@wil_sillen
Wil Sillen
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AANPOTEN is a concept conceived by friends Ruurd Jelle van der Leij and Ruben Hein to aid in the restoration of biodiversity in the Netherlands through a straightforward approach. This involves planting indigenous shrubs and trees in areas where they are needed, while also providing a transparent platform for donations, which also serve to offset CO2 emissions. All contributions are directly allocated to the acquisition of plants and to cover the expenses of volunteers, such as travel costs for plant delivery. It is important to note that this is a non-profit initiative. In our envisioned future, we imagine a network of small nature reserves throughout the Netherlands, serving as catalysts for biodiversity. These would be autonomously managed by private individuals, farmers, and landowners. There is a significant amount of work to be done in the Netherlands regarding nature restoration, which, in our view, is progressing too slowly. BOUNDLESS APPLICATION To restore Dutch nature, we must also safeguard European nature. Hence, we have initiated a new division: Boundless Application. Nature knows no boundaries; a forest in the Netherlands continues beyond the German border. Similarly, a redwing that nests in Estonia may find its way to your garden in the winter. For nature, Europe has always been united. [1]: Aanpoten - Ruurd Jelle van der Leij https://www.rjvanderleij.nl/aanpoten/ "" [2]: Home | Biodiversityxl https://www.biodiversityxl.nl/ "" [3]: Stichting AANPOTEN - Nu aanpotenKVK: 91491959RSIN: 865670122 https://aanpoten.nu/stichting-aanpoten/ "" [1]: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/nature-restoration-law_en "" [2]: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/11/09/nature-restoration-council-and-parliament-reach-agreement-on-new-rules-to-restore-and-preserve-degraded-habitats-in-the-eu/pdf "" [3]: https://www.europarc.org/news/2024/02/the-eu-parliament-adopted-the-nature-restoration-regulation/ "" [4]: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI %282022%29738183 "" [5]: https://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/env/items/792884/en "" [6]: https://www.boundlessinitiative.com/ "" [7]: https://www.boundless.org/relationships/take-initiative/ "" [8]: https://www.boundlessconservation.org/ "" However, European legislation still has a considerable distance to go. The wavering of the European Nature Restoration Act puts both existing and emerging natural environments at risk. A mere shift in political leadership could easily alter the (protected) status of nature, rendering it susceptible. In response, we are proactively addressing the issue. We are launching a new subsidiary: Boundless Aanpoot!
Aanpoten - Ruurd Jelle van der Leij
https://www.rjvanderleij.nl/aanpoten/
Wil Sillen
5 d
Bricks made from seaweed! Sargablocks! Sargablock is a building material made from sargassum seaweed, brown algae that wash up on Caribbean beaches and cause a lot of nuisance and costs. Omar Vasquez started working on a solution to this in 2015 when sargassum seaweed first washed up on the shores of the Riviera Maya. Where others saw a problem, he saw an opportunity to turn it into his own sustainable solution, including putting people who need it most at the service. He began collecting sargassum seaweed to use as fertilizer for his business, Blue-Green Nursery, and sold it in small quantities to his customers. Soon he was getting permits, and within a year he was employing about 300 families to clean the beaches for local hotels and resorts. But then it occurred to him that sargassum seaweed could be turned into building blocks, as it was already being used to make products such as plates and other things. Inspired by the memory of his family's small mud house, he developed Sargablock, a brick made from the sargassum seaweed that spoils the beaches between April and October. He adapted a machine to make bricks, with a mix of 40% sargassum and 60% other organic materials and turned them into Sargablocks. The machine can produce 1,000 blocks per day, and after four hours of baking in the sun, they are dried and ready to use. After Casa Angelita was built, the first sargassum house named after his mother, Sargablock became one of the first seaweed projects in his state of Quintana Roo. From there, he was determined to use sargassum seaweed as a low-cost building material to build affordable housing in the Riviera Maya so that families can live in their own homes. Now there is a first craft factory in Mahahual, a tourist town where there is a dock for cruise ships, and where jobs are created. A sargassum house can last for 120 years, and 10 houses are built that are donated to underprivileged families. His vision goes beyond making a profit. He would like to see a country where local entrepreneurs thrive, sustainable businesses are created that give back to their communities. People from countries such as Belize, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Malaysia, and the United States contact him for help. They are all hit harder every day by the seaweed that washes up on their beaches. It may be nature's way of telling us that seas need to be protected. An inspiring example of sustainable innovation! https://youtu.be/2fXiboAGQvM
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Amazing innovation and a great way of utilising nuisance waste
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Absolutely innovative
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I love it when waste is turned into resources.
Wil Sillen
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In ten years' time, 7,100 square kilometers (!) of arid area have been added in Spain. That corresponds to a piece of land the size of half of Flanders on which no crops grow anymore. In the ten years before that, 'only' 307 square kilometers of dead earth were added. 'Desalination' is the new magic word in the fight against the advancing desertification around the Mediterranean Sea. But it won't really save Europe's vegetable garden. Harvesting water = new innovation We need to soften, drain agricultural land less or smarter, plant more vegetation in those places to retain water. Now we're getting it wrong three times. It is crazy to first let fresh water flow to the sea and then incur costs to extract it again and leave a lot of chemical waste behind. Is drought really a problem with all that water in the sea? https://lnkd.in/e-5whgUW
This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn
https://lnkd.in/e-5whgUW
Wil Sillen
7 w
Eneco has submitted the application for the permit for the construction of the 'Eneco #Electrolyzer'. With this 800 MW green hydrogen plant, the target of 2.5 GW of green hydrogen production in Rotterdam by 2030 is a big step closer. The Eneco Electrolyzer will use green electricity from solar and wind farms to make the #waterstof. With this #H2, which does not involve fossil fuels, the industry can make processes and products more sustainable. The largest European hydrogen plant, Holland Hydrogen 1, weighing 200 MW, is currently being built at the conversion park on the Maasvlakte. Three more similar projects are planned at this location. The second conversion farm on the Maasvlakte has been reserved for the winner of the tender for the IJmuiden-ver wind farm, where there is room for a 1,000 MW hydrogen plant. At its own location, Uniper power plant has planned a hydrogen plant that can scale up to 500 MW.
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Rotterdam going green! ♻️ This massive electrolyzer is a big step towards clean energy.
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Great to see Eneco leading the role of adopting green hydrogen
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Green hydrogen is the way 💚
Wil Sillen
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The Noella Environmental Education science comic series dedicates its efforts towards the enrichment of early childhood education on climate change issues, in collaboration with distinguished university researchers from across the globe. This distinctive series offers a simultaneously entertaining and educational approach to engaging children with complex subjects. Each project involves an intensive creation process spanning between six to eight months that culminates in high-quality content, recognized and endorsed by both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and ActNow initiatives. Our renowned university's scientific comic series tackles key worldwide issues such as nuclear energy, renewables, carbon capture, hydropower, deforestation, and sea-level rise. Designed for young minds, it cleverly uses QR codes, interactive games, and vivid aids, making tough topics accessible and simplifying English learning through an engaging educational experience. The Noella Environmental Education Program stands out as an excellent educational experience, packed with dynamic activities that foster children's intellectual growth. We offer a wide range of activities including interactive games, various board exercises, and physical activities, both inside and outside. Our focus is on making learning about key topics enjoyable and stimulating. https://infinityeightproductions.com/noella
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This is exactly what we need to get younger generations involved in protecting our planet!
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Noella environmental education is such a good system that will help raise our kids with knowledge about climate change issues .Such organization which offers climate change education will help our kids to be the future voices
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This is a commendable initiative that focuses on nurturing young minds with valuable knowledge about the environment. It plays a crucial role in shaping the environmental consciousness of children from an early age.
