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  • Solar Power and Biogas Empower Women Farmers in Brazil

    Solar Power and Biogas Empower Women Farmers in Brazil

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    Leide Aparecida Souza, president of the Association of Residents of the Genipapo Settlement in the rural area of Acreúna, a municipality in central-western Brazil, stands next to breads and pastries from the bakery where 14 rural women work. The women’s empowerment and self-esteem have been boosted by the fact that they earn their own income, which is more stable than from farming, and provide an important service to their community. CREDIT: Marina Carolina / IPS
    • by Mario Osava (acreÚna/orizona, brazil)
    • Inter Press Service

    ACREÚNA/ORIZONA, Brazil, Apr 16 (IPS) – A bakery, fruit pulp processing and water pumped from springs are empowering women farmers in Goiás, a central-eastern state of Brazil. New renewable energy sources are driving the process.

    “We work in the shade and have a secure, stable income, not an unsteady one like in farming. We cannot control the price of milk, nor droughts or pests in the crops,” said Leide Aparecida Souza, who runs a bakery in the rural area of Acreúna, a municipality of 21,500 inhabitants in central Goiás.

    The bakery supplies a variety of breads, including cheese buns and hot dog buns, as well as pastries, cakes and biscuits to some 3,000 students in the municipality’s school network, for the government’s school feeding program, which provides family farming with at least 30 percent of its purchases. Welfare institutions are also customers.

    The bakery is an initiative of the women of the Genipapo Settlement, established in 1999 by 27 families, as part of the agrarian reform program implemented in Brazil after the 1964-1985 military dictatorship, which has so far settled 1.3 million families on land of their own.

    Genipapo, the name chosen for the settlement, is a fruit of the Cerrado, the savannah that dominates a large central area of Brazil. Each settled family received 44 hectares of land and local production is concentrated on soybeans, cassava and its flour, corn, dairy cattle and poultry.

    Six solar panels will reduce the costs of the women's bakery, installed on the former estate where 27 families were given land in Acreúna, in the Brazilian state of Goiás, as part of the country's ongoing agrarian reform program. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS
    Six solar panels will reduce the costs of the women’s bakery, installed on the former estate where 27 families were given land in Acreúna, in the Brazilian state of Goiás, as part of the country’s ongoing agrarian reform program. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    Bakery empowers rural women

    The women of the Association of Residents of the Genipapo Settlement decided to create a bakery as a new source of income 16 years ago. They also gained self-esteem and autonomy by earning their own money. In general, agricultural and livestock income is controlled by the husbands.

    Each of the women working at the bakery earns about 1,500 reais (300 dollars) a month, six percent more than the national minimum wage. “We started with 21 participants, now we have 14 available for work, because some moved or quit,” Souza said.

    A year ago, the project obtained a solar energy system with six photovoltaic panels from the Women of the Earth Energy project, promoted by the Gepaaf Rural Consultancy, with support from the Socio-environmental Fund of the Caixa Econômica Federal, the regional bank focused on social questions, and the public Federal University of Goiás (UFG).

    Gepaaf is the acronym for Management and Project Development in Family Farming Consultancy and its origin is a study group at the UFG. The company is headquartered in Inhumas, a city of 52,000 people, 180 km from Acreúna.

    Due to difficulties with the inverter, a device needed to connect the generator to the electricity distribution network, the plant only began operating in March. Now they will see if the savings will suffice to cover the approximately 300 reais (60 dollars) that the bakery’s electricity costs.

    Iná de Cubas stands next to the biodigester that she got from the Women of the Earth Energy project in the municipality of Orizona, in the center-east of the Brazilian state of Goiás. The biogas generated benefits the productive activities of small farmers in rural settlements, as do solar plants on a family or community scale. Image: Mario Osava / IPS
    Iná de Cubas stands next to the biodigester that she got from the Women of the Earth Energy project in the municipality of Orizona, in the center-east of the Brazilian state of Goiás. The biogas generated benefits the productive activities of small farmers in rural settlements, as do solar plants on a family or community scale. Image: Mario Osava / IPS

    “It’s not that much money, but for us every penny counts,” Souza said. Electricity is cheap in their case because it is rural and nocturnal consumption. Bread production starts at 5:00 p.m. and ends at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, according to Maristela Vieira de Sousa, the group’s secretary.

    The industrial oven they use is low-consumption and wood-burning. There is another, gas-fired oven, which is only used in emergencies, “because it is expensive,” said de Sousa. Biogas is a possibility for the future, which would use the settlement’s abundant agricultural waste products.

    Alternative energies make agribusiness viable

    Iná de Cubas, another beneficiary of the Women of the Earth Energy project, has a biodigester that supplies her stove, in addition to eight solar panels. They generate the energy to produce fruit pulp that also supplies the schools of Orizona, a municipality of 16,000 inhabitants in central-eastern Goiás.

    The solar plant, installed two years ago, made the business viable by eliminating the electricity bill, which was high because the two refrigerators needed to store fruit and pulp consume a lot of electricity.

    The abundance of fruit residues provides the inputs for biogas production, an innovation in a region where manure is more commonly used.

    The refrigerators in which Iná de Cubas keeps the fruit and fruit pulp that she prepares for sale to schools in Orizona in central Brazil consume a great deal of electricity. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS
    The refrigerators in which Iná de Cubas keeps the fruit and fruit pulp that she prepares for sale to schools in Orizona in central Brazil consume a great deal of electricity. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    “I only use an additional load of animal feces when I need more biogas,” said Cubas, who gets the manure from her neighbor’s cows, since she does not raise livestock.

    On her five hectares of land, Cubas produces numerous species of fruit for her cottage industry.

    In addition to typical Brazilian fruits, such as cajá or hog plum (Spondias mombin), pequi or souari nut (Caryocar brasiliense) and jabuticaba from the grapetree (Plinia cauliflora), she grows lemons, mangoes, oranges, guava and avocado, among others.

    For the pulp, she also uses fruit from neighbors, mostly relatives. The distribution of her products is done through the Agroecological Association of the State of Goias (Aesagro), which groups 53 families from Orizona and surrounding areas.

    Agroecology is the system used on her farm, where the family also grows rice, beans and garlic. The crops are irrigated with water pumped from nearby springs that were recovered by the diversion of a road and by fences to block access by cattle, which used to trample the banks.

    “The overall aim is to strengthen family farming, the quality of life in the countryside, incomes, and care for the environment, and to offer healthy food, without poisonous chemicals, especially for schools,” explained Iná de Cubas.

    Biodigesters made of steel and cement, solar energy for different purposes, including pumping water, rainwater collection and harvesting, are part of the “technologies” that the Women of the Earth Energy project is trying to disseminate, said Gessyane Ribeiro, Gepaaf’s administrator.

    In the area where Iná de Cubas lives, the project installed five biodigesters and seven solar pumps for farming families, in addition to solar plants in schools, she said.

    The eight solar panels on the roof of the Cubas family’s house, in the rural area of Orizona, make small agro-industrial processes viable, adding value to the wide diversity of native fruits from different Brazilian ecosystems, such as the Cerrado savannah and the Amazon rainforest, along with species imported throughout the country’s history. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    Network of rural women

    The Women of the Earth Energy Network, brought together by the project and coordinated by Ribeiro, operates in six areas defined by the government based on environmental, economic, social and cultural similarities. In all, it involves 42 organizations in 27 municipalities in Goiás.

    The local councils choose the beneficiaries of the projects, all implemented with collective work and focused on women’s productive activities and the preservation of the Cerrado. All the beneficiaries commit themselves to contribute to a solidarity fund to finance new projects, explained agronomist Ribeiro.

    “The Network is the link between the valorization of rural women, family farming and the energy transition,” she said. “We chose family farmers because they are the ones who produce healthy food.”

    “We offer technological solutions that rely on the links between food, water and energy, to move towards an energy transition that can actually address climate change,” said sociologist Agnes Santos, a researcher and communicator for the Network.

    Recovering and protecting springs is another of the Women’s Network’s activities.

    Two solar panels run a pump installed in a spring in the forest to pump the water needed by the 29 cows owned by Nubia Lacerda Matias' family in Orizona, in the state of Goiás, near Brasilia. Thus the cows stopped drinking water in the springs, which are now fenced off, vital to protect the water source for local families living downstream. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS
    Two solar panels run a pump installed in a spring in the forest to pump the water needed by the 29 cows owned by Nubia Lacerda Matias’ family in Orizona, in the state of Goiás, near Brasilia. Thus the cows stopped drinking water in the springs, which are now fenced off, vital to protect the water source for local families living downstream. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    Nubia Lacerda Matias celebrates the moment she was invited to join the movement. She won a solar pump, made up of two solar panels and pipes, which bring water to her cattle that used to damage the spring, now protected by a fence and a small forest.

    “It’s important not only for my family, but for the people living downhill” where a stream flows, fed by various springs along the way, she said.

    But the milk from the 29 cows and corn crops on her 9.4-hectare farm are not enough to support the family with two young children. Her husband, Wanderley dos Anjos, works as a school bus driver.

    Iná de Cubas’ partner, Rosalino Lopes, also works as a technician for the Pastoral Land Commission, a Catholic organization dedicated to rural workers.

