"TerraPower’s design has another unique feature. Most reactors can’t easily adjust their power output, making it hard to mesh with fluctuating wind and solar farms. TerraPower’s reactor will have a molten salt battery that allows the plant to ramp up or down as needed."
Articles from Around the Web
Flooding set to cost U.S. hundreds of billions as risks mount
"Porter said the insurance industry is hurting in part because of inflation's impacts to construction costs. With climate change altering the frequency and severity of extreme precipitation that leads to flooding, inflation can make repairs more costly."
Volvo Says Users Can Track Source of Battery Metals in Its EVs
"Commodities such as cobalt and nickel are regularly scrutinized for the ways they are mined. Most of the world’s cobalt is found in Congo, where an estimated 10% comes from 'artisanal' sources, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The artisanal sector, often described as barefoot miners, is made up of some of the world’s poorest workers, with reports of children being regularly used to mine battery metals."
Grid Operators and Congress Agree: The U.S. Needs More Reliable Power
Policymakers can help the U.S. meet future demand by streamlining permitting and reducing project delays.
OpenAI reportedly in talks with Helion Energy to ‘buy vast quantities’ of fusion power
"Helion is racing to deliver on that breakthrough. The company has raised $612 million in venture capital, with the promise of $1.8 billion of additional funding getting unlocked if deadlines are met. It has also received $8.97 million in federal grants."
The US oil and gas industry is emitting less carbon than it used to
"Despite the setback on combustion emissions, the overall emissions intensity of Permian energy production fell considerably. Methane intensity of gas extraction fell by 78 percent, and overall greenhouse gas intensity fell by 47 percent. In short, the Permian is producing far more gas and oil than it was seven years ago, but it’s doing so in a more carbon-efficient manner, which has prevented methane and carbon emissions from rising at the same rates as production."
A Natural-Gas Billionaire Bets on Greener Fossil Fuel
"NET Power’s patented process consists of burning natural gas along with oxygen to create heat and a mixture of pure CO2 and water that spins a turbine and creates power. Some of the CO2 is reused in the system and the rest is sequestered underground—which means that a plant using the technology will emit virtually no CO2, according to the company."
New map shows vast potential for geothermal energy beneath entire US
"Texas in particular stands out: The data shows a hundred-mile-wide corridor of near-surface geothermal heat that cuts across the state from the Rio Grande Valley northwest past Houston to Shreveport, La. — encompassing not only a constellation of military bases and power plants but also one of the country’s greatest industrial heartlands."
Massive forest restoration project makes steadfast progress: ‘This will be the largest natural structure on the planet’
"So, how does it work? TREES supports smallholder farmers with training, seeds, tools, and grants to grow 'forest gardens' instead of tired old monocultures. Supporting biodiversity helps to protect the health of the soil. Groups of farmers get regular support from lead farmers to nurture plots with around 5,800 diverse trees on just one hectare (2.5 acres)."
Platform scales up tools to digitize recycling sector
"Founded in 2021 and in the trial stage since then, Matium recently commercialized its two key products: Network, which connects various stakeholders in the recycled plastics trading sector with a goal of simplifying buying and selling, and Core, an enterprise resource planning system that 'automates all of the back of house operations and management' for plastics recycling firms, the company stated in a recent announcement."