Wil Sillen
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The Nature Restoration Act of former European Commissioner Frans Timmermans has now actually been adopted in the European Parliament. Although it seemed that the European Christian Democrats would vote against, the law ultimately survived. It was already difficult to reach an agreement on the law last year. There was considerable negotiation and refinement of the content, and the Netherlands even initially voted against. Ultimately, the Nature Restoration Act narrowly passed the European Parliament. Today the Nature Restoration Act had to be voted on again. Normally this is ceremonial in nature and nothing exciting happens. But because MEPs from the European People's Party yesterday called for a vote against the law, the vote turned out to be a nail-biter. Ultimately, 329 MPs voted in favor and 275 against. Bad state The weakened version of the law that the European Parliament adopted is intended to restore European nature. 80 percent of our nature is in poor condition. The aim of the law is that 30 percent of the damaged nature reserves will have a recovery plan by 2030. By 2050, this should be the case for 90 percent of nature reserves. But what will happen now? We list the main features of the law. Restore nature reserves Not only the so-called Natura 2000 areas will be protected in the bill, this will also apply to other nature such as forests and peat areas. This must be done, among other things, by improving air, soil and water quality. But, as is the case with almost all parts of the law, how exactly this should be done is still unclear. Agriculture more biodiverse Agricultural areas have become poor in animal and insect species due to monoculture and the use of pesticides. Agricultural ecosystems must become more biodiverse again. The number of insects and meadow birds must increase, and original landscape elements must be restored. This should make the agricultural sector more resilient to climate change and thus guarantee food security. Pollinators protected The law specifically provides for better protection of pollinators such as bees and butterflies. These species have experienced massive population declines in recent decades. They contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity in nature reserves and to the pollination of agricultural crops. The EU states that €5 billion of annual agricultural production is directly attributable to these flying helpers. Rivers free play Most European rivers have been 'tamed' in recent centuries, meaning they no longer run freely. The Nature Restoration Act aims to reverse this trend and give rivers more space. The uninterrupted flow of rivers creates more biodiversity underwater, while the periodic flooding of areas of land next to rivers creates a rich and varied landscape on the banks. Cities greener The Nature Restoration Act also focuses on greening cities. In addition to promoting biodiversity, urban greenery also provides shade. The cooling effect of trees makes cities more resilient to a warming climate. Cities will soon be allowed to have no net loss of trees. This means that if a tree is cut down, a new one must be planted elsewhere. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/nature-restoration-law_en
The EU #NatureRestoration Law
The European Commission’s proposal for a Nature Restoration Law is the first continent-wide, comprehensive law of its kind. #GenerationRestoration #EUBiodiversity
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/nature-restoration-law_en
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Thrilled to see the #EuropeanNatureRestorationAct finally adopted! This is a crucial step towards restoring our precious ecosystems and combating #ClimateChange.
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These news are fascinating; the nature restoration will boost the effort of curbing climate change.
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this is some good news... the adoption of the act is well overdue but at least they have actualized it finally... the restoration of nature will boost the efforts of curbing climate change through nature-based solutions which will go a long way in making the intended impact in our planet
Wil Sillen
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Creative with coffee grounds: these Dutch companies already are By: Hannah van der Korput Every year, 100 million kilos of coffee grounds end up as residual waste. These Dutch companies do not see coffee grounds as waste, but as a raw material. They collect it and give the residual flow a new purpose. The Dutch are coffee lovers. And from all those cups of coffee, a huge amount of coffee grounds remains. For every kilo of beans, you get 2.5 kilos of coffee grounds back. This often ends up in the incinerator, while with a little imagination and good will many applications are possible. The following Dutch companies are already creative with coffee grounds. Biogas Circle of Beans from Ede transforms coffee grounds into biogas. This is done through fermentation, co-founder Patrick Koster said earlier. “When we bring fresh coffee to our customers, we immediately take back the collected coffee grounds and put them in a reactor. This is where the process from which biogases are created takes place. It was quite a search to find the right bacterial culture, temperature and filtration to break down the coffee grounds and turn it into biogas; mono-fermentation is really top sport.” The company roasts the coffee beans it sells itself. This is done with a coffee roaster that is fired by biogas. In addition, the gas from the coffee grounds is used as fuel. “Our vans also run on coffee grounds. This is pumped into the car with a hose.” And then coffee has another residual flow: coffee pulp. Circle of Beans also wants to find a solution for this. “Nothing is usually done with the coffee pulp that remains in countries of origin. That goes into the air as CO2 and then it really flows into millions. We have made a design to put that pulp back into a similar (local) digester. We turn this into a lot of energy (CNG) that local farmers can use for their vans and high-quality fertilizers, so that plastic is no longer needed," says Koster. Cups, notebooks and lamps Gorinchem Coffee Based prevents coffee grounds from disappearing into the incinerator. Instead, it makes circular products. For example, the coffee grounds are used to make notebooks, but biobased cups are also possible. The grounds from two cups of coffee are enough to make one reusable cup. Coffee Based also makes lampshades, plant pots and even entire furniture from the remains of coffee. The company collects the coffee grounds for a surcharge from various parties such as Leiden University, Tennet and the municipality of Gouda. A special coffee grounds collection bin is placed on location. When it is full, the container is exchanged for a clean one. Part of the surcharge is returned to the partners as store credit. They can buy products made from their own coffee grounds at a discount. Oyster mushroom snacks GRO uses coffee grounds to grow oyster mushrooms. Founder Jan Willem Bosman Jansen discovered in Zimbabwe that oyster mushrooms grow well on the waste from coffee plantations. He successfully copied the concept to the Netherlands. The oyster mushrooms grow on substrate blocks in which the coffee grounds are processed. The share of coffee grounds accounts for about 25 percent. The remaining 75 percent consists of residual flows from agriculture such as wood flour, hay and natural gypsum. GRO then processes the oyster mushrooms into vegetarian snacks such as croquettes, bitterballen and oyster mushroom burgers. The products are available from wholesalers Sligro and Hanos. They are also supplied to various caterers and catering establishments. General Manager Wouter Muis recently said: “We turn coffee grounds, which is waste for many companies, into something useful. Parties that provide us with coffee grounds can then purchase products grown from their own residual flows. That idea is catching on.” https://coffeebased.nl/
Coffeebased - van koffiedik naar biobased producten
Coffeebased - van koffiedik naar biobased producten - relatiegeschenken, promotionele artikelen, cadeau's & bijzondere producten.
https://coffeebased.nl/
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This is an approach that really goes to great lengths to cut wastage in the coffee sector. I only wish others will adopt this method to ensure after coffee production, we can get more use out of the coffee grounds.
Wil Sillen
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Super-concentrated sunlight delivers significant energy savings thanks to innovation from Houten, the Netherlands. By: Teun Schröder Anyone who searches for images of concentrated solar plants (CSP) will soon arrive at pictures of vast sandy plains where hundreds of solar mirrors circle a central tower. But thanks to a unique design and a lot of geometric puzzling, a CSP can also work very well in the less sunny Netherlands, shows Suncom Energy from Houten. The seed was planted by Henk Arntz, founder of Suncom, during a business trip for his former employer McKinsey. Arntz walked from a heavily air-conditioned airport, to a sun-drenched Houston (temperature 35 degrees), back into the cold of the hotel. “While I was sneezing in the lobby, I looked outside at the glass blocks where the sun was baking,” says Arntz. “Then I thought: what if we could put all that heat to good use.” 550 degrees It was the moment when his mechanical engineering studies at TU Eindhoven were resumed. Arntz soon arrived at a construction of mirrors that heated a liquid in a pipe with concentrated sunlight. “Similar to how you use sunlight and a magnifying glass to make a fire. After I had calculated everything geometrically, I started working on a scale model in the attic. Then I managed to create a system with which I reached a temperature of 550 degrees.” What is a CSP? A concentrated solar plant (CSP) is a collection of many mirrors arranged in circles around a central point. The mirrors reflect light to a central tower where it is converted into heat. The heat is then used, for example, to turn a steam turbine that produces electricity. Liquid Suncom's CSP does not consist of mirrors aimed at a central tower. Instead, the focus of sunlight is directed onto a square pipe mounted just in front of the mirrors. A liquid flows through this pipe and is heated. The warm liquid then flows to a central thermal storage. Smart software ensures that the mirrors follow the path of the sun very precisely throughout the day. Provide heat Initially, Arntz wanted to supply electricity with his system. “But then the war in Ukraine started. The price of gas went through the roof. So it became interesting to supply heat rather than electricity. You can store heat for a very long time and cheaply and then supply it. This is how the first CSP installation in the Netherlands came about.” Up to 425 degrees Suncom's offering now consists of two different products. The first is Sunfleet H100. This system has solar mirrors (SunArcs) that are connected to a water-based thermal energy storage. This allows a temperature of up to 100 degrees to be reached. Suncom also has the Sunfleet H425. This system has an energy storage that works with a type of oil instead of water. This allows the temperature in the thermal storage to rise to 425 degrees. This makes this variant suitable for industrial processes that require higher temperatures. Depending on the sun But regardless of which system you choose, they both depend on an essential component: the sun. “If it is cloudy, the thermal storage obviously does not heat up,” says Arntz. But that doesn't mean the system doesn't work. There are various radars that you can turn. “We want to know from a customer what his daily energy consumption is and at what times of the day or week his peak load is. We can then calculate how many SunArcs and storage capacity such a party needs.” The storage systems cool down approximately one degree per day. So once warmed by the sun, you can draw heat from it for a long time. “Ultimately, the configuration of systems is different for every customer. We see our solution as an addition to the current energy system, not as a replacement.” Land available According to Arntz, a very large part of the industry can already be captured with the current temperature range of both systems. “We see a lot of potential in the food industry and paper production. But also in agriculture, for example. These are all major consumers of heat. The big advantage of farms is that they have land available for our installation. CSP in Brabant Suncom is currently completing the installation of a full-fledged Sunfleet H100 system at its first customer in the Netherlands. Fifty solar arcs, a buffer tank in combination with a heat pump will replace a pellet boiler on a farm in Brabant. Suncom expects to generate approximately 460,000 kilowatt hours annually with the system. For comparison, an average family uses about 2,500 kilowatt hours. “We are also working on a project in Spain with a food manufacturer,” says Arntz. “We see a lot of potential in countries where there is a lot of sun, space and industry. If our installation is connected to the factory in Spain, we can meet roughly three quarters of the heat demand. Then we can really take significant bites out of the heat demand that is normally generated with fossil energy.” https://suncom-energy.com/
Suncom Energy
https://suncom-energy.com/
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This is why I love this app. I am always learning something new. This is a great innovation.
