Opinion:
¶ “This Is An Era Of Plentiful, Cheap, Renewable Energy, But The Fossil Fuel Dinosaurs Can’t Admit It” • It remains a mystery how a reputation for well-meant inadequacy clings to renewable energy. It can’t all be the result of fossil fuel industry lobbying. It’s one triumph after another in green energy. We just need to see that in our energy bills. [The Guardian]
Scottish wind farm (Ondrej Rafaj, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Lies, Damn Lies And Climate Change” • Big oil companies like Exxon and Chevron had the best scientists research the question of climate change. They knew it was coming, but they denied what they knew was true to protect profits. Now, catastrophic climate disruption has arrived. Disruptors like Greta Thunberg are not the ones who should be arrested. [rabble]
¶ “Why Mapping Wetlands With AI Is Important” • Chesapeake Conservancy’s data science team has developed an artificial intelligence deep learning model for mapping wetlands, which resulted in 94% accuracy. This method for wetland mapping could deliver important outcomes for protecting and conserving wetlands. [CleanTechnica]
Wetland (NOAA image)
Science and Technology:
¶ “The Race To Make Diesel Engines Run On Hydrogen” • Engineers at the University of New South Wales say they have successfully modified a conventional diesel engine to use a mix of hydrogen and a small amount of diesel oil. They claiming their patented technology has cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 85%. [BBC]
World:
¶ “Candela C-8 Electric Boat Gets Larger Polestar 2 Battery And Range Increase” • The Candela C-8 now has the Polestar 2’s 69-kWh battery, rather than the 44-kWh battery it previously came with. With the new larger battery, the C-8’s range is up to 65 miles traveling at 22 knots; previously it was 50 miles. The price of the boat is unchanged. [CleanTechnica]
Candela C-8 (Candela image)
¶ “Stellantis Takes On Two Partners To Reduce EV Production Emissions” • Stellantis apparently doesn’t think it’s good enough that the EVs it makes operate with reduced emissions. It recently entered into two partnerships that will help it cut down on the carbon emissions associated with building its EVs, making EVs an even more superior choice. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Thousands Of Solar Electric Cars On Order” • Lightyear’s first solar electric cars went into production last December under the Lightyear 0 label. Now, Lightyear is selling Lightyear 2, which it is billing as its accessible, mass-market model with a bumped-up range of 800 km (500 miles) including solar charging. The price is €40,000 ($43,400). [CleanTechnica]
Lightyear 0 (Lightyear image)
¶ “Nofar Energy Plans 1.5-GW Renewables Portfolio In Romania For 2023” • Renewable energy company Nofar Energy has acquired a 73-MW solar project in Romania, as it is pushing to purchase, develop, and install solar power plants and wind farms with a total capacity of 1.5 GW in 2023. Project construction is set to start soon. [Balkan Green Energy News]
¶ “New Africa Renewable Energy Initiative To Unleash 1.2 Terawatts” • A new consortium launched the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative, which was set up to help drive the financial, technical, and socioeconomic investments needed to develop 1.2 terawatts of energy potential and 14 million new jobs in Africa. [MyJoyOnline.com]
Nairobi (Mustafa Omar, Unsplash)
¶ “IAEA Head Worries World Getting Complacent About Ukraine Nuclear Plant” • Rafael Grossi, director general of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency, said he is worried that the world was becoming complacent about the considerable dangers posed by the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia atomic plant in Ukraine. [The Business Standard]
US:
¶ “California Storms Were Great For Wine” • The atmospheric rivers that swept through California for two weeks caused an estimated $30 billion in damage. The torrents collapsed hillsides, uprooted trees, and washed out highways. At least 20 people died, and millions were under flood warnings. But the rain was a desperately needed gift to California wineries. [BBC]
Vineyard (Alex Gorbi, Unsplash)
¶ “Increasing Renewables Likely To Reduce Coal And Natural Gas Generation Over Next Two Years” • In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the Energy Information Administration projects that growth of US renewable power capacity will reduce output of both coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants in 2023 and 2024. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “How Utilities Can Save Customers Billions Of Dollars” • The pandemic reduced coal-powered generation in 2020. RMI research looking at the hourly operation of power plants shows that there was a huge opportunity for even further reduced use of coal. The move would have driven $2.5 billion in consumer savings in that year alone. [CleanTechnica]
Coal-fired plant in Texas (Sam LaRussa, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “Longroad Energy Begins Construction Of 285-MW Solar, 860-MWh Storage Project In Arizona” • Renewable energy developer Longroad Energy announced starting construction of a solar-plus-storage project in Arizona. The system, with 285 MW of solar PVs and 860 MWh of storage, is expected to be operating commercially in 2024. [Utility Dive]
¶ “Stony Brook-Led Study Reveals Summer Heatwaves And Low Dissolved Oxygen Contributed To Fishery Collapse” • A study by Stony Brook University researchers published in Global Change Biology shows that warming waters and heat waves contributed to the loss of an economically and culturally important fishery, the production of bay scallops. [SBU News]
Have a delightfully easy day.
geoharvey 