2 Terawatts of Solar Power, Electric Mining Trucks, and the Future of ESG: Sustainability's Big Moves

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Hi everyone, welcome back to FutureProof - my Tech and Sustainability Digest.

So much has happened in the last two weeks since the last edition of this newsletter, it is hard to know where to start.

Here in Spain we had devastating climate induced floods which killed an estimated 220 people mostly in the Valencia region of Spain (on the Eastern side of the country). Lots of anger, and lots of finger pointing, but everyone is blaming the wrong folks, cos while blaming the politicians is somewhat accurate, no-one is blaming the fossil fuel companies that caused these floods to be as devastating as they were. That needs to change.

Then, the week after that, America elected a climate denying, amoral, convicted criminal as their president. His policies will likely lead to an additional 4 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to the plans under Joe Biden according to an analysis by Carbon Brief. This increase is primarily due to potential rollbacks of climate policies and a focus on boosting fossil fuel production.

This classic cartoon seems now particularly appropriate:

In other new, more apropos of this newsletter, let's catch up on what's been happening in the clean tech space, and dive into the latest insights and stories I've come across.

In the News:

Artificial Intelligence

Evo: The AI Revolutionising Genome Design and Unlocking the Future of Personalised Medicine - A new AI called Evo is transforming sequence modeling and design from the molecular to the genome scale. Using advanced machine learning, Evo helps predict and design biological sequences, making it a powerful tool for everything from protein engineering to genome editing. This kind of tech has the potential to unlock new frontiers in personalized medicine, sustainable biotechnology, and even accelerate solutions for global health challenges.

ChatGPT App for Windows Now Available to Everyone - PC users can finally access ChatGPT through a dedicated Windows app. OpenAI has released it to all Windows 10 and 11 users after initially limiting the app to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Go wild PC users!

Electromobility

Fortescue Commits $4 Billion to Ditch Fossil Fuels with Electric Mining Fleet—A Giant Leap for Green Mining - Fortescue Metals Group has committed to a $4 billion partnership with Liebherr to acquire 360 autonomous battery-electric haul trucks, 55 electric excavators, and 60 battery-powered dozers. This initiative is a significant step toward Fortescue's goal of achieving zero terrestrial emissions in its Pilbara iron ore operations by 2030. The equipment will incorporate electric power and propulsion systems developed by Fortescue, with the company also supplying the necessary batteries. This move underscores Fortescue's leadership in mining decarbonisation and sets a precedent for the industry's transition to sustainable practices

CATL Powers Ahead with All-Solid-State Batteries—Promising a 40% Boost in EV Range - CATL, the world's leading EV battery manufacturer, is advancing the development of all-solid-state batteries, aiming to enhance energy density and performance. The company has entered the trial production phase of 20 Ah samples, with an energy density of up to 500 Wh/kg—approximately 40% higher than current batteries. While challenges remain in charging speed and cycle life, CATL plans to overcome manufacturing hurdles by expanding its workforce and aims for small-scale production by 2027. This progress signifies a significant step toward more efficient and safer energy storage solutions in the electric vehicle industry.

Global EV Sales Surge Toward Record 16.7 Million in 2024, Defying Slowdown narratives - Despite recent reports suggesting a slowdown, global electric vehicle (EV) sales are on track to reach a record 16.7 million units in 2024, marking a 26% increase from 2023. This growth is primarily driven by robust demand in China, where plug-in hybrid sales have surged by 37% this year. While some markets, like Germany, have experienced temporary declines due to policy changes, the overall trend indicates a strong and sustained global shift toward electric mobility.

Clean Energy

Australia Reaches 4 Million Rooftop Solar Installations, Surpassing 25 GW Capacity - Australia has achieved a significant milestone by installing its four millionth rooftop solar system, bringing the nation's total capacity to 25 GW. That’s roughly the equivalent to the output from 25 nuclear reactors. From rooftop solar!
This accomplishment underscores Australia's leadership in renewable energy adoption and reflects the growing commitment of households and businesses to sustainable energy solutions.