Wil Sillen
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We have a 'Green Finance Hole': As much as €406 billion extra must be invested annually to achieve the European climate goals for 2030. Although green investments have increased in recent years, they currently lag behind the 2030 target, the researchers found. According to research by the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE), at least €813 billion is needed annually across 22 economic sectors to achieve the EU's climate target of -55% by 2030. According to I4CE, closing the Green Finance Hole requires a comprehensive approach with regulations, a higher CO2 price and greater government investment in climate. 💸 This is of course a lot of money, but the costs of inaction are about 4 times greater than the costs of ambitious climate policy! Read more about the report here: https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/extra-e406bn-needed-annually-to-hit-eus-2030-climate-target-report/ #climate #sustainability
Extra €406bn needed annually to hit EU’s 2030 climate target: report
Even though green investments have gained momentum in recent years, a gap of €406 billion remains to be filled annually in order to meet the EU’s 2030 climate goals, according to new research published on Wednesday (21 February).
https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/extra-e406bn-needed-annually-to-hit-eus-2030-climate-target-report/
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These funds can be accessed from fossil fuel subsidies that countries fund all the time and do not seem to run out of money. We have to take the right step at these stages to ensure renewable energy succeeds
Wil Sillen
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Not the End of the World by Hannah Ritchie review – an optimist’s guide to the climate crisis This book is full of pragmatic, hopeful solutions to environmental challenges. But is there something missing? By: Bibi van der Zee Data scientist Hannah Ritchie has written a good-hearted, generous book that tries its very best to reassure us about the various environmental crises we face. Which, obviously, is much appreciated: God knows we need all the optimism we can get. Ritchie is lead researcher at the groundbreaking Our World in Data, a website run out of Oxford University. She begins by describing the moment of revelation she experienced when, after years of feeling helpless and anxious about the state of things, she discovered the Swedish professor Hans Rosling, and “everything changed”. Rosling, who died in 2017, was one of what you might call the “big optimists”, alongside cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker. Like Pinker, he tried to present a counterpoint to the creeping sense of global doominess – what he called the “overdramatic worldview” – that has overtaken many of us in the past couple of decades. He argued, with plenty of good evidence to back it up, that poverty was declining, global health improving, and that many of the things we thought were wrong with the planet are actually fine. Rosling’s positive outlook proved infectious for Ritchie, and she reoriented her work in a similar direction. With this book she wants to do for environmental problems what Rosling did for social ones – zoom out from the daily news stories, which are a “terrible way to understand the bigger picture”, look at the long-term data in order to get a clearer view of what is really going on, and then explain that to people. “If we take several steps back, we can see something truly radical, game-changing and life-giving: humanity is in a truly unique position to build a sustainable world,” she writes. And thus, with some sensible caveats in place, she addresses air pollution, climate change, deforestation, food, biodiversity loss, ocean plastics and overfishing. I would love to say that I came away from this book as convinced and optimistic as Ritchie. I was genuinely excited about reading it, as someone who spends my days editing and commissioning the daily news stories that Ritchie is so concerned about. And it’s certainly true that there is lots of interesting information in here. In the chapter about deforestation, for example, she explains that palm oil is actually an extremely productive crop, with yields of 2.8 tonnes of oil per hectare compared with, say, 0.34 tonnes for olives, 0.26 tonnes for coconuts and 0.7 tonnes for sunflowers – so if companies turned to alternatives because of palm oil’s bad reputation, that could actually lead to far more deforestation. In the same chapter she presents a wonderful graph showing the way that forests have come and gone in the US, France and Scotland over the past 1,200 years. In the section about climate change she points out that her carbon footprint is on average smaller than her grandmother’s: when her grandparents were in their 20s the average footprint was 11 tonnes of CO2 per year – and it’s now just five, thanks to the way that the UK’s carbon emissions have gone down in the past 30 years. The chapter about food and the problems caused by farming (Ritchie’s specialism) includes the interesting observation that the world has most probably passed or will soon pass peak land-use for agriculture. “That is … momentous,” says Ritchie. “The world’s wildlife has been waiting thousands of years for us to stop expanding.” She is incisive about the damage caused by the amount of meat and dairy we consume. She brings this pragmatic approach to bear on possible solutions for each challenge, and every chapter includes a list of actions that would make a difference. On farming, for example, we need to improve crop yields around the world, eat less meat, invest in meat substitutes, replace dairy with plant-based alternatives, and waste less food. But although it’s helpful to gather these remedies, many of them are familiar. And Ritchie’s determinedly upbeat tone when presenting them – “we just need to put a price on carbon and make sure the rich pay most”, she writes, as if environmentalists have not been fighting to achieve these measures for decades – can be infuriating; at points my notes in the margin became fairly exasperated. Most frustratingly, although Ritchie provides recommendations for specific problems, she doesn’t tackle the things that really keep me awake at night: the domestic and geopolitical barriers, together with the inbuilt biases and quirks of our brains, that combine to make environmental issues so difficult to address. We know now that humans don’t like to give things up; we are afraid of losing what we already have and afraid of change. We are brilliant at inventing things and making great leaps of imagination, but we are terrible at looking into the future, and at understanding the risks attached to those inventions. This applies equally to world leaders and business executives. Of course the heads of huge fossil fuel companies and petro-states are going to be reluctant to give up the things that make them rich and keep them in power, something we saw play out again at Cop28 in Dubai. For many of us, it seems as though the wealthiest people in the world are constructing a different universe, with their own taxes and banks and legal systems, and they will not be handing their private jets over either, thank you very much. Yes, vast numbers of us do want to work towards the beautiful sustainable society that Ritchie has in mind. But there are other groups, fuelled by anger or fear or greed, that really do not, and Ritchie does not suggest any tools we can use to get round that colossal obstacle. I understand that it is beyond the scope of her book, beyond the power of most of us, even. But it seems bonkers not to even mention it. She doesn’t really touch on tipping points, either – the idea that there may be thresholds beyond which we encounter abrupt and irreversible climate change. Some of the weather records broken this year, for example, have taken even climate scientists by surprise. We don’t actually know for sure how the huge changes we are making to the atmosphere will play out, and nature is not particularly interested in our political timetables. Ritchie’s book is extremely useful as far as it goes, and we urgently need her and people like her – optimists who’ll say: you know what, we can turn this around; look at these numbers, look at these solutions. But we need the pessimists too; the climate scientists, journalists, activists and even artists with Rosling’s “overdramatic worldview”. It’s important not to discount the upside, but we also have to keep the worst possibilities in mind. We need people who will carry on frantically waving red flags, trying to warn us all of what could be coming. Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to Build a Sustainable Planet is published by Vintage (£18.99). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at https://guardianbookshop.com . From Friday 8 December 2023 to Wednesday 10 January 2024, 20p from every Guardian Bookshop order will support the Guardian and Observer’s charity appeal 2023.
