(MON) TIGER SUCCESS STORY

A tiger in Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Image by AceVisionNepal77 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

KATHMANDU — The number of tigers in Nepal has nearly tripled over the past 12 years, officials announced July 29, on the occasion of International Tiger Day. 

The figure of 355 tigers blows past the 250 that the Himalayan country was expected to achieve as part of global efforts to double the wild tiger population — but also puts the number of the big cats close to the maximum that Nepal can hold, conservationists say.

Nepal was home to 121 tigers in 2010, the same year that it and 12 other tiger range countries agreed to double the population of Panthera tigris by the next Year of the Tiger in the Chinese zodiac, which is 2022. Following the latest census, the country is now home to 355 tigers, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba announced at an International Tiger Day event in Kathmandu.

“This success was possible due to the unwavering political will of the government of Nepal, contributions of many stakeholders including enforcement agencies and conservation partners, but most of all the communities that live alongside tigers,” said Pem Narayan Kandel, secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

“A key challenge moving forward is to ensure cohabitation between people and nature, as well as to reconcile the country’s growth aspirations with the need to keep nature secure.”

Amid the euphoria, and with no other tiger range country expected to see a doubling of their big cat population since 2010, there’s growing concern in Nepal that the country’s tiger habitats may have hit their carrying capacity. Conservationists warn this may further aggravate the threat of human-wildlife conflict in a country, where three people have been killed every month on average in encounters with tigers in the last fiscal year.

The new total is just 45 tigers shy of the approximately 400 that conservationists and experts consider the carrying capacity of the country’s limited habitat for the big cats. In the Chitwan-Parsa complex, the most important tiger habitat in Nepal, the subpopulation of 169 tigers is already close to carrying capacity of 175 calculated in a government study.

Even before the latest census figures were released June 29, local community representatives had warned that the country’s protected areas may have already hit their carrying capacity.

However, conservationists involved in the census and the carrying capacity study say that upper limit isn’t set in stone, and that with improved habitat management, Nepal can host even more tigers. Mongabay - link - Abhaya Raj Joshi - link - more like this - (conservation) - link - more like this (tigers) - link 

(APN) USA TO PLANT 1 BILLION TREES BY 2032

The Biden administration on Monday said the government will plant more than one billion trees across millions of acres of burned and dead woodlands in the U.S. West, as officials struggle to counter the increasing toll on the nation’s forests from wildfires, insects and other manifestations of climate change.

Destructive fires in recent years that burned too hot for forests to regrow naturally have far outpaced the government’s capacity to plant new trees. That has created a backlog of 4.1 million acres (1.7 million hectares) in need of replanting, officials said.

The U.S. Agriculture Department said it will have to quadruple the number of tree seedlings produced by nurseries to get through the backlog and meet future needs. That comes after Congress last year passed bipartisan legislation directing the Forest Service to plant 1.2 billion trees over the next decade and after President Joe Biden in April ordered the agency to make the nation’s forests more resilient as the globe gets hotter.

Much of the administration’s broader agenda to tackle climate change remains stalled amid disagreement in Congress, where Democrats hold a razor-thin majority. That has left officials to pursue a more piecemeal approach with incremental measures such as Monday’s announcement, while the administration considers whether to declare a climate emergency that could open the door to more aggressive executive branch actions. AP News - link - Matthew Brown - link - more like this (planting trees) - link - more like this (USA) - link

(NAT) MV AGUSTA E-ENDURO EBIKES

The full-suspension E-Enduro features a carbon frame wearing Lucky Explorer livery, and offers pedal-assist power courtesy of Bosch - MV Agusta

Following its entry into the ebike space with the Amo series this time last year, Italian motorcycle marque MV Agusta is tapping into Dakar nostalgia for the launch of Lucky Explorer Project ebikes aimed at pedal-assist enduro and gravel riders.

MV Agusta first opted to revamp "the passion, the emotions, the values, the style, the gestures of men and bikes who made the history of racing in the desert and off road" at EICMA 2021 in Milan with the launch of the 5.5 and 9.5 Lucky Explorer motorcycle concepts.

And now the project continues with a pair of ebikes wearing Lucky Explorer livery in honor of the Cagiva Elefant V-twin 900 which brought home two grueling Dakar desert rally wins in the early 1990s at the hands of Edi Orioli.

The company says that the E-Enduro model "represents the synthesis of a tireless design and development work with the vision of creating a unique Enduro capable of offering breathless riding experience, user-friendly controls, first-rate performance and charm."

The full suspension off-roader – with a Fox Float suspension fork with 180 mm of travel and a Fox DHX2 rear shock with SLS spring and 230 mm of travel – is built around a full carbon frame and a Bosch Performance Line CX mid-mount motor producing 85 Nm (62.6 lb.ft) of torque and offering pedal-assist up to 25 km/h (15.5 mph).

The motor is paired with a Bosch Powerline 750-Wh PowerTube battery for up to 140 km (87 miles) of per-charge range, and the ebike also comes with a SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS 12-speed groupset designed for trail-riding flexibility.

It rolls on Race Face Next R31 wheels wrapped in Vittoria Mazza 29x2.6 tires, and stopping power is provided by Braking IN.CA.S 2.0 mountainbike brakes featuring a semi-floating 220-mm front rotor and a fixed 203-mm rear rotor. New Atlas - link - Paul Ridden - link - MV Agusta ebikes - link - more like this (ebikes) - link - more like this (Italy) - link

(IAN) OXFORD 185

more like this (Jericho) - link - more like this (Oxford) - link

(TCR) APPLE HIRES LUIGI TARABORRELLI TO TITAN

Apple has hired a 20-year veteran of supercar maker Lamborghini to work on the tech company’s not-so-secret electric autonomous vehicle program, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The executive, Luigi Taraborrelli, appears to have left Lamborghini in May 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. Taraborrelli has worked at Lamborghini for nearly 21 years, mostly recently leading the development of chassis and vehicle dynamics.

