DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Making the power grid 'smart' could save us all money and prevent blackouts. Chattanooga made the $280 million investment.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Chattanooga's utility built a $280 million smart grid, creating $2.7 billion in economic value. The local utility, called EPB of Chattanooga, spent $280 million to refurbish its power system with smart technologies to make a "smart grid." The traditional power grid carries electricity from a power plant to homes and commercial buildings. Smart grids can bring huge economic benefitsEven Congress knows the nation needs a smart grid. Though a smart grid requires a big up-front investment, it can save a lot of money down the line.

Persons: —, That's, Tiago Majuelos, Monika Skolimowska, Kevin Schneider, Schneider, Joshua Rhodes, David Wade, EPB, Wade, Taylor, David Swanson, We're Organizations: Infrastructure, Service, Chattanooga Smart, US Department of Energy, Wall Street, Getty, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, American Society of Civil Engineers, University of Texas, Department of Energy, C Electric Company, BI, Reuters, Nationwide Locations: Chattanooga , Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, EPB, California, Austin, Hamilton County, Palm Springs , California, Columbia, Southern California

☆ This solar stock is poised for 50% upside as demand strengthens on data center surge, Goldman says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-02 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

First Solar is poised for growth as demand continues to improve with surging electricity consumption from data centers acting as a catalyst for the manufacturer, according to Goldman Sachs. The firm raised its stock price target to $268 after First Solar reported another stronger quarter, which suggests the shares could log 50% upside from Wednesday's close of $177.58. First Solar CEO Mark Widmar told analysts during the company's earnings call that he is seeing a "meaningful increase in demand expectations driven in part by data center load growth." Apple , Google, Meta , and Microsoft are committed to carbon-free energy as they hyperscale data centers, Widmar said. "We'll be ready to go as quickly as possible," Widmar told analysts.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brian Lee, Morgan, Mark Strouse, Strouse, Wall, Mark Widmar, Widmar, Alexander Bradley Organizations: First, Google, Microsoft

☆ Microsoft signs deal to invest more than $10 billion on renewable energy capacity to power data centers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft has signed a deal with Brookfield Asset Management to invest more than $10 billion to develop renewable energy capacity to power the growing demand for artificial intelligence and data centers, the companies announced on Wednesday. Brookfield will deliver 10.5 gigawatts of renewable energy for Microsoft between 2026 and 2030 in the U.S. and Europe under the agreement. The 10.5 gigawatts of renewable capacity is 3 times larger than the 3.5 gigawatts of electricity consumed by data centers in Northern Virginia, the largest data center market market in the world. A Brookfield spokesperson said the deal would lead to more than $10 billion of investment in renewable energy. The scope of the deal could increase to include additional energy capacity in the U.S. and Europe, as well as Asia, Latin America and India, the companies said.

Persons: Satya Narayana Nadella, Wells Organizations: Microsoft, Brookfield Asset Management, Brookfield, Research Locations: Manhattan, New York City, U.S, Europe, Northern Virginia, Asia, Latin America, India

☆ 'Basel III' bank rules could pose unexpected threat to Biden's green energy plans
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Emily Wilkins | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Banks help fund the vast majority of renewable energy projects through tax equity investments, which allow the banks to benefit from federal tax credits for renewable energy. Currently, renewable energy draws $18 billion to $20 billion annually through tax equity investments, according to the American Council on Renewable Energy. "Many people joke that we're on the 'solar-coaster,'" Torres said about the ups and downs of renewable energy. The higher capital requirements for renewable energy projects in Basel III puts the regulation on a collision course with the Biden administration's push for cleaner and greener energy sources. "The clean energy industry's experience with tax equity investments does not warrant such a radical change," the group's letter read.

Persons: Julian Torres, Torres, he's, Banks, Jerome Powell, Biden, Dominic Lacy, Sean Casten Organizations: D.C, Gallaudet University, Washington , D.C, Gallaudet, Federal Reserve, FDIC, American Council, Renewable Energy, Basel III, Tesla, American Bankers Association, Bank, Institute, Clean Energy State Alliance Locations: Washington ,, Basel

☆ PG&E Seeks Approval to Sell Stake in Its Power Operations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Ivan Penn | More About Ivan Penn | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Pacific Gas & Electric announced plans on Tuesday to sell a minority stake in its power-generation business, part of its strategy to reduce electricity rates, continue wildfire prevention and further develop clean energy. The exclusive deal with the global investment firm KKR is part of PG&E’s plan to transfer its nonnuclear power generation to a newly formed subsidiary, Pacific Generation. The proposals for the subsidiary and the KKR stake require approval by the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. KKR, which manages $59 billion in assets, operates a global infrastructure business with expertise in the utility and renewable energy industry. PG&E said in a statement that the investment firm’s access to capital gave it the ability to take a long-term approach in its strategies.

