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☆ Hubble finds water vapor in small exoplanet’s atmosphere
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have detected water molecules in the atmosphere of a small, blazing-hot exoplanet 97 light-years from Earth. The planet, named GJ 9827d, is about twice Earth’s diameter, and it’s the smallest exoplanet found to have water vapor in its atmosphere, according to a new study. Starlight filtering through the planet’s atmosphere helped astronomers measure the signature of water molecules. It’s possible that the planet is a mini-Neptune with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere that contains water vapor. Or astronomers suspect that GJ 9827d could be a warmer version of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which contains an ocean beneath a thick, icy crust.

Persons: ”, Laura Kreidberg, Max Planck, Björn Benneke, Hubble, Ian Crossfield, Pierre, Alexis Roy, we’re, ” Benneke, “, GJ, Benneke, Thomas Greene, James Webb, Webb, ” Kreidberg Organizations: CNN —, Hubble, Max, Max Planck Institute, Astronomy, University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute for Research, University of Kansas, University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute, GJ 9827d, NASA’s Ames Research, James Webb Space Telescope, ”, 9827d Locations: Heidelberg, Germany, Lawrence , Kansas, Silicon

☆ Puzzlingly massive planet found orbiting a small star
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The planet, about the mass of Neptune and more than 13 times as massive as Earth, was detected orbiting an ultracool M-dwarf star called LHS 3154 — which is nine times less massive than our sun. This graphic compares the sizes of our sun and Earth with the smaller, cooler LHS 3154 star and its orbiting planet, LHS 3154b. For example, small M dwarf stars are the most common throughout the Milky Way galaxy, and they typically have small, rocky planets orbiting them, rather than gas giant planets. “The planet-forming disk around the low-mass star LHS 3154 is not expected to have enough solid mass to make this planet,” Mahadevan said. A team of scientists led by Mahadevan built the HPF, which was designed to detect planets orbiting within the habitable zone of small, cool stars.

Persons: ”, Suvrath Mahadevan, Verne M, ” Mahadevan, Mahadevan, “, Megan Delamer, ” Delamer Organizations: CNN —, LHS, Penn, Penn State, McDonald Observatory Locations: Texas

☆ Webb telescope detects mysterious water vapor in a nearby star system
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has detected water vapor around a rocky exoplanet that orbits a star located 26 light-years away from Earth. The presence of water vapor could suggest that GJ 486 b somehow has an atmosphere, despite its heat and proximity to the star. “Water vapor in an atmosphere on a hot rocky planet would represent a major breakthrough for exoplanet science. The results from the Webb data analysis pointed to water vapor being present around GJ 486 b. Future observations of the planet using different instruments on the Webb telescope could reveal additional details about the source of the water vapor.

☆ Australia's parliament approves gas price cap, $1 bln energy relief
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Sonali Paul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MELBOURNE, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Australia's parliament on Thursday passed legislation setting a price cap on natural gas for one year and providing A$1.5 billion ($1.03 billion) in relief for households and small businesses hit by soaring energy costs due to Russia's war in Ukraine. The price cap will apply to new wholesale gas sales by east coast producers. The law also clears the way for the government to regulate gas sales when producers and buyers fail to agree on a contract price. The price cap met with fierce opposition from the gas industry but was supported by manufacturers and the Australian Workers' Union. Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest's private firm Squadron Energy, building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal, urged the government to require Queensland gas producers to make LNG available for the domestic market at "reasonable prices".

The centre-left federal government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has played its cards, announcing on Dec. 9 plans to legislate a year-long price cap for wholesale natural gas and thermal coal in the country's populous eastern states. Australia vies with Qatar and the United States for the title of the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is the second-biggest shipper of thermal coal after Indonesia. Australia still generates about 50% of its electricity from thermal coal, although this share is shrinking rapidly as the country installs renewables such as solar, wind and battery storage. The ruling Labor Party's plans call for a price cap of A$12 ($8.15) per gigajoule (GJ) for gas and A$125 a tonne for thermal coal, with the government saying it will support any coal miner whose costs exceed the price cap. The gas industry probably would have been better served by asking some more relevant questions, such as whether a price cap is the best method of delivering relief to consumers.

