Opinion:
¶ “The War On Renewables Heats Up Across America” • Climate change is a threat to our way of life. Only renewables can help slow the changing climate. But due largely to misinformation disseminated by fossil fuel companies, people all across America believe that renewables like wind and solar are a threat to their way of life and must be stopped. [CleanTechnica]
Landscape to maintain (NOAA, Unsplash)
Science and Technology:
¶ “The ShAPE of Buildings to Come: Scrap Aluminum Can Transform Recycling Life Cycle” • The circular economy just closed the loop on scrap aluminum, thanks to a new patent-pending technology from the US DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Scrap aluminum could gain new life as parts of building structures. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Sandia Uses Electric Grid Analytics To Combat Wildfire Risks And Aid Post-Wildfire Recovery” • Sandia National Labs’ wildfire grid resilience program aims to determine and mitigate risk of ignition, reduce wildfire spread, and decrease consequences of major wildfires through new tools and better informed decision making. [CleanTechnica]
Fire whirl in Colorado (Kyle Miller, US BLM)
World:
¶ “Russian Oil Getting Into UK Via Refinery Loophole, Reports Claim” • A so-called “loophole” means Russian crude is refined in countries such as India and the products sold to the UK. This is not illegal and does not breach the UK’s Russian oil ban, but critics say it undermines sanctions aimed at restricting war funds Russia’s war funds as it makes war in Ukraine. [BBC]
¶ “Carlton Power Plans 20-MW UK Hydrogen Scheme” • Kraft Heinz is partnering with Carlton Power on its first renewable green hydrogen project in the UK. The proposed scheme could fuel at least 50% of Kraft Heinz’s Kitt Green manufacturing plant in Wigan, helping reduce carbon emissions and advance the company net zero ambitions. [reNews]
Kraft Heinz factory (Kraft Heinz image)
¶ “Germany And Israel Bolster Energy Ties: Focus On Hydrogen And Renewables” • German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Robert Habeck, met in Jerusalem with Israel’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Eli Cohen, to reinforce their collaborative work plan and address Israel’s post-war needs. [SolarQuarter]
¶ “Anti-Renewables Rally Inspires Counter Action, As Farmers Share Solar And Wind Benefits, Debunk Myths” • A protest against large-scale solar and wind and transmission projects has inspired a number of counter movements from farmers who say the lease payments from renewable energy projects have kept their farms afloat. [RenewEconomy]
Australian farm (Cgoodwin, CC-BY-SA 4.0)
¶ “Small Modular Reactors Do Not Solve The Many Problems Of Nuclear, NGOS Say” • As the European Commission prepares to launch its industry alliance for Small Modular Reactors on 6 February, civil society organisations stress the high costs and slow progress, making this technology a risky distraction from dealing with climate change. [EU Reporter]
¶ “How Fruit Farmers In Tohoku Are Coping With Climate Change” • The area of Yamamoto and Watari, in southern part of Miyagi Prefecture, is known for its relatively warm climate. But the unusual sight of tangerines, which are vulnerable to cold, coexisting with apples, which are vulnerable to heat, may be a symbol of rapid global warming. [The Japan Times]
Tangerine on a tree (Mateus Bandeira, Unsplash)
US:
¶ “OpenET Study Helps Water Managers And Farmers Put NASA Data to Work” • The system alled OpenET uses an ensemble of six satellite-driven models that harness publicly available data from the Landsat program to calculate evapotranspiration (ET), the movement of water vapor from soil and plants as it goes into the atmosphere. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Average Cost Of Car Insurance Up More Than 20% In Last Year” • Yahoo! Finance reports that car insurance costs were 20.3% higher in December than they were a year earlier, with the average annual premium costing $2,542, according to Bankrate. Part of that increase is due to inflation. But part of it is due to the weather brought by climate change. [CleanTechnica]
Storm damage (Mick Haupt, Unsplash)
¶ “Five Years Later, New Hampshire’s Community Power Law Is Reshaping The Electricity Market” • New Hampshire member towns in the year-old Community Power Coalition are reaping the benefits of banding together for electricity. Small customers in the coalition’s sixteen active member towns will buy electricity at a 26% reduced rate. [New Hampshire Bulletin]
¶ “New York City Approves Empire Wind O&M Hub Design” • New York City’s Public Design Commission approved the design for the offshore wind operations and maintenance building Equinor plans to built at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. This is an important step in revitalizing a working waterfront at this historic port. [Offshore Engineer]
Have a manifestly splendid day.
geoharvey 