Concentration of CO2 in the Atmosphere
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Headline News:
- “West Warms To Geothermal Energy As A Path To Clean Power Goals” • Backers think geothermal can play an important role in the clean energy transition, but they say its potential won’t be unlocked without government investments, utility regulations, and other policies to encourage development. Governors in the western US are getting interested. [Alaska Beacon]
 Geothermal power plant in Iceland. Thant’s steam, not smoke (Pixy.org, CC0)
- “Orkney Subsea Power Link To Mainland Gets Go-Ahead” • A high-voltage subsea power cable to carry renewable energy from Orkney to mainland Scotland has been approved in principle by regulators. Power firm SSEN formally requested to lay the cable in 2018, but first had to demonstrate to the energy regulator Ofgem that it would be used. [BBC]
- “Beacon Wind Project Will Repower ‘Asthma Alley’ With Renewable Energy Facility In Astoria” • Equinor Wind US and bp in the US announced two initiatives in Queens. They will invest $215 million to buy the Astoria Gas Turbines site to turn it into a converter station for offshore wind power, and they will invest in community resources. [Astoria Post]
- “Renewable Energy Institutional Investment Has Gone “From Niche To Mainstream”” • While there have been bumps along the road, the energy transition has attracted “an unprecedented wave of investment,” Andrew Redinger of KeyBanc Capital Markets said. Institutional investment in renewable energy went “from niche to mainstream” in 24 months. [pv magazine USA]
- “Biden’s DOE Announces $1.2 Billion To Extend Or Restart The Life Of Nuclear Plants” • The Biden administration is offering money to recently shuttered nuclear plants that want to come back to life. The funding is part of a $6 billion program offered to prevent the early closings of nuclear reactors as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. [EcoWatch]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
After the considerable efforts that the shopping centre has made in recent years, Docks Bruxsel has received the CO2 neutrality certificate. The shopping centre is continuing this journey with the ambition to further reduce its emissions.
Brussels, 2 March 2023 – Today, Docks Bruxsel announced that it has received the “CO2 neutral – gold company” certificate from CO2logic/South Pole and is the first large shopping centre in Europe to receive this certification.
“Docks benefits from exceptional design and build with regard to low carbon emissions, this was part of our rationale for investing in Docks. Our team have worked tirelessly to further reduce the carbon emissions, to provide inclusive access and our ESG strategy. We are very pleased and proud to be the first large scale shopping centre to have achieved CO2 neutral status and gold certification. We continue working to further reduce our carbon emissions; an environmental and socially inclusive strategy is essential to us, our investors, tenants and customers and part of the DNA of Docks”, Peter Todd Founder of Portus Retail and Asset Manager/Owner of Docks Bruxsel.
The sustainable ecological approach has always been in the DNA of Docks and is an integral part of its architecture. The shopping centre has a natural ventilation system that replaces air conditioning and a 580m³ rainwater recovery basin which, after filtration and treatment, can be used for many applications (sanitary facilities, cleaning processes, cooling systems, etc.).
Docks Bruxsel is also equipped with a rainwater filtering method for watering the green walls. The shopping centre has 4,500 m² of solar panels and the heat from the nearby incinerator is used as an energy source. On the roof, two beehives house around 80,000 bees. This explains why the shopping centre also has BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating in the construction sector.
This same ecological infrastructure has enabled Docks Bruxsel to fill its Christmas ice rink with rainwater and power it with 100% green energy generated from solar panels. These panels produce no less than 520 Mwh per year, equivalent to the average consumption of 115 Brussels households.
NHPR, in collaboration with NHPBS, is presenting the inaugural By Degrees Climate Summit. This event will bring together a diverse group of regional change-makers to discuss opportunities for transformative action in the face of the climate change crisis. Hosted by NHPR’s climate and energy reporter Mara Hoplamazian, this is a chance to hear about climate solutions and engage directly with those affecting change on a local level. Summit attendees are encouraged to send questions in advance or bring them along on the day of the event.
Tickets are free, but space is limited. The event will be live streamed with closed captioning. We will also broadcast a recording of the summit during Earth Week, but let’s be honest, you want to be there in person. So, mark your calendar, sign up early and be a part of the conversation on an issue that impacts us all.