Persons: ” Carolyn Burke Organizations: Gas & Electric, KKR, Pacific, California Public Utilities Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

☆ Germany's far-right AfD party is finding success on TikTok — as its popularity among young voters grows
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Sophie Kiderlin | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Cardboard stands with the AfD logo lie on the chairs in the Wiesenhalle before the start of the AfD Brandenburg state party conference. Traditionally, young voters are seen as more left-leaning, but the voting data suggests some divergences, with experts pointing to social media and what they describe as online echo chambers. A study published earlier this month showed that over half of those aged 14-29 in Germany use social media to stay updated about news and politics. But Berendsen told CNBC that it is one of the social media platforms where the tunnel-effect can be an issue. An AfD spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that its videos and texts posted on social media are tailored to young people.

Persons: Monika Skolimowska, Infratest Dimap, Eva Berendsen, Anne Frank, Baerbock, Maximilian Krah, TikTok, Berendsen Organizations: Getty, Russia, Anne, CNBC Locations: Hesse, Germany

☆ King Charles is planning to add a solar farm to Sandringham
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Billy Stockwell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —King Charles III is making plans to install around 2,000 solar panels in the grounds of Sandringham Estate, in a sustainability drive that could see the entire country property powered by zero-carbon energy. The new venture, confirmed to CNN by a Sandringham Estate spokesperson, will provide renewable energy to power Sandringham House and the visitors’ center, with any surplus electricity returned to the grid. 06:03 - Source: CNNThe solar panels will be built on a secluded plot of land near Sandringham House, currently used as horse-grazing paddocks. The King’s latest venture follows the installation of a small number of solar panels on the roof of Sandringham House in early 2022. The monarch’s private residence, Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, also has some solar panels in its gardens.

Persons: London CNN — King Charles III, Charles, Highgrove, won’t, ”, Steve Gower, paddocks Organizations: CNN’s Royal, London CNN, Sandringham Estate, CNN, Sandringham House, Norfolk Constabulary Locations: London, Sandringham, Gloucestershire, Dubai

☆ BHP Anglo American bid: The clean energy race could trigger the biggest mining deal in decades
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Mining giant BHP has made a near-$40 billion bid to take over its UK rival Anglo American in what would be the largest mining deal on record. BHP said in a statement Thursday that it valued Anglo American shares at £25.08 ($31.40) apiece, or £31.1 billion ($38.9 billion) in total. The potential deal would have a higher value than the $38.3 billion acquisition of Switzerland’s Xstrata by commodities company Glencore in 2012, according to Dealogic data. It would also be the biggest merger or acquisition in the mining industry by value since Dealogic began collecting the data in 2004. Shares in Anglo American soared as much as 13.8% on the news.

Persons: BHP, Dealogic, “, Mike Henry, ” Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, Rob North Organizations: London CNN — Mining, BHP, London Metals, Oz Minerals, United Kingdom’s, London Stock Exchange, City of, Hargreaves Locations: Australia, City, City of London

☆ Equinor CEO says renewable energy investment is increasing — but it needs to be profitable
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailEquinor CEO says renewable energy investment is increasing — but it needs to be profitableEquinor CEO Anders Opedal comments on the oil and gas firm’s latest quarterly results and the push to balance energy security with the green transition.

Persons: Anders Opedal

☆ CNBC's Inside India newsletter: A $270 billion gamble on green?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Solar panels stand at the Welspun Energy solar power plant in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, India. One sector in particular — electrical power transmission — will see $270 billion in financial benefits, according to Goldman Sachs. While utilities like the Power Grid Corporation of India may be perceived as unsexy, compared to growth stocks like Tesla, India plans to promote renewable energy without the taxpayer spending a single rupee. The country has added about 70 gigawatts of solar power capacity over the past decade without piling on further costs by simply maximizing the grid's usage. Currently, state governments in India levy surcharges and taxes on every unit of carbon-intensive energy transmitted through the grid.

