EDITOR'S PICK

Scientists Devise Method to Upcycle Lithium-ion Batteries from Expired Solar Panels

08 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"...the majority of solar cells are constructed from high-purity silicon, yet these cells are often discarded after 25 to 30 years of service...current techniques for reclaiming high-purity silicon are not only energy-intensive but also entail the use of highly toxic chemicals..[Singapore's] NTU team devised a novel extraction process utilizing phosphoric acid...method demonstrated superior recovery rates and purity compared to existing silicon retrieval technologies...sample achieved a recovery rate of 98.9 percent with a purity of 99.2 percent."

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What Drove Elon Musk - Onetime Democratic 'Fanboy' - To Troll Progressive Politics

08 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"...excerpt is adapted from Walter Isaacson’s biography “Elon Musk”

"...The government-imposed [COVID] mandates, in China and then California, inflamed his anti-authority streak...[stating to his employees] My frank opinion remains that the harm from the coronavirus panic far exceeds that of the virus itself...He went from being a fanboy and fundraiser for Barack Obama to railing against progressive Democrats."

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Ross Gerber Lauds Tesla's Clean Energy Solution: "Gas Is Stupid At This Point"

07 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"...express his observations at a Santa Monica gas station that had installed Tesla superchargers and a hydrogen pump..Gerber called the hydrogen solution 'a disaster' and deemed conventional gasoline 'stupid at this point.' He further hailed Tesla's approach as the “most dominant solution for clean energy.”

"Gerber lauded General Motors' decision to adopt Tesla's North American charging plug standard, claiming it to be a 'checkmate'

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Ford's Electric Mustang Mach-E Gets A $65,000 Rally-Inspired Version

07 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

Ford has a long and successful history with rallying...with motorsport-modified versions of more mundane machines like the Escort, Sierra, and Fiesta

"Maximum power is the same as the GT at 480 hp (358 kW)...The two motors are fed by a 91 kWh (useable capacity) battery pack...Ford estimates that the Mach-E Rally will have an EPA range of about 250 miles (402 km)...It takes Mustang where it hasn't been before - to gravel and dirt roads..."

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Autonomous Shuttles Get Ready For Prime Time

07 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"The shuttles are planned to run along a fixed or a constantly changing route, depending on passengers' needs, and able to pick up new passengers when summoned via app.

"The shuttle bus itself is designed to have a range of 62 miles on a single charge, but will be able to cover 217 miles a day, suggesting a relatively small battery with DC fast-charging capability...top speed will be only 43 mph..."

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To Fight Climate Change, Stop Fighting China on Electric Vehicles

07 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"We should rejoice in China's increased focus on electric cars, which reflects the global shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation. Better yet, Chinese EV manufacturers seem to have moved beyond merely imitating American and European automakers.

"Rather than posing a national-security threat, the growth of China’s EV industry is an opportunity for global innovation."

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Tesla Announces Production Of 2 Millionth EV At Giga Shanghai

07 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"The factory went from beginning construction in December 2018 to starting production in December 2019.

"Within just two years of starting production, it became the biggest/most productive electric vehicle factory in the world by a wide margin...In August of last year, Tesla announced that the factory produced its 1 millionth vehicle.

Now just 13 months later...Gigafactory Shanghai has produced 2 million electric vehicles to date..."

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Battery Electric Cars Are Winning Out Because of Consumers, Not Politicians

06 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"...car executives are criticizing governments on the grounds that they've picked the winning horse...Fuel cell vehicles are failing because they're not proving compelling enough

"Despite largely technology-neutral support, automakers sold 15,400 fuel cell passenger vehicles in 2022, down slightly from the year before. That's a rounding error relative to the 7.5 million battery EVs and 2.9 million plug-in hybrids sold...it wasn't bureaucrats in Brussels, Washington or Sacramento that crowned them as winners. It was consumers."

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Amazon Rolls Out New Fleet Of Electric Cargo Bikes In Glasgow As It Ditches Diesel Trucks

06 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"The electric cargo bikes and on-foot deliveries are now operational from hubs in more than 20 cities across the UK and Europe.

"The new hub in Glasgow will not only bring our Scottish customers more electric-powered deliveries, but also support the local authority in looking for ways to reduce congestion and find alternative transportation methods

"The company aims to have 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian on the road globally."

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NRDC Report Recommends New Pathway for Clean Energy Permitting Reform

06 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"The report...lays out a strategy for achieving this clean energy deployment that manages opposition without gutting foundational environmental protections...

"...the report outlines four key solutions to filling this gap and more quickly advancing clean energy projects nationwide...To achieve the Inflation Reduction Act’s full potential, by 2035 the United States needs to build approximately 564 gigawatts of renewable electricity and storage."

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12 Energy Dilemmas the World Needs to Address

06 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"...overwhelming scientific research shows that heat-trapping pollutants like CO2 and methane play the lead role...disputes about how much different energy technologies cost, how quickly we can transition to cleaner ones, who bears (and who should bear) the burden for these transitions, and whether (or to what extent) we may need to compromise...Twelve thorny dilemmas emerged from our conversations...

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Fact-Checking The Misinformation Attacks On The EPA's Clean Car Standards

06 Sep 2023 | Synopsis

"New clean car standards proposed by the [EPA]...are readily achievable...the exact opposite of what is alleged by attacks from the oil industry, conservatives and car manufacturers.

"Under the Biden administration, the U.S. is finally following a smart, domestic economic growth government policy that revs our economy's engine and puts the country's climate commitments within reach."

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