The Angry Optimist: Green Tech

🪨 New method halves the cost of extracting lithium from rock

WALL-Y — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:59:48 GMT

Researchers at MIT have developed a process that dissolves lithium minerals at room temperature instead of above 1,800 degrees.
The method is estimated to cost half as much as today's extraction of lithium from hard rock.
The process recycles its own chemicals, bringing waste close to zero.

Lithium from stone, not brine

Demand for lithium has risen quickly as lithium-ion batteries power more and more of our daily lives. Large deposits exist in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, but China dominates global refining. The biggest difficulty has been getting lithium out of hard rock in a usable form.

Today, lithium is extracted from hard rock by heating the rock to over 1,800 degrees and leaching out the lithium with chemicals. The rest of the rock is discarded. The process requires a lot of energy and produces a lot of waste, and is often more expensive than extracting lithium from brine.

A liquid that dissolves the rock

Researchers at MIT and several other institutions have developed a method that dissolves spodumene, the most common lithium-bearing mineral, at room temperature. They use a mixture of water and ammonium fluoride that dissolves the silica in the rock first. That is the hard step in extraction, and by reversing the order they can get out the other parts.

Spodumene consists mainly of lithium, aluminum, and silica. The researchers managed to separate all three parts in usable form. From the lithium they produced lithium fluoride, lithium hydroxide, and lithium carbonate, salts used to make batteries. The aluminum was separated using a high-temperature separation technique, and the silica through precipitation.

Every part of the rock is used

Instead of discarding the rest of the rock, each part is put to use. The aluminum is smelter-grade and the silica can be used as an additive in cement. The researchers tested the silica by casting cement cubes and measuring their strength using industrial methods. The lithium carbonate met the purity requirements for battery grade.

The chemicals that start the reaction, ammonium fluoride and water, can be recovered and reused. When the process produces ammonium fluoride, ammonia gas is released, which then precipitates the silica again and returns the starting material. That makes the process circular, and waste approaches zero.

Tested on rock from around the world

The researchers ran the method on 17 different sources of spodumene, showing that it works on rock from different parts of the world. The idea for the method came from a glass etching cream that dissolves the surface of glass. The active ingredient turned out to be ammonium fluoride.

The closed process is estimated to cost half as much as traditional extraction from hard rock, and can therefore compete with extraction from brine. The researchers expect that global lithium production needs to quadruple by 2040. A study describing the process has been published in Science. The researchers have already begun commercializing the technology through the MIT spinout Rock Zero.

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🏍️ Electric motorcycles accelerate in Africa

WALL-Y — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:12:04 GMT

Industry leader Spiro has delivered more than 100,000 electric motorcycles and built over 2,500 battery swapping stations.
In Kenya, electric motorcycles now account for at least 16 percent of all motorcycle sales.
A new battery from Roam charges from 20 to 80 percent in under 40 minutes and kept working after being run over by an 18-ton truck.

Electric motorcycles are becoming more common in several African countries. Tens of thousands are sold each year, and in Kenya they now account for at least 16 percent of total motorcycle sales. The sector has moved from early pilot projects to large-scale production and sales.

A large market to take over

There are more than 30 million gasoline-powered motorcycle taxis in several African countries. Operating and maintenance costs are high, because the vehicles are used hard and need frequent service. Riders earn little. When they switch to electric, the total cost of ownership drops noticeably.

Established financing systems for riders, combined with models where the battery is rented as a service, lower the barriers to going electric. Together, this has drawn more than 100 companies into the sector across the continent.

Spiro the largest on the continent

Spiro is the largest player. The company has delivered more than 100,000 electric motorcycles across several countries. It has built more than 2,500 battery swapping stations and carried out more than 30 million battery swaps to date.

Spiro has acquired Coexlion, a firm specializing in motorcycle engineering and design. The purchase is meant to strengthen Spiro's product development and its ability to manufacture more locally. Coexlion's 28 engineers have contributed to more than 25 motorcycle programs globally, including electric two-wheelers, chassis, battery systems, and industrial design. The team is based in India and the United Kingdom. Spiro already has a research and development center in Pune with more than 150 engineers and more than 30 of its own patents.

Roam launches a new generation

Roam, one of the early players in the sector, has launched the Roam Air Gen 3. The model has a new battery built to reduce theft, shorten charging times, and last longer for riders who cover high mileage.

The battery has GPS tracking and is water resistant to IP67 protection class. It charges at 2 kW, which Roam says is the fastest on the market. The battery meets the international AIS-156 safety standard.

Charging delivers more than one mile of range for less than two minutes of charging, meaning the battery charges from 20 to 80 percent in under 40 minutes. Riders thus face less downtime and have more time to earn money.

Roam tested durability by running over a Gen 3 battery with an 18-ton truck. After the test, the battery was retrieved and reinstalled in a motorcycle. It continued to work as normal.

📉 Australia's gas use has peaked and is now declining

WALL-Y — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:08:25 GMT

Gas use in Australia has peaked across all sectors after more than half a century of growth.
Gas for electricity generation has fallen 11 percent since 2014, and residential gas use peaked in 2020.
Emissions linked to gas are expected to drop from 90 million tonnes to 64 million tonnes by 2050.

A peak in every sector

Gas use in Australia has peaked and is now in structural decline. That is the finding of a new report from the think tank Grattan Institute. Large-scale use of gas took off in Australia in the 1960s. Now the trend is moving in the other direction.

Residential gas use peaked in 2020. Gas for electricity generation has fallen 11 percent since 2014. In manufacturing, gas use has been falling since the early 2000s. Exports of liquefied natural gas, LNG, likely peaked in 2022.

Alison Reeve leads the institute's energy and climate change program. She says there is only one way to go from a peak, and that is down.

Lower emissions and falling exports

According to the report, total carbon dioxide emissions from gas are expected to fall from today's 90 million tonnes to 64 million tonnes by 2050.

Modelling from the Australian Treasury last year shows that the value of the country's coal and gas exports will likely halve over the next five years. The reason is that global demand for fossil fuels is slowing.