Persons: Vivek Prakash, Elon Musk, Narendra Modi, Goldman Sachs, It's, Vinay Dwivedi, India Anna Dravida, Vinay, Modi, Mohamed Muizzu's, Jamie Dimon, Modi's Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, U.S, Power Grid Corporation of India, Goldman, Companies, Reliance Industries, Adani Enterprises, Tamil Nadu —, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, CNBC, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, Vodafone Idea, Vodafone, West, Economic, of New, JPMorgan, CNBC Pro, we'll Locations: Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh, India, Tamil Nadu, Dravida, New Delhi, Maldives, China, Beijing, West Indies, Pakistan, U.S, of New York

☆ Solar manufacturers petition U.S. to impose tariffs on imports from four Southeast Asian nations
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A coalition of U.S. solar manufacturers petitioned the federal government on Wednesday to impose tariffs on imports from four Southeast Asian nations, alleging that the countries are flooding the U.S. market with cheap products that threaten the domestic industry. The other six parties to the petition are Convalt Energy, Meyer Burger, Mission Solar, Qcells, REC Silicon and Swift Solar. They are requesting that the Commerce Department impose tariffs on solar cell imports from the four countries as a remedy. "This case is bad news for clean energy jobs and American solar manufacturing," Array CEO Kevin Hostetler said in a statement Wednesday. The ITC and Commerce Department investigations will take about 12 months to conclude, Brightbill said.

Persons: Meyer Burger, Tim Brightbill, Joe Biden, Brightbill, Kevin Hostetler, Janet Yellen, Biden Organizations: U.S, Convalt Energy, International Trade Commission, Commerce, ITC, Initiative, Commerce Department, Solar Energy Industries Association, American Clean Power Association, Advanced Energy, American Council, Renewable Energy, Technologies, International Energy Agency, IEA, CNBC Locations: Zhangye city, Gansu province, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, U.S, The U.S, Beijing's

☆ America's Plastic Catastrophe: Most Waste Can't Be Recycled
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Taylor Dorrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

It's an urgent question — what do we do with the 40 million tons of plastic waste we produce annually? One year of plastic waste is roughly enough to smother the entirety of Manhattan a meter deep, and it has to go somewhere. For decades, America sent its plastic waste to countries like China and Indonesia. Unlike aluminum or glass, the plastic that can be recycled rarely results in replacing one recycled water bottle with another. By downcycling a tiny portion of plastic waste, companies can genuinely reuse a relatively small share of plastic, while convincing consumers that the industry has created a circular economy of infinitely recycled plastic.

Persons: Kartik Byma, they're, Tim Miller, Susan Freinkel, Nestlé, Lea Suzuki, Larry Thomas, what's, Taylor Dorrell, Biden, that's, Taylor, Miller, Kelley Sayre, Vicky Abou, it's, Mike Bloomberg, Bloomberg, Espen Barth Eide, Norway's, Abou, It's Organizations: Getty, America, Chevron, Exxon, Paper Stock, Plastics Industry Association, Organization for Economic Co, San Francisco, NPR, International Energy Agency, ExxonMobil, Alterra Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Royal Paper Stock, Akron, Buckeye Environmental, Business, Eastman Chemical Co, American Chemistry Council, New, Beyond Plastics, UN, Buckeye Environmental Network Locations: America, Manhattan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, AFP, Ohio, American, San Francisco, Akron, Taylor Dorrell Akron , Ohio, United States, Oregon, New York City

☆ The US is preparing to hit back at China's glut of cheap solar panels by targeting its allies
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The world is awash in solar panels after Chinese-owned firms flooded the market with cheap exports. Companies including Qcells, First Solar, and Swift Solar on Wednesday asked the Biden administration to slap tariffs on solar cells from four countries in Southeast Asia. The US solar companies allege that Chinese-owned firms operating in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are illegally undercutting the market. The petition by US solar companies — known as an anti-dumping and countervailing duty case — could lead to that. The probe will help determine whether solar panels were sold in the US at prices below the cost of production.

