Science and Technology:
¶ “Plastics Recycling With Enzymes Takes A Leap Forward” • A successful collaboration of a trio of research institutions, NREL, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and the University of Portsmouth in England, has provided a road map toward an economically process for using enzymes to recycle plastics into new materials. [CleanTechnica]
Research team at NREL (Josh Bauer, NREL)
World:
¶ “‘Unprecedented’ Alerts In France As Blistering Heat Grips Europe” • Sixteen French regions, including Paris, have been placed on red alert, the country’s highest, while 68 others are on orange alert. Both Spain and Portugal had their hottest June days on record. Heat warnings are also in place for parts of Italy, Germany, the UK, and Balkan countries. [BBC]
¶ “‘Significant Burden’ Of Sleep Apnea Could ‘Double’ As Temperatures Rise: Study” • Rising temperatures, amplified by climate change, are contributing to an increase in cases of sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications. [ABC News]
Sleeping woman (Lucas van Oort, Unsplash)
¶ “A Cheap And Easy Way To Reduce Carbon Emissions From Ships” • There are a number of strategies proposed to clean up emissions from ships: electrification, biomethane, sails, green ammonia. Each has pluses and minuses. Seabound, a startup based in London, says it can capture some of the emissions in a low tech and affordable way. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Vestas Nets Turbine Orders Worth 274 MW” • Vestas landed five orders for wind turbines in Europe and Japan with a total capacity of 274 MW. The orders, which are part of Vestas’ second quarter intake, include a 143-MW contract to supply and install 23 V162-6.2MW units at Eurowind Energy’s Frumusita, Vector, and Pecineaga wind farms in Romania. [reNews]
Wind farm (Vestas image)
¶ “Record-Setting Wind Farm Comes Online With Power For Thousands Of Homes: ‘The Future Of Power Generation'” • A record-setting wind farm in Egypt is set to drive progress toward cleaner and more affordable energy across Africa. It also shows how quickly change can happen with the right investment and execution. [The Cool Down]
¶ “OX2 Powers Up 100-MW Polish Solar Farm” • OX2 has powered up the 100-MW Rutki solar farm in Poland, its first project as an independent power producer. The solar farm has started delivering electricity to the grid and is expected to generate around 108 GWh of electricity per year. The Rutki project covers 78 hectares (193 acres). [reNews]
Rutki solar farm (OX2 image)
¶ “Cleve Hill Solar Park Begins Commercial Operations” • The Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners’ 373-MW Cleve Hill solar park in Kent has begun commercial operations. Cleve Hill is now exporting at 100% of its 373-MW capacity. The solar park is the largest operational project of its kind in the UK, over four times the size of the next largest. [reNews]
¶ “The War In Ukraine Sparked A Revolution In Off-The-Grid Clean Energy” • Russia has persistently targeted Ukraine’s power grids and energy infrastructure, often leaving communities in the dark. In response, Ukrainian society is quickly pivoting to renewable energy solutions that can keep the power on in the face of the bombings. [Fast Company]
Ukrainian village (Eugene Krasnaok, Unsplash, cropped)
¶ “EDF Shuts Down Golftech Nuclear Plant Due To High River Temperature” • French utility EDF said it shut down the No 1 reactor at the Golftech nuclear plant, ahead of an anticipated rise in the temperature of the Garonne river that supplies the plant’s cooling water. The company has to modify production when the average water temperature is over 28°C. [MSN]
US:
¶ “Solar Installations Make Good Neighbors” • Research issued in the journal Frontiers – Sustainable Energy Policy finds that 82% of people who live within an hour’s walk of large solar installations find they make good neighbors. In addition, they either support such installations or are neutral about having more of them in their area. [CleanTechnica]
Solar array (American Public Power Association, Unsplash)
¶ “This Reconciliation Bill Proposal Isn’t Just Misguided …” • Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, made a statement on the US Senate’s reconciliation bill: “This reconciliation bill proposal isn’t just misguided – it’s a direct attack on American energy, American workers, and American consumers.” [CleanTechnica]
¶ “Edison Chouest Launches ECO Liberty” • Edison Chouest has launched a Service Operations Vessel ECO Liberty in Louisiana. The SOV will sail to New York this summer where it will support installation work at Equinor’s 810-MW Empire Wind 1 project. ECO Liberty shows the critical role of Gulf Coast manufacturing companies, Equinor said. [reNews]
ECO Liberty (Equinor image)
¶ “Island Community Explores Pathways To Strengthen Energy Reliability” • When tourists at Martha’s Vineyard pack up their beach umbrellas and head back home, hurricanes and nor’easters are soon to follow. Without easy access to mainland resources, residents need independent, resilient energy sources to weather such storms. [CleanTechnica]
¶ “The Republican Budget Bill Could Shatter Colorado’s Clean Energy Boom” • A tax on solar and wind projects Republicans added to their marquee budget bill could lead to statewide job losses, strain the electricity grid and boost energy bills, according to some Colorado energy groups who panned the bill ahead of key votes. [Colorado Public Radio]
Have a totally copacetic day.
geoharvey 