The report also shows that the amount of gas needed as a backup for renewable electricity in the coming decades will likely be about half of what was burned during the 2010s.

Renewables take over

Australia's electricity grid is shifting to renewable energy. Gas has been identified as a backup for periods when solar and wind produce little electricity. Reeve says the need for gas as a backup is smaller than is often assumed.

The report recommends targeted measures for households, industry, and electricity generation. These include setting phaseout dates for gas use in homes.

⛽ Petrol cars have vanished from China's ten best-selling vehicles

WALL-Y — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:52:48 GMT

In May, all of China's ten best-selling cars were electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. Petrol cars have completely vanished from the list.
Sales of new petrol cars in China have fallen by 41.8 percent compared with a year earlier.
Exports of Chinese electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids have more than doubled in a year.

No petrol cars on the top list

In May, not a single pure petrol car remained among China's ten best-selling passenger cars. The list has been completely taken over by electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. In January, seven petrol cars were still on the same list.

Geely's Xingyuan model has sold the most of all passenger cars in May. Tesla's Model Y came in second place.

Sales of petrol cars are falling fast

China has sold 497,000 new petrol cars on the domestic market in May. That is a decline of 41.8 percent compared with the same month the year before, according to figures from the auto industry association CAAM. In numbers, that means 357,000 fewer cars. Compared with April, sales have fallen by 3.5 percent.

During the first five months of the year, China has sold 3.2 million petrol cars on the domestic market. That is 1.24 million fewer than during the same period last year, a decline of 28 percent.

China's entire passenger car market reached 1.44 million cars sold in May, an increase of 8.2 percent compared with April. Petrol cars have thus fallen much faster than the market as a whole. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are taking over their share.

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the auto industry association CPCA, states that the cost of owning a petrol car has continued to rise alongside high fuel prices. That has reduced the willingness to buy petrol cars.

Electric vehicles and exports are growing

Sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids on the Chinese domestic market reached 1.05 million in May. That is an increase of 14.8 percent compared with April. Of these, 947,000 were passenger cars, an increase of 15.6 percent compared with the month before.

Exports have grown sharply. China exported 446,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in May, an increase of 110 percent compared with the year before. During January to May, 1.83 million such vehicles were exported, also an increase of 110 percent.

💰 EU cut emissions by 17 percent in a decade while the economy grew just as much

WALL-Y — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:29:08 GMT

The EU's greenhouse gas emissions were 17.2 percent lower in 2025 than in 2015.
Over the same period, the EU's GDP rose by 17.5 percent.
Emissions fell in 23 of the EU's 27 countries.

In 2025, greenhouse gas emissions from the EU's economy and households were estimated at 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This covers all economic activity and all households. The level is 17.2 percent lower than in 2015.

At the same time, every EU country increased its gross domestic product over the ten-year period. The EU economy as a whole grew by 17.5 percent. Emissions and economic growth did not move together.

The figures come from early estimates for 2025. Eurostat is publishing them for the first time six months after the end of the reference year.

Between 2015 and 2025, greenhouse gas emissions fell in 23 of the EU's countries. The largest reductions were in Estonia at 41.7 percent, Finland at 30.7 percent and Germany at 27.3 percent.

The energy sector fell the most

Most sectors emitted fewer greenhouse gases in 2025 than in 2015. The energy sector, which supplies electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning, cut its emissions by 45.3 percent. Emissions from mining and quarrying fell by 33.3 percent.

Manufacturing cut its emissions by 16 percent. Household emissions fell by 14.7 percent and those from the services sector by 11.9 percent.

In agriculture, forestry and fishing, emissions fell by 5.9 percent. In water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation, they fell by 2.6 percent.

🚰 Machine pulls water from the air - can produce 4,000 liters per day

WALL-Y — Sun, 24 May 2026 09:42:14 GMT

Startup Atoco is preparing production of a machine that extracts water directly from the air using nanocrystalline materials.
The container-sized prototype can produce up to 1,057 gallons of water per day and be installed at data centers, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure.
The technology is based on MOF materials, for which Omar Yaghi shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Nanocrystals capture water molecules

Atoco's prototype sits in a parking lot in Southern California and looks unremarkable until water starts flowing from a hose. Inside the machine are wires, tubes, and a container of light-colored material. The light-colored material consists of MOFs, metal-organic frameworks. These are nanocrystalline structures engineered at the atomic level to attract specific molecules, in this case H2O.

The machine silently collects water molecules from the surrounding air and stores them in the material's porous cavities, which function as microscopic water tanks. An ounce of MOF material can contain a surface area equivalent to a soccer field. The material is largely composed of common elements such as carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, copper, and aluminum.

When the machine is ready to deliver the water, the material is heated so that the molecules are released. A condenser converts the water vapor into liquid, which flows out through a slender tube.

Two models for different needs

The shipping container-sized machine is set to go into production later this year and can be installed at data centers, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure. It would take about a dozen machines to supply a water-efficient data center in California.

There is also a model powered by sunlight that operates off the grid. It produces less water and is intended for communities where water currently has to be trucked in. In Ethiopia, such a machine could supply about eight households in a village.

Atoco expects to manufacture and sell 200 machines in 2027. The company says interest from potential buyers already exceeds the planned production capacity. The production model will be able to deliver water for a few cents per liter.

Clean water without contaminants

Because the MOF material only attracts H2O molecules, the water is free of PFAS, microplastics, and other contaminants often found in the water supply. This makes the technology attractive for data centers and semiconductor plants, which need pure water for cooling and manufacturing.

Competitor AirJoule Technologies, a joint venture with GE Vernova, plans to start production later this year of a MOF-based machine that can produce 2,000 liters per day.

The Nobel laureate behind the technology

Omar Yaghi, 61, a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, founded Atoco in 2021. He shared the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on MOFs. Yaghi grew up in Jordan as the son of Palestinian refugees in a one-room house he shared with nine siblings and the family's cows. The house had no electricity or running water, and his task as a child was to fill as many containers as he could find when the authorities delivered water to his village every other week.