Persons: Biden, we've, Tim Brightbill, Wiley Rein, Joe Biden, Janet Yellen, Yellen, Premier Li Qiang Organizations: Service, Companies, Wednesday, Business, Wiley, China, Industry, Commerce Department, US Commerce Department, International Trade Commission, Premier, New York Times Locations: Southeast Asia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, America, Massachusetts, China

☆ U.S. likely to continue renewable energy policies regardless of who is elected: Surge Battery Metals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailU.S. likely to continue renewable energy policies regardless of who is elected: Surge Battery MetalsGraham Harris, chairman and director for Surge Battery Metals, says that's because those policies are "all about jobs and job creation."

Persons: Battery Metals Graham Harris Organizations: U.S, Battery Metals, Metals

☆ Carrier, the century-old inventor of the air conditioner, is moving on to the home heat pump
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Andrew Aitchison | In Pictures | Getty ImagesIn case you haven't noticed, heat pumps are hot. But there are other reasons why heat pumps are fast becoming popular with homeowners. All of this is transforming Carrier Global , the nearly 100-year-old manufacturer whose founder, Willis Carrier, invented air conditioning. Heat pumps have a history dating back to 1850s The thermodynamic science behind heat pumps was developed in the 1850s, when the first ones were invented, and they've been used in homes since the 1960s. Heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer.

Persons: CARR, Andrew Aitchison, Willis Carrier, David Gitlin, Carrier, Hakan Yilmaz, Yilmaz, they've, Michael Kretschmer, Sebastian Kowalski, Kretschmer, Tobie Stanger, Dave Lis, Viessmann, Milena Oliveira, Oliveira, Mark Prodan, Prodan, There's Organizations: Carrier Global, United Technologies, Solutions, East Trade Policy, Getty, International Energy Agency ., U.S . Climate Alliance, Consumer, Energy Efficiency, Carrier, M, Energy Star Locations: Gardens , Florida, Saxony, Leipzig, America, U.S, Maine, Michigan, Indian, Connecticut, New York State

☆ The highest-paying in-demand jobs that don't require a degree, according to new research
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. skilled labor market is facing "record-high pressure," according to new research from McKinsey & Co., as more workers age out and fewer young people train to fill their jobs as construction workers, plumbers, welders and more. The most in-demand jobs companies are hiring for right now — that don't require a degree — are in construction, manufacturing and plumbing, according to data from Payscale and ZipRecruiter exclusively shared with CNBC Make It:1. Journeyman plumberMedian salary: $61,500It's important to note that there are different levels of certification for some trade jobs including plumbers and electricians. All of these jobs saw at least a 16% increase in openings on ZipRecruiter between October 2023 and March 2024. The median pay for fleet managers without degrees is $64,600 while journeyman electricians make $62,600 on average, according to Payscale.

Persons: ZipRecruiter, Ruth Thomas, Thomas Organizations: McKinsey & Co, Labor, CNBC Locations: U.S, Payscale

☆ Saudi Arabia is desperately trying to woo bankers to pay for its futuristic desert city
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Neom is hosting hundreds of prospective investors for on-the-ground tours, Bloomberg reports. Saudi Arabia's government has reportedly been worried about rising costs for the futuristic city. AdvertisementFor the first time, Saudi Arabia is inviting hundreds of private bankers this week to visit Neom, its futuristic — and cash-strapped — city in the desert, Bloomberg reported. Neom CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr will now show visitors the construction work on "The Line," the planned city between two mirrored skyscrapers. The tours will mark the first time a large group of financiers will be able to see anything of the futuristic city with their own eyes, as opposed to virtual renderings.

Persons: Neom, —, Nadhmi Al, Nasr, that's Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, AFP Locations: China, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Neom, —, Korea, Japan, Singapore, US, France, Germany

☆ The $6 billion project to power 1 million NY homes with clean energy is the first of its kind
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The 339-mile CHPE transmission line aims to provide hydropower to a million New York City homes. According to EPA data, carbon emissions in the New York City area rose by about 20% between 2019 and 2022. Gas-fired power plants contribute to poor air quality, which can lead to health problems like asthma. The asthma rate for children in New York City, especially in poorer neighborhoods, is one of the highest in the country. New York has six years to achieve its goal of powering 70 percent of its grid with renewable energy.

