Geneva enter their final day. International negotiators are working on the text of a UN framework to safeguard nature ahead of a high-level summit in China. Observers slammed the “snail’s pace” of negotiations. [BBC]
Red leaf monkey in Borneo (Jeremy Bezanger, Unsplash)
¶ “Shanghai Covid: Oil Prices Fall After City Starts Lockdown” • Global oil prices fell as China implements a city-wide lockdown in Shanghai, an important manufacturing and financial hub. Brent crude lost more than $4.50 a barrel on concerns that the move would lead to reduced oil demand. The futures contract for Brent crude fell to $115.80 a barrel. [BBC]
¶ “Why India Is Buying More Russian Oil” • Russia is seeking new markets for its oil exports as Western sanctions tighten, and India has been taking advantage of discounted prices to ramp up imports from the country. The US has pointed out that although the oil imports do not violate sanctions, they do support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [BBC]
Oil tanker (Fredrick Filix, Unsplash)
¶ “UK Plans To Add 300,000 New EV Chargers By 2030” • There are around 30,000 EV chargers in the UK. But a government program could increase that ten-fold by 2030. It has committed £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) to its new EV Infrastructure Strategy to make that happen. The regulations will require a 99% reliability rate for chargers in the program. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Spotlight On Space Solar Power As EU Skitters Away From Russian Gas” • Russia’s murderous rampage through Ukraine has sent nations scrambling to cut energy ties with the rogue nation. The US Air Force is starting an update of research into orbiting solar power, and UK science minister George Freeman expressed support for it. [CleanTechnica]
Space power (US Air Force Research Laboratory)
¶ “AGL Plans Big Battery In The Desert” • AGL has announced plans to build a lithium-ion battery at the remote city of Broken Hill, in central west New South Wales. The 50 MW, 50 MWh system will provide electricity storage to power businesses and homes in Broken Hill and support growth of renewable energy in the region. [Australian Renewable Energy Agency]
¶ “Bountiful Wind, Sun Boost German Renewable Power This Year” • Germany had about 25% more electricity from renewable sources in the first three months of the year than in the same period last year thanks to windy and sunny weather. Renewable energy provided about 54% of Germany’s electricity in January and February, officials said. [The Mainichi]
Wind turbines (Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)
¶ “Unprotected Russian Soldiers Disturbed Radioactive Dust In Chornobyl’s ‘Red Forest’, Workers Say” • Russian soldiers who seized the site of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster drove their armored vehicles without radiation protection through a highly toxic zone called the “Red Forest,” exposing themselves to clouds of radioactive dust, workers at the site said. [CTV News]
US:
¶ “Starbucks Wants To Woo Electric Car Drivers With More EV Chargers” • Most of the time, EV owners don’t have to worry about charging – they plug in their car at home in the evening and wake up with it charged. But Starbucks sees an opportunity to bring in customers who have to charge their cars when they are on longer trips. [CleanTechnica]
Starbucks charger (Courtesy of Starbucks via Fast Company)
¶ “83% Of New Power Capacity In 2021 Was Renewable” • In the US, renewable energy power plants continue to dominate new power capacity. In December, roughly 80% of new US capacity was renewable, following a month of November in which the split was 90% for renewables. For the full year, over 83% of new power capacity was renewable. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Odin And GoFor Partnership Will Bring StreetScooter To North America” • Odin Automotive purchased the StreetScooter manufacturing rights from Deutsche Post last month. Now it says it will partner with GoFor, a delivery service that specializes in same day deliveries of large items, to bring StreetScooter electric vehicles to North America. [CleanTechnica]
Delivery EVs (Image courtesy of GoFor)
¶ “Maersk And Einride Partner To Electric Semi Trucks To America” • Maersk is the world’s largest ocean freight company, with 738 ships. But Maersk doesn’t just drop cargo at ports and sail away. It also distributes it to freight terminals. It formed a partnership with Swedish startup Einride to add 300 electric trucks to its distribution fleet. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The City Of Sarasota Takes Next Step Toward 100% Renewable Energy Goal” • The City of Sarasota is moving toward a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045. In collaboration with the Sierra Club, the Race to Zero campaign and local communities and partners, the city will be working toward a more affordable clean energy future. [WGCU Public Media]
Have an outrageously happy day.
geoharvey 
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