(CNB) ANY TYPE OF WAR

China said it was prepared to fight “any type of war” with the U.S., as President Donald Trump ratchets up economic and political pressure on the country. More of this article (CNBC) - link - more like this (war) - link - more like this (more war) - link

(ENV) COIRE GLAS

09/08/2024 - Tunnelling works at the Coire Glas pumped storage hydropower scheme in the Scottish Highlands.

SSE has reached a major milestone on its Coire Glas pumped storage hydropower scheme with the completion of exploratory tunnelling in the Scottish Highlands. The 1.3 GW Coire Glas project is set to be the first large-scale pumped storage scheme developed in the UK in 40 years.

The Scottish government gave its approval to the project, situated in the Great Glen near Loch Lochy, in 2020. Once complete, the scheme will provide 30 GWh of long duration electricity storage, enough to power around three million British homes.

Using excess energy from the grid, SSE will pump water 500 metres uphill from Loch Lochy to an upper reservoir created by the construction of a 90 metre high dam. The reservoir will store enough water to fill 11,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, which can be released when wind power output is low and electricity demand is high. Work started on the 1.2km tunnel in 2022, and SSE said it could spend up to £1.5 billion on constructing Coire Glas given “the right market investment framework”.

Approximately five metres high and four and a half metres wide, the tunnel cuts into the hillside around the proposed site of the underground powerhouse complex. SSE said the construction will help gather accurate information on the geological conditions to inform the detailed design for the main works. SSE Renewables said it hopes to make a final investment decision on the project in late 2025 or early 2026.

The decision rests on the firm being successful in the “administrative allocation of an investable cap and floor mechanism”. The UK government is currently developing the mechanism, which is similar to the Contracts for Differences scheme, to overcome investment barriers in energy storage.

Alongside pumped hydro, other eligible technologies include flow batteries, compressed air and liquid air energy storage systems. If the project gets the go ahead, SSE said main construction at Coire Glas could start in the second half of 2026. SSE Renewables director of development for Coire Glas Mike Seaton said completing the tunnelling is a “positive step forward in de-risking the project”.

“The works progressed to plan, and samples of the materials excavated from within the hillside are currently being analysed,” Seaton said. More of this article (Energy Voice) - link - more like this (pumped hydro) - link - more like this (Scotland) - link - more like this (SSE) - link

(WEV) MGS5 - SPRING 2025

MG Motor UK has confirmed that its latest all-electric SUV, the MGS5 EV, will debut in Spring 2025. The announcement comes off the back of a record-breaking 2024 for the brand, which saw it secure a top ten position in UK vehicle registrations for the first time – led by the MG 4 and MG ZS.

The MGS5 EV is set to build upon MG’s growing success in the electric vehicle market, leveraging the modular scalable platform (MSP) that underpins the award-winning MG4 EV. This platform has already been praised for its dynamic performance, efficiency, and impressive range, and its integration into the MGS5 EV is expected to deliver an enhanced driving experience in a spacious and practical SUV form.

Beyond its technical credentials, MG has confirmed that the MGS5 EV will introduce a fresh, premium cabin design, featuring advanced technology and high-end materials unique to this model. These refinements signal MG’s ambition to raise the bar within the affordable electric SUV segment.

Despite its high-tech and premium feel, MG remains committed to its core philosophy of delivering excellent value, ensuring that the MGS5 EV will be competitively positioned in the UK EV market.

David Allison, Head of Product and Planning at MG Motor UK, highlighted the significance of the launch:

“The MGS5 EV has all the credentials to impress, offering a generously equipped and spacious SUV while retaining the all-electric performance that MG customers have come to appreciate. In terms of cabin ambience and technology, this model will offer a new and greatly enhanced MG experience.”

Further details regarding the specifications, pricing, and launch availability of the MGS5 EV are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. More of this article (Which EV) - link - more like this (electric cars) - link - more like this (MG) - link

(GUF) WASTE HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER

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(INT) 13 APRIL 2025 - HUMANS V ROBOTS MARATHON

A one-of-a-kind event is fast approaching in southeast Beijing’s Economic-Technological Development Area (often called “Beijing E-Town”). Slated for April 13, this half-marathon will see humans and humanoid robots compete on the same 21km route.

