As I follow more and more climate sources on Bluesky, more and more of my Following feed is hot Global Warming news. Elsewhere, a lot of posts show up in the wrong feeds, Jonathan’s and mine. So from now on I am going to put them under the correct topic as we view it here, and not according to whatever feed or hashtag I found them under. But it isn’t only Bluesky, by any means. I am in the process of mining several other resources, including much that arrives in my mailbox every day.
On Wednesday, Rachel Maddow started her show on MSNBC with a segment on electric pickup trucks. Americans can choose among seven makes and models.
Ford F-150 Lightning
Chevy Silverado EV
GMC Sierra EV Denali
GMC Hummer EV
Dodge Ram 1500 REV
Rivian R1T
Tesla Cybertruck
Rachel couldn’t stop laughing as she recounted the Cybertruck’s disastrous rollout, in which the supposedly bullet-proof glass shattered under the impacts of objects simply thrown at it.
Now Elon Musk wants the US Department of State to buy $400 million worth of these supposedly armored vehicles, several thousand units, to deploy in the US and at embassies around the world.
I am very much in two minds about this move. I, of course, applaud EV purchases by anybody, but this smacks of simple grift and testosterone poisoning, and of endangering our diplomats.
Well, we’ll hear more about it, particularly when the Junior Assistant Stunt Man EV hater, and also SoS Marco Rubio, weigh in.
After reports circulated Wednesday night of the State Department's intent to purchase Tesla vehicles, NPR noticed that the document was edited, at 9:12 p.m., to say the federal contract is for $400 million worth of "armored electric vehicles," but the word "Tesla" was removed. [emphasis added]
Genesis electric tank prototype, now in testing in Germany
Bo-o-o-o-ogus. There are no other “armored electric vehicles”, short of tank prototypes not ready for production.
Rachel continued her opening segment with the DOGEball (my term) assaults on the Treasury payment system, the CFPB, USAID, and much more, and the approval of such actions by all of the authoritarian leaders of countries around the world. She also highlighted the Democratic politicians hosting in-person and phone and online Town Halls, and attracting many thousands of participants on short notice, while Republicans fled from their voters and lied in all directions at once.
Now, if we just show up to vote in the midterms, and take back the House and Senate…
But let us turn to our Bluesky and other sources.
Global Warming
Thai Research Team Reaches Antarctica, Finds Alarming Increase in Ice Melt Levels Due to Global Warming ->Newswise | #GlobalWarming #ClimateChange | More info from EcoSearch [image or embed]
"Killer #whales have begun to migrate farther into previously icy regions of the #Arctic, preying on narwhal, beluga, & bowhead. Scientists say their increasing numbers could shift food webs in ways that affect both endangered whale populations & subsistence Inuit hunters."
Hottest January on Record Raises Concerns About Accelerated Climate Change killbait.com/en/hottest-j... #environment #climatechange #globalwarming #januarytemperatures [image or embed]
In 2023, investment in #Renewables reached $570 bn, yet emerging economies secured only 10%. Targeted financial de-risking to unlock private sector inv. is a must. Brazil demonstrates how financial alignment with environmental objectives can drive sustainable growth in the clean energy sector. [image or embed]
Most emerging economies aim for #NetZero, but funding gaps persist. At #IRENA15A, leaders explored scaling renewables, de-risking private capital, strong energy planning & the role of forums like #G20 & South-South cooperation in accelerating progress. Read how: www.irena.org/News/article... [image or embed]
No, Net Zero is not a goal, but only a way station before we can go strongly enough Carbon Negative to start cooling the planet back to where we were before the carbon-intensive Industrial Revolution. That means that we have to capture about a teraton of carbon from the atmosphere and oceans. We can do it with a trillion trees, with active minerals that can form stable carbonates, by seeding the oceans with iron dust to feed shelly plankton blooms, as nature does after monster wildfires, and by other means.
Solar Power
Research shows that scaring people with numbers doesn't motivate anyone to do climate action. We need to work together to mitigate the worst effects of #climate change. The #interfaithsolarcampaign is crowdfunding resources to help faith communities go solar. Can you join us? interfaithsolar.org [image or embed]
Germany allocates 2.15 GW in latest PV tender, final average price for first time under €0.05/kWh since 2019 #energysky -- via pv magazine global: www.pv-magazine.com/... [image or embed]
China, the EU, and the USA are racing ahead in solar PV expansion. But Brazil and India are catching up fast! Who will lead the next phase of the solar boom? ☀️🇨🇳🇪🇺🇺🇸
Find out in our article about the fastest growing RE sector: https://buff.ly/3Q9IWXY
Bladeless wind turbine wobbles to create energy, does so at 30% of the cost, makes less noise, and requires less maintenance! (Story came to me via Mastodon) #GreenTransition #WindPower
🌬️ Looking to break into the offshore wind industry? Explore over 3,350 projects across 60+ countries with 4C Offshore's Global Offshore Wind Farm Map. Tech data, who-is-who, this tool is your career-building ally. Learn more: https://buff.ly/40246eV
Germany to test viability of building wind projects up to 280 km off the coast. Germany starts multi-year campaign to measure wind speeds around 280 kms off the North Sea coast to prepare the expansion of wind farms in the area. reneweconomy.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?... [image or embed]
Global offshore wind capacity has surged to 80.9 GW, with China and the Netherlands contributing 63% of new additions, signalling rapid growth in renewable energy markets worldwide ⏩ www.modernpowersystems.com/news/global-... #WindEnergy #RenewableEnergy [image or embed]
#Geothermal energy – including superhot rock geothermal – could be a game-changer for Central and Eastern Europe at this pivotal moment in its energy future.
