Flexible solar panels, renewables attracting industry, and the rise of EVs

Hi everyone,

I came across some really fascinating stories at the intersection of technology and sustainability this week, but before we get to them, I saw this sooooo cute photo (uncredited, unfortunately) on Threads, so I decided to share it here that you may smile, like I did when I saw it 😀

Speaking of Threads - feel free to Follow me on Threads, or Mastodon, or Bluesky, or your social media of choice. I’m on most, apart from Facebook!

In the News: Technology Meets Sustainability

Some of the news stories that have caught my eye recently

• Flexible printed perovskite solar achieves a record 11% efficiency - Researchers, led by Australia’s CSIRO, have had an efficiency breakthrough with roll-to-roll flexible printed perovskite solar cells. These are far more efficient than previous versions, and look like they’ll be easy to roll out (bad pun, sorry) commercially. This could transform the surfaces of buildings, vehicles, even wearables! Link
  

  

• South Australia’s world-leading renewable transition is attracting flood of new industry - South Australia's transition to renewable energy has positioned it as a leader in the global energy sector, with a remarkable shift from 1% to over 70% renewable energy in just over two decades. By 2025/2026, it's expected to reach approximately 85%, with an ambition to achieve 100% net renewables by 2030. This has lead to a huge increase in investment from industries like steel, mining, hydrogen, and other energy intensive industries who want to move to low carbon energy. Link
  

  

• Biden Administration Announces Rules Aimed at Phasing Out Gas Cars - The Biden administration on Wednesday issued one of the most significant climate regulations in the nation’s history, a rule designed to ensure that the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032. The new regulations face legal challenges, but they speak to a direction of travel for ICE vehicles. Link
  

  

• KLM Loses Dutch Greenwashing Case on Climate Advertising - Dutch airline KLM misled customers through advertisements that suggested its flights are climate friendly, an Amsterdam court ruled. No word in the article of what, if any penalties will be levied to the airline but hopefully it’ll be enough to make them think twice before greenwashing again! Link
  

  

Blog posts

Some of my latest writings on my blog

• Transforming the Energy Landscape: The Critical Role of Technology in Sustainable Grids -

  In this blog post, I delve into the pivotal role that digital modeling, AI, and digital twins play in transforming our energy grids into smarter, more adaptable, and resilient systems. The post highlights insights from a fascinating conversation with Taco Engelaar of Neara, exploring how these technologies are not just enhancing grid efficiency but are also crucial for the energy transition. By embracing digital twins and AI, we can significantly optimize energy distribution, seamlessly integrate renewable sources, and improve our grids' resilience, marking a significant leap toward a sustainable energy future.. Link.
  

  

Podcast Highlights

In case you were unaware, I publish two weekly podcasts:

1. Climate Confident - every Wednesday I publish a new episode where I highlight successful climate emissions stories and strategies in order to educate and inspire more people to act, and

2. Sustainable Supply Chain - this is a rebrand of my former Digital Supply Chain podcast. In this podcast, every Monday I publish a new episode where I talk to supply chain execs with a strong focus on thought leadership, best practices, and trends in supply chain sustainability

Latest episodes

• Climate Confident

  • The Power of Smart Infrastructure: Siemens' Vision for a Greener Planet - A fascinating conversation with Thomas Kiessling, the CTO of Siemens' Smart Infrastructure Division. Our conversation delved deep into Siemens' commitment to sustainability and its strategic approach towards achieving net zero emissions by 2030. Link.

• Sustainable Supply Chain

  • The Road to Zero: Rethinking Logistics for a Sustainable Tomorrow - In this episode of the Sustainable Supply Chain podcast, I had the pleasure of chatting with Alex Scott, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Management at the University of Tennessee, about the Fleet Sustainability Index – a pioneering approach to gauging the environmental footprint of logistics operators. Link.

In coming episodes of the podcasts I will be talking to companies like UiPath, Thinaer, DutchX, Schneider Electric, and more. Follow the podcasts in your podcast app of choice to ensure you don’t miss any episodes.

Featured Charts

• I'm thrilled to see this chart showcasing the efficiency of fully electric vehicles—it's just so clear that by 2050, with an 81% overall efficiency rate, it outstrips other methods by a long shot! Hydrogen is improving, but at 42% efficiency, it still has a way to go. And when it comes to synthetic fuels, well, they lag behind at just 22% for diesel and 18% for petrol, even with 100% renewable electricity. This just validates my passion for EVs and the potential of renewable energy in transportation!.  
  

  

  • This chart from BloombergNEF illustrates a significant trend in the automotive industry: gas-powered vehicle sales peaked in 2017 and have been declining ever since. It’s fascinating to see the steady growth of electric vehicles (EVs), with the graph projecting their continued rise. Hybrids and plug-in hybrids are also gaining a slice of the market, but it's the EVs that are truly revolutionizing the industry, promising a cleaner, electric-driven future on the roads!
    

    

This Edition’s Thought-Provoking Quote

• Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth… these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security, and women’s empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all." - Ban Ki-moon
  

  

Engage

• If you made it this far, well done! If you liked this newsletter, or learned something new, feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends. Encourage folks to sign up for it.
  Do please get in touch with me with your thoughts and suggestions on how I can improve the newsletter, or with any other suggestions you may have.

• Finally, since being impacted by the tech layoffs, I'm currently on the market for a new role. If you know someone who could benefit from my tech savvy, sustainability, and strong social media expertise, I'd be grateful for a referral.

Remember, the only thing more sustainable than renewable energy is my hope that next month's technology won't make today's gadgets look like they belong in a museum. Until then, keep charging forward—preferably with solar power!