As registrations begin on March 5, global anticipation is quickly mounting. While the basic format has been public knowledge for some time, newly released rules give a clearer picture of the event and its stakes.

Additionally, recent announcements of more than 10,000 robot placements in key industries amidst the marathon preparations suggest something far larger is at stake for China’s robotics sector.

For the robot category, organizers have set a cut-off completion time of roughly 3 hours and 30 minutes. Unlike human runners, robot teams can switch batteries mid-race or swap out their robots in a relay setup. Each change, however, comes with a 10-minute penalty added to the team’s final time.

Only humanoid designs are allowed to preserve the half-marathon’s spirit of realistic “bipedal” participation. Robots must measure between 0.5 meters (1.6ft) and 2 meters (6.5ft) in height; any wheel-based or multi-legged mechanisms are excluded. Both remote-controlled and fully autonomous units can compete, but teams must ensure no harm to the course, nearby people, or other robots.

Participants will be judged not only on finishing times but also on adherence to the technical regulations. In terms of recognition, the top three finishers earn prize purses of 5,000, 4,000, and 3,000 yuan (US$697, $558, and $418), respectively, alongside special acknowledgments for endurance and creative design.

Interested groups from research institutes, universities, and robotics clubs worldwide are encouraged to apply, highlighting China’s eagerness to foster international collaboration in humanoid robotics. More of this article (Interesting Engineering) - link - more like this (robots) - link - more like this (China) - link

(POL) TRUST ISSUES

BRUSSELS — Germany’s political system and social cohesion are at stake unless it restricts Chinese wind turbines in the country, a government-backed analysis seen by POLITICO warns.

The report, which the German defense ministry commissioned, argues Beijing could purposefully delay projects, harvest sensitive data and remotely shut down turbines if given access to wind farms. It also advises the country to stop an existing wind project using Chinese turbines from going ahead.

“When using systems or components from Chinese manufacturers … given the political situation, it can even be assumed that such a slowdown or even disruption would be deliberately used by China as a means of political pressure or even as an instrument of economic warfare,” reads the report, prepared last month by the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies think tank. “A destabilization of both the political system, the business model of German industry and social cohesion cannot therefore be ruled out due to a lack of or insufficient planning security in the energy sector,” it adds.

The analysis comes amid growing concerns related to critical infrastructure risks in Europe. Since 2022, at least six separate incidents of suspected underwater sabotage have taken place in the Baltic Sea.

Meanwhile, Brussels has begun cracking down on Chinese wind suppliers after suspecting them of receiving state subsidies to beat out European competitors for European Union projects. Last year, the European Commission, the EU's executive, opened a probe into Beijing-linked wind projects in Bulgaria, France, Greece, Romania and Spain.

Now those risks are likely to increase if ties worsen with Beijing, according to Andrea Scassola, vice president of wind research at the Rystad consultancy.

“What we are seeing … is intensifying great power rivalry, and at a time when our world is more interconnected than it has ever been — it’s a magnifier of vulnerability and risks,” he said.

Overdependence on China also raises the risk of cyberattacks that could “lead to a shutdown of production,” Scassola said, adding that similar public warnings or legal moves to restrict Beijing’s access have already taken place in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Poland and Lithuania. More of this article (Politico) - link - more like this (Germany) - ĺink - more like this (China) - link - more like this (whining) - link

(ICN) PYROLYSIS NIGHTMARES

The company tried educational chatbots and cryptocurrency. Then nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, of movies and cars. Even a service to Catholic churches allowing them to manage their finances using blockchain instead of banks.

None of it succeeded. Now, the firm with a troubled financial history has suddenly changed its plans to convert roughly 7,000 tons of plastic each year into ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel in a low-income neighborhood in Fayetteville where more than 70 percent of 731 residents in the census block group are minorities, and 38 percent are low-income, according to state data.

The facility would have been just 900 feet from Blounts Creek, a tributary to the Cape Fear River.