By Degrees Climate Summit
April 13, 2023, 6:00 PM
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Residential Retrofits for Energy Equity (R2E2) is hosting a series of training webinars for potential applicants to the Department of Energy’s Building Upgrade Prize (Buildings UP). The prize is awarding over $22 million in cash prizes and technical assistance to teams with winning ideas to accelerate equitable energy efficiency and building electrification upgrades in residential and commercial buildings. Applications to Buildings UP opened on February 18 and will remain open through July 18. See the full list of webinar offeringshere.
Join R2E2 at our upcoming trainings, all free and online, to learn about topics that will help you craft a strong application to Buildings UP:
- DOE Building Upgrades Prize 101 – Tuesday, March 7, 1:00pm – 2:00pm ET
- DOE Building Upgrades Prize 101 – Thursday, March 9, 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
- Engaging Stakeholders in Building Decarbonization Planning: Introduction to Community, Affordable Housing, Health, Economic Inclusion, and Other Stakeholders – Monday, March 13, 1:30pm – 3:00pm ET
- Introduction to Comprehensive Retrofits and Decarbonization – Tuesday, March 14, 12:00pm – 1:00pm ET
- Introduction to Community-Driven Planning – Monday, April 10, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET
- Accessing Funding Sources for Affordable Housing and Equity-Eligible Commercial Building Retrofits – Wednesday, April 12, 12:30pm – 2:00pm ET
- Energy Efficiency Programs 101 – Friday, April 14, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET
- Considerations for Underserved Commercial Buildings – Wednesday, April 26, 1:30pm – 2:30pm ET
- Drivers of Energy Efficiency in Affordable Housing – Friday, April 28, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET
- Choosing Your Building Upgrade Zone: Structural Equity Considerations – Wednesday, May 10, 1:30pm – 3:00pm ET
- Building Upgrades: An Opportunity for Workforce and Economic Inclusion – Thursday, May 11, 12:00pm – 1:30pm ET
More information on each webinar and speaker bios are available on our website.
Spanish interpretation will be available at all webinars except the March 7 session.
Note: Attendance is not required at Buildings UP webinars or related events in order to complete a Phase 1 submission, and attendance will not influence the scoring of your prize submission.
R2E2 is a partnership of ACEEE, Elevate, Emerald Cities Collaborative, and HR&A Advisors that works to scale up affordable housing energy upgrades to lower utility bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while advancing racial equity, local workforce development, and health goals. R2E2 is supporting the Buildings Upgrade Prize by providing training and technical assistance to applicants and awardees.
We hope you’ll join us!
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 Farmers are invited to share their thoughts on cover crops in an online survey at bit.ly/CoverCrop23. Why do you plant cover crops…or why don’t you? What do you want to know? Your insight will help guide research, communications, seed development, and more.
This National Cover Crop Survey is the seventh since 2012 conducted by the USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), with the help of Informa/Farm Progress.
“Since 2012, the National Cover Crop Survey has been extremely valuable in helping guide research priorities, direct communications and education efforts, provide data to researchers, and illustrate the effects of policy on cover crop use and adoption,” says Dr. Rob Myers, regional director of extension programs for North Central SARE and director of the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture. “Data from previous surveys have been used in scientific papers, business planning, extension efforts, media coverage of cover crops, and even included in testimony to Congress.”
Please take a few minutes to contribute your voice at bit.ly/CoverCrop23. After completing the questionnaire, you may enter a drawing for one of three $100 Visa gift cards.
The Schoharie Master Gardener Volunteers will host a workshop on Biointensive Gardening, Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 10 to 11 a.m., at the Extension Center, 173 South Grand Street in Cobleskill. The workshop will be presented by Carla Crim, Horticulture and Natural Resource Educator, CCE Delaware County, to participants who attend in person and who attend online.
Biointensive gardening is a method of growing as much organic food as possible in the smallest amount of space. This method is ideal in space-constrained settings but can also be used to maximize resources and effort in bigger spaces.
Master Gardener Volunteers have been specially trained and certified by Cornell University Extension with a mission to provide education on a broad range of horticultural topics and practices based on university research and recommendations.
Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities. Accommodations for persons with special needs may be requested by contacting Cornell Cooperative Extension Schoharie and Otsego Counties prior to a program.