    In his spare time, Lopes invents agricultural machines. He assembles and combines parts of motorcycles, tractors and other tools, in an effort to fill a gap in small agriculture, undervalued by the mechanical industry and scientific research in Brazil.

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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  • TRS Services Announces Appointment of Rick Stine to Its Board of Directors

    TRS Services Announces Appointment of Rick Stine to Its Board of Directors

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    HOUSTON, April 16, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    TRS Services (“TRS”), a provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul services for component parts of industrial gas turbine engines (“IGTs”), announced today the appointment of Rick Stine to its Board of Directors.

    “We are excited to have Rick join the TRS platform as a member of the Board of Directors,” said Cliff Orr, Partner with Battle Investment Group. “Rick brings an extensive track record of leading and growing IGT services businesses, and his deep involvement will accelerate TRS’s progress as we further strengthen our service offerings and add new customers and capabilities. I look forward to working alongside Rick and the TRS management team to drive TRS’s continued expansion and success.” 

    Prior to his involvement with TRS and Battle Investment Group, Stine served as President of StandardAero’s Components, Heli & Accessories business unit, where he helped drive significant growth under his leadership. Before StandardAero, Stine served as SVP, President, and COO of HEICO Parts Group, the engine and component parts supply business of HEICO Aerospace. Stine began his career at GE, where he held numerous senior-level engineering positions.

    “I am thrilled by the opportunity to serve on the TRS Board of Directors and to help capitalize on the progress this management team has already achieved,” said Stine. “TRS has meaningful organic and acquisitive growth opportunities, and I am excited to support the company on its trajectory as a leader in the IGT maintenance and repair industry.” 

    About TRS Services

    TRS is a provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul services of component parts for industrial gas turbine engines. The Company predominantly services heavy industrial gas turbine engines, which are used to generate power in natural gas-fired power plants and other heavy industrial applications. TRS also services light industrial and aeroderivative gas turbine engines used for remote, mobile or off-grid power solutions. The Company has a comprehensive set of repair and engineering capabilities and a large library of internally-developed engineering solutions, allowing it to perform a wide range of work in-house for industrial gas turbine service providers, manufacturers, owners, and operators. TRS services turbines from leading manufacturers, including Siemens Energy, General Electric/Alstom, Solar Turbines, Mitsubishi Power, Kawasaki, and others. TRS was founded in 1998 and is based in Houston, TX. To find out more, visit www.trsservices.com.

    About Battle Investment Group

    Battle Investment Group is an Atlanta, Georgia-based, private investment firm that seeks to support the long-term expansion and success of enterprises and management teams operating in the North American defense, government, aerospace, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure sectors. The Firm manages multiple committed investment funds and employs an operating model that allows for long-term focus and commitment to its core operating principles of partnership, quality, and growth. To find out more, visit www.battleinvestmentgroup.com.

    Source: TRS Services

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  • Sleep Deprivation May Age You 10 Years, New Study Shows

    Sleep Deprivation May Age You 10 Years, New Study Shows

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    It’s no shock that if you don’t sleep well, you don’t feel well. You may find yourself with low energy, an irritable mood, and even a ravenous appetite. But a new study also found that sleeping poorly may age you—or age how old you perceive yourself. And further research shows that this perceived sense of age is actually closely linked to longevity.

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  • No Turning a Blind Eye to Protection Dominican Republic’s Natural Resources, Says Environment Minister

    No Turning a Blind Eye to Protection Dominican Republic’s Natural Resources, Says Environment Minister

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    The island state of the Dominican Republic is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes, tropical storms, and floods. Furthermore, it is currently experiencing threats from climate change and pollution. This picture of Wallhouse, Dominica, was taken a few days after Category 5 Hurricane Maria struck the island. Credit: Alison Kentish/IPS
    • by Jan Lundius (stockholm)
    • Inter Press Service

    STOCKHOLM, Apr 04 (IPS) – Ahead of the Dominican Republic’s elections, IPS spoke to Miguel Ceara Hatton, Dominican Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, about the challenges of protecting the environment as climate change and social change impact it.In 2020, general elections were held in the Dominican Republic. This took place while the COVID pandemic was becoming an increasingly serious threat, causing severe social and economic disruption. The elections were two months late as a result of the initial chaos COVID caused. The governing Dominican Liberation Party’s 16-year rule ended after the Modern Revolutionary Party’s candidate, Luis Abinader, received a majority of the votes. Elections are now scheduled for May 19 this year and IPS took the opportunity to ask Miguel Ceara Hatton, the country’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, how he perceived the past four years’ efforts to mitigate a global crisis that now threatens us all, namely climate change and environmental degradation.

    The island state of the Dominican Republic is extremely vulnerable to meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes, tropical storms, and floods. Furthermore, it is currently experiencing threatening effects from climate change and pollution. Increasing temperatures are causing drought, which reduces crop yields and negatively affects water supplies. However, in spite of this, the nation’s economy has, during the last ten years, experienced some of the fastest growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. The period saw a 24 percent upsurge in hotels, bars, and restaurants, while construction and the industrial sector were thriving. The middle class is increasing and poverty is declining. The country has transitioned from being an agricultural society to one dominated by vast metropolitan areas during the last 15 years; its urban population has doubled. Nevertheless, sectors such as agriculture, industry, construction, and tourism are highly dependent on increasingly scarce natural resources, such as water, timber, and land, while unsustainable practices continue to cause environmental degradation.

    To prevent pollution and further depletion of natural resources, the Ministry of Environment regulates all activities that present a potential risk to the environment, implementing policies that allow the Ministry to enforce an environmental management and adaptation plan to avoid further damage. One example of environment protecting laws is that, according to the Dominican Constitution, water is part of the nation’s heritage. Rivers, lakes, lagoons, beaches, and coasts are considered to be public property. A 60-meter coastal strip running parallel to the sea is also considered part of the nation’s public property, accessible to the public and cannot be exploited.

    At the beginning of IPS’ discussion with the Dominican Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Miguel Ceara, we asked him if environmental issues are a priority for the current government.

    Miguel-Ceara-Hatton
    Miguel Ceara Hatton

    Miguel Ceara: To a very high degree. The Ministry is rather new. It was created in 2000 as the result of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. We are currently trying to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which was adopted by all UN Member States in 2015. The goals of this agenda are all interconnected and safeguarding the environment is a transversal theme that concerns all levels of society, demanding coordination and collaboration of all ministries, particularly with the cabinets in charge of issues like education, water, construction, security, etc.

    Many challenges lay ahead of us. Most important is to foment a new, general culture that promotes environmental health management as well as economic growth to enable us to finance the transformation needed if our society will be able to confront such a formidable threat as the one posed by climate change.

    IPS: Before you accepted your current position, you served as Minister for Economy, Planification, and Development and have now been Minister of Environment for just two years. When you entered this office, what did you perceive as your main challenge?

    Miguel Ceara: Lack of respect for environmental laws and a high level of permisologia, i.e. an inclination to turn a blind eye to violations of rules and regulations, paired with a readiness to grant permits where they should not have been permitted. Furthermore, the wages have been far too low for technicians and other people involved in the protection of natural resources.

    IPS: Reforestation has long been a priority for Dominican governments, though it has often been stated that it has seldom been a particularly successful endeavor.

    Ceara: Quite right, but reforestation has now become urgent; in two years’ time, more than 200 000 km2 will be planted with 20 million seedlings.

    IPS: Are there any protected areas in the Dominican Republic?

    Ceara: Approximately one-fourth of the national territory is protected, as is an additional 11 percent of the marine waters.

    IPS: What does this protection imply?

    Ceara: The exploitation of protected areas is forbidden. Unharmful and protective practices are allowed to help the vegetation evolve in a healthy, sustainable manner, safeguarding flora and fauna. However, it is expensive and quite difficult to preserve and protect these areas. Only within Los Haitises National Park are more than 400 soldiers deployed to protect it and apart from foresters and game wardens, we are in great need of expertise in nature preservation. We need geologists, geographers, agronomists, hydrologists, forest scientists, and biologists. The country already has a sufficient supply of marketers, economists, architects, and engineers. The government is currently supporting a Masters’ programme for 60 environmental technicians and more are needed.

    IPS: You mentioned a culture of permisologia, how do you deal with that problem?

    Ceara: We are currently digitalizing all permits and are at the same time checking and revising them. Transgressors are brought to court. We are trying to implement harsh laws to stop abuse, for example, by increasing vigilance to protect forests and vegetation around water sources. Extracting sand for cement production from riverbeds is strictly forbidden, sand can now only be harvested in mines; and harmful agricultural methods are also being limited and even forbidden.

    IPS: Can you mention some environmental threats that are unique to the Dominican Republic?

    Ceara: There are several. For example, sudden, huge downpours that have hit the island in recent times, possibly a result of climate change. On November 4, 2022, a precipitation of 266 mm was measured in the capital, the highest level ever recorded. Nevertheless, on November 19, 2023, the Dominican Republic received 431 mm of rain. Extreme precipitation caused floods, tearing down bridges and dams, while inundating fields and neighbourhoods. In the capital, the collapse of an overpass claimed nine lives.

