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What you need to know

Google & Microsoft use more electricity than nearly half countries on earth

Why this matters? Data centres are becoming a major issue, particularly now AI is wildly increasing demand.
Your challenge? Got to think about cloud computing in your carbon footprint.
Read more: Michael Thomas on X

China stops permitting coal-based steel plants, moves to electric-only

Why this matters? Remember, decarbonisation is electrification. And there is no bigger prize than steel. China is saying blast furnaces are the past.
We’re left behind? And how. China is blasting away from the rest of us 🥁.
Read more: CREA report on steel; RMI on electrification

Green hydrogen: not that green

Why this matters? New study questions whether hydrogen can ever be low carbon, given all the infrastructure needed.
Today’s hydrogen not green? Certainly not, comes from gas. So much hype around hydrogen, but it’s just hype. Reality missing.
Read more: Paul Martin on report in Nature 

One thing to worry about

We want nuclear fusion. But it’s always 20 years away.

And still is. The ITER experiment, our great fusion hope, this week announced a 9-year delay and asked for an extra $5bn. First power in… 2039.

Meanwhile, solar and batteries are here, at scale, using a fusion reactor called… the sun.

One thing to be optimistic about

What happens when batteries get this cheap? Cool stuff.

A new Berkshire Hathaway-owned titanium factory is going almost off-grid with a solar-and-batteries. Cheaper than grid. In the US. 🤯

My fav: Archer Aviation. Flying electric taxis. Finally.

If you’ve got more time, read this…

Those bleeding heart liberals at NATO are worrying about climate change.

This week their Climate Security report outlined the implications:

• Military infrastructure must adapt. Ice is melting below artic radar stations, and coastal bases face increasing storm surges

• Kit won’t perform. Tank crews can’t operate in hotter summer temperatures, and helicopters struggle when fully-laden in warmer air

• Adversaries’ economies get stressed, leading to aggression - maybe a petro-state’s economy suffers, so they invade a neighbour…

The report also identifies Russia as a key source of climate misinformation:

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