Wil Sillen
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The Netherlands is now also world champion in solar energy By: André Oerlemans We were already a leader in Europe, but since this year the Netherlands has also become world champion in solar energy. In 2023, 4.8 gigawatts of capacity would be added. As a result, the Netherlands now has a capacity of 24.4 gigawatts. That is 1,386 watts or 3.5 solar panels per inhabitant, which is the highest in the entire world. This is evident from the National Solar Trend Report 2024 from Dutch New Energy Research (DNE Research). With this average, the Netherlands has passed Australia in the world rankings. According to the report, the growth is entirely due to the first half of 2023. In the second half, growth turned to contraction. Industry organization SolarPower Europe previously reported that 4.1 gigawatts of solar energy capacity were added in the Netherlands last year. The growth therefore appears to have been even greater. Record solar panel consumers Last year, citizens installed a record 2.55 gigawatts of solar panels on their roofs. That is 17 percent more than in 2022, the previous record year. Growth was also strong in the business segment at 2.25 gigawatts. Since 2019, both markets have tripled in size. As a result, the Netherlands now belongs to the absolute world top. More solar panels on homes Dutch grid operators also saw the number of solar panels on homes increase by 30 percent last year. The number of houses with solar panels increased from 2 million in 2022 to 2.6 million in 2023. A third of all Dutch homes now have solar panels on the roof. But the grid operators also saw that growth slowed in the second half of the year. Shrinkage threatens Projects for constructing solar parks and installing solar panels on company roofs are becoming increasingly difficult, DNE Research notes. This is due to fluctuating prices for materials, high interest rates and problems with grid congestion, which prevent connections to the grid. Due to the energy crisis, private individuals purchased more solar panels than ever in the first half of 2023. Due to negative reports and the impending abolition of the netting scheme for consumers (which allows them to deduct their returned solar power from their energy bill), the growing market for households turned around in the second half of the year. DNE Research expects that this contraction will continue across the entire solar energy sector over the next three years without additional policy and innovation. New policy needed “The growth that the Dutch solar energy sector has experienced in recent years is not self-evident,” says Daan Jansen, principal researcher at DNE Research. “Smart projects and developments are therefore needed in both the residential and business segments that can deliver a lot of value with little grid capacity. Innovative projects and appropriate policies are needed to maintain momentum.” More growth needed Further growth in solar energy is necessary to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. According to the National Energy System Plan, the Netherlands needs a capacity of 59 gigawatts in 2030, 98 gigawatts in 2035 and a total of 172 gigawatts in 2050. To achieve this, an annual growth of 5 to 8 gigawatts of solar energy is required, more than in the past year. “We must make our energy system further sustainable, further reduce energy costs and we must become more independent from countries on which we do not want to be dependent. With smart, innovative solutions, we as a sector will ensure that our energy system becomes truly clean and cheap. Yes, it will be exciting, but few people would have thought possible that the Netherlands would become world champion in solar energy," says Wijnand van Hooff, general manager of Holland Solar.
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I hope this reduces the cost of power for the people over there
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This is absolutely amazing!
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Great!
Wil Sillen
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On to the next crisis - Water Quality 2027. A story about how I use nature to my advantage for water purification. By Jeroen Nederveen In 2027, our rivers, ponds, lakes and all other water locations must meet new strict quality requirements. However, this will not be possible given the current state of how we purify water and how we deal with our waste. And so I included 1 of my inventions as a solution in my Master Plan, namely: Thermal vacuum osmosis (TVO) - A method to separate water molecules from things such as salt, other minerals and waste products using only solar energy (heat + electricity). Including hydrocarbons and medicine residues, so that only pure water remains. At a cost of 0.02 euros per 1000 liters of water. For the observant reader, Thermal Vacuum Osmosis is a neat word for distillation. And distillation normally costs a lot of energy and is therefore not the cheapest way of water purification. My secret to making distillation cost-effective is twofold. • I have found a way to reuse 90%+ of the heat used for distillation. • And I found a method to maintain the vacuum without using extra energy. My technical approach to TVO ensures that after the system has been started (priming the system), the only energy required to maintain the purification system is solar heat and the electricity from the water pump. Combine this with solar heat storage, photoelectric solar panels and battery storage and you can make pure and clean drinking water 24/7 off grid. I devised this system at the time as an alternative to the wells in Africa. And this system is also the foundation of the water supply for the tree plantations needed for the wood for housing construction. Everything in my Master Plan is connected. And this is just one of the (technical) innovations included in the plan.
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This narrative introduces a visionary approach to water purification in the face of impending strict quality requirements for water bodies in 2027. The author presents Thermal Vacuum Osmosis (TVO), a cost-effective method that utilizes solar energy for distillation, separating water molecules from contaminants. The emphasis on reusing heat and maintaining a vacuum without extra energy demonstrates a sustainable and innovative solution to water purification. The connection between this technology and broader goals, such as providing clean drinking water off-grid and supporting tree plantations for housing construction, adds depth to the proposed Master Plan. Overall, the narrative showcases a comprehensive and interconnected approach to addressing water quality challenges in the future.
Wil Sillen
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IEA: strong growth in renewable energy, but not yet enough By: Sebastian Maks The most recent climate summit in Dubai concluded with an agreement to triple the global renewable energy capacity by the end of this decade. Reason for the International Energy Agency (IEA) to take stock. New forecasts show that sustainable energy is developing positively, but that additional measures are needed to achieve the COP target. Over the past two decades, not a year has gone by in which the increase in renewable energy did not break records. 2023 stands head and shoulders above that. Nearly 510 gigawatts of green energy capacity was added worldwide, 50 percent more than a year earlier. The International Energy Agency shared these figures, along with forecasts until the year 2028, in a new report. 2.5 times as much green energy in 2030 With current policy packages and under current market conditions, it appears that global renewable energy capacity will reach 7,300 gigawatts by 2028. If that line is continued, it indicates 2.5 times as much green energy capacity in 2030 compared to current values. Considerable growth, but not enough to achieve the COP28 goal. According to the IEA, this is due to four hurdles, which must be removed. First, the lack of appropriate policies to overcome certain macroeconomic challenges, such as inflation. Administrative procedures also delay the construction of new green energy capacity. Third, financing for expanding electricity grids is inadequate. In addition, too little money would flow to developing countries. The IEA emphasizes that 90 percent of all green energy is generated in G20 countries. However, this does not mean that emerging economies cannot contribute to the COP target. China blinks in the sun Three-quarters of renewable energy growth in 2023 was due to solar energy. That sector made great leaps, which led to a surplus of solar panels. The price of solar panels plummeted by around 50 percent compared to 2022. The IEA researchers expect global solar energy capacity to reach around 1,100 gigawatts by the end of 2024, with a forecast supply three times higher than the question. Solar energy has been particularly beneficial to China. The country is expected to meet all its 2030 production targets this year, six years ahead. In 2023, China alone built as much solar energy capacity as the entire world did in 2022. By far the largest part of the global production chains of solar panels is located in China; it is estimated that around 80 to 95 percent. This is expected to remain the case until at least 2028, as the introduction of (more expensive) local production in Europe and the United States will increase the price of solar panels. Wind farms face problems Although the global capacity of wind energy also increased, the sector faced problems. Especially in Europe and North America, higher costs due to inflation, long licensing procedures and problems in the production chains threw a spanner in the works. The problems mainly affected offshore wind farms. The IEA describes that 15 gigawatts of offshore wind farms were canceled or postponed in the United Kingdom and the United States last year. China, on the other hand, is once again doing well. There, the growth of wind energy increased by 66 percent. Brazilian biofuels While the renewable energy market is dominated by G20 countries, emerging economies are responsible for the growth of biofuels. With Brazil leading the way, developing countries are expected to be responsible for 70 percent of the demand for biofuels in 2028. These biofuels are mainly used for road transport. Although biofuel growth is increasing (30 percent faster than in the past five years), it is not enough to guarantee net zero emissions by 2050, the IEA said. For example, 8 percent of aviation fuel must be sustainable. If we continue at the current rate, this percentage will remain at just 1 percent. According to the researchers, the solution lies, unsurprisingly, in stricter policies. Growth of heat pumps Finally, the IEA indicates that sustainable heat (for example from heat pumps) is experiencing steady growth. An increase of 40 percent is expected by 2028, with the share of sustainable heat growing from 13 percent to 17 percent of total global heat consumption. This is also substandard, the researchers warn. If stricter policies are not introduced, it is quite possible that the heating sector will consume more than a fifth of the remaining global carbon budget (the amount of CO2 that may be emitted to meet the Paris climate goals) between now and 2028.
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We're making considerable steps in the right direction but more is required and more is expected to happen in the future
Wil Sillen
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In South Korea, desalination of seawater and CO2 capture go hand in hand By: Kaz Schonebeek The American-New Zealand start-up Capture6 has signed a cooperation agreement with the Korean state water company K-water. They are working on a factory that desalinates seawater and removes CO2 from the air. Capture6 and K-water will start work at the Daesan Petrochemical Complex, one of the largest chemical parks in South Korea. The petrochemical industry processes oil and gas to make gasoline, polymers and plastics. Processes that release a lot of CO2. The region has also experienced major droughts in recent years. To meet water demand, K-water desalinates seawater to produce drinking water and water for industrial processes. Brine and chalky minerals Combining water desalination and CO2 capture in one facility should alleviate the harmful effects of both the petrochemical industry and desalination plants. Brine water is created when seawater is desalinated. This very salty water is now discharged back into the sea, which is bad for marine life. Capture6 uses the brine water as a raw material for its Direct Air Caption technology. With 'Direct Air Caption', CO2 is removed from the atmosphere by passing air past a chemical substance. This substance binds CO2. This is mixed with calcium, creating a chalky mineral. These solid chunks of carbon can be used, for example as building material, or buried underground. Clean water and chemicals used by the petrochemical industry are produced as by-products. Capturing and emitting CO2 What is somewhat unfortunate is that the desalination plant and the Direct Air Caption system consume a lot of electricity. South Korea is heavily dependent on coal and natural gas for electricity production and is at the bottom of global lists for generating renewable energy. The capture process itself therefore creates a significant amount of new CO2 in the atmosphere. This means that part of the climate gain is somewhat negated. The parties want to have a facility that will remove 500,000 tons of CO2 from the air every year by 2026 at the latest. This will make the installation the largest of its kind in Asia. https://capture6.org/
Affordable Direct Air Capture at Scale | Capture6
We offer permanent million-ton direct air capture installations – solutions that are safe, permanent, to benefit people and the planet. Learn more.
https://capture6.org/
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This is a great technological idea.
