A quick summary of last week's most important good news stories for people and planet.
‘Epic Ocean Victory’: President Biden has used his authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to ban new offshore drilling for oil and gas in almost all U.S. coastal waters. The move will protect offshore areas along the East and West coasts, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and parts of Alaska’s Northern Bering Sea from future oil and gas leasing projects. Because of the nature of the ban, experts say it would be challenging to reverse in the future.
The Nor-way: The country is on track to be the first to eliminate diesel and petrol car sales. In 2024, nine out of 10 new cars sold in Norway were fully battery-powered, putting the country on track to only add new electric cars to its roads by 2025. Notably, it achieved this milestone without resorting to any ban on combustion-engine cars.
CO2 to Methane: In good news for people and planet, another enterprise has come up with an innovative solution for reducing carbon emissions.
US Fusion Power: A location has been announced for the first commercial nuclear fusion power plant in America. Chesterfield County, Virginia will welcome Commonwealth Fusion Systems' experimental ARC plant. CFS is one of the world’s leaders in advancing the quest for commercial nuclear fusion energy - the ultimate energy source for humanity which replicates the process that forged our Sun to create emission-free, pollution-free energy. The first component of the ARC plant will be the fusion complex, and is slated to be finished in 2026.
California Dreamin': A new study published in the journal Renewable Energy shows that no blackouts occurred when wind-water-solar electricity supply exceeded 100 percent of demand on the state’s main grid for a record 98 of 116 days from late winter to early summer 2024 for an average (maximum) of 4.84 (10.1) hours per day. Compared to the same period in 2023, solar output in California is up 31 percent, wind power is up 8 percent, and batteries are up a staggering 105 percent. Batteries supplied up to 12 percent of nighttime demand by storing and redistributing excess solar energy.
UK Wind Record: Wind turbines have overtaken gas as Britain’s biggest source of electricity. Wind accounted for 29 percent of the UK’s electricity last year, while gas tumbled to around a quarter. In 2023, gas represented 32 percent of the UK’s generation mix.
Today's Articles
Wildlife Photography: Fabulous images from New on Earth: Baby Animals in The Wild, by Suzi Eszterhas.