“A republic, if you can keep it.”
–Benjamin Franklin’s response to Elizabeth Willing Powel’s question: “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”
Being that this is Memorial Day weekend, I want to take a moment to reflect on this and recognize how fortunate we are that for almost 250 years Americans, and immigrants that were not American citizens, were willing to fight and die so that we can be here and free today. We can never repay them for their sacrifice other than for ourselves fight for our freedom and for democracy. Because of this freedom we are able to fight to protect the planet from climate disaster and are able to do and say so much more. I fear that these freedoms are at risk due to the potential outcome of the election this November and we must bear this in mind when WE go to the polls this fall and we must work to get others to the polls as well. Otherwise, as Benjamin Franklin warned, we might not be able to keep our freedoms.
In the last couple of weeks there has been a variety of unrelated articles about automotive technology developments that will harken on the transition to an all electric vehicle fleet by overcoming the barriers. And the shift to renewable energy continues unabated and is showing strong signs of acceleration. There’s developments on the legal front with climate cases. And of course, the extreme weather events are too numerous to delineate…but I’ll give you a flavor.
So, here goes.
From Techspot
https://www.techspot.com/news/102786-battery-cost-plunge-turbocharge-renewable-energy-shift-iea.html
Battery Costs Have Plummeted by 90% in Less than 15 Years, Turbocharging Renewable Energy Shift
Predicting a sixfold increase in global energy storage capacity by 2030
April 29, 2024
From E&E News
Maryland Battery Plant Tries to Upend Rivals — and Lithium-Ion
The factory will make batteries for the Pentagon. It plans to expand into EVs, phones and the grid.
04/30/2024
From The Automotive News
https://www.autonews.com/technology/denso-valeo-bosch-and-other-suppliers-improve-ev-heat-pumps
Get Efficiency Boost from New Heat Pump Technology
Engineers are improving EV efficiency by scavenging more heat from EV components and feeding it to the heat pump
April 17, 2024
From E&E News
California Grid Sets Solar Power Record
In recent months, renewable energy has fully powered the state’s main grid for at least 15 minutes nearly every day.
05/06/2024
Moving on from technology and energy let’s see what’s in the news about climate legal cases that have been working their way through the court systems for years, in this one, since 2015.
From E&E News
Judge Tosses Youth Climate Case Against EPA
The order follows another court’s dismissal last week of the landmark Juliana climate lawsuit
05/10/2024
From E&E News
Montana Supreme Court books Date for Youth Climate Showdown
State officials are fighting a landmark victory for young environmental activists.
05/22/2024
And here’s the bad news about the weather and related events.
From E&E News and the Associated Press
https://franklytalking.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=7576&action=edit
From Floods in Brazil and Houston to Heat Wave in Asia, Extreme Weather Seems Everywhere
In a world growing increasingly accustomed to wild weather swings, the last few days and weeks have seemingly taken those environmental extremes to a new level.
05/08/2024
From E&E News and Bloomberg
Drought to Deluge: East Africa Bears Brunt of Climate Change
Even after this year’s flooding abates, East Africans will continue to feel the effects through higher food prices. Wide swathes of croplands have been destroyed and livestock killed, according to the FAO
05/06/2024
From Medium
Can 2024 Be Even Hotter Than 2023 After Record-Warm Start?
May 2, 2024
From E&E News and Associated Press
Students Told to Stay Home as Heat Wave Smothers Philippines
Urgent health warnings spread throughout the region. Cambodia this year is facing the highest temperatures in 170 years
04/30/2024
That’s all for today. You probably won’t be hearing from me for a few weeks as Debbie and I and some of the kids are going to the beach for vacation. But I’ll be watching the news and will update you again when we get back after Father’s Day.
