Opinion:
¶ “Electrifying Everything Is A Critical Pathway To Decarbonize The World And Our Lives” • A number of organizations, such as the World Bank, have developed “pathways” or “pillars” for reaching net zero emissions globally by 2050. The core strategies are remarkably consistent, and one critically important pathway is electrifying everything. [CleanTechnica]
Transmission lines (Thomas Despeyroux, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Energy Storage Is Going Underground” • Compressed air storage and gravity storage systems are so low tech, they seem almost laughable compared to battery storage, which is much superior in some ways. But there are numerous ways to store excess renewable energy to keep the lights on, and the low tech solutions can be important. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “Another Year, Another Record In Denmark’s Renewable Energy Progress” • In the past 40 years, Denmark has integrated 7 GW of wind and PV solar capacity into the electric grid. The fresh numbers from 2022 show that the country’s electricity needs are now covered by 60% renewables. In 8 years, that figure will quadruple. Yes, that’s 240%! [CleanTechnica]
Wind turbines at Copenhagen (CGP Grey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Green Hydrogen – Morocco Makes Big Moves” • The Belgian company John Cockerill has announced the formation of a joint venture with a yet-unnamed Moroccan company with the aim of investing in the development of the nascent green hydrogen industry in Morocco. The partners plan to build an electrolyser production plant there. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Renewable Energy Will Surpass Coal For The First Time” • Renewable energy makes up for around 28% of global energy use, but that is expected to rise to 38% by 2027, IEA data shows. At the same time, coal, which is currently responsible for about 36.3% of the energy that we consume, will be reduced to just 29.7% by 2027. [Digital Information World]
Solar panels (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)
¶ “UN Chief Calls For Renewable Energy ‘Revolution’ For A Brighter Global Future” • Renewable energy is the only credible path forward if the world is to avert a climate catastrophe, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. Only renewables can safeguard our future, close the energy access gap, stabilize prices, and ensure energy security. [Devdiscourse]
¶ “Nearly One Billion Served By Healthcare Facilities Without Reliable Electricity” • Although electricity is critical to healthcare provision, nearly a billion people in poorer countries are served by health facilities that lack reliable supply, according to a newly published report backed by the UN. That is one out of every eight people, globally. [UN News]
Mother and child (Mark Garten, UN Photo)
¶ “Japan’s Unilateral Radioactive Wastewater Discharge Harmful And Irresponsible: Green Activist” • Japan’s push to discharge radioactive wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean is irresponsible and harmful, as Japan is pursuing it without consultations with neighboring countries, a South Korean green activist said. [Xinhua]
US:
¶ “Why Michigan Is Trying To Shut Down Canada’s Enbridge Line 5 Pipeline” • Michigan commissioned an independent risk analysis of the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline. It says an oil spill could cost almost $2 billion in damages. Also, any pipeline accident in the Straits of Mackinac could “represent a point of no return for species loss.” [BBC]
Mackinac Island (Erin Vanderklok, Unsplash)
¶ “California Battles Deadly Storms With Millions Under Flood Watch” • Around 25 million people in California are under a flood watch this weekend as the latest in a parade of deadly storms drenches the state. Several waterways have flooded, at least 19 people have died and thousands have been told to evacuate their homes. [BBC]
¶ “California Youths Help Storm Clean-Up As Schools Reopen” • Most of California’s youth have more experience with wildfires than with rainfall, due to the decades-long drought. But now, at Midland School in Santa Barbara County, pupils have pitched in to help save school buildings from being submerged by a creek that almost never normally flows. [BBC]
Normally dry stream (Courtesy of Midland School)
¶ “JA Solar Announces New Arizona PV Factory” • Chinese solar giant JA Solar has announced plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Phoenix, Arizona, to produce high-performance solar PV panels. The solar panel factory is expected to be operational by Q4 2023, and it is expected to create more than 600 new jobs in the region. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Honda And LG Invest $3.5 Billion In New Ohio Plant” • Honda and LG Energy Solutions announced a joint venture to produce lithium-ion batteries for upcoming Honda and Sony/AFEELA EVs at a new plant about 40 miles southwest of Columbus, Ohio. LGES and Honda committed to investing $3.5 billion to build out the new facility. [CleanTechnica]
Honda e prototype (Honda image)
¶ “Four Upper Valley Communities Poised For Power-Pooling Plan” • Four Upper Valley communities are poised to be in the initial group of local governments receiving their electricity from the nonprofit Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire. It is to pool the buying power of the municipalities of Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, and Plainfield. [Valley News]
¶ “LU Grant Funding To Propel Diversity In Climate Science” • An $800,000 grant from the DOE will send Lincoln University students to learn from some of the nation’s top climate scientists. The grant will fund ten days at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, followed by time in the Smoky Mountains, for five students each year for four years. [News Tribune]
Have an elegantly flawless day.
geoharvey 