Around The Web

A world-first zero emissions steel facility in Sweden has been completed, which could see fossil-free steel sold in the global market as early as 2026.

The post World-first fossil-free steel manufacturing plant completed in Sweden appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Pumped hydro proponents in South Australia still waiting for news of federal funding.

The post Pumped hydro projects left high and dry, still waiting for funding news appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The US, China and Russia are pouring money into aircraft that can fly at five times the speed of sound.

Experts say the tradition of commemorating the dead is "inconceivably macabre" by today's standards.

Companies may not utilise Alberta offsets for 2019 obligations under Ottawa’s ‘backstop’ output-based pricing regulation (OBPS) because of a lack of available credits, quick turnaround to surrender units ahead of the inaugural compliance deadline, and differing CO2 pricing levels, traders and analysts said.

• Steam-based plants third biggest source of toxic wastewater
• Pollutants released into water linked to cancer and other illness

The Trump administration is loosening rules for toxic water pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Related: White House spokeswoman refuses to say if Trump condemns Kenosha shooting suspect – live

Continue reading...

Investors, including the government owners, have lost around $A35 billion on their China coal expansion strategy in the past five years.

The post China’s costly, dirty and woeful expansion in coal generation appeared first on RenewEconomy.

It shouldn't have been the case that business groups only acted when the problem became undeniable and started to hurt profits. Marc Hudson, Research Associate in Social Movements, Keele University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Marking farms more water-efficient pushes up prices twice as much as buying water back. Neal Hughes, Senior Economist, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) David Galeano, Assistant Secretary, Natural Resources, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Steve Hatfield-Dodds, Executive Director, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Coal generation at power plants in NSW and Queensland may be falling faster than anticipated, due to cheaper solar and wind energy

Coal power plants in New South Wales are running less than 60% of the time due to an influx of renewable energy, increasing the likelihood some could become economically unviable and close earlier than planned.

An analysis by Hugh Saddler, an energy consultant and ANU honorary associate professor, also found coal generation in Queensland had dropped to less than 70% of capacity as more cheap solar and wind came online.

Continue reading...

A global trading firm opened a RGGI CO2 Allowance Tracking System (COATS) account this week, representing the 10th new speculator and latest financial entity to transition into the Northeast US power sector carbon market after participating in WCI cap-and-trade programme.

California fuel consumption rebounded in May after hitting historic lows during April, but the year-to-date total remains significantly below 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to state data released Monday.

Number of glacial lakes rose by 53% in 1990-2018 to reveal impact of increased meltwater

Glacial lakes have grown rapidly around the world in recent decades, according to satellite images that reveal the impact of increased meltwater draining off retreating glaciers.

Scientists analysed more than quarter of a million satellite images to assess how lakes formed by melting glaciers have been affected by global heating and other processes.

Continue reading...

Edinburgh declaration calls on leaders to work far more closely with communities

The worldwide effort to combat critical levels of biodiversity loss will fail without far greater involvement from local communities, according to an international declaration.

The “Edinburgh declaration”, published on Monday, urges leaders to work more closely with sub-national governments, indigenous peoples, national parks, local councils and wider society in meeting 20 biodiversity goals set out in the Aichi accord, signed in Nagoya, Japan, 10 years ago.

Continue reading...

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator has relinquished nearly 100,000 carbon credits after project owners initially submitted misleading data.

Birmingham and Liverpool among local authorities with lowest rates, analysis shows

Recycling rates for household waste are significantly lower in the most deprived areas of England, a Guardian analysis has found.

A breakdown of data from 303 local authorities in England has found that for 2018-19 85% of local authorities that are among the top 20% most deprived have household recycling rates below the overall average of 42%.

Continue reading...

The fee for single-use bags will rise to 10p and be extended to all shops from April 2021.

Charity Surfers Against Sewage says it has seen a wave of discarded masks and plastics on beaches.

About half of staff at poultry plant in Norfolk have had to self-isolate after 75 tested positive for coronavirus

At least 400,000 chickens are being culled in the UK as Covid-19 infections disrupt slaughterhouse routines. About 300,000 birds are due to be culled in England and 110,000 have been culled in Scotland.

Chickens that cannot be slaughtered for food are usually gassed with CO2 and their bodies rendered for fat and other animal byproducts. They do not enter the food chain.

Continue reading...

Tesla founder Elon Musk has described hydrogen-powered cars as "mind-bogglingly stupid". So is he right? Jake Whitehead, Advance Queensland Industry Research Fellow & Tritum E-Mobility Fellow, The University of Queensland Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University Thomas Bräunl, Professor of Robotics; Director, WA Electric Vehicle Trial, University of Western Australia Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.