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Sustainability News 28 June 2025 - 14 August 2025

Sky-High Carbon Removal Showdown: Climeworks Gen 2 vs. Heirloom Limestone vs. Carbon Engineering’s AIR2 DAC

Sky-High Carbon Removal Showdown: Climeworks Gen 2 vs. Heirloom Limestone vs. Carbon Engineering’s AIR2 DAC

Climeworks’ Generation 2 DAC uses modular solid-sorbent containers; the Orca plant in Iceland has operated since 2021 at 4,000 t/yr, and Mammoth is designed for 36,000 t/yr (72 modules), though by May 2024 only 12 modules were online and capture was ~100 t. Gen3, unveiled in 2024, doubles CO₂ capture per module and cuts energy use by about 50%, with the first Gen3 deployment at the Project Cypress megaton-scale DAC hub in Louisiana planned for 2029 to reach 1,000,000 t/yr and a target cost of $250–$350/ton by 2030. Heirloom’s limestone DAC cycles CaCO₃ via calcination (~900°C) to CaO and back
Inside the Battery Revolution: How Your Smartphone Will Charge Faster, Last Longer, and Save the Planet

Inside the Battery Revolution: How Your Smartphone Will Charge Faster, Last Longer, and Save the Planet

Most smartphone batteries retain about 80% of their capacity after 500 complete charge cycles (roughly 1.5–2 years). Xiaomi demonstrated 210W HyperCharge that can fill a 4,000 mAh battery in about 8 minutes. Qi2 was announced in 2023 and supports up to 15W wireless charging, with the iPhone 15 (late 2024) first to officially support it. In 2024 Apple switched the iPhone to USB-C, enabling universal high-powered charging and compatibility with GaN chargers. Apple’s Optimized Battery Charging pauses charging near 80% until needed, while Google’s Pixel Adaptive Charging schedules the final 20% to finish by your alarm time. Honor Magic5 Pro
30 July 2025
World Court Climate Bombshell, Hydrogen Stalls, and EV Breakthroughs – Climate Tech News Roundup (July 23–24, 2025)

World Court Climate Bombshell, Hydrogen Stalls, and EV Breakthroughs – Climate Tech News Roundup (July 23–24, 2025)

The United Nations’ International Court of Justice on July 23 issued an advisory opinion declaring climate change an urgent and existential threat and urged states to cooperate to achieve concrete emission reduction targets, warning of potential compensation claims for wealthy polluters under international law. On July 23, the Trump administration moved to dismantle the EPA’s endangerment finding by arguing federal law does not require carbon emission limits, with a draft proposal to overturn the 2009 finding aiming to derail virtually all U.S. climate pollution rules. In the UK, Masdar (UAE) and Iberdrola (Spain) secured £3.6 billion financing for the 1.4
EV Battery Economics 2025: Cost-Parity Milestones and Chemistry Breakthroughs

EV Battery Economics 2025: Cost-Parity Milestones and Chemistry Breakthroughs

Global EV battery pack prices fell about 20% in 2024, dropping from roughly $149/kWh in 2023 to the low $100s by year-end. In 2024, LFP cell prices were just under $60/kWh, and some Chinese LFP packs were produced for well under $90/kWh, enabling price parity with ICE for certain models. In 2024, a NMC811 pack cost about $103/kWh in China and above $100/kWh in other regions, showing higher costs for nickel-based chemistries. As of 2025, mass-market solid-state batteries are not yet in production, with Toyota planning limited production in 2025 for hybrids and MG launching a semi-solid-state pack delivering 1,000+
Renewable Revolution 2025: Game-Changing Innovations in Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Bioenergy & Hydropower

Renewable Revolution 2025: Game-Changing Innovations in Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Bioenergy & Hydropower

Perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells achieved about 29% efficiency on commercial-size cells, exceeding traditional silicon panels. Bifacial solar panels boost energy yields by up to 30% in reflective environments such as snow or sand. Floating solar farms can raise output by roughly 15% due to water cooling of the panels. Covering 10% of the world’s reservoirs with floating solar could yield about 20 TW of capacity, roughly 20 times today’s global solar capacity. Offshore wind turbines now reach 15–18 MW per turbine, enabling major capacity gains in deep waters. Floating offshore wind pilots have been launched by Norway, France, and Japan,
June–July 2025 Global Green-Building Tech & PropTech Roundup

