[GWSG] Better batteries at GM; and VW; US emissions plan; polluted ground water; Drawdown's Climate 101

[Tilley, Al]

1. How about an electric car battery that charges to 80% in 15 minutes, allows 400 mile ranges, costs and weighs less, and has sufficient power to get to 60 in under 4 seconds? GM’s solid state lithium-metal battery might be doing that within a few years. https://cleantechnica.com/2021/03/12/gm-wants-your-next-electric-vehicle-battery-to-be-the-best-one-ever/
This Motor Trend story adds some details and variations, including a larger claim of 5-600 miles of range and a more compressed development schedule. If this all works out as claimed it could  ease the electrification of private transportation.  https://www.motortrend.com/news/gm-lithium-metal-battery-tech-range/?sm_id=organic_fb_MT_trueanthem&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=&utm_source=

2. Volkswagen is following Tesla in constructing megafactories for batteries and anticipating lower costs and charging times. It too has plans for a lithium metal battery. https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1131589_vw-targets-50-cut-in-battery-costs-by-2030-transition-to-solid-state-tech

3. A Princeton team led by engineer Eric Larsen projects the changes necessary to take the US to zero emissions by 2050. The analysis assumes no lifestyle changes (though some, such as diet change, appear to be underway) or technological advances. Some technological changes already underway will simplify things—for example, a 600-mile range EV battery which charges rapidly will require fewer charging stations for a given number of miles travelled. The changes anticipated in the analysis are positive not only for the climate but for the economy and for general well-being.   https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/15/race-to-zero-america-emissions-climate-crisis

4. As sea levels rise, so does the level of ground water along the coast. Usually, coastal ground water level is higher than the sea level. As ground water compromises buried water infrastructure, wastewater is carried back to the oceans. It is already happening in Hawai’i, and probably elsewhere. "We need to consider infrastructure that minimizes flooding opportunities and contact with contaminated water; and decreases the number of contaminant sources, such as installation of one-way valves for storm drains, decommissioning cesspools, monitoring defective sewer lines, and construction of raised walkways and streets." https://phys.org/news/2021-03-sea-level-wastewater-leakage-coastal.html
Given the expected pace of sea level rise, we need also to plan for the permanent submergence of low-lying areas.

5. The Drawdown project is ambitious and useful as ever. It has just announced a free online series, Climate 101, in six 9 to 25-minute video lectures with sources for further info listed. Like other Drawdown materials, it is intended for a general audience but uses informed sources. There probably won’t be much news here for most list members, but we all have friends and relatives who sometimes ask for basic info. This series is a treasure for them. (Jonathan Foley, Drawdown Executive Director and the lecturer, kept my attention. Maybe you too can use a brush-up review.) Other resources are listed on the Drawdown home page. It can help prepare us for Biden’s climate initiatives. https://www.drawdown.org/

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