"The balloons use satellite communication to deliver their data in real-time. The world currently lacks weather data for 85% of the atmosphere, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Windborne’s goal is to close this gap with its technology — using fewer balloons to offer global coverage."
Articles from Around the Web
Nuclear fusion startup Xcimer raises $100M to chase laser-based power
"To achieve the fusion reaction, hydrogen must be converted into plasma, a state of matter in which negatively charged electrons separate from positively charged atomic nuclei in a sort of atomic particle soup. The transformation to plasma requires temperatures on the order of one million degrees."
Inside a (nearly) ‘net-zero’ natural gas plant
"While this is a demonstration facility and relatively small compared to a full-sized, natural gas plant (25 megawatts compared to a range of 100 to 1,800 megawatts for a commercial plant), it’s an example of innovative efforts in a small but growing segment of the oil and gas industry to find ways to reduce emissions associated with using their products."
US summer home power bills to jump by nearly 8%, energy policy organizations say
"Mid-Atlantic and west coast states are forecast to have the biggest hikes in home electricity costs from June to September, jumping about 12% from the same period last year, said NEADA and CEPC, which are both Washington-based policy organizations focused on affordable energy access for people with low incomes. Steep rises of about 10% are also likely for Midwestern states and parts of the U.S. south, the organizations said."
Support domestic mining to advance a secure, responsible US mineral supply
"The United States has an opportunity to be copper independent via domestic production, and it is in the nation’s interest that the Biden administration advance projects that display the country’s unequivocal commitment to environmental and industrial leadership. There is no place better than in our backyard to show both can be responsibly achieved."
$7.5 Billion in Government Cash Only Built 8 E.V. Chargers in 2.5 Years
"While proponents of the federal regulations may defend the amount of red tape involved in the federal program, with demands on where a charging station can be placed and the types of licenses people need to build one, the fact is that the private sector is already building out a nationwide E.V. charging network that will be available to most drivers."
The Solar Breakthrough That Could Help the U.S. Compete With China
"The startup, called Lumet, is the brainchild of Benny Landa, who founded the company that developed the first digital printing press. That company was sold to HP for $830 million in the early 2000s. Lumet is working with Bank of America to raise hundreds of millions of dollars in the coming months, Landa said."
Anatomy of an EV Policy Error
"In fact, a 2013 congressionally sponsored National Research Council study, led by the father of climate economics and future Nobel laureate, Yale’s William Nordhaus, concluded that green handouts and tax breaks are 'a poor tool for reducing greenhouse gases and achieving climate change objectives.'"
In Seawater, Researchers See an Untapped Bounty of Critical Metals
"According to the Brine Miners, a research center at Oregon State University, there are roughly 18,000 desalination plants, globally, taking in 23 trillion gallons of ocean water a year and either forcing it through semipermeable membranes — in a process called reverse osmosis — or using other methods to separate water molecules from impurities. Every day, the plants produce more than 37 billion gallons of brine — enough to fill 50,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. That solution contains large amounts of copper, zinc, magnesium, and other valuable metals."
Leading manufacturer unveils revolutionary packaging upgrade to wine and spirits products: ‘It’s a win-win’
"Bertrand Daru, Amcor's sustainability director, stated to Packaging Gateway: 'This strategic shift means that our customers benefit from the same premium caps and sparkling foils, but with a more sustainable profile that supports their own environmental targets,' signaling a trickle-down positive sustainability impact."