    Another concern, caused by climate change, is algal blooms. Increasing temperatures are changing sea currents, which, in combination with fertilizing components reaching the sea, are stimulating Sargassum, a brown macro-algae, to experience a catastrophic bloom, creating dense layers on the sea surface. Occasionally, such huge carpets of algae move onto the Dominican coastline, destroying beaches and disrupting ecosystems, while creating a decomposing and stinking mess containing concentrations of heavy metals and arsenic. Currently, a moving eight thousand km2 expanse of 30 million metric tons of Sargassum is approaching Caribbean waters.

    The Dominican Republic is a low emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for approximately 0.08 of global emissions. The land use sector currently absorbs more CO2 than it emits. However, energy demand is steadily on the rise and emissions have, during a five-year period, increased by 20 percent. As soon as it came into power, this government committed itself to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 27 percent by 2030, compared to 2010 levels. 

    IPS: Are Dominicans in general aware of the lethal threats of environmental degradation and climate change?

    Ceara: Unfortunately, not! There are always uncertainties and unforeseen events that make planning difficult. Emergencies and rising investment costs are affected by forces we have no control over. Resources are limited. Consumption is increasing, and so are waste and pollution. Cars are becoming more common, as are air conditioners and other energy-consuming appliances. Plastic is suffocating water sources. Planning is constantly being made to meet needs and demands, as well as find alternative, sustainable energy sources, and not the least to support increased awareness about environmental threats to health and society. However, much more has to be done.

    To adapt an entire nation to the painful transition from fossil fuel dependency to a society based on renewable energy is a costly and painful endeavor, but it has to be done and can conceivably be achieved. For example, this nation’s economy was once highly dependent on the production of sugar, coffee, cacao, and tobacco. Foreign competition eventually destroyed these sources of income, but the nation proved to be capable of overcoming a painful transition and through the expansion of other sectors, the economy could be recuperated.

    I believe that people can be convinced to change their habits and concerns. Take as an example how smoking has diminished by efforts to make people aware of its dangers. A similar result can be reached if people become aware of the dangers involved with mindless pollution, inadequate waste treatment, and wasteful energy consumption. To take care of our natural environment, it has to be a collective endeavor. This is not primarily a law enforcement issue, we cannot have a policeman checking every Dominican citizen. Education and awareness campaigns have to be carried out to enable every citizen, every municipality, and every neighbourhood to participate in the care and protection of our natural environment.

    IPS: However, mitigation of the harmful effects of climate change and general pollution is not only a local, but also a global concern.

    Miguel Ceara: Of course, this is a serious concern for us. To be quite frank, the worst culprits are developed nations and they don’t care enough about the harm done to developing countries. Climate change is a global issue, with a vast array of components. It has to be addressed on a multilateral basis and in a synchronized manner. So far, this has not been done, at least not to the extent it should be done. Developing nations are always in the back seat while negotiating with nations that are better off.

    Take as an example the issue of COVID mitigation. The Dominican Republic had early on made an agreement with a pharmaceutical company for timely vaccine delivery, but when the vaccines were going to be delivered, they became unavailable after being sold to bigger, wealthier nations. We had to wait and when the vaccine finally appeared, we had to pay a price four times higher than we had originally agreed upon. We cannot sit and wait for wealthier nations to assist us in addressing urgent environmental issues, we have to begin by acting alone.

    Furthermore, we are sharing our eco system with Haiti, a nation that now has become a failed state, with criminal gangs running amok, turning into private armies, fomenting fear, chaos, and increasing poverty. The Dominican Republic cannot, on its own, mitigate a crisis that threatens not only peace and cooperation, but also the ecosystem of the entire island. We expect the international community to step in and help Haiti, first for the good of the Haitian people, who deserve to live with dignity and without fear, but also to safeguard the ecosystem of the entire island. Without a stable government and institutional counterparts, it is impossible for us to reach out to Haiti to coordinate environmental policies.

    IPS: At last, a personal question: the President urged you to become minister of environment after your predecessor had been murdered in this very office. I know you hesitated while being aware of the danger involved in accepting a post like this one, as well as the fact that you are an economist and not an environmental expert. Why do you think the President chose you and if the ruling party wins the upcoming elections, do you intend to stay in your post?

    Ceara: I am aware that my predecessor was killed for applying the strict laws related to granting, or denying, permits related to environmental issues and the protection of our ecosystem. I assume the President gave me the offer since he considered me to be a man of personal integrity and experienced in planning and coordination. After being confronted with the challenges connected with environmental management and safeguarding our eco system, I am fully committed to continuing, in any capacity, to environmental protection and efforts to counteract the harmful effects of climate change.

    This feature is published with the support of Open Society Foundations.

    IPS UN Bureau Report


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    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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  • Somna wants to creep you out and turn you on, and you should let it

    Somna wants to creep you out and turn you on, and you should let it

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    In Somna, one woman is burning, and another can’t sleep. She sees a demon when she shuts her eyes. He wants to do things for her, to her. It’s Puritan England, and they set women ablaze for thoughts like this. She ought to know — her husband is the one who lights the torch.

    Becky Cloonan and Tula Lotay, the legendary creative team behind the gorgeous erotic folk horror comic, bill Somna as “a bedtime story.” Like a lot of erotic work, this is a double entendre. Yes, its lead character, an Englishwoman named Ingrid, struggles with disordered sleeping. Much of the story takes place in bed as she slips into dreams and slowly begins to lose track of the borders between her waking life and her dreaming one. But beds are also for sex — her repressed desires come to frightening life in her unconscious mind, and possibly the real world, too.

    “We went into Somna knowing that we wanted to tell an ambiguous story,” says Cloonan. “There’s no wrong way to read this comic. A lot of it’s gonna hopefully make people think about why they think it’s a certain way. If the demon that [Ingrid] is seeing isn’t real, why do you think that?”

    “In the ’80s, there was a lot more of this kind of sexual horror stuff going on,” Lotay says. “There’s not as much of it now, but we’re bringing it back!”

    The pair are referring to what many have noted is a uniquely sexless time in pop culture, leaving a void in the sort of explicitly sexual stories that explored messier aspects of the human experience. Deeply flawed characters responding poorly to internal and external desire, and how the world responds to them. In that regard, their work feels refreshing.

    Somna is immediately beguiling, not just for the ways its lush art plays with reader perception, alternating between dreamy lust and folk-horror thrills. Cloonan and Lotay are working in a rich thematic space, exploring the ways repressive cultures and institutions harm everyone, even those who benefit from them. Initially inspired by a bout of sleep paralysis, the story gestated for 10 years before finding life as a miniseries for new comics publisher DSTLRY — an unusual and splashy entry in the burgeoning imprint’s line of debut titles.

    Image: Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay/DSTLRY

    “A book like Somna, I know it’s not for everyone. We didn’t go in thinking, Everyone’s gonna love this!” Cloonan laughs. “It’s definitely a self-indulgent book that we think some people might really enjoy.”

    Somna is also arriving at the height of the romantasy boom in literature. Novels that take sex and romance just as seriously as their elaborate fantasy worlds are lighting up BookTok and Goodreads. Yet comics that cater to the direct market — your monthly periodicals famous for superhero yarns but full of other genre fare — have yet to make a big splash in the genre.

    “When people open [a comic] up, and they see it laid bare in front of them, it’s jarring,” Cloonan says, ruminating on why comics publishers have been trailing their prose counterparts. “I think we’re still suffering from the Comics Code, and the moral crackdown that comics in North America had while this kind of book flourished in Europe. I think the North American market is still a little trepidatious.”

    “I do think the reason there isn’t more of this kind of content in American comics is due to some of the movements you’ve got out there, [with] banned books,” adds Lotay, who is British. “It’s scary stuff that doesn’t happen so much in the U.K. or in Europe, France and Italy. There’s been a very different approach to sequential art. It’s massive there and they’ve always been pretty open-minded with sexual stories — as a teen I grew up reading Heavy Metal… kind of dark stories that are uber sexy as well.”

    The rocky shore of an English landscape with the ruins of a church visible and an angry horde barely seen in front of it. In an inset panel, a woman looks on in dread. From SOMNA #3 (2024, DSTLRY)

    Image: Becky Cloonan/DSTLRY

    Somna gets a lot of mileage out of the liminal space between danger and desire, playing with the reader’s perception. While Cloonan handles the script, both creators take on the story’s art — with Cloonan’s inky, careful linework telling Ingrid’s story when she’s awake, and Lotay’s dreamlike, painterly style bringing her dreams to life. This is also, consequently, where Somna’s most pulse-quickening pages are.

    “The thing that is passionate and arousing is the emotion behind what’s happening rather than just the visuals. We didn’t want to enter into something with just visuals that are like, Well, now they fuck, or Now we’ll show a dick,” Lotay laughs. “The point is the way Ingrid is becoming more and more entangled in this dream world, and stepping out and being enticed slowly. And Shadow Man being in the room, or hovering nearer and the words he’s saying to her — and then it builds up to the point where she gives in.”

    This is the tricky part in comics, in which the static visual image and the sparse prose have to carefully mingle to showcase characters’ arousal, but not give away too much. This is where the horror aspect of Somna helps a lot, with the dangerously loaded context of its historical setting and themes of female desire and sexual agency.