During his tenure at the company, Taraborrelli worked on Lamborghini’s Urus SUV, Huracan Coupé, Performante and Aventador Coupé, among others. He also worked on a few limited series projects such as the Lamborghini Sterrato.

Taraborrelli’s hiring, along with a few others in recent months, suggests Apple is still committed to producing an electric car. Of course, Apple has made those signals before only to lose key employees or run into other headwinds that threatened to derail the project.

Apple’s so-called Project Titan, perhaps the worst kept secret in Silicon Valley, has had its ups and downs since launching in 2014. The project has been repeatedly delayed and the company even reduced the team’s size at one point.

It also lost its fair share of talent. For instance, Doug Field, the engineering executive who was leading Apple Special Projects — a team that was also working on Titan car project — was poached by Ford in September 2021.

However, Apple has made a few key hires and appointments in the past year, including tapping one of its top software executives Kevin Lynch to oversee the project. In May, Apple hired Desi Ujkashevic, a longtime Ford executive who most recently was global director of safety engineering. TechCrunch - link - Kirsten Korosec - link - more like this (Apple) - link - more like this (electric cars) - link

(TDR) ELECTRIC BUS MAKERS CONSIDERING SYDNEY

A trio of major players in Australia’s public transport sector are exploring the development of a battery electric bus manufacturing facility in Western Sydney.

ComfortDelGro Corp, which runs public bus and charter services in several regional and metropolitan locations around Australia, said this week that it is planning to join forces with Volvo Bus Australia and Volgren to explore the establishment of a battery electric bus manufacturing facility.

The facility would be located at CDC’s St Marys depot in West Sydney and would help increase the supply of locally manufactured battery electric buses for all bus operators.

It is also expected that the new facility, if it moves forward, would greatly support the New South Wales plan to transition the state’s entire bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2047 and to help achieve federal net-zero emissions by 2050.

“The New South Wales Government’s aim to transition the entire Transport for New South Wales fleet to zero-emission buses by 2047 is a worthy and ambitious undertaking which we seek to support as much as possible,” said Mitchell Peden, general manager of Volvo Bus Australia.

“Whilst this project helps to showcase the ability to assemble our Volvo BZL Electric chassis in Australia to meet the needs of various state governments, achieving this outcome requires a significant change to the manufacturing ecosystem and long-term commitments to pooling knowledge and resources and upskilling workforces.”  The Driven - link - Joshua S Hill - link - more like this (electric buses) - link - more like this (Australia) - link

(GRE) DEAD SEA BALLS

It’s now possible to choose a concrete-laden burial at sea, following cremation, for your last wish. Advocates of the practice claim that it is a way to support marine ecosystems, by providing habitats for various species and surfaces for coral to grow on. 

The creation of artificial reefs is an idea that has garnered the new burial trend a degree of popularity. Some environmentalists are unimpressed by the practice, citing gimmicky remains handling as a continuation of an emissions-heavy industry.

Marine habitats and natural coral reefs are in decline. Commercial fishing and human exploration have tipped the balance towards unsustainable damage. In a bid to help concerned ocean fanatics and environmentalists to keep making a positive impact after they’re gone, companies are now offering reef ball burials.

The concept is simple. pH-neutral concrete is used to cast a perforated ball structure. Into the mix go the cremated remains of someone who has passed away. The ball is then dropped onto a regulated sea bed, where it is reclaimed by nature and used as habitat support. Bereaved family members are given the exact GPS coordinates of relevant balls, so they can pay their respects whenever they choose.

It all sounds rather lovely. Coral can grow on the rugged surface of the concrete, fish can live inside the structures and slowly, the underwater landscape can be reclaimed by the entities that are supposed to live there. It taps into a traditional trope of being returned to the sea once we pass as well, adding a romantic element into play. From burning funeral pyres floated out into the great wet beyond to ashes being ceremoniously scattered in the waves, the connection between death and water is long-established and now, is gaining popularity.

Eternal Reefs, a Florida-based charity offering the reef ball burial service, claims to have seen a tripling of requests for its offering during the pandemic. It admits that most have come from people who have loved and maintained a deep connection to the sea during their lives and want to continue to give back after they have gone. The notion of regenerating underwater ecosystems has proved comforting.

An answer to calls for eco-friendly funerals?

In recent years, the costs, both financial and environmental, of funerals have come under scrutiny. Alongside concerns about funeral poverty, with average service prices reaching £3,837 in 2020, ethical remains handling has become a conversation topic.

Regular burials are considered to take up too much land. Cremation causes carbon emissions. So, what is the answer? New services have begun springing up, with composting, the rather dark-sounding dissolving and “living coffins” made from mycelium all being offered. However, each comes with the same concern: is it just a greenwashing gimmick and a profitable enterprise?

Eternal Reefs charges between £2,200-£5,500 for their reef balls. The charity claims that the money collected helps to fund more artificial reefs. The cost is additional to cremation pricing. Other companies are looking to do the same thing, leveraging global seabeds for memorial spots. Each states that marine protection is the primary concern. This has been questioned by environmentalists.

Why reef balls may not be the answer

Cremation of a body releases, on average, 540 pounds of CO2. depending on the age of the crematorium, the amount of fossil fuel used in the burning process will vary. Next comes the concrete. The Guardian revealed the extent of the cement-making industry’s environmental impact, with key players pledging to reduce their emissions. As it stands, the concrete sector is responsible for 8 percent of global CO2 production. These two elements combined mean that true eco-activists are unlikely to set aside their concerns for a trendy burial at sea.

Natural burials are still considered by many to be the greenest option. Avoiding embalming fluids and opting for simple biodegradable casings allow for a circular burial process to be initiated. Once the body has decomposed, nourished the soil and contributed to the surrounding ecosystem, the land can be reused for somebody else.

