#Future of energy Conference 2024

[counselor-nico]

Gethsemane Enertech ERP Solution: Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency through AI, IoT & Data Science

Overview of Energy Efficiency in Ghana and Africa Energy efficiency is increasingly becoming a focal point in the energy sector, particularly in developing regions like Ghana and Africa, where energy demand is growing rapidly due to economic expansion and population growth. In these regions, energy efficiency is not just about reducing costs but also about enhancing energy security, reducing…

[reasonsforhope]

Holy crap, I didn't think Biden would be able to get the Climate Corps established without Congress. This is SUCH fantastic news.

--

"After being thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden will use his executive authority to create a New Deal-style American Climate Corps that will serve as a major green jobs training program.

In an announcement Wednesday, the White House said the program will employ more than 20,000 young adults who will build trails, plant trees, help install solar panels and do other work to boost conservation and help prevent catastrophic wildfires.

The climate corps had been proposed in early versions of the sweeping climate law approved last year but was jettisoned amid strong opposition from Republicans and concerns about cost.

Democrats and environmental advocacy groups never gave up on the plan and pushed Biden in recent weeks to issue an executive order authorizing what the White House now calls the American Climate Corps.

“After years of demonstrating and fighting for a Climate Corps, we turned a generational rallying cry into a real jobs program that will put a new generation to work stopping the climate crisis,” said Varshini Prakash, executive director of the Sunrise Movement, an environmental group that has led the push for a climate corps.

With the new corps “and the historic climate investments won by our broader movement, the path towards a Green New Deal is beginning to become visible,” Prakash said...

...Environmental activists hailed the new jobs program, which is modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps, created in the 1930s by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, as part of the New Deal...

Lawmakers Weigh In

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, had also encouraged Biden to create a climate corps, saying in a letter on Monday that “the climate crisis demands a whole-of-government response at an unprecedented scale.”

The lawmakers cited deadly heat waves in the Southwest and across the nation, as well as dangerous floods in New England and devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, among recent examples of climate-related disasters.

Democrats called creation of the climate corps “historic” and the first step toward fulfilling the vision of the Green New Deal.

“Today President Biden listened to the (environmental) movement, and he delivered with an American Climate Corps,” a beaming Markey said at a celebratory news conference outside the Capitol.

“We are starting to turn the green dream into a green reality,” added Ocasio-Cortez, who co-sponsored the Green New Deal legislation with Markey four years ago.

“You all are changing the world,” she told young activists.

Program Details and Grant Deadlines

The initiative will provide job training and service opportunities to work on a wide range of projects, including restoring coastal wetlands to protect communities from storm surges and flooding; clean energy projects such as wind and solar power; managing forests to prevent catastrophic wildfires; and energy efficient solutions to cut energy bills for consumers, the White House said.

Creation of the climate corps comes as the Environmental Protection Agency launches a $4.6 billion grant competition for states, municipalities and tribes to cut climate pollution and advance environmental justice. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grants are funded by the 2022 climate law and are intended to drive community-driven solutions to slow climate change.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the grants will help “communities so they can chart their own paths toward the clean energy future.”

The deadline for states and municipalities to apply is April 1, with grants expected in late 2024. Tribes and territories must apply by May 1, with grants expected by early 2025."

-via Boston.com, September 21, 2023

[mariacallous]

In 2025, we will see a fundamental transformation in the language of climate politics. We’re going to hear a lot less about “reducing emissions” from scientists and policymakers and a lot more about “phasing out fossil fuels” or “ending coal, oil, and methane gas.” This is a good thing. Although it is scientifically accurate, the phrase “reducing emissions” is too easily used for greenwashing by the fossil-energy industry and its advocates. The expression “ending coal, oil, and methane gas,” on the other hand, keeps the focus on the action that will do most to resolve the climate crisis.

This discourse shift has been initiated by the latest report of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The world’s climate scientists say that already existing fossil-energy infrastructure is projected to emit the total carbon budget for halting global heating at 2 degrees Celsius over preindustrial temperatures. This statement means two things. It means that the world cannot develop any more coal, oil, or gas, if we want our planet to remain relatively livable. And it means that even some already developed fossil-fuel deposits will need to be retired before the end of their lifetime, since we need to leave space in the carbon budget for essential activities like agriculture.

The international community has already integrated this new science into its global climate governance. The 28th Conference of the Parties—the annual conference of the world’s nations party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change—called for every country to contribute to “transitioning away from fossil fuels.” Never before in the history of international climate negotiations had the main cause of global heating been clearly named and specifically targeted. The United Nations itself now calls for the phaseout of coal, oil, and methane gas.

This new climate language will become mainstream in 2025. In her policy plans for her second term aspPresident of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen pledged not to work to lower EU emissions, but to “continue to bring down energy prices by moving further away from fossil fuels.” The new UK government promised in its manifesto that it will withhold licenses for new coal and for oil exploration—and states outright that it will “ban fracking for good.” And in France, Macron has explicitly vowed to end fossil-fuel use entirely.

Climate politics in the US will also evolve in the wake of Donald Trump’s reelection for president. Republicans will continue to embrace a “drill, baby, drill” climate agenda, denying the danger or sometimes even the reality of climate change while advocating for expanding domestic crude and methane-gas production. They may try to greenwash their policies by claiming they embrace an “all of the above” energy strategy, but this messaging will have limited effects. Due to political polarization the association of Trump with coal, oil, and gas will raise Democratic support for phasing out fossil fuels. Before the 2024 election, 59 percent of Democrats said climate change should be the Federal government’s top priority, but only 48 percent said they supported a phaseout. In 2025 majorities of Democrats will begin to support fossil-fuel phaseout, especially if climate advocates revive science-based climate messaging, continue to emphasize that clean-energy deployment is job creation, and frame choosing to phase out fossil fuels as a form of freedom that upholds our right to a livable future.

Given that Democrats won many down-ballot races, and cities and states are still pledging to pass climate policies, this shift in the Democratic majority will keep the US on the map in international climate negotiations, whether or not Trump withdraws the US from the Paris Agreement, creating new local alliances with the UK, the EU, and global south nations calling for international fossil-fuel phaseout targets. This bloc can counter the power of petrostates in international climate negotiations. At the very least, the mainstreaming of the language of fossil-fuel phaseout will help undermine the greenwashing strategy of current oil and gas company PR, which falsely advertises industry as pursuing technologies at scale to help “reduce emissions” even as they continue their upstream investments.