Waste Energy Corp. had intended to operate a furnace used in a high-temperature, no-oxygen process called pyrolysis there in an 18,000-square-foot warehouse near Sam Cameron Avenue and Cool Spring Street, converting the plastic waste to ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel.

However, Scott Gallagher, Waste Energy’s CEO, said Thursday it would no longer pursue pyrolysis at Cool Spring Street, but seek an alternative location in other parts of the city or in Cumberland County that are zoned heavy industrial. The company would have needed to obtain a special use permit from the city to operate the pyrolysis unit at Cool Spring Street.

The technology could also potentially release toxic PFAS into the air in a city already besieged by the toxic compounds.

The company had previously discussed the possibility of an alternate location, Gallagher said, and “after evaluating the response from the community and the other available options,” the company decided to accept and prepare the plastic feedstock at that location, but not operate the pyrolysis unit there.

“The machines will go in as scheduled but in a place that is acceptable to the city, the county and the community,” Gallagher said. Community opposition was mounting against the proposal, Gallagher said, because of the proximity of homes near the facility. “We want to work with the community, not force it through.

“We made this decision internally because we felt it is in the best interest of all parties.”

If Waste Energy finds another location, Gallagher said it would process as much as 30 tons per day of plastics sourced from throughout the East Coast using pyrolysis, which breaks down materials at very high temperatures in the oxygen-free furnace. Waste Energy announced Feb. 18 that it had received a first round of $175,000 in financing and would begin operating by June 1 “pending completion of the site buildout, permitting and compliance approvals.”

The company said it expects to generate between $1.5 million and $5 million in revenue during its first operating year. The plant would be the company’s first in the United States and would employ 10 people, scaling up to 75 over the next three to five years, Gallagher said. More of this article (Inside Climate News) - link - more like this (pyrolysis) - link - more like this (USA) - link

(EVW) CHINA TO ADD 200 GW OF WIND AND SOLAR IN 2025

China aims to increase its total installed power generation capacity to more than 3,600 GW by 2025, according to the National Energy Administration.

China will work to increase power output this year, keeping crude oil output above 200 million tons and adding more than 200 GW of wind power and photovoltaic (PV) generation capacity, the administration said Thursday. According to the administration, the country’s total electricity generation is expected to reach 10.6 trillion kilowatt-hours by 2025.

Wind turbine blades are seen at a wind power equipment company in Rudong District of Nantong City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Nov. 2, 2024 (Xinhua/Song Yanhua). In terms of green and low-carbon transformation, the proportion of non-fossil power generation capacity is expected to rise to around 60 percent, while the share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption will be around 20 percent.

Zhang Xing, a spokesman for the administration, said that research and development of key energy technology equipment should be strengthened and reform of the energy system and mechanisms should be further pushed forward.

China will promote the development of high-quality and high-security energy to support the sustained recovery of its economy and meet people’s growing energy needs for a better life, Zhang added. More of this article (evwind) - link - more like this (China) - link - more like this (wind turbines) - link

(GRE) VEGAN PET FOOD START UP GOES TO THE DOGS

Vegan pet food startup Wild Earth, which shot to fame after landing a Shark Tank deal with Mark Cuban, has filed for bankruptcy. But co-founder Ryan Bethencourt says it’s not the end of the brand’s story.

Wild Earth, one of the leading plant-based pet food brands, has filed for Chapter 11 reorganisation bankruptcy in North Carolina.

The company, which made national headlines after finding success on ABC’s Shark Tank in 2018, reported $2.4M in assets and $12.6M in liabilities in the court filing. The business will continue to operate, with the Chapter 11 filing allowing it to restructure its debt.

“We just couldn’t find any venture investors,” co-founder and CEO Ryan Bethencourt told Triangle Business Journal, which first reported the news. He noted that Wild Earth couldn’t keep up with its venture debt despite months of negotiations, with its largest creditor, Espresso Capital, set to take over the business.

Bethencourt, who owns 9.2% of the company, hopes to stay at the firm, which will become a “leaner, meaner” operation. “I don’t think this is the end of the Wild Earth story,” he said.

A serial investor in the alternative protein ecosystem, Bethencourt established Wild Earth in 2017 after he “obsessed about pet food” and learnt about the industry’s environmental and health harms.

