Green Energy

Scientists have developed a new resource to better protect seabirds from the impacts of offshore wind farms. The innovative modeling tool has the potential to save wildlife, while ensuring the effective and sustainable development of renewable energy sources.

Battery recycling provides economic, national security, and environmental benefits. But the United States is playing catch-up to Asian countries, particularly China.

Renewable Capacity Statistics 2025 released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) today shows a massive increase in renewable power capacity during 2024, reaching 4 448 gigawatts (GW). The 585 GW addition last year indicates a 92.5% share of the total capacity expansion, and a record rate of annual growth (15.1%).

As renewable energy installations multiply across the globe, the first generation of solar panels, wind turbine blades, and lithium ion batteries is reaching the end of its lifespan and coming offline. With a tidal wave of waste potentially slamming landfills worldwide — is it true that these technologies are un-recyclable? Or that these green initiatives are maybe worse for the environment? Or could emerging recycling and upcycling technologies redirect this flood of waste into a new generation of photovoltaics, wind turbines, and battery banks designed to be continuously recycled and regenerated? Just how close are we to “closing the loop”?

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/27215326

If 1 asks me re a great way to know re the Chernobyl disaster, I'll suggest this. 1 of my top series.

I asked myself "How about the Fukushima Daiichi disaster?" I had 3 ideas –

1. I found an eli5 explainer using Google.

2. Plainly difficult's vid (the best for me)

3. The days

Plainly difficult's vid is more detailed than the eli5 explainer so if you're in no rush, please watch.

I was at the 20:00 mark of The days episode 4 when I stopped due to its slowness. It'd be better if it had 4 or 5 episodes instead of 8.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/19795555

Chubu decided to close both units in January 2009 as they required expensive modifications to meet seismic standards imposed after the July 2007 Niigata Chuetsu offshore earthquake.

The utility submitted a decommissioning plan for Hamaoka 1 and 2 in June 2009, which was subsequently revised in September of that year. The overall plan divided the decommissioning of the two units into four stages.

Having completed stage two work at both units, on 18 December last year the Nuclear Regulation Authority approved Chubu's application to move to the third stage of decommissioning at the units.

Chubu plans to dismantle units 1 and 2 over a period of about 12 years, starting with the reactor of unit 2 first. The decommissioning of the two reactors is expected to be completed in fiscal 2042 after the reactor buildings are demolished.

• The life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas power plants are lower than those from coal and oil, but still significantly higher than those from hydropower, solar, wind, or nuclear.
• The largest component of natural gas is methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Any use of natural gas invariably leaks methane into the atmosphere. There is evidence that we are underestimating how much methane-containing natural gas enters the atmosphere.
• Natural gas is not a ‘clean-burning’ fuel on account of the numerous pollutants that it produces, including nitrous oxides, particulates, sulfur dioxide, and mercury. These pollutants are linked with respiratory problems.
• Building new gas power plants is a commitment to using gas well into the future, which many researchers believe can slow decarbonization.