Opinion:
¶ “The Solution To Grid Reliability? Go Bigger And Bolder On Renewables And Energy Storage” • Power generation based on fossil fuels is vulnerable to extreme weather. Doubling down on old technologies is a mistake when we have renewables, storage, and flexible demand that can help ensure reliability while they address climate change. [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines in Texas (Sam LaRussa, Unsplash)
¶ “Time For The Government To Tell The Truth About Nuclear Power” • The UK is becoming habituated to officially sponsored propaganda about nuclear power. But government data shows this technology to be, in reality, an expensive, slow, unreliable, risky, and unpopular way to deliver what the UK needs – secure, affordable, zero-carbon energy. [The Guardian]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Monarch Butterflies Could Become Extinct If We Don’t Take These Three Steps” • One of the most popular insects is at risk of extinction, says a global organization focused on conservation and sustainability. The International Union for Conservation of Nature added the migratory monarch butterfly to its Red List of Threatened Species as endangered. [CNN]
Monarch butterfly (Erin Minuskin, Unsplash)
¶ “Graphmatech, Graphenea, And Northvolt: ‘Breakthrough In Battery Recycling'” • Graphmatech, Graphenea, and Northvolt have come up with a new battery recycling technology. After the metals are extracted, the rest of the battery is not trashed. It is turned into graphene oxide, and while that material is not used in batteries, it has other uses. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Europe’s Economy Is In Dire Straits. This Week Presents A Crucial Test” • Europe’s economy, which accounts for almost a fifth of the world’s output, is facing its toughest test since the pandemic erupted more than two years ago. A cocktail of risks threatens to throw growth into reverse at a moment of deep uncertainty. [CNN]
German coal-burning power plant (Tobias Tullius, Unsplash)
¶ “War And Energy Woes Push The Climate Crisis To The Back Seat In An Endless Vicious Cycle” • Russia’s war in Ukraine is presenting challenges and inflation out of control. Nevertheless, even as temperature records are being broken in all continents of the northern hemisphere, Europe is returning to the use of coal, to avoid using Russian natural gas. [CNN]
¶ “Is Europe set for its worst wildfire season?” • So far this year, the amount of land burnt by fires across the EU is more than three times greater than what you would expect by the middle of July. In some places fires are becoming more expected, such as across the Mediterranean, and they are seeing better safeguards and awareness campaigns. [BBC]
Wildfire near Athens in 2021 (Anasmeister, Unsplash)
¶ “Renault And Phoenix Mobility Are Partnering To Convert Commercial Vehicles To Electric” • Renault Group seems to be optimistic about EV conversions again. It is partnering with a startup, Phoenix Mobility to do EV conversions of commercial vehicles. The engines and associate systems are removed, and the vehicles are made into EVs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Cow Manure Will Power A Renewable Energy Plant In Japan” • Anaergia, based in Canada, partnered with Japanese firm Toyo Energy Solution to build a biogas plant that digests cow manure into renewable energy. It will be built in Kasoka, Okayama, Japan. Anaergia is known for providing clean energy solutions using organic waste across the world. [Inhabitat]
Cows (Daniel Quiceno M, Unsplash)
¶ “Cambridge Power Wins Consent For 100-MW Battery” • The UK energy storage developer Cambridge Power has secured planning permission for a 100-MW grid battery site in Suffolk. The Bramford battery will provide local grid storage services in order to assist in the transition to net zero and low carbon forms of electricity. [reNews]
¶ “Formosa 2 Achieves First Power” • The 376-MW Formosa 2 offshore wind farm off Taiwan has achieved first power, following the installation of 12 turbines. More than half of the foundations have been installed. Formosa 2 is being jointly developed by JERA (49%), Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (26%) and Swancor Renewable Energy (25%). [reNews]
Formosa 1 (Swancor image)
US:
¶ “Amazon Claps Back At Walmart, Launches New Electric Vehicle” • Amazon and Walmart in the zero emission delivery race. The two behemoths in the shipping and delivery field have been going against each other in a to be first to have its own EV on neighborhood streets. It’s all good news for startup EV makers Canoo and Rivian. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “USPS Says That Up To 40% Of New Delivery Vehicles Will Be Electric” • Under pressure from the Biden administration, several states, and the UAW, the USPS this week announced “at least 50% of newly ordered NGDVs in the current contract are expected to be battery electric vehicles.” NGDV is postal-speak meaning “next generation delivery vehicle.” [CleanTechnica]
USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (Oshkosh Defense image)
¶ “Coalition Criticizes Duke Energy Carbon Plan In North Carolina” • Environmental and renewable energy groups have challenged the proposal by Duke Energy Corp subsidiaries on how to reduce greenhouse gases in North Carolina in the next decade, saying it relies too much on natural gas and unproven technologies to succeed. [USNews.com]
¶ “No Plan For A False Alarm: Seabrook Nuclear Plant Mishap Exposes Gap In NH Protocols” • An unrealized omission in New Hampshire’s emergency management plan may have added to the extended time it took to alert the public on July 12 that sirens broadcasting an emergency at Seabrook’s nuclear power plant were a false alarm. [Concord Monitor]
Have a terrifically untroubled day.
geoharvey 