Paris made headlines in 2019 when it opened its first green cemetery. It was approved as part of the city’s commitments to be carbon neutral by 2050. Officials claimed that no element of modern life could be ignored in the quest, including death. Green Queen - link - Amy Buxton - link - more like this (seabed) - link - more like this (sea junk) - link - more like this (USA) - link

(ELT) MOBILE EV CHARGING

In the USA, Lightning eMotors has launched its next generation of mobile commercial and passenger vehicle chargers, Lightning Mobile. This mobile charging station covers both long term and short term use cases. The order books are open with deliveries starting in late 2022.

The new charger is designed to meet a variety of use cases, enabling charging in locations where static charging stations are not possible or that only have Level 2 power available. Each modular unit can charge vehicles with between 105 to 420 kWh battery capacity and provides the option of up to 5 DC fast-charging outputs.

Lightning eMotors CEO Tim Reeser says: “Lightning Mobile provides a much-needed charging solution for everything from mobile disaster relief and rescue to intermittent charging points at facilities like sports stadiums, which need an EV charging and power solution in various locations. It can also serve as a short or medium-term charging solution for fleets to rapidly deploy EVs while waiting for permanent infrastructure to be installed.”

The company says the new mobile charging station has been the result of design and engineering development informed by a 12-month period of operating the first-generation prototype. The company says the mobile unit is the ideal solution for charging commercial trucks, vans, buses and cars at remote locations, events and depots.

“A recent survey found that 90% of fleet managers believe electric vehicles will be the future of commercial fleets,” said Brandon McNeil, vice president of Lightning Energy. “Lightning’s next generation mobile charger can support an accelerated rate of electric commercial vehicle adoption while their depot charging is being installed, a process that, unfortunately, can take a long time.” electrive.com - link - Carrie Hampel - link - more like this (mobile ev charging) - link - more like this (USA) - link

(HFN) ZEROAVIA GAIN ADDITIONAL $30M FUNDING

Hydrogen aviation company ZeroAvia has announced that it has secured another $30 million in funding from new investors that include Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, the International Airlines Group (IAG), AENU and NEOM.

This adds investors to the series B round in which the H2 aircraft technology developer secured $68 million.

The hydrogen aviation company now has three different major airline groups among its strategic investors. They include Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and IAG.

The newly secured investment will provide ZeroAvia with the opportunity to move further ahead with its 2-5 MW H2 powertrain development program. The goal is to use zero-emission engines to power 40-80 seat planes by 2026.

Larger planes will be powered by liquid hydrogen instead of H2 in its gaseous form, as will be the case for smaller planes. By using liquid, it will be possible to achieve a greater energy density and larger range and payload. By moving in this area early, it will provide companies with the opportunity to take hold of a larger piece of the regional aircraft engine market.

ZeroAvia will also use the newly obtained funds to construct necessary airport site infrastructure. This will make it possible for live Hydrogen Airport Refueling Ecosystem (HARE) demonstrations as the company readies to carry passengers and cargo along various routes within the next few years.

Each of the investors will have their own perspective to add to the hydrogen aviation developments.

“Each of these star investors brings a unique perspective and strength to ZeroAvia’s wider team – from one of the world’s biggest airline groups, one of the largest and most historic banks, to the ambitious project to build the world’s first zero-carbon metropolis, as well as a pure-play impact investor,” said ZeroAvia CEO and founder Val Miftakhov in a news release discussing the hydrogen aviation investments.

“Our new investors are each looking at our journey through a different lens, but all energized by our mission to enable zero-emission flight using hydrogen-electric engines. This is a great recognition of ZeroAvia’s leadership in the space, fueled by real, tangible achievements.” Hydrogen Fuel News - link - Alicia Moore - link - more like this (ZeroAvia) - link - more like this (Neom) - link - more like this (H2 aircraft) - link

(EUN) FRANCE PROACTIVE ON ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Shop employee restocks air conditioners in Marseille, southern France - Copyright AP Photo

The French government is set to force all air-conditioned shops to close their doors and switch off illuminated advertising overnight, in a bid to cut energy use.

Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher says it's "absurd" that leaving doors open while the air conditioning is running can lead to 20% more energy consumption.

Businesses which break the ban, due to come into force in the next few days when Pannier-Runacher issues new decrees, will face a €750 fine.

Some cities like Bourg-en-Bresse, Lyon, Besançon and Paris have already had municipal rules in place since the middle of July, but now the government wants to expand the initiative to the whole country.

While a ban on illuminated advertising between 1am and 6am currently applies in towns and cities with less than 800,000 residents the new regulations would make it applicable no matter the size of the population.

ANPCEN, a French association which campaigns against light pollution, said that the challenge comes in enforcing the regulations are enforced - which currently doesn't happen consistently.

President Emmanuel Macron's Citizens' Climate Convention had proposed even more ambitious curbs on light pollution and electricity use, including banning all video advertising screens in public spaces and on public transport, but these ideas were ultimately rejected. euronews - link - euronews muck rack - link - more like this (France) - link

(MIR) EDF & VEOLIA UNDER FIRE

Two utility giants raking in billions from British customers are STILL doing business with Russia — five months after Vladimir Putin 's forces invaded Ukraine.

Energy supplier EDF and waste firm Veolia have been accused of indirectly funding the war.

Despite the death of 5,000 civilians, EDF Group’s contracts include a deal to source uranium from state-run nuclear power giant Rosatom.

And Veolia – like EDF, French-owned – has a number of lucrative heating and waste supply contracts.

Both firms insist they comply with international sanctions and that their activities are to provide essential public services. But critics believe they should cut all ties immediately.

Lib Dem energy spokesperson Wera Hobhouse said: “EDF should do the right thing by ending their business with brutal dictator Putin.”

Greenpeace France has urged EDF Group chief Jean-Bernard Levy to pull out of Russia “given the risks of being held liable for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity”.

EDF legal director Sabine Le Gac said Greenpeace’s allegations were as “serious as they are unfounded”, adding: “EDF is making a detailed application of the compliance plan to ensure activities do not risk undermining human rights, safety of people and the environment.”

