In celebrity headlines this week we sadly lost former Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna; but happily, Netflix gave us Taylor Swift’s Miss Americana. And in national news, the Coronavirus has suspended flights from America and the nation is watching intently to find out more about witnesses in the impeachment trial. These headlines and more had us excited, but we don’t want you to miss out on our favorites in the energy industry! ICYMI here are last week’s stories.
5The graphite from a pencil may conjure traumatic memories of having lead smeared all over the side of your hand and homework, but scientists have found a way to turn garbage into graphene (graphite).
Graphene is used in electronics, solar panels and asphalt. Researchers at Rice University recently discovered that garbage can be turned into graphene; and is much cheaper than upcycling food waste, coal and even plastic. Popular Mechanics provides the details here.
4Not only is the Coronavirus limiting travel and impacting the transportation sector, it’s upsetting the oil & gas market as well.
As news sources continue to compare the impact of the Coronavirus to SARS across markets, the O&G industry is one that is seeing quite a difference between the two. A contributing factor, that while CV is less deadly than SARS, it is spreading faster. Forbes paints the whole picture here.
3We have seen a decrease in the bee population, and an increase in implementing solar energy technology, are they related?
Inevitably, new infrastructure will disrupt nature. States are starting to propose new legislation to make sure that our bee friends (and necessary attribution to the circle of life) are protected throughout the process. Renewable Energy World covers the rest of the story here.
2Fracking ban is a rampant term as a part of the 2020 presidential race, but not all states agree on if that’s a good idea for the energy industry.
Pennsylvania’s economy relies heavily on the natural gas industry. So much so, that a ban could severely damage the state’s local economies. When it comes to energy production, not all states are created equal. Wind energy is nonexistent in Arizona, and large solar farms are impossible in New York City. The New York Times fills in the rest here.
1Noting the difference in shipping between Amazon and UPS has made for some great entertainment in the past few years, but UPS is stepping up in the EV department.
Amazon ordered a fleet of electric vehicles last year, and in the spirit of competition, UPS is ordering theirs now. We can expect to see 10,000 vans hit the roads in North America, U.K. and Europe between 2020 and 2024. CNBC reports more on this article here.
