"Domestic production of smelter aluminum—which is known as primary aluminum—is on pace this year for 689,000 metric tons, which would be the lowest since 1950. Smelters have been steadily going out of business for years, pinched between stagnant aluminum prices and escalating power costs, which in some cases have climbed by more than one-third in recent years."
"The Generation 3 tech is able to capture twice the CO2 per module compared with its predecessor while cutting its energy consumption and associated costs in half, according to the startup."
"Batteries have three major components: two electrodes (an anode and a cathode) and an electrolyte that helps shuttle the charge between them. The materials used to make those components determine how much energy batteries store and at what cost."
"Not every data center functions the same way. A March report from Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, the infrastructure spinoff from Google parent company Alphabet, found that under certain applications, data centers can 'provide large-scale flexibility to the grid.' Planned properly, the report said, data centers could help shave peak load, soak up excess wind and solar power, and utilize existing transmission that might otherwise be stranded."
"D-CRBN, an Antwerp-based company, has developed a technology that uses plasma to convert carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide. Using renewable electricity, the plasma is used to break the carbon-oxygen bond, thereby converting CO2 into carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide can be used as a reductant in the steelmaking process - replacing part of the coke or metallurgical coal used in the blast furnace - or as a basic ingredient in Gent's Steelanol plant, for chemicals or alternative fuel production."
"The company attributed the emissions spike to an increase in data center energy consumption and supply chain emissions driven by rapid advancements in and demand for artificial intelligence. The report noted that the company’s total data center electricity consumption grew 17% in 2023."
"One advantage of sodium over lithium is that it is far more abundant. When lithium prices went ballistic two years ago, sodium batteries looked like they also would provide a cheaper alternative. With lithium prices having fallen back to earth, sodium’s cost advantage might have disappeared. Nevertheless, sodium offers a potential choice to hedge against volatile lithium prices. However, sodium batteries have lower energy density and might not be suitable for longer-range EVs. They might be a better choice for energy storage systems or low-end EVs. That is especially important for China, where smaller EVs with lower ranges have been popular with consumers."
A more pragmatic approach that encourages innovation and competition would be far more effective in bringing more EVs online.
"Even if tech companies were to offset nuclear-power deals by funding the addition of renewable energy, experts say the likely result is more reliance on natural gas to replace diverted nuclear power. Natural gas-fired plants produce carbon emissions but, unlike renewables, can provide round-the-clock power and are cheaper and more practical to build than new nuclear plants."
"In January, the administration halted reviews of new LNG export applications to non-free-trade-agreement countries, saying it needed to review how to account for climate risks of projects before approving exports. The pause was praised by environmentalists who had been critical of President Biden’s record on fossil fuels. Monday’s court ruling does not force DOE to now approve LNG applications, but it does require the department to restart the process of considering them."
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