    A smokey painting of boats arriving in a harbor while, in inset panels, a caged and gagged woman is driven in a cart by a priest and witch hunter. From SOMNA #3 (2024, DSTLRY)

    Image: Becky Cloonan, Tula Lotay/DSTLRY

    “Even those moments where it’s full-on, I think I tried to draw where there was a lot of emotion there,” Lotay says. “And darkness as well, where you’re thinking, This is arousing, but actually, this is quite scary as well! It’s those fine lines.”

    In its final chapters Somna begins to shift into full-on thriller, as Lotay and Cloonan’s art blurs together and a murder mystery simmering in the background envelops Ingrid. Titillation and fear blend into an unsettling climax that leaves the viewer with much more to think about than what is real and what is not. Somna lingers, its historical rumination on women’s sexual agency and patriarchal repression echoing into the present.

    “What makes it scarier is the fact that it’s sexy,” Cloonan says. “At the end if you can put the book down and feel upset that you’re turned on by it, I think we’ve done our job.”

    Somna #1-3 are available to purchase digitally at DSTLRY and in print wherever comics are sold. A collected edition arrives in July.

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    Joshua Rivera

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  • One Couple’s Quest to Ditch Natural Gas

    One Couple’s Quest to Ditch Natural Gas

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    Two climate journalists decided to decarbonize their home. Here’s what happened.

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    Tik Root

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  • What Are Your Sex Dreams Trying To Tell You? Here’s What To Know

    What Are Your Sex Dreams Trying To Tell You? Here’s What To Know

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    Author: Expert reviewer:

    March 29, 2024

    Sarah Regan

    mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

    By Sarah Regan

    mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor

    Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor’s in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.

    Is It Normal To Move Around A Lot At Night? We Asked A Sleep Specialist

    Image by Simon Bcc / Stocksy

    March 29, 2024

    Certain dreams seem to be somewhat universal. Some common themes include snakes, spiders, and, of course, sex.

    Not only are sex dreams quite common, but they can also carry valuable information. Here, we’re rolling through the types of sex dreams people often have, what they could mean, and how to stop having them (…if you want to stop having them, of course).

    Why do we have sex dreams?

    Sex dreams might seem like simply the inner workings of a horny mind, for lack of a better word, but according to professional dream interpreter Lauri Loewenberg, they’re often not actually about sex at all. And not only that, but specifics matter—even the random things.

    Usually, the specifics of dreams relate to some aspect of your real life and have messages or lessons woven into their symbolism. And in the case of sex dreams, Loewenberg explains, “The main thing to keep in mind is sex dreams are rarely about an actual physical union you want, but more about a psychological union.”

    As she explains, you obviously already know if you want to sleep with this person in real life. “You don’t need a dream to tell you that,” she says—but if it’s someone you don’t actually feel attracted to, there’s likely something about them you admire or want to emulate.

    That said, have no fear if you’re happily coupled up and still dreaming about sleeping with strangers or your boss. According to Loewenberg, sex in a dream most often represents a desire to connect to some internal aspect of that person, like a trait or behavior, rather than their physical body.

    15 common sex dreams:

    1.

    Sex dreams about a stranger or acquaintance

    If you’ve been dreaming about having sex with strangers or people you barely know, you might be unsure what it is about them that you like or want to embody yourself. In this case, Loewenberg suggests looking at what stands out about the dream character.

    “Maybe they’re very muscular, for example,” she says. “If some characteristic or trait really stands out about the person in the dream, that’s what they represent. So, muscles would represent your own ability to be strong, handle tough situations, and muscle through something difficult.”

    2.

    Sex dreams about a professor or boss

    Keeping in mind that sleeping with someone in a dream often represents wanting a quality that person has, dreaming about a boss or professor might mean “you want the qualities of a boss,” Loewenberg says.

    “You want more authority, you want to be in charge and make firmer decisions. It could also be that you want to get in good with the boss or connect with them in some way so they’ll respect you,” she explains.

    3.

    Sex dreams about an ex

    It’s not uncommon to dream about your ex, and if you’re sleeping with them, the most obvious reason is that you may simply miss them. “Especially,” Loewenberg adds, “if you’re in a dry spell or your current relationship isn’t doing it for you in that department.”

    If it’s an ex that you’re glad to be rid of, she adds, having sex with them in a dream could actually be an indication that you’re coming to peace with that relationship and letting it go. It could also be that you miss some aspects of the relationship, rather than the ex themselves—such as the security the relationship offered, or simply having someone to sleep with on a regular basis.

    4.

    Sex dreams about your current partner

    According to Loewenberg, dreaming that you’re having sex with your partner is pretty common, but you should still look at all the other things going on. “Where were you? Was there any sort of conversation between you, or some other specific element in the dream? Because those details will likely give more information on what you’ve recently connected on, or a conversation you recently had,” she explains.

    5.

    Sex dreams about a friend

    If you dreamed you slept with a friend, no, that doesn’t mean you’re subconsciously in love with them. Rather, Loewenberg says, “It can sometimes be about connecting or coming together on some level psychologically or emotionally,” adding, “Have you recently connected? Did you have an intimate, revealing conversation or discover you share the same POV or have gone through a similar experience?”

    This dream, then, would be a reflection of how you connected or, perhaps, how you want to connect.

    6.

    Sex dreams about a celebrity

    We project a lot onto celebrities. And usually, if you’re dreaming about sleeping with one, there’s something they have that you want. “Remember, connection is the name of the game. If it’s [a movie star], there’s probably a quality in the character they played that you desire,” Loewenberg says.

    7.

    Sex dreams in public

    It’s fairly common to dream about having sex in public or outside, and location is important in dreams. As Loewenberg says, “The setting of a dream, no matter what’s going on in the setting, is important to pay attention to because it will typically represent where you are in life or where you are in your heart and mind.”

    Having public sex in a dream, then, could represent a preoccupation with status or recognition. And depending on who you’re sleeping with, you might be seeking recognition for the qualities that person has.

    8.

    Sex dreams in the bathroom

    If you’re dreaming about having sex in the bathroom, Loewenberg says you might have “an area of your life where you need to do some cleansing and relieving.”

    The partner in this dream “could be a message from your subconscious that if you unite a certain quality of this person into your life, into your behavior, it will help you cleanse that negativity.”

    9.

    Sex dreams in the kitchen

    The kitchen is all about creation and nourishment, so if you’re having sex in a dream there, “that’s typically a good sign something is in the works,” Loewenberg says.

    “To the dreaming mind, the kitchen would indicate that you’re cooking up some kind of idea or project that will feed your soul, that will nourish you psychologically, emotionally, perhaps financially.” And your partner in the dream, she explains, is a clue to the quality or behavior you can integrate into yourself in order to get your project moving along.

    10.

    Sex dreams about BDSM

    If BDSM (bondage and discipline, sadism and masochism) is showing up in your dreams, there are a few ways to look at it: First, consider whether you are the one dominating or being dominated in the dream, and ask yourself how you feel about it.

    In some cases, this dream could indicate you’re being too hard on yourself in some way, Loewenberg says. It could also mean you want more control in some area of your life (dom) or alternatively, you wish someone else would take control (sub). And of course, it could also mean you’re simply intrigued by the possibility and want to try it in real life.

    11.

    Oral sex dreams

    If you’re dreaming about oral sex, Loewenberg tells mindbodygreen that these dreams most often have to do with communication, because oral sex is done with the mouth.

    “Any mouth-related dream will almost always be connected to how you’ve been communicating lately in real life. So oral sex can be about very intimate conversations,” she explains, adding that it’s important to pay attention to who is the giver and who is the receiver, “because that will be connected to who initiated—or who needs to initiate—the conversation.”

    And spoiler, she adds, it’s the giver that needs to speak up.

    12.

    Masturbation dreams

    Masturbation dreams can relate to a few different things. For one, Loewenberg says, you could just be in a dry spell and your body is offering you a release. But beyond that, she adds, it could be that you’re pleased with yourself for some real life accomplishment.

    However, if you’re having a lot of masturbation dreams, she notes, it could reflect that perhaps you’ve been a little too self centered lately. “It can also simply be your subconscious telling you that you have to handle something yourself, like at work or at home,” she adds.

    13.

    Sex dreams about threesomes or orgies

    If you’re dreaming about having threesomes or orgies, Loewenberg says that these dreams relate to an area of your life where there’s too much going on and you need to simplify. “It could be simply telling you that you need to focus on one thing right now. You’ve got a lot of things you want to accomplish, so just focus on one thing at a time,” she explains.

    And in some cases, Loewenberg adds, these dreams can also relate to indecision, or having multiple directions that you could go. In that case, she says, you need to pick a direction and go with it.

    14.

    Dreams about missing out on sex

    In some cases, you might dream that you’re about to have sex with someone, but then it doesn’t happen (i.e. you get interrupted or the person in the dream walks away).

    As Loewenberg tells mindbodygreen, these dreams relate to feeling like something in your real life is out of reach or otherwise unattainable. “It could reflect that you just never seem to have the opportunity, but it could also be connected to some area of your life where you just can’t seem to get satisfaction, such as your career,” she explains.

    15.

