Science and Technology:
¶ “In A Warming World, Climate Scientists Consider Category 6 Hurricanes” • As increasing ocean temperatures contribute to ever more intense and destructive hurricanes, climate scientists introduced a hypothetical Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale, which would encompass storms with wind speeds greater than 192 mph (309 km/h). [CleanTechnica]
Twin Tropical Cyclones (Courtesy of Earth Observatory)
¶ “Industrial Heat Pumps Are Coming For Your Fossil Fuels” • Electric heat pumps have been driving fossil fuels out of buildings and homes as electricity replaces oil and gas for heating, cooling, water heating, and drying laundry. Hard-to-decarbonize industries are next in line for a clean energy makeover, and the US DOE is on it. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “This Huge 1.2-MW Tidal Kite Is Now Exporting Power To The Grid” • Minesto’s fully operational Dragon 12 has emerged as a groundbreaking innovation in the renewable energy landscape, harnessing the power of tidal flows with a concept reminiscent of a futuristic military drone, yet behaving somewhat like a kite underwater. [Wonderful Engineering]
Minesto Dragon 12
¶ “Fervo Energy Claims 70% Reduction In Geothermal Drilling Time” • Fervo Energy has published early drilling results from its Cape Station geothermal project. Fervo says it drilled its fastest Cape well in just 21 days, a 70% reduction in drilling time from Fervo’s first horizontal well drilled in 2022. With faster drilling, costs have fallen by almost 50%. [Power Engineering]
World:
¶ “Mars Will Bring 300 Electric Heavy-Duty Trucks To Its European Fleet By 2030” • Mars Inc recently partnered with freight technology company Einride to add 300 electric heavy-duty trucks to the Mars European fleet. Bjoern Anderseck, Mars Global Supply Chain Transformation Lead, answered some questions for CleanTechnica. [CleanTechnica]
Electric truck (Courtesy of Mars and Einride)
¶ “Migrating Species Crucial To Planet Are Under Threat, Says UN” • The world’s most vulnerable migratory species are facing increasing risks of extinction, a landmark UN report warns. From turtle doves to green turtles, and from European eels to African penguins, migratory species play essential roles in protecting the Earth’s habitats. [BBC]
¶ “Green Hydrogen Exporters Risk Monopolising Renewable Energy, And The EU May Not Even Need Renewable H₂ Imports: Report” • The EU has massively overestimated how much green hydrogen it will need by 2030 and how much it will need to import, according to a report published by the engineering consultancy Ricardo. [Hydrogen Insight]
Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission image)
¶ “Abandoned Coal Mines Being Repurposed Into Renewable Energy Hubs” • As many governments around the globe aim to phase out the use of coal, researchers are exploring the potential for old mining sites. Rather than be left abandoned, old coal production sites could be used for a multitude of purposes to support a green transition. [OilPrice.com]
¶ “Atlas Copco Powers Up 16-MW Offshore Turbine” • Atlas Copco has supplied a QES 60 power generator for the successful installation of the world’s first 16-MW offshore wind turbine in south-east China’s Fujian Province. The 16-MW unit has the world’s longest turbine blades at 123 metres (403.5 feet), with each blade weighing 54 tonnes. [reNews]
Wind turbine construction (Atlas Copco image)
¶ “$2 Trillion A Year Needed To Triple Renewables Investment” • A report by think tank Climate Analytics calculates $8 trillion of investment is needed for new renewables and $4 trillion for grid and storage infrastructure to deliver the 2030 tripling goal agreed at COP28. Combined, the amount works out at $2 trillion a year on average. [reNews]
US:
¶ “$34,995 Chevy Equinox EV Coming Later This Year” • People will be able to buy the 1LT base model of the Equinox EV at a starting price of $34,995 plus a destination fee of $1395 later this year, Chevrolet says. The Equinox EV will be eligible for the full $7500 federal tax credit/rebate, making the net cost $31,090, well below the average US new car cost. [CleanTechnica]
2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT (Courtesy of GM)
¶ “US House Forces Military To Stop Using Chinese-Made Batteries” • Politicians in the US House of Representatives have forced the US Marines to disconnect a battery energy storage system that went into service at Camp Lejeune just a year ago. Why? The batteries in the energy storage system were made by CATL, a Chinese company. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “US PV Developer Acquires 84-MW Portfolio” • US developer Standard Solar has acquired an 84-MW solar portfolio in Illinois. It consists of three sets of community solar gardens with a total capacity of 84 MW. Construction is scheduled to commence in 2024. Most of the projects are projected to be finished by the year’s end and the rest in 2025. [reNews]
Solar array (Sungrow EMEA, Unsplash)
¶ “UW-Madison Commits to 100% Renewable Electricity by 2030” • Sustainability initiatives at University of Wisconsin, Madison are not new, but the latest push is the first to encompass all aspects of campus. The plan aims to develop more solar on campus, become a “zero waste” campus by 2040 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2048. [GovTech]
¶ “Ex-Regulatory Chief, 2 Execs Indicted In Sprawling Ohio Nuclear Power Bribe Case” • Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Samuel Randazzo and a pair of FirstEnergy Corp executives, identified as ex-CEO Charles Jones and Vice President Michael Dowling, were indicted as part of the so-called House Bill 6 scandal of 2018. [upi]
Have a delightfully agreeable day.
geoharvey 
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