Opinion:
¶ “Canadian Wildfire Smoke Is A Climate Change Wake-Up Call For The USA” • The New York Post ran a headline this week telling readers to “Blame Canada” for the smoke hanging over the city. It is typical of reactionaries in the US to look around and refuse to see what is happening before their eyes. The climate crisis ss arriving early, and we aren’t ready. [CleanTechnica]
Wildfire (Pixy.org, CC0)
¶ “A Manufacturing Revolution Is Underway In The USA, Thanks To Joe Biden” • The Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are stimulating a massive reinvestment in manufacturing, infrastructure, and good working class jobs in the US. Despite some who obsess over potential recession, we have a booming economy. [CleanTechnica]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Mushrooms Could Play A Key Role In Solving The Climate Crisis” • The scientific journal Cell Press is publishing a study showing that a group of fungi with mycorrhizal systems draw down and store more than 13 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. That’s nearly the annual greenhouse gas output of China and the US combined. [The Japan Times]
(Please note: “Million” is a typo. It should read “billion.”)
Mushroom cluster (Timothy Dykes, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Smoke From Canada’s Wildfires Has Reached As Far As Norway” • The smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada, which has already put around 75 million people in the US under air quality alerts, has reached Norway, the country’s scientists say. Some Norwegians may be able to smell the smoke and notice the haze. [CNN]
¶ “Quebec Sees Progress In Wildfire Battle” • Quebec has made progress in its battle to fight wildfires that have contributed to the smoke that blanketed large parts of North America this week. Philippe Bergeron, with Quebec’s firefighting agency, said that firefighters have been successful in putting out a few fires and containing larger ones. [BBC]
Wildfire (Government of Alberta)
¶ “Vancouver Company Bets On Utility-Sized Batteries For Renewable Energy” • Invinity Energy Systems, a Vancouver company, is betting big on the utility-sized batteries it builds in a former machine shop with high ceilings and overhead cranes. Its batteries pair with intermittent renewable power systems to provide reliable electricity. [MSN]
¶ “Tesla Hits UK With Strongest Ever May” • Tesla hits the UK with its strongest ever May, helping lift the plugin EV market share to 23.1%, up from 18.3% year on year. Battery EVs have grown well, whilst plugin hybrids have remained mostly flat. Overall market volume was up 17% YOY, though still below the pre-2020 norms. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model Y (Michal Lauko, Unsplash)
¶ “Ramokgopa Looking Forward To Big Renewable Energy Projects” • Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says he’s looking forward to big renewable energy projects that will see South Africa ditch its power problems. He spoke while visiting the Redstone Concentrated Solar Power Thermal Plant in the Northern Cape. [SABC News]
¶ “Switching From Coal Power Contracts To Renewable Energy Can Save Kerala ₹9,000 Crore In Five Years” • Replacing its coal power contracts with renewable energy can save the Indian state of Kerala ₹9,000 crore ($1.09 billion) over a five-year period, a study by think tank Climate Risk Horizons says. The report recommended phasing out coal by 2030. [The Hindu]
Coal-burning power plant (Johannes Plenio, Unsplash)
¶ “Tokyo Gas To Spend $1.4 Billion On Renewable Power At Home And Abroad” • Tokyo Gas, the biggest city gas provider in Japan, plans to spend ¥200 billion ($1.4 billion) over the next three years to boost its renewable capacity at home and abroad to 6 GW by 2030 from 1.5 GW now. It will focus on offshore wind farms for the investment. [Natural Gas World]
¶ “France Says Nuclear Power Is ‘Non-Negotiable’” • “Nuclear power is an absolute red line for France, and France will not relinquish any of the competitive advantages linked to nuclear energy”, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire insisted at the French Electricity Union. France’s 56 ageing reactors normally provide 70% of French electricity needs. [EURACTIV.com]
Fessenheim nuclear plant, 2010 (Florival fr, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
US:
¶ “California Approves Mercedes Level 3 Drive Pilot Technology, With Limitations” • Mercedes has received permission from the state of California to sell cars which feature Level 3 Drive Pilot technology to the public. But the permission comes with some restrictions, among which are the words, “This permit excludes operation on city or county streets, …” [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Hoosiers To Lead Rural Solar Power Revolution” • US farms are beginning to transition from energy-sucking, water-guzzling, habitat destroying sources of greenhouse gases into hosts for solar power plants, biodiversity havens, and carbon sinks. That can translate into an economic lifeline for farmers, and Indiana provides a good example. [CleanTechnica]
Agrivoltaics (Courtesy of Lightsource bp)
¶ “Attractiveness Of America For Renewable Energy Investing Is Increasing” • For the first time in the six years the American Council on Renewable Energy has conducted investor surveys, investors unanimously said they expect the attractiveness of US renewable energy investment to increase compared to other countries over coming years. [Daily Energy Insider]
¶ “Officials Announce $26 Million In Funding For Nuclear Waste Relocation Search” • Secretary of Energy Jennifer M Granholm, on a visit to the soon-to-be demolished San Onofre nuclear plant, announced that thirteen groups from across the country would receive $26 million of funding to help identify sites to store the spent nuclear fuel. [KUSI News]
Have a positively great day.
geoharvey 
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