"The disruptions have pummeled solar deployment in the U.S., where domestic manufacturers are few and imports, largely from Chinese and other Asian makers, account for more than 80% of all panels used. An estimated 23 gigawatts’ worth of big solar projects have been delayed so far this year—almost twice as much as was installed in all of 2021 and approaching a third of all such projects in development, according to the American Clean Power Association, an industry group."
"CCS technology has been used for years, often to enhance oil well production rates, but rising carbon prices in regions such as Europe have lifted hopes it might take off as a stand-alone business in the future."
"The deal underscores increased interest by VC investors in companies addressing climate change. Funding for climate tech startups hit a record $111 billion in 2021, according to a report from U.K. startup network Tech Nation."
"Having failed to change hearts and minds by temporarily sullying artwork and shutting down crucial highways, Just Stop Oil is now turning to more drastic measures."
Through reforms that empower the market to drive energy investment and innovation, energy companies will deliver affordable, reliable power to consumers while continuing to lead the world in emissions reductions.
"The current generation of nuclear power reactors in the United States runs on uranium, formed into a ceramic somewhat like the material that makes up a coffee mug. The ceramic comes in the form of pellets about the size of a pencil eraser, and these are stacked in long, thin tubes. The tubes are bundled together into fuel assemblies that are up to 15 feet long and weigh about 1,000 pounds each. When they are new, they are barely radioactive, and technicians can handle them wearing cotton gloves."
"Lawmakers’ dubious reaction to the proposed redesign appears to have morphed into a red light after senators heard testimony that the untested marketplace would make investors skittish to commit to building coveted natural gas plants in Texas."
"'I wanted to capture that sense of mission for a new era,' he explains. 'For this generation, it’s climate change and the energy transition.' As director, he has led advances in everything from decarbonization to supercomputing, while creating one of the most diverse leadership teams among the 17 national labs run by the Energy Department. 'Diversity of ideas and diversity of experience are very important for labs that tackle really big, challenging problems,' he explains."
"The company took about a decade to develop a process using microbes that suck up methane or carbon dioxide to grow a biological material called polyhydroxybutyrate, which is used to make biodegradable resins that can replace plastic. The private company sources captured emissions from dairy farms, ethanol plants and landfills, and is expanding into coal mines and exploring direct-air capture."
"Some venture capitalists are especially excited about fusion. It’s the type of nuclear energy that powers stars, and it generates no long-lasting radioactive waste — but so far, it’s proven fiendishly difficult to create a lasting fusion reaction on Earth and impossible to generate enough energy for commercial generation."
