Science and Technology:
¶ “Will Electric Flying Taxis Live Up To Their Promise?” • If all goes to plan, Volocopter’s two-seater electric aircraft, VoloCity, will be carrying passengers around Paris in time for the 2024 Olympics. It will be the first service in Europe to use an electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft, but the company needs to show it has a market. [BBC]
VoloCity (Volocopter image)
¶ “Want to cope with heatwaves? Look to Japan’s creative cooling solutions” • Japan, a nation renowned for its design thinking and innovation, is armed with many ways to survive punishing heat. They love the AC as much as any heat-stricken country, but they also find respite in creative remedies, from electrically ventilated clothes to water-based rituals. [BBC]
¶ “Fanning The Flames: Wildfires Emit Potent Climate-Warming Organic Particles” • A study published in Nature Geoscience, found that wildfires are causing a much greater warming effect than had been accounted for by climate scientists. The study highlights an urgent need to revise climate models and update approaches for the changing environment. [CleanTechnica]
Smoke (Steve Brown, NOAA)
¶ “Nuclear Powered Cargoships ‘Wishful Thinking’ Says Precious Shipping Boss” • In Precious Shipping’s quarterly newsletter the company’s Managing Director Hashim particularly took issue with an article from Bloomberg last month that painted a vision of large nuclear-powered vessels. He called the idea of nuclear cargo ships “wishful thinking.” [Seatrade Maritime]
World:
¶ “Portugal Battles Wildfires Amid Third Heatwave Of The Year” • Firefighters in Portugal are battling to contain wildfires burning thousands of hectares amid soaring temperatures. Temperatures in excess of 40°C (104°F) are expected to hit much of the Iberian peninsula this week. In Portugal, Monday saw a temperature of 46.4°C (116°F) recorded in Santarém. [BBC]
After a wildfire in Portugal (Feli García, CC-BY-SA 2.0, cropped)
¶ “Climate Change: The Record Summer That Scorched Asia” • Countries have pledged to keep the world from warming past 1.5°C. A recent report, compiled by nearly two dozen climate scientists, found that temperatures earlier this year were up by 2°C in many parts of Asia. The region is home to more than 4.5 billion people. [BBC]
¶ “Humans Emitting Carbon Dioxide 200 Times Faster Than Supervolcanic Eruptions That Caused Earth’s Most Severe Mass Extinctions” • Lead researcher Dr Qiang Jiang, a Curtin PhD graduate from Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the findings were vital to understanding how to prevent future climate disasters. [CleanTechnica]
Erupting volcano (Yosh Ginsu, Unsplash)
¶ “First Solar-Powered Battery Charging And Swapping Hub For Rural Mobility Launches In Kenya” • Rural areas of Africa have been badly underserved, especially in transport. That is starting to change. The first solar-powered battery charging and battery swapping hub for rural mobility has been launched in Kenya by the SUN-RUN partnership. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Breaking Through ‘Status Quo Bias’ With Co-Designed Solar Power Plants” • A group of Dutch researchers assessed the impact of including stakeholder input in the design process of solar power plants. It found that a co-designed approach may help counter the resistance of local inhabitants and result in more positive evaluations of the project. [PV Magazine]
Local involvment (US HUD image)
¶ “Solar Sector Backs Winser Report’s Plan To Overhaul Power Grid” • Trade body Solar Energy UK has welcomed the report by Electricity Grid Commissioner Nick Winser recommending ways to speed up infrastructure build time. The report proposes ways to halve the time for upgrades. There are 230 GW of projects currently in the queue. [Solar Power Portal]
¶ “Acciona Energia Proposes New 58-Turbine Nyaninyuk Wind Farm In Victoria” • A major energy company has revealed a proposal for a fourth wind farm in Victoria to meet the rising demand for clean energy. The Nyaninyuk wind farm would have 58 turbines, able to generate 330 MW. The wind farm is to be sited in the western part of the state. [ABC]
Wind turbines (Image supplied by BP)
¶ “Atlas Renewable Energy, Isagen To build 1-GW Solar PV In Colombia” • US-based Atlas Renewable Energy and Colombia-headquartered Isagen have partnered to develop, build and operate 1 GW of solar projects in Colombia. Isagen implied that the projects would be built and commissioned quickly, to meet Colombia’s clean power demand quickly. [PV Tech]
US:
¶ “Hydrogen Aviation Brings Together Georgia Democrat And Republican” • State officials in Georgia have answered the call to fight against renewable energy, but it seems not everyone got the memo. Georgia’s Senators, one Democrat and one Republican, support a national hydrogen aviation strategy and a regional green hydrogen hub. [CleanTechnica]
Hydrogen infographic (US DOE image)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
¶ “US Electric Co-Ops Invited To Apply For Renewable Energy Funding” • The USDA asked rural co-operatives to send letters of interest for a rural renewable energy systems fund. The scheme is for electric co-ops and will award funds on a competitive basis to cover 25% of the cost of a qualifying project that is finished by September 30, 2031. [Co-operative News]
¶ “Nucor Signs Agreement With NextEra Energy Resources To Support Solar Energy Development In Kentucky” • Nucor Corporation announced a power purchase agreement for 250 MW of electricity from Sebree Solar, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources. Sebree Solar is a 400-MW solar project in Henderson County, Kentucky. [PR Newswire]
Have a brilliantly enlightened day.
geoharvey 