US president announces plans for two new coal plants, in Alaska and West Virginia, using Defense Production Act
Donald Trump is using wartime presidential authority to hand $700m to coal-fired power plants in the US, the latest move by the president to bolster what he called βclean, beautiful coalβ, despite it being the dirtiest of fossil fuels.
βToday, weβre taking historic action to bring down the price of energy and the cost of living for all Americans with the power of clean, beautiful coal,β he said at a press conference on Thursday.
As offshore wind farms expand rapidly in the global renewable energy transition, scientists are studying how these large marine infrastructure projects affect ecosystems beneath the waves. Research from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands suggests that offshore wind may bring both risks and benefits for sharks and rays, known collectively as Elasmobranchii, which are highly sensitive to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). A six-year project called βElasmopowerβ examined how EMFs from subsea power cables in offshore wind farms affect bottom-dwelling sharks and rays. These species depend on natural electric and magnetic fields for key behaviors such as navigation, prey detection, habitat use and long-distance movement, particularly in low-visibility environments. The studies conducted as part of the Elasmopower project have been published in four papers, with three additional papers currently undergoing peer review. Sharks and rays have specialized electroreceptors called ampullae of Lorenzini. The jelly-filled sensory canals around the head and snout can detect even extremely weak EMFs from prey and predators, water movement, and the Earthβs geomagnetic field, Erwin Winter, a scientist at Wageningen, told Mongabay. This system is central to hunting and orientation, making Elasmobranchii especially relevant for studying EMF exposure from offshore energy infrastructure, Winter added. Erwin Winter, a researcher with the Elasmopower project, presented findings on offshore wind, electromagnetic fields and bottom-dwelling sharks and rays at the Sharks International 2026 conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in May. Image by Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. During a presentation on a summary of the Elasmopower research at the Sharks International 2026β¦This article was originally published on Mongabay
Thousands of electric vehicles in Waymoβs autonomous robotaxi fleet may eventually give up their used batteries for a very different purposeβcontributing up to hundreds of megawatt-hours of stationary energy storage to local power grids.
That prospect comes from a βstrategic supply agreementβ announced by Waymo and B2U Storage Solutions on June 4. B2U has been repurposing thousands of used batteries from various electric vehicles by installing them in large stationary energy storage projects. Such energy storage facilities can capture excess renewable energy during low demand periods and release such energy when local power grids are experiencing peak demand periods.
βOur business is getting the full residual value out of electric vehicle batteries after they're no longer suitable for automotive use,β Freeman Hall, CEO of B2U Storage Solution, told Ars. βWaymo puts a lot of miles on EVs and their model is expanding rapidly, and so we're just very pleased and honored to be able to work with them.β
In our increasingly dystopian world, who wouldnβt want to at least be open to a utopian antidote? The Global Justice Report, published on Thursday, outlines how to build a prosperous, equitable world within safe planetary boundaries. Itβs a push from the modern eco-socialist left in a global battle for ideas that will shape the future.
Based on past social achievements and future energy transformation, it indicates that the overwhelming majority of people on the planet could, by the end of the century, work less and earn more β while keeping temperatures down and avoiding much of the current destruction of nature. It is an ambitious, comprehensive and upbeat plan, and a stronger argument around which to build a political campaign than abstract goals of net zero or decarbonisation.
The plan to ship non-recyclable rubbish from across the region to Fiji, popular with tourists for its pristine beaches, and build an incinerator to consume 900,000 tonnes of waste a year had been labelled βwaste colonialismβ by villagers.
A newly engineered catalyst overcomes key obstacles that have long limited ammonia as a clean fuel for heavy industry. A newly developed single-atom platinum catalyst can ignite ammonia at about 200Β°C (392Β°F) and sustain stable combustion at 1,100Β°C (2,012Β°F) while producing very little NOx. The breakthrough could provide carbon-free, high-grade heat for industries such as [...]
Residents in Monterey Park, California, became the first in the US to vote on a permanent ban on datacenters on Tuesday, and early results indicate a resounding victory for the prohibition.
While many cities and counties have already passed temporary or indefinite moratoriums via their local governments, Monterey Park would be the first to do so through a ballot initiative.
Last week, as the war in Iran continued to choke global oil supplies, the UK government announced a 13% increase in the cap on energy prices. But it was another related story on the other side of the world that caught my eye.
In Australia, the energy minister announced a fall of up to 10% in the benchmark electricity price in parts of the country, driven by record levels of renewables and batteries in the power grid.
I premiere my 2013 video lecture "8 Reasons Why Evolution is Foolish" on YouTube. I present 8 reasons why evolution is impossible. I cover questions on cosmogony, the origin of the universe, the stars and galaxies, the Earth, and the origin of life.
Maxwell Chikumbutso's claim of a "free energy" vehicle powered by radio frequency energy, contradicts established physics, particularly the laws of thermodynamics. All forms of energy involve costs. Chikumbutso provides no evidence to support his "free energy" from radio-waves claim. It is foolish to believe in unverified revolutionary energy solutions.
The generation and evolution of electricity is discussed, highlighting significant milestones from early static electricity experiments to modern AC power generation techniques. Dirty electricity, characterized by high-frequency electrical noise, can lead to health issues. There is a strong need for more research on this electromagnetic pollution and its health impacts.
The exploration of time measurement emphasizes the Earth's rotation as a historical clock, defining the 24-hour day. The development of mechanical clocks, notably John Harrison's marine chronometers, advanced navigation. Time's definition evolved from an Earth-centric model to atomic standards, although fundamental concepts of time remain abstract and intrinsic to the universe's creation.
I presented on the subject of problems for the big bang on the YouTube channel Standing for Truth Ministries. I discussed the most common problems the big bang theory has, the contradictions, fudge factors and failures.
Since 2015, black holes have gained attention in astronomy, particularly regarding their potential role in discovering elusive dark matter particles like dark photons. Superradiance, a theoretical process, could theoretically boost these particles' energies near black holes. However, the absence of observed superradiance raises questions about dark matter's complexity and the validity of existing cosmological theories.
Dark matter is equated to the metaphor of the Emperor's new clothes. Dark photons and other hypothetical particles are fictitious constructs used to explain phenomena without concrete evidence, underlining that current astrophysical models are flawed and nonsensical.
I question the acceptance of Dark Matter and Dark Energy by biblical creationists, suggesting they are problematic placeholders for undiscovered physics. The arguments for their existence are challenged by alternative cosmological models and criticisms of observational methodologies, calling for a re-evaluation of accepted astrophysical tenets.
How much of cosmology is fiction? What are the fudge factors. How much is being fudged. Are there insurmountable problems with our current model of big bang cosmology?
Big bang cosmology faces unresolved problems with the standard ΞCDM model needing unknown fudge factors. A new timescape cosmology, where time passes faster or slower in voids and filaments of the cosmic web, may resolve the Dark Energy problem, but it indicates a need to rethink the foundations of cosmology.
Fortescue Metals Group is scaling back its green hydrogen ambitions due to high electricity prices, reflecting challenges faced by companies like Woodside and Origin Energy. Despite job cuts and economic feasibility concerns, chairman Andrew Forrest persists in promoting green hydrogen, advocating for ambitious production goals, in spite of the underlying physics.
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