Opinion:
¶ “Forging A Clean Steel Economy In The United States” • Steel industry first movers are already working to lower emissions through carbon capture or renewable hydrogen pathways to meet demand. Their momentum is fueled by public-private partnerships, indicating an appetite to claim market share in low-emissions differentiated steel. [CleanTechnica]
Old steel mill (Peter Herrmann, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Babanango: South Africa’s Big New Game Park Is The Result Of A Dramatic Transformation” • Five years ago, the area now safeguarded by the Babanango Game Reserve in the KwaZulu Natal region of South Africa was virtually devoid of wildlife after decades of cattle grazing and unrestrained hunting. Now, it is coming back to what it had been. [CNN]
¶ “Shell Continues Expanding Its EV Charging Footprint” • Shell may have big challenges staying anywhere near its current size as the world transitions to electric vehicles. But it sure is building a big foothold in the EV charging realm so that it at least has that diversification offshoot for profit. Lately, it has been building a network in Switzerland. [CleanTechnica]
Charging station (Image courtesy of evpass)
¶ “Africa Soaks Up The Sun” • African countries are moving rapidly towards renewable energy, primarily through their abundant resource of solar. Funding for these projects is coming from a variety of sources – EU, Arab states, US, and Kenya. The grid size ranges from mini to maxi. Here are some notes on progress in a number of countries. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Allume Energy SolShare System Brings Rooftop Solar To Apartment Dwellers” • Australia’s Allume envisions a world where everyone can access clean and affordable energy from the sun. It says its SolShare system can make low cost, zero emissions electricity available to those who live in inexpensive housing, whether they own or rent. [CleanTechnica]
Apartment buildings with rooftop solar systems (Allume image)
¶ “Renewable Energy Projects At Risk: ‘UK’s Latest Plans Could Cause Missed Investments’” • Trade association RenewableUK warned that the government plans for the year’s auctions for contracts to generate clean power will fall short in attracting maximum investment in wind, solar, and tidal projects, so the UK could fail to meet targets. [Energy Live News]
¶ “Plans Submitted For 49.9-MW English Solar Farm” • Gamcap submitted a planning application for a solar farm in Yorkshire. The 49.9-MW project could supply energy to around 16,000 homes if approved by East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The Wyton Road Renewable Energy Project, will also include a battery energy storage system. [reNews]
Solar system (Chelsea, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “UK Backs Rolls-Royce Project To Build A Nuclear Reactor On The Moon” • The UK Space Agency said it would back research by Rolls-Royce looking at the use of nuclear power on the moon. The UKSA will provide £2.9 million ($3.5 million) of funding for the project, which it said would “deliver an initial demonstration of a UK lunar modular nuclear reactor.” [CNBC]
US:
¶ “The Mountain Town Buried By California Winter Chaos” • While beautiful, and a relief for the state’s dwindling water supply, the recent heavy snows wreaked havoc. Multiple counties are under emergency orders. It may be hard to believe that a warming planet would cause such an event, but climate science says that’s exactly what’s happening. [BBC]
Deep snow in California (Ryan C, Unsplash)
¶ “7-Eleven Now In EV Charging Business With 7Charge” • Everyone can see that the auto industry is electrifying. That includes oil companies and gas stations & convenience stores like 7-Eleven. Regarding the latter, the news this week is that 7-Eleven has launched its own EV charging network! The name of that charging network is 7Charge. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Now Chair Of The Senate Budget Committee, Whitehouse Argues That A Warming Planet Poses Fiscal Dangers” • Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) is now head of the Senate Budget Committee. His first day there, he gave each of his colleagues a 615-page binder detailing the fiscal threats posed by droughts, storms, wildfires, and rising seas. [CleanTechnica]
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (Whitehouse Senate Office)
¶ “US Energy-Related CO₂ Emissions Will Fall Through 2050, EIA Says” • The EIA forcasts US energy-related CO₂ emissions to drop 25% to 38% below what they were in 2005 by 2030. The US energy-related CO2 emissions reductions are driven by greater electrification, higher efficiency, and renewables deployment in the electric power sector. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Wisconsin’s Renewable Energy Wave Is Prompting Some Farmers To Lease Land For Fields Of Solar Panels” • Dean Ortwell, CEO of the Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative, said he’s seen farmers offered $750, $800 and even $1,500 per acre in lease offers from solar energy developers. That compares to $250 to $350 per acre for farming uses. [hngnews.com]
Wisconsin farm (Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “Morgan Stanley Report Predicts Renewable Energy Will Replace Coal By 2033” • A Morgan Stanley report says renewable energy will replace coal-fired power plants by 2033, according to Power magazine. Coal use for power generation is already on the decline due to lower prices for natural gas and more stringent environmental regulations. [EHS Daily Advisor]
¶ “Duke Energy To Build Florida Floating Solar Array” • Duke Energy Florida announced that its first floating solar array pilot will begin construction later this month in Polk County. The floating solar array will feature more than 1,800 floating solar modules, for almost 1 MW, and occupy about two acres of water surface on an existing cooling pond. [reNews]
Have a vastly delightful day.
geoharvey 