You’ll have heard by now that 2023 set a new record for the hottest year since reliable thermometers were invented. Just for a change, here’s the article on that from the Daily Mail.
2023 was a record year for solar installations, heat pumps and domestic batteries, according to MCS. Welcome news, since we need every year to be a record year for a while to meet targets.
Less positive news on larger scale renewable energy projects though – over a thousands wind and solar projects are awaiting a grid connection in the UK, with the average waiting time now at 5 years.
Chinese wind turbines are around half the price of those from Western companies, says Chris Goodall in his newsletter Carbon Commentary. Europe and the US won’t have them, but the rest of the world is benefitting from cheaper turbines and China has half the global market.
Could you avoid flying in 2024? The Flight Free campaign invites your pledges again for this year.
Highlights from this week
What is inter-seasonal heat storage?
One of the frustrations of solar power in the UK is that there’s a lot of seasonal variability. It’s cold at the moment and so this is when my household uses the most energy. It unfortunately coincides with the point in the year when the solar panels generate the least power, thanks to the short…
Recycling telecoms infrastructure for EVs
Does your street have one of these? There’s a slightly smaller version about twenty metres down the street from me, and I found five on a quick walk around the block. They’re telecoms cabinets, and if you live in Britain, there’s a very good chance there’s one nearby. BT has 90,000 of them scattered around…
Not the End of the World, by Hannah Ritchie
My son is currently working towards grade four in piano. If he gets down about his mistakes, I remind him of how hard those exam pieces felt when he tried them for the first time. He is learning and making progress, and all forms of progress exist in tension between what was and what will…
The Earthbound Report 