☆ Australia seeks to limit gas producers' profits as prices soar
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-10 | by ( Samuel Mckeith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The move, detailed late Friday, comes as gas producers face fierce criticism over soaring energy prices that have resulted in windfall profits from their Australian operations. The government said it would cap gas prices at A$12 per gigajoule (GJ) and coal prices for power plants at A$125 per tonne for one year in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said were "extraordinary measures" to drive down energy bills. It would not apply to gas sales on the spot market, and would remain in place until the regulator advised the government that domestic gas prices were "reflective of the underlying costs of production". "This may be taken as a declaration of war on the gas industry on the east coast," Credit Suisse analyst Saul Kavonic said. The government earlier this year forecast household gas and power prices would rise by 20% to 30% over each of the next two years.

The LNG industry argues that all of those of measures would result in lower investment and lower natural gas production over time, which would ultimately lead to higher prices. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent surge in energy prices amid fears over the loss of Russian exports of natural gas, LNG, crude oil and coal has provided Australia's LNG exporters with windfall revenues. But it has also led to higher prices in the domestic market, and calls from businesses and households for action to make LNG more affordable. The LNG industry is happy to meet one of those demands, namely ensure sufficient supply is offered to domestic consumers before being made available to the LNG exporters. What gas consumers want is capped prices and guaranteed volumes.

☆ În Republica Moldova a fost lansat un program de finanțare a economiei verzi
▼ + stars: | 2021-04-16 | by ( ) ziuadeazi.md time to read: +2 min

Cetățenii Republicii Moldova vor beneficia de noi tehnologii ecologice în cadrul Programului de Finanțare a Economiei Verzi (GEFF), derulat de Banca Europeană pentru Reconstrucție și Dezvoltare (BERD), lansat astăzi în format online. De împrumuturi pentru tehnologii verzi pot beneficia atât persoanele fizice sau asociațiile de proprietari de locuințe, cât și întreprinderile private. „GEFF în Moldova face parte dintr-un program ambițios al BERD, cofinanțat de Fondul Verde pentru Climă, ce are ca scop finanțarea activităților de atenuare a schimbărilor climatice și de adaptare la acestea. Se estimează ca GEFF va ajuta ţara noastră să-și reducă consumul anual de energie cu 108.800 GJ, echivalentul consumului anual de energie al peste şase mii de gospodării. Totodată, emisiile de CO2 ar urma să se reducă cu 9.880 tone pe an, echivalent cu eliminarea din circulație a peste cinci mii de automobile.

Persons: Angela Sax, GEFF Organizations: Finanțare, Economiei Verzi, Banca Europeană, BERD, GJ Locations: Republicii Moldova, Moldova, BERD, Republica Moldova, Paris

Lista completă a tehnologiilor poate fi consultată pe site-ul GEFF Moldova. „GEFF este unicul program de finanțare verde în Moldova, care pun accent și pe aspectele de gen. GEFF nu înseamnă doar acces la finanțare, ci și la cunoștințe și tehnologii”, a precizat Nadejda Litvac. În plus, aceștia vor oferi suport pentru evaluarea proiectelor și vor îndruma beneficiarii de împrumuturi în alegerea tehnologiei optime. Moldova Agroindbank a fost prima bancă ce a semnat un acord de finanțare cu BERD în cadrul GEFF Moldova, în valoare de 5 milioane de EURO. Se estimează ca GEFF va ajuta Moldova să-și reducă consumul anual de energie cu 108.800 GJ, echivalentul consumului anual de energie al peste 6.000 de gospodării.

Persons: Angela Sax, GEFF, Nadejda Litvac, Vitalie Lungu Organizations: BERD, EURO, GJ Locations: Moldova, BERD, Republica Moldova, Paris, Turciei

MAIB este prima bancă din Republica Moldova care obține acces la acest tip de finanțare destinat investițiilor în economia verde. Creditele vor fi acordate pe un termen de până la 5 ani, în valută națională, euro sau dolari. Suma creditelor va depinde de tehnologiile și sectoarele care urmează a fi finanțate, în limita disponibilității resurselor atrase în cadrul acordului. Datorită subvenționării de către Green Climate Fund, banca va putea propune clienților săi o finanțare pentru investițiile verzi la o rată atractivă a dobânzii. Linia de finanțare acordată în cadrul Facilității de Finanțare a Economiei Verzi (GEFF) va contribui la reducerea consumului de energie în Republica Moldova cu 108,800 GJ anual și a emisiilor de carbon cu 9,880 tone anual.

Persons: Angela Sax, Crăciun, Serghei Cebotari Organizations: Green, BERD, Banca Europeană, Președintele, Economiei Verzi, Banca Locations: MAIB, Republica Moldova, Moldova, BERD, Moldova Agroindbank, Președintele Moldova, ţară

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