Opinion:
¶ “From Policy To Prosperity: Solar Is Supercharging American Communities After One Year Of Energy Incentives” • Just twelve months after the Inflation Reduction Act became law, solar and storage companies have announced over $100 billion in private sector investments for over 155 GW of new solar capacity. This is just the tip of the iceberg. [CleanTechnica]
Agrivoltaic landscape (Courtesy of Lightsource BP)
Science and Technology:
¶ “What Rapid Intensification Means For Hurricanes” • Heat provides fuel for storms. Higher sea surface temperatures and high ocean heat content play huge roles in rapid intensification. The climate crisis is forcing up ocean temperatures, which leads to rapid intensification. This leads to more major hurricanes, of Category 3 or higher. [CNN]
¶ “How Canada’s Wildfires Are Warming The Stratosphere” • Research has shown that wildfires’ likelihood and intensity have already increased due to human-caused global warming. There is still a lot we don’t understand about these powerful phenomena, however. Not least is the ability of wildfires to alter and disrupt climate systems long after they die out. [BBC]
Wildfire (Mike Newbry, Unsplash)
¶ “A Study With 300,000 Workers In The Nuclear Industry Suggests An Increased Risk Of Death From Cancer” • Prolonged exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation is associated with a higher risk of death from cancer than was previously thought, according to a study of nearly 310,000 nuclear industry workers in France, the UK, and the US. [EL PAÍS English]
World:
¶ “Snake season starts early as unusually high temperatures hit Australia” • Snakes are active in warm weather, and as Australia’s east coast experiences one of its warmest winters on record, snake season appears to have started early. The Australian Reptile Park has issued an “urgent warning” for people to be on the look out for venomous snakes. [CNN]
Venomous snake (Courtesy of the Australian Reptile Park)
¶ “Xi Jinping Is Building A Dream City. Devastating Floods Raise Questions About His Plan” • In 2017, China announced Xi’s plan of “1,000-year significance” to transform an area of crop fields and polluted wetlands 100 km (62 miles) south of Beijing into an eco-friendly, high-tech hub, Xiong’an. The area can flood, and some are questioning the plan. [CNN]
¶ “Yellowknife Evacuees Turned Away From Full Flights” • Angry residents of Yellowknife, who had waited in hours-long queues to board flights out on Thursday, were told by officials to try again on Friday or Saturday, the day the wildfire could reach the city. Canada’s two major airlines are also facing criticism over soaring air fares and rescheduling fees. [BBC]
Yellowknife (Gordon Leggett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Himachal Pradesh Floods: More Rain, Less Snow Are Turning Himalayas Dangerous” • A study found that mountains across the globe, including the Himalayas, are seeing increased rainfall at elevations where it has mostly snowed in the past. Worsened by unabated construction, heavy rains are frequently triggering disasters in India’s Himalayan region. [BBC]
¶ “Ford And SK On To Build $1.2 Billion Battery Materials Plant In Quebec” • Ford and China’s CATL made an unconventional deal on battery technology, but Ford is not placing all its eggs in one basket. It has forged ties with SK On, a South Korean battery company, to build a number of battery factories in the US, and at least one plant in Quebec. [CleanTechnica]
Quebec plant (Courtesy of Ford)
¶ “AGL Signs Up To Power Victorian Smelter As State Races To 95% Renewables” • AGL Energy signed a nine-year contract to supply aluminium giant Alcoa Australia with electricity for a smelter in Victoria. AGL is to supply roughly 50%, or 300 MW, of the power needed to run the smelter over a period from July 2026 until July 2035. [Renew Economy]
¶ “Baltic Power Secures Offshore Construction Permits” • Baltic Power has secured three building permits relating to 1200 MW of offshore wind capacity it is developing off the coast of Poland. The Pomeranian Voivode Dariusz Drelich issued a permit for the construction of 76 turbines in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Power also got two other permits. [reNews]
Offshore wind turbines (Vestas image)
¶ “France To Reduce Nuclear Power Generation Due To Heat Wave” • Two nuclear plants along the Rhone River in France may have to reduce power generation beginning this weekend due to a persisting heatwave, an official said. The high temperatures have increased the river water temperature above the thresholds for use in cooling. [La Prensa Latina]
US:
¶ “America’s Richest 10% Are Responsible For 40% Of Its Planet-Heating Pollution” • America’s wealthiest people are also some of the world’s biggest polluters, not only because of their massive homes and private jets, but because of the fossil fuels generated by the companies they invest their money in, a study published in the journal PLOS Climate shows. [CNN]
Rich (Charles C Collingwood, Unsplash)
¶ “Kentuckians Call On Regulators To Consider Climate Impacts Of LG&E’s Natural Gas Plants” • LG&E and Kentucky Utilities plan to retire nearly a third of their coal generation by 2028 and replace it with a mix of natural gas, solar, and battery storage. At a meeting, every commenter but one opposed plans to build new fossil fuel infrastructure. [Louisville Public Media]
¶ “Why electric bills are going up due to Vogtle” • You may have noticed a jump in your electric bill recently. The weather and higher fuel costs definitely play a role, but some of the hike is to pay for the expansion of Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro. Plant Vogtle’s new Unit 3 is operating, and Unit 4 is to be online soon. But they are billions over budget. [WRDW]
Have a comprehensively enchanting day.
geoharvey 
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