Distributed Energy Resources, Energy Storage, GHG Emissions, Utilities  -  April 22, 2023

Weekend Reads: Volcanic Microbe Eats CO2, New Battery Center Launches

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

Electric Vehicles & The Utility Grid — A Match Made In Heaven (CleanTechnica)  The analysis is quite simple. Utility companies sell electricity. It’s what they do. It’s a business and they are very good at it. They want to sell more electricity, not less, and the EV revolution will allow them to do just that. They’re happy, we’re happy, and the Earth can breathe a little easier as a result. Here are two examples that trickled in to the CleanTechnica news desk.

Utilities, a Key to Achieving the Net-Zero Carbon Cities of the Future (Energy Connects)  The effective rollout and upgrading of utilities are essential in future-proofing cities against huge population growth while achieving a carbon-neutral, or even carbon-positive, status. City populations face some of the greatest risks of climate change due to their density and reliance on privately-managed infrastructure. To create cities that can withstand the years to come, we need to innovate the utility sector to become part of the solution and not the problem.    

WEBINAR: The 5 Energy Trends for 2023 and Beyond (Enel)  Over the past several years, North American energy markets have shifted in response to significant global pressures. Climate change impacts and energy market volatility have prompted government and corporate actions that are creating unique new opportunities and catalyzing clean energy growth. To develop an optimal energy strategy for this year and beyond, organizations must understand the factors that will determine the future of the energy landscape. In this webinar, experts from Enel highlight the 5 critical trends that will shape the energy space and inform how organizations address energy costs, flexibility, resilience, and sustainability in 2023 and beyond. REGISTER HERE

New Battery Center Launches in USA (CleanTechnica)  The Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University announced the launch of a new joint battery center at SLAC. It will bring together the resources and expertise of the national lab, the university, and Silicon Valley to accelerate the deployment of batteries and other energy storage solutions as part of the energy transition that’s essential for addressing climate change.

A North Star for Sustainable Aviation: Science, People and Nature (Environmental Defense Fund)  The Biden administration has worked to keep its promise to follow the science in dealing with challenges like housing, COVID, air pollution — and especially climate change. The next major test is coming soon. The Treasury Department is preparing to issue guidelines about which alternative fuels will qualify for federal refundable tax credits for sustainable aviation fuels created by last year’s Inflation Reduction Act.    

Volcanic Microbe Eats CO2 ‘Astonishingly Quickly’, Say Scientists (The Guardian)  A microbe discovered in a volcanic hot spring gobbles up carbon dioxide "astonishingly quickly," according to the scientists who found it. The researchers hope to utilize microbes that have naturally evolved to absorb CO2 as an efficient way of removing the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere. Ending the burning of fossil fuels is critical in ending the climate crisis, but most scientists agree CO2 will also need to be sucked from the air to limit future damage. The new microbe, a cyanobacterium, was discovered in September in volcanic seeps near the Italian island of Vulcano, where the water contains high levels of CO2.

Read These Related Articles:

• Weekend Reads: COP29 on Energy Efficiency; Unscrambling Hydrogen
• Weekend Reads: Five Things to Know About COP29; Rethinking Gas Stations
• Weekend Reads: Where Climate Triumphed at the Polls; Iceland Goes to Space for Solar
• Weekend Reads: Candidates Avoid Clean Energy; Costco (Cautiously) Adds EV Charging
• Weekend Reads: The Carbon Offset Debate; New Powder Captures CO2

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