June–July 2025 Global Green-Building Tech & PropTech Roundup

Rowan University opened the Jean & Ric Edelman Fossil Park Museum in late June 2025, a mass-timber building that runs fossil-fuel-free with geothermal heating and planned solar to achieve net-zero energy, designed by Buro Happold and Ennead Architects. Brooklyn College began drilling a 500-foot geothermal well in early June 2025 to retrofit a 20,000-square-foot building with a 100% geothermal heating and cooling system in a $10 million decarbonization project. Practice Greenhealth recognized 496 hospitals in June 2025 for climate-smart leadership, with a Top 25 cohort highlighted for exemplary performance in renewable energy use and resilience. USGBC rolled out a sustainability
Global Green Data Center Efficiency Developments (June–July 2025)

Global Green Data Center Efficiency Developments (June–July 2025)

Deloitte forecasts global data center electricity use will nearly double from about 536 TWh in 2025 to over 1,000 TWh by 2030. S&P Global projects U.S. data center power demand rising about 12% annually through 2030, with roughly 60% of new demand potentially met by natural gas. Germany passed the Energy Efficiency Act (EnEFG) requiring 100% renewable energy by 2027 for all data centers, a PUE of 1.2 or better for facilities operational from July 2026, at least 10% energy reuse, and an energy or environmental management system by July 1, 2025. Effective July 1, 2025, any data center hosting
Green Energy Goldmine: How to Profit from the Renewable Revolution

Green Energy Goldmine: How to Profit from the Renewable Revolution

In 2024, global clean energy investment was projected to reach $2 trillion, nearly twice the amount spent on fossil fuels. Renewable power, grid upgrades, and storage now attract more capital than oil, gas, and coal combined. Renewable energy jobs jumped to 16.2 million in 2023, up 18% from 2022. Solar PV module prices have fallen about 85% since 2010, making solar cheaper than new coal or gas in many countries. Solar investment is projected to exceed $500 billion in 2024, more than all other power generation sources combined. The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 dedicates $369 billion to
Global Battery Tech and Energy Storage Developments (June–July 2025)

Global Battery Tech and Energy Storage Developments (June–July 2025)

BYD field-tested solid-state EV batteries with nearly 400 Wh/kg energy density, enabling about 1,500 km ranges on a 12-minute (80%) charge, with prototypes in real cars and aims for industrial scale by 2030. Nissan plans its first solid-state EV in 2028 as part of a broader industry push including Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, CATL, and Stellantis. Kalmar (Cargotec) launched a second-generation Li-ion battery system for heavy electric forklifts and port equipment, delivering 10 hours of operation and improved thermal stability. Global EV sales through May 2025 reached 7.2 million units, with China contributing 4.4 million and May 2025 alone at 1.0 million,
Global Renewable Energy Developments (May–June 2025)

Global Renewable Energy Developments (May–June 2025)

Global energy investment is projected to reach $3.3 trillion in 2025, with about $2.2 trillion directed to clean energy technologies. Solar is expected to attract $450 billion in 2025, making it the single biggest area of energy investment. China added 198 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind between January and May 2025, with 93 GW of solar installed in May alone, pushing cumulative solar capacity above 1,000 GW. In the United States, clean power sourced from renewables and nuclear provided a majority of electricity from March through May 2025, with solar output up 19% year over year in
Green Technology Trends 2025: Clean Energy and Electric Vehicles (June 27th, 2025)

Green Technology Trends 2025: Clean Energy and Electric Vehicles (June 27th, 2025)

In the first five months of 2025, China added 198 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind, including a May surge of 93 GW solar and 26 GW wind, lifting total solar capacity to 1,080 GW. A June 2025 federal court overturned the freeze on the NEVI program, unfrozing about $1 billion in charging funding across 14 states. By May 2025, global EV sales reached 7.2 million, up 28% year over year. BYD Auto became the world’s top seller of battery electric vehicles in Q1 2025, with a 39% surge in sales and overtaking Tesla. LG Energy Solution began
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