Science and Technology:
¶ “Mirko Musa: Rescuing Rivers – And The World – With Help From Water Power” • Water power, including both hydropower and marine energy, is reliable and predictable. Mirko Musa, an R&D associate staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is working to make water power more versatile, cost-effective, and durable. [CleanTechnica]
Mirko Musa (Mirko Musa, ORNL, US DOE)
World:
¶ “How Indigenous Conservation Protects The Environment In Canada” • Using a “two-eyed seeing approach,” Dolcy Meness and other Nagadjitòdjig Akì guardians draw on indigenous knowledge and Western science to monitor impacts of extractive industries on their territory. Kitigan Zibi Anishinabegan is an Algonquin First Nation in Quebec. [BBC]
¶ “How This School In The Indian Desert Stays Cool Even In Extreme Heat” • In the north Indian desert town of Jaisalmer, temperatures can reach approximately 120°F (49°C) at the height of summer. Here, buildings have long been designed to adapt to the heat. New York architect Diana Kellogg used that tradition for the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School. [CNN]
Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School (Diana Kellogg Architects)
¶ “World’s Largest Lithium Mine Is In Australia” • Not long ago, people were discussing the scarcity of lithium. Now, most of the world’s lithium comes from Australia, which has bountiful reserves of hard rock spodumene. The world’s largest hard-rock lithium mine is the Pilbara Minerals’ Pilgangoora Mine, in Western Australia. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Spiro Secures $63 Million Financing Solution To Expand Its Fleet Of Electric Motorcycles, Batteries, And Swap Stations” • A leading African electric motorbike and clean energy provider, Spiro, has deployed over 9200 electric motorbikes in Benin, Togo, and Rwanda. Spiro says its riders have driven 80 million km and done 2 million battery swaps. [CleanTechnica]
Motorcycle and batteries (Courtesy of Spiro)
¶ “Renewable Energy Workers Say Alberta’s Pause Will Wipe Out Season Of Work” • Alberta’s United Conservative government said it directed the province’s utilities regulator not to approve any more renewable energy projects, citing what it says are rural and environmental concerns. The Alberta Utilities Commission is to hold an inquiry and report in February. [CBC]
¶ “Octopus, UKPN ‘Cut Bills With Excess Renewables’” • Octopus Energy has teamed up with UK Power Networks to offer free energy for households when there is excess renewable power. Participating customers will get free electricity to “power up” their homes when there is surplus electricity on the local grid from abundant renewables. [reNews]
Wind turbines (Octopus energy image)
¶ “Eight EU Countries On Track To Meet New NECP Solar Power Targets Before 2030” • Only 12 EU member states have updated their national energy and climate plans for 2030, though the deadline was June 30. Eight of them are set to meet the new targets for PV capacity at least three years earlier, SolarPower Europe said. [Balkan Green Energy News]
US:
¶ “Biden Is Campaigning As The Most Pro-Climate President While His DOJ Works To Block A Landmark Climate Trial” • As President Joe Biden touts his environmental record this week in the West, the US Department of Justice is waging a legal battle over whether a landmark youth climate lawsuit should even be allowed to go to trial. [CNN]
Kelsey Juliana (Out Children’s Trust, CC-BY-SA 3.0, cropped)
¶ “‘Like Something Out Of A Horror Movie’: At Least 6 Dead And Communities Decimated In Maui Wildfires” • At least six people have died in the wildfires that are ravaging parts of Maui, setting entire communities on fire and leaving behind apocalyptic scenes. The fires on Maui were fueled partly by violent winds from Hurricane Dora, 800 miles away. [CNN]
¶ “Extreme Heat Will Make Grand Canyon Visits Dramatically More Risky In The Future, Study Says” • Extreme heat fueled by climate change will significantly increase the risk of heat-related illness for the people who visit Grand Canyon National Park each year, a National Park Service study found. The increase could be 137% by 2100, in a worst case scenario. [CNN]
Grand Canyon (Omer Nezih Gerek, Unsplash)
¶ “Texas Power Use Hits Another Record During Heat Wave” • Demand for power in Texas hit a record high on Wednesday for the second time this week and ninth time this summer as homes and businesses used air conditioners to escape a lingering heat wave. Energy analysts point out that wind and solar power have helped ERCOT meet record demand. [SaltWire]
¶ “Community Solar: Panels Without A Roof” • As the cost of solar decreases each year, all forms of solar are within reach of more people. One form, community solar, is growing especially fast. According to the National Renewable Energy Lab, capacity has grown by 121% year-over-year since 2010. That trend that is expected to continue. [CleanTechnica]
Concept of community solar (Massachusetts Clean Energy Center)
¶ “DFW Airport Breaks Ground On New Renewable Energy Plant In Continued Quest For Net-Zero Emissions” • Dallas-Ft Worth Airport (DFW) is rolling out its next phase of projects to aid its achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The airport broke ground on a wind-powered Central Utility Plant to replace an old plant powered by natural gas. [WFAA]
¶ “Solar Leads 16.8 GW US Grid Addition In First Half Of 2023” • The EIA released a report on the power grid’s growth and usage for the first half of 2023. Solar power led with 35% of all new installations, natural gas had 34% (there were also retirements), wind stood was 19%. Batteries took 11%. One nuclear reactor was installed seven years late. [Environment+Energy Leader]
Have a seriously carefree day.
geoharvey 
Leave a comment