In the UK, subsidiary EDF Energy supplies gas and electricity to 3.7million homes and businesses.

EDF Group had first-quarter sales of £30billion in May on the back of higher power and gas prices.

Veolia UK provides rubbish and recycling services for councils and NHS Trusts. Group revenues for 2021 were £24billion. Both firms also have lucrative deals with government, including the Ministry of Defence.

EDF Group’s financial statement shows it has contracts of up to 20 years to supply and convert natural uranium from a number of countries, including Russia.

One 10-year deal, reportedly worth £840million, was signed in 2018 with Tenex – export arm of Rosatom – to recycle reprocessed uranium produced in France. Uranium from Russia is used by EDF at Sizewell B reactor in Suffolk, although the Government is assured no new supplies have been sent since war broke out.

EDF confirmed it still sources uranium from Tenex. It added: “We have low dependence on Russian importations due to our stock and diversification of suppliers. EDF is complying with all the British and French governments’ requirements regarding sanctions”

The firm said it has closed its representative office in Moscow and postponed a Rosatom deal to develop a civil nuclear energy programme. Rosatom has taken control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine. It controlled the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster too, before Ukraine seized it back.

The EU and Britain, have so far rejected calls to impose sanctions on Rosatom because of the continent’s reliance on Russian nuclear energy.

Veolia, which has offices in St Petersburg, said it has operations in four municipalities in Russia. In London, its refuse workers in Camden and Westminster staged a protest over the firm’s Moscow links. Mirror - link - John Siddle - link - Lee Sorrell - link - more like this (Veolia) - link - more like this (France) - link

(H2V) WORLD'S FIRST - H2 TUK TUK

'World’s first’ hydrogen-powered Tuk Tuk unveiled

The hydrogen-powered mobility market continues to grow, with what is said to be the ‘world’s first’ hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric three-wheeler, or Tuk Tuk.

California, US-based Biliti unveiled its FastMile™ on Monday (July 18), which the firm says offers a range of up to 130 miles (209km) and a refuelling time of just three minutes.

The FastMile, which is said to have been tested for more than 6,000 miles (9,656km) on rugged road conditions, also boasts a payload of up to 1,500lbs (680km).

Biliti has said, at a price point of $7 per kilogramme of hydrogen, three-wheel fuel cell electric vehicles achieve price parity with their petrol and diesel counterparts, offering a zero-emission solution to last mile mobility of both people and goods.

Rahul Gayam, CEO of Biliti Electric, commented, “This is a major step towards shaping the future of hydrogen energy and fuel cells for global markets. Thankfully, battery electric vehicles are not the only solution for decarbonising transportation.

“We are transforming the application and commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cells by bringing the technology to compact and affordable vehicles as well.”

The FastMile comes off the back of Biliti’s battery-electric Tuk Tuk, the Taskman™, which according to the company is a popular last-mile delivery vehicle which has been deployed in 15 countries, including Japan, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Kenya, and India. H2View - link - Charlie Currie - link - more like this (last mile) - link - more like this (H2 vehicles) - link - more like this (California) - link - more like this (World's first) - link

(NFP) POLISH GOVERNMENT BACKS COAL ALLOWANCE

Poland’s government has approved an allowance of 3,000 zloty (€630) to households to help them buy coal after admitting that a recently introduced plan to cap skyrocketing prices has failed.

Around 35% of Polish homes use coal for heating and a total of 11.5 billion zloty (€2.4 billion) will be allocated for the new programme.

“Thanks to the proposed regulations, households will be able to use a one-off coal allowance, which will amount to 3,000 zloty,” announced climate minister Anna Moskwa today. “The allowance will be granted to households for which the main source of heating is coal.”

With global fuel prices soaring since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – and Poland’s decision in April to ban imports of coal from Russia adding to supply problems – there are fears that many households will struggle to afford heating this autumn and winter.

Last month, the government announced that it was introducing a guaranteed maximum price for coal of 996.60 zloty per tonne. Sellers would be compensated for lost profits, but only up to 1073.13 zloty per tonne. As market prices had already reached 3,000 per tonne in June, the optional programme proved unpopular with businesses.

At the weekend, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki admitted that there had been “problems” with the system and “that in the coal warehouses there is no willingness to cooperate that we expected at the beginning”.

Under the new system announced today, the maximum prices will be scrapped and state money will go directly to consumers rather than coal sellers. Moskwa announced that the previous rules will remain in force for any businesses willing to participate until the new programme is implemented.

The new allowance will be available to households where the main source of heating is coal or pellets containing at least 85% hard coal. “There are no income criteria, which means anyone who has such a heater can apply,” said Moskwa.

Households wishing to participate in the programme must apply by 30 November this year. Then the relevant municipality has up to one month to pay the granted allowance, which will not be taxed. Notes from Poland - link - Alicja Ptak - link - more like this (coal) - link - more like this (Poland) - link

(CLE) WORLD'S FIRST - ELECTRIC TIMBER TRUCK

SCA, a manager of forestry operations in 2.6 million hectares of forest land in northern Sweden and 60,000 hectares in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, recently unveiled a new logging truck for its wood business.

This is the world’s first electric timber truck, and has a capacity of 80 tonnes. It was designed in a collaborative project between Scania and SCA as part of SCA’s objective to create a fossil-free value chain. the vehicle will be used to transport wood from Scania’s timber terminal in Gimonäs to the paper mill in Obbola outside Ume.

“The 80-tonne battery-powered timber truck shows that even really heavy transport can be electrified. The partnership with SCA is a early show of what is possible, is a clear signal that it is possible to electrify even heavy transport. A change of pace is needed to make Sweden fossil-free in time and meet the goal of the Paris Agreement,” says Fredrik Allard, Head of E-mobility at Scania.