Learn about the fuel and maintenance savings, zero-tailpipe emissions, and many other benefits. Experience firsthand the battery electric bus range, charging process, and handling in our northern New England climate and terrain.
Headline News:
- “Why Republicans Are Spreading The Lie That Whales Are Being Killed By Wind Farms” • On February 19, 2023, hundreds of protesters filled the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. Their cause was ostensibly to protect the whales. The protest is not supported by science. But it is supported by some oil-industry interests. [Salon.com]
 Offshore wind turbine (Grahame Jenkins, Unsplash)
- “Study: Heat Pumps Are Two To Three Times Cheaper Than Green Hydrogen In Europe” • A study, published in the academic journal Energy Conversion and Management found that replacing natural gas in homes with green hydrogen would cost about two to three times more than replacing the natural gas with electric heat pumps. [CleanTechnica]
- “Californians Snow-Stranded As Twisters Hit Texas And Louisiana” • Snow-stranded Californians in mountain areas are desperately digging out after a “once-in-a-generation” winter storm, even as more snow was forecast for the weekend. In the latest US wild weather, twisters touched down at the same time, in Texas and Louisiana. [BBC]
- “Climate Advocates Are Rallying Against The Willow Project. The White House Is Eyeing Concessions To Soften The Blow” • Just days before the Biden administration releases its first major oil drilling project decision, the White House indicated it may reduce the scope of the controversial project. It is criticised by climate advocates fiercely. [CNN]
- “More than 200 Deals Power A 24.5-GW Corporate Renewable Capacity Surge In 2022” • Renewable energy capacity contracted by US corporations soared 45% in the past 12 months. S&P Global Commodity Insights found that all business sectors being tracked boosted their green energy portfolio markedly, with increases ranging from 16% to 79%. [S&P Global]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Headline News:
- “Some Sierra Nevada Forests Are Being Stranded By Climate Change” • Iconic forests that stretch across Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and Yosemite national parks are beginning to fray at the edges as the warming climate is creating unsuitable growing conditions for them, according to a study led by Stanford University researchers. [National Parks Traveler]
 Yosemite National Park (Nate Foong, Unsplash)
- “Fire Knocks Out Half Of Argentina’s Power Grid” • Over half of Argentina has been left without power after a fire affected the Argentine power grid. The fire reportedly started in open fields, affecting crucial power lines in the coastal zone and putting a nuclear power station offline. The blackout comes in the middle of a heatwave and drought. [BBC]
- “Renewables Help Limit 2022 CO₂ Emissions To 1%” • Global energy-related CO₂ emissions rose by under 1% in 2022, less than initially feared, as the growth of solar, wind, EVs, heat pumps and energy efficiency helped limit the impacts of increased use of coal and oil amid the global energy crisis, the International Energy Agency’s latest analysis found. [reNews]
- “Europe Steps On The Gas, Revs Up Renewable Energy” • Though often fractious, Europe showed surprising solidarity as it faced an energy crisis in the winter of 2022-2023. Renewables not only reduce carbon emissions, but also provide energy security, enhance the capability to plan for future supplies and manage costs. [Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide]
- “USPS Orders 9,250 Ford E-Transit Vans And 14,000 EV Charging Stations” • There’s news from the US Postal Service about electrifying its fleet of vehicles. USPS says it has awarded contracts to Ford to purchase 9,250 left-hand-drive regular production E-Transit electric vans and 14,000 EV charging stations to support their use. [CleanTechnica]
For more news, please visit geoharvey – Daily News about Energy and Climate Change.
Join Us for a Climate Solution Conversation
Thursday, March 2 at 7 PM
Lots of false solutions to climate chaos are being touted here in Vermont by the same market-driven forces that brought us the mess in the first place. Reducing our own overly consumptive habits – no doubt, a serious challenge for most of us – is the one essential solution we all have to adopt, but there are some new technologies that might serve us well. The Climate Solutions Conversations presented by 350VT offer some ideas. The first online program in the series on Thu., Mar. 2 at 7 PM will be about Network Geothermal Energy.
Debbie New and Jim Dumont will cover the basics of the technology to get us all on the same page. Then they’ll dig into your questions and ideas, building on your own knowhow as people who understand what can work in your communities.
RSVP to join this program by sending an email here with your name and your email address.
Thermal Energy Networks – Thursday, March 2 at 7 PM
RSVP HERE
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