    Dreams about unwanted advances or past sexual trauma

    While sex dreams can be fun and even pleasurable, there are, of course, cases of dreaming about unwanted advances or sexual assault, especially if you’ve been a victim of sexual violence in your past.

    If you have experienced any sexual trauma, Loewenberg says nightmares about the event can be a symptom of PTSD, and should be addressed with a mental health professional.

    However, if this dream doesn’t feel tied to any past real life experience, dreaming about unwanted advances typically relate to feeling “screwed” by a real life situation, or even feeling dominated or pressured by someone who’s trying to manipulate you or force their opinions on you.

    Yes, sex dreams are normal

    As aforementioned, sex dreams are incredibly common—and yes, they’re entirely normal. Research even shows1 that roughly a quarter of people have a sex dream once a month! And there’s no discrimination among genders—people of all genders report sex dreams and nocturnal emissions.

    As sexologist Gigi Engle previously wrote for mindbodygreen, there is no easy way to pinpoint exactly why we have the dreams that we do, “But what most experts agree on is that dreams are affected by both external factors (like temperature, sleeping position, a partner snoring, etc.) and internal factors (such as stress, anxiety, thoughts about the day, etc.).

    From watching a steamy romance movie before bed, to even sleeping on your stomach, a host of factors can trigger a sex dream, so rather than worrying about why you had the dream itself, try to figure out what it’s trying to tell you.

    Can you stop having sex dreams?

    Dreaming about sex isn’t typically someone’s worst nightmare. But, if it’s recurring, intrusive, or you just don’t want to keep dreaming about someone you don’t actually want to sleep with, Loewenberg does offer some advice.

    “The best way to make a dream stop is to take action on the message it’s giving you,” she says, adding, “A dream is going to nag you and keep giving you the same message again and again until you listen and take action.”

    So, if you keep dreaming about your boss, for example, “Then take the message and run with it,” she says. “Start being a boss in your own life. Start taking charge, and the dream will stop.”

    To figure out the message, remember the main thing you want to do is “ask yourself, in what way do I need to connect with this person?” Loewenberg notes, as well as what it is you admire or respect about them. From there, you can start to embody whatever that quality or trait is.

    And for what it’s worth, it doesn’t hurt to have a dream journal where you record your dreams, as well as a day journal, so you can go back and look at what happened the day before that might have influenced the dream.

    The takeaway

    All dreams are mysterious and up for interpretation, and sex dreams are no exception—but rest assured, they don’t always need to be taken literally. In fact, they usually don’t.

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  • Ahead of sentencing, SBF team argues for 5-6 years in jail because FTX customers will get money back

    Ahead of sentencing, SBF team argues for 5-6 years in jail because FTX customers will get money back

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    Government exhibit in the case against former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried.

    Source: SDNY

    While prosecutors are requesting that FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried spend 40 to 50 years in prison for his crimes, the defense team is urging the judge to consider a sentence that’s roughly 90% shorter.

    Bankman-Fried’s fate will be announced in Manhattan on Thursday morning by Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the monthlong trial in November. Bankman-Fried was found guilty of seven charges tied to the collapse of crypto exchange FTX and the roughly $10 billion of customer deposits that went missing.

    The hope for Bankman-Fried’s team is that Kaplan takes into account the increased likelihood that FTX customers will be able to recoup most, if not all, of the money they lost when the exchange spiraled into bankruptcy in 2022.

    Lawyers representing the bankruptcy estate of FTX told a judge in Delaware last month that they expect to fully repay customers and creditors with legitimate claims. Bankruptcy attorney Andrew Dietderich, who works with FTX’s new leadership team, said “there is still a great amount of work and risk” ahead in getting all the money back to clients, but that the team has a “strategy to achieve it.”

    It was a potentially dramatic change in the narrative surrounding FTX’s collapse 16 months ago. At the time, it was believed that many thousands of customers — reportedly up to a million — collectively lost billions of dollars that would be unrecoverable due to the lightly regulated and unsecured nature of the crypto industry. Those clients faced the real possibility that the vast majority of their money had evaporated, just like in other cases of hedge funds and lenders that failed during the so-called crypto winter of 2022.

    Much of the government’s successful case against Bankman-Fried hinged on convincing the jury that the defendant had stolen billions of dollars worth of FTX customer money to make risky bets at Alameda.

    For months, as FTX has wound its way through a Delaware bankruptcy court, new CEO John Ray III and his team of restructuring advisors have been clawing back cash, luxury property, and crypto, as well as tracking down missing assets. They’ve already collected more than $7 billion, and that doesn’t include valuables like $26 million in gifts and property to Bankman-Fried’s parents, or the $700 million handed over to K5 Global and founder Michael Kives, who invested FTX cash in companies like SpaceX that have since increased in value.

    Bankman-Fried’s defense team has asked the court for a sentence in the range of 63 to 78 months. Beyond the fact that he’s a “first time, nonviolent offender,” attorneys for the FTX founder largely lean on the argument that Bankman-Fried’s risky bets paid off and the bankruptcy estate expects to fully repay FTX customers.

    It’s a story that Bankman-Fried was trying to sell as he awaited trial.

    “FTX US remains fully solvent,” Bankman-Fried wrote in a Substack post on Jan. 12, 2023, while he was under house arrest at his parents’ home in Palo Alto, California. He said the exchange “should be able to return all customers’ funds.”

    One key asset in FTX’s portfolio is its stake in artificial intelligence startup Anthropic. Late last week, FTX’s bankruptcy estate struck a deal with a consortium of buyers to sell the majority of its Anthropic holdings for $884 million. Under Bankman-Fried’s leadership, FTX invested $500 million in the startup in 2021 before the boom in generative AI. The company’s valuation hit $18 billion in December 2023, which would put FTX’s roughly 8% stake at about $1.4 billion.

    During Bankman-Fried’s trial, Kaplan denied the defense’s request that it be permitted to say that FTX’s investment in Anthropic was a smart bet.

    ‘Still guilty’

    Renato Mariotti, a former prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Section, told CNBC that the more money the estate is able to recover for clients, the better for Bankman-Fried.

    “If true, that is relevant and the judge is required to consider victim restitution at sentencing,” Mariotti said. “But even if victims weren’t harmed, he is still guilty of the offense.”

    Mariotti said he expects the sentence to fall somewhere in between what the prosecution and defense are asking, predicting it will be “at least 20 to 25 years.”

    Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried arrive for the trial of their son, former FTX Chief Executive Sam Bankman-Fried, who is facing fraud charges over the collapse of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange, at Federal Court in New York City, U.S., October 26, 2023. 

    Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters

    In addition to the Anthropic gains, FTX customers can look at the rebound in crypto for signs of optimism. Bitcoin is trading at close to $70,000, up from less than $17,000 at the time of FTX’s collapse.

    In September, the bankruptcy team released a status report showing that FTX had $3.4 billion worth of digital assets, with over $1.1 billion coming from its investment in crypto coin Solana. In the defense’s letter to the court filed last month, attorneys note a sizable increase in the value of FTX’s Solana stake, saying that as of Feb. 26, the estate saw a roughly $4 billion increase over the last six months thanks to the token’s appreciation.

    Solana fits into a category of so-called “Sam coins,” a group that also includes Serum, a token created and promoted by FTX and Alameda. Solana saw a huge run-up of late, climbing more than eightfold since the end of September.

    Meanwhile, FTX’s bitcoin stash, which was worth $560 million at the time of the September report, when the coin was trading at around $25,000, has seen a significant uptick as well. Bitcoin’s value has increased by around 180% since then.

    For FTX customers, being made whole, according to a judge’s ruling, means getting the cash equivalent of what their crypto was worth in November 2022. In other words, they’re not seeing any of the upside of FTX’s investments or being given virtual coins that would allow them to cash out at higher valuations.

    Braden Perry, who was once a senior trial lawyer for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, told CNBC that Bankman-Fried faces at least 70 months in prison based on his base level offense, number of victims, sophisticated means and leadership role — even if there’s no monetary loss to the victims. The massive losses that were originally expected would suggest 30 years to life, Perry added.

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    Sam Bankman-Fried set to testify at fraud trial in what experts deem a major gamble for the case

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  • Inside Austin’s bitcoin underground

    Inside Austin’s bitcoin underground

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    AUSTIN — There is a sort of clubhouse for Austin’s bitcoin believers on the second floor of the Littlefield Building at the corner of Congress Avenue and Sixth Street. The hideaway is at the crossroads of two worlds — the majestic thoroughfare that leads to the Texas State Capitol and the iconic, albeit notorious, stretch of bars, restaurants, and live music that define the capital’s party vibes. It’s an apt metaphor for the space itself.

    The Bitcoin Commons is, at once, many things.

    By day, it functions as an open plan, fluorescent-lit co-working space for the more corporate-minded bitcoin operators, but at night, it moonlights as a safe space for underground meet-ups of the industry’s rogue actors. Periodically, it plays host to conferences that draw in a mix of attendees ranging from venture capitalists to armed preppers living entirely off the grid. And on some afternoons, once happy hour hits, the kitchen at the back is retrofit with a stowaway bar.

    “We also fund developers, and we help them advance their projects,” said Parker Lewis, one of the stewards of the Commons, as well as the author of a new book on bitcoin called “Gradually, Then Suddenly.”