SCA Obbola’s paper mill already runs without fossil fuels, and its goal with the new vehicle is to take the next step and reduce fossil fuel dependence in the supply chain bringing in raw materials to the plant. The electric timber truck will be test-driven during the summer and monitored by a research team from Institute Skogforsk to collect relevant data to compare the new vehicle’s environmental impacts compared to traditional diesel logging trucks. Once they’re done with that, their plan is for it to be included in SCA’s regular operations.

“An electric timber truck is a symbol of something pretty cool. Shipping of timber has been talked about as something that might never be possible to electrify. The development in recent years and what we are now presenting together with SCA shows how fast the development is taking place both in terms of vehicles and batteries,” says Allard.

Among the issues that will be researched throughout the summer are energy use, productivity, and costs in comparison to existing vehicles, as well as what would be required for a country-wide adoption of electric timber trucks were that to happen.

Jörgen Bendz, Industrial Supply Manager at SCA, points out that the ability to power the heaviest vehicles has significant potential for SCA’s sustainability efforts. CleanTechnica - link - Jennifer Sensiba - link - more like this (electric trucks) - link - more like this (Sweden) - link - more like this (World first) - link

(OFT) TOTALENERGIES RESPECTING CONSUMERS

French oil firm TotalEnergies and shipping giant CMA CGM have announced that they will be cutting down fuel prices due to government pressure to help consumers cope with high inflation.

TotalEnergies said it will reduce fuel costs at its service stations all over France from 1 September until the end of the year. CMA CGM announced a reduction in shipping fees of almost $760 per container for imports from Asia to France.

Despite countries like the UK and Italy imposing windfall taxes on companies with higher profits as the energy crisis and supply chain issues have caused prices to surge, France has refrained from doing so.

Instead, the government has asked these companies to voluntarily help customers cope during tough times.

French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Recovery of France Bruno Le Maire said: “There were intense negotiations that were carried out to lead to this decision, which is a fair decision, a strong decision.”

TotalEnergies announced a €0.2 per litre price cut until 1 November, followed by a €0.1 per litre price cut for the rest of the year.

CMA CGM and TotalEnergies will not be providing information about the effect on their accounts, claiming they just want to support French households cope with the high cost of living.

Both companies had already provided reductions to the consumers, but Le Maire stated on Thursday that these were insufficient, and he left open the potential of new taxes in the 2023 budget if they did not go further.

Rodolphe Saade, CEO of CMA CGM, told the French Senate that more taxation would only make the business less competitive against overseas competitors, and the Finance Ministry should first ensure that discounts already granted were being passed on to consumers.

According to a survey by financial analysts Refinitiv of analysts’ expectations, high energy prices are driving energy corporations’ earnings to unprecedented highs, with TotalEnergies’ net income likely to reach about €32bn in 2022.

Meanwhile, rising container shipping rates have bolstered the profits of companies like Marseille-based CMA CGM.

Biraj Borkhataria, RBC Capital Markets analyst, said: “TotalEnergies offering discounts at fuel stations is in line with peers (e.g. Repsol in Spain) and is a way for the company to ease pressure on consumers and businesses in extremely challenging times.” Offshore Technology - link - Smruthi Nadig - link - more like this (France) - link - more like this (TotalEnergies) - link

(INS) BEN O'HARE TESTS THE TAIGA ORCA

Jet skis can be exhilarating. There’s definitely something special about blasting across the water at 50 miles per hour on a hot summer’s day with the sun shining down and wind in your hair.

However, personal watercraft (PWC) also can burn through an insane amount of fuel. Hence they can cost a small fortune to run and, like all other gas-powered vehicles, are detrimental to the environment.

An electric jet ski, therefore, makes a lot of sense – with low running costs and limited environmental damage you immediately lose the two major drawbacks of traditionally powered PWC. Yes, jet skis are ultimately toys and unnecessary for day-to-day travel, but if you are buying one, the Orca is by far the most sustainable way to go.

Meet the Taiga Orca, the world’s first all-electric jet ski. Taiga Motors, founded in 2015, is a Canadian firm aiming to electrify the powersports industry. As well as the Orca jet ski, the firm also produces the Nomad electric snowmobile.

I traveled to Burlington, Vermont to test a Founders Edition Orca on the beautiful Lake Champlain. The 490 square-mile Lake Champlain stretches between the US and Canada. When I rode the Orca, the weather was not on my side and I had to combat strong chop and rough winds - however, I think this only added to the fun.

The Orca was first unveiled back in 2019. The final production version is just as sleek as the first prototype and has a wide array of colors to choose from.

The Orca is powered by a 24-kilowatt-hour battery, which is roughly the same size as the first-gen Nissan Leaf’s pack. However, while the 2010 Leaf’s battery weighs 496 pounds, the entire Taiga Orca comes in at just 738.5 lbs. The Orca keeps its weight down thanks to a carbon fiber composite hull. However, it’s still rather heavy compared to gasoline jet skis, which typically weigh in the region of 500-700 lbs. Still, not bad for an EV.

Three versions of the Orca are currently available. The entry-level version is the 90 horsepower Orca Sport. A Performance version of the Orca with more color options produces 160 hp. The Carbon trim sits at the top of the Orca lineup and offers the same power as the Performance but has sportier looks and weighs less. The Founders Edition I rode is sold out.

The majority of ICE jet skis make between 100-150 hp, meaning the Orca Sport and Carbon are among the most powerful jet skis on the market. As a result of this power, they can tow wakeboarders and tubers. Insideevs - link - Ben O'Hare - link - more like this (Canada) - link - more like this (electric boats) - link

(MAR) CARNIVAL BIO-BUNKERING TRIAL SUCCESS

Biofuel bunkering took place in Rotterdam

Netherlands-based biofuels specialist GoodFuels has successfully completed its first bio-bunkering for a large passenger ship. 

In partnership with Carnival Corporation’s AIDA Cruises brand, the 3,286-passenger AIDAprima was refueled with GoodFuels’ sustainable biofuels during a port visit to Rotterdam. The trial took place while the vessel was on a seven-day cruise, visiting Hamburg, Southampton, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge.