A year later, he appeared on Shark Tank and convinced Cuban to invest in the startup. The Dallas Mavericks owner agreed to pay $550,000 for 10% of the company – and unlike many deals that fall through after airing on the TV, this one came good. (Cuban still owns about 0.5% of the business.)

Its portfolio is dominated by dog food, treats and supplements, but it recently diversified into cat food too, launching a Unicorn Pate SKU in August. The company has dabbled with cultivated meat as well, working to develop a chicken broth topper for dogs – but it paused development efforts due to financial challenges, Bethencourt revealed in an interview with Green Queen last year. More of this article (green queen) - link - more like this (vegan dog food) - link - more like this (North Carolina) - link

(ICN) BANANA - A WASTE MANAGEMENT MUST

In a rural pocket of western Pennsylvania, along the leafy banks of Sewickley Creek, a small, jagged pipe juts just above the waterline, its cement casing carpeted in moss.

The pipe releases treated wastewater into the creek—a popular spot for kayaking and fishing—from a landfill that handles some of the state’s most toxic industrial waste, including from oil and gas drilling.

Two new signs on the opposite shore correct the impression of a forgotten relic. “Warning! Hazardous Waste Discharge Point,” they read. “Arsenic, lead, cyanide, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and more are permitted substances for discharge at this site.”

The Max Environmental Technologies landfill has been out of compliance with requirements set under the Clean Water Act for most of the past three years and with the federal hazardous waste law, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, known as RCRA for short, since July 2023.

For decades, residents have raised the alarm about the 160-acre landfill’s impact on the town, blaming its operations for serious harms to their health, their children, their animals, their waterways and their land.

They say exposure to pollution from the landfill has led to more cancers, miscarriages, respiratory distress and neurological diseases. Over three generations, since the landfill’s opening in 1964, they’ve endured odors, dust, noise and spills. They’ve watched their neighbors fall ill, die or move out, and they live in fear for their own health. More of this article (Inside Climate News) - link - BANANA - link - more like this (Pennsylvania) - link - more like this (landfill) - link

(GUF) SWEET TUB TEDDY

A six-year-old boy, dubbed "Sweet Tub Teddy," successfully collected and recycled over 2,500 polypropylene (PP) confectionery tubs; a material that Veolia, Hampshire's waste contractor, does not currently segregate for recycling (according to BBC - link). 

This raises serious questions about why a highly competent, well managed, resource-rich company like Veolia is failing to do what a child has proven is possible?

Is this a case of Veolia having the capability but not the incentive?

Veolia is a global waste management leader with cutting-edge technology and management expertise. Despite this, their MRFs in Hampshire do not (apparently) segregate PP for recycling; I assume (guess) this is due to contractual and financial limitations rather than a lack of technical ability which Veolia has in abundance.

PP is perfectly recyclable, but it's worth is significantly less than PET and HDPE. If Veolia operates under a fixed-price contract (set gate fees + percentage of rebates) there's no financial penalty for incinerating PP instead of recycling it as the contract structure prioritises cost efficiency over maximising recycling; contradicting sustainability goals.

This also undermines the principles of Simpler Recycling which, as from 31/03/2025 is meant to standardise collections and increase actual recycling rates - if MRFs like Veolia’s choose not to process certain recyclables even when they are collected, the system fails in practice.

Households are led to believe that their recyclables will be properly processed but in reality, whether something gets recycled could be dictated by MRF contracts and commercial viability rather than wishful environmental policy.

IN SUMMARY

If a six-year-old can successfully collect clean PP and send it for recycling, why can’t Veolia and Hampshire County Council? 

As demonstrated, the answer lies not in the difficulty of recycling or the competence of the waste management company but possibly in a national local authority waste contract system traditionally built around cost restraint rather than true circular economy principles.

Until financial incentives and contract structures align with recycling ambitions, stories like Sweet Tub Teddy’s will continue to expose how waste management is failing to deliver on its promises and effectively hinder Simpler Recycling. 

