Opinion:
¶ “The Alaska Oil Project Will Be Obsolete Before It’s Finished” • Though world leaders now talk constantly about transitioning away from fossil fuels, they also fret about ensuring a supply of oil and gas. But now they are also green-lighting new fossil-fuel projects that won’t start producing energy for years and won’t wind down operations for decades. [The Atlantic]
Trans-Alaska Pipeline (Arthur T LaBar, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
¶ “Energy Insecurity” • One lesson countries are learning from the current war in Ukraine is that centralized power generation is vulnerable, producing energy insecurity. In a despicable move against the civilians of Ukraine, Russia has targeted energy infrastructure. As in many other countries, energy generating in Australia is being decentralized. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Georgia’s Big New Nuclear Reactors Could Be The Last Built In The US” • The first nuclear reactor built in the US in 30 years reached a milestone last week that brings it close to syncing up with the electrical grid and generating power for customers. But this is not the dawn of the long-threatened nuclear renaissance. It’s more like a swan song. [Canary Media]
New nuclear plant (Georgia Power image)
Science and Technology:
¶ “Electric Vehicle Batteries Could Get Big Boost With New Polymer Coating” • Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a conductive polymer coating called HOS-PFM that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for EVs. The coating conducts both ions and electrons at the same time. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Water Disasters On Both Ends Of The Spectrum – Dry And Wet – Are Getting More Intense As Planet Warms, Study Finds” • From lengthy droughts to severe flooding, the intensity of water-related disasters around the world has increased over the last two decades as temperatures climbed to record levels, according to research by NASA. [CNN]
Flood (Phillip Flores, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Aukus Deal: US, UK, And Australia Agree On Nuclear Submarine Project” • The leaders of the US, UK, and Australia have unveiled new details of their plan to create a fleet of next generation nuclear-powered submarines. Under the Aukus agreement, Australia will first receive at least three nuclear-powered submarines from the US. [BBC]
¶ “Volkswagen Picks Canada For New Battery Factory” • In a press release, Volkswagen Group said it and its battery company PowerCo have selected St Thomas in Ontario as the site of its first overseas gigafactory for cell manufacturing. The new factory will produce sustainable unified cells, with the start of production planned for 2027. [CleanTechnica]
Volkswagen ID.3 (Volkswagen image)
¶ “BYD, Hozon Auto, And SGMW Set Up Factories In ASEAN Member States In Global Push To Provide Affordable EVs” • The SAIC-GM-Wuling Joint Venture has a factory in Indonesia. After the success of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV in China, SGMW is expanding its offering in this class of vehicles and taking the Wuling Air to markets outside China. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Octopus Electric Vehicles To Buy 5,000 Vehicles From BYD In UK” • BYD announced that the Atto 3 SUV is now available for orders in the UK and that deliveries start this week. The first BYD ‘Pioneer’ stores will open imminently and are situated along the spine of UK including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Milton Keynes. [CleanTechnica]
BYD Atto 3 SUV (BYD image)
¶ “Renewable Energy Only Solution To Pakistan’s Energy Woes: Abbasi” • Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Pakistan was phasing out its oil-based energy generation as 42% of its energy is from renewable resources, rising to 50% by 2030. He said that renewable energy is the only solution to Pakistan’s energy woes. [The News International]
US:
¶ “Biden Administration Approves Controversial Willow Oil Project In Alaska” • The Biden administration has approved the massive Willow oil drilling project in Alaska, angering climate advocates and setting the stage for a court challenge. The project could generate enough oil to release 9.2 million metric tons of planet-warming CO₂ per year. [CNN]
Brooks Range (US Fish and Wildlife Service, CC0)
¶ “Activists Push Green Energy To Counter NJ Transit’s Plan For Fossil Fuel Power Plant” • Environmental activists heralded a report that they say proves a hybrid renewable energy microgrid is feasible to help power NJ Transit’s power needs during an unexpected outage. The agency is weighing a fossil-fuel-burning power plant in Kearny. [NorthJersey.com]
¶ “Young Activists Put El Paso On The Front Line Of Climate Defense” • A group of young people in Texas gathered more than 40,000 signatures last year to force a referendum on whether fossil fuel activities in and around El Paso should be curtailed. El Paso sits on the edge of the Permian Basin, which produces about 40% of all US oil. [CleanTechnica]
Nodding donkeys (CGP Grey, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “NH Community Power: Rates Will Be 20% To 40% Less Than Utility Companies” • Using a model that’s called “transformative” for the energy market, the Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire has announced that its initial electricity rate will be 15.8¢/kWh. This is a 20% to 40% savings compared to the state’s utility companies. [New Hampshire Bulletin]
¶ “Biden Says Generation ‘Damned’ If We Don’t Fix Climate Change, Also Approves Willow Oil Drilling Project” • Biden did admit that Earth’s rising temperature would have consequences for younger generations. But his decision to approve the Willow oil drilling project also reneged on his 2020 campaign promise to end the passage of new oil and gas permits. [Yahoo]
Have an abundantly nice day.
geoharvey 
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