GoodFuels says its sustainable biofuel is derived from feedstocks that are certified as 100% waste or residue, with no land-use issues and no competition with food production or deforestation, enabling a well-to-exhaust CO2 reduction of 80-90% when compared to fossil fuels. Thanks to its “drop in” properties, AIDAprima was bunkered with biofuel without requiring any modifications to the engine or tanks.

Following this first bio-bunkering, AIDA Cruises envisages follow-up deliveries and sees a potential for expansion to other Carnival Corporation brands.

“This first bio-bunkering with AIDA Cruises marks an exciting step forward on the cruise industry’s decarbonisation pathway, demonstrating that our sustainable biofuels are a safe, technically viable and convenient option to drastically cut down emissions from passenger vessels,” said GoodFuels CEO Dirk Kronemeijer.

“As the effects of climate change are felt acutely in several parts of the world, the time for action is now, and biofuels are one of the few options that can already make a difference today. We are delighted to have worked alongside the trail-blazers at AIDA Cruises in the past few months to make this milestone a reality, and we look forward to collaborating again in the future.”

“We continue to actively explore all opportunities to decarbonize our fleet while advancing efficiency in line with international carbon intensity reduction targets,” said Felix Eichhorn, president AIDA Cruises. 

“With the successful start of biofuel usage, we have proven that gradual decarbonization is possible even on ships already in service. An important prerequisite for us as a cruise line to be able to use it is that it becomes widely available on an industrial scale and at marketable prices.” Bunkering - link - MarineLog - link - Nick Blenkey - link - more like this (shipping) - link - more like this (biofuels) - link - more like this (Netherlands) - link - more like this (Le Havre) - link

(OFF) LITHUANIA COMMENCES OFFSHORE MEASURING

Two buoys with specialised equipment have been deployed at two predefined locations in the Baltic Sea, as part of a contract signed between Lithuania’s Ministry of Energy and the Spain-based EOLOS Floating LiDAR Solutions.

The anchoring of the buoys was carried out by the Lithuanian Garant Diving company, together with the Spanish specialists.

For one year, the two buoys will measure wind, wave, and current properties as well as atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and relative humidity. The data collected is expected to be processed by the end of July 2023.

This data is essential for the preparation of the upcoming auction for the development of an offshore wind farm with a capacity of 700 MW in the Lithuanian part of the Baltic Sea, the Ministry of Energy said.

For potential developers, the data collected by the buoys will help them to select wind turbine models, and assess production capacity and lifetime, according to the Ministry of Energy.

The auction for the developer of Lithuania’s first offshore wind farm is planned to be launched in the second half of 2023, with the project expected to be operational as early as 2028.

It is estimated that 700 MW of offshore wind capacity in the Baltic Sea could produce up to 2 TWh of green electricity per year, which would ensure up to a quarter of the country’s electricity demand. Offshorewind.biz - link - Adnan Memija - link - more like this (cleaning up the Baltic) - link - more like this (offshore) - link - more like this (Lithuania) - link - more like this (Spain) - link 

(CLE) RIVIAN BEGIN DELIVERIES TO AMAZON

People in ten US cities are about to see a new delivery vehicle from Rivian on the road delivering Amazon packages. The e-commerce giant has been working with Rivian to create a more sustainable fleet of vehicles that will help it reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

The vehicles are built from the bottom up with safety, sustainability, and comfort in mind, and they have all been extensively driven by drivers across the country. 

They’re the result of Amazon’s collaboration with Rivian, which the firms announced in 2019 after Amazon co-founded it and became the first signatory of The Climate Pledge — a commitment to reduce emissions in order to meet the Paris Agreement ten years early.

Amazon’s support for Rivian is another indication of its commitment to make transportation more environmentally friendly. Amazon’s efforts with Rivian are an important element in decarbonizing its last-mile logistics and accelerating innovation that can benefit others. By 2030, Amazon will save millions of metric tons of carbon each year thanks to its promise to have all 100,000 of its new electric delivery vehicles on the road.

The move comes as Amazon is trying to speed up the transition to cleaner energy across its business and has set a goal of being net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

The distinctive electric vehicles will soon be hitting the road in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, and St. Louis, among other cities. Amazon’s plan is to bring more than 100,000 electric delivery vehicles to the United States by 2030. This is just the beginning of what will undoubtedly be thousands of custom Amazon motor vehicles in more than 100 cities by the end of this year — and millions across the country by 2030. CleanTechnica - link - Jennifer Sensiba - link - more like this (Amazon) - link - more like this (electric delivery) - link - more like this (Rivian) - link

(PIN) FIBRE BASED FRENZY IMPACTING ENVIRONMENT

Traditional paper production consumes at least 20 liters of water per A4 sheet.

As unprecedented heat waves sweep across Europe, putting much of the continent on alert for droughts, experts are warning that the paper packaging industry is inadvertently contributing to one of the most serious impacts of climate change: water loss.

This problem is caused, in part, by the massive uptick in businesses replacing plastics with fiber-based materials in efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based resources and advertise their carbon emissions reductions. In 2021, Innova Market Insights labeled this trend the “Fiber-based Frenzy.”

According to the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), the average sheet of A4 paper swallows at least 20 liters of water. In some nations, this takes up 10% of the country’s entire water supply. Over half of the world’s paper supply is used in packaging, and due to the transport and disposal issues, a 2013 EPN study even suggested that paper could produce more greenhouse gas emissions than the aviation industry.

Tamara Stark, campaigns director of forest conservation network Canopy, tells PackagingInsights that “companies who are making the necessary shift from plastic but are choosing to replace that with paper packaging are trading one environmental disaster for another.” Packaging Insights - link - Louis Gore-Langton - link - more like this (packaging) - link

(NAT) EAT POWDERED H2

A silicon-based powder that generates hydrogen when mixed into water - EPRO Advance Technology

Stir this silicon-based powder into water, and hydrogen will bubble out, ready for immediate use. Hong Kong company EPRO Advance Technology (EAT) says its Si+ powder offers an instant end to the difficulties of shipping and storing green energy.

