EDITOR'S CHOICE

US and Japan Make Trade Deal for Battery Minerals Ahead of Treasury Decision

28 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"...Japan has found a different way around these requirements, or at least one of them, by signing a narrow free trade agreement with the US solely for battery critical minerals...agreement will potentially add Japan to the list of free trade countries that can extract or process the critical minerals in EV batteries...it's up to the Treasury now to decide if this new agreement counts under its interpretation of what a "free trade agreement" is.

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The Algae Phoenix Rises: Biofuel Down, Concrete Up

28 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

Called coccolithophore "tiny little microalgae that form calcium carbonate shells...grow really rapidly...in seawater. What’s really exciting is that growing calcium carbonate is a form of carbon capture and storage

"In contrast to traditional portland cement, Prometheus Materials’ microalgae-based bio-cement emits little-to-no CO2 and recycles 95% of the water used during its production...the bio-concrete has the ability to sequester embodied

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New Climate Paper Calls for Charging Big US Oil Firms with Homicide

28 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"Authors of paper accepted for publication in Harvard Environmental Law Review argue firms are 'killing members of the public at an accelerating rate'

"...paper is rooted in part in the growing body of evidence fossil fuel companies knew of the harm their products caused and misled the public about them....pursuing homicide charges would have a greater impact on fossil fuel companies than the cases currently wending their way through court in part because the penalties would be steeper."

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Elon Musk May Keep Whining, But Warren Buffett Isn't Going To Own Tesla Stock: Analyst Nails Down Key Reason

28 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

Legendary investor Warren "Buffett isn't going to own Tesla. There is a huge difference between value and growth investors...value investors [like Buffett] tend to start with what looks cheap, relative to intrinsic value and then find those that can grow.

"Growth investors start with high growers and then buy those that are reasonably priced relative to intrinsic value. It's two entirely different mindsets." Buffett's company owns BYD share.

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Robot Dog Bernard Rides the Rails Travelling from Sunderland to Newcastle on the Metro

27 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

Built by Boston Dynamics and acquired by Sunderland University in 2021, 'Bernard' was accompanied by Professor John Murray, Academic Dean of the Faculty of Technology who had controls for the robotic "dog". Its battery runtime is 90 minutes. The trip into Newcastle is 10 miles and takes 17-22 minutes.

"...passengers were surprised to see a robot dog on the Metro and many were keen to have their photo taken with him."

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How to Get More Women On Bikes? Better Biking Infrastructure, Designed By Women

27 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

The number of women riding bikes has increased dramatically in cities globally, including a 50% rise in London during the COVID lockdown, and near-equal gender participation in Paris...

...involving women in decisions about implementing new bike infrastructure, as well as expanding the use of e-bikes through financial incentives, are key to getting more women on the road.

"In Australia, the majority of biking infrastructure is implemented by transport engineers, of which only 15% are women."

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Americans Are Warming Up to Electric Cars, But Still Divided Over Them

27 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"Sales of EVs are picking up, and as ranges increase and prices drop, car shoppers will change their minds.

"Total new vehicle sales fell 8% in 2022. But electric vehicle sales grew by a shocking 65%...Just 3.2% of new cars sold in 2021 were EVs. In 2022, the same figure grew to 5.8%

35% "wanted an EV that offered 500 or more miles of electric driving range per full charge...56% would be willing to pay no more..."

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The Squeeze On Powering the Open Road

27 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"Regularly in the news, grocery stores, and at the pump, we are experiencing the limits of our planetary supply.

"...environmental analyst Lester Brown...thinks we should restructure taxes to get the market to tell the environmental truth...The proposed US goal to double electricity transmission lines and build a separate electric vehicle charging network...move to 100% renewable generation is, perhaps, not the panacea without consequence..."

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Paris Is Doing Public EV Charging Right

27 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"Street parking in Paris is plentiful, and all throughout the city, curbside parking spots offer EV charging stations from the company Belib...More than 1,200 Belib chargers are already up and running across Paris, with that number set to nearly double over the course of a decade.

"If you're in a rush, nab a pricier 22-kW Boost charger; if you've got some time, go for a lower-priced Flex charger for 3.7 to 7 kW of juice. There are motorcycle-specific stations that can charge at up to 7 kW."

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The Right Has It In For 'Woke' Investors. The Only Problem? They Don't Exist

26 Mar 2023 | Synopsis

"Senate Bill 13 requires Texas to cut off business ties to financial firms deemed to be boycotting energy companies for ideological reasons...Undergirding the anti-ESG movement is a familiar network of right-wing think tanks..In an influential 2004 report dubbed “Who Cares Wins,” the Global Compact coined the phrase ESG...banks and asset managers coming under fire from red states continue to invest prolifically in the fossil-fuel industry."

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