    “We help advance bitcoin through education and actually developing the monetary network, the code base, and the applications,” said Lewis, who is widely considered to be one of Texas’ de facto bitcoin ambassadors.

    Francisco Chavarria was born in Mexico City and spent time in Salt Lake City, but three years ago, he made the move to Austin to be a part of a community of like-minded thinkers. His company, Yopaki, which is a neobank for bitcoin focused on the Latin American market, just won first place in a hackathon put on at the Commons.

    “If you talk to other builders in the competition, a lot happens here,” said Chavarria. “There definitely is a sense of, ‘I don’t need for others to lose for me to win.’ There really is a relationship and a collaboration for bitcoin to succeed.”

    “Right now it feels like we’re all winning because of the price, but those of us who have been building in the bear market, we know,” Chavarria added.

    Austin’s “Bitcoin Commons” hosts regular meetups and conferences for the city’s bitcoiners.

    CNBC

    Bear or bull market, bitcoiners have flocked to Austin because of a combination of pro-crypto policies, abundant, renewable energy, and an ever-growing network of some of the brightest developers and miners on the planet. And even in the price doldrums, they typically bring the same level of enthusiasm to the conversation — though bitcoin’s recent stretch of record-breaking price moves has gone a long way toward boosting morale.

    In March, bitcoin hit multiple, fresh all-time highs, as trader enthusiasm for the digital asset sector soared. A lot of that price run-up has to do with the record flows into the newly-launched spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the U.S., led by the world’s largest asset manager Blackrock and its $15.5 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust, which have helped to solidify bitcoin’s place as an asset class that’s here to stay.

    Collectively, these spot ETFs have brought in around $60 billion, and in some cases, they have been breaking records for ETF flows altogether.

    “The biggest driver is certainly the ETF flows, which have surpassed the expectations of all but the most bullish pundits,” said Castle Island Venture’s Nic Carter of bitcoin’s record price moves this month. “And these blockbuster flows have materialized before the major wirehouses, asset managers, and RIAs have actually approved the ETF for their clients.”

    Carter added that there is also new liquidity coming into bitcoin from Asian markets via two main pathways: bitcoin’s version of non-fungible tokens known as ordinals, as well as bitcoin-issued coins called BRC20 tokens.

    Bitcoin drops 8% in a week as volatility spikes to near one-year high: CNBC Crypto World

    Underground vibes with an open bar

    In the last 20 years, Austin has matured into one of the country’s leading tech centers, a trend accelerated by the Covid pandemic, which saw industry leaders migrate en masse from California.

    “Bitcoin was founded in 2009. A lot has happened post-financial crisis. Austin was already emerging as a tech center, and you know, enter bitcoin, and it just became the logical home,” said Lewis, who runs business development at Zaprite, a bitcoin-native financial services firm.

    It helps that Texas is a libertarian-friendly state that actively supports free market policies. It has proven to be a big draw for a group of people who think of bitcoin as a way of life — that is, a monetary network that is decentralized, borderless, and doesn’t answer to central banks or governments.

    Austin’s “Bitcoin Commons” draws in an eclectic mix of people, including venture capitalists, bitcoin miners, and coders.

    CNBC

    Many hardcore bitcoiners ironically embrace the term maximalist or maxi as a way to self describe. In Texas, though maxis exist along a professional spectrum from venture capitalists, to miners, coders, company executives, and generalist techies, the eclectic tribe have a few things in common. Many are family-oriented, patriotic carnivores with an aversion to the overreach of government and a strong belief in the right to bear arms, among multiple other personal, individual liberties.

    Bitcoin’s eponymous Austin lair, which is adorned with the Texas state flag and bitcoin memorabilia, has adopted Chatham House rules for many of its events to protect the identities of those conversing within its walls. One such meetup is the monthly BitDevs (short for bitcoin developers) gathering, where bitcoin builders, investors, and the bitcoin curious are all welcomed, so long as no pictures or videos are taken.

    At these meetings, topics run the gamut, from detailed discussions about code to concerns that the Microsoft-maintained GitHub may pose a greater existential threat to the bitcoin network since much of the development work and conversations among coders happen on that platform. At one such gathering, the moderator of the two-hour session asked the room who ran a bitcoin node. More than half of the people in attendance raised their hands.

    After attending multiple Austin BitDev meetups over the last three years, a few common conversation themes have emerged, including the focus on identifying threat vectors to the network and brainstorming workarounds. Beyond software, there are also concerns over hardware vulnerabilities, given that the ASIC chip used in bitcoin mining rigs are manufactured out of China, a country which has proven hostile to the crypto sector in recent years.

    The “Bitcoin Commons” functions as a sort of clubhouse for the city’s bitcoin believers. It puts on a mix of programming, including conferences and hackathons, as well as hosts a co-working space by day.

    CNBC

    VCs flock back to bitcoin

    The Commons hosted a hackathon, BitDevs, and a one-day conference dubbed the Bitcoin Takeover on the sidelines of the annual South by Southwest tech festival, which put on virtually no crypto programming this year.

    Across those multiple gatherings, there was a newfound interest in talking about the burgeoning ecosystem of projects building on top of bitcoin’s blockchain, which began to heat up with the introduction of ordinals in Jan. 2023 — bitcoin’s version of non-fungible tokens.

    One underrated driver of bitcoin’s recent rally is new programming innovations that may allow it to reach technological parity with ethereum. These advancements involve beefing up the bitcoin ecosystem with tools like smart contracts, which are programmable pieces of code that help to eliminate middlemen like banks and lawyers from transactions. That makes it easier for developers to create products and applications for consumers.

    BitVM, for example, has a promising plan to do just that. It is ultimately trying to bring smart contracts to the bitcoin network, which has helped spur this renaissance of interest in layer two technology — that is, the startups being built on top of bitcoin’s base chain.

    “I’ve never seen deal pacing move this aggressively in the bitcoin space in my entire career,” Carter tells CNBC.

    Indeed, the VC appetite for these layer two bitcoin projects has been picking up in the last few months.

    PitchBook says that the fourth quarter of 2023 was the first time in almost two years that deal value in the crypto sector had increased, reaching $1.9 billion — up 2.5% from the previous quarter. While still well off the 2021 high of $31 billion, funds are building back interest, and trust, in the space.

    Bitcoin price surge and generative AI dominate discourse at Africa Tech Summit

    Grant Gilliam spent 15 years working in private equity in New York before pivoting to run a bitcoin VC fund called Ten31. This investment platform, which is focused exclusively on bitcoin, has invested $125 million of equity in aggregate since launching five years ago. More than $100 million was deployed in the last two years during the bear market.

    “We invest across the bitcoin ecosystem across every major theme,” Gilliam told CNBC. “Anything that is relevant to bitcoin infrastructure, we like to say the picks and shovels of companies building products and services for holders of bitcoin.”

    Gilliam, who spent a few years commuting from New York to Austin every month for the BitDevs meetup, said that some of the layer two bitcoin investments are more hype than substance, but he’s still bullish overall on the deal space. 

    “There’s been a lot of L2 hype lately, mainly driven by the ordinals, and inscriptions, developments or innovations, if you want to call it that,” Gilliam said. “There’s a lot of activity in that right now, but we haven’t been as focused on that. It’s our firm view that the ordinals will prove to be a passing fad.”

    Gilliam says that Ten31 is focused on basic building blocks of the ecosystem, such as companies that are providing financial services, which could be custody trading and lending, or projects that are working to scale the lightning network.

    Lightning, with is the layer two payment technology meant to realize bitcoin’s original vision of being peer-to-peer cash continues to struggle with the issue of reaching scale. Developers tell CNBC that a lot of engineering work remains to close that gap.

    The Boys Club put on its own Austin summit on the sidelines of SXSW with programming on the new internet, crypto, and digital culture.

    CNBC

    Bitcoin-halving country

    “Number go up” is a big mantra among bitcoiners, but as the community evolves, so too does the thinking about the price of the coin.

    “Price is really an output of many inputs of human beings, building tools to make bitcoin both more secure and a greater utility,” Lewis said. “Price is the best indicator of more people coming to the conclusion that bitcoin is money, and it’s a better store of value, so it is very relevant.”

    Every four years, bitcoin undergoes a market making event known as the halving. It cuts the production of new bitcoin in half, and it has typically come before a major run-up in the price of bitcoin.

    Miners from around the world flocked to Texas when China banned the practice in 2021, attracted by the abundant renewable energy and a grid that’s friendly to flexible buyers of power — both ideal conditions for miners.

    In April, however, the profits for these bitcoin miners will be cut in half.

    For some, it may prove an Armageddon-level event. Others have braced for impact by swapping out their fleet of machines for more efficient rigs. The price run-up in bitcoin has also helped to give some of these companies a buffer in their profit margins.

    West Texas miner Jamie McAvity has 60 megawatts at his mining site. It runs on a part of the grid that is 90% powered by a mix of solar and wind power.

    “If you’ve been in for more than one cycle, you have situated yourself in a place where you can resist the halving to the best of your ability,” McAvity told CNBC at Austin’s Bitcoin Commons.

    McAvity, who previously worked for ten years as a trader on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange, added that ETF flows have helped to change the pricing dynamics for the world’s largest coin.