Of course the petrostates, along with India and China, will push back against the rhetoric of fossil fuel phaseout. But India can be helped to turn away from its domestic coal stores by clean-energy financing at close to cost along with the international aid and technology transfers already pledged at previous climate conferences. And although its rhetoric may not align with that of the West, China should not be imagined as opposed to climate action. China has enacted the most comprehensive climate policy on the planet, in service of its goal to peak emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2060. If their climate messaging remains focused on “emissions,” in light of their plan to keep using fossil fuels past 2030, they are preparing for next decade’s pivot away from fossil fuels by building out clean energy at a truly extraordinary rate.

In 2025 climate discourse will recenter on the message that halting global heating requires the phaseout of coal, oil, and gas. This new consensus will shift the politics of climate change and help motivate an urgent sprint to a clean-energy, ecologically integrated economy—the only economy that ensures a livable future.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from RMI:

1. Batteries Become Everybody’s Best Friend

Battery prices continue to drop and their capacity continues to rise. The cost of electric vehicle (EV) batteries are now about 60 percent what they were just five years ago. And around the world, batteries have become key components in solar-plus-storage microgrids, giving people access to reliable power and saving the day for communities this past hurricane season.

2. Americans Get Cheaper (and Cleaner) Energy

State public utility commissions and rural electric co-operatives��around the country are taking steps to deliver better service for their customers that also lowers their rates. At the same time, real momentum is building to prevent vertically integrated utilities from preferencing their coal assets when there are cleaner and cheaper alternatives available.

3. A Sustainable Shipping Future Gets Closer

More than 50 leaders across the marine shipping value chain — from e-fuel producers to vessel and cargo owners, to ports and equipment manufacturers — signed a Call to Action at the UN climate change conference (COP29) to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission fuels. The joint statement calls for faster and bolder action to increase the use of zero and near-zero emissions fuel, investment in zero-emissions vessels, and global development of green hydrogen infrastructure, leaving no country behind.

4. Corporations Fly Cleaner

In April, 20 corporations, including Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, Autodesk, and more, committed to purchase about 50 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), avoiding 500,000 tons of CO2 emissions — equivalent to the emissions of 3,000 fully loaded passenger flights from New York City to London. SAF is made with renewable or waste feedstocks and can be used in today’s aircraft without investments to upgrade existing fleets and infrastructure.

5. More and More Places Go From Coal to Clean

Around the world, coal-fired power plants are closing down as communities switch to clean energy. From Chile to the Philippines to Minnesota coal-to-clean projects are creating new jobs, improving local economic development, and generating clean electricity. In September, Britain became the first G7 nation to stop generating electricity from coal — it’s turning its last coal-fired power plant into a low-carbon energy hub. And in Indonesia, the president vowed to retire all coal plants within 15 years and install 75 gigawatts of renewable energy.

6. Methane Becomes More Visible, and Easier to Mitigate

Methane — a super-potent greenhouse gas — got much easier to track thanks to the launch of new methane tracking satellites over the past year. In March, the Environmental Defense Fund launched MethaneSAT, the first for a non-governmental organization, and the Carbon Mapper Coalition soon followed with the launch of Tanager-1. By scanning the planet many times each day and identifying major methane leaks from orbit, these new satellites will put pressure on big emitters to clean up.

7. EVs Speed By Historic Milestones

This past year was the first time any country had more fully electric cars than gas-powered cars on the roads. It’s no surprise that this happened in Norway where electric cars now make up more than 90 percent of new vehicle sales. And in October, the United States hit a milestone, with over 200,000 electric vehicle charging ports installed nationwide.

8. Consumers Continue to Shift to Energy-Efficient Heat Pumps for Heating and Cooling

Heat pumps have outsold gas furnaces consistently since 2021. And while shipments of heating and cooling equipment fell worldwide in 2023, likely due to broad economic headwinds, heat pumps held on to their market share through. And over the past 12 months, heat pumps outsold conventional furnaces by 27 percent. Shipments are expected to continue increasing as states roll out home efficiency and appliance rebate programs already funded by the Inflation Reduction Act – worth up to $10,000 per household in new incentives for heat pump installations. Link: Tracking the Heat Pump & Water Heater Market in the United States – RMI

9. China Reaches Its Renewable Energy Goal, Six Years Early

China added so much renewable energy capacity this year, that by July it had surpassed its goal of having 1,200 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy installed by 2030. Through September 2024, China installed some 161 GW of new solar capacity and 39 GW of new wind power, according to China’s National Energy Administration (NEA). China is deploying more solar, wind, and EVs than any other country, including the United States, which is — by comparison — projected to deploy a record 50 GW of solar modules by the end of 2024.

10. De-carbonizing Heavy Industry

For steel, cement, chemicals and other heavy industries, low-carbon technologies and climate-friendly solutions are not only increasingly available but growing more affordable. To speed this process, Third Derivative, RMI’s climate tech accelerator, launched the Industrial Innovation Cohorts to accelerate the decarbonization of steel, cement, and chemicals. Also on the rise: clean hydrogen hubs — powered by renewable energy — designed to supply green hydrogen to chemical, steel, and other heavy industries to help them shift to low-carbon production processes.

[hldailyupdate]

“It’s an absolute honour, something that’s really hard to put into words. Every live show feels really special and I feel really lucky to be able to be in those situations. But as I said there’s a certain poetry and romance to coming to Mexico. I feel like a long time, I just know when I’m gonna get out with the crowd, every single performance I’ve ever had here— there’s just such an incredible infectious energy in the room. I’m really, really excited to bring the Faith in the Future tour and hopefully you guys like it as well, anyone who’s coming.”

-Louis on performing to such big crowds during his FITF tour stops in Mexico.

Tecate Pa’l Norte Press Conference. (30 March 2024)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Matt Wuerker

* * * *

"We're not weird."

August 10, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

I am watching the Harris-Walz rally in Arizona as I write this newsletter on Friday evening. The venue is packed, and the crowd is wildly enthusiastic. Tim Walz delivered an even more enthusiastic speech than when he was introduced in Philadelphia on Tuesday. (Who knew? Where has this guy been hiding?)

But the most striking takeaway is the look of pure joy and happiness on Kamala Harris’s face as she delivers her remarks. She is genuinely enjoying herself as she delivers hopeful remarks and plays off the energy of the crowd.

Trump, on the other hand, used his press conference yesterday to predict the “end of days,” including an economic depression and World War III. And on Friday evening, he was reduced to telling his MAGA supporters, “We’re not weird.” It's hardly a compelling campaign slogan, but Trump has to work with what he’s got.

