Kathari News

🏡🔋🌎Net-zero homes reduce utility costs, provide greater comfort and can withstand extreme weather better than traditional homes. But living in them has long been a luxury, given the high capital costs. The City of Milwaukee is working to make net-zero homes accessible for low-income families. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the city is creating energy-efficient homes as part of its 2023 Climate and Equity Plan. A $3.4-million U.S. Department of Energy grant will support construction of 35 net-zero homes on vacant lots in disadvantaged neighborhoods and launch a local factory for energy-efficient wall panels. The project has had some stumbling blocks, but city leaders hope it will spark a new local and regional market for energy-efficient, prefabricated homes and inspire similar efforts elsewhere. 🎙️Tell us what you think: Can net-zero homes become the cornerstone of affordable housing across the U.S.? 💡Read more from Energy News Network and other bright ideas for the #energytransition featured on Kathari News: https://ow.ly/Nmnj50Uvwuu #NetZeroHomes #EnergyEfficiency #GreenBuilding

A new policy scorecard from Efficiency Canada highlights how provinces and territories are stepping up efforts to improve energy efficiency and affordability, but untapped opportunities remain. James Gaede, senior research associate with Efficiency Canada, notes this report arrives at a politically charged time. The intersection of climate and energy policy — especially around cost — is a pivotal issue, with a federal election on the horizon. What role will energy efficiency play in shaping Canada’s future? 👉 Read more from Policy Options featured in Kathari News Perspectives: https://ow.ly/NWs050UvjPX

🏗️ Can ancient materials build a sustainable future? In the French city of Lyon, a building stands tall with rammed-earth walls, radiating warmth and history. Two hundred miles away, a small house at the Beaucastel winery shares the same earthy texture. What connects them? They’re made from excavated soil once destined for landfills. Rammed earth offers recyclability, energy efficiency and a low-carbon alternative to traditional building materials. Unlike cement-stabilized versions, it avoids the climate impact of cement, which contributes 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But here’s the challenge: Despite its centuries-long history and ecological benefits, rammed earth remains underrepresented in the green building movement. Architects, developers and policymakers often overlook this material, focusing instead on technical hurdles like water resistance and wall strength. Why hasn’t this ancient, sustainable method become central to modern architecture? And what would it take to scale it up for a greener future? 👉 Explore this question with Rabia Charef, Senior Research Associate in Circular Economy & Digitalisation at Lancaster University in her piece for The Conversation UK: https://ow.ly/Rxu450Uvir6 💡Want more bright ideas for the #energytransition? Visit Kathari News Perspectives: https://lnkd.in/eB_qKCwY

Is biomass power truly necessary for the energy transition? Analysis by Ember challenges the conventional wisdom, revealing that the U.K. could achieve a fully decarbonized power system by 2030 with far less reliance on biomass. 🔍 Key findings from the report: ☑️Biomass power generation could be cut by 55%, contributing just 2% of total electricity. ☑️Renewables like wind and solar could supply over 80% of demand, with minimal increases in gas and power imports. ☑️Bioenergy is 80% more expensive than gas and nearly double the cost of onshore wind. "Reliance on imported biomass threatens the benefits of clean power. It is often more expensive than gas power with emissions potentially higher. Biomass power in a clean power system is assumed to be a necessary compromise. This modelling shows that is not so clear cut." — Frankie Mayo, Senior Energy & Climate Analyst, Ember Could reducing biomass reliance benefit both the environment and consumers? 🌱 👉 Read more from Kathari News Perspectives Editor Charlie Bush about the report’s findings and what they mean for the future of clean energy: https://ow.ly/bpwf50Uv2jT Tell us what you think! #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #UKEnergy

