Science and Technology:
¶ “Microplastics Found In Fresh Antarctic Snow” • Scientists have for the first time found microplastics in freshly fallen Antarctic snow. Researchers from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand collected samples from 19 sites in Antarctica and each contained tiny plastic fragments. They found an average of 29 particles per liter of melted snow. [BBC]
Antarctica (Torsten Dederichs, Unsplash)
¶ “Space-Based Solar Power Is Back On The Table” • Beaming solar power down to Earth from space? Don’t laugh. The idea, once written off as technically and financially unworkable, is being actively considered by several countries, including the US, China, Korea, Japan, and the UK. The European Space Agency is also getting involved. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Scientists Rid Rechargeable Batteries Of A Common Pitfall By Use Of Multivalent Cation Additives” • Researchers at Tohoku University have found a way to stabilize depositions of lithium or sodium in rechargeable batteries, helping keep their metallic structure intact. The discovery helps prevent battery degradation and short circuiting. [CleanTechnica]
Batteries wired in parallel (Yo-Co-Man, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
World:
¶ “EU Lawmakers Support Banning Gasoline Car Sales By 2035 In Key Vote” • Members of the European Parliament voted to ban the sale of new combustion engine cars by 2035, in what would be one of the world’s strongest laws to phase out gasoline vehicles. To go into effect, the measure must be debated and approved by the European Council. [CNN]
¶ “New Zealand’s Plan To Tax Cow And Sheep Burps” • New Zealand unveiled a plan to tax sheep and cattle burps in a bid to tackle one of the country’s biggest sources of greenhouse gases. The country would be the first to charge farmers for methane emissions from their animals. New Zealand is home to around 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. [BBC]
Cows (Jakob Cotton, Unsplash)
¶ “Ukraine War Prompts Fossil Fuel ‘Gold Rush'” • The world is witnessing a “gold rush” for new fossil fuel projects, a report by leading climate researchers says. Soaring energy prices spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have led to new investment in oil and gas. The report by Climate Action Tracker says the world risks being locked into “irreversible warming.” [BBC]
¶ “BYD To Supply LFP Batteries To Tesla, Sakuu Announces 3C Lithium Metal Battery” • Lian Yubo, BYD’s executive vice president, said this week in an interview with CGTN, “BYD respects Tesla, and we also admire Tesla. We are now good friends with Elon Musk, and we are going to supply him with batteries very soon.” [CleanTechnica]
BYD LFP battery (BYD image)
¶ “NSW Targets Offshore Wind Projects As It Seeks Proposals For Illawarra Renewable Zone” • The government of New South Wales hopes to attract some of Australia’s first offshore wind farms to power the state’s steelmakers as it opens up registrations for the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone. It issued a call for ‘registrations of interest.’ [Renew Economy]
¶ “Investments In India’s Renewable Energy Sector Increased 125% In One Year” • In the financial year ended March 31, 2022, a record $14.5 billion was poured into India’s renewable and new energy industry as investments are up 125% from the previous year, according to an Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis report. [Quartz]
Solar plant in Telangana (Thomas Lloyd Group, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Rio Tinto Calls For Proposals For Large-Scale Wind And Solar Power In Queensland” • Rio Tinto called for proposals to develop wind and solar power in Central and Southern Queensland to power its aluminum assets, help meet its ambitions on climate change, and further encourage renewable development and industry in the region. [Yahoo Finance]
¶ “Energy Communities Bring Renewable Power To The People” • In the face of sharp increases in energy costs, renewable energy systems under new community ownership structures are being pioneered all over the Europe. The goal is to develop cheap, clean and secure energy by bringing power generation closer to the people who will use it. [Horizon Magazine Blog]
Rooftop solar system (Giorgio Trovato, Unsplash)
¶ “Fresh Blow For EDF With Probe Into Practices At Tricastin Nuclear Plant” • French power utility EDF faces an investigation into alleged non-disclosure of safety incidents at its Tricastin nuclear power plant, according to the lawyer of a whistleblower, who was speaking to Reuters. It is another setback for the state-controlled company. [Reuters]
US:
¶ “Oil And Gas Companies Likely Underreporting Methane Emissions Leaks” • The amount of methane major oil and gas companies are emitting in the Permian Basin is likely to be significantly higher than the official numbers they are reporting to the EPA, according to a report by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. [CNN]
Pumpjack in West Texas (Eric Kounce, Public Domain)
¶ “Bolt EV Price Cut Signals A Great Thing Happening For EVs” • The Bolt EV and Bolt EUV’s 2023 pricing has received a lot of attention in media. It has had a pretty steep price cut, and unlike earlier cuts, this one is special, because GM is now making those price drops permanent instead of frequently temporarily dropping the price. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Walmart Invests In Renewable Energy, Lower Emissions For Truck Fleet” • Walmart announced it is testing three different kinds of renewable energy to power its fleet of trucks. The fleet has over 10,000 tractors and 80,000 trailers. The retailer did not reveal costs or project timelines, but it did say it was taking advantage of tax credits. [Talk Business & Politics]
Have a magically soothing day.
geoharvey 
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