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This South Korean efficiency in desalination and carbon capture is an idea worth exploring by other nations
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The notable increase in global renewable energy capacity, as reported by the International Energy Agency (IEA), is undeniably a step in the right direction. The addition of nearly 510 gigawatts in 2023 and the ambitious aim to triple global renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade are commendable efforts in the fight against climate change. The positive projections until 2028 reflect the momentum building in the renewable energy sector.
Wil Sillen
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VoltH2 will start building the first green hydrogen factories after the summer By: André Oerlemans VoltH2 will start building its first two green hydrogen factories in Vlissingen and Terneuzen after the summer. In the coming years, the Dutch company wants to build six factories in the Netherlands and Germany that will eventually be able to produce more than 40,000 tons (500 megawatts) of green hydrogen. The factories will use green energy from offshore wind farms. Just before the summer, VoltH2 wants to make the final investment decision for Terneuzen. After the summer for Vlissingen. Construction will start approximately a quarter later. The factories should be operational and supply the first green hydrogen by early 2026. Both installations will be located in a port area and will initially produce 2,000 tons (25 megawatts) of hydrogen, but can be scaled up to a maximum of 10,000 tons (125 megawatts). Modest production That seems like a lot, but it is not, says VoltH2 director André Jurres. “Production is still quite modest. For comparison: the Netherlands alone uses 1.5 million tons of gray hydrogen per year. So the contribution of green hydrogen will be quite small in the beginning. It is an important step because we are paving the way for others to also make investments, but still modestly,” he says. Delfzijl and Germany After Vlissingen and Terneuzen, VoltH2 wants to build a third, larger factory in Delfzijl in 2025, in the port and industrial area of Groningen Seaports. From the start, it has a capacity of 4,000 tons (50 megawatts). Furthermore, three factories are planned in Germany, the first of which will be built in Essen in the Ruhr area in 2025. It will supply hydrogen to filling stations. Green hydrogen in the Netherlands will initially be supplied to local industry, the mobility sector, shipping, the construction sector and the food sector. “There are plenty of potential customers. In the beginning we will have too little green hydrogen, not too much,” says Jurres. 500 megawatts Hydrogen (H2) is both a fuel (including for transport and the steel and paper industry), a raw material (including for fertilizer and refining) and an energy carrier (for storage and generating green electricity). Industry already uses large amounts of hydrogen, but it is mainly made from natural gas. This releases a lot of CO2. That's called gray hydrogen. VoltH2's factories will produce demineralized water via electrolysis. Then only water and oxygen are released and no greenhouse gases are emitted. The Netherlands needs green hydrogen to get rid of fossil fuels by 2050 at the latest. According to the Climate Agreement, electrolysers in the Netherlands should be able to produce 8 gigawatts of green hydrogen by 2032. VoltH2 expects to be able to build 500 megawatts of green hydrogen factories in the coming years. That is equivalent to 40,000 tons of green hydrogen. Never enough Founder André Jurres has been in the sustainable energy market for more than twenty years. He founded Essent Belgium, where he was the first to market green energy in 2003. As co-founder of NPG Energy, he built an infrastructure for biogas, wind and solar energy from 2007 onwards. He sees hydrogen as an important building block for the transition to a sustainable energy system. “Hydrogen is a more versatile animal than sun and wind. It's big and it's going to get much bigger, even if we're never going to produce enough hydrogen to meet all our needs. We use 102 million barrels of oil per day in the world. It is quite a challenge to replace it with hydrogen, but that is the ambition. The main goal remains to move away from oil and gas and become CO2 neutral,” says Jurres. Wind at sea VoltH2's headquarters are in Bergen op Zoom, Brabant. It started in 2020 and was the first company to receive a sizeable SDE++ subsidy for the production of green hydrogen. According to Jurres, its development has accelerated in recent years because more and more wind farms are being built in the North Sea. Just before New Year's Eve, Minister Jetten announced that these parks can already generate 4.7 gigawatts of electricity. “Green hydrogen has now gone industrial because of the success of offshore wind,” says Jurres. “To make green hydrogen you need enormous amounts of green energy. That is only possible if there is too much of it. We are now quickly moving towards that.” Yin and yang He is referring, among other things, to the increasing occurrence of negative electricity prices when too much wind or solar energy is generated. According to Jurres, these surpluses will only increase. By 2050, there will be 300 gigawatts of wind farms in the North Sea. You can make a lot of green hydrogen from that. VoltH2 purchases that wind energy for its factories. Jurres: “Hydrogen and wind are like yin and yang. It is one whole, even though they may not always be physically in the same place. Even if my factory is in Vlissingen and my wind farm is in IJmuiden, I am still one whole.” Connect to hub Thanks to VoltH2, industrial companies in the port areas can replace their gray hydrogen with green hydrogen to make their processes and activities CO2 neutral. In the coming years, a cluster for the production of advanced biofuels will be established in Terneuzen, in which green hydrogen can play an important role. A hydrogen hub is being developed around Delfzijl with offshore wind farms, Gasunie transport pipelines and a connection to TenneT's high-voltage grid. VoltH2 can connect to that. In Delfzijl the company can also sell its residual oxygen product to purify water. The supply of oxygen to companies in the medical and food sectors is also possible. In Terneuzen, the residual heat from the electrolysers can be supplied to nearby greenhouses. “We want to use all the flows we have as usefully as possible,” Jurres explains. German buses In Germany, VoltH2 was the first Dutch hydrogen company to receive a subsidy of 15 million euros from the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia. This is intended for the construction of two green hydrogen factories in Essen and Gelsenkirchen. Together, the electrolysers will produce 1,600 tons of green hydrogen annually for buses, trucks and other forms of freight traffic. The subsidy was presented last November in the presence of King Willem-Alexander, who visited the HyPerformer program for hydrogen technologies in the region. A third factory in Germany is being built in Wilhelmshaven on the North Sea. “That is an industrial project that will amount to 100 megawatts at the start and will have a longer development time,” says Jurres. “We already have a lot to offer.” https://youtu.be/3Va8tRlF-Vc
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Certainly a great step in exploitation of hydrogen power. This will lead to hydrogen power use in more fields like aviation, transport and production
Wil Sillen
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The Global Risk Report The Global Risks Report explores some of the most severe risks we may face over the next decade, against a backdrop of rapid technological change, economic uncertainty, a warming planet and conflict. As cooperation comes under pressure, weakened economies and societies may only require the smallest shock to edge past the tipping point of resilience. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-risks-report-2024/digest/?_gl=1*ak7llc*_up*MQ..&gclid=CjwKCAiAzJOtBhALEiwAtwj8tqhKrB0ybbD3PFi4qRo8kT-SF4WV0T74vNZcPQ995By4Mh9hev-ThxoC0UEQAvD_BwE
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英文Essay代写 http://www.proessay.cn/our_service1.php 是一个长久的行业,做的好的机构肯定有不少以前代写的同学做回头客,还会介绍人过来。因此同学们挑选这类机构的时候,必须要确定好对方的市场口碑如何,是否真的得到消费者的认可。
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Interesting report that makes me wonder why governments don't do more to mitigate climate change
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This is a significant report, a reminder to the globe to be more resilient in fighting climate change effects and create better mitigation strategies in the future.
