"Agrivoltaic researchers have been assembling evidence that the partial shade of solar panels can improve crop yields while conserving water and soil. The relationship is reciprocal, as the vegetation beneath the array creates a cooling microclimate that improves solar conversion efficiency."
What Sparks US Wildfires: Power Lines, Burning Trash and Lightning
"Across the nation, wildfires are growing in intensity and frequency as climate change sparks prolonged droughts. The initial cause can vary — a spark from downed electric lines, a lightning strike or a cigarette butt tossed out a car window — but the result is the same: Once vegetation dries out, it can easily ignite."
Shopify, startup Running Tide tout ocean carbon removal breakthrough
"By sinking the biomass buoys into the ocean, Running Tide and Shopify claim that they have stored the CO2 embodied in the materials for thousands of years — instead of letting it decompose or be burned on land, where it would wind up in the atmosphere more quickly. According to Running Tide, the formula used to calculate the total amount of sequestered carbon reflects the weight of the sunk wood and the amount of limestone dissolved (observed via cameras), which removes carbon and also combats ocean acidification."
Here’s how a former NASA engineer hopes to clean up the world’s dirtiest waterways
Breanne Deppisch of The Washington Examiner reports on the work of one former NASA engineer to clean up dirty waterways. “‘The SPEARS work like a sponge,’ Albino explained in an interview with NASA after he founded the company. ‘Individual spikes are inserted into a mat structure, and you press it into the sediments. You leave...
Alaska’s newest gold rush: Seaweed
"Alaska has already attracted large operators. Seagrove Kelp now ranks as the country’s largest active seaweed farm. There are nearly a dozen other applications pending for kelp farms of at least 100 acres submitted by a mix of Alaskan, out-of-state and overseas players."
Is China really leading the clean energy revolution? Not exactly
"Scratching through the big numbers, two issues deserve the world’s deeper understanding. The first is that China’s successful clean technology campaign has more to do with its economic strategy than its climate commitments. The second is that, alongside its impressive achievements in renewable energy, China is also one of the world’s biggest polluters. Neither is likely to change imminently."
Why Kenya could take the lead in carbon removal
"Because the earth’s crust is thinner than usual along the rift, it has vast geothermal potential. The American government reckons Kenya alone could generate 10,000mw of geothermal power, more than ten times the amount it currently produces. A by-product of such power stations is plenty of waste steam, which can then be used to heat dac machines. Moreover, since close to 90% of Kenya’s power is renewable, the electricity these machines consume does not contribute to more global warming."
Asia must reach net zero before the world can do so, says Petronas CEO
"'Unfortunately, the narrative to date has been driven by idealists. Extremists who believe there’s a binary switch that overnight we can turn from System A to System B,' he said, referring to System A as the inherent fossil fuel backed economy, and System B as decarbonizing to zero carbon overnight.'"
Heat-Tolerant Africa Coffee Strain Revived in Sierra Leone Pilot
"The strain was rediscovered in the wild in 2018 after commercial production was disrupted by decades of neglect and a civil war. Beans from the variety were sold under the brand Sierra Leone Highland Coffee before World War I."
Canada’s Wildfires: A Wake-up Call on the Need to Reduce Risk
With the harmful effects of wildfires hitting the East Coast, now is the time to attract support from Members across the country to help keep people out of harm's way and protect the environment.