Persons: It's, CHPE, Donald Jessome, Vural, Ryan Calder, Calder, Methylmercury, Jessome Organizations: Infrastructure, Service, Champlain Hudson Power Express, Transmission Developers, New, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Virginia Tech, Hydro, Department of Energy, Queens, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Blackstone, CHPE Locations: York City, Canada, New York, New York City, Ravenswood, Astoria, Albany, there's, Poughkeepsie, Queens , New York, Calder, Lake Champlain, Hudson, York

☆ Top 10 U.S. cities for eco-conscious living—they're almost all on the West Coast
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

In honor of Earth Month, realtyhop ranked the greenest U.S. cities for homebuyers. The report evaluated each city based on the following criteria: SustainabilityPolicy and infrastructureEnergyEnvironmentAffordability Overall, the study found that the majority of the greenest cities are on the West Coast — five are in California alone. Portland, Oregon is the greenest city in AmericaWith a total score of 62.34, Portland, Oregon took the No. The city uses green streets, eco-roofs, trees and more to manage the stormwater. Top 10 greenest cities in AmericaPortland, Ore. Washington, D.C. San Francisco, Calif. Seattle, Wash. Oakland, Calif. Spokane, Wash. New York, N.Y. Sacramento, Calif. San Diego, Calif. San Jose, Calif.

Persons: realtyhop, Gavin Newsom, Jordan Organizations: Earth, Energy, Coast, CNBC, Portland, Jordan Siemens, Getty, Environmental Services, Calif, D.C, Washington D.C, Istock Locations: U.S, homebuyers, California, Portland , Oregon, America, realtyhop, Portland, America Portland, Ore . Washington ,, San Francisco, Calif, Seattle, Wash . Oakland, Calif . Spokane, Wash . New York, N.Y, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Washington

☆ Can this ocean-based carbon plant help save the world? Some scientists are raising red flags
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Fans will pump air through the alkaline stream, which causes carbon dioxide to form solid calcium carbonate, the material from which seashells are formed, which will look like a fine sand, as well as dissolved bicarbonate. The seawater will also be sent back into the sea, ready to absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The ambition is to scale up to 100,000 metric tons of CO2 removal a year by the end of 2026, and from there to millions of metric tons over the next few decades, Sanders told CNN. Equatic has already signed a deal with Boeing to sell it 2,100 metric tons of hydrogen, which it plans to use to create green fuel, and to fund the removal of 62,000 metric tons of CO2. It will remove just under 4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, with the aim of scaling up to 100,000 metric tons a year by the end of 2026.

Persons: Jean, Pierre Gatusso, “, ”, Patrick T, Fallon, Equatic, Gaurav Sant, Edward Sanders, Sanders, Sant, Lili Fuhr, Fuhr, James Niffenegger, Niffenegger, “ we’re, ” Fuhr, It’s, Gatusso, ” Equatic, UCLA’s Sant, ” Sant Organizations: CNN, University of California, Sorbonne University, Getty, UCLA, National Water Agency, Port, Boeing, Center for International Environmental Law, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Locations: Vietnam, France, Singapore, Tuas, Los Angeles, LA, AFP, Port of Los Angeles

☆ How a Jack Dorsey-backed bitcoin miner uses a volcano in Kenya to turn on the lights in rural homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

watch nowHELL'S GATE, Kenya — Two-and-a-half hours northwest of Nairobi by car, a small group of bitcoin miners set up shop at the site of an extinct volcano near Hell's Gate National Park. "That doesn't happen without the bitcoin miners and us being globally distributed." MacKenzie SigalosWherever the operation, bitcoin mining is a volatile business, because so much of the economics depends on the price of the cryptocurrency. Before getting into bitcoin mining, he and his two co-founders, Philip Walton and Janet Maingi, spent years building internet connectivity infrastructure in rural and urban Africa. Demand from bitcoin miners on these semi-stranded assets is making renewables in Africa economically viable.

