Opinion:
¶ “Climate Records Keep Getting Shattered. Here Is What You Need To Know” • Month after month, global temperatures are setting new records. Scientists and climate policymakers are meanwhile warning of the growing likelihood that the planet will soon exceed the warming target set at the landmark Paris 2015 climate talks. [MSN]
Supercell (NOAA, Unsplash)
¶ “Do The Research And End The Nuclear Hype In NB” • New Brunswick’s ARC nuclear project is in trouble. If NB Power and the provincial government reviewed available research, they would learn that neither sodium-cooled nor molten salt reactors have ever been operated successfully on a commercial electricity grid. [NB Media Co-op]
Science and Technology:
¶ “Breakthrough Solar Power Technology Could Replace Fossil Fuels In Heavy Manufacturing” • An advanced proof-of-concept technology uses synthetic quartz crystals to trap solar energy at temperatures over 1,000°C, demonstrating a potential to provide clean energy for carbon-intensive industries like metal, cement, and chemicals manufacturing. [Yahoo News UK]
Cement kilns (LinguisticDemographer, public domain)
World:
¶ “Japan Looks Farther Out To Sea For Overdue Wind Power Boost” • Japan isn’t close to being on track to meet its fiscal 2030 target of a 46% greenhouse gas reduction from 2013 levels. Fossil fuels still consist of 69% of the nation’s power mix, with just 24% coming from renewables. Windpower, especially offshore, needs a boost from parliament. [The Japan Times]
¶ “The 2024 Fiat 500e: An Italian Classic That (Still) Rides on Style” • The author’s wife is sensible, practical, measured, and understated. She could have whatever she chose, but she wanted a compact electric car. Do you know what car she went with? A powder blue 2017 Fiat 500e. Do you know why? Because it was cute. … That’s it. … It was cute. [CleanTechnica]
2024 Fiat 500e (Courtesy of Fiat)
¶ “Basic Energy Injects P13.6 million For Wind Project” • Basic Energy Corp is setting aside more funding for the development of the 50-MW wind power project in the Philippine provence of Batangas. The Board of Directors of Basic Energy approved the allocation of P13.6 million ($233,000) for Mabini Energy Corp, a subsidiary overseeing the project. [Philstar.com]
¶ “Renewable Energy 44.7% of EU Electricity Production in 2023 – Now #1!” • Eurostat released electricity data from 2023, and it shows that 44.7% of EU electricity was produced from renewable resources last year! Natural gas production was down, a lot. Coal production was down even more. Even production from oil and petroleum products was down. [CleanTechnica]
Windpower (Karsten Würth, Unsplash)
¶ “Village Leader Spearheads Renewable Energy Project” • A story at One Earth, diesel-fueled pumps had been used by past heads of a village in Java to divert water from the nearby Elo River, but the cost of oil meant that they could only operate for a month per year. The village has installed solar-powered pumps to take up the load. [The Cool Down]
¶ “Five Billion People Affected By Extreme Heat Due To Climate Change In Nine Days Of June” • Globally, nearly 5 billion people endured extreme heat from June 16 to June 24, a consequence of climate change exacerbated by emissions from fossil fuels, says a report from Climate Central, a US-based nonprofit organization focused on climate science news. [Saudi Gazette]
Hot day (Alexander Fastovets, Unsplash)
US:
¶ “Commercial Electricity Demand Grew Fastest In US States With Rapid Computing Facility Growth” • US Consumption of electricity in the commercial sector has recovered from levels of the pandemic. But the growth in commercial electricity demand is centered in states with rapid development of large computing facilities such as data centers. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Tesla Model Y Much Cheaper Than These Three Competitors” • Since the Tesla Model 3 Long Range is gaining eligibility for the $7,500 US tax credit, this is a good time to compare costs among competitors. It turns out that the Tesla Model Y is much cheaper now than they are, and that’s without even taking into account long-term fuel costs. [CleanTechnica]
Tesla Model Y (Tesla image)
¶ “PACE Loans Are Expanded For Energy Efficiency And Wind Resistance Improvements To Homes” • Florida Gov DeSantis signed legislation expanding the universe of improvements covered on July 1. With hurricane season underway, a low-cost loan program was expanded allowing property owners to better prepare homes for storms. [Florida Politics]
¶ “UPPCO Announces Plans To Transition To Renewable Energy By 2040” • Upper Peninsula Power Company says it is commited to plans to meet sustainable energy solutions required by statutes of Michigan over the next 16 years. UPPCO intends to transition 60% of power delivery to renewable energy sources by 2035, with a full transition by 2040. [Keweenaw Report]
Have a gracefully helpful day.
geoharvey 
Leave a comment