Science and Technology:
¶ “DOE Just Can’t Quit Concentrating Solar Power (And That’s A Good Thing)” • Fans of concentrating solar power have a dream of a 100-MW facility that can deliver electricity 24/7, just like a nuclear power plant but without the risk and the fancy price tag. Now the US DOE has a new ceramic-based technology that could deliver the goods. [CleanTechnica]
Concentrating solar power plant (Courtesy of US DOE)
¶ “Antarctica Is Melting. It Has Happened Before” • Most of us don’t think much about Antarctica. It’s a lot of ice surrounding the South Pole. It’s been there forever and it will continue to be there for millions of years to come, right? Well, maybe. The most recent research indicates there are a lot of changes taking place in this frozen part of our world. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Norfolk Butterflies Battle Habitat Loss And Climate Change” • Norfolk’s butterflies are battling to survive amid habitat loss and climate change, warns a report. Most species have declined in either abundance, distribution, or both in the past five decades, according to the State of the UK’s Butterflies report by Butterfly Conservation. [Eastern Daily Press]
Butterfly (Calvin Mano, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “No More Fossil-Powered Taxis In Hamburg Soon” • Zero-emissions vehicle zones are already making a big difference in some cities, but that isn’t the only way to electrify. As the German city of Hamburg is showing, one way to take a step forward is to electrify your taxi fleets. Hamburg will ban fossil-powered taxi operations, starting in 2025. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Formula E Comes To Cape Town, City Revving Up For Its First E-Prix Event” • Now in its 9th Season, the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is making its debut in South Africa. Next weekend, on the 25th of February, the City of Cape Town will host its first E-Prix. The city is also one of the sponsors of the this first E-Prix in South Africa. [CleanTechnica]
Race (Courtesy of The City of Cape Town)
¶ “China Powers Ahead With Renewables, Carbon Reduction” • China’s renewable energy power generation reached 2.7 trillion kWh in 2022, accounting for 31.6% of the country’s total electricity consumption, an increase of 1.7 percentage points compared with 2021, the latest data from the National Energy Administration shows. [Xinhua]
¶ “Doubling Power Capacity Is The Next Challenge” • Doubling overall power capacity in the next seven years is the next big challenge for India, said R. K. Singh, Union Minister of Power and New & Renewable Energy. India is set to become the third largest economy in the world in the next few decades, and it needs more electricity. [Deccan Chronicle]
Solar power in Gujarat (Epagemakerwiki, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “NSW Labor Pledges $1 Billion For New State-Owned Energy Body If Elected In March” • The New South Wales opposition has promised to allocate $1 billion to a new state-run energy body if it is elected on March 25. Labor said the new Energy Security Corporation would drive investment into renewables to ensure services using energy storage. [ABC]
¶ “Future Engineers Learn About Opportunities Being Unlocked By Port Investment” • Young people interested in renewable energy visited Pembroke Port to see how modernizing it will enable South West Wales to take advantage of floating offshore windpower in the Celtic Sea and other renewable energy and decarbonization initiatives. [The Pembrokeshire Herald]
Celtic Sea (STHLM, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Russian Missiles Narrowly Miss Ukrainian Nuclear Plant” • A nuclear plant narrowly avoided a potential “disaster” after two Russian cruise missiles came close to hitting it on Saturday. The missiles flew above the Pivdennoukrainska Nuclear Power Plant at 8:25am and 8:27am, said Energoatom, Ukraine’s national power regulator. [The Telegraph]
US:
¶ “Tesla Model Y Expected To Save Police Department $83,810” • Police departments have been investing in EVs, though some critics point to their higher purchas prices and question the move. But police forces stand to save a lot of money in fuel costs and maintenance by using EVs. This was recently pointed out by a department in Wisconsin. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla police cruiser (Courtesy of Somerset Police Department)
¶ “US Department Of Energy Announces $50 Million For Tribal Clean Energy Projects” • The US DOE announced $50 million in funding to support clean energy deployment on Tribal lands. The investment will bolster ongoing efforts to lower energy costs, increase energy resilience, and provide electric power to as yet unelectrified buildings. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “HB95 To Institutionalize Renewable Energy Development At New Mexico State Land Office Passes House” • Legislation to institutionalize renewable energy at New Mexico’s State Land Office passed the House with a bipartisan floor vote of 48-19. The Office of Renewable Energy was established within the State Land Office in 2019. [Los Alamos Daily Post]
Have a gloriously dreamy day.
geoharvey 