Science and Technology:
¶ “Making Cement With Fewer The Carbon Emissions” • The Production of cement, the world’s most used commodity after water, produces 8% of global CO₂ emissions. A study from the University of Michigan describes an electro-chemical approach that greatly reduces the amount of CO₂ released by the process of making cement. [CleanTechnica]
Making cement (Energy and Environmental Science)
Please click on the image to enlarge it.
World:
¶ “2024 Is Over, And Legacy Auto Could Be Doomed, But The ICE Is Not Yet Defeated” • As EV sales grow, economies of scale get better and prices maintain the downward trend we’ve been seeing for the last few years. For internal combustion engines, however, the effect is the inverse: as sales fall, economies of scale are lost, and prices have to increase. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “DEME And Van Oord Bag Fengmiao 1 Contracts” • DEME Offshore and Van Oord were awarded contracts by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on the 500-MW Fengmaio 1 offshore wind project, off Taiwan. DEME, through a joint venture, CDWE, will provide installation services for the project’s foundations and an offshore substation. [reNews]
Foundation installation (Courtesy of CSBC and DEME)
¶ “Solar Duck Sends Rooftop Feed-In Tariff Close To Zero. Is This The New Normal?” • Victorian households could soon be paid next to nothing for the rooftop solar energy they export to the grid, after a proposal from the state pricing regulator to reduce the minimum feed-in tariff greatly, from 3¢/kWh to 0.04¢/kWh, starting in July. [RenewEconomy]
¶ “Nordex Swoops on 247 MW Of Canadian wind” • Nordex was awarded 247 MW of turbine orders for wind projects in Canada. Nordex will supply 36 N163/6.X turbines of the Delta4000 series for several projects under development in Nova Scotia. Nordex will deliver the turbines, each with a nominal output of 7 MW, in the spring of 2026. [reNews]
Nordex wind turbine (Nordex image)
¶ “S&P Global Commodity Insights Predicts A Transformative Shift As Investments In Cleantech Outpace Fossil Fuels For The First Time” • The S&P Global Commodity Insights report, Top Cleantech Trends for 2025, underscores the growing dominance of renewable technologies while addressing the opportunities and challenges of the clean energy sector. [StreetInsider]
¶ “The Fastest Energy Change In History Continues” • Solar and wind are being installed at a rate that is three times faster than all other new electricity sources combined. This offers compelling market-based evidence that PV and wind are currently the most competitive and practical methods for deploying new generating capacity. [pv magazine International]
Please click on the image to enlarge it. (ISES image)
¶ “South Korea’s Nuclear Agency Probes Abnormal Discharge Of Radioactive Waste” • South Korea’s nuclear safety agency began an investigation into an abnormal discharge of radioactive liquid waste from a nuclear reactor in southeastern Korea, Yonhap news agency said. The waste was discharged into the ocean without normal analysis. [chinadailyhk]
US:
¶ “The Climate Benefits Of Congestion Charges In New York City” • Congestion charges can be seen as a tribute to the power of economic forces. Almost every decision we make includes an analysis of how much it will cost. We might all crave a Mercedes-Benz or a Ferrari, but we also need to eat. And congestion has always been an issue in cities. [CleanTechnica]
Please click on the image to enlarge it. (MTA image)
¶ “EXPLORE Act Signed Into Law, Helping EVs, Bikes, and YouTubers” • The EXPLORE Act was signed by President Biden. Unlike the PATRIOT Act, this bill’s acronym is an honest take on what the law really does! The Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences Act helps all of us explore, even if only from the comfort of home. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “KU Research Suggests Wind Power Isn’t A Red Vs Blue Issue In Kansas” • Wind power can spark passionate reactions, but how this one shakes out across Kansas may not follow political lines. New wind installations aren’t allowed in about one-fifth of the counties in Kansas, in part to protect America’s last big swath of tallgrass prairie. [KMUW]
Bison graze in tallgrass prairie (Reservoirhill, public domain)
¶ “Death Toll In Los Angeles Fires Rises To 24” • At least 24 people are believed to be dead and over a dozen others remain unaccounted for as multiple fires, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and severe drought conditions, continue to rage across Southern California, leaving fire crews scrambling to contain the historic destruction. [ABC News]
¶ “People Are Rushing To Install Solar Panels Before Trump Becomes President” • The solar power industry is growing fast, accounting for more than half of all new electricity on the grid last year. But soon President-elect Trump and fellow Republicans in Congress may try to reduce or halt government incentives that have driven much of that growth. [NPR]
Have a palpably sensible day.
geoharvey 