Science and Technology:
¶ “Converting Mines Into Hydro-Powered Batteries” • A group of researchers at Michigan Technological University argues that a fully renewable energy grid could be achieved if mines in the US are converted into hydro-powered batteries. Such mines could clear the path for the “most ambitious” renewable energy goals in much of the country. [CleanTechnica]
Converted mine (Michigan Technological University)
¶ “Solid-State Battery Race Just Got Hotter With New VinFast-ProLogium Mashup” • Not too long ago, solid-state battery technology was lingering in the lab like a lonely ghost. Now, Vietnamese electric vehicle startup VinFast has big plans for high performance EVs through a newly announced partnership with the battery maker ProLogium. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “China’s Wind Farms Have A Role In Its Renewable Energy Future. Can They Also Ease Effects Of Dust Storms?” • In spring, northwest winds carry large amounts of sand from the Gobi Desert, covering China’s north with yellow dust and sand. The Great Green Wall was created to mitigate this. Some believe wind farms can help also. [South China Morning Post]
Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia (User: me, CC-BY-SA 2.5)
World:
¶ “Tesla Leads June EV Sales Surge In China” • China’s wholesale sales of new energy passenger vehicles reached 571,000 units in June, surpassing last December’s 505,000 units, data released by the China Passenger Car Association showed. The vast majority of the sales were battery EVs, with wholesale sales of 452,000, or 79% of the plugin pie. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Glencore Places Order For Battery-Powered Mining Vehicles” • Glencore is one of the world’s largest mining and raw materials companies. Its Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations division recently placed an order with Sweden’s Epiroc for a full fleet of battery-electric mining equipment for use at the Onaping Depth Project in Ontario. [CleanTechnica]
Epiroc electric loader (Courtesy of Epiroc)
¶ “NIO Announces 500 KW EV Charger And 3rd Generation Battery Swap Technology” • The race is on in China to offer the fastest possible EV charging. XPeng and GAC Aion say they have 480-kW chargers coming, but NIO announced that it will have 500-kW, 640-amp chargers in operation by the end of this year in both China and Europe. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “VSB To Sell 190-MW Wind Double To Finnish Utility” • VSB Group is to sell the 150-MW Karahka and 40-MW Juurakko wind farms in Finland to national utility Helen. The transaction will increase both Finland’s energy security and local generation of emission-free electricity, said VSB. The Juurakko wind farm will be completed by the end of 2022. [reNews]
Wind farm construction (VSB image)
¶ “Scatec And Partners Begin Building Solar Facility In Brazil” • Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec and its partners started construction at the 531-MW Mendubim solar project in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. They have signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with alumina supplier Alunorte, to be paid in US dollars. [Power Technology]
¶ “Solar21 Submits Application For £3 Billion Energy Park” • A £3 billion renewable energy project backed by Irish company Solar21 has been accepted for examination by the UK’s national planning body. Solar21 anticipates that some 760,000 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill each year, and it will then be converted into energy at the site. [The Irish Times]
Computer image of proposed waste-to-energy plant (Solar21)
¶ “Renewable Energy The Cheaper Option For Australia” • A report by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation shows that renewable energy options remain the cheapest new-build electricity generation option in Australia, although inflation and supply chain disruptions will likely put cost reductions on hold for a while. [Mining Weekly]
¶ “Slow, Expensive And No Good For 1.5° Target: CSIRO Crushes Coalition Nuclear Fantasy” • Australia’s leading scientific research organisation, the CSIRO, has delivered a damming blow against the renewed push by the federal Coalition for nuclear power, saying it is expensive and too slow for a significant contribution to any serious climate targets. [Renew Economy]
Nuclear power plant in France (Stefan Kühn, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
¶ “UK Energy Minister’s Nuclear Plants Plea Rejected By Scottish Government” • The Scottish Government has rejected UK Energy Minister Greg Hands plea to “rethink” its stance on new nuclear power stations in Scotland. The Scottish Greens said the minister’s plea shows that the Tories “cannot be trusted with the environment.” [The National]
US:
¶ “Property Owners And Officials Find Ways Around Some Century-Old Laws As The West Runs Out Of Water” • With a megadrought draining water reserves in the West, states are looking for alternatives to handle water rights, many of which were set more than 100 years ago when water supplies were far more abundant. [CNN]
Cattle country (K Mitch Hodge, Unsplash)
¶ “Maine Energy: How One Hydropower Project Sparked A $100 Million ‘Hoohah'” • New England Clean Energy Connect was supposed bring 1,200 MW of clean electricity from Canada to Massachusetts, but Maine voters rejected it. The legality of that has been put into question, and Maine’s Supreme Court could rule on the matter any day. [BBC]
¶ “Yosemite’s Giant Sequoias: Wildfire Threatens World’s Largest Trees” • A California wildfire is threatening the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park. The Washburn Fire has doubled in size over the past 24 hours. Firefighters are working in difficult terrain to protect some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in the world. [BBC]
Have a wonderfully fulfilling day.
geoharvey 