If international trade is a game of chess, China has the U.S. in check — with few good options for the next move. Why it matters: The trade war has exposed just how deeply the U.S. economy is at the mercy of an accident of geology — China’s supply of the rare earth minerals that power our modern...
The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) abrupt termination of 24 previously awarded projects—including four prominent power-related carbon capture projects— will rescind $3.7 billion in financial assistance from its Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). In a terse press release on May 30, the DOE cited “a thorough and individualized financial review” in its justification for canceling the awards, asserting...
A team of researchers in China has found a way to bring dead lithium-ion batteries back to life, potentially reducing both the amount of waste that’s quickly piling up from spent electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the need to produce as many new ones. “The team’s work is revolutionary because it provides a new idea to...
Fishing companies and offshore wind opponents filed a lawsuit on Tuesday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to reverse course and allow construction to resume on Empire Wind, a $5 billion wind farm project off New York’s coast. Protect Our Coast New Jersey, Clean Ocean Action, ACK for Whales and 12 fishing industry participants in a lawsuit...
Adversarial nations and strategic competitors currently dominate global supplies of rare earth elements—and control much of the world’s processing capacity for other critical minerals. These resources are essential for everything from fighter jets and submarines to semiconductors, satellites, and energy infrastructure. Without secure access to them, America’s economic future and national defense are at risk, particularly with rapidly...
The placement of solar panels in Colorado’s grasslands could help decrease water stress and increase plant growth by about 20 percent during dry years, a new study has found. In these semi-arid areas, where grasslands often don’t get as much water as they need, the partial shading offered by solar systems can help plants get...
Regional officials, diplomats and analysts warned of China’s growing influence in Latin America and urged Paraguay to safeguard its democratic sovereignty as it considers potential economic agreements with Beijing. Since 2020, China has become South America’s top trading partner, actively promoting investment and cooperation agreements that expand its influence in the region. This comes as...
Record volumes of U.S. ethanol have been churned out since late last year, largely due to an uptick in exports and steady domestic demand. But output has slipped from those record levels over the last couple of weeks, coinciding with the ramp-up of the summer driving season. Luckily, large stockpiles of the corn-based fuel additive...
A pioneering farming experiment in drought-stricken Chile may have just cracked one of agriculture’s biggest challenges: growing rice with less water. In a first-of-its-kind trial, researchers at Chile’s Austral University and local farmers have successfully cultivated rice using a technique called “Jaspe” straining, without flooding the fields. The Jaspe strain consists of “spacing the seedlings further apart in...
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