Which message is more likely to motivate voters to turn out at the ballot box? If the trends in the polls and the reaction of crowds at rallies are any indication, the momentum strongly favors Harris and Walz.

Kamala Harris has led the most remarkable political turnaround in American history for which she (and Joe Biden’s immediate endorsement) deserve tremendous credit. But there is much work to be done. We know that Republicans will sow chaos to interfere with a Democratic victory. That is why we must do everything in our power to ensure that Kamala Harris wins the presidency by a wide margin. We must convert enthusiasm into votes.

To state the obvious, converting enthusiasm into votes is a much better problem than fighting a pervasive sense of impending doom. We must not deceive ourselves about the level of effort and organization being demanded of us. But as we engage in the hard work of converting enthusiasm into votes, we should do so with a sense of hope, confidence, and joy.

For the second weekend in a row, we can look to the future unburdened by the anxiety that dragged us down for so long. I will go into the weekend with the image of Kamala Harris’s joyful remarks to an enthusiastic crowd in a swing state that is now back in play. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Coda to yesterday’s press event at Mar-a-Lago.

First, if you have not watched Lawrence O’Donnell’s analysis of the media's collective failure in its reporting on Trump’s press event at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday, I urge you to do so. Lawrence O’Donnell’s segment is destined to become a classic of broadcast television that rivals the statement during the McCarthy hearings by Army lawyer Joseph Welch, “Have you no sense of decency?”

I guarantee that if you watch the segment, it will deepen your understanding of how the media enabled Trump’s initial rise and continued viability despite an attempted coup, inciting an insurrection, attempted bribery of Ukraine, refusal to return national defense documents, and two impeachments. See Lawrence: 'Stupidest' candidate Trump did not answer reporters' questions (msnbc.com).

Two post-debate developments underscore the bizarre nature of the press event yesterday.

Were reporters mere props at Trump’s press event on Thursday?

Susan Glasser published an analysis in The New Yorker, Does Anyone in America Miss Joe Biden as Much as Donald Trump? Glasser’s analysis included this shocking statement:

Trump summoned handpicked members of the media to Mar-a-Lago for a press conference, the point of which was to change the subject from Harris’s remarkable honeymoon.

If true, the hand-picked journalists were used as props by Trump in a propaganda event. Worse, they knew they were props but played their assigned role nonetheless.

If true, that fact would explain the journalists' odd complacency, the obsequious nature of the questions, and the lack of follow-up in the face of obvious lies.

I say “If true” because I can find no separate confirmation of Glasser’s statement. But someone should pursue that question. If true, it is a scandal, and every reporter who participated in the sham press event owes an apology to the public.

Was Trump involved in an emergency landing of a helicopter with Willie Brown, the former Speaker of California’s State Assembly?

At the press event, Trump claimed he was in an emergency landing of a helicopter on which California Speaker Willie Brown was a passenger. Trump told the story of the near crash in a helicopter to frame a story that Willie Brown told him something negative about Kamala Harris during that helicopter ride. Trump said of Willie Brown, “He told me terrible things about her.” (Kamala Harris and Willie Brown dated in the 1990s. )

Willie Brown told the media that he was not on a helicopter with Trump that was forced to make an emergency landing. The NYTimes published a story on Thursday titled, That Time Trump Nearly Died in a Helicopter Crash? Didn’t Happen. (This article is accessible to all.)

The Times’ story makes clear that “several elements of the story” do not stand up to scrutiny, including the claim that Willie Brown was on the helicopter with Trump.

On Friday, Trump threatened to sue the NYTimes, claiming that he had flight records to back up his story.

So, this is interesting. Trump is either doubling down on his lie, or the NYTimes published a story with false statements.

As of Friday, it appears that Trump is doubling down on his lie—a fact that became clear when another Black politician—Nate Holden—told Politico that he was on the helicopter ride with Trump that was forced to make an emergency landing. See Politico, The other Black politician who says he was with Trump in that near-fatal chopper crash.

So, it appears that Trump has confused two Black politicians from California. And the Black politician who was on the helicopter ride with Trump told Politico the following:

Before he hung up with Politico, Holden assured a reporter that nobody discussed—let alone criticized—Kamala Harris as Trump claimed Brown did.

“He either mixed it up,” Holden said. “Or, he made it up. This was just too big to overlook. This is a big one. Conflating Willie Brown and me? The press is searching for the real story and they didn’t get it. You did.”

The most reasonable inferences are (a) Trump confused two Black politicians from California, and (b) there was no discussion of Kamala Harris on the helicopter ride.

Now that Trump has threatened to sue the Times for defamation over the story, perhaps the Times will show more interest in documenting Trump’s lies.

A final bizarre aspect of this story occurred on Friday. Trump told the New York Times he was going to sue the Times and asserted that he had flight records to prove his story. Here is the Times’ account of the exchange:

“We have the flight records of the helicopter,” Mr. Trump insisted Friday, saying the helicopter had landed “in a field,” and indicating that he intended to release the flight records, before shouting that he was “probably going to sue” over the Times article. When asked to produce the flight records, Mr. Trump responded mockingly, repeating the request in a sing-song voice. As of early Friday evening, he had not provided them.

So, Trump is doubling down on his story that Willie Brown told him “terrible things” about Kamala Harris and has descended into a childish mocking of the Times’ reporter asking for records of some elements of Trump’s story.

While this story may seem overly complicated and like a tempest in a teapot, the fact that Trump has put the Times’ credibility on the line could be a tipping point for the Times to begin holding Trump to a standard for veracity that it applies to all other politicians. That would be a welcome development, indeed!

[Late update: In a Truth Social post late Friday, Trump attacked Maggie Haberman of the New York Times over the story, calling her “Maggot Hagerman.” Looks like the gloves may be coming off.]

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Researchers seek to make energy and carbon storage feasible on a large scale in Brazil

The GeoStorage Project includes the development of solutions such as a hydrogen super battery, energy storage with compressed air, and blue hydrogen in the pre-salt layer.

USP’s Research Center for Greenhouse Gas Innovation (RCGI) has just announced the creation of GeoStorage, a hub(integrated research unit) composed by a series of projects aimed at positioning Brazil as a global leader in large-scale energy and carbon storage systems. The studies are aimed at improving the use and development of new energy sources in the Country, as well as reducing emissions of pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO₂). This new initiative expands RCGI’s portfolio, which is dedicated to developing crucial technologies for the energy transition, further strengthening the center’s role in energy innovation and sustainability.

