Opinion:
¶ “Let’s Talk Atmospheric Carbon Drawdown’s Hype Vs Reality” • This article focuses on the overhyped and overly hoped for silver bullets vs the realities of what will actually work to start reducing the CO₂ and CO₂e in the atmosphere. It concludes that we already have the technology we need to capture CO₂, and it has economic value. [CleanTechnica]
Viru bog (Diego Delso, CC-BY-SA)
¶ “Toyota Admits It Just Can’t Keep Up” • Toyota President Akio Toyoda told reporters, “Realistically speaking, it seems rather difficult to really achieve.” Meeting California’s zero-emissions requirements isn’t difficult for all automakers, or even for most automakers. It’s difficult for Toyota because Toyota has become a top laggard in the transition to EVs. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Zaporizhzhia: How Deteriorating Conditions At The Nuclear Power Plant Could Lead To Disaster” • Even when all reactors at the plant are shut down there is a risk of a major nuclear incident, as the plant requires permanent cooling. Furthermore, other factors exacerbate the fragility of the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. [Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]
Rafael Mariano Grossi talking about the plant’s six reactors
(IAEA Imagebank, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Winds Of Change Drive “Alarming” Rate Of Ocean Warming” • Researchers from UNSW Sydney say changes to strong, large-scale wind patterns are causing western boundary currents in the Southern Hemisphere to warm rapidly, transforming weather and habitats across the world. They explain in a study published in Nature Climate Change. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Solar Is Now The Cheapest Energy In History” • Thanks to incrementally better technology, panel design, and scale of manufacture, solar panels have become incredibly cheap. In the past decade alone, their price per unit of generated energy has fallen by 85%, so much so that multiple reports consider solar to be the cheapest energy ever. [ZME Science]
Please click on the image to enlarge it
World:
¶ “Facing Risk Of Blackouts This Winter, The UK Will Drill For More Oil” • The UK government could award oil and gas companies more than 100 new licenses to drill in the North Sea, as it looks for ways to bolster energy security amid a global supply crunch. The licensing round won’t lead to new UK production for several years. [CNN]
¶ “World Aviation Agrees To ‘Aspirational’ Net Zero Plan” • At a Montreal meeting, the International Civil Aviation Organisation pledged to support an “aspirational” net zero aviation goal by 2050. The plan was accepted by the 193 countries that are members of ICAO. However green groups say the deal is weak and not legally binding. [BBC]
Jet (Gabriela Natiello, Unsplash)
¶ “Tata Power Plans 10,000 MW Renewable Energy Push In Rajasthan” • At the Invest Rajasthan 2022 Summit, Tata Power unveiled its plan to step up its efforts in Rajasthan. The company said it plans to develop up to 8,000 MW of utility scale projects, 1,000 MW of solar rooftop and 150,000 solar pumps over the next five years. [BW Businessworld]
¶ “European Energy Has Reached Almost 1 GW In Renewable Energy Projects In Romania” • European Energy is expanding its activities in Romania, with 935 MW of projects, of which 810 MW in solar parks and 125 MW in wind parks. The company has also received grid connection approval for another 125 MW project. [The Diplomat Bucharest]
Romanian wind farm (500px, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
US:
¶ “Fourth Year In A Row Of Drought Is Likely In Southwest After Worst Three On Record” • The past three years have been the driest such period on record in California, state officials said. The state is now preparing for the increasing probability that it will see a fourth consecutive dry year as it works to conserve water resources as reservoir supplies dwindle. [CNN]
¶ “Barge Traffic Halted On Mississippi River By Lowest Water Levels In A Decade” • The lowest water levels in the Mississippi River in a decade, caused by a severe Midwest drought, have closed the vital channel to barge traffic at a crucial time of the year for the transport of crops from the nation’s heartland. Very limited traffic could reopen soon. [CNN]
Barges on the Mississippi (Justin Wilkens, Unsplash)
¶ “Under The Radar: Little-Known Code Proposal Imperils American Clean Energy” • A proposal by FEMA would change to the 2024 International Building Code, raising the structural “risk category” for ground-mounted solar PVs, energy storage systems, and wind turbines to the highest level possible. This would slow our response to climate change. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Bucknell University Celebrates Installation Of 1.76 MW Solar Array” • Bucknell University and Encore Renewable Energy of Burlington, VT, have hosted a public dedication of their new 1.76 peak megawatt solar array, developed by Encore Renewable Energy, which will move Bucknell closer to achieving its climate neutrality goals. [Renewable Energy Magazine]
Solar array (Encore Renewable Energy)
¶ “Fourteen Times More Methane Leaking From Gathering Lines Than EPA Estimates” • Enough methane gas leaks from pipelines between Permian wellheads and processing facilities to power 2.1 million homes, a study published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters finds. At 213,000 metric tons, it is 14 times higher than a previous EPA finding. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Appalachian Power Tells Virginia Customers Renewables Will Lower Their Bills” • Appalachian Power is asking its customers in West Virginia and Virginia to pay more to account for the higher cost of coal and natural gas. It said that the solution to reducing their monthly bills is to increase renewable power and move away from coal and natural gas. [WVPB]
Have a conveniently comfortable day.
geoharvey 