[GWSG] Hardy battery; supertransmission; EPA regs on power plants; Na-Al battery; EV health effects; edging off meat

[Tilley, Al]

1. Swedish companies Scania and Northvolt are offering a Li-ion battery which can power a heavy truck for its lifetime—over 900,000 miles. https://electrek.co/2023/04/21/scania-northvolt-new-ev-battery-truck/

2. The energy transition will require an epic transformation of power transmission systems. CERN and the Irish firm SuperNode are collaborating on ways to use superconducting cables. The technology is not yet commercial, but it could be transformative, and it is good to know that competent people are working on it. https://home.cern/news/news/knowledge-sharing/supernode-and-cern-collaborate-new-solutions-renewable-energy

3.  The EPA is planning to place controls on new gas-fired and existing coal and gas power plants so stringent as to nearly eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The corporations could in theory practice carbon capture and sequestration to meet the requirements, but that is both ineffective and ruinously expensive, in spite of claims otherwise. The plan is still under discussion; it may not be formally set for months and stringent standards may not go into effect until the 2030s. The fossil fuel industry may fight back, and may win or may lose, or both in part. In the meanwhile they will be prompted to revise their business plans. (Some details provided from the WA Post story, which is behind a paywall.) https://www.politico.com/news/2023/04/21/epa-to-float-power-plant-climate-crack-down-00093337?utm_source=cbnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2023-04-24&utm_campaign=Daily+Briefing+24+04+2023

4. The sodium-aluminum battery is much cheaper than the Li-ion battery, is hardier in cold weather, and lasts longer. It has less energy density and thus requires more battery for a given power level. (Research may be able to cure that.) It is already under production in China for use in autos this year. Though the US has a great edge on the material needed, we have done little research or development on the battery. That should change. https://cleantechnica.com/2023/04/22/the-sodium-ion-battery-is-coming-to-production-cars-this-year/

5. A study in CA found that adoption of electric vehicles is already producing an increase in public health. Every 20 EVs per 1,000 people produced a 3.2% drop in ER admissions for asthma in the neighborhood. Thanks to Todd Sack for the topic. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/23583500/ev-electric-car-california-air-pollution-asthma-health

6. Princeton’s Peter Singer calculates that if we replaced 50% of animal-based foods with plant-based by 2030, that alone would take us a quarter of the way toward hitting our target emissions under the Paris agreement. If you still are not exploring the world of beans, it would be a good way to celebrate earth day. We don’t all have to be vegan but we do all need to be familiar with some alternatives to meaty meals. This is an ad for my cookbook Vegan Offerings. Or for one of the zillion other plant-based cookbooks.  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/opinion/earth-day-climate-change-meat-vegan.html?utm_source=cbnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=2023-04-24&utm_campaign=Daily+Briefing+24+04+2023

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