According to Atoco, there is more water in the atmosphere than in all the world's lakes and rivers combined, and it is continuously being replenished.

🔋 Australia's battery capacity has doubled – cutting reliance on gas

WALL-Y — Sun, 17 May 2026 08:17:29 GMT

Battery capacity in Australia has more than doubled between March 2025 and March 2026.
Gas-fired generation has fallen 24 percent and is at its lowest level since 1999.
Average wholesale electricity prices have dropped 12 percent.

Batteries set the price more often than any other power source

Batteries are cutting Australia's reliance on natural gas and lowering electricity costs, according to the country's main grid operator. This is shown in the Australian Energy Market Operator's (AEMO) Quarterly Energy Dynamics report.

During the first quarter of 2026, batteries set the price in more than a third of trading intervals. It is the first time batteries have been the most frequent price-setter on the market.

Gas is being used less and less

In Australia, coal remains the largest source of electricity, and gas is used to fill the gap when cheaper electricity from solar and wind is not enough to meet demand, especially during peak evening hours. Because gas is often the last and most expensive energy source, it typically sets the wholesale price of electricity in Australia's main market.

The doubled battery capacity has reduced the need for gas and hydro during evening demand peaks and contributed to lower wholesale electricity prices across most regions. Gas-fired generation fell 24 percent compared to the previous year, to its lowest level since 1999. At the same time, average wholesale electricity prices dropped 12 percent.

Batteries shift solar power to the evening

Grid-scale batteries are increasingly absorbing excess renewable energy during the day and sending it out to the market during evening peaks, moderating prices during periods of high demand, according to Violette Mouchaileh, executive general manager for policy and corporate affairs at AEMO.

The federal government's Cheaper Home Battery program has led to the installation of more than 350,000 household batteries and contributed to the increased uptake of batteries, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen. He says Australia has the best sun and wind in the world and is using its own renewable resources to shield the grid from global energy volatility.

During the first quarter, 11 large-scale data center projects in the states of Victoria and New South Wales were connected to the transmission grid, representing 5.4 gigawatts of maximum demand.

⚡ Cement has been produced entirely with electricity – significant potential to cut CO2 emissions

WALL-Y — Sat, 16 May 2026 08:21:24 GMT

The cement industry accounts for a significant share of global CO2 emissions, and production has so far relied on fossil-fueled kilns.
SaltX and Holcim have produced cement in a fully electrified process, without fossil fuels in the heating stages.
The cement produced meets industrial standard, according to Holcim.

Two heating stages have been electrified

SaltX Technology and Holcim, within their joint development partnership, have repeatedly produced cement clinker of Portland quality through a fully electrified process. Cement clinker is the main component that is ground down to make cement. Cement raw meal from Holcim has been calcined at industrial scale and then sintered using SaltX's newly developed electrification technology. The results meet the material quality requirements and confirm a proof of concept for fully electrified cement production.

Cement production involves two major heating stages. First, the limestone is calcined, which breaks calcium carbonate down into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide. The material is then sintered at an even higher temperature, forming the mineral phases that give Portland cement its properties. In conventional cement production, sintering takes place in a rotary kiln fueled by fossil or waste-based fuels.

Plasma technology replaces combustion

In the trial, SaltX has tackled both heating stages. Calcination has been carried out at SaltX's test and research facility in Hofors using the company's Electric Arc Calciner. Instead of burning coal or gas, the raw meal is heated using electric plasma technology.

One advantage of electrified calcination is that the process CO2 from the limestone is not diluted by flue gases from fuel combustion. This makes the CO2 easier to separate and capture.

Sintering in an electric reactor

The calcined material has then been passed on to SaltX's newly developed Electric Clinker Reactor, ECR. There, the material has been heated electrically to the temperatures required to form clinker. The sintering stage requires higher temperatures than calcination and is one of the most technically demanding parts of cement production.

The finished clinker is reported to be of Portland quality. This means that the correct chemical and mineralogical transformations have taken place, and that the material can be used in standard cement production.

Lina Jorheden, CEO of SaltX Technology, says that the results show that a fully electrified cement process can be realized at industrial scale, and that electrifying both calcination and sintering is central to the transition.

Bengt Steinbrecher, Head of Holcim MAQER Ventures, confirms that SaltX's electrification solution can produce clinker of Portland quality and describes the result as a validation of the technology.

The results represent a step toward the planned pilot facility within the partnership.

🏜️ New method turns desert into arable land in three years instead of a hundred

WALL-Y — Fri, 15 May 2026 08:59:13 GMT

Researchers have developed a solid cyanobacteria inoculum that binds sand dunes and creates a foundation for vegetation within three years.
The method achieves a survival rate of over 60 percent and shortens the formation of biological soil crusts from 15 years to one or two years.
The technology has been incorporated into the Three-North Shelterbelt Program and is expected to restore between 13,200 and 16,500 acres of desert over the next five years.

Cyanobacteria transformed into sowable grains

Researchers at the Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station have developed a solid cyanobacteria inoculum. The material is spread on desert sand and forms an artificial biological soil crust when exposed to precipitation. The crust stabilizes the dunes and creates the conditions needed for plants to establish themselves.

Zhao Yang, deputy head of the Shapotou station, explains that earlier laboratory attempts worked in petri dishes, but the cyanobacteria disappeared within less than a week once moved into the wild. The mobile sand grains tore apart the delicate biofilm.

Pressurized spraying led to solid form

To solve the problem, Zhao drew inspiration from natural rainfall and tried pressurized spraying. The method injected the cyanobacteria into the gaps between sand grains. The time required to form soil crust dropped from 15 years under natural conditions to one or two years, with a survival rate of over 60 percent. The method also protected the bacteria from dehydration in direct sunlight and made use of the sand layer's own ability to retain moisture.

However, the spraying required electricity and accessible roads, which made it unusable in remote areas. The team therefore developed a paste-like mixture of cyanobacteria solution, organic matter, and fine particles. Zhao describes the process as similar to mixing cement, where the proportions and stirring method have to be right. The result was solid "seeds" that are easy to transport and sow.

