EDITOR'S PICK

Why A Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Is The Only Way To Protect Future Generations

23 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"...fossil fuels are a 'gift from the gods.' Having oil and gas deposits is 'not our fault'...U.N.'s Summit of the Future taking place on Sept. 22-23 is about protecting future generations. We must ensure they are safe and secure, instead of vulnerable to climate shocks...Oil corrupts politics, empowers dictators, and erodes democracy, making wars more common...If we decarbonise the economy, powerful countries will have fewer reasons to send their militaries halfway around the world to secure the flow of oil."

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From Norway to New York, Electric Ferries Are Taking Over The Globe

22 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"...the P-12 uses a hydrofoil to lift the boat above the water’s surface, reducing drag and the amount of energy needed to operate it. 'The hydrofoil system cuts energy consumption by 80% compared to fossil fuel-powered vessels'... 2022 study by Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology found that the P-12 emits 97.5% less carbon dioxide emissions than diesel ferries...eight vessels are being built for NEOM, Saudi Arabia's $1.5 trillion 'megacity project' for the ultrarich, with a 2025 delivery date."

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How E-Bikes Reduce Vehicular Traffic

22 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Research conducted in Jiading district, Shanghai, shows how electric bicycles can lead to a reduction of up to 19 percent in the share of car use.

"...the district serves as an ideal backdrop for this study. With a population of 1.8 million and a modal share in which e-bikes account for 27 percent of transportation...As more and more people choose the convenience and independence of electric bicycles, the need for buses and trains has decreased slightly in this study area."

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How To "Grow" New Supply Of Nickel For EV Batteries

22 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Metalplant is deploying an iteration of a well known hyperaccumulator native to Albania related to Odontarrhena chalcidica, a shrublike plant with copious yellow flowers

"...plants grow on high-pH, metalliferous soils and absorb over 100 times the amounts of nickel in their roots, stems and foliage, compared to non-hyperaccumulating plants

"...its Odontarrhena chalcidica blows past the 1% mark, yielding concentrations up to 2%. That's on par with the nickel concentration in conventional ores."

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Arizona Student Is Denied License Because Tesla Has FSD / Too Many Safety Features

21 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"The AZDOT tester thought that the daughter was using FSD during the driving portion of her exam and ended up denying her license. Now, while we know FSD sometimes drives like a teen driver, it turns out that...Model Y didn't even have FSD.

" They found another reason to deny the license – insufficient use of the brake pedal..AZDOT thought the student driver may have had some unfair advantages..."

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Despite Evidence, Fewer Americans Are Believing That EVs Are Greener Than Gas Cars

21 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"...if you ask people, do EVs have any environmental benefit over gas cars at all, a majority of people still agree with this. But that majority - it's gone down by five percentage points since 2022...

"If you see those headlines and you don't read closely, it could be easy to miss the fact that, compared to gas cars and the huge damages of fossil fuels, EVs are still better.

"...the driving force behind disappointing sales right now is not this confusion about green benefits but more practical considerations."

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Morocco Increases Impact on Global Electric Vehicle Market - $10 Billion in EV Investments

21 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Morocco has established itself as a leading power in the African automotive sector, having overtaken South Africa in 2018...the Industrial Acceleration Plan 2014–2020...automotive cities such as Kenitra and Tangier are being established...The country currently produces between 40,000 and 50,000 electric vehicles per year...For the Chinese, Morocco has some advantages compared to other countries."

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Solar Electric Vehicle Debuts in San Francisco Aiming for Sustainability Milestone

21 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"Aptera Motors has engineered this hybrid vehicle to run efficiently on solar power and traditional electric charging. The car can cover up to 40 miles solely with solar energy while a full electric charge extends its range to an impressive 1,000 miles...projected market price of around $35,000

"...Aptera will be available from Q2 next year...48,000 reservations already, including over 500 from San Francisco alone..."

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Your Electric Car Will Fall Apart Before Its Battery Pack Does, Study Finds

20 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"A new study of 10,000 electric cars shows that their battery packs should outlast the vehicles themselves... a new study that shows the average degradation per year is actually 1.8%. The company believes that it could translate to EV batteries lasting 20 years

"Considering electric cars, like gasoline-powered vehicles, tend to break down for mechanical reasons much sooner than 20 years, the average vehicle lifespan is 15 years, this could mean that EV batteries should outlast their vehicles."

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Electric Boat Costs 40–50€ to Cross Baltic Sea, vs 750€ Refueling Gas Boat

20 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"The journey of 150 nautical miles required 213 kWh of electricity for the electric boat. 'We're talking about 95% lower operating costs...electric watercraft uses a Polestar battery...

"The irony is that the photographer's gasoline-powered chase boat had to refuel six times during the trip, while we only charged three times...Flying over the Aland Sea in total silence and without slamming was absolutely magical..."

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US Study Finds China's Tech Innovation "Much Stronger" Than Previously Understood

19 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"A 20-month investigation into the innovation performance of 44 Chinese firms across key technologies - including nuclear power, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles and materials science - revealed a troubling yes for the US.

"China is likely 10 to 15 years ahead of the US in deploying fourth-generation nuclear reactors at scale...China manufactured a mere 5,200 cars in 1985 and this year is expected to churn out 26.8 million."

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'Criminally Insane': Subsidies That Harm the Environment Reach $2.6 Trillion Per Year

19 Sep 2024 | Synopsis

"...the research group Earth Track...found that harmful fossil fuel subsidies top $1 trillion annually and harmful agricultural subsidies top $600 billion...The $2.6 trillion total, which the report authors said was likely an underestimate...International Monetary Fund working paper last year estimated that fossil fuel subsidies alone amount to $7 trillion annually.

"It is the combined effect of subsidies to these sectors that compound to drive loss of nature and biodiversity resources."

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