More headlines of energy stories

** Since Puerto Rico banned coal ash storage, the toxic waste from its coal plant has been quietly shipped through Florida to Georgia.

** Seven Midwestern states, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, are teaming up to accelerate the development of hydrogen as a clean-energy alternative for automobiles and factories that rely largely on climate-warming fossil fuels, governors said Monday.

** The number of U.S. schools generating solar power has more than doubled over the last seven years as districts seek long-term cost savings.

** A workers’ strike shuts down a Canadian shipping terminal used to export Powder River Basin coal to Asia.

**  Former US Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday called for an overhaul of the World Bank’s leadership, lamenting that the institution isn’t doing enough to finance clean-energy projects in poor nations.

** Ford Motor has just said that the supply-chain problems hobbling many companies, but particularly vehicle manufacturers, are far from being resolved. Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine sent raw-materials prices soaring, which increased costs and sourcing difficult, particularly for electric vehicles.

** Saying they had a “moral obligation,” California regulators could soon ban the sale of diesel big rigs by 2040, ending a long reliance on the polluting vehicles that are the backbone of the American economy.

 

World

** Thousands of people gathered on Wednesday in the Belgian capital Brussels for “a national day of action” to protest against skyrocketing electricity, natural gas and food prices and draw attention to the sharp hike in the cost of living. Trade unions and city police said that around 10,000 took part.

** Germany and the UK announced energy bailouts to avoid an economic collapse and take the sting out of soaring prices, with European governments spending 500 billion euros ($496 billion) by one estimate to help consumers and businesses.

** Germany has agreed to nationalise ailing utility Uniper. It will buy out the stake held by Finnish firm Fortum as part of a move to keep the company going. The deal comprises a fresh cash injection of almost $8 billion. After it all goes through, Berlin will hold around 99% of Uniper.

** Sales of electric vehicles in Europe are growing quickly: One in ten new cars sold in the EU now solely runs on batteries, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.

** European natural gas prices moved between gains and losses with traders weighing Russia’s move to step up its war in Ukraine, even as nations intensified efforts to prevent the energy crisis from deepening.

** Deutsche Bank expects an economic decline of 2.2% for the EU area in 2023, much sharper than the previous 0.3% drop it was calling for. Blame energy.