Planet Pulse: A rhythmic check in on climate change

A curated sample of the week’s more interesting, important, or just amusing stories.

A✌️467-word✌️2.5-minute✌️read

Note: Planet Pulse has diversified its coverage. Although it will remain focused mostly on clean technology and climate change, general interest stories of note will also be intermixed.

I’m taking a slightly different tact today. Over the past month, the number of articles related to nuclear and geothermal energy have ticked up. Regular readers know that I strongly support a greater focus on both these technologies. So instead of covering one particular story, and to provide a broader perspective of the overall level of activity, I decided to do a roundup of the articles. Completing this week’s stories is a Gallup poll on attitudes toward various energy sources, and an alarming take on America’s mindset.

Geothermal Roundup

Regular readers know I believe a greater focus should be placed on geothermal and I’m not alone. Here’s a recap of stories that hit in April:

• The Bureau of Land Management’s new policy speeds the exploration for geothermal energy on public lands.
• Three geothermal companies — Sage Geosystems, Mazama Energy, and Zanskar — have raised a combined $240 million.
• California Community Power signed a number of deals with geothermal developers, describing geothermal as offering “a renewable resource that can provide round-the-clock reliability that cannot be provided by California’s existing portfolio.”
• Fervo — an enhanced geothermal company I’ve frequently covered — has finalized a deal with Turboden American to supply it with 1.75 GW of its Organic Rankine Cycle turbines.

Nuclear Roundup

Think that the resurgence in nuclear is a mirage? Think again. Here’s a summary of stories that hit just last week:

• A new reactor has come online in China using a Westinghouse AP1000. It is one of six planned for the site.

• Four nuclear startups participating in the DOE’s reactor pilot program have secured offtakers.
• Two U.S. nuclear projects have broken ground — Bill Gates’ funded TerraPower in Wyoming and Kairos Power in Tennessee.

• Commonwealth Fusion Systems has formerly filed to connect its Virginia plant to the grid.
• And for those fond of repeating the “nuclear takes too long” refrain, the U.S. just renewed a nuclear license in record time — 12 months.

Is the tide turning?

I have long said that solar is a poor utility-scale long term solution and have advocated for a greater focus on baseload power including nuclear and geothermal.

On the surface, a new Gallup poll indicates attitudes may be shifting, but only among those who identify as Republicans. The exception: support for nuclear.

• Most Americans still prefer solar, but support from Republicans has tanked.
• Since the previous poll in 2021, the support for solar and wind has declined by 11 percentage points.
• Conversely, nuclear has gained 7 percentage points of support in that same timeframe.

Don’t worry — be happy

• What’s the old saying — money can’t buy happiness.
• America — the world’s wealthiest country — illustrates the point.
• Our happiness has been declining for years, but according to the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey (GSS), — across all demographics — it has plummeted since 2020.

• Consistent with the GSS, the Federal Reserve’s measure of US worker satisfaction fell to its lowest level since the survey began in 2014.
• And the U.S. also recorded its lowest ranking — 23rd — in the World Happiness Report, but at least we’re ahead of Canada at 25th.
• Many point to the usual culprits, COVID, social media…
• In my mind the cause is clear: pathetic political leadership from both parties. And this isn’t just a domestic problem.
• Want to be happier? Start rethinking how we select, and hold our leaders accountable.

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