Science and Technology:
¶ “University Of Florida PhD Candidate Proposes USAF-Style Vehicle To Vehicle Charging” • A PhD candidate in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Florida has, along with his co-authors, proposed a two-battery system for EVs. If it works, it will allow one vehicle to charge another, even as they’re driving down the road! [CleanTechnica]
In-flight refueling (US Air Force image, public domain)
¶ “Longer Lasting Sodium-Ion Batteries On The Horizon” • Cheap and abundant, sodium is a prime candidate for new battery technology. One problem is limited performance. Now, a team from the DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a sodium-ion battery with greatly extended longevity in laboratory tests. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Europe Heatwave: Deadly Wildfires Spread In Mediterranean” • Thousands of firefighters contine to battle wildfires in Portugal, Spain and France, as a heatwave shows no sign of easing. A pilot died when his waterbombing plane crashed in Portugal. The Portuguese authorities say at least 238 people have died from the heat over the past week. [BBC]
Portuguese airtanker (Jacek Ulinski, Unsplash)
¶ “AP Has Immense Potential To Produce Renewable Energy” • With an immense potential to produce renewable energy and export power, the government of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh devised a policy to attract investments for establishing wind, solar and hybrid projects on a massive scale, an officer of the state’s transmission company said. [The Hindu]
¶ “Gippsland Dairy Farmers Rein In ‘Unsustainable’ Irrigation Costs With Solar Power” • A major investment in renewable energy has helped an organic dairy farm in the Gippsland region of New South Wales reduce irrigation-related electricity costs from almost $100,000 per year to just $15,000. The farm has 300 milk cows. [ABC]
Dairy farm in NSW (Rebecca Ritchie, Unsplash)
¶ “Old Mine Could Bring Renewables And New Life To An Eastern Ontario Town” • In the small eastern Ontario town of Marmora, an old open-pit mine offers an opportunity for hydroelectric energy production and – perhaps even more exciting – storage for renewable energy. It is a big pit, and it could store a lot of energy. [The Narwhal]
¶ “In A Twist, Old Coal Plants Help Deliver Renewable Power” • Across Pakistan, aging and defunct coal-burning power plants are getting new lives as solar, battery, and other renewable energy projects, partly because they have a decades-old feature that has become increasingly valuable: They are already wired into the power grid. [Technology Times]
Coal-fired power plant in Pakistan (VileGecko, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “War In Ukraine: EU Wants To Adopt New Sanctions Against Russia” • EU foreign ministers will discuss tougher sanctions against Russia, as Moscow is accused of deploying launchers to fire missiles from the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant in the southern Ukraine. In particular, they will examine a proposal to ban gold purchases from Russia. [California18]
US:
¶ “Volvo Trucks Building An Electric Semi Charging Corridor” • Volvo is set to partner with Shell Recharge Solutions, Western Truck Center, TEC Equipment, and Affinity Truck Center to develop a medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle charging network that connects several of California’s most important port cities and industrial centers. [CleanTechnica]
Truck charging (Volvo Trucks image)
¶ “Will Tesla Lower Prices If Inflation Falls? Elon Says Yes” • CEO Elon Musk said Tesla may be able to lower prices of its cars if inflation falls enough. Musk replied to a Tweet about pandemic and supply chain influences on Tesla car prices to a follower named Jaehwan Cho. “If inflation calms down, we can lower prices for cars,” Musk said. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Regional Investment Strategies Can Unlock Clean Energy Opportunities” • As Congress keeps debating investing in the US clean energy transition, RMI has released a report outlining how regional investment strategies can unlock emerging and growing clean energy opportunities for everything from offshore wind to EVs and green hydrogen. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines (Bastian Pudill, Unsplash)
¶ “Retailer Meijer Signs Renewable Purchase Deal With NextEra Energy” • Midwestern retailer Meijer signed a renewable power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy Resources to take the majority of energy generated by the Lacy Creek Wind Energy Center in Texas. The project will have 108 wind turbines and is to generate 800 GWh annually. [GreentechLead]
¶ “Georgia Power Critics Want Less Coal, More Renewables” • Georgia Power’s plan to meet the power needs of its customers would keep the utility on a path toward using less coal and more renewable energy. But environmental and consumer advocates are asking the Public Service Commission to require Georgia Power to do more. [The Rome News-Tribune]
Have a marvelously magnificent day.
geoharvey 