Opinion:
¶ “Making Oil Is More Profitable Than Saving The Planet. These Numbers Tell The Story” • Oil companies have long been under pressure to invest more money into renewable energy to help fight climate change. Here’s one simple reason why they don’t: They make a lot more money selling oil. That leaves them with little reason to save the planet. [WGCU]
Pumping oil (David Thielen, Unsplash, cropped)
Science and Technology:
¶ “GE Completes Testing Sustainable Aviation Fuel On Tenth Aircraft Engine Model” • GE Aerospace is taking another step towards sustainable flights. The company announced it has finished testing with 100% SAF on ten aircraft engine models. GE Aerospace engines power three out of four commercial flights worldwide, the company said. [ABC News]
¶ “Recyclable, Plant-Based Material Could Take a Spin on Next Generation of Wind Turbines” • Most resins used in wind turbine blades require nonrenewable resources (like petroleum) and lots of energy to make. They are also difficult or impossible to recycle cost effectively. Researchers at NREL have developed a resin to deal with these issues. [CleanTechnica]
NREL team working on a turbine blade (Troy Boro, NREL)
¶ “New Zealand Company Uses Wood Chips To Make Synthetic Graphite” • Graphite is essential for lithium ion batteries. The Wall Street Journal says half the weight of a typical li-ion battery is graphite. China has been figuring out how to dominate supplies of materials needed to make EV batteries, including graphite. But graphite can be made from wood. [CleanTechnica]
COP28:
¶ “‘Verge Of Complete Failure’ Climate Summit Draft Drops The Mention Of A Fossil Fuel Phase-Out, Angering Advocates” • In Dubai, climate advocates are warning the COP28 climate summit could be on the verge of failure after the latest draft of the core agreement removed a call to phase out fossil fuels, the one thing most driving the climate crisis. [CNN]
Dubai (Mohammed Nasim, Unsplash)
¶ “Climate Summit In Dubai Headed For Overtime As Fury Over Fossil Fuels Widens Divide” • International negotiators at COP28 are preparing for a long day of painstaking negotiations that are likely to stretch into overtime, as deep divisions remain over whether to phase out fossil fuels. Climate advocates are furious at the weak draft agreement. [CNN]
¶ “UN Climate Talks In Jeopardy In Fossil Fuel Backlash” • The UN climate talks in Dubai could be in jeopardy after a number of nations reacted furiously to a draft deal on fossil fuels they call “weak.” The draft removed language from an earlier text urging that fossil fuels could be “phased out.” Unless all 198 countries at the talks agree, there is no deal. [BBC]
Train carrying coal in Tennessee (Chad Stembridge, Unsplash)
World:
¶ “Stellantis Partners With Ample For Battery Swapping” • Ample and Stellantis recently signed an agreement to partner for the development of EV charging technology. Their goal? To deliver a fully charged EV battery in less than five minutes, which sounds pretty nice. They plan do this by use of Ample’s battery swapping technology. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Kenya’s Two-Wheeled Revolution” • Kenya is leading in electric motorcycle adoption in East Africa, with government initiatives to replace the roughly 2 million diesel motorcycles currently on the road. The Kenyan government hopes to boost local manufacturing and renewable energy use while promoting self-sufficiency. [CleanTechnica]
Burn Manufacturing Park in Kenya (Courtesy of Burn)
¶ “Global Nuclear Power Faces Unprecedented Challenges” • The World Nuclear Industry Status Report outlined severe challenges faced by the global nuclear power sector. The report, covering developments up to mid-2023, highlights a significant decline in nuclear production, with its share dropping to the lowest point in four decades. [Power Technology]
US:
¶ “Yet Another Oil Spill Hits the Gulf of Mexico” • A large oil spill hit the Gulf of Mexico on November 16, leading to a shutdown of the main pipeline and several others. But in December, more oil was detected on the water’s surface near the original spill. The Coast Guard has not confirmed whether the oil releases came from the same source. [CleanTechnica]
Gulf of Mexico (Robert Woeger, Unsplash)
¶ “Wisconsin Could Lose NEVI Funding” • Wisconsin is at risk of losing out on the federal funding for building out new charging infrastructure. The interstate highways are well covered, but there are still some significant dead zones in the state. A conflict between state and federal laws makes it nearly impossible to build charging stations. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Dual-Use Solar Makes Best Use Of Renewable Energy And Farmland” • New York is looking at ways to impliment dual-use solar by combining solar panels with other land uses, ranging from shade canopies for cars or a house’s awning to common agrivoltaic practice. Crops are still being grown on land where solar panels are installed. [Public News Service]
Fruit under PV panels (Lisamiri, CC-BY-SA 4.0, cropped)
¶ “Pritzker Signs Law Lifting Moratorium On Nuclear Reactors” • Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation lifting the moratorium on development of nuclear reactors in Illinois. Smaller nuclear reactors producing less than 300 MW will be allowed beginning January 2026. Morris Republican Senator Sue Rezin sponsored the proposal. [WGN]
¶ “House Passes Bill Barring Imports Of Russian Uranium For Nuclear Power” • The House passed legislation that would bar imports of Russian uranium for nuclear power plants. It was passed by a voice vote with bipartisan support. Republican Rep Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash) and Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ) spoke in favor of the bill. [The Hill]
Have a distinctly great day.
geoharvey 
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