CATF’s Terra Rogers writes about the #CEE region’s opportunity in CEE Energy News 👇
Global Microgrid Market Projected to Reach $41.38 Billion by 2029 Driven by AI and Infrastructure Improvements #USA #New_York #AI_Technology #Microgrid_Market #Power_Infrastructure [image or embed]
A virtual power plant (VPP) is a system that integrates multiple, possibly heterogeneous, power resources to provide grid power.[1] A VPP typically sells its output to an electric utility.[2][3][4][5][6][7] VPPs allow energy resources that are individually too small to be of interest to a utility to aggregate and market their power.[6] As of 2024, VPPs operated in the United States, Europe, and Australia.
One study reported that VPPs during peak demand periods are up to 60% more cost effective than peaker plants.[8]
NSW = New South Wales, Australia
NSW green bank to target batteries, pumped hydro and VPPs to fill gaps in transition from coal | RenewEconomy reneweconomy.com.au/nsw-green-ba... [image or embed]
Global electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales in January rose 18% year on year, as growth in Europe and the United States outpaced China for the first time since last February
The European car market started the year on a strong footing as CO2 emission targets came into effect in the European Union
Germany saw an increase of over 40% partly due to low figures in January 2024
In the United States and Canada, EV sales rose 22.1% to 0.13 million in January.
In the rest of the world, January sales rose by 50%.
"Republican Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, the lead sponsor of the bill, says that EVs need to pay their fair share. Because EVs circumvent the need to visit the gas pump and are growing in popularity, states are starting to feel the hit to the fuel tax revenue... " insideevs.com/news/750527/... [image or embed]
I’m OK with ending EV and renewables subsidies as long as we end Fossil Carbon subsidies, corn ethanol, bogus carbon capture, and fake carbon offsets at the same time.
A new plant in South Carolina should be operational in 2027.
Heat pump supply chains are less geographically concentrated than other clean technologies like solar panels or batteries But in 2023, 40% of heat pumps sold globally were manufactured in China – more than the number produced in the US & EU combined 👉 https://iea.li/4gBlGwN [image or embed]
Grabowski's autonomous tech could revolutionize ground source heat pumps, making geothermal energy more accessible. Game changer for sustainability! 🌍💡 #Innovation #CleanEnergy [image or embed]
Sounds good. Between 20% and %60 increased yield, healthier vines, and other benefits including enhanced aroma profiles. #agsky #viticulture #agrivoltaics [image or embed]
Our focus should be capturing work in shipbuilding and investments in green port infrastructure. Both are critical to climate action and will support state net zero goals. [image or embed]
🔋♻️ #EVBatteryRecycling is the future! As EV adoption rises, so does the need for sustainable #Battery disposal & material recovery. Key drivers: 🌍 #Sustainability & 🔄 #CircularEconomy shorturl.at/MMGUe #Recycling #EVs #ElectricVehicle #BatteryTech #MarketTrends #Lithium #BusinessGrowth [image or embed]
By 2030, the data centers relying on solar, wind, and geothermal energy will have the flexibility and scalability they seek. Nuclear, by contrast, just can’t keep up.
Bo-o-o-o-ogus. There are two, count them, 2, SMR prototypes in operation, both in Russia. None of the dozens of other SMR projects has any hardware built, much less operating, and there is no possibility of licensing any such pipe dreams now. [image or embed]
Scoop: Anti-wind activists have joined forces with well-connected figures in conservative legal and energy circles to privately lobby the Trump admin to override scientific decisions by NOAA.
The goal? Stop offshore wind projects under construction.
Btw Energy Australia has been taken to court by @parentsforclimate.bsky.social over its “carbon neutral” energy products. Is this really the best appointment to be overseeing the activities of a govt regulator? #auspol equitygenerationlawyers.com/case/ap4ca-v.... [image or embed]
The maladministration wants to make trouble in the market, but so far hasn’t really managed it.
Research by the tax credit marketplace Crux shows that there were $30 billion worth of tax equity deals in 2024, $6 billion of which included some kind of forward commitment — either agreeing to purchase future investment tax credits or a portion of production tax credits that accrue over time.
Uncertainty about Congress and the Trump administration has investors a little shook.
