Opinion:
¶ “How Inflation Could Be Cut By FERC And Renewable Energy Doubled” • Inflation is one of the chief financial challenges in America. A solution lies in plain sight, because technologies like wind and solar power can help stabilize domestic energy prices and prevent future price spikes due to over-reliance on volatile international fuel markets. [CleanTechnica]
NREL Flatirons Campus (Werner Slocum, NREL)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Using Microorganisms To Separate And Purify Rare-Earth Elements” • Using naturally occurring and engineered proteins and bacteria, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and their collaborators will leverage advances in microbial and biomolecular engineering to separate and purify rare-earth elements from domestic sources. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The Sustainable Cities Made From Mud” • Mud buildings are remarkably good at keeping us cool in summer and warm in winter, and withstanding extreme weather. In the search for more sustainable buildings, architects are returning to the age-old construction material. Mud could be the perfect sustainable alternative to concrete. [BBC]
Rammed earth buildings in Yemen (LBM1948, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “MIT Scientists Think They Have Discovered How To Fully Reverse Climate Change” • Scientists at MIT think they may have finally found a way to reverse climate change. Or, at the least, help ease it some. The idea is to create a raft-like structure out of bubbles in space to act as a shield to reduce harm caused by the solar radiation. [BGR]
¶ “Electric Vehicle Battery Supply Chains 101” • EV sales are taking off in major markets around the world. With increasing demand for EVs comes increasing demand for batteries. We have to build sustainable battery supply chains and ensure they limit environmental and human health harms. Here, we look at the problems and the options. [CleanTechnica]
Blue Arc chassis with Proterra battery system (Proterra image)
World:
¶ “Oxford, Fastned, Tesla, Wenea, And Pivot Power Commission Europe’s Most Powerful EV Charging Hub” • The charging capacity at Energy Superhub Oxford is greater than at any other charging station in Europe, the team behind the project says. Eventually, 400 electric cars could charge at the new Energy Superhub Oxford at one time. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Evolito Buys Aerospace Battery Company Electroflight” • In the electric aviation arena, electric propulsion company Evolito has acquired aerospace battery company Electroflight. The two companies have collaborated in the past to make electric drive trains for aircraft. One of their products was used by Rolls-Royce to set an air speed record. [CleanTechnica]
Evolito motor system (Evolito image)
¶ “Carbon Capture And Storage Tech Too Risky” • There is a lack of quality data to show that carbon capture is commercially ready and cost competitive, says a report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. Instead, the world should prioritize renewable energy, grid modernization, and electrification. [South China Morning Post]
¶ “Morocco, A Top Fertilizer Producer, Could Hold A Key To The World’s Food Supply” • Morocco is one of the world’s top four fertilizer exporters, following Russia, China and Canada. This is because it has over 70% of the world’s phosphate rock reserves. A key to increasing the output of fertilizer is increasing the supply of renewable energy. [The Conversation]
Moroccan desert (Taryn Elliott, Pexels)
¶ “Shell, EPI Support Philippine Energy Plan” • Shell Overseas Investments BV declared it has established a joint venture with Emerging Power Inc to support the Department of Energy’s latest Philippine Energy Plan. The joint venture’s goal aims to contribute 1 GW to the country’s power systems by 2028 using alternative energy sources. [The Manila Times]
¶ “Porsche-Backed HIF Global Wants To Build An E-Fuel Plant In North-West Tasmania” • Porsche-backed HIF Global has lodged plans with Tasmania’s Environment Protection Authority to build Australia’s first commercial e-fuel facility. Porsche plans for 80% of its cars to be electric by the end of the decade, but is working on synthetic fuel for the others. [ABC]
Burnie, Tasmania (Gary Houston, public domain)
¶ “EDF Nationalisation Means It Is Unlikely To Spearhead Future UK Nuclear Power Projects, Says Top Industry Insider” • The nationalization of French energy giant EDF means it is unlikely to spearhead future UK nuclear power plants, an industry insider said. The Hinkley Point C developer will instead put investments into reactors in France. [This is Money]
US:
¶ “Biden Administration Takes Key Step In Controversial Alaska Oil Drilling Project, Angering Environmental Groups” • The US Department of Interior released a draft environmental impact statement for the ConocoPhillips oil drilling project, known as Willow. The statement is not a final decision, but is an important step toward developing oil wells. [CNN]
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (US BLM, public domain)
¶ “Grid Operator: Renewable Energy Likely To Supplant Fossil Fuels As New England’s Predominant Source For Electricity” • A report released by the operator of New England’s electric grid said the generation of renewable energy will ultimately replace the burning of fossil fuels as primary source of electricity to meet customer demand. [CT Insider]
¶ “Seeing More Big Fish? Climate Change Might Be Responsible” • People are seeing bigger fish in places, but NOAA’s director of scientific programs Francisco Werner told the Washington Post that fish “aren’t growing larger, they are relocating to new environments.” They are moving out of bodies of water that are too warm because of climate change. [InsideHook]
Have a punctiliously developing day.
geoharvey 