Global Solar Capacity Doubles to 2 Terawatts in Just Two Years, Outpacing Decades of Growth - And it isn’t just Australia, global solar power capacity has surpassed 2 terawatts, doubling from 1 terawatt in just two years. To put this in perspective, it took nearly seven decades to install the first terawatt of solar capacity. This rapid acceleration underscores the global commitment to renewable energy and the effectiveness of international collaboration in combating climate change. Notably, this milestone was achieved despite varying levels of support from major economies, highlighting the resilience and momentum of the solar industry.

Blog posts

Some of my latest thoughts on where things are in the energy and sustainability spaces

Bluesky: The Future of Social Media in a Post-Twitter World - I've just published a new blog post where I talk about why I think Bluesky is the future of social media, especially in a post-Twitter world. Bluesky's decentralised approach and its emphasis on user control and safety make it a compelling alternative for those tired of the traditional platforms. I believe it's an important shift for anyone who cares about more transparent, non-billionaire owned, community-driven online spaces. If you're interested in what the future of social media could look like, give the bog post a read—and feel free to connect with me on Bluesky as well!

TomRafteryTV

The Role of AI, Cloud, and Renewable Energy in Mining’s Future

In this interview with Joe Starwood of Microsoft, we focused on the impact of digital transformation and cloud adoption within the mining industry. Joe highlighted the sector's shift toward sustainable practices, such as electrifying vehicles and integrating renewable energy sources, alongside leveraging AI and cloud technologies to optimize operations, enhance safety, and improve compliance. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of tying digital efforts to clear business value to ensure effective outcomes and successful adoption.

Latest Podcast Episodes

Climate Confident

Empowering Communities: How Mercy Corps Integrates Energy Access into Humanitarian Aid - In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I spoke with David Nicholson of Mercy Corps about how renewable energy access is transforming humanitarian aid. We explored the use of solar power and microgrids in vulnerable communities to help them adapt to climate challenges and build resilience. David shared inspiring stories of projects bringing sustainable energy to fragile regions, highlighting the importance of energy in fostering climate adaptation, gender equality, and economic opportunity.

Sustainable Supply Chain

Transforming Business: Embracing ESG for Sustainable Success - In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I had an insightful conversation with Joanne Flinn, Chair of the ESG Institute, about the essential mindset shifts business leaders need to embrace for effective sustainability integration. We explored the importance of moving beyond mere compliance to embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into core business strategies, fostering long-term resilience and value creation. Joanne shared practical frameworks and real-world examples, offering valuable guidance for leaders aiming to drive meaningful change in their organisations.


In upcoming episodes of the podcasts I will be talking to Thom Campbell Co-Founder of Capacity Llc, Kenny McGee CEO of Component Sense, John Lang CEO of The Net Zero Tracker, and Chris Kruger CEO of AYK Energy

Follow the podcasts in your podcast app of choice to ensure you don’t miss any episodes.

Featured Charts

In the wake of the US presidential election, there has been a mass exodus of users from Twitter, and a huge jump in the number of people trying out Bluesky. I wrote about why Bluesky is the future of social media, and linked to it above, and if you haven’t checked Bluesky out yet, I encourage you to do so. For one thing, it is owned by a public benefit corporation, not a billionaire, and because it is federated and open source, it can’t be bought! So, yay!

Opt for goods that have less plastic packaging whenever you can. Send that (lack of) demand signal!

Evolution of traffic sources to website Mongabay demo 2021-2024. Twitter is dying!

Utility scale battery storage in the US is taking off big time. And as batteries become cheaper, and more energy dense, this change is only going to become more pronounced.

Misc stuff

I came across this and thought it was funny. I hope it puts a smile on your face too

Makes sense!

Look who showed up at Mar a Lago on election night to celebrate!

Engage

If you made it this far, well done! If you liked this newsletter, or learned something new, feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends. Encourage folks to sign up for it.

Do please get in touch with me with your thoughts and suggestions on how I can improve the newsletter, or with any other suggestions you may have.

Finally, since being impacted by the tech layoffs, I'm currently on the market for a new role. If you know someone who could benefit from my tech savvy, sustainability, and strong social media expertise, I'd be grateful for a referral.

Pinapples ftw!

If you have any comments or suggestions for how I can improve this newsletter, don’t hesitate to let me know. Thanks.

*** Be aware that any tipos you find in this newsletter are tests to see who is paying attention! ***

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