Opinion:
¶ “Community Engagement Is Fundamental To The Solar And Wind Permitting Process” • This summer will long be recalled for its cascading climate disasters. Amid the dispiriting news, there’s reason for hope: We’re on the cusp of a transformation to clean energy that could greatly reduce carbon pollution from the nation’s dirtiest power plants. [CleanTechnica]
Community solar array (Courtesy of CLEER)
Science and Technology:
¶ “3D-Printed “Living Material” Could Clean Up Contaminated Water” • Researchers at the UC San Diego developed a new type of material that could offer a sustainable way to clean pollutants from water. It is a 3D-printed structure of a natural polymer and bacteria that produce an enzyme to transform various organic pollutants into benign molecules. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Ag Tech Can Cut Billions Of Tons Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions” • A study published in PLOS Climate demonstrates that state-of-the-art agricultural technology and management can reduce growth in agricultural emissions to the point of eliminating it by generating net-negative emissions – reducing more GHGs than food systems add. [CleanTechnica]
Greenhouse gas reductions (Almaraz, Houlton, et al)
World:
¶ “The World Just Experienced The Hottest Summer On Record, By A Significant Margin” • June to August was the warmest such period since records began in 1940, according to data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Also, according to the Copernicus data, August of 2023 was the warmest August since record keeping began in 1940. [CNN]
¶ “International Report Confirms Record-High Greenhouse Gases And Global Sea Levels In 2022” • Greenhouse gases, global sea levels, and ocean heat content reached record highs in 2022, the 33rd annual State of the Climate report says. The report is a comprehensive update on Earth’s climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data. [CleanTechnica]
Sea (frank mckenna, Unsplash)
¶ “Australian Billionaire Wants Submarine Cable To Export Solar Power To Singapore And Beyond” • Billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is making new progress on plans to export clean energy from Australia to Singapore through a 4,200-kilometer (2,610-mile) submarine cable after he completed the acquisition of SunCable from administration. [Time]
¶ “Encavis And GreenGo Make Progress On A 132-MW Danish Solar Park” • GreenGo Energy and Encavis have reached ready-to-build status concerning a 132-MW solar project in Denmark. The Nørhede-Hjortmose project near Ringkøbing will be one of the largest in Denmark once operational in 2026. The project has been in planning for several years. [reNews]
Solar project (Courtesy of Encavis and GreenGo)
¶ “As Africa Climate Summit Promotes Solar, Off-Grid Power Ramps Up Below The Sahara” • African families and businesses are choosing off-grid solar in the face of an unreliable grid. The World Bank says the number of minigrids, solar systems that support a cluster of homes or businesses, has grown in from 500, 23 years ago, to 3,000 today. [ABC News]
¶ “August ‘Sets New Record’ For Irish Wind Generation” • Wind generation in Ireland hit a new record for August according to Wind Energy Ireland’s latest monthly report. The amount of electricity generated in August 2023 was up by 71%, compared with August 2022 the Wind Energy report found. The month’s strong winds led to the record. [reNews]
Irish wind turbines (Nordex image)
¶ “Ukraine Strains To Safely Operate Nuclear Power Plants While Under Russian Invasion” • The head of Ukraine’s nuclear energy utility, Energoatom, says his country is trying to do something never before attempted: operate a large fleet of nuclear plants in the midst of a full-scale war. Nuclear plants have never before been targeted or captured. [Jefferson Public Radio]
US:
¶ “Climate Change Is Hurting Six Flags, Seaworld, And Disney World” • When intense rain and flooding stranded more than 70,000 people at Burning Man in the Nevada desert, it was just the latest example of how extreme weather, made far worse by climate change, has impacted major North American attractions this summer. [CNN]
Disney World (Brian McGowan, Unsplash)
¶ “Environmental Groups Sue Utah Over Failure To Protect Great Salt Lake From Brink Of Collapse” • Utah is being sued by a coalition of environmental groups and conservationists for its alleged misuse of water and failing to protect the Great Salt Lake from the brink of “ecological collapse.” Scientists had warned that the lake was facing “unprecidented danger.” [CNN]
¶ “Biden Administration Cancels Years-Long Attempt To Drill In Alaska National Wildlife Refuge” • The Biden administration said it will cancel seven Trump-era oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and protect more than 13 million acres in the federal National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, stymieing a years-long attempt to drill in the region. [CNN]
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (US FWS, public domain)
¶ “Hurricane Lee Could Become ‘Extremely Dangerous’” • Lee is expected to intensify into an “extremely dangerous” category 4 storm by the weekend, the National Hurricane Center says. It has already become a category 1 hurricane, with 75 mph (120 km/h) winds. The NHC said it was too early to tell whether it might make landfall in the US. [BBC]
¶ “Up To 35% Of US Manufacturing Sectors Could Supply All Their Own Power” • Some manufacturing processes have high electricity demands that cannot be entirely met by rooftop solar systems. Nevertheless, analysis revealed that, on average, rooftop solar PVs could supply all power needs of 5% to 35% (seasonally) of US manufacturing sectors. [Energy Post]
Have a delightfully comfortable day.
geoharvey 