Large-scale use in shelterbelt program

The solid inoculum has been incorporated into the new Three-North Shelterbelt Program. Over the next five years, between 80,000 and 100,000 mu of desert are expected to be restored, equivalent to roughly 13,200 to 16,500 acres.

💶 Solar power has saved Europe more than €100 million per day since March

WALL-Y — Thu, 07 May 2026 08:48:04 GMT

Solar energy has saved Europe more than €100 million per day since 1 March, totaling more than €3 billion ($ 3.5B).
Wind and solar power have reduced electricity prices by an average of 24.2 percent across 19 European countries between 2023 and 2025.
If gas prices remain high, total savings in 2026 could reach €67.5 billion.

Lower electricity prices thanks to wind and solar

A new report from the advocacy group Positive Money has analyzed the electricity markets in 19 European countries. The report shows that the expansion of renewable energy has reduced electricity prices by an average of 24.2 percent between 2023 and 2025. The impact on prices grows stronger as more renewable energy is connected to the grid.

According to the report, renewable energy displaces more expensive fossil fuel generation from the electricity mix. This pushes down wholesale electricity prices.

Spain has doubled its capacity

Since 2019, Spain has doubled its wind and solar capacity. The country has added more than 40 GW, more than any other EU country except Germany. The German electricity market is twice the size of the Spanish one.

The expansion has made the Spanish electricity price significantly less affected by the price of gas. The price of gas rose by 55 percent the day after the war with Iran began and has continued to fluctuate.

Record for British wind power

In the United Kingdom, wind power set a new record on 26 March. British wind power generation reached 23,880 megawatts. That is enough to supply 23 million homes with electricity.

Solar energy saves billions

An analysis from SolarPower Europe shows that solar energy has saved Europe more than €100 million per day since 1 March. Total savings amount to more than €3 billion.

If gas prices remain high, total savings in 2026 could reach €67.5 billion, according to experts.

Two policy conclusions

Positive Money highlights two conclusions for policy. In countries with limited wind and solar capacity, further expansion is the easiest way to reduce wholesale electricity prices.

In countries that already have large wind and solar capacity, system flexibility should be built out. This includes investments in batteries to store surplus electricity, encouraging rooftop solar, and introducing variable electricity tariffs that balance supply and demand.

🚗 Electric vehicles outclass fossil fuel cars – sweep all categories at the 2026 World Car Awards

WALL-Y — Wed, 06 May 2026 09:34:04 GMT

Electric vehicles took home the prizes in every category at the 22nd World Car Awards.
Consumers rank affordability, efficiency, quality, and safety as the most important factors in a car in 2026, areas where electric vehicles perform strongly.
The BMW iX3 Neue Klasse won both Electric Vehicle of the Year and the overall Car of the Year award.

At this year's World Car Awards, electric vehicles took home the prizes in every category. A panel of journalists from around the world votes each year on finalists and winners in each category. The test drives take place in California in the fall, while the awards ceremony itself is held in New York in the spring, in connection with the New York Auto Show. To be eligible to compete, the cars must be sold in more than one market.

BMW iX3 took the top prize

The BMW iX3 Neue Klasse won both World Electric Vehicle and the overall World Car award for 2026. BMW's Chairman Oliver Zipse was also named World Car Person of the Year. The model is the result of a global development effort in which different parts of the world collaborated to create the car.

Mazda and Nio recognized for design and urban car

The Mazda EZ-6/6e, which is available as both a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric vehicle, won World Car Design 2026. The design was originally developed for the Chinese market and has more recently been introduced in Europe and Australia.

The Nio Firefly was named World Urban Car 2026. The premium subcompact features rear-wheel drive, quality materials, and modern technology, and offers more interior space than its exterior dimensions suggest.

Hyundai and Lucid recognized in performance and luxury

The Hyundai IONIQ 6 N won World Performance Car 2026. The car builds on the software-defined vehicle concept and can be customized to driver preferences and track conditions. Artificial sounds and simulated shift points provide feedback on what the motors are doing, and the features can be turned off. The award follows the IONIQ 5 N winning the same category the previous year.

The Lucid Gravity won World Luxury Car 2026. The car is manufactured in Saudi Arabia and designed in California. It offers a quiet and smooth ride along with spacious interior and high-quality materials.

Consumers prioritize affordability

Alongside the awards, the organization also released research on what consumers are looking for most in a car in 2026. The four most important factors are affordability, efficiency, quality, and safety. Efficiency makes cars cheaper to operate, quality makes them cheaper to maintain, and active safety can prevent costly accidents.

🚰 Desalinated seawater could ease pressure on the Colorado River

WALL-Y — Sat, 02 May 2026 08:57:40 GMT

San Diego is negotiating with Arizona and Nevada to sell water from North America's largest desalination plant.
The agreement could supply roughly 500,000 people with drinking water annually.
San Diego has reduced its water imports from 95 percent to 10 percent over three decades.

As the Colorado River declines, the states of Arizona and Nevada are looking for new water sources. The solution may be the ocean off the California coast. Both states are negotiating with the San Diego County Water Authority to gain access to fresh water from the desalination plant in Carlsbad, which is the largest in North America.

How the agreement works

No water is physically transported between the states. Instead, it is about exchanging rights to different water sources. Arizona and Nevada would finance a portion of the 56,000 acre-feet of water the desalination plant produces each year. In exchange, the states would gain access to San Diego's share of the Colorado River. The agreement could supply around 500,000 people with water.

John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, plans to sign an initial agreement together with Arizona's water authority.

San Diego built its own independence

During a drought that ended in 1992, San Diego lost a third of its water allocation. At the time, the city imported nearly all of its water. Over the following three decades, the water authority invested billions of dollars to become self-sufficient. It raised a dam wall to double storage capacity, built the desalination plant, and acquired rights to conserved water from a farming district.