Persons: Jack Dorsey's, MacKenzie Sigalos, Erik Hersman, Bitcoin, Gridless, Lake Naivasha, bitcoin, Adam Sullivan, Philip Walton, Janet Maingi, Michael Gottschalk, Nic Carter, Carter, Hersman, It's, it's Organizations: CNBC, Kenyan, Core, Deutsche Bank, Marathon, United Arab, Getty, Island Ventures, Miners, International Energy Agency Locations: Kenya, Nairobi, Lake Naivasha, Malawi, Zambia, Venezuela, Lebanon, Gate, Lake, U.S, Texas, Russia, China, America, Africa, Toronto, Argentina, Florida, United Arab Emirates, Paraguay, Hersman, Sudan, Iceland, El Salvador, Bhutan

☆ Carbon Dioxide Levels Have Passed a New Milestone
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Aatish Bhatia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

Global carbon dioxide levels as of … Play animation Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Monitoring Laboratory The chart shows monthly numbers of carbon dioxide molecules per million molecules of dry air. Carbon Dioxide Levels Have Passed a New MilestoneCarbon dioxide acts like Earth’s thermostat: The more of it in the air, the more the planet warms. More carbon dioxide, warmer temperatures Source: NOAA (carbon dioxide); NASA (temperature) The chart shows the change in global surface temperature relative to 1951–1980, versus global carbon dioxide levels. Currently, carbon dioxide levels are rising at near-record rates. Annual change in carbon dioxide levels Source: NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory The chart shows the increase in global carbon dioxide levels over the course of each year.

Persons: Glen Peters, Doug McNeall, Xin Lan, ”, El Niño, El, Mr, McNeall, “ Organizations: NOAA, NASA, National Oceanic, Global, Budget, CICERO Center, International Climate Research, Britain’s Met

☆ Critical mineral mining is key to the green transition, but experts warn reputational risks remain
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesMining of critical minerals plays a crucial role in the global green transition, but the broader industry's bad reputation and other challenges present investment barriers, industry experts warn. Critical minerals include metals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements, and are important components in emerging green technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicles. Speaking on a panel at Singapore's annual Ecosperity Week, which ended Wednesday, mining industry experts and investors said the growing demand from green tech makes it necessary to increase government support and capital flows into the critical mining sector. Many of the same companies that mine critical minerals also mine environmentally damaging fossil fuels like coal. One area that has seen recent strides and investments has been in the recycling of critical minerals, which cuts down the need of extraction.

Persons: Adam Matthews, Dominic Barton, Barton, Scott Clements Organizations: PT Vale, Getty Images, Global Investor Commission, Mining, Royal Bank of Canada, Rio Tinto, LeapFrog Investments, International Renewable Energy Agency, EV, World Bank, Tribeca Capital Locations: PT Vale Indonesia, China, Paris, Rio, Indonesia's Sulawesi, Rio Tinto, Western Australia

☆ Blackstone's data-center bets have climbed 10-fold to $100 billion in just 3 years. And it's just the start, Steve Schwarzman says.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Schwarzman said QTS was now "the largest data center company in North America" and that data centers were one of Blackstone's "highest conviction investment themes today." Jon Gray, Blackstone's president, suggested Blackstone's data center portfolio would continue to grow. The size of Blackstone's investments in data centers reflect an astonishing rise for a once-obscure industry that's gaining importance in the race to develop and commercialize artificial intelligence. Around the country, there has been a boom of data center construction. Late last year, QTS won local approval to build one of the country's largest new data center projects in Virginia.

Persons: Steve Schwarzman, Schwarzman, Blackstone's, Blackstone, QTS, Jon Gray, Gray, Michael Chae, We've Organizations: Business, Blackstone, Google, Income Trust, Digital Realty Trust Locations: North America, QTS, Virginia, Frankfurt, Paris

☆ A shift to renewable energy is 'hopeless' without efficiencies, environmentalist says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Vicky Mckeever | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Daniel Bosma | Moment | Getty ImagesExplorer and environmentalist Bertrand Piccard has called for a renewed focus on cutting energy waste, saying it's "hopeless" to shift to renewables without improving efficiency. "So if we try to replace fossil [fuel] energy with renewables without being efficient, without reducing the consumption, it's hopeless," he said. Another issue Piccard highlighted was that some countries only consider wind and solar as alternative renewable energy sources. Geothermal energy accounted for just 2.7% of renewable energy consumption, while wind power was 13.2% and solar energy was 7.2%. 'Paradox' of China's solar panel oversupplyPiccard also discussed the ongoing concerns about the potential oversupply of solar panels from China to the European market.

Persons: Daniel Bosma, Bertrand Piccard, Piccard, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, bioenergy, Janet Yellen Organizations: CNBC, Solar Impulse, European Commission, Treasury Locations: Netherlands, Europe, China, U.S

Search resuls for: "Renewable Energy"

25 mentions found