1) This Is the Year Electric Car Racing Gets Real
2) McDonald’s to Reduce Antibiotics Use in Beef
3) Replacing Nuclear With Renewables Would Save France $44.5 Billion
4) Is 100% Renewable Energy Enough For The World?
5) Fossil-Free Costa Rica: How One Country Is Pursuing Decarbonization Despite Global Inaction
1) This Is the Year Electric Car Racing Gets Real
When Porsche opted out of 24 hours of Le Mans, the racing world was stunned. The explanation was simple; the company always used their racing program as an innovation chamber of sorts – the product innovations developed in racing would trickle down to production cars and move the company forward. However with their recent focus on electric vehicles the amount of innovations that would make it to production were reduced. Enter the formula E racing series. Improved battery technology and serious attention from factory racing teams mean stiff competition – resulting in the need for
https://happyeconews.com/2018/12/17/this-is-the-year-electric-car-racing-gets-real/
2) McDonald’s to Reduce Antibiotics Use in Beef
McDonald’s—the largest and most iconic burger chain on the planet—announced Tuesday that it will address the use of antibiotics in its international supply chain for beef by 2021. A significant win in the fight to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics and slow down the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria, the company’s policy instructs its supply chain to reduce the use of medically important antibiotics in McDonald’s beef, starting with 10 markets around the world, including the U.S. McDonald’s is the first—and by far the largest—burger chain to commit to a policy like this for all beef sold at its restaurants. While the chicken industry has been proactive in changing their antibiotics policies, beef companies have taken very little action to address the issue—even though more medically important antibiotics are given to cows than humans, or any other animal.
https://happyeconews.com/2018/12/17/mcdonalds-to-reduce-antibiotics-use-in-beef/
3) Replacing Nuclear With Renewables Would Save France $44.5 Billion
The French government just announced a plan to power 95 percent of the country with solar and wind energy by 2060. And by doing so, the government would spend about $44.5 billion (39 billion euros) less than it would if it maintained its current energy infrastructure. The report details how France could increase its dependence on solar and wind energy over time, gradually shutting down nuclear power plants to make room for renewables.
https://happyeconews.com/2018/12/19/replacing-nuclear-with-renewables-would-save-france-44-5-billion/
4) Is 100% Renewable Energy Enough For The World?
Can we power the world with renewable energy alone? Or is it just a pipe dream?
The short answer is yes, but it won’t be easy, to say the least. There is an old adage “where there’s a will there’s a way” that pretty much sums up the main barrier to achieving this.
Most experts agree that a future renewable-only energy generation infrastructure would be mixed, or hybrid, with solar, wind, tidal, hydro-, geothermal and, most-likely nuclear, all working to compliment one another.
In all cases, some form of energy storage will be desirable which could include batteries, gravity storage (like a dam’s reservoir) and any other myriad of methods imaginable. Entrepreneurs, like Elon Musk, believe this is the way to go.
By his estimates, it would take about 100 of his giga-factories (solar generation and battery storage under one roof) to power the entire world.
https://happyeconews.com/2018/12/22/is-100-renewable-energy-enough-for-the-world/
5) Fossil-Free Costa Rica: How One Country Is Pursuing Decarbonization Despite Global Inaction
Costa Rica will be the first country in the world to decarbonize its economy. Currently, the country generates more than 90 percent of its electricity using renewable energy. Costa Rican officials have announced they want to host U.N. climate talks in 2019, since Brazil rescinded its offer to host the summit. Costa Rica is a very forward looking country and has a history of making big goals and sticking with them. Elimination of forestry, abolition of the military, universal health care and education, all of these were unheard of for such a small central American country. But, with a 38 year old president at the helm, the idea of a completely fossil free country (including transportation), might not be a crazy notion.
https://happyeconews.com/2018/12/18/fossil-free-costa-rica-how-one-country-is-pursuing-decarbonization-despite-global-inaction/