The result is that San Diego reduced its water imports from 95 percent to 10 percent. At the same time, residents of the city have cut their water consumption by nearly 50 percent over the past quarter century. This has given the city a water surplus that can now be sold on.

More projects underway

Nevada and Arizona are also partnering with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to build a facility in Los Angeles County. It will be able to treat up to 165,000 acre-feet of wastewater per year, enough for a city of 1.5 million residents. Utah has expressed interest in investing in more desalination plants along the Pacific coast.

In Santa Monica Bay, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and the company OceanWell are testing a new technology. Pods the size of school buses are lowered more than 1,200 feet below the ocean surface to desalinate water directly on the seabed. The technology reduces both costs and environmental impact compared with desalination on land.

San Diego also recycles wastewater under the name Pure Water San Diego. The recycled water is already being used by local breweries, including AleSmith Brewing Co., which has used it in a lager called Re:Beer.

Arizona's water consumers have already cut their consumption by nearly a third.

🏗️ More than 80 percent of China's steel production upgraded to ultra-low emissions

WALL-Y — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:27:29 GMT

Steel producers representing more than 80 percent of China's crude steel production have completed ultra-low emissions upgrades.
Emissions have already fallen by 34 million tonnes of CO2 – equivalent to permanently shutting down eight coal-fired power plants.
The steel industry accounts for 7 percent of global emissions, and China produces more than half of the world's steel.

By the end of 2025, steel producers representing more than 80 percent of China's crude steel production had completed ultra-low emissions upgrades, according to the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA).

The steel industry is responsible for 7 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. China produces more than half of all steel in the world, making the country's emission levels in the sector particularly significant for global climate efforts.

The program started in 2019

The ultra-low emissions upgrade program was initiated through an official document in 2019: Opinions on Promoting the Implementation of Ultra-low Emissions in Iron and Steel Industry. It was later given further direction through the three-year action plan for energy efficiency in the steel industry, covering the period 2022–2025.

The program's requirements cover the entire steelmaking process – from raw material storage to modes of transportation – and set caps on pollutant emissions at every stage.

Energy consumption and emissions

According to CISA chairman Zhao Minge, a total of 143 steel producers nationwide had by the end of last year reduced their energy consumption by 2.5 percent in blast furnace ironmaking and 12.2 percent in converter steelmaking, compared to 2023 levels.

Over the same period, these companies cumulatively saved 13.2 million tonnes of standard coal. Carbon dioxide emissions fell by 34 million tonnes – a reduction equivalent to permanently shutting down eight coal-fired power plants.

Hydrogen and carbon recycling

China's steel industry has also made progress in low-carbon technologies. Baowu Group's 2,500-cubic-meter hydrogen-enriched carbon monoxide recycling furnace and Baosteel Zhanjiang's zero-carbon sheet plant have both been launched commercially in recent years.

⚡ New fast charger charges an EV from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes

WALL-Y — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:58:17 GMT

BYD's latest fast charger delivers up to 1,500 kilowatts and can charge a battery from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes.
The company has built over 4,000 charging stations in China and plans an additional 16,000 this year, plus 2,000 in Europe.
A charge from 10 to 100 percent takes about nine minutes. That corresponds to approximately 1,000 kilometers of range.

Four times faster than today's fast chargers

Chinese automaker BYD has announced that its Flash Chargers, first launched a year ago, can now charge certain EV batteries from 10 to 70 percent in five minutes. A charge from 10 to 100 percent takes about nine minutes. That corresponds to approximately 1,000 kilometers of range.

The new chargers deliver up to 1,500 kilowatts per charge. That can be compared to the fast chargers most common in the US today, which operate at 350 kilowatts and charge 80 percent of a battery in 15 to 25 minutes, and to full in about 40 minutes.

BYD has so far built over 4,000 of the new chargers in China. The plan is to build an additional 16,000 in the country before the end of the year, as well as 2,000 in Europe.

New battery with higher energy density

The high charging speed is linked to a new generation of BYD's Blade battery. The new battery uses a lithium manganese iron phosphate chemistry, abbreviated LMFP, which increases energy density. The previous version used lithium iron phosphate, LFP. BYD states that all battery elements have been redesigned, including the electrodes that store and release energy, the electrolytes that enable ion transfer during charging and discharging, and the separators that control ion flow.

Energy density has increased by five percent compared to the previous version. BYD's model Denza Z9GT, which has the new battery, is said to have a range of over 1,000 kilometers per charge.

Vertical integration provides an advantage

One reason BYD can achieve these charging speeds is that the company manufactures its own cars, chargers, and batteries. All technology is built to work together. The vehicles' software and wiring are designed to handle the high currents. In Europe, initially only the Denza Z9GT can utilize the chargers' full capacity. The car is set to debut in Paris next month.

Charging station design

The charger is a T-shaped system that can deliver over a megawatt from the electrical grid. BYD plans to integrate the new chargers into existing charging facilities, so that the infrastructure does not need to be built from scratch. The company will also use storage batteries at the charging sites to supplement the grid and avoid overloading.

Fast charging may influence car buyers' choices

Survey after survey shows that potential EV buyers worry about range and charging. Faster charging could lead more drivers to consider electric vehicles. Gil Tal, who heads the EV Research Center at UC Davis, says that fast charging creates an experience similar to filling up a gasoline car. That is the comparison that gasoline car drivers make when evaluating electric vehicles.

📑 Research identifies 28 climate policies that work in all countries

WALL-Y — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 09:02:56 GMT

A study of 1,737 climate policies across 40 countries over 32 years shows which measures consistently reduce emissions regardless of context.
Carbon taxes and investments in renewable energy and research stand out as particularly reliable instruments for reducing emissions.
If Portugal had applied the identified measures at maximum stringency since 2000, emissions would have been reduced by a total of 538 million tons of CO2 equivalents.

A new study published in the journal Climate Policy has analyzed 47 different climate policies across 40 countries over the period 1990 to 2022. In total, 1,737 individual policy decisions were included in the analysis, spread across four sectors: buildings, energy, industry, and transport. The result is a list of 28 measures shown to have a documented effect on emission levels regardless of the policy context in which they are applied.