“Brazil has extraordinary potential to stand out in this sector, aligning itself with the main international initiatives. GeoStorage’s technologies are essential to the energy transition, and the growing interest of global companies in applying them reinforces the hub’s relevance in the energy scenario,” says RCGI’s CEO and scientific director, Julio Meneghini. “With the demand for clean hydrogen projected for 2050 and carbon capture estimated to reach 115 gigatons by 2060, the impact of these technologies is clear and transformative for the future of sustainable energy,” adds Pedro Vassalo Maia da Costa, director of thehub and researcher at USP’s School of Engineering (Poli).

GeoStorage was officially launched during the International Conference on Energy Transition (ETRI 2024), held by the RCGI in São Paulo from November 5 to 7. The new research hub consolidates RCGI’s knowledge and experience in developing innovative technologies for the geological storage of carbon and hydrogen in Brazil, standing out with the patent for the technology of gravitational separation of methane and CO₂ in salt caverns, winner of the ANP Technological Innovation Award in 2019.

The initiative also includes renowned experts, such as Professor Colombo Tassinari, from USP’s Institute of Energy and Environment (IEE), who received the ANP Award for Scientific Personality in 2023, presented by the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP), and Nathália Weber, a non-profit organization that supports the development of carbon capture and storage projects in Brazil. In addition, GeoStorage is anchored in a robust base of scientific studies validated by publications and presentations at international conferences.

Continue reading.

[felassan]

Electronic Arts Q1 2024 Earnings Conference Call (August 1st)

This happened today and Dragon Age was mentioned in the opening Prepared Remarks section of the call (emphasis mine):

"To do more extraordinary things for our people, players and communities, our teams are building the strongest pipeline in the history of EA to drive multi-year growth. Over the next few years, we will launch numerous experiences that grow and deepen the fandom of our legendary IP. Our multi-year targeted investments toward our biggest opportunities include global titles like blockbuster storytelling from Dragon Age, incredible skateboarding gameplay and social connection from skate, and a revival of EA SPORTS College Football that celebrates the action, culture and tradition of the sport like never before. We’re also hard at work on a new experience from The Sims that will transform what players can do with creativity, a sprawling action adventure Iron Man game, a reimagination of Battlefield as a truly connected ecosystem, and the expansion of the Apex Legends universe across platforms, geographies, and modalities of play. The most recent reveal of our Black Panther project — set in a massive, explorable universe — marks the latest chapter in EA’s collaboration with The Walt Disney Company and the Marvel Games team."

[source and full Prepared Remarks transcript]

Dragon Age was then mentioned during the Q&A section of the call (emphasis mine):

Q: "Last quarter it was noted that players were concentrating their spend on major franchises. Just wanted to see first if there was any update to that? And then, Andrew, in your commentary you highlighted a goal for Apex as an experience across platforms, I'm assuming that includes mobile as well, so can you speak to how you envision potentially relaunching that title on phones and how the approach could differ to the prior game? Thank you." A: "Yeah, so let me touch on the first part. I do think we continue to see big titles getting bigger, and live services getting bigger, and certainly as a company with a broad portfolio of large-scale IP and large-scale live services, we believe that we will be long-term beneficiaries of that trend. You know, that doesn't mean that we won't build smaller titles over the course of time. There are these incredible stories that we believe should be told in the context of entertainment. We are focusing our investment so that we can build a cost-base around those that's appropriate, but we're also really getting behind our biggest opportunities, and as we've talked about, our strategy and building these experiences that entertain massive online communities. Our expectation is that will be a large scale growth driver for us. But, you know, when thought about the right way, games like, you know, Dragon Age, and Jedi, can tell truly blockbuster stories and really break into that top category of games. I think what we see today is the mid-tier and lower games that, you know, maybe did pretty well through Covid because people had a lot of spare time - they're the part of the industry that really aren't doing and performing as well. And as we think about our future, you should expect that we'll continue to focus our investments and our energy and our resources against these big opportunities because we do believe that is where the industry is trending."

[source: call audio webcast]

There were no further mentions of Dragon Age, Mass Effect or BioWare during the call.

Here is the latest Existing Live Services & FY24 Title Slate (announced titles), from the call's supporting documents -

[source]

The next EA earnings conference call - for Q2 2024 - is on November 1st 2023 at 2pm PT.

[source]

lastly, when the full transcript of this call becomes available I'll post the link/add it to this post. ^^

Edit: Here is a transcript of the full call.

[sunshinesmebdy]

The Moon in Gemini: A Chatty Moon and its Impact on Business and Finance (May 9, 2024)

Greetings, astrology enthusiasts and business minds! Today, we delve into the fascinating dance of the Moon in Gemini and its potential influence on your financial ventures and professional endeavors.

The Moon, in astrology, represents our emotions, intuition, and communication style. When it waltzes into the realm of Gemini, the sign of the twins and the communicator, get ready for a quick-witted and curious lunar phase.

Let’s explore four key astrological aspects the Moon in Gemini forms, and how they might affect your business and financial landscape:

Moon in Gemini Sextile Mars in Aries (Boost of Initiative):

This energetic aspect fuels your drive to get things done. You might feel a surge of creativity and a strong urge to act on your ideas. It’s a prime time for brainstorming sessions, sales pitches, and taking calculated risks. However, the fire of Mars in Aries can be impulsive. Channel this energy productively by planning your actions before diving in.

Business Tip: Organize a team brainstorming session to generate innovative marketing ideas.

Financial Tip: Research new investment opportunities, but carefully analyze risks before committing.

Moon in Gemini Trine Pluto in Aquarius (Transformation Through Communication):

This powerful trine aspect facilitates transformative conversations and collaborations. It’s a fantastic time to network with influential people in your field. Discussions about revolutionary ideas or disruptive technologies could lead to breakthrough partnerships or funding opportunities.

Business Tip: Attend industry conferences or workshops to connect with like-minded individuals.

Financial Tip: Consider unconventional investment strategies, but ensure they align with your long-term goals.

Moon in Gemini Square Saturn in Pisces (Facing Doubts and Delays):

This challenging aspect can bring up feelings of self-doubt or anxieties about the future. You might encounter unexpected delays or roadblocks in your business ventures. However, this is a time for resilience and strategic planning. Use the Moon’s analytical nature in Gemini to address concerns head-on and develop a solid backup plan.

Business Tip: Expect communication breakdowns or delays in projects. Double-check deadlines and maintain clear communication with your team.

Financial Tip: Reassess your budget and identify areas for cost-cutting. Prepare for unexpected financial hurdles.

