Science and Technology:
¶ “Can ‘Enhanced Rock Weathering’ Help Combat Climate Change?” • UN scientists are now clear that reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone won’t be enough to stop dangerous levels of warming. They say there will need to be some CO₂ removal, actively drawing it down from the atmosphere. ‘Enhanced rock weathering’ could help cool the planet. [BBC]
Basaltic outcrop (Daniel Mayer, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “Gotion Introduces LMFP Battery With Energy Density Of 240 Wh/Kg” • Volkswagen battery supplier Gotion has revealed a new lithium-manganese-iron-phosphate battery it says can go 1000 km. A press release says the Astroinno L600 LMFP cell’s weight energy density is 240 Wh/kg. Gotion is planning to build a $2.3 billion battery factory in Michigan. [CleanTechnica]
World:
¶ “As The West Surges Toward Electric Cars, Here’s Where The Unwanted Gas Guzzlers Go” • As wealthy countries set aggressive goals to move consumers towards EVs to cut carbon emissions, gas-powered cars won’t necessarily go away. A stream of used cars is heading to West African ports, and it is only expected to increase with the West’s shift to EVs. [CNN]
Port of Cotonou in Benin (Fawaz.tairou, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “New Zealand And BlueScope Spend $188 Million To Cut Steel Emissions” • New Zealand’s government and the local unit of BlueScope Steel Ltd will spend NZ$300 million ($188 million) to upgrade a mill. They called it the largest emissions-reduction project in the nation. The oxygen furnaces will be replaced with an electric arc furnace. [Yahoo Finance]
¶ “Alberta Wildfires Show No Sign Of Slowing, Experts Say” • Since the first state of emergency was declared in Alberta on May 4, over 782,000 hectares of land, 3,000 square miles, have burned, officials said. With 93 active wildfires in Alberta, as of 12:00 EST on Friday, early data suggests this wildfire season could be one of the worst on record. [BBC]
Fire in Alberta (Government of Alberta)
¶ “Time To Pay The Piper – The Cost Of Cleaning Up After Fossil Fuel Companies” • Marco Grasso and Richard Heede authored a report published by One Earth that quantifies how much each of the 21 top fossil fuel companies in the world should pay to clean up the environmental mess they have made. The total comes to $209 billion a year. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Green Gravity Lab In Port Kembla Aims To Use Weights And Old Mine Shafts To Produce Renewable Energy ” • A plan that seems simple could help Australia towards net zero emissions. Housed in an old mine shaft and suspended by a strong cable, a weight is lowered 500 metres down a long drop and in doing so, turns a turbine that creates electricity. [ABC]
Rendering of the Green Gravity lab (Green Gravity image)
¶ “Creecy Says Her Department Has A Project Of 9,789 MW For Renewable Energy Applications” • In South Africa, Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment Minister Barbara Creecy said in her department’s Environmental Impact Assessment section, there is a project pipeline of 9,789 MW for renewable energy applications in the country. [IOL]
US:
¶ “Chevy’s Not Taking Any Chances With Bolt Battery Packs” • After a fire recall, GM’s battery software errs far on the side of caution for Bolts and Bolt EUVs. If the software senses danger, it puts up a “battery danger” message, accompanied by an alarm that can’t be turned off and sounds absolutely frightening. GM even has automatic tows responding. [CleanTechnica]
Chevy Bolt (Greg Gjerdingen, CC-BY-SA 2.0)
¶ “Three US Funding Pools Every Industrial Project Developer Should Know About” • Heavy industry represents 30% of US CO₂ emissions. While decarbonizing industry is difficult, two exciting developments are taking place in the US that will help speed progress. One is industries grouping in “clean industrial hubs.” The other is tax incentives. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Illinois Lawmakers Head Back To Springfield Next Week As Budget Talks Continue” • Illinois lawmakers will return to the Capitol next week after failing to pass a state budget before their scheduled adjournment date, as top Democrats haggle over final details. One detail is the question of ending a moritorium on building new nuclear plants. [The Pantagraph]
Have an exceedingly effortless day.
geoharvey 
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