🚗🔋How Ohio companies are driving progress on hydrogen cars While electric vehicles (EVs) dominate the U.S. clean transportation market, three Ohio companies are betting big on hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles. Their efforts address a crucial challenge: building the infrastructure to fuel these vehicles as the market grows. Ohio’s push is remarkable, given the state has no public hydrogen fueling stations. Yet the Energy News Network details how these companies are forging ahead: ☑️DLZ integrated hydrogen cars into its fleet, building a solar-powered hydrogen station on-site to fuel them. ☑️Honda is set to roll out the first American-made hybrid hydrogen car from its Marysville plant in 2025. ☑️Millennium Reign Energy aims to establish a transcontinental "hydrogen highway," starting with its Emerald H2 network. But challenges loom. Hydrogen infrastructure trails EV charging networks, and hydrogen fuel remains costly. Experts debate whether hydrogen cars can outpace EVs in efficiency and scalability. Could hydrogen cars play a bigger role in the clean energy transition than we think? 💡Find out how Ohio’s innovators are leading the charge, as well as other bright ideas for the #energytransition, at Kathari News Perspectives: https://ow.ly/fWfH50Uuyix Want to stay on top of news and views about your favourite #energytransition topic or organization? ✉️Sign up for a free My Kathari account to follow along today: https://lnkd.in/e57QSXq7

🔋🔄Energy storage is key to decarbonizing transport and integrating renewables. A robust energy storage supply chain is crucial to that success. A new Foresight Canada report highlights Canada's emerging leadership in the lithium-ion battery supply chain and ZEV adoption, while warning how gaps such as Ontario’s lack of incentives could stall progress. The analysis offers strategies to maintain a competitive edge and accelerate progress, with lessons that could be applied around the world. ➡️Read more about it from Kathari News Perspectives Editor Charlie Bush: https://ow.ly/LG5A50UukWL

East Coast states are relying on offshore wind projects to meet ambitious clean energy goals — some even passing legal mandates to generate certain amounts of offshore wind power in coming years. But U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has promised to end offshore wind "on Day 1." Permits, leases and tax credits are at risk, raising questions about timelines. Some states are exploring alternatives like onshore wind and solar to stay on track. ➡️Read more from Stateline on how East Coast states are getting ready for the change: https://ow.ly/jWnF50UtErm 💡Looking for other bright ideas on the #energytransition? Head on over to Kathari News Perspectives: https://lnkd.in/eB_qKCwY

How should Canada respond to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s trade threats? Mark Winfield, a professor of environmental and urban change at York University, argues that Canada could leverage its energy exports, especially since Trump removed energy proportionality clauses from the Canada-U.S.-Mexico free trade agreement, creating new bargaining power. Rather than restricting Canadian energy exports to the U.S., as Ontario Premier Doug Ford suggested, Winfield says retaliatory export charges, as well as targeted diplomacy with U.S. states, could reinforce Canada’s position while mitigating harm to its own economy. "At the national level, Canada needs to recognize that the assumptions that have underpinned the Canada-U.S. trade relationship for the past 40 years are in the process of being shattered," he writes in his piece for The Conversation Canada. "If Canada is to avoid simply offering itself up as a fragmented and compliant American resource colony, it needs to formulate a strategy that leverages its assets, particularly energy." 💡Read more at Kathari News Perspectives: https://ow.ly/VtfF50UtqZj

🌍 Global carbon emissions are still rising — and this year could be the hottest on record. To limit warming to 1.5°C, we need to remove 7 to 9 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually. The IPCC highlights carbon removal technology as critical to reaching net zero, alongside deep emission cuts. Without action, current policies could lead to over 3°C of warming. "Within the international scientific community the debate about carbon dioxide removal has moved on from 'could we, should we?' to 'we must' — recognizing the urgency of the situation," write Andrew Lenton and Kerryn Brent of the CSIRO for The Conversation Australia + NZ. ⚡ So what role could carbon removal play in Australia’s net-zero future? Read the full analysis at Kathari News Perspectives ⬇️https://ow.ly/zXC850UsRPZ

Indianapolis is tackling building emissions — two-thirds of the city’s greenhouse gas footprint — through an energy benchmarking ordinance. This report from Energy News Network shows that only 20% of 1,500 buildings complied by the 2024 deadline. The city is working to boost compliance, although not yet assessing the possibility of bringing in fines. Still, there is reason for optimism as successes from schools, museums and others show the potential for cost savings, resilience and emission cuts. 💡Read more about this and other bright ideas for the #energytransition at Kathari News Perspectives: https://ow.ly/N9CA50Usg22