This is the second powdered hydrogen advance we've learned about this week, designed to solve the same problems: transporting hydrogen is difficult, dangerous and expensive, whether the costs are for cryogenic cooling in a liquid hydrogen system, or for compression to around 700 times the normal sea-level air pressure.

But where Deakin University's mechanochemical storage process takes hydrogen gas and traps it in a powder for easy, stable transport, releasing it only once the recyclable powder is heated, EAT's silicon-based powder doesn't require you to start off with any hydrogen at all – and getting the hydrogen back out is even easier.

The Si+ powder can be made using a (preferably renewable) energy source, as well as metallurgical-grade silicon – which itself can be made from sand, or from crushed-up recycled solar panels and electronics. EAT's process results in a porous silicon powder that's completely safe and easy to transport.

When you need the hydrogen, you dump the Si+ powder into water, mix it around a bit, and ... that's pretty much it. At a wide range of ambient temperatures between 0-80 °C (32-176 °F), hydrogen gas will start bubbling out. The chemical equation, says EAT, looks like this: Si + 2H2O -> SiO2 + 2H2.

Thus, apart from the hydrogen gas, all that's left over is silicon dioxide, also known as silica, or the major constituent of sand. EAT says this can be shipped off to make concrete, or zeolites. Or a beach, I guess? New Atlas - link - the ever brilliant Loz Blain - link - more like this (H2 transport) - link

(OEN) WORLD'S LARGEST - FLOATING WIND FARM

Hywind Tampen turbines at Wergeland Base in Gulen Photo: Ole Jørgen Bratland/Equinor

Equinor's Hywind Tampen floating wind farm in Norway will become operational this year, becoming the world's largest floating wind farm, however, it will not be as big as planned, at least not in 2022, due to steel quality issues found in four of 11 turbines.

Namely, as previously reported, Equinor is developing the 11 turbine 88MW floating wind farm to power its five offshore oil and gas platforms in the North Sea off Norway, Snorre A, and B, and Gullfaks A, B, and C. The turbines will be able to deliver 35% of the platforms' electricity demand.

However, Equinor on Wednesday said that only the seven first Hywind Tampen turbines would come on stream this year as planned, with the final four to be installed next spring.

"Supply chain bottlenecks, most notably related to the global market for steel, preclude delivery of the final four tower sections for the wind turbines until September 2022. This will be too late in relation to the installation weather window for the year, postponing installation of the remaining four turbines until next year," Equinor said.

Siemens Gamesa is the supplier of towers, nacelles and blades for the project.

"Deviations in steel quality in four tower sections were found, and corrective actions were immediately implemented. The difficult market situation for steel has however delayed delivery. Siemens Gamesa is working closely with their suppliers and Equinor to expedite all deliveries. The seven turbines already assembled have been thoroughly tested and meet all quality specifications," Equinor said.

"Seven turbines have been assembled and four are now installed on the field. The plan is to start production during the year and supply electricity first to Gullfaks, then to the Snorre field," says project director Olav-Bernt Haga.

The seven first turbines will deliver electricity to both Gullfaks and Snorre and have a capacity of about 60 MW, which, event without the four turbines to be installed in 2023, will makeHywind Tampen the world’s largest floating wind farm. Currently, the world's largest wind farm is Grupo Cobra's 50MW Kincardine wind farm in the UK.

Hywind Tampen partners are Equinor (operator), Petoro, OMV, Vår Energi, Wintershall Dea and INPEX Idemitsu Norge AS.

The wind farm will be located about 140 km off the Norwegian coast in water depths between 260 and 300 metres.

The turbines are installed on floating concrete structures with a shared anchoring system. The first seven turbines are scheduled to start producing power in the third quarter of 2022. According to Equinor, the offshore wind turbines have been upgraded from 8 to 8.6 MW, "making the wind farm more robust." Offshore Engineer - link - Bartolomej Tomic - link - more like this (offshore) - link - more like this (Norway) - link - more like this (Hywind Tampen) - link - world's largest offshore wind farm - link

(UKT) TEVVA UNVEILS FIRST UGLY H2/ELECTRIC TRUCK

London-headquartered truck maker Tevva has unveiled its first hydrogen-electric truck, which has a range of 310 miles (499 km).

According to the company, the truck will be the first vehicle of its kind to be manufactured, designed and mass-produced in the UK.

The 7.5 tonne truck unveiled at the Road Transport Expo in Warwickshire, will be manufactured in Tilbury, London. This will be followed by 12 tonne and 19 tonne variants, which are expected next year.

“Our focus is first and foremost trucks that get the job done, remove the range issues, save money. The green focus is not the main focus because I believe that’s the best way to get the world to decarbonise,” Tevva CEO and founder Asher Bennett told UKTN.

Bennett likened this approach to making solar power cheaper than coal because people are more likely to choose the energy source that makes the most financial sense.

Why hydrogen?

Hydrogen technology is still a nascent field, with only a few hydrogen-powered vehicles currently on the market.

Hydrogen fuel cells combine oxygen and hydrogen atoms to produce electricity, with water and a small amount of heat as by-products instead of harmful emissions.

The main benefit of incorporating hydrogen into an electric truck is the energy density, which means the system and energy does not add a lot of weight when compared to a traditional battery. Some see this as having high potential for trucking fleets that often undertake long-range trips.

Filling up with hydrogen also requires less time than electricity because it comes in gas form and can be topped up in a similar amount of time as a diesel truck.

Limitations of hydrogen

Despite the benefits of hydrogen power, a fully hydrogen-powered truck is not currently viable. Bennett explained that the fuel is expensive because it’s not widely used in transportation, nor is it offered at many fuelling stations.

Hydrogen to electricity fuel cells are not cheap, either.

