Hello climate tech readers! Even if there were no groundbreaking fusion announcements this week, a lot has happened in the world of climate tech worth catching up on. There is something for everyone, from small modular batteries for Let’s dive in.
Image credit: Elijah Neuvrage/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Last year was jam-packed with battery manufacturers and automakers announcing gigafactories one after another. If this week’s announcement is correct, 2023 could be the year the US solar industry really takes off.
On Wednesday, Hanwha Qcells, a major South Korean manufacturer, traveled to Georgia to expand its existing factory and build an all-new campus that will handle nearly everything in the solar panel supply chain, from silicon ingots to finished panels. announced that it will spend $2.5 billion. The move has been spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act, which offers investment and production tax credits that should help cover about half the cost of a completed panel, even though it would erase some of China’s cost advantage. It’s helpful.
This is not the first time the United States has attempted to boost domestic solar power generation. But unlike a decade ago, when dozens of companies went bankrupt due to sluggish demand, cheap Chinese panels, and the Great Recession, this time may be different.
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Image credit: Harri Weber at TechCrunch
TechCrunch’s Harri Weber traveled to CES this year to see a lot of climate-related tech at the big show. The show expands far beyond VR headsets and home automation (but it’s still there). There was a lot of optimism, from water usage to home energy systems, but there was still some artificial grass on both the show floor and what was for sale at the booth.
image credit: Project Eden
Plant-based meat has had a rough few months with industry leaders taking a hit in the market. Project Eaden revealed why this week, adding €2.1 million in funding to his existing seed round.
The Berlin-based startup uses plant-based protein fibers to spin alternative cuts of meat that have a much closer texture to the real thing. Project Eaden has raised just over €10 million in funding to improve its technology and plans future rounds to build a production-scale plant.
Image credit: Daniele Carotenuto Photography/Getty Images
It’s no secret that gas stoves are bad for your health. Households with gas stoves have much higher asthma rates than those without gas stoves. It is also not suitable for the climate. Despite lower emissions, it allows aging gas utilities to get their foot in the door and makes it easier for homeowners to keep their fossil fuel systems running longer than they need to.
But why are we talking about gas stoves this week? If not, he commented that “every option is on the table”. Right-wing politicians have clung to Trumka’s statements in hopes of creating a new flashpoint in the ongoing culture war. However, it can backfire. Consumers who own gas and are interested in electromagnetic induction Start looking into the problem yourself.
Image credit: John Deere
The Right to Repair movement took a blow this week when John Deere signed a memorandum of understanding with the American Farm Bureau Federation. The memorandum will grant farmers and other operators access to the tools and repair information they need to solve the company’s increasingly complex problems. Equipment without going through the manufacturer.
However, for farmers and independent repair shops, this isn’t the perfect deal. Deere said it will continue to withhold “trade secrets, proprietary and confidential information.” But given that Deere has long opposed calls for right to repair, this could be welcome news for farmers, operators and sole proprietors. It can also help keep well-functioning equipment in the field longer.
Image credit: Yoshino (opens in new window)
It’s happening: the battery is taking over. I’ve long expected that the enormous amount of R&D and manufacturing capacity created by the move to electric vehicles would ripple through to transform a myriad of other sectors. If there is, we have reached an inflection point.
TechCrunch’s Haje Jan Kamps was overwhelmed by the number and variety of battery-based home power solutions at this year’s show. Many were stackable. It can move around your house like a 100-pound wagon. Another was carried like a milk crate. Still others are tied into whole-home systems that include solar inverters, smart circuit panels, EV chargers, and more. If you don’t have a battery in your home yet, you might in the next five years if this CES of him goes well.