    “The spot ETF inflows are so massive that reducing the available supply of newly mined bitcoins from 900 to 450, is probably going to be immaterial relative to that,” he said.

    “But who knows, the ETFs could cool off for a while, and it’s hard for someone to credibly say that a reduction in supply is not going to change the market price equilibrium, because that’s a fundamental principle of market economics,” he added.

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    Altcoin mania

    A ten minute walk west from the Bitcoin Commons is the Austin Proper Hotel, a five-star establishment where the lighting is intentionally dim to strike a certain mood. Here, the Boys Club, a popular and buzzy, female-led organization which self-describes as a “social collective bringing new voices to the new internet” put on its own crypto conference on the sidelines of South by Southwest.

    The Boys Club caters to a more blockchain agnostic crowd, where the focus is less on exclusivity to one coin or chain — and more about borrowing the best features from across the ecosystem to solve problems in the real world.

    CNBC caught up with Micha Benoliel at the one-day summit. Benoliel built Nodle, a decentralized wireless network that’s now getting into the business of using the blockchain to battle AI-powered deepfakes.

    “Blockchain is the only way to make a record that is immutable, and is going to prove the time at which this photo has been taken, or video, and also to help you prove the location and other elements that are going to reinforce that proof, so it creates a real immutable proof of authenticity,” he said.

    The Boys Club put on its own Austin summit on the sidelines of SXSW with programming on the new internet, crypto, and digital culture.

    CNBC

    The one-day popup event gathered together more of a web3 crowd to talk about everything from the latest trends in tokenization to the resurgence of on-chain meme culture.

    Similar to other bull runs in the price of bitcoin, some altcoins have seen a meteoric rise alongside blue chip names in crypto, because they’re seen as a comparatively cheaper buy.

    Dogecoin, a meme-coin that was started as a joke, now has a market cap of nearly $25 billion, placing it in the top ten most valuable cryptocurrencies on the planet. Boden, a coin named after President Joe Biden, saw a run-up of more than 800% in a six-hour window after Super Tuesday, and the newly popular DogWifHat is collectively worth more than $2 billion.

    Typically, this is the bellwether of a peak bubble moment, but analysts say that despite frothy conditions, this bull run is different to past cycles.

    The price of bitcoin is cyclical, and it sees price run-ups roughly every four years. Each time, the price floor is higher. What’s also a departure this time around is the fact that institutional money is here in a way that it hasn’t been during past bull runs.

    Binance staff detained in Nigeria as country claims crypto investments are devaluing its currency

    Fundamentals in the crypto market are playing a big role, as well.

    In a note from JPMorgan on Mar. 15, analysts credit ether, the world’s second-biggest crypto token by market cap, for being a significant driver of crypto’s recent gains, including Coinbase‘s stock price rise. Ether has rallied nearly 50% so far this year, recently breaching the $4,000 price level and outpacing bitcoin’s returns, before paring back some gains.

    “While the focus of the cryptocurrency marketplace has been the net new money going into U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs and the positive impact on Bitcoin token prices (here, the spot Bitcoin ETF and its ultimate launch in January has driven the cryptoecosystem over the past several months), we see impact of ETH appreciation also as particularly meaningful,” JPMorgan wrote.

    Regulators in the U.S. remain a universal concern for the crypto sector, especially amid reports of the Securities and Exchange Commission probing crypto companies building on the ethereum network.

    Still, many in the space, including coders and investors remain optimistic.

    Ethereum, the blockchain that underpins ether, underwent a major upgrade on Mar. 13 dubbed Dencun. Developers told CNBC it was expected to slash transaction fees by up to 90%. That is game-changing not just for the end-users, but also for the coders building apps on top of ethereum.

    Base, crypto exchange Coinbase’s self-built layer two network, is ethereum-based and allows developers to more easily build decentralized apps. Coinbase’s Base lead, Jesse Pollak, anticipates this will open the door to applications in both the gaming and decentralized social media arena now that it is no longer nearly as cost prohibitive to build these types of programs.

    “The thing that is happening with Dencun is we’re going to create a whole new kind of storage on ethereum that’s purpose built for Layer 2s like Base,” Pollak told CNBC.

    “That means that right now we pay a ton to ethereum, and we’re going to pay a lot less, which is going to lower the fees for everyone. Because ethereum is basically going to build a product purpose built for us,” continued Pollak.

    Chris Dixon, crypto chief at venture firm a16z, echoed that sentiment, noting that part of their portfolio is focused on these startups.

    “The core idea is that if you build a social network, or a game or a financial service, on top of the blockchain, it has all sorts of benefits where the money and control flow out to the users and the creators that access the network, as opposed to the companies that control it,” said Dixon. “In the same way that steel was a better way to build bridges and buildings than wood was in the Industrial Revolution, blockchains are a building material.”

    All eyes are on AI at SXSW

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  • Parenting 101: Fun and safe activities to enjoy the solar eclipse April 8th

    Parenting 101: Fun and safe activities to enjoy the solar eclipse April 8th

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    Mark your calendars because on April 8th there is going to be a rare total solar eclipse. With many school districts granting a ped day day out of caution, board staff are encouraging parents to take advantage and teach their children about astronomy, and Toys R Us Canada has some fun ways to get excited about what’s above. 

    A lot of people have been asking around online and on social media to find solar eclipse glasses so the eclipse can be safely viewed, and TRU has them for just $3. They are made with an advanced impregnated polymer filter material and are the ultimate in protection, producing a natural yellow-orange solar image.

    Their Toy Solar Vehicle Construction Set is a great way to get creative and also learn more about solar energy. This super fun building ki includes a solar panel that powers the positive and negative cables. Kids can build a real working solar-powered motor that serves as the motorized foundation for each robot model.

    Finally, this Eclipse book, celebrated artist and author Kelsey Oseid explores the science and mystique of lunar and solar eclipses, from the myths of our ancestors to today. Did you know that in Chinese legends, solar eclipses were caused by dragons eating the sun? Or that the Norse people believed that a sky wolf chased away the moon? Oseid presents these rich historical stories alongside informative, accessible science to enrich your understanding: a solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon; a selenelion is when you can see the lunar eclipse in front of you and the sunset behind you; and the Mars Rovers have even taken photographs of eclipses from Mars. Filled with captivating information and vivid, colorful illustrations, Eclipse will delight and inspire astronomy lovers of all ages.

    – JC

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  • Brazil’s Biofuel Potential Set to Expand Thanks to Sustainable Aviation Fuel

    Brazil’s Biofuel Potential Set to Expand Thanks to Sustainable Aviation Fuel

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    An Air Force plane brings home Brazilians who managed to escape the war in Gaza as part of a humanitarian operation. Airplanes shorten distances but pollute the atmosphere and aggravate the climate crisis by emitting two percent of greenhouse gases. Sustainable biofuels can mitigate that damage. CREDIT: FAB
    • by Mario Osava (rio de janeiro)
    • Inter Press Service

    RIO DE JANEIRO, Mar 13 (IPS) – Brazil is counting on biofuels to assert itself as an energy powerhouse in the near future, as a decisive supplier of low-carbon jet fuel, a requirement of the climate crisis.

    The electrification of automobiles has tended to curb the strong ethanol and biodiesel agribusiness developed in the country since the 1970s. But demand for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) now offers the possibility of significant new expansion for many decades to come.

    Electrically powered airplanes are not viable with current technology, and will not be for a long time. “Batteries are very heavy and store little energy,” said Arnaldo Walter, a mechanical engineer and professor at the University of Campinas.

    Nor is green hydrogen, the fashionable ecological fuel, an alternative for aviation, because of the difficulty of storage and the need for temperatures of more than 250 degrees Celsius below zero to keep it in a usable liquid form. In addition, the entire design of aircraft would have to be changed, a process that could only be achieved in the long term.

    Brazil has everything it needs to become a major producer of green hydrogen, which is generated by electrolysis of water, but requires abundant electricity from renewable sources. That is the case in this country, especially in the Northeast region, which has huge potential in wind and solar energy, in addition to ports closer to Europe than those of other competitors.

    The solution is biomass-derived fuel, which does not require altering the format of aircraft or their turbines, by naturally replacing aviation kerosene, the use of which generates two percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

    Climate requirements

    “Not just any biofuel will do, it has to meet the requirements for environmental, social and economic sustainability certification,” Walter told IPS by telephone from the southern city of Campinas, with a population of 1.1 million people located 90 kilometers from São Paulo.

    Deforestation, for example, is one of Brazil’s Achilles’ heels, given the reports of forests being cleared to grow soybeans, whose oil will probably be one of the main raw materials for SAF. It is not enough to decarbonize the fuel, but also the whole process of its production.

    The goal is to meet the target set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

    “SAF is the only economically viable and available alternative, despite its sustainability challenges,” argued Amanda Ohara, a chemical engineer and fuel specialist with the non-governmental Climate and Society Institute, in an interview with IPS in Rio de Janeiro.