“The way we approach it is we’re using [hydrogen] as a backup energy system, not as a primary energy system,” Bennett said.

The launch comes shortly after Tevva, which takes its name from the Hebrew word for nature, raised £41m to accelerate the production of its all-electric and electric-hydrogen 7.5 tonne trucks. To date Tevva has raised over $140m (£115m) in funding.

“It’s much better than a [just a] battery because without the hydrogen, you’d probably not want to use more than 50 to 70% of your battery at most and no one is risking it too much in the world of trucks and getting to the limits, because repatriating a truck that has run out of energy full of goods is not fun,” said Bennett. UKTN - link - George Simister - link - more like this (H2 trucks) - link

(ENM) RECORAL

Reefs on the foundations of offshore wind turbines could provide safe havens for wildlife. (Photo by Georgette Douwma via Shutterstock)

“Sadly, we have taken the ocean for granted and today we face what I would call an ocean emergency,” UN secretary-general António Guterres said at the opening of the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon on 27 June 2022. “We must turn the tide.”

Ocean heating and acidification, sea-level rise and greenhouse gas concentrations all hit record levels last year, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate 2021 report. Overfishing is laying waste to fish stocks and marine pollution is creating vast dead zones; populations of species such as sharks and rays have withered by more than 70% in the past 50 years.

One potential solution to counter marine biodiversity loss has emerged from an unlikely source: offshore wind farms. In a world first, marine biologists last month planted coral larvae at the base of offshore wind turbines in an attempt to grow new reefs off the coast of Taiwan. In fact, the idea represents just one of a number of ways scientists are teaming up with wind developers to turn offshore wind farms into safe havens for biodiversity.

Coral reefs provide habitats for around 32% of marine species and benefit – either directly or indirectly – more than one billion people, according to the UN Environment Programme. However, global warming is heating up the surface of the ocean, causing mass ‘bleaching’ events that are killing off tropical coral reefs and the ecosystems that depend on them.

Danish energy giant Ørsted has designed an innovative approach to combat the problem called ReCoral. The project involves collecting indigenous coral spawn as it washes ashore to plant new coral colonies on the foundations of nearby offshore wind turbines.

The waters of offshore wind farms further from shore tend to benefit from more stable temperatures than the shallower locations in which tropical coral reefs typically set up shop, because of a phenomenon called ‘vertical mixing’ in the water column. ReCoral aims to find out whether coral can grow on the foundations of offshore wind turbines – close enough to the surface to receive sufficient sunlight – to reduce the risk of catastrophic bleaching events.

Ørsted launched the project in 2020 and last year successfully grew juvenile corals on steel and concrete substrates at a quayside test facility. In June 2022, the developer started an offshore proof of concept trial on four turbines at the Greater Changua offshore wind farm off the coast of Taiwan.

Working with Taiwan's Penghu Marine Biology Research Centre, Ørsted has developed a non-invasive methodology for coral seeding, in vitro fertilisation, larvae transport and attachment of the larvae to the turbine foundations. Instead of extracting from existing coral colonies, ReCoral collects surplus coral egg bundles that would have otherwise died after washing ashore.

If the trial succeeds, Ørsted aims to scale-up the initiative and even use new coral larvae spawned on the wind farms to help restore existing near-shore reef systems. Ørsted believes the ReCoral concept has the potential to be applied to all offshore wind farms in tropical waters around the world. Energy Monitor - link - the brilliant Oliver Gordon - link - more like this (oceans in trouble) - link - more like this (Taiwan) - link - more like this (Orsted) - link

(IEN) CARGO SOUS TERRAIN

Cargo sous terrain

Last December, the Swiss Parliament approved the legal framework that enables underground freight transportation in the country. This means that starting next month, Switzerland can officially commence works towards making this a reality, IEEE Spectrum reported recently.

As cities grow, so does economic activity and our need for more roads and rail networks. Back in the days, a 10-lane highway was considered a luxury; we now have highways that span 26 lanes, and those are also expected to fill up sooner than we anticipated.

If you are looking for reasons as to why this happens, do check out this video that explains why adding roads does not solve the problem of congestion. However, if you are more of a forward-looking person and would like to see a possible solution to the problem, then we have three words for you, Cargo sous terrain (CST).

Cargo sous terrain is a collaborative effort of multiple Swiss firms engaged across transport, logistics, retail, telecom, and energy sectors. The concept uses the principle of automatic conveyor systems to connect production and logistics hubs with urban centers.

Hubs in the system are equipped with vertical lifts that can load and unload goods in an automated fashion into the transportation system that is completely underground. Moving the goods in the transportation system are vehicles powered by electric drives that move at a constant speed of 18 mph (30 kph) and carry goods in pallets or modified containers.

Food and chilled goods can also be transported in this system using refrigeration-compatible vehicles, whereas an overhead track in the same tunnel can be used to transport smaller goods.

As CST details on its website, the distribution of the goods transported in such a bundled fashion is planned well in advance, and deliveries to sales channels and customers can be coordinated from the hub, instead of individual trips from each supplier's network. Not only can environmental-friendly vehicles carry out these deliveries, but they can also be deployed on these routes in the most energy-efficient manner.

First proposed in 2016, CST was estimated to cost $3.5 billion for a 310-mile (500 km) network extending from St. Gallen in the country's northeast to Geneve in the southwest.

However, the project that will commence on August 1st only includes a short phase of 43 miles (70 km) between the cities of Härkingen-Niederbipp and Zurich, which will include 10 connection hubs and is expected to be completed by 2031. The estimated project cost for this pilot phase is now $3 billion dollars with the cost of the entire project ballooning to $35 billion.

The cost isn't a dampening factor for this project which is being funded entirely with private money. The investors in the project are confident that their system that will run on renewable energy is a long-term investment and will see a drastic reduction of freight vehicles once the project is complete by 2045. Interesting Engineering - link - Ameya Paleja - link - more like this (autonomous cargo) - link - more like this (Switzerland) - link