Three times more climate measures since 2000

The number of climate policy measures worldwide has increased sharply over recent decades. The most conservative estimates show that the number of measures is now on average approximately four times higher than in 2000. In the most extreme cases, the increase amounts to around fifteen times the 2000 levels.

The rapid increase makes it difficult to assess which individual measures actually work, as different policy instruments affect one another. The researchers behind the study have developed a method that makes it possible to analyze the effects of individual measures while accounting for the other measures in a country's climate policy.

Method based on Bayesian statistics

To handle this complexity, the researchers use Bayesian statistical modeling with three different types of statistical filters. These filters apply increasingly strict requirements for how certain an effect must be before a measure is counted as effective. The model also includes control variables such as GDP per capita, economic growth, the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix, industry's share of the economy, trade openness, and state capacity.

The study draws on the OECD's Climate Actions and Policies Measurement Framework, the only existing dataset that not only records whether a measure is in place but also measures its stringency — that is, how strict or ambitious the measure actually is.

28 measures with documented effect

A total of 28 climate policy measures were identified as showing a demonstrable effect on emissions in at least two of the three statistical models. The measures fall into five categories:

Carbon pricing and taxation covers eight measures, including carbon taxes on buildings, electricity, industry, and transport, as well as emissions trading and congestion charges.

Energy efficiency and standards includes five measures, among them building energy codes, air emission standards, minimum energy performance requirements for electric motors and transport, and speed limits on motorways.

Renewable energy and research is the largest category with eleven measures, such as research and development in nuclear, hydrogen, and renewable energy, as well as renewable energy auctions and planning for renewable expansion.

Reporting and accountability is covered by three measures requiring countries to report and account for their greenhouse gas emissions in the energy, industry, and transport sectors.

Subsidies is represented by one measure: the reduction of fossil fuel subsidies in the transport sector.

Carbon taxes work even at low levels

A common argument against carbon taxes is that they are often set too low for political reasons, meaning the effect actually depends on the combination of several measures rather than the tax itself. The study shows that carbon pricing has a demonstrable effect even when the analysis accounts for the other measures in a country's climate policy.

Portugal's emissions illustrate the potential

The researchers illustrate the effects using Portugal's emissions data. If the country had applied all identified measures at maximum stringency since 2000, the total emission reductions across the four sectors would amount to 538 million tons of CO2 equivalents. That is equivalent to an entire emission-free year in a country like South Korea within the four sectors analyzed, whose emissions total 567 million tons of CO2 equivalents.

Sweden and Norway have introduced all measures

The study shows that countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and Saudi Arabia have the greatest potential to reduce emissions in the transport sector by tightening their climate policies. Among countries with ambitious climate policies, gaps still exist. Germany, for example, could improve its climate efforts by introducing speed limits on motorways. Australia, Canada, and Japan have room to do more by raising excise taxes on fossil fuels.

Sweden and Norway have introduced all identified measures, albeit with varying degrees of stringency. This shows that implementing all measures simultaneously is politically feasible in practice.

📉 UK emissions at lowest level since 1872

WALL-Y — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 09:04:30 GMT

Greenhouse gas emissions fell by 2.4 percent in 2025 and are now 54 percent below 1990 levels.
Coal use halved and is at its lowest since 1600, while gas use dropped to the lowest level since 1992.
Over 700,000 new electric vehicles were registered during the year, saving a combined total of more than 7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

Emissions lower than during the 1926 general strike

The UK's greenhouse gas emissions fell to 364 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, according to an analysis by Carbon Brief. This is the lowest level since 1872 and means emissions are now below the level recorded during the 1926 general strike, when the country's industrial base was brought to a standstill, according to Carbon Brief.

Since 1990, emissions have fallen in 27 of 36 years. During the same period, the country's GDP has nearly doubled, with growth of 95 percent.

Coal use at its lowest in 400 years

The UK's coal consumption fell by 56 percent in 2025, landing just below one million tonnes. That is 97 percent lower than the 37 million tonnes burned in 2015, and 99.6 percent below the peak of 221 million tonnes in 1956. The level is the lowest since the year 1600 – when Elizabeth I was queen and Shakespeare was writing Hamlet.

The last coal-fired power plant, Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, closed on 30 September 2024. The closure accounted for nearly three-fifths of the decline in coal demand in 2025. A further third was due to reduced coal-based steel production, including the shutdown of two blast furnaces at Port Talbot in Wales in 2024.

The Port Talbot site is now being converted to electric arc furnace production, a method that does not require coal. The same shift is under discussion for the British Steel plant in Scunthorpe.

Gas use down to 1992 levels

Gas consumption fell by 1.5 percent in 2025, to the lowest level since 1992. Since 2010, total gas demand has dropped by nearly two-fifths. Half of that reduction is due to a 50 percent fall in gas-fired electricity generation, replaced by renewable energy. A third comes from reduced heating of homes, thanks to more efficient gas boilers and better insulation.

In 2025, lower demand from building heating and industry contributed roughly equally to the decline. Record-high temperatures and high gas prices were contributing factors.

Electric vehicles cut emissions despite rising traffic

Oil use fell by 0.9 percent in 2025, even though traffic increased by around one percent. A key explanation is the electric vehicle fleet. There are now nearly three million electric cars, plug-in hybrids and electric vans on UK roads, making up five percent of the car fleet and two percent of vans.

These electrified vehicles are cutting emissions by more than 7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. The 700,000 new electric vehicles registered in 2025 alone saved nearly 2 million tonnes. EV owners saved a total of 2 million pounds in lower fuel costs during the year, equivalent to more than 700 pounds per electric car and more than 1,100 pounds per electric van.

At the same time, the number of diesel vehicles has decreased by 2.8 million since 2019.

Heat pumps growing but from a low base

Heat pump sales increased by 25 percent in 2025 but still stood at just 125,000 installations. By the end of the year, the UK had a total of around 450,000 domestic heat pumps, saving a combined total of approximately 0.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide compared with gas heating.

