Interesting stats on EVs and energy use in the US, developments in wind and tidal power, a plastic recycling microfactory, and an "unprecedented collapse" in EU fossil fuel generation.
Starting in 2026, all EV & industrial batteries made in the EU will require a passport so they can be tracked from cradle to grave and the scarce/valuable materials used in their creation can be recycled and reused. Bring on our circular economy!
Who knew?! I recently saw a thread on Twitter with pics of a whole fleet of these bikes that are apparently available to rent in Changzhou, China. Maybe it’s just me but doesn’t hydrogen seem a bit excessive to power a commuter bike? It’s like using an air horn to get a classroom of kids to stop talking. Gets the job done but at what cost?
Maybe when actual green hydrogen (instead of hydrogen as a fossil fuel byproduct) makes up more than 4% of the available hydrogen fuel supply, I’ll get more excited about it. (That said, it does seem like one of the best candidates to power heavy equipment and airplanes.)
According to this Wired article, prosecutors in France have launched an investigation into allegations that Apple is pursuing a business model of planned obsolescence and designing iPhones in a way that intentionally limits their lifespan. (""All signs point to yes,"" says the magic 8-ball.) Vive le droit de réparer! ✊🤘
Swiss researchers say they have developed a concentrated solar reactor that produces green hydrogen at a rate of more than 2 kilowatts while maintaining efficiencies above 20%. Apparently that equals 0.5 kg of hydrogen per day, which this Physics World article says is ""unprecedented."" But is it promising? Can it be scaled? 🤔Curious to see if/how this technology develops… if we COULD create a cost-effective and scalable way to use solar power to produce green hydrogen, that would probably be a very good thing.
The German government has given €5 million in funding to a female-founded biomaterials start-up, to build a production plant for their new plastic alternative: a plant-based, compostable material they say can be used in applications such as flexible films, paper coatings, and adhesives. The name of the company is traceless – I don't know if their claims are true but their website is pretty slick.
Some news from close to home! The Canadian federal government has announced it will invest $11 million to upgrade and expand Vancouver Island cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. Nice! (Now throw some of that sweet, sweet cycling infrastructure funding over here to this neck of the woods, pretty please and thank you. 🙏 🚲)
Here's hoping this helps Logitech achieve its goals of reducing e-waste and becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 - and that other tech companies follow its example.
This is a great essay by Justin Vassallo on degrowth and what might replace our current mass consumer paradigm. A lot of what he says here seems to make good sense.
Researchers at Western have worked with industry partner CTK Bio Canada to develop a new biodegradable, hemp-based material that they say could serve as a sustainable substitute for product packaging needs. Makes me wonder if there'll be just one thing that ends up replacing plastic or many? (My guess is many.)
Israeli start-up Eco Wave has developed an onshore mechanism using floaters that attach to existing man-made marine structures such as piers and convert the rising and falling motion of the waves into green electricity. They have just inked a deal to sell electricity to the local grid. Seems like a good idea? 🌊
"The European Parliament has backed draft legislation to improve product durability and sustainability and put an end to greenwashing and other misleading claims. The proposal passed 544-18 with 17 abstaining. Here's hoping the legislation has teeth and achieves its intended objectives! Greenwashing and planned obsolescence are a blight on society and the planet. Bring on our circular future! 🌎
Scientists in China and the Netherlands say they have collaborated to create solar cells that are made of the same material as 95% of current solar cells but have 26.81% efficiency. The new solar cell uses a ""nanocrystalline-silicon hole contact layer"" that can transfer electricity with far less resistance and results in a higher power conversion efficiency. Good news if true! 😁
Not a fan of its ""luxury design vernacular"" 🙄 but I like that it's emissions free and has a top speed of 30 knots (55 km/hr). Speedy! I can imagine a different version of it making a decent water taxi/passenger ferry. (OT but: I wonder if rising ocean waters due to climate change + increasing regulatory pressure minimising concrete use will cause coastal communities to rely more on water travel in the future?
Who knew the guy who wrote ""The Tragedy of the Commons"" was a virulent racist who used concerns about environmental scarcity to justify racial discrimination?(I'm sure a lot of people did – but up until recently, I wasn't one of them.) Makes you wonder what else he was horrifically wrong about...
Interesting stats on EVs and energy use in the US, developments in wind and tidal power, a plastic recycling microfactory, and an "unprecedented collapse" in EU fossil fuel generation.
