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The world may be approaching an “irreversible solar tipping point.”
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New report from analyst firm embers More than half of the world’s economy fossil fuel use It peaked at least five years ago. the result, carbon emissions Revenues from these countries have also declined by 20% over the past decade. According to the report, these 107 countries account for 38% of the world’s population. global energy demand And despite their increased demand, many are experiencing a decline in greenhouse gas emissions. “We are on the cusp of a new era of fossil depletion in the global power sector,” Dave Jones, the company’s head of global insights, said in a press release.
A big part of the reason for this is lower costs. renewable energy sourcesIt has the advantage of not requiring fuel, so there are no ongoing operational costs that are influenced by global geopolitics. Indeed, when analyzed, solar energy was announced on nature communications This week’s suggestions suggest the world may be approaching an “irreversible solar tipping point” where the technology will dominate global markets without further climate policy.
big reading
Jose Acain (left) and Matt Gialich (right) co-founded Astroforge.
Astroforge
This asteroid mining startup is ready to launch first-ever commercial deep space mission
As the world transitions away from fossil fuels and becomes more dependent on electricity, more metals will be needed. However, the earth’s resources are limited, and many of the best locations for mining important metals have already been exploited. Astroforge is a lean startup that aims to harness the abundance of metals in space by mining asteroids. The company plans to send a probe early next year to scout a nearby asteroid suspected to be “M-type” (meaning it has a much higher concentration of metals than the planet’s surface). want to be.
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This week’s sustainability sale
Power infrastructure: The White House and Department of Energy just committed $3.5 billion to modernize utilities and improve the power grid in 44 states, the first spending from funds secured in the bipartisan infrastructure law. . White House senior adviser Mitch Landrieu said Americans will soon begin to realize the benefits of these upgrades. forbes. “This money is going out. And as soon as it’s operationalized, you’re going to start seeing investment,” he said. “This is a $3.5 billion down payment on a $10.5 million grant program, so there will be more to come.”
grid storage: Plus Power, which develops standalone battery solutions to support renewable energy on the grid, says it has raised $1.8 billion in funding to help build energy storage facilities at locations in Arizona and Texas. Announced.
plastic recycling: Germany-based Covestro announced that its first dedicated polycarbonate mechanical recycling compounding line has been launched at its site in Shanghai, China. The facility aims to produce more than 25,000 tons of polycarbonate per year using recycled materials.
thermal battery: Harvest Thermal, which develops thermal batteries to increase the efficiency of heat pumps, announced that it has raised $4 million in an investment round led by Earth Foundry, bringing the company’s total financial support to $11 million.
Green tech startup incubation: Elemental Excelerator, a nonprofit incubator for climate technology startups, has announced its newest group of 15 companies, which will receive a total of $12.5 million in financial and other support.
big transportation story
Tesla CEO Elon Musk spoke at the Cybertruck’s debut in November 2019.
AFP (via Getty Images)
Musk warns of ‘major challenges’ in Tesla Cybertruck production and pricing
The long-delayed Cybertruck, the block version of Tesla’s pickup truck, is finally scheduled to go on sale in November, but CEO Elon Musk has said it’s extremely difficult and expensive to manufacture and that sales expectations are low. warned investors to refrain from The mercurial billionaire said the controversial car is a “great product” but that “there will be big challenges in getting the Cybertruck to production and then making the Cybertruck cash flow positive.” ” he said.
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More sustainability news
The US government is pushing ahead with unprecedented investment. clean hydrogen As part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm speaks forbes The government says it believes fuels are critical to decarbonizing heavy industrial processes, particularly steel and ammonia production. “Hydrogen will play a role in the most difficult areas to decarbonize, representing 30% of CO2 emissions,” she said.
A team of Japanese researchers has developed a cleaner alternative: cobaltIt is a rare element and important ingredient in lithium-ion batteries, and also improves battery chemistry.
of european union It has formally banned the sale of loose plastic glitter and some other products containing microbeads as part of efforts to reduce microplastic pollution in member countries by 30% by 2030.
Impact investment firm run by Walmart heir Lucas Walton builder’s vision has released a 57-page report detailing how it has deployed $3 billion in investments aimed at combating climate change and improving other aspects of the environment.
long term exposure Air pollution During and after pregnancy, women are more likely to experience postnatal depression, new research suggests, confirming previous research suggesting long-term exposure to air pollution has negative effects. Ta. mental health.
Other articles I’m reading this week
15 Climate Change Technology Companies to Watch (MIT Technology Review)
Atlantic City’s massive offshore wind project highlights industry’s growing pains (Popular Science)
Severe drought puts Amazon on the brink of crisis (New York Times)
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