Wil Sillen
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American researchers from the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota have discovered micro-organisms at a depth of more than a kilometer that eat CO2 gas and can convert it into rock. The discovery can make CO2 capture and storage much more efficient. Capturing and storing CO2 from the atmosphere is seen by the IPCC climate panel as an important means of halting global warming. In the Netherlands, a final investment decision was recently made for the Porthos project. From 2026, CO2 will be captured from a number of companies in the port of Rotterdam and permanently stored in empty gas fields in the North Sea. Geological faults But storing CO2 is not entirely without risks. There is a chance that injected gas will escape again into the outside air. “For example, if a geological fracture occurs or if pressure changes occur after pumping in (of CO2 gas, ed.), the stored gas may look for a way to escape,” says Professor Gokce K. Ustunisik, who works at the Geological Research Center of the South Dakota Mines. Attach to rock That is why scientists are investigating whether it is possible to bind CO2 gas to rock. CO2 can attach to layers of stone with specific properties. Gas thus becomes a solid and therefore has less tendency to escape. This process is called in situ mineralization. The major disadvantage is that this form of CO2 binding takes a long time, between seven and ten years. Eating CO2 But thanks to the recent discovery by scientists from South Dakota, this may be possible a lot faster in the future. The research was conducted in an abandoned mine kilometers deep. There, the scientists found various microorganisms that appeared to be able to eat CO2 and process it into rock. The tiny animals could also do this incredibly quickly. In just ten days, the consumed CO2 was converted into rock. Once fossilized, the CO2 can be stored for thousands of years without any risk of escape. Harsh conditions “The discovery of life deep in the rocks, 1,200 meters below the surface in SURF, was exciting,” says Tanvi Govil, one of the researchers. “We are fortunate that SURF is home to special microbes that have survived in this extreme underground environment with no light, little food and limited space.” The scientists have now patented their discovery. In the next phase, the researchers want to test the microbes in other places underground. Given the many abandoned mines in the US, the researchers believe that there are enough suitable test locations where large-scale storage of CO2 is possible. https://sanfordlab.org/
Home | Sanford Underground Research Facility
https://sanfordlab.org/
26 more agrees trigger contact with the recipient
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Essay代写 http://www.cieae.net/essay 是一个长久的行业,做的好的机构肯定有不少以前代写的同学做回头客,还会介绍人过来。因此同学们挑选这类机构的时候,必须要确定好对方的市场口碑如何,是否真的得到消费者的认可。
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This innovative approach holds immense potential for carbon capture and deserves recognition for its positive impact on environmental sustainability.
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Congratulations to the Sanford Underground Research Facility for such a great revelation. This is surely going to reduce carbon emissions and hence create a net zero environment.
Wil Sillen
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Solar panel trees By: Teun Schröder As soon as the temperature of solar panels rises and the surface becomes very warm, the efficiency with which sunlight is converted into electricity decreases. Scientists from Hungary have therefore come up with a new solar panel tree that can handle heat better. Solar panel trees have existed for some time in many shapes and sizes, but the basic principle is often the same: a thick trunk that reaches several meters high, equipped with a canopy of solar panels. Such a solar tree naturally looks artistic and provides shade, while it requires a relatively small piece of land where the trunk touches the ground. Perhaps the best-known solar trees are in Singapore. Eighteen 'Supertrees' reach about 46 meters into the air. Innovation from Hungary For the time being, solar trees have not yet been developed on a large scale because the designs are more complex than standard solar panels on roofs. But that may be changing thanks to a relatively simple design by scientists from the University of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Hungary, which also scores well in terms of efficiency. Sunflower from solar panels Anyone who sees the design probably immediately thinks of a sunflower. The prototype consists of an 18-meter-long trunk with a ring of fifteen solar panels of 1.60 meters long. In the middle part of the flower there are another three of the same panels. This arrangement ensures that the system can cool down more, because air flows past the panels. Standard solar panel The scientists then wanted to know the difference between the power output of the sunflower and that of a standard solar panel setup. For the test, the results of which were published in this scientific journal, eighteen of the same type of solar panel were mounted on a standard rectangular scaffolding, which we are used to from solar panels on roofs. Both the sunflower and the solar panel were placed facing south at different angles of 20, 30 and 45 degrees in the period from 10 am to 3 pm. The results show that the temperature of the sunflower was much lower than that of the solar panel. At the 45 degree angle, the surface of the solar tree reached a maximum temperature of 38°C, while the standard flat setup reached almost 50°C. For the solar tree, this resulted in an energy output of 14.5 watts. The standard setup produced almost 12 watts. Measure temperature At the flatter angles of 30 degrees, the researchers noted similar results. The flat setup reached over 51 °C and led to a production of 11 watts. The solar tree became a lot less warm at 41 °C and produced almost 14 watts. At an angle of 20 degrees, the solar tree reached a maximum temperature of 34 °C (output 14 watts), while the flat setup got as hot as 44 °C (output 11 watts). Higher efficiency “The empirical results show that the temperature of the flat PV module is more than 10 °C higher than that of the solar tree,” the academics write. 'The result is less efficient heat transfer. The efficiency of the solar tree is about 16 to 23 percent higher than the flat module.' In addition, the scientists emphasize that their sunflower uses 85 percent less land area compared to the flat module. The researchers therefore see particular energy-efficient applications for their sunflower, such as covering parking spaces or shading in agriculture. https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/learn-with-us/explore-resources/articles/supertree-grove-and-supertree-observatory.html
Supertree Grove & Supertree Observatory
One of Asia’s premier horticultural destinations, Gardens by the Bay offers a scenic paradise for nature and photography lovers, as well as the whole family. Come explore its world-class attractions!
https://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/learn-with-us/explore-resources/articles/supertree-grove-and-supertree-observatory.html
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This invention by Dutch Elysian will increase efficiency with which sunlight is converted directly into electricity. Such an invention is satisfactory and must be supported fully
Wil Sillen
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Dutch Elysian is building a larger electric plane than was thought possible By: Teun Schröder According to researchers at TU Delft, the results of two recent studies show that much more is possible with a battery-electric aircraft than previously thought. That is why start-up Elysian now wants to build an electric plane that can fly 800 kilometers and has room for ninety passengers. Several companies are working on battery-electric powered aircraft. However, it was long thought that the options were limited compared to flying on kerosene. Due to the size and weight of batteries, you would have to compromise on the number of passengers you can carry or the distance that can be flown with a full battery. Batteries in wings But two new studies by TU Delft into electric flying (which you can find here and here) show that much more is possible. Increasingly better batteries and new design principles make it possible to build electric aircraft that can replace traditional aircraft on a much larger scale. For example, battery packs can be incorporated into the wings and aviation can count on useful innovations such as foldable wing tips. 1,000 kilometers This is the reason for the start-up Elysian to venture into an aircraft with room for ninety passengers, which can fly no less than 800 kilometers, and in the future even 1,000 kilometers. According to the company, these figures already cover half of all commercial flights currently flown with kerosene-fueled aircraft. If you replace these fossil aircraft with an electric variant, aviation will emit 20 percent less CO2 worldwide. Energy density Elysian's first aircraft, called E9X, is scheduled to make its first commercial flight in 2033. The aircraft will be equipped with a battery pack with an energy density of 360 watt hours per kilo. The energy density is the amount of energy that a battery can store at a certain weight. The average lithium-ion battery has approximately an energy density of 260-270 watt hours per kilo. But mind you, this development is happening fast. For example, the Chinese battery manufacturer CATL is already working hard on batteries with an energy density of 500 watt hours per kilo. Aircraft manufacturer Fokker Although Elysian is still a young company, it can count on a lot of knowledge and experience. Elysian is affiliated with the aviation innovation center of TU Delft and is part of investor Panta Holding, which also has aircraft manufacturer Fokker companies in its portfolio. Smaller variant Previously, Change Inc. wrote already about Meave Aerospace from Delft. This company is developing an electric aircraft with room for 52 passengers that can travel 460 kilometers on a full battery. The Meave 01, as the first model will be called, is built in such a way that the battery pack can easily be replaced by a more modern version as battery technology further develops. The company expects to make its first flight in 2030. https://www.elysianaircraft.com/
Elysian Aircraft
Redefining zero-emission air travel
https://www.elysianaircraft.com/
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If this become successful, we shall enjoy a few benefits from the invention of electric plane such as environmental impact Eg reduced emissions and lower noise pollution.
