Earlier this week I wrote about solar power in Pakistan (link below), though this is the big solar story of the week: as of this summer, solar generation is set to overtake nuclear power. It won’t stay there, as it will fall back below nuclear as the northern hemisphere moves into winter, but it’s sign of its coming dominance.
Your Wotsits are now low carbon, as Pepsico have upgraded to electric ovens at their factory in Leicester. Also Frazzles, Cheetos and Monster Munch if that’s your bag.
Biomass has played an outsized role in the UK’s renewable energy sector, taking advantage of government subsidy schemes. With those changing this year, there is now a pathway to wean our energy system off biomass, according to analysis by Ember.
Some interesting research into the psychology of climate change – people respond to binary differences more than trends. Showing how something has been lost can cut through the apathy, writes Kate Yoder at Grist.
The latest edition of the Zero Carbon Luton newsletter has gone out, if you’re interested in what’s happening locally. This one includes the charity Apps for Good, the embarassing dereliction of Luton station, more climate action in schools and some poetry.
It’s half term this week and I’ll be taking a break from the writing. Here are this week’s articles:
Latest articles
The world’s fastest solar revolution
Around a decade ago, astute observers of the renewable energy market began to imagine a solar powered world. It wasn’t obvious at the time, given the dominance of fossil fuels. But the logic was simple enough: the price of solar was falling so fast that it would soon be the cheapest form of electricity generation.…
Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
The UK is the world’s sixth largest economy, and has never had more wealth at its disposal – but it doesn’t feel like it. There’s somehow never enough to go round. People still live in poverty and every town has a food bank. Libraries close. Hospital waiting rooms don’t have enough seats. Councils cut down…
Climate adaptation with Shade the UK
Having grown up in tropical countries, I know the value of shade, the cool and the relief from an oppressively hot sun. On moving back to Britain, I couldn’t help noticing that I was often alone in this. People will sit all day in the sun at the beach or the park, giving themselves sunstroke…
The Earthbound Report 