Overall, the Moon in Gemini presents a dynamic and communication-driven period for business and finance. Embrace the opportunity to connect, explore new ideas, and navigate challenges with a strategic mind. Remember, clear communication, adaptability, and a dash of caution will be your allies during this lunar phase.

Stay tuned for future articles where we delve deeper into the fascinating world of astrology and its influence on your business success!

[sniperct]

I saw someone saying that Toyota is also not investing in battery cars in the near future... so I found this article https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2024/03/03/bucking-industry-trend-toyota-chairman-downplays-ev-growth-predictions/ AT LEAST they are investing in researching hydrogen drivetrains. But not because batteries also suck for environmental reasons. It seems that money is the only thing that drives them, so, huh, f*** them!

Looks like the dude who's against EVs got replaced last year by someone trying to advance them more, so its more likely the first dude pushed them behind the curve.

It is hard to assess whether Toyoda’s views are shared among his fellow Toyota executives or if his comments merely reflect his personal thoughts towards electrification. It is more likely the latter, though, given that the company says it is prepared to comply with legislation prohibiting sales of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, and wants to deliver 1.5 million EVs by 2026, or 14% of its estimated sales total. Meanwhile, even with these headstrong views, Toyoda does not appear to be opposing the acceleration of zero-emission cars. He and Sato have both commented on Toyota’s focus on developing e-fuels which are produced with the help of electricity from energy sources such as water and CO2. Toyoda also stated during his media conference that "Japan is the only developed country to reduce CO2 emissions by 23%," a success rate that is largely attributable to the nation's growing reliance on hybrid vehicles.

Side note, I'm deeply amused that the person currently running Toyota is named Sato.

[brooklyndadshow]

Climate Week is here! Cue music!

Today I have my first event for Climate Week! I've been getting psyched up for representing my company, Unified Ground, at Climate Week for weeks. This year feels different than other years - a lot different. I feel much more connected to my environmental justice community and community of people of color in energy and justice than I have before. Conferences and climate week in particular can feel so overwhelming. Honestly a lot of coporate things that don't feel like they have anything to do with change. This year, I'm connected to so people and projects so all the events feel natural for me to be a part of. Here's what I wrote on LinkedIn today:

NYC Climate Week is Here! 🎉 It’s going to be a full exciting week of events starting with opening night of the Climate Film Festival tonight!! I’m feeling really connected to my environmental justice community and I’m looking forward to seeing so many people in person.  If you want to know all the places I’ll be, send me a message and I can send you the full schedule. Here are the key events you can find me at: 

Climate Film Festival: I’m Moderating the panel "SHORTS: Power Shift: Defying Fossil Fuels" on Sunday, September 21st at 12:30 PM at DCTV.  I’ll also be attending films and the closing ceremony on Sunday. (https://climatefilmfest.eventive.org/schedule/shorts-power-shift-defying-fossil-fuels-66bc11ef3bea91005c3b6dd8 )

Make It in Brooklyn Climate Tech Pitch Contest: Pitching Unified Ground’s business in front of industry judges on Tuesday, September 23rd at 6 PM at Hana House. (https://lu.ma/ghfgy25v) 

New Climate Futures @Newlab: We have a small display as part of the Founder’s Fellowship program and I’ll be at the conference on Thursday, September 26th from 10 AM to 6 PM at Newlab. (https://www.newlab.com/new-climate-futures )

Climate Karaoke 🎤: If you know me well you know my love of Karaoke so no way I was going to pass up this event at one of my favorite spots Planet Rose Thursday, September 26th at 8 PM. (https://lu.ma/climatekaraoke )

Climate Justice Lives Here! Festival - Finishing the week in Brooklyn where Climate Justice Lives!!  Pier 4 Brooklyn Army Terminal, September 28th 2-7pm (https://www.uprose.org/event/save-the-date-climate-justice-action-in-september-2024/ )

Hope to see you! 🌱

#ClimateWeek #NYC #ClimateChange #Sustainability #Innovation #PanelDiscussion #PitchCompetition #Conference #Karaoke #climatejustice #environmentaljustice #ClimateJusticeLivesHere

Now I wouldn't be me if I didn't add some fun creative for Climate Justice and Climate Week. So Created some ClimateWeek songs and images!

[jcmarchi]

Intel Unveils Groundbreaking Optical Compute Interconnect Chiplet, Revolutionizing AI Data Transmission

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/intel-unveils-groundbreaking-optical-compute-interconnect-chiplet-revolutionizing-ai-data-transmission/

Intel Unveils Groundbreaking Optical Compute Interconnect Chiplet, Revolutionizing AI Data Transmission

Intel Corporation has reached a revolutionary milestone in integrated photonics technology, Integrated photonics technology involves the integration of photonic devices, such as lasers, modulators, and detectors, onto a single microchip using semiconductor fabrication techniques similar to those used for electronic integrated circuits. This technology allows for the manipulation and transmission of light signals on a micro-scale, offering significant advantages in terms of speed, bandwidth, and energy efficiency compared to traditional electronic circuits.

Today, Intel introduced the first fully integrated optical compute interconnect (OCI) chiplet co-packaged with an Intel CPU at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2024. This OCI chiplet, designed for high-speed data transmission, signifies a significant advancement in high-bandwidth interconnects, aimed at enhancing AI infrastructure in data centers and high-performance computing (HPC) applications.

Key Features and Capabilities:

High Bandwidth and Low Power Consumption:

Supports 64 channels of 32 Gbps data transmission in each direction.

Achieves up to 4 terabits per second (Tbps) bidirectional data transfer.

Energy-efficient, consuming only 5 pico-Joules (pJ) per bit compared to pluggable optical transceiver modules at 15 pJ/bit.

Extended Reach and Scalability:

Capable of transmitting data up to 100 meters using fiber optics.

Supports future scalability for CPU/GPU cluster connectivity and new compute architectures, including coherent memory expansion and resource disaggregation.

Enhanced AI Infrastructure:

Addresses the growing demands of AI infrastructure for higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and longer reach.

Facilitates the scalability of AI platforms, supporting larger processing unit clusters and more efficient resource utilization.

Technical Advancements:

Integrated Silicon Photonics Technology: Combines a silicon photonics integrated circuit (PIC) with an electrical IC, featuring on-chip lasers and optical amplifiers.

High Data Transmission Quality: Demonstrated with a transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx) connection over a single-mode fiber (SMF) patch cord, showcasing a 32 Gbps Tx eye diagram with strong signal quality.

Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM): Utilizes eight fiber pairs, each carrying eight DWDM wavelengths, for efficient data transfer.

Impact on AI and Data Centers:

Boosts ML Workload Acceleration: Enables significant performance improvements and energy savings in AI/ML infrastructure.

Addresses Electrical I/O Limitations: Provides a superior alternative to electrical I/O, which is limited in reach and bandwidth density.

Supports Emerging AI Workloads: Essential for the deployment of larger and more efficient machine learning models.

Future Prospects:

Prototype Stage: Intel is currently working with select customers to co-package OCI with their system-on-chips (SoCs) as an optical I/O solution.

Continued Innovation: Intel is developing next-generation 200G/lane PICs for emerging 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps applications, along with advancements in on-chip laser and SOA performance.

Intel’s Leadership in Silicon Photonics:

Proven Reliability and Volume Production: Over 8 million PICs shipped, with over 32 million integrated on-chip lasers, showcasing industry-leading reliability.

Advanced Integration Techniques: Hybrid laser-on-wafer technology and direct integration provide superior performance and efficiency.

Intel’s OCI chiplet represents a significant leap forward in high-speed data transmission, poised to revolutionize AI infrastructure and connectivity.

[rajasthan-political-leader]

RISING TH RAJASTHAN: A New Era of Growth and Innovation

From December 9 to 11, 2024, Rajasthan witnessed an extraordinary event that set the stage for the state’s future in global investment and development — the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024. This prestigious summit, held at the JECC (Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Center), Jaipur, was graced by the presence of none other than Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, whose visionary leadership continues to steer the state and the nation towards unprecedented growth.

Under the banner of #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान (Our Leading Rajasthan), the summit focused on showcasing the immense potential of Rajasthan as a major player in India’s economic transformation, while also highlighting its cultural and tourism prominence on the global stage. With PM Modi’s support and participation, the event aimed to attract investors, entrepreneurs, and innovators to the state, paving the way for new opportunities, collaborations, and partnerships.

A Vision for Rajasthan’s Future

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was not just another conference; it was a statement of intent — a declaration that Rajasthan is no longer merely a land of historical monuments, forts, and deserts. Rajasthan is now an emerging hub for business, investment, and innovation.

PM Modi, in his keynote address, spoke of Rajasthan’s significant role in India’s development story. He emphasized that the state is now well-positioned to be a leader in sectors such as renewable energy, manufacturing, infrastructure development, and tourism. Rajasthan, with its vast natural resources, skilled workforce, and progressive policies, is ready to embrace the future with open arms, welcoming both domestic and global investors.

The Prime Minister’s presence at the event underscored the government’s commitment to fostering a favorable environment for business and entrepreneurship in the state. Through his words, PM Modi assured investors of the stability, reliability, and growth potential of Rajasthan. He highlighted that the state’s future will be built on the pillars of innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.

Key Themes of the Summit

The summit brought together industry leaders, government officials, and entrepreneurs to discuss key sectors that hold promise for Rajasthan’s future growth. Some of the core themes and discussions included:

Renewable Energy Leadership: Rajasthan is already a leader in India’s solar energy revolution. With its vast open spaces and abundant sunlight, the state is poised to become a global hub for renewable energy investments. The summit focused on attracting investments in solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects.

Infrastructure Development: With initiatives like the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), Rajasthan is focusing on becoming a logistics and manufacturing powerhouse. The summit discussed large-scale infrastructure projects, including smart cities, transportation, and industrial zones, that will drive economic growth in the region.

Tourism & Cultural Heritage: Known for its royal heritage, majestic forts, palaces, and vibrant culture, Rajasthan continues to be one of India’s top tourist destinations. The summit highlighted opportunities in eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and heritage conservation, ensuring that the state remains a major attraction for global tourists.

Agriculture and Agri-Tech: As one of the largest producers of grains, pulses, and spices in India, Rajasthan is also focused on enhancing its agricultural sector through innovation in technology. Discussions revolved around boosting agricultural productivity, introducing sustainable farming techniques, and promoting agri-tech solutions.

Skill Development and Employment: Rajasthan is investing heavily in skill development to equip its youth with the skills needed for the future economy. The summit discussed strategies for improving education, training, and employment opportunities for the state’s growing workforce.

A Call for Global Partnerships

One of the standout messages of the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was the call for collaboration and partnership. PM Modi highlighted that Rajasthan’s growth would not be possible without the involvement of global businesses and investors. The summit served as a platform for networking, forging partnerships, and opening doors to new possibilities. By creating an ecosystem that encourages innovation, research, and development, Rajasthan is becoming an ideal destination for businesses looking to expand their footprint in India and the larger Asian market.

Rajasthan’s government is committed to providing the right infrastructure, policies, and incentives to create a conducive environment for business. With a focus on ease of doing business, robust legal frameworks, and transparent governance, the state is positioning itself as one of the most investor-friendly regions in India.

The Future is Bright for Rajasthan

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was a defining moment for the state’s journey towards economic transformation. With PM Modi’s strong endorsement, Rajasthan is set to rise as a symbol of growth, sustainability, and innovation. The summit not only focused on attracting investments but also highlighted the state’s potential as a dynamic and reliable partner for global businesses.

The summit’s theme, #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान (Our Leading Rajasthan), reflects the spirit of pride and determination that the people of Rajasthan share as they look towards a future full of opportunities. Whether in renewable energy, infrastructure, tourism, or agriculture, Rajasthan is ready to lead, inspire, and make its mark on the global map.

As the summit concluded, it was clear that Rajasthan’s growth trajectory is just beginning. The state is rising, and with the commitment of its government, the support of Prime Minister Modi, and the active involvement of investors and entrepreneurs, Rajasthan is set to become one of India’s leading states in terms of investment, development, and innovation.

The Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024 was a resounding success that showcased the state’s ambitions, opportunities, and path forward. With PM Modi’s leadership and the strong vision of Rajasthan’s government, the state is ready to harness its full potential. The event was a reminder that Rajasthan is not just Rising — it is becoming Reliable, Refined, and ready for the future.

As Rajasthan continues to evolve and innovate, the world is watching. The state is now on the global stage, and it’s clear that Rajasthan is ready to lead — not just within India, but across the world.

[mariacallous]

How many more U.N. climate conferences will it take for the world to admit that the current climate policy path is at a dead end?