Wil Sillen
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Remarkable: Microsoft AI invents a new battery with much less lithium By: Teun Schröder Sometimes, as an editor, you come across news that raises an eyebrow. That one strange innovation, an unexpected effect of climate change or an example of human clumsiness. So remarkable. This week: artificial intelligence invents a new battery with 70 percent less lithium. In a short time it seems as if no sector can ignore the possibilities of artificial intelligence. AI can now also help science find the ideal materials for making batteries. And that is important in the search for alternative materials for lithium. Because although lithium has proven itself as a valuable raw material in batteries, supplies are running out and mining has a major environmental impact. Finding and testing the right material composition is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process and can take many years. Much less lithium That's why a team of scientists from Microsoft turned to AI for help in their search for a new kind of battery. Based on suggestions provided by AI, the scientists then tested and developed a working battery with 70 percent less lithium than comparable designs. The entire process, from start to finish, took just nine months. Electrolyte The researchers tackled this as follows. In their search, they focused on a battery made of solids. The goal was to find a combination of materials through which the electric charge moves: the electrolyte. The AI was fed with information about millions of material combinations. The algorithm then eliminated the materials that were likely to be unstable or would perform poorly. Millions of combinations After the AI had been working for a few days, out of millions of candidates, only a few hundred remained. Some of these combinations had never been studied before. “But we're not materials researchers,” Nathan Baker, director of Microsoft's AI research program, told New Scientist. So Baker called battery technology experts to ask if they were on the right track. Elimination Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington then suggested additional selection criteria that would allow the AI to move forward. After more rounds of elimination, the research team finally chose a material combination that it wanted to develop in the lab. This suggestion from the AI stood out because it contained remarkably little lithium: 70 percent less than comparable batteries. Instead, the AI suggested using more sodium. Although sodium batteries are not new, their development is still ongoing. In that sense, the proposed recipe and ratio of materials that Microsoft's AI came up with was still unexplored territory. Fast process Finally, Baker's team went to work and built a working lithium-sodium battery. Although the battery performed slightly less in terms of conductivity than batteries with more lithium, researchers say the design leaves plenty of room for further optimization. The scientists take the minor limitations for granted, given the enormous speed of a few months with which the new battery was developed. https://www.theverge.com/24027031/microsoft-new-solid-state-battery-material-ai
How Microsoft found a potential new battery material using AI
Scientists are testing the material now.
https://www.theverge.com/24027031/microsoft-new-solid-state-battery-material-ai
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This new battery is unique because it will have a higher energy density, longer lifespan and faster charging.
Wil Sillen
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This company is building a mini nuclear fusion reactor that should be operational this decade By: Kaz Schonebeek The start-up NT-Tao is working on a small, scalable nuclear fusion reactor. Places that are not connected to the power grid must be supplied with clean electricity. The company expects to deliver a working reactor as early as 2029. The Israeli start-up NT-Tao is working on a nuclear fusion reactor the size of a shipping container. Although no nuclear fusion reactor has yet progressed beyond the laboratory phase, expectations about this CO2-free energy source are high. Japanese electrical conglomerate and car manufacturer Honda has already invested in the company's mini reactors. NT-Tao is aiming for a capacity of 10 to 20 megawatts for the reactors. For comparison: a megawatt can supply about 800 households with energy. The company hopes to have a test facility ready by 2029 and commercially launch their reactors in the next decade. Scalable Unlike most other designs, the NT-Tao reactor can be made larger or smaller. The reactor can therefore be adapted to a specific energy demand. For example, the company is considering charging electric cars in places with little space on the power grid - this is one of the reasons why Honda stepped in. Energy can also be generated in remote places that are not connected to the power grid at all. Even powering spaceships is mentioned as a possibility. Nuclear fusion Nuclear fusion is the process that continuously takes place on the sun. During nuclear fusion, atomic nuclei are melted together. This is done by causing particles to collide with each other at high speed and at extremely high temperatures. Nuclear fusion reactors reach temperatures of one hundred million degrees. This is about 10 times hotter than the sun. When a nuclear reactor is running, it is the hottest place in the universe. https://www.nt-tao.com/
nT-Tao - Compact Fusion Power
https://www.nt-tao.com/
Wil Sillen
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Only ten tank locations are required for shipping on green ammonia By: Sebastian Maks Green ammonia is seen as a promising means of making polluting shipping greener. However, setting up an entirely new logistics infrastructure to make that possible can feel daunting. Scientists from the University of Oxford have shown that it is an expensive task, but that you can supply the majority of shipping with sustainable fuel with just ten strategic refueling locations. Shipping is responsible for about 3 percent of global CO2 emissions. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) therefore wants to significantly reduce emissions from ships in order to reduce net emissions to zero by 2050. From this year onwards, the sector will also fall under the European emissions trading system (ETS). This means that shipping companies within the EU must pay for CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions. 90 percent by sea Making shipping more sustainable is a challenging job. Around 90 percent of global traded goods are transported by sea. This happens with colossal ships that are mainly propelled by fossil fuels, with all the known consequences. “Shipping is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize due to the need for high energy density fuel and the difficulty of coordinating different groups to produce, use and finance alternative, green fuels,” says professor of chemical engineering René Bañares-Alcántara. Green ammonia Research into these green fuels is increasing. Examples are hydrogen and biofuels from vegetable oils or fats. But also: green ammonia. To make this, sustainable electricity (such as from wind turbines or solar panels) is used to split water, creating hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen, together with nitrogen, is converted into ammonia under high pressure and temperature. It has a high energy density and only water vapor and nitrogen are released during combustion. Pricey The global rollout of green ammonia for shipping comes with a hefty price tag. A recent study from the University of Oxford shows that $2 trillion is needed to achieve a green ammonia shipping system by 2050. That is about 1.8 trillion, or 1,800 billion euros. This sum of money will mainly go towards setting up a new infrastructure to transport the ammonia to ships and fill them up with it. 10 locations At the same time, the scientists are nuancing this major task with an invention that simplifies things. They concluded that with just ten tank locations you can supply more than 60 percent of global shipping with green ammonia. These are strategically planned locations where an abundance of sustainable energy can be produced, a lot of space is available and they are also conveniently located. As a result, ships do not have to travel long to refuel and relatively little complicated transport infrastructure needs to be constructed. According to the researchers, these are locations in Australia, Chile, West Africa, India, California and the Middle East. For the attentive reader: all located around the equator. “The implications of this work are striking,” says Bañares-Alcántara. “Under the proposed model, the current dependence on oil-producing countries is replaced by a more regionalized industry; green ammonia is produced near the equator in countries with abundant land and high solar energy potential, and then transported to regional centers where there is a demand for marine fuels.”
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14 w
I just love how scientists through their research are able to simplify processes.
Wil Sillen
15 w
By: Sebastian Maks The Norwegians have decided to start deep-sea mining in the Arctic Ocean. The country is the first in the world to do this. From now on, the seabed near the Spitsbergen archipelago will be searched for precious metals that are in demand for the energy transition. Environmental organizations denounce the Norwegian decision. Ocean floors are rich in precious metals such as cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. The demand for these metals is high, as they are needed for the production of batteries in electric cars, wind turbines and solar panels. The World Bank estimates that demand for precious metals will grow by 500 percent by 2050. Companies cannot wait to start deep-sea mining. As big as Italy It had been known for some time that Norway had deep-sea mines. Last year, the country announced that it wanted to explore an area in the Arctic Ocean, near the Spitsbergen archipelago, for precious metals. The area is enormous: 280,000 square kilometers, almost the size of Italy. There are said to be about 38 million tons of copper in the soil. The metals can be found, among other things, in stones the size of a potato, the so-called polymetallic or manganese nodules. These nodules can be sucked up from the ocean floor using special vehicles. Controversial decision The Norwegian parliament has now approved the exploration. A first, and not one that everyone is happy with. Environmental organizations have long opposed deep-sea mining. When Norway's plans were announced last year, a coalition of more than 700 marine experts and policymakers from 44 different countries called for the oceans to be left alone. This is because a significant part of life on earth has its home there, including on the tubers themselves. Deep-sea mining and the removal of nodules can therefore have disastrous consequences for marine life and therefore for biodiversity on earth. According to the BBC, Norway has indicated that it will not start mining until environmental studies have been carried out. The waters near Spitsbergen fall under the authority of Norway, and therefore the country is free to start deep-sea mining. This is different in the case of international waters. Last year, negotiations on international deep-sea mining broke down during the International Seabed Authority (ISA) conference. There was, among other things, a dispute about how the proceeds from the extracted metals can be fairly distributed. That didn't happen for the first time; a year earlier the negotiations also failed. It is still uncertain whether that will happen this year.
21 more agrees trigger contact with the recipient
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14 w
This poses a great threat to aquatic life
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15 w
The Norwegian legislature must be aware of the implications of such decisions and stop them with immediate effect. Better laws and regulations that favour the environment should be put in place.
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15 w
This can lead to irreversible damage to ocean ecosystems and marine life.