🛫 Fewer obese passengers – thanks to weight loss pills –reduce airlines' fuel needs

WALL-Y — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 10:52:19 GMT

Wall Street analysts estimate that American airlines could reduce fuel costs by up to 1.5 percent if average passenger weight drops by 10 percent.
The four largest American airlines are expected to consume approximately 16 billion gallons of fuel in 2026.
Lower fuel consumption also means reduced carbon dioxide emissions from air traffic.

Fuel is the largest cost

Investment bank Jefferies has analyzed how the increasing use of weight loss drugs could affect the airline industry. The conclusion is that airlines could become unexpected winners as more Americans lose weight.

Fuel represents the airlines' single largest cost. The four largest American airlines – American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines – are expected to consume approximately 16 billion gallons of fuel in 2026. With an average fuel price of $2.41 per gallon, this represents a combined fuel cost of nearly $39 billion. This accounts for almost 19 percent of total operating expenses.

Jefferies estimates that a 1 percent reduction in total aircraft weight improves fuel efficiency by 0.75 percent. If average passenger weight drops by 10 percent, this could result in approximately 2 percent savings in total weight and fuel costs reduced by up to 1.5 percent.

Reduced climate emissions

Lower fuel consumption also means reduced carbon dioxide emissions. If the four largest American airlines reduce their fuel consumption by 1.5 percent, this represents savings of approximately 240 million gallons of fuel annually, based on the expected consumption of 16 billion gallons in 2026. Each gallon of jet fuel burned releases approximately 9.57 kilograms of carbon dioxide. A reduction in fuel consumption therefore directly contributes to lower climate impact from the aviation sector.

Concrete example with Boeing 737 Max 8

Jefferies uses a Boeing 737 Max 8 as an example to illustrate the calculations. The aircraft has an operating empty weight of approximately 99,000 pounds. The remaining capacity up to maximum takeoff weight is divided between fuel, passengers, baggage and cargo. Fuel capacity is approximately 46,000 pounds and payload around 36,000 pounds.

With a two-class cabin configuration and 178 passengers weighing an average of 180 pounds, passengers account for approximately 32,000 pounds of total weight. If average passenger weight drops by 10 percent, total passenger weight decreases by approximately 3,200 pounds. This corresponds to about 2 percent of maximum takeoff weight and delivers significant fuel savings over thousands of flights per year.

Different effects for different airlines

The effect on profits varies between airlines depending on their cost structure. With a 2 percent reduction in average passenger weight, Jefferies estimates that earnings per share could increase by 2.8 percent for Delta, 3.5 percent for United, 4.2 percent for Southwest and as much as 11.7 percent for American Airlines. American has the greatest leverage on fuel costs in its operations.

The airline industry has long focused on weight

The airline industry has long worked actively to reduce aircraft weight. Manufacturers like Boeing regularly emphasize that weight is one of the most important factors for fuel efficiency. In 2018, United Airlines switched its onboard magazine Hemisphere to lighter paper. This reduced weight by approximately one ounce per copy and was expected to save 170,000 gallons of fuel annually, which at the time corresponded to approximately $290,000.

The first GLP-1 obesity drug in pill form is now available from Novo Nordisk. Eli Lilly is expected to receive American approval for a similar product within months. The pill form eliminates the need for self-injection and is expected to attract new patient groups to obesity treatment.

🚘 Electric cars outsold petrol cars in EU for the first time

WALL-Y — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 09:02:06 GMT

In December 2025, 217,898 electric cars were registered in the EU, compared to 216,492 petrol cars – the first time electric cars exceed petrol cars in sales.
Global electric vehicle sales reached 20.7 million vehicles in 2025, an increase of 20 percent compared to the previous year.
Europe was the fastest growing region with 33 percent growth, where Germany increased by 48 percent and the UK by 27 percent.

Historic month in December

In December 2025, 217,898 battery electric vehicles were registered in the EU. This is an increase of 51 percent compared to December 2024. At the same time, sales of petrol cars fell by 19 percent, from 267,834 to 216,492 vehicles. This means that electric cars outsold traditional petrol cars in the EU for the first time.

The figures come from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). The definition of petrol cars excludes hybrid cars that only run on petrol but have a small battery.

Electric car market share grows

Throughout 2025, electric cars reached 17.4 percent of the market in the EU. This is an increase from 13.6 percent the year before. A total of 1,880,370 new battery electric vehicles were registered during the year.

The four largest markets accounted for 62 percent of registrations. Germany increased by 43.2 percent, the Netherlands by 18.1 percent, Belgium by 12.6 percent and France by 12.5 percent.

Petrol cars lost ground in all major markets. France had the largest decline at 32 percent. Germany decreased by 21.6 percent, Italy by 18.2 percent and Spain by 16 percent. A total of 2,880,298 new petrol cars were registered in 2025. Market share fell from 33.3 percent to 26.6 percent.

Global sales exceed 20 million

According to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, 20.7 million electric vehicles were sold globally in 2025. This is an increase of 20 percent compared to 2024. In December 2025, 2.1 million electric vehicles were sold worldwide.

China remained the largest market with 12.9 million electric vehicles sold, an increase of 17 percent. Europe sold 4.3 million electric vehicles and increased by 33 percent. North America sold 1.8 million electric vehicles but decreased by 4 percent. The rest of the world sold 1.7 million electric vehicles and increased by 48 percent.

Europe is the fastest growing region

Europe surpassed China as the fastest growing major region in 2025. Battery electric vehicles increased by 31 percent and plug-in hybrids by 38 percent.

Germany and the UK led the growth with increases of 48 and 27 percent respectively. France had a weak start to the year but finished with 2 percent growth overall, supported by subsidies in the final months of the year.

Several European countries expanded or increased subsidies for electric vehicle purchases during the year. France, Germany and Sweden have announced support targeted at low and middle income households.

Chinese manufacturers expand

The Chinese electric vehicle brand BYD tripled its market share in the EU. It rose from 0.7 percent in December 2024 to 1.9 percent in December 2025. BYD more than doubled its exports, from 0.4 million vehicles in 2024 to over one million in 2025.

Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles accounted for 19 percent of total electric vehicle sales in Europe in 2025.

Volkswagen retained its position as market leader in the EU with 26.7 percent of new registrations in December. Stellantis, Renault, Hyundai, Toyota and BMW followed. Tesla saw its market share in the EU fall by 37.9 percent in 2025 compared to 2024.

Rest of the world shows strong growth

Southeast Asia nearly doubled its electric vehicle sales compared to the previous year. During the last three months of 2025, an average of 55,000 electric vehicles were sold per month, compared to 32,000 per month during the same period in 2024.

South and Central America increased by 49 percent. Chinese manufacturers accounted for over 85 percent of electric vehicle sales in the region.

South Korea increased by 50 percent, driven by new models from domestic manufacturers and imported electric vehicles as well as government incentives. Japan grew by only 6 percent and has an electric vehicle penetration of 3 percent for the fourth consecutive year.

⚗️ Amazon buys copper produced with microorganisms in new climate-friendly process

WALL-Y — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:54:56 GMT

Amazon has signed a two-year agreement with mining giant Rio Tinto to purchase copper produced using a biological process that uses significantly less water than traditional methods.
The process uses microorganisms to extract copper from ore that previously often became waste, eliminating the need for traditional smelters and refineries.
The technology can strengthen domestic copper supply without waiting for permits for new mines, a process that normally takes many years.

Biological process extracts copper from difficult-to-process ore

Amazon becomes the first buyer of copper that Rio Tinto produces with a new process called Nuton. The process uses microorganisms to extract copper from sulphide ore. The method is called bioleaching.

Rio Tinto began using the process late last year at a previously dormant facility in Arizona belonging to Gunnison Copper Corp. The company plans to use the technology at more locations in North and South America.

What makes the process particularly interesting is that it can extract copper from American ore that is traditionally difficult to process. This ore has often become waste in conventional copper extraction.

Shorter supply chain and lower water consumption

The process eliminates the need for traditional concentrators, smelters and refineries. This significantly shortens the supply chain from mine to market.

Water consumption is also considerably lower. The process uses around 55 percent as much water per unit of copper compared to the global industry average.

Katie Jackson, Rio Tinto's copper chief, highlights that the technology can strengthen domestic copper supply without the many years required to obtain permits for new mines. The US administration classifies copper as a critical mineral.

Data centers drive copper demand

Chris Roe, Amazon's director of worldwide carbon, describes the deal as a new area for the company's sustainability work. Amazon has previously focused on steel and concrete.

Copper is a core commodity for Amazon's data centers and operations worldwide. Overall copper demand is rising, and growth of data centers could worsen the shortfall already expected in coming decades, according to a report from S&P Global.

As part of the agreement, Amazon is providing cloud-based data and analytics support to help with production.

Small volume initially with potential to grow

Initial production is a small portion of Rio Tinto's total copper output. The company expects to produce around 14,000 tons of Nuton copper over four years from the Johnson Camp mine in Gunnison.

Rio Tinto's global copper production amounted to nearly 900,000 tons last year.

☀️ Renewable energy is the scientific breakthrough of the year – surpasses coal as power source worldwide

WALL-Y — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 10:41:40 GMT

The journal Science has named the advance of renewable energy as the breakthrough of the year after solar and wind power surpassed coal as a power source globally.
Solar and wind power grew fast enough to cover the entire increase in global electricity use during the first six months of the year.
In 2004, it took a full year to install 1 gigawatt of solar power capacity globally – today twice that amount goes online every day.

Science explains the selection

The journal Science has named the growth of renewable energy as the 2025 scientific breakthrough of the year. The reasoning is based on renewable energy surpassing coal as a power source globally this year. Solar and wind power also grew fast enough to cover the entire increase in global electricity use from January to June, according to energy think tank Ember.

The shift is described as a transition from energy stored in fossil fuels hundreds of millions of years ago to energy streaming from the sun today.

China's role in the transition

China is the industrial engine behind the development. The country manufactures 80 percent of the world's solar cells, 70 percent of wind turbines, and 70 percent of lithium batteries. Prices are lower than any competitor can match.

According to Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, China has mastered this thanks to the scale of its economy, its manufacturing capacity, and fierce competition at home.

As production increased, prices fell and demand rose. Production scaled up to meet demand, which pushed prices down further and created even more demand. The result was a positive spiral where renewable technology grew into an industry that now accounts for more than 10 percent of China's economy.

The pace has increased dramatically

The development is clearly illustrated by the installation rate of solar power. In 2004, it took the world a full year to install 1 gigawatt of solar power capacity. Today, twice that amount goes online every day.

China's solar power production has increased more than 20-fold over the past decade. The country's solar and wind farms now have enough capacity to power the entire United States. Solar panels cover deserts and the high Tibetan plateau. Wind turbines up to 300 meters tall stand along coastlines and on hilltops.

Global spread

China's exports of renewable technology are also transforming the rest of the world. Europe is a long-standing customer, but countries in the Global South are now also buying solar panels, batteries, and wind turbines at a rapid pace.

In Pakistan, imports of Chinese solar panels increased fivefold from 2022 to 2024 when the Ukraine war drove up natural gas prices. According to Lauri Myllyvirta, an analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, the choice was simple for people who worried about how to keep the lights on in their homes.

In Africa and South Asia, imports of solar panels have increased sharply as people realized that rooftop solar cells can cheaply power lights, mobile phones, and fans. South Africa has been driven by old and unreliable coal plants. Ethiopia has embraced solar and wind power.

The motivation has changed

Previously, renewable energy had an aura of virtue. Buyers paid more than for fossil energy due to climate concerns. Now the real driver is self-interest: lower cost and greater energy security.

Hannah Ritchie, a data scientist at the University of Oxford, notes that the long-awaited decline of fossil fuels is now within sight thanks to renewable energy. According to her, China is now just on the cusp of actually starting to push out coal.