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Cetacean exhibits same behaviour towards vessel in North Sea that has been seen in Iberian orca population

A yacht in the North Sea off Shetland was repeatedly rammed by an orca on Monday, in a concerning development following previous interactions between the cetaceans and vessels in the strait of Gibraltar and Portugal.

Dr Wim Rutten, a 72-year-old retired Dutch physicist and experienced yachtsperson, was sailing solo from Lerwick to Bergen in Norway. He was fishing for mackerel, with a single line off the back of the boat, when the orca suddenly appeared in the clear water, and hit the stern of the seven-ton boat.

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EUA prices plunged in mid-morning trading on Wednesday as new exchange data showed that speculative traders had almost entirely covered their net short position last week after prices had rallied by 17% in the two weeks ending on June 16, while energy markets responded by erasing early gains.

Taiwan's environmental regulator has proposed far-reaching revisions to the existing GHG emission inventory and registration management rules in preparation for the upcoming domestic carbon levy scheme.

A Japanese shipping giant has successfully completed a trial using liquefied bio-methane (LBM) derived from cattle manure as a marine fuel on a domestic vessel, marking Japan’s first use of carbon-neutral LBM derived from biomass, it announced Wednesday.

Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has announced the issuance of close to 1 million Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) once again, as it continues to clear the backlog of human-induced regeneration (HIR) projects awaiting to be credited.

Offset standard registry Verra has suspended a Cambodian REDD+ project and placed it under review based on stakeholder comments related to quality control.

Annual clean energy investments in emerging and developing economies will need to more than triple from the current level by the early 2030s to meet rising energy needs and align with the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement, a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has found. 

Energy company Orsted and green group WWF have launched a project to restore biogenic reefs in the North Sea in a bid to develop a globally replicable methodology while at the same time contributing to the company’s net positive biodiversity impact ambitions.

The Norwegian government has announced plans to open up an area of over 280,000 sq. km for commercial seabed mineral activities, in spite of stern warnings from scientists and green groups of potential severe consequences for marine biodiversity.

A pilot suggests $400-$800 in annual network upgrade savings for each EV owner who lets a third party control their charger.

The post Jemena sees big rewards for vehicle to grid services – big risks to unmanaged EV charging appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Citipower's Greg Hannan says DNSPs are looking at a future where batteries can often provide a cheaper alternative to traditional network services.

The post “We need more batteries:” Networks look beyond poles and wires for cheaper, smarter options appeared first on RenewEconomy.

The Australian government has committed A$30 million ($20 mln) in grant funding to ramp up domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production, and has launched an advisory council to help decarbonise the aviation sector, it announced Wednesday.

Patients exposed to dirty air spent four days longer in hospital, the same impact as if they had been a decade older

People exposed to air pollution experienced Covid-19 as if they were 10 years older, according to research. It found people recently exposed to dirtier air before contracting the illness spent four days longer in hospital, the same impact as on those 10 years their senior.

The Belgian study also showed that air pollution levels measured in patients’ blood were linked to a 36% increase in the risk of needing intensive care treatment. A separate study in Denmark showed air pollution exposure was linked to a 23% increase in the risk of death from Covid-19. In both studies, the level of air pollution was below legal EU standards.

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Currently, most hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels but the falling cost of renewables and growing demand for energy have added momentum for clean hydrogen. Ralph Cooney, Professor Emeritus in Advanced Materials, University of Auckland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Transgrid maps out path to 100 pct renewables, including need to modernise control rooms and technology to cope with "cognitive overload" of a new inverter based system.

The post “Cognitive overload:” Transgrid maps $16bn plan to modernise grid for 100 pct renewables appeared first on RenewEconomy.

All mammals produce milk. But there’s no milk quite like that produced by monotremes and marsupials. Here’s what’s so special about it. Hayley Stannard, Senior lecturer, Charles Sturt University Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Deep geothermal, the "sleeping giant of renewables," is stirring again in the UK with the launch of the first new project to come online since 1986.

The post New geothermal energy project comes online in UK, first in 37 years appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Monash University developed technology promises to deliver "cheaper, cleaner, faster" lithium – a critical mineral for battery technologies.

The post “Cleaner, cheaper, faster:” Australian tech promises dramatic boost to lithium production appeared first on RenewEconomy.

AGL COO urges governments to revive local manufacturing to prevent ports being choked with energy parts imports, and cited rising costs in wind energy and battery storage.

The post AGL says Australia must build its own wind and solar components as costs rise, ports choked appeared first on RenewEconomy.

An Australian parliamentary inquiry has recommended the government ratify amendments to the London Protocol, which would allow companies to transport and store CO2 across international boundaries, a crucial regulatory milestone for CCS project developers.