“'Latin America specializes in killing golden geese and one of the quickest ways to do so is through resource nationalism,' said Benjamin Gedan, a Latin America expert at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center who closely tracks the region’s lithium industry. 'This boom could very quickly turn to bust if bad policies are brought forward.'”
Europe’s Descending Into Climate Lockdowns. Will America Be Next?
Michael Bastasch writes in the Daily Signal about Europe’s climate lockdowns. “The U.K. is not only bracing for potential blackouts, but also for eye-popping electricity rates. Power bills are set to hit $5,000 a year, which, one group warned, will drive one-third of households into ‘fuel poverty.'” Read the full article here.
Dow, X-energy to drive carbon emissions reductions through deployment of advanced small modular nuclear power
"Dow and X-energy will collaborate with the intent to deploy X-energy’s Xe-100 high-temperature gas reactor technology at one of Dow’s U.S. Gulf Coast sites – which is expected to be operational by approximately 2030. The Xe-100 reactor plant would provide cost-competitive, carbon free process heat and power to the Dow facility. Dow also intends to take a minority equity stake in X-energy, working with the company to deploy small modular nuclear technology."
Exploring the pros and cons of nuclear energy
"Our survey results show that people who worry about climate change are more open to advanced nuclear technology than they are to traditional nuclear reactors. In our most recent survey, 65% of the respondents who worried most about climate change supported the use of small modular reactors in the US; less than 50% supported the construction of traditional reactors or plants."
U.S. power use to reach record high in 2022 as economy grows, EIA says
"EIA projected power demand will climb to 4,027 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2022, from 3,930 billion kWh in 2021, before sliding to 4,018 billion kWh in 2023."
American Airlines Invests in Hydrogen-Electric Engine Developer ZeroAvia
"ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric powertrain is designed to provide emission-free power for regional jet aircraft. The company's ZA2000-RJ powertrain model is expected to launch commercially in the late 2020s. ZeroAvia's team is working towards certain type certifications of its propulsion technology, including a 600kW powertrain designed for entry into service in 2024."
Net Zero, Millenarianism, and the War against Growth
"'[R]aising the price of energy is not something we can do in isolation. When power becomes more expensive, so does everything else. Fuel is not simply one among many commodities; it is the enabler of exchange, the motor of efficiency, the vector of economic growth…'"
Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy backs Terabase’s robot-built solar farms
"Terabase also makes software tools to manage the design and construction of solar farms. The startup recently wrapped its first commercial project, where its robots reportedly installed 10 megawatts worth of panels."
Sprite Goes Green by Ditching Its Green Bottle
Alyssa Lukpat of The Wall Street Journal reports that Sprite will no longer be sold in its green bottle. “The company said Wednesday that it is easier to reuse clear plastic than green plastic for new bottles. Sprite’s green plastic is recyclable, but green plastic is more often converted into single-use items such as carpets...
Breakthrough Energy Ventures Leads $20M Series A for Blue Frontier’s Game-Changing Sustainable, Energy-Storing Air Conditioning
"Blue Frontier's AC system reduces electricity use by up to 90% by combining dew-point-style sensible cooling with liquid desiccant dehumidification. The desiccant is recharged and stored when electricity is the cleanest or lowest cost, and later used to deliver cooling when electricity is dirty or costly."