Maybe Teddy should apply for the role as Hampshire County Council Waste Tsar – overhauling contracts so that waste isn’t burned because it’s cheaper than doing the right thing? Project Integra - link - Where were Teddy's tubs recycled - link - More like this (Simpler Recycling) - link

(GUF) SIMPLER RECYCLING - AEROSOLS

 

(TDR) MERCEDES-BENZ- SOLID-STATE- 1'000 KM RANGE

German automotive giant Mercedes-Benz announced says it has begun testing a “worlds first” solid-state battery-powered vehicle from a major OEM, which is expected to be capable of delivering up to 1,000 kilometres of electric driving range.

The milestone is the work of Mercedes-Benz engineers from its road and racetrack teams, working in collaboration with American solid-state battery start-up Factorial Energy.

A prototype solid-state battery with cells from Factorial was developed by engineers from the Mercedes-Benz Center of Competence for Battery Systems and Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), the company that supplies Formula One engines to its eponymous racing team, as well as McLaren and Aston Martin.

This prototype battery was then integrated into a Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan which needed only slight modification to accommodate the solid-state battery and accompanying accessories needed to operate it.

The solid-state battery is expected to deliver up to 25 per cent more electric range compared to a conventional battery of the same weight and size that normally comes with the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Mercedes-Benz expects that testing will demonstrate the EQS with solid-state battery can achieve over 621 miles of range – or around 1,000 kilometres.

“Developing an automotive-scale solid-state battery underlines our commitment to innovation and sustainability,” said Markus Schäfer, Mercedes-Benz chief technology officer and a member of the board of management of Mercedes‑Benz Group AG responsible for development & procurement. “We’re therefore excited to announce that we’ve started road testing with a prototype vehicle equipped with this advanced technology. We will gain crucial insights into possible series integration of this cutting-edge battery technology.”

Solid-state batteries have emerged as the holy grail of battery technology in recent years, particularly for the electric mobility sector. Compared to the more traditional lithium-ion battery, solid-state batteries offer greater energy density, are lighter, and safer, being less prone to thermal runaway and fire hazards.

By using a solid electrolyte instead of liquid, a solid-state battery increases the cell safety while also allowing for the use of new anodes like lithium-metal, which are capable of significantly outperforming conventional lithium-ion cells and delivering what Mercedes-Benz describes as “next-level energy densities.”

Specifically, Mercedes-Benz predicts that solid-state battery technology will be able to increase the gravimetric energy density for vehicle batteries by up to as much as 450watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg).

For comparison, typical lithium-ion batteries in use today boast an energy density of around 200 to 300Wh/kg, though recent research has demonstrated the potential of much higher lithium-ion energy density levels in the lab. More of this article (The Driven) - link - more like this (Mercedes-Benz) - link - more like this (solid state batteries) - link

(RES) U.S. HITS 74 MILLION TONNES OF FOOD WASTE IN 2024

The ‘From Surplus to Solutions: 2025 U.S. Food Waste Report’ states that surplus food has rebounded to 73.9 million tonnes in 2025, following a brief decline during the Covid-19 pandemic. This represents 31 per cent of the nation’s food supply, valued at $382 billion or 1.4 per cent of the US GDP.

Using research conducted at Ohio State University, the report identifies the residential sector as the largest generator of waste, with consumers discarding nearly 25 million tonnes of food annually through uneaten groceries and restaurant plate waste, at an annual cost of $261 billion.

Meanwhile, food producers and businesses are responsible for generating 21.5 million tonnes of surplus food a year. Some momentum to address this waste is building, with 20 per cent of the top 65 food businesses across service, retail, and manufacturing now having specific food waste reduction targets.

"Despite record high food prices, and increased awareness of the food waste challenge, our analysis shows that surplus food remains high and we're still far off from meeting the 2030 reduction goal to halve wasted food," said Dana Gunders, president of ReFED. "But progress is being made, and our hope is that these bright spots demonstrate that change is possible—with the right combination of motivation, stakeholder alignment, and funding." More of this article (resource.co) - link - more like this (U.S.) - link - more like this (food waste) - link - more like this (Ohio) - link

(GUF 2.0) DIE ZUKUNFT DER ARESOLS - SIMPLER

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