Energy

U.S. Approves Billions in Aid to Restart Michigan Nuclear Plant

06/10/24

Author:

Brad Plumer

Link:

New York Times

The Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan will reportedly be awarded a $1.5 billion federal loan, aimed at restarting operations after a 2022 closure. The federal funding could bolster state efforts to keep nuclear power on the grid, as leaders seek to transition to carbon-free electricity (Courtesy of The Herald-Palladium).

Sept. 30, 2024

No one has ever restarted an American nuclear reactor that was seemingly closed for good. But with electricity demand spiking, interest is growing.

The Energy Department said on Monday that it had finalized a $1.52 billion loan guarantee to help a company restart a shuttered nuclear plant in Michigan — the latest sign of rising government support for nuclear power.

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Lessons from Ancient Civilizations Keep Buildings Cool in Heatwaves

03/10/24

Author:

Adriana Zuniga-Teran

Link:

The Energy Mix

Oct. 3, 2024

Modern buildings tend to take electricity and air conditioning for granted. They often have glass façades and windows that can’t be opened. And when the power goes out for days in the middle of a heatwave, as the Houston area experienced in July 2024 after Hurricane Beryl, these buildings can become unbearable.

Yet, for millennia, civilizations knew how to shelter humans in hot and dry climates.

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Category:

'Alternative' energy and less energy

US Tech giants fight plan to make them pay more for electric grid upgrades

13/09/24

Author:

Caroline O'Donovan

Link:

Washington Post

Sept. 13, 2024

Negotiations between Big Tech and an Ohio power utility could set a national precedent as communities grapple with the energy demands of the data center boom.

A regulatory dispute in Ohio may help answer one of the toughest questions hanging over the nation’s power grid: Who will pay for the huge upgrades needed to meet soaring energy demand from the data centers powering the modern internet and artificial intelligence revolution?

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Physicist MV Ramana on the problem with nuclear power

05/09/24

Author:

Maya Goodfellow

Link:

The Guardian

MV Ramana says the nuclear energy industry only survives because of concerted government support. Photograph: Justin Man

Sept. 4, 2024

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'Alternative' energy and less energy

Six Things to Know about Rustad’s Chat with Jordan Peterson

05/09/24

Author:

Jen St. Denis

Link:

The Tyee

Jordan Peterson interviews BC Conservative Leader John Rustad. The interview was published on YouTube Monday. Screenshot via YouTube.

Sept. 5, 2024

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7 Steps to What a Real Renewable Energy Transition Looks Like

02/09/24

Author:

Richard Heinberg

Link:

Common Dreams

Wind turbine blades and connected photovoltaic panels are seen in the tidal flat wetland of Yancheng City, Jiangsu province, September 23, 2023. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Aug. 25, 2024

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'Alternative' energy and less energy

The Climate Crisis Solution Requires Global Class Struggle

02/08/24

Author:

Gareth Dale , GREENEUROPEANJOURNAL

Link:

Truthout

Striking public transport workers and activists from the Fridays For Future climate movement walk with flags during a protest on March 3, 2023 in Hanover, Germany. ALEXANDER KOERNER / GETTY IMAGES

July 28, 2024

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'Alternative' energy and less energy

Vancouver ditches gas ban for new buildings

28/07/24

Author:

Marc Fawcett-Atkinson

Link:

National Observer

Vancouver mayor Ken Sim and his ABC party have reversed Vancouver's much-lauded plan to phase out natural gas in new buildings. Photo by Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press

July 25, 2024

A group of conservative Vancouver city councillors have reversed the city's pioneering pro-climate measures restricting the use of natural gas in new buildings. Implemented in 2020, the rules made Vancouver the first Canadian municipality to restrict gas for climate reasons and inspired dozens of other local governments to do the same.

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Feeling the Heat: Capitalism and Global Warming

21/07/24

Author:

Marty Hart-Landsberg

Link:

The Bullet

July 21, 2024

We are in real trouble. Global carbon dioxide emissions (the main cause of global warming) continue to rise, hitting a new high in 2023. Last year was also the hottest in recorded history and, year by year, more Americans are feeling the consequences. Yet, we have seen only modest attempts to bring emissions down.

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'Alternative' energy and less energy

A.I.’s Insatiable Appetite for Energy

11/07/24

Author:

David Gelles

Link:

The New York Times

July 11, 2024

The soaring electricity demands of data centers and A.I. are straining the grid in some areas, pushing up emissions and slowing the energy transition.

A few weeks ago, I joined a small group of reporters for a wide-ranging conversation with Bill Gates about climate change, its causes and potential solutions. When the topic turned to the issue of just how much energy artificial intelligence was using, Gates was surprisingly sanguine.

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Category:

'Alternative' energy and less energy

Energy

No one has ever restarted an American nuclear reactor that was seemingly closed for good. But with electricity demand spiking, interest is growing.

Negotiations between Big Tech and an Ohio power utility could set a national precedent as communities grapple with the energy demands of the data center boom.

The soaring electricity demands of data centers and A.I. are straining the grid in some areas, pushing up emissions and slowing the energy transition.

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