Venn Chesterton

Only 3% of electric vehicle owners would go back to a fossil fuel car Zap-Map surveyed 3,746 EV owners for its annual survey to gauge insights into behaviours, attitudes and satisfaction of EV drivers. We reveal the results.

There's been a sustained campaign about problems & challenges of electric vehicles in parts of UK media

It's likely contributed to weakening of the shift amongst individual buyers

Actual owners & users, on the other hand, are mostly very happy

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/electr...

Pretty fascinating that in The Netherlands growth at Volvo is simply astonishing, all thanks to #EX30
#alwaysbecharging

Vertical farming: a local solution for greens, but not feeding the world any time soon While it has lots of benefits, the economics just don't work.

What's the deal with vertical farming?

*Can* potentially work for a small group of crops: mostly greens and possibly some fruits.

But far too expensive for cereals or other staple crops.

My latest Substack which digs into the numbers:
www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/vertical-f...

Was with Zemo this morning. Turns out the Netherlands has roughly the same transport-related emissions as us—even with all that cycling.

The figures are from electric vehicles UK. Not the SMMT, who do a fine job but represent the entire UK automotive sector, not very EV focused

The far side gallery by Gary Larson

Reading the Far Side constantly as a 9 to 12 year old shaped much of my personality.

Ha! Nah, they’ll be fine I think.

That's not what this study actually says. This study adds to the reams of others showing that plant-based meat alternatives have lower env. impacts than animal meat, & that plant-based milk alternatives have lower env. impacts than cow's milk.

Open access to study here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Noticed that there doesn't seem to be an obvious Circular Economy Starter Pack... So, I've started one here (slightly UK/EU centric). Suggestions for additions welcomed, and also how to add people quickly using the app, as it seems quite convoluted:
go.bsky.app/JFNr8dw
#CircularEconomy

It's even sadder to see that a brand new 1.1GW wind farm has been "off" nearly 70% of the time during 2024…

Or to put it another way, for each 1 MWh of generation it had 2.1 MWh of curtailment – that's 2.1 MWh of available wind energy that was simply left to blow by.

Mandatory speed limiters; 100% 20mph zones on Local Road Transport Network roads; life driving bans for those convicted of dangerous driving; heavy custodial sentences for those who flout bans; 100% Low Traffic Neighbourhood coverage of residential areas; 100% School Streets.

Nothing else will do.

Not sure about point 1— is this a wise use of public funds, especially when, for example, buses could benefit from additional subsidies?

Agrivoltaics can increase grape yield by up to 60% French agrivoltaics company Sun'Agri says that two of its facilities increased grape yields by 20% to 60% in 2024, compared to areas without solar panels. The PV modules helped regulate temperature fl...

Growing wine grapes under solar panels can increase yields by 60%.
That seems like the definition of unalloyed good news
www.pv-magazine.com/2024/11/29/a...

Article in the Eastern Daily Press by Adrian Ramsay, Green MP for Waveney Valley on 26 November 2024. "The government should look again at its figures - and make sure its policies add up to a new deal for farmers. One which sees tax loopholes closed, family farms supported, food security protected."

Why I regret using 23andMe: I gave up my DNA just to find out I’m British I gave away my genetic information to a now imploding company for results that inspired nothing but ambivalence 23andMe is facing implosion. As the once-promising genetic testing company flounders – losing 98% of its $6bn value, all its independent board…

Why I regret using 23andMe: I gave up my DNA just to find out I’m British

Sad to see a brand new 1.1GW wind farm being switched off most of this very windy weekend when it should be generating at near full capacity.

Explore 👉 renewables-map.robinhawkes.com

Location pricing needed?

I've written the script for a graphic novel adaptation of the great Irish ecological poem THE MADNESS OF SWEENEY. Here's a thread of some of the artwork by my collaborator @zaraslattery.bsky.social. Isn't it marvellous? You can find out more & support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/SweeneysPr... 🧵

412% increase in jobs at Scottish rewilding sites, research shows Rewilding Britain’s new research reveals that rewilding efforts across Scotland have boosted job numbers by more than 400%.

Almost certainly through the creation of new nature-based economic opportunities (alongside a range of other social benefits from health to re-peopling). A study this year found jobs boost of 412% due to rewilding. www.rewildingbritain.org.uk/press-hub/sc...

That is awesome. I assume there is also a positive impact on flooding as well?

Ancient woodland now covers just 2.5% of the UK. It’s essential that we resist anything that risks the tiny amount that we still have.

Thanks @bylinesnetwork.bsky.social for raising this. The question is, what can be done to safeguard the nature around this development?

Lots of maize is grown across large areas of top quality farm land in East Anglia, much of it on peat (thus with carbon emissions), destined for anaerobic digesters to produce renewable electricity. More power is produced per hectare from solar panels, so a more efficient use of land for electricity

Spoke to a few friends—sadly, this is a non-starter. Planning permissions and logistical issues like anchoring, grid reconnection, and wear-and-tear make moving arrays a pain. Solar + crop rotation is fascinating, but the economics and practicality don’t line up (yet).

Daniel Křetínský’s power plants in England enjoy surging profits Czech billionaire’s gas-fired stations benefit from market disruption in wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine

Your reminder that during the fossil gas-fuelled inflation crisis of 2022 and 2023, in the UK renewables faced a windfall tax, and gas-fired power stations didn't

And still don't

www.ft.com/content/d4aa...

The great abandonment: what happens to the natural world when people disappear? The long read: Across the globe, vast swathes of land are being left to be reclaimed by nature. To see what could be coming, look to Bulgaria

"For nature to be restored to a past version of itself, the question might be less one of human absence, than what form human presence can take."

A good exploration of ecological change, abandonment & how humans can sustain rich mosaics of habitats:

www.theguardian.com/news/2024/no...

Great use of a large language model: planning multi-day road trips with an EV.

Frosty, early start for a day in London. Two speaking slots today.

Would this be a net positive to the economy?

You ever find yourself near a classic car and notice that... it smells real bad?

Like, really bad? A dozen lawn mowers bad?

That's because it doesn't have a catalytic converter, so it allows you to smell what burning gasoline actually smells like.

Where are the trees?

We have A LOT of this landscape and less than 4% native woodland. This landscape should be a rich mosaic of habitats, moor, bog, woodland, montane scrub…We force it to remain in this artificial state. We don’t need to give every inch of our uplands over to sheep,grouse and deer