The Plan is not consistent with the Paris Agreement On 7 July 2020, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) released its commentary regarding the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s plan to begin phasing out inefficient coal-fired power plants. IGES analyses demonstrate that this policy is inconsistent with the Paris Agreement. This commentary … [Read more...] about IGES: Commentary on Japan’s Policy Plan for “Phasing out Inefficient Coal-fired Plants”
Briefly
Liquid-air energy storage: how does it compare to other storage types?
Liquid-air energy storage: how does it compare to other storage types? "The new liquid air battery, being developed by Highview Power, is due to be operational in 2022 and will be able to power up to 200,000 homes for five hours, and store power for many weeks." "The Highview battery will store 250MWh of energy, almost double the amount stored by the biggest chemical battery, … [Read more...] about Liquid-air energy storage: how does it compare to other storage types?
Hydrogen electrolysis unit to reduce diesel consumption and emissions
"The hydrogen is directly injected into the air-fuel mixture just prior to combustion. The hydrogen helps the mixture ignite faster and more completely, resulting in greater power using less fuel and creating fewer emissions." Technical context: The claim above describes a manufacturer's proposed on-board hydrogen electrolysis product in 2020. A net fuel-saving claim would … [Read more...] about Hydrogen electrolysis unit to reduce diesel consumption and emissions
Environmental Vandalism
"Archive context (2020): This commentary argues that closing existing nuclear plants can make power-sector decarbonization harder. The tradeoff includes operating costs, safety, waste management, grid reliability and the carbon intensity of replacement generation. The figures below are historical and reflect the source author's position. Thirteen plants have either been closed … [Read more...] about Environmental Vandalism
Got rid of China Apps
Archive context (2020): This item concerns the popularity of an app marketed around removing software associated with China. Download counts are not evidence of technical security risks in any particular app. The report is a snapshot of the technology and political climate of that period. Since its release on May 17, the 'Remove China Apps' app has already garnered massive … [Read more...] about Got rid of China Apps
Sustainable energy storage: Norway has far more EVs on the roads as a proportion of total vehicles than anywhere else in the world
"Morrow’s lithium sulfur batteries will use deposed materials from the Norwegian oil industry." Archive note (2020): The proposed Norwegian battery factory and lithium-sulfur technology discussed here were forward-looking plans at the time, not verified outcomes. The chemistry offers possible energy-density advantages but faces manufacturing and cycle-life challenges. Norway's … [Read more...] about Sustainable energy storage: Norway has far more EVs on the roads as a proportion of total vehicles than anywhere else in the world
The Holy Graal of EV Industry Within Reach: Parity with Internal Combustion Engine at $100/kWh for battery packs
"Archive context (2020): The $100/kWh battery-pack benchmark was a rule of thumb for potential electric-vehicle price parity, not a universal crossover point. Retail pricing also depends on vehicle design, manufacturing scale, chemistry, taxes and incentives. The figures quoted below were historical estimates, not current prices. The cost of CATL’s cobalt-free lithium iron … [Read more...] about The Holy Graal of EV Industry Within Reach: Parity with Internal Combustion Engine at $100/kWh for battery packs
Herd Immunity as a Government Policy in Response to COVID-19 Failed Miserably
Nassim Taleb got this right, UK and Swedish Governments did not - avoiding lockdown and losing precious time to contain pandemic just brought unnecessary thousands of deaths. Kudos to governments of Israel and Greece embracing early lockdown measures and choosing lives over doubtful models. Prioritizing local economy in the time of the global crisis is a futile exercise … [Read more...] about Herd Immunity as a Government Policy in Response to COVID-19 Failed Miserably
Trump: Coronavirus attack worse than Pearl Harbor
"Archive context (May 2020): The following quotation is from remarks by President Donald Trump during the early COVID-19 pandemic. The comparisons to Pearl Harbor and September 11 are the speaker's rhetoric, not an objective ranking of historical events. The source is retained as a record of public statements at that time. This is really the worst attack we’ve ever had. This … [Read more...] about Trump: Coronavirus attack worse than Pearl Harbor
New supercapacitor developed at Penn State University and two universities in China
"Research context: Supercapacitors excel at rapid charging and discharging, whereas batteries generally store more energy per unit of mass. A promising laboratory device does not automatically replace commercial batteries; lifetime, cost, energy density and manufacturing scale all matter. The source below reports research expectations in 2020. A new supercapacitor based on … [Read more...] about New supercapacitor developed at Penn State University and two universities in China