Wil Sillen
15 w
'Sea hydrogen' produces hydrogen, drinking water, electricity, table salt and minerals By: André Oerlemans Making green hydrogen from seawater and clean drinking water and electricity at the same time. And also filter valuable minerals such as lithium and table salt from the same seawater. Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) show that it is possible with the Sea Hydrogen method (SeaHydrogen). “In this way we keep the hydrogen economy environmentally friendly and feasible.” The Netherlands needs large quantities of green hydrogen to achieve its climate goals. This is hydrogen that is made from water using green electricity through electrolysis. When this is burned, only water and oxygen are released, so no CO2. Green hydrogen can be used for processes in the (chemical) industry, for trucks, buses, trains, cars and in the future perhaps also for heating buildings and homes. In addition, it can play an important role in the temporary storage of excess green energy from solar and wind energy. The government has tightened its goals for the hydrogen economy in 2022. By 2032, electrolysers in the Netherlands should be able to produce 8 gigawatts of green hydrogen. Sea hydrogen WUR's SeaHydrogen method combines existing and new water technologies in an integrated total system. This overcomes the current disadvantages of the production of green hydrogen and at the same time provides various benefits that are useful to society, such as producing clean drinking water, electricity and valuable minerals. “We combine seawater with hydrogen and are left with fresh water in the middle. That is why we call the method sea hydrogen,” says Irma Steemers-Rijkse, program manager for circular water technologies at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Green hydrogen increases drinking water shortage A problem that is often overlooked is that green hydrogen is currently still made from fresh water. The production of those 8 gigawatts in 2032 requires an estimated 11 billion liters of pure water. If electrolysers use drinking water for this purpose, they consume 1 percent of the annual drinking water capacity in the Netherlands. While drier summers and long periods without rain are already leading to water shortages. According to the RIVM, all ten Dutch drinking water companies will face shortages by 2030 if users do not use water more efficiently, rainwater is not collected better and no new sources are tapped. The use of fresh water for hydrogen could therefore lead to additional drinking water shortages, experts warn. “With all the plans for hydrogen production, the government has somewhat forgotten that you need lots of water for this and that it puts enormous pressure on your drinking and freshwater sources,” says Steemers-Rijkse. “We want to help solve that problem by eliminating shortages.” Disadvantages of salt water This can be done by using seawater. There is enough, but so far it has hardly been used because the salt attacks the electrolysers. With reverse osmosis (RO) you can turn seawater into fresh water - as is already happening a lot in the Middle East and increasingly in Europe - but that also has disadvantages. The method requires a lot of electricity and the remaining brine (brine) is too salty and contains too many chemicals to be discharged into the sea, surface water or into the soil. “Discharge on land is a major problem. That's not possible just like that. Working up and removing the salts takes a lot of energy. You can discharge it at sea, because it is already salty. But you do see in areas such as Spain and the Middle East that the use of many reverse osmosis systems causes additional salinization. This creates a kind of Dead Sea effect, which means that maritime life no longer has a chance,” Steemers-Rijkse explains. Residual heat unused An important disadvantage of making hydrogen via electrolysers is that a lot of residual heat is released. It has a temperature of approximately 80 degrees Celsius and no application has yet been found for it. In fact, water is needed to cool electrolysers and remove residual heat, which increases the demand for water even further. Economically viable solution to problems WUR's proposed Sea Hydrogen method solves all these problems. It uses salt water and residual heat and not only produces green hydrogen, but also fresh water and electricity. Furthermore, valuable minerals are extracted from the brine. “What we see in our prosperous economies is that you take what you need and throw away what you don't want anymore. The same with water. We think things can be done very differently. That you can use everything internally, making it economically feasible and interesting as a business model,” says Steemers-Rijkse. Membrane technology The method uses membrane technology and residual heat to distill water. Six years ago, a former TNO department was transferred to WUR, which conducts a lot of research into water technologies, including purifying water and recovering substances using membranes. For example, WUR experts contributed years ago to the development and upscaling of membrane distillation technology (MD). Unlike reverse osmosis, this technique hardly requires electricity. Using the residual heat from the electrolyser, salty seawater is turned into clean drinking water by allowing it to evaporate and condense again. That's the first step. The method uses no chemicals and has little impact on the environment. More fresh water than needed for hydrogen That pure water is used to make green hydrogen in the electrolyser. This releases residual heat that can be used to desalinate water via membranes. A pilot test on Texel showed that the method allows you to produce much more pure water than the electrolyser needs. “You can even use that fresh water to solve water shortages and turn seawater into drinking water. Ideally, you have these types of systems on the coast, where on the one hand you draw in seawater to make hydrogen and on the other hand you lay a freshwater pipeline to the interior," says Steemers-Rijkse. “In this way we keep the hydrogen economy environmentally friendly and feasible.” Table salt and lithium from brine The second step is to upgrade brine using this process. This is automatically left over after desalination. Valuable minerals and salts can be extracted from this through a combination of crystallization and membrane distillation technology. “Normally you will not extract valuable salts from seawater, because the concentrations are far too low to make this economically viable. But because you have already taken a step here with the production of pure water, it may now become profitable. Especially in combination with the available residual heat,” says Steemers-Rijkse. “For this we have to thicken the brine further. We have a patent on this and this year we are starting a project to extract these minerals as concentrated as possible. First we extract ordinary table salt from it. Then you are left with a concentrated salt solution with valuable other components. For example, lithium, which can be used in batteries.” Ready for the market The elaboration of this new method will be published at the end of 2023. Now it is time to apply the technology in practice, among other things to reduce the pressure on drinking water supplies. Governments, private and commercial parties can already get started with the first step of the Sea Hydrogen method. WUR will be working on the second part for mineral extraction this year through a project. The third part with MemPower requires further development before the method is ready for the market. Electricity from residual heat In the third step, the residual heat is used to convert seawater into not only fresh water, but also electricity. This could be a good solution for offshore electrolysers, for example. Another form of membrane distillation is used, called MemPower. “Then you make water for your electrolyser, but you convert the surplus into electricity with your residual heat,” says Steemers-Rijkse. In winter, when there are fewer water shortages due to excessive rainfall, onshore installations can be configured to produce less fresh water and more electricity. See how the MemPower technology works here: https://youtu.be/F3l6r2NiP0M
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14 w
Sea hydrogen has multiple uses therefore we need to utilize it
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15 w
With the right systems we could get a lot from the sea including power, food and energy.
Wil Sillen
15 w
Carbon removal methods are ways of taking carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the atmosphere and storing it in different forms, such as plants, soils, rocks, or products. Carbon removal is important for achieving net-zero emissions and limiting global warming. There are many types of carbon removal methods, such as: ● Natural carbon removal: This involves enhancing the ability of natural ecosystems, such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, and oceans, to capture and store CO2 through photosynthesis and other biological processes. Examples of natural carbon removal include reforestation, afforestation, soil carbon sequestration, and coastal blue carbon1. ● Technological carbon removal: This involves using machines or chemicals to capture CO2 from the air or other sources and store it in geological formations, mineralized rocks, or durable products. Examples of technological carbon removal include direct air capture, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, and carbon mineralization2 3. If you want to learn more about carbon removal methods, you can check out these web pages: ● [Carbon Removal | World Resources Institute]([object Object]) https://www.wri.org/initiatives/carbon-removal ● [What is carbon removal - and how does it work? | World Economic Forum]([object Object]) https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/09/carbon-removal-climate-crisis/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_removal Carbon removal and carbon capture are two different ways of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which is a major contributor to global warming and climate change. However, they have different definitions, methods, and impacts. Carbon removal, also known as carbon dioxide removal, refers to the process of taking CO2 out of the air and storing it in different forms, such as plants, soils, rocks, or products. Carbon removal can be done by natural or technological means, and it can reduce the overall concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Some examples of carbon removal methods are reforestation, soil carbon sequestration, direct air capture, and carbon mineralization1 2. Carbon capture, also known as carbon capture and use or storage (CCUS), refers to the process of capturing CO2 from a specific source, such as a power plant or a factory, and storing it in underground reservoirs or using it for commercial purposes. Carbon capture can prevent the emission of CO2 from fossil fuels or other industrial processes, but it does not remove CO2 that is already in the air. Some examples of carbon capture methods are post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture, and oxy-fuel combustion3 4. The main difference between carbon removal and carbon capture is that carbon removal reduces the existing amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, while carbon capture prevents the addition of new CO2 from certain sources. Both methods have benefits and challenges for mitigating climate change, and they are not mutually exclusive. However, carbon removal is considered more essential for achieving net-zero emissions and limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)5. Carbon capture, on the other hand, is seen as a transitional solution that can help reduce the carbon footprint of some sectors, such as electricity and industry, until cleaner alternatives are available. If you want to learn more about the difference between carbon removal and carbon capture, you can check out these web pages: ● [Carbon Removal Versus Carbon Capture, Explained - Market Realist]([object Object]) https://marketrealist.com/p/carbon-removal-vs-carbon-capture/ ● [Carbon Capture vs. Carbon Removal: What's the Difference? - DXP Enterprises]([object Object]) https://www.dxpe.com/carbon-capture-vs-carbon-removal/ https://www.american.edu/sis/centers/carbon-removal/fact-sheet-carbon-capture-and-use.cfm
Carbon Removal
The United States has committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. While strategies to reduce emissions — such as increasing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and avoiding deforestation — are critically important, they will not be enough on their own.
https://www.wri.org/initiatives/carbon-removal
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We have to stop the main production of carbon to reduce carbon in the atmosphere so we have lower numbers to deal with
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Understanding the differences between removal and capture is crucial for advocating for effective climate solutions.
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Superb!
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23 h
Love this!
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