Science and Technology:
¶ “The Promise Of Kelp-Powered Flight” • Catriona Macleod, deputy head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre at the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies in Australia, describes seaweed as the “Swiss army knife” of tools to tackle planetary challenges. Already widely used for food, it could eventually power airplanes. [BBC]
Seaweed (Peter Southwood, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
World:
¶ “Over €200 To Fill Up – The Cost Of Germany’s Bid To Keep Combustion Engines” • Olaf Scholz’s support for e-fuels in new cars could leave the average German driver paying €210 to fill up their tank, analysis shows. The German Chancellor is in a stand-off with the EU over his insistence that cars powered by e-fuel are allowed to be sold after a 2035. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ford Announces Electric Explorer Will Only Be For Europe, But That’s OK” • Ford revealed that its next EV for Europe is an EV version of the Explorer. Ford says its all-elecctric Explorer is a revolutionary electric vehicle that paves the way forward for the Ford brand in Europe. But, for some reason they’re not going to sell it in the US. [CleanTechnica]
Ford Explorer (Ford Europe image)
¶ “European Tiny Modular Reactor Deal Starts With Absurdly Expensive Electricity” • Supposedly a European energy deal has been reached in which a US firm sells a bunch of tiny nuclear reactors to European countries at an enormous price. It’s hard to think that anybody would ink the deal as described. (A correction makes it a high price per MWh.) [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Enel Turns Sod On 170-MW Italian Agrivoltaic Project” • Enel Green Power has kicked off construction of a 170MW agrivoltaic solar project. The developer said not only will it be the biggest agrivoltaic plant in Italy, it will be the largest solar plant. It will be fully integrated with the agricultural sector in Tarquinia, in the province of Viterbo, Latium. [reNews]
Green power on a green field, (Enel Green Power image in B&W)
¶ “China To Launch New Renewable Energy Pilot Scheme For Rural Areas” • China is pressing ahead with plans to accelerate the already rapid rollout of renewable energy by developing clean energy in rural areas under a new action plan. Provincial governments are to identify areas they consider suitable for renewable energy deployment. [Oil Price]
¶ “Spain’s Grid Operator Sees Renewables Reaching 50% Of Power Generation In 2023” • Spain’s electricity grid operator Red Electrica said renewable energy sources could account for half of the country’s annual power generation this year, up from 42% in 2022. The estimate was announced during a presentation of Red Electrica’s annual reports. [Nasdaq]
PS10 solar plant in Spain (afloresm, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “South Africa’s Renewable Power Production To Reach 13.2 GW By 2023-End – Report” • The South African renewable energy market is poised to reach 13.21 GW by the end of 2023 following favourable regulations and private sector participation, advocacy group African Energy Chamber said in a report. There are 77 new wind and solar projects expected. [ZAWYA]
¶ “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant’s Situation ‘Perilous,’ Says Un Agency Head” • The head of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency says the situation is still “perilous” at the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, as it remains connected to only one primary power source. Its last 330-kV power line is still out of service. [CBC]
Russian T-90 tank (Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
US:
¶ “The West’s Snow Boom Could Ease The Water Crisis. But Experts Worry More Hot, Dry Weather Is Coming” • A parade of storms has given the West some relief from its historic drought, filling reservoirs and increasing much-needed snowpack. But experts question whether it will be enough to help lift the West out of its multi-year water crisis. [CNN]
¶ “Hyundai Announces Charging Partnership, Safety Feature For IONIQ 6 EV” • Electrify America announced a partnership with Hyundai, offering IONIQ 6 owners two years of complimentary 30-minute charging sessions from the date of purchase. A mobile app allows owners to easily locate and access the company’s DC fast chargers on the road. [CleanTechnica]
Charging station (Image by Electrify America and Hyundai)
¶ “FreeWire Helps Road Ranger Get EV Charging Stations Up Faster” • FreeWire has an innovative solution to the problem of getting fast chargers operating where transmission infrastructure is weak. FreeWire Technologies works to reduce the costs of installing fast charging stations by integrating battery storage into the station. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “DOE Awards $9 Million To Twelve Projects To Advance Desalination And Water Reuse Technologies Across The US” • The US DOE and the National Alliance for Water Innovation announced that they had selected twelve projects that will improve the energy efficiency of desalination and water reuse technologies across the country. [CleanTechnica]
Ocean (Freida Mcmurtrie, Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “Four Legislative Actions For An Equitable Energy Transition” • The energy transition will not happen automatically, and it is important that the move towards renewable energy is rapid and equitable. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) shared his vision of a progressive energy transition in a presentation at the Roosevelt Institute in New York. [pv magazine USA]
¶ “Xcel Energy To Power Down Monticello Nuclear Plant Early After More Radioactive Water Leaks Out” • Xcel Energy will start to power down its Monticello nuclear plant several weeks earlier than planned after more radioactive water leaked from the facility. Temporary repairs had been made after an earlier leak of 400,000 gallons of radioactive water. [CBS News]
Have a thoroughly successful day.
geoharvey 
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