Opinion:
¶ “What Would A Flying-Free World Look Like?” • Air travel is incredibly polluting, but what would happen if people across the world suddenly stopped flying completely? A world of no flights would present some serious logistical challenges, but could also open up the door to huge changes to other, lower-carbon forms of transport. [BBC]
Bullet train in Tokyo (Fikri Rasyid, Unsplash)
¶ “How Big Tech Companies Fund Fossil Fuel Emissions” • The Big Tech companies – such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google/Alphabet, – all emphasize sustainability and tout efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. But they may unwittingly be providing fossil fuel companies the money they need to go on extracting their destructive products. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Big Oil Investors Put To The Test At Annual Shareholder Meetings” • This is a week of annual shareholder meetings for some major oil and gas companies. Climate-related shareholder proposals are on the agenda for Shell, ExxonMobil and Chevron, and climate advocates are urging major investors to vote for climate action. [CleanTechnica]
Offshore oil rigs (NOAA image, public domain)
¶ “Why Nuclear Energy May Not Be The Silver Bullet In Clean Energy” • We need to decarbonize, and building nuclear plants is seen as a way to do that. But a nuclear plant typically takes ten to fifteen years or more to construct, from planning to operation. Given the pressing need to decarbonize quickly, that is clearly too slow. [News Center Maine]
World:
¶ “The Changing Face Of The North Sea Oil Industry” • Faced with the climate emergency, Aberdeen is having to move away from an industry that has created half a million jobs and brought almost incalculable wealth to north east Scotland. Some young people still count on a career in the oil industry, but others are focusing on a future in renewable energy. [BBC]
North Sea oil rigs (Ben Wicks, Unsplash)
¶ “Why Africa Couldn’t Get Urgent Global Deal On Drought” • Africa has been hit by fourteen extreme droughts in the past two years alone, and the UN is warning that some 20 million people are at risk in East Africa this year after the rains failed once more. Sadly, not much was achieved at the two-week-long meeting in Abidjan to tackle these crises. [BBC]
¶ “More Electric Semi Trucks Coming To US And Europe” • Private car owners may still be undecided about EVs, but commercial fleet managers are rushing to reap the benefits of battery-operated vehicles, with their greatly reduced costs of fuel and maintenance. Electric semi trucks are enjoying a surge of orders in both the US and Europe. [CleanTechnica]
Scania electric semi truck (Image courtesy of Scania)
¶ “India’s Acme Solar Plans 7-GW Renewable Energy Green Ammonia Plant” • Acme Solar Holdings, one of India’s leading independent solar power producers, reportedly plans to set up 7 GW of renewable power and green ammonia facilities in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. The venture is expected to entail an investment of $6 billion. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “EU Oil Ban ‘In Days,’ Russia-China Closer” • The EU is likely to agree an embargo on Russian oil imports “within days”, as Moscow says it anticipates its economic ties growing with China after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine. The EU has offered up to €2 billion to central and eastern nations most dependent on Russian fuel. [Crikey]
Tanker (Fredrick Filix, Unsplash)
¶ “Contractor Quitting Puts Shell In Spotlight Over Climate” • A longtime contractor who consulted Shell on safety issues has publicly called out the oil and gas company’s climate plans, accusing the company of “double talk” by saying it wants to cut greenhouse gas emissions while working on tapping new sources of fossil fuel. [AP News]
¶ “UAE Records Largest Increase In Renewable Energy Capacity Globally In The Past Decade” • The UAE recorded the largest increase in renewable energy capacity worldwide in the past ten years, a report showed, reflecting the nation’s ambition to get to net-zero emissions. Its renewable capacity grew from 13 MW in 2011 to 2,540 MW in 2020. [The National]
Shams solar plant, Abu Dhabi (Masdar Official, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
US:
¶ “California Governor Pleads For More Water Conservation” • As the California drought goes on, Governor Gavin Newsom is warning local officials that more needs to be done to save water, and to make sure all residents realize how urgent the crisis is. If not, he said, California could face mandatory statewide water restrictions this summer. [CNN]
¶ “Solar Array Transforms Hardwick Gravel Pit Into Renewable Energy Resource” • Encore Renewable Energy and the Electric Department of Hardwick, Vermont, held a ribbon-cutting at a 1.65-MW solar array at a former Hardwick gravel pit. The system is expected to provide annual electricity needs of approximately 340 homes. [Vermont Business Magazine]
Hardwick solar array (Encore Renewable Energy image)
¶ “Solar On Pennsylvania Schools Doubles In Five Years” • The solar capacity in Pennsylvania schools has doubled in the last two years, according to a report by Generation180. The study covered solar in schools across the US. It includes a number of success stories and provides a how-to guide for any schools that have interest in installing solar PVs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “New Vistra Energy Battery Facility Designed To Increase Reliability, Value Of Renewables” • Winter weather may be what gets Texans to worry about the power grid, but its greatest strain comes during the summer. Monday, Irving-based Vistra Energy officially launched a battery facility they hope will help supply in times of need. [WFAA]
Have a magnificently fortunate day.
geoharvey 
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