Science and Technology:
¶ “Solar Power Plants Are More Missile Resistant” • Probably all of us have seen them the images of death and destruction in Ukraine. Every one has been heart rending. But, there’s one interesting piece of good news that came out of the country recently. It is the proof that it’s pretty difficult to take out a solar power plant. [CleanTechnica]
Bombed PVs (Ukrainian war crime investigators, Solar Generation)
World:
¶ “New Tesla Factories Losing Billions Of Dollars, Musk Says” • Elon Musk says Tesla’s new factories in Germany and the US are “losing billions of dollars” due to battery shortages and supply disruptions in China. The multi-billionaire also called the plants in Berlin and Austin, Texas “gigantic money furnaces.” He has warned of job cuts. [BBC]
¶ “Millions Affected As Deadly Floods Hit India And Bangladesh” • The South Asian nations of India and Bangladesh, home to more than 1.3 billion people, have been particularly badly hit by the rains, prompting some of the worst flooding in the region in years. Extreme weather events are increasingly frequent due to climate change. [CNN]
Children in Bangladesh (Nayeem Is J Preenon, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Europe Told To Prepare For Russia Turning Off Gas” • The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that Russia may stop supplying gas to Europe this winter. Fatih Birol says he believes a complete shutdown is not the most likely scenario, but Europe needs to develop contingency plans. Russia is already supplying less gas than expected. [BBC]
¶ “Volkswagen Previews Aero Sedan, Studies Grid Integration For Electric Cars” • Volkswagen released official sketches of the Aero sedan. The actual car will be revealed on Monday in China. The Aero is expected to go on sale there in the second half of 2023. The production model for the North American and EU market will be presented in 2023. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen EV (Volkswagen image)
¶ “Historic Extension Of EU’s Carbon Market Gets Green Light From Parliament” • The EU Parliament has voted in favor of extending its carbon market to shipping and road transport, two weeks after it also voted on expanding coverage to all departing flights from the EU. After a ten-year fight, big shipping polluters will finally be made to pay. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Energy Estate Targets $500 Million To Accelerate Renewables Growth” • The Australian renewables developer Energy Estate is seeking to raise over $500 million to support development work and bankroll the construction of renewable power plants in both Australia and New Zealand. Energy Estate plans to co-develop over 30 GW of projects. [pv magazine Australia]
Solar array (Soltec image)
¶ “WB Has Messed Up Country’s Energy Sector By Backing Gas: Experts” • Speakers at a seminar criticized the World Bank for messing up Pakistan’s energy sector by supporting fossil gas and financing LNG infrastructure in recent years. They called the shift to fossil gas a costly mistake that created high reliance on imported LNG at exorbitant spot prices. [Dawn]
¶ “Edmonton Signs 20-Year Wind And Solar Contracts As Part Of Net-Zero Goal” • The City of Edmonton signed two contracts for renewable energy that will start providing power in 2024 and prevent emissions of over 95,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Of the power created through these contracts, 80% will be generated by wind turbines and 20% will be solar. [Global News]
Edmonton, Alberta (Justin Hu, Unsplash)
¶ “Brookfield Raises $15 Billion For Climate-Focused Fund” • Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management said it raised $15 billion for its first impact fund focused on the transition to a net-zero carbon economy. The Brookfield Global Transition Fund will target investments tied to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. [SaltWire]
¶ “Could Germany Keep Its Nuclear Plants Running?” • As Germany seeks to fuel its economy and ward off a recession considered likely if faltering Russian gas supplies stop entirely, some are calling for nuclear plants to stay open. Utilities say constraints in sourcing fuel rods and expert staffing make that impossible. [The Indian Express]
German nuclear plant (Felix König, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
US:
¶ “Brightdrop Delivers 150 Electric Vans To FedEx” • FedEx and Brightdrop announced that the first 150 Zevo 600 electric vans have been delivered to facilities around southern California. This would make for one of the biggest deployments of electric vans to date. It’s also the fastest GM has brought a vehicle from design to market in its history. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Video Explains California High Speed Rail Problems” • Even with California’s great economy and more left-leaning politics, they struggle mightily to build a high speed rail between two cities. The reason might be hard to imagine, but a recent video goes into some detail as to why it’s like pulling teeth to get rail installed and running there. [CleanTechnica]
High speed train in California (CHSRA image)
¶ “Volkswagen Opens US Battery Research Lab” • Volkswagen will build EVs in the US, but it also wants to take full advantage of battery expertise and talent pools that are here to develop future products. One way the company is doing this is with a Battery Engineering Lab in Chattanooga, Tennessee, near its current production facility there. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “NASA Selects Three Fission Reactor Concepts For Lunar Demonstration” • NASA and the US DOE have selected three design proposals for a nuclear fission surface power system that will be ready to launch by the end of the decade. The technology can help power vehicles and equipment for the Artemis program on the Moon. [News9 Live]
Have a simply splendid day.
geoharvey 
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