January 8, 2022

Weekend Reads: 2022 EV Trends to Watch; The (Geothermal) Power of Dance

It's the weekend! Kick back and catch up with these must-read articles from around the web.

Fusion energy is a reason to be excited about the future (Vox) Fusion energy is perhaps the longest of long shots. To build a fusion reactor is essentially to create an artificial star. Scientists have been studying the physics of fusion for a century and working to harness the process for decades. Yet almost every time researchers make an advance, the goal posts seem to recede even farther in the distance. Still, the enormous potential of fusion makes it hard to ignore. It’s a technology that could safely provide an immense and steady torrent of electricity, harnessing abundant fuel made from seawater to ignite the same reaction that powers the sun. It would produce no greenhouse gases and minimal waste compared to conventional energy sources.

From windows to jackets to furniture, solar power is being totally revolutionized (Fast Company) In January 2021, five craftswomen from Mozambique and three designers from The Netherlands came together in Linga Linga–a tiny peninsula in Mozambique–for a three-week design residency. It resulted in two prototypes: a lampshade that lights up in the dark, and a small handbag that charges a phone. The workshop was a collaboration between several studios from Mozambique and The Netherlands, including Pauline van Dongen, a Dutch fashion designer who specializes in smart textiles and clothing. Van Dongen believes in a future where everything is solar-powered, so she’s planning the world’s first Solar Biennale later this year. And her timing couldn’t be better.

Webinar: Smart Energy Decisions 2022 Energy Projects Forecast & Buyer Decision-Making Dynamics (Smart Energy Decisions) Wednesday, January 12, 2022, 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Buyers: What types of projects do energy and sustainability managers have planned in 2022? Suppliers: How can you improve your chances of being selected as a partner for these projects? Learn the answers to these two important questions and more by attending Smart Energy Decisions' 2022 Project Forecast and Decision-Making Dynamics webinar. This unique first-of-its-kind webinar will feature exclusive SED research on these critical topics: What types of projects are large power users planning in 2022? Who's involved in the decision-making process? What are the biggest drivers behind their project selection? Buyers' greatest challenges in selecting suppliers and key criteria used by buyers to select suppliers. Prepare yourself for success in 2022 and register now to attend this unique webinar. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions about the research and get a preview of two major new Smart Energy Decisions initiatives. REGISTER HERE

How to Tell Real Climate Solutions From False Ones (Bloomberg) After six years of writing about all things climate change, I’ve come to see my beat as covering both real and false solutions. That might actually be a sign of progress. False solutions to cutting planet-warming carbon emissions aren’t new. But the number of people hawking those answers, and the money being spent on them, has grown substantially in the last few years. The world’s 10 largest economies now have a goal to reach net-zero emissions within decades. It’s a big business opportunity that’s prompted all kinds of people to finally pay attention to the climate problem. It’s no longer just cranks emailing about a perpetual-motion machine they invented in their garage. Journalists regularly get press releases talking up everything from how multinational corporations are solving the climate crisis by encouraging recycling to claiming their products are “sustainably sourced” when they aren’t.

2022 and EVs: Trends to Watch Out For (Triple Pundit) As 2021 draws to a close, we thought we’d take a look at the state of play in the electric vehicle (EV) market and offer our thoughts as to where we see things headed for EVs in 2022 and beyond. Continuing global supply chain issues, semiconductor shortages and the ongoing global pandemic notwithstanding - let us begin. We start with perhaps the oldest talking point possible when it comes to EVs - but it’s still a thing: Range! Yes, when it comes to EVs, range remains top of mind, even as improvements in battery technology means range-anxiety continues to diminish. But the range that buyers think is acceptable continues to be a moving target as both technology and battery costs improve. So, what bar should car makers aim to clear? Looking ahead to next year, we expect around 250 miles between charges will be the sweet spot many buyers will settle upon.

Webinar: State of Energy Management (Atrius) Wednesday, January 19, 2022, 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. For the past 3 years, the State of Energy Management report has focused on noting the trends and perspectives within our industry. Built from the perspectives of over 600 leaders in energy, facility, and sustainability roles, this year’s report found increased focus on creating safer spaces, raising awareness of corporate level sustainability initiatives, and leveraging the right tools to streamline data management. In this webinar, we’ll be reviewing key findings from the report with an expert panel. Topics include top priorities for energy and sustainability programs, increased focus on corporate driven awareness of sustainability programs, and why time and money are still big barriers to implementing an EMIS. REGISTER HERE

Harnessing an Unusual Kind of Natural Energy: Dancers’ Body Heat (The New York Times) In the pre-vaccine pandemic days, as shutdowns dragged on, odes to the lost joys of the dance floor became a motif in media. Recollections of sweaty nights out in crowded clubs captured much of what Covid had taken from us: community, freedom, gloriously messy physical proximity. When restrictions began to loosen, teeming dance floors became a symbol of recovery around the world. At SWG3 — an arts center in Glasgow, Scotland, that hosts some of the city’s largest dance parties — tickets for club nights sold briskly during the summer and fall of 2021, before the arrival of the Omicron variant. “The appetite for these events has been stronger than ever, and it’s fueled by the long period of time we were all denied it,” said Andrew Fleming-Brown, SWG3’s managing director. “We’ve missed that shared body-heat experience, being packed together in a full venue.” What if dance-floor catharsis could be good not only for the soul but also for the planet? This month, SWG3 and the geothermal energy consultancy TownRock Energy will begin installing a new renewable heating and cooling system that harnesses the body heat of dancing clubbers.

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