Calls by politicians, activists, and journalists to double down ring increasingly hollow in the face of overwhelming evidence that 2024 will be the first year in which average global surface temperature is likely to be more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (or about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above that of the preindustrial period before 1900. The long-term average increase since that period will pass 1.5 degrees in 2030. Even staying significantly below 2 degrees Celsius—the target that the climate policy community used until 2015 before lowering it in order to galvanize lawmakers—now looks unlikely.

Missing the 1.5 degree target does not mean that we’re all going to boil, bake, and die. Global emissions growth has slowed down enough that the extreme warming scenarios brandished so carelessly in the public debate have become all but impossible. Deaths due to natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, storms, and wildfires, have also declined radically as countries have become richer and more resilient. And economic losses due to climate shocks have decreased fivefold between the 1980s and mid 2000s.

Sticking to an unrealistic temperature target has severe economic and geopolitical effects. Panic over not reaching the target has led to a radical push for an immediate phaseout of fossil fuels, ignoring the fact that they still make up 80 percent of the world’s primary energy supply. That call is being led by rich countries that have become wealthy using fossil fuels and continue to gobble up oil and gas—and which now want to restrict less-developed countries from using these fuels to lift themselves out of energy poverty, a primary reason for their destitution. Development advocates are rightly calling out these unfair policies, enforced through institutions such as the World Bank, as eco-colonialism.

Unrealistic temperature targets combined with continued high consumption of fossil fuels has meant that there is little to no carbon budget available for the poorest countries to grow their energy use. Sticking to the goal of freezing emissions—or even targeting negative emissions to compensate for any overshoot—turns global economic activity into a zero-sum game.

Room for one country to develop, which may require increased use of fossil fuels for the foreseeable future, means that another must shrink its economy. The distribution conflict over emissions rights will be epic and bitter, not just between rich and poor countries but also among poor countries themselves, making any new agreements to reduce emissions even more difficult.

Enter Russia and China, which have made it clear that they will not play by Western rules, including those on climate policy. Since launching the war in Ukraine, the Kremlin has sought to strengthen its ties to OPEC and secure its role in oil and gas markets. China is investing everywhere in resource extraction, including fossil fuels in Africa and the Middle East. The three main Chinese energy companies—CNPC, CNOOC, and Sinopec—have emerged as major investors in Africa’s oil and gas sectors.

Despite these concerns, Western governments refuse to support investments in poor countries’ energy sectors in hopes that starving the developing world of energy will help meet the 1.5-degree target. This has created a huge opening for Russia and China, which they will likely leverage to strengthen autocracy across these regions.

Paradoxically, acknowledging the demise of the 1.5-degree target in 2024 could reduce tensions between rich and poor countries—provided that governments seize the opportunity to reset climate goals. This could be the year when unrealistic temperature goals and endless theoretical fights over a phase-down versus a phaseout of fossil fuels are replaced by a focus on the three positive ideas that came out of the most recent U.N. climate conference, COP28, which concluded in Dubai in December.

In the conference’s outcome statement, nearly 200 signatory countries agreed on the need for transition fuels in poor countries—in other words, their use of fossil fuels will grow faster than their ability to transition away from them. Second, the signatories agreed that countries have different resource endowments and will therefore follow very different trajectories to decarbonize. Third, there was a strong commitment that nuclear energy can be an important source of clean and reliable power.

For the first time, COP28 officially recognized that transition fuels—a euphemism for fossil fuels tolerated to prevent economic collapse and allow development if abundant green energy is not yet available—“can play a role in facilitating the energy transition while ensuring energy security.” COP signatories finally acknowledged, albeit implicitly, that poor countries consume only a tiny fraction of the energy gobbled up by rich countries and desperately need more electricity to power homes, schools, hospitals, and factories.

Indeed, the gap between rich and poor is enormous: The average American consumes about 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electric power per year, whereas the average sub-Saharan African consumes only 130 kilowatt-hours. In other words, an African consumes about as much electricity in an entire year as an American consumes in four days. Or, as Todd Moss of the Energy for Growth Hub illustrated in a chart that went viral, many sub-Saharan Africans consume less electricity per person than the average U.S. refrigerator.

Transition fuels are not only critical for development in poor countries, but also for their adaptation to climate change. Natural gas is the best and cheapest feedstock to produce ammonia-based fertilizers, which in turn improves agricultural yields. Gas-fired power plants provide electricity for homes, schools, hospitals, emergency warning systems, air conditioning, and cold storage systems that prevent food losses. Africa’s vast reserves of natural gas can be harnessed for industrial production as well. Clean cooking fuels such as liquid petroleum gas improve the lives of millions of people who suffer from indoor air pollution as the result of cooking with animal dung or biomass. Gas as a backup fuel source allows countries to add unstable wind and solar to their energy systems.

Demonizing gas—as part of a rushed fossil fuel phaseout in service of an unreachable temperature target—is equal to demonizing development, and that will be true for a very long time. For industrial uses, in particular, the technologies to replace gas aren’t even visible on the horizon.

The COP28 statement also acknowledged that countries have “different national circumstances, pathways and approaches,” building on discussions at last year’s G-7 summit in Hiroshima and G-20 summit in New Delhi. In other words, countries lucky enough to have abundant, cheap, nonintermittent renewable energy sources such as geothermal and hydropower can achieve a lower carbon footprint quickly and cheaply. But for those that rely on coal, oil, or gas, the process of decarbonizing is much harder. The “all of the above” approach endorsed at COP suggests that technologies such as carbon capture and storage have a role in lowering emissions.

This is both pragmatic and inclusive: Countries such as India, China, South Africa, and those in Southeast Asia are heavily dependent on coal for electricity, and they will now have options to address emissions in the near term while shifting toward renewable energy sources in the long term. Carbon capture in heavy industry, for example, could abate continued emissions from sectors indispensable for development, including steel, cement, and chemicals.

COP28 made history by treating nuclear power as equal to other renewable energy sources. A declaration to triple nuclear energy by 2050, signed by more than 20 countries, underscores the importance of nuclear power in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Rich countries with significant civilian nuclear sectors, such as France, Japan, and the United States, appear on the list of signatories, but so do Ghana, Jamaica, Mongolia, and Morocco, all of which are eager for reliable sources of clean energy to power their growing economies.

New, smaller reactors, the signatories agreed, “could occupy a small land footprint and can be sited where needed, partner well with renewable energy sources, and have additional flexibilities that support decarbonization beyond the power sector, including hard-to-abate industrial sectors.”

Of course, words by themselves don’t mean much. But the declaration includes a call on the shareholders of the World Bank to include nuclear energy in the portfolio of financed projects. If the bank can overcome the objections of a tiny group of rich countries (centered on Germany) that are ideologically opposed to nuclear power, the bank can play an important role by bringing down the cost for poor countries.

Safety is paramount when it comes to nuclear reactors, and the bank’s richest shareholders can help with newer, safer, and more efficient technologies. The United States is at the forefront of building advanced reactors that use better fuels, require less substantial containment, and need fewer redundant safety systems. These smaller, cheaper reactors function better than their larger, more complex predecessors and suffer fewer construction delays.

Japan, too, is an innovator. Tokyo’s so-called green transformation strategy calls for the development of next-generation innovative reactors, including next-generation light-water reactors, small modular reactors, fast reactors, high-temperature gas reactors, and nuclear fusion, all of which could be at the core of a new, more effective global climate policy that looks far beyond wind and solar to decarbonize.

The catastrophism surrounding the impending failure to reach the 1.5-degree target has generated both panic and distrust of climate science. Governments and civil society should abandon today’s ritualized, performative, and highly politicized discourse—and instead concentrate on the full spectrum of technologies to lower carbon emissions while helping poor countries to develop and become more resilient to climate change.

Investments to improve energy access, expand the roster of low-carbon technologies, and generate abundant, clean, and reliable power are a good starting point.

[rjzimmerman]

Notes: The electricity generation trajectories for wind and solar PV indicate potential generation, including current curtailment rates. However, they do not project future wind and solar PV curtailment, which may be significant in some countries by 2028.

Excerpt from this story from EcoWatch:

With solar leading the way, renewables are on track to generate nearly 50 percent of global electricity this decade. But green energy is still predicted to fall short of the United Nations target of tripling capacity, according to Renewables 2024: Analysis and forecast to 2030, a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

More than 5,500 gigawatts (GW) of global renewable capacity is set to be added between now and 2030, which is nearly three times the growth from 2017 to 2023, the report said.

“Renewables are moving faster than national governments can set targets for,” said Fatih Birol, IEA’s executive director, as Reuters reported. “This is mainly driven not just by efforts to lower emissions or boost energy security: it’s increasingly because renewables today offer the cheapest option to add new power plants in almost all countries around the world.”

Based on today’s governmental policy settings and current market trends, of the world’s renewable capacity installed between 2024 and 2030, almost 60 percent will come from China, a press release from IEA said.

That would mean nearly half the total global renewable power capacity would be in China by 2030, up from a third in 2010.

“Due to supportive policies and favourable economics, the world’s renewable power capacity is expected to surge over the rest of this decade, with global additions on course to roughly equal the current power capacity of China, the European Union, India and the United States combined,” the press release said.

This decade, solar PV is projected to account for 80 percent of worldwide renewable capacity growth. This is due to the construction of large solar plants and an increase in installations of rooftop solar by households and companies.

The expansion of wind is forecast to double between now and the end of the decade, compared with the period 2017 to 2023.

In nearly every country in the world, solar PV and wind are the least expensive options for adding new electricity generation.

Because of these trends, almost 70 countries that together make up 80 percent of renewable capacity around the world are set to meet or exceed their current renewable goals for 2030.

“The growth is not fully in line with the goal set by nearly 200 governments at the COP28 climate change conference in December 2023 to triple the world’s renewable capacity this decade – the report forecasts global capacity will reach 2.7 times its 2022 level by 2030,” the press release said. “But IEA analysis indicates that fully meeting the tripling target is entirely possible if governments take near-term opportunities for action.”

[takeoffphilippines]

Building sustainable communities: The future of cities

What makes a city thrive is a combination of how developers create opportunities for movement, synergy, and prosperity. It’s a combination of celebrating life to its fullest capacity with the community at its very heart.

“At SM Prime (SMPHI), we dream big for our shared future. True prosperity transcends financial success. Our commitment to developing sustainable integrated properties is matched by our efforts to foster vibrant, inclusive communities wherever we build legacy properties that weather the challenges of time and that last for generations,” said Ms. Jessica Bianca Sy, Lead Executive for Design, Innovation and Strategy for SMPHI and SM Development Corporation (SMDC).

The 7th Annual Association of Pacific Rim Universities – Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium 2024 (APRU-SCL 2024) Conference on Advancing Sustainable Cities and Communities through Science, Technology, and Innovations is hosted and organized this year by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

(L-R): Dr. Jennifer Marie S. Amparo, Dean, CHE, Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr. Chancellor, UPLB, Dr. Thomas Schneider, Chief Executive, APRU, Makati Mayor Hon. Abigail Binay, Ms. Jessica Bianca Sy, SMPHI and SMDC Lead Executive for Design, Innovation and Strategy, Dr. Edgar M. Reyes, Jr., Conference Director, ICHSPD, Assoc. Professor, UPLB, and Dr. Yekang Ko, Director, APRU-SCL, Assoc. Professor, University of Oregon.  

Sy joins a list of esteemed local and international professors, climate specialists, and government officials at the 7th Annual Conference of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities – Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference and Student Symposium 2024 (APRU-SCL 2024).

The theme for this year’s three-day conference is Advancing Sustainable Cities and Communities through Science, Technology, and Innovation.

As one of Asia’s leading integrated property developers, SM Prime’s strong track record in sustainability and disaster resilience is central to the company’s projects. In a climate-vulnerable country like the Philippines, disaster preparedness and infrastructure resilience are priorities, with a goal to scale efforts to a city level.

The rapid city growth increases energy demand, necessitating innovative and efficient renewable energy solutions. SM Prime has partnered with franchise holders to systematically manage energy use and move towards net-zero emissions.

For future large-scale master planned developments, Sy shares that SM Prime is taking a systems approach to utility infrastructure down to embedding them in the urban design guidelines at the precinct or plot level developments.

“We are developing this living framework together with our knowledge partners. Currently the ambition is to combine our efforts and actionable items under six themes of – transport, energy, water, biodiversity, built form and materials,” she said.

Sy carries this clear vision to heart as an invaluable part of the path forward. “We believe this will be the future of cities in the Philippines and we are committed to delivering it to our future generations,” she said.

SM Prime remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities, thereby enriching the quality of life of millions of people. SM Prime is pursuing the next horizon on integrated property development and onward to building sustainable cities of the future.  The 7th APRU-SCL 2024 is hosted and organized this year by the University of the Philippines Los Baňos, at the SMX Aura Convention Center, from August 6-8, 2024. For more information, email: hspdconf@up.edu.ph or visit the website: dcerp.che.uplb.edu.ph/ichspd.