    Soybean monoculture represents half of agricultural production and is the main Brazilian export. It occupies extensive areas of the Cerrado, the Brazilian savannah, and part of the Amazon rainforest, after extensive deforestation. It can now provide the oil for the production of sustainable aviation fuel, known as SAF. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS
    Soybean monoculture represents half of agricultural production and is the main Brazilian export. It occupies extensive areas of the Cerrado, the Brazilian savannah, and part of the Amazon rainforest, after extensive deforestation. It can now provide the oil for the production of sustainable aviation fuel, known as SAF. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    Soybeans and sugarcane, abundant but disputed

    Brazil is the world’s largest soybean producer, with an output of 154 million tons in 2023, about half of which was exported to China. Its oil is the main raw material for biodiesel, which is blended with fossil diesel in this country at a current proportion of 14 percent. Congress is discussing the possibility of raising it to 25 percent in the future.

    In addition to its thriving agriculture, based largely on oilseeds and sugarcane, which can supply SAF plants, the country has ample potential for expansion.

    “Brazil has favorable conditions for biofuels, such as available land, good climate and rainfall, although they are now more uncertain than before,” said Walter. Tens of millions of hectares of land degraded by extensive cattle ranching in the past can be used to recover production.

    In Latin America’s largest country, with 850 million hectares of territory, only 61 million hectares were dedicated to agriculture and 164 million to cattle pastures in 2022, according to MapBiomas, a monitoring platform of a network of organizations focused on climate change.

    The government set a goal of recovering 40 million hectares of degraded land in 10 years, almost the same as the area planted with soybeans today: 44.6 million hectares.

    Soy already has a well-established market and consumers. Dedicating part of its oil to SAF competes with these uses and will require a large expansion of its cultivation, that is to say, new lands and the risk of deforestation, which together with changes in land use constitute the great source of greenhouse gases in the country.

    They represent economic and environmental costs that drive the search for alternatives.

    The macauba, a tropical palm tree whose scientific name is Acrocomia aculeata, is attractive because of its high oil productivity and its presence in almost all of Brazil, as well as in other Latin American countries under various names, such as coyol, corojo, grugru or macaw palm.

    It has not yet been commercially produced, nor has it been domesticated, making it a long-term, risky bet.

    But Acelen, a company controlled by the Mubadala Investment Company of the United Arab Emirates, is promoting a project to grow macauba palm trees on 200,000 hectares of land in northeastern Brazil to produce SAF as of 2026.

    To this end, it has an oil refinery in Mataripe, 70 kilometers from Salvador, capital of the northeastern state of Bahia, acquired in 2019 from the state-owned oil company Petrobras.

    Ethanol is another alternative raw material, which, like soybean oil, has the advantage of large-scale production, but competes with other uses. In Brazil, sugarcane is the main source of ethanol, whose consumption as a fuel is almost as high as that of gasoline.

    In its anhydrous form, it currently accounts for 27 percent of gasoline sold, a mix that is expected to rise to 30 percent or even 35 percent. But ethanol is also used alone, in its hydrated form. In Brazil today, almost all cars have flexible engines, powered by gasoline or ethanol, or by a mixture of any proportion.

    A photo of the monotonous landscape of sugarcane in one of the plantations in the interior of the state of São Paulo, which provides almost half of the sugar and ethanol produced in Brazil. The 31 billion liters of ethanol in 2023 could be tripled in 20 years by increasing productivity and monoculture, to provide surpluses for the production of SAF. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS
    A photo of the monotonous landscape of sugarcane in one of the plantations in the interior of the state of São Paulo, which provides almost half of the sugar and ethanol produced in Brazil. The 31 billion liters of ethanol in 2023 could be tripled in 20 years by increasing productivity and monoculture, to provide surpluses for the production of SAF. CREDIT: Mario Osava / IPS

    Cane and corn ethanol

    Ethanol lags behind vegetable oils in the production of SAF, but will benefit from a production boom expected in the coming years. It will be able to triple its annual production, which totaled 31 billion liters in 2023, without the need to greatly expand the cultivated area, according to industry leaders.

    Brazil is already the country that grows the most sugarcane in the world, which allows it to lead the sugar market and occupy second place in ethanol, surpassed only by the United States, where corn is the main source.

    Raízen, a joint venture between the British oil transnational Shell and Brazil’s Cosan, is studying the new biofuel, also in partnership with universities, while expanding its ethanol production, of which it is the national leader.

    It is a pioneer in second-generation ethanol, extracted from sugarcane bagasse and other cellulose-based waste. This ensures up to 50 percent more ethanol, without the need for more crops. The company has already started up eight plants of this type and expects to have 20 in operation by 2030, despite the fact that they are more expensive than conventional plants.

    Sugarcane productivity should also increase in the coming years, according to agronomic researchers, who expect to see production rise twofold mainly due to the planting of new varieties with genetic improvements.

    In addition, second-crop corn, generally planted after soybeans in the same area, has allowed an increasing production of ethanol, especially in the midwest region of Brazil. It already represents 17 percent of the national total.

    There are other alternatives, such as fossil derivatives but with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, wood from trees that grow faster in tropical countries such as Brazil, animal oils, and even cooking oil.

    Each one requires different technologies, with their own costs, maturation times and environmental effects, said Walter. Logistical conditions, dispersion or facilities for collecting raw materials can also determine the most promising alternatives.

    “There is no single solution, no silver bullet. We will have to combine various alternatives, depending on the intended or possible scale,” Ohara said. The choice is no longer purely economic, but also responds to the climate emergency, because “gas emissions must be reduced as a matter of urgency,” she added.

    The expansion of monocultures will be inevitable in a country like Brazil, which aims to ensure a sustainable supply, but the damage can be mitigated with agroforestry systems, combining oilseeds with other crops, which diversify the vegetation and conserve the soil, proposed the chemist and environmentalist who worked for six years with biofuels in the state-owned Petrobras consortium.

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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  • The AI industry is pushing a nuclear power revival — partly to fuel itself

    The AI industry is pushing a nuclear power revival — partly to fuel itself

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    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addresses a speech during a meeting, at the Station F in Paris on May 26, 2023. 

    Joel Saget | AFP | Getty Images

    Tech firms and Silicon Valley billionaires have been pouring money into nuclear energy for years, pitching the sustainable power source as crucial to the green transition. Now they have another incentive to promote it: artificial intelligence.

    While generative AI has grown at lightning speed, nuclear power projects are heavily regulated and usually advance at a plodding pace. That’s raising questions about whether advances in nuclear energy can cut emissions as swiftly as energy-guzzling AI and other fast-growing technologies are adding to them.

    “If you were to integrate large language models, GPT-style models into search engines, it’s going to cost five times as much environmentally as standard search,” said Sarah Myers West, managing director of the AI Now Institute, a research group focused on the social impacts of AI. At current growth rates, some new AI servers could soon gobble up more than 85 terawatt hours of electricity each year, researchers have estimated — more than some small nations’ annual energy consumption.

    “I want to see innovation in this country,” Myers West said. “I just want the scope of innovation to be determined beyond the incentive structures of these giant companies.”

    Oklo is one of the nuclear startups backed by Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI who has described AI and cheap, green energy as mutually reinforcing essentials to achieving a future marked by “abundance.”

    “Fundamentally today in the world, the two limiting commodities you see everywhere are intelligence, which we’re trying to work on with AI, and energy,” he told CNBC in 2021 after investing $375 million in Helion Energy, a nuclear fusion startup that Altman chairs. Microsoft last year agreed to buy power from Helion starting in 2028. Oklo, which Altman also chairs, is focused on the opposite reaction, fission, which generates energy by splitting an atom; fusion does so by merging atomic nuclei.

    Representatives for Altman, through his special acquisition company AltC, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

    In rural southeastern Idaho, Oklo is working to build a small-scale nuclear powerhouse that could fuel data centers like the ones OpenAI and its competitors need. But the company also wants to supply mixed-use communities and industrial facilities, and is already contracted to build two commercial plants in southern Ohio.

    As the United States moves toward wide-scale electric vehicle adoption and decarbonization, “the amount of energy we’re going to need to do that is huge,” said Oklo CEO and co-founder Jacob DeWitte. “Also heating and cooking — if we want to electrify those processes, you’re going to need even more.”

    Oklo has found getting regulators on board harder than finding potential customers.

    In 2022, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which oversees commercial nuclear power plants and materials, denied the company’s application for the design of its Idaho “Aurora” powerhouse, saying it hadn’t provided enough safety information. In October, the Air Force rescinded its intent to award a contract for a microreactor pilot program to power a base in Alaska.

    “You’ve got new physics, you have to use new models. You have to do all sorts of stuff that’s different than what they’re used to,” DeWitte said of the NRC. Oklo is now working to satisfy regulators, he said, acknowledging agency officials must “do their independent job of ensuring this meets adequate safety requirements.”

    Oklo’s proposed 13,000 square-foot Aurora powerhouse, featuring a 15-megawatt fission reactor, is smaller than earlier plants and looks more like a sleek ski chalet than the Cold War-era ones with their iconic curved towers. The plant set to be built at the Idaho National Laboratory, a research facility where Oklo has been given an Energy Department grant to test recycling nuclear waste into new fuel. DeWitte says the design is safer, too, citing the use of liquid metal as a coolant rather than water.

    The nuclear power industry hasn’t meaningfully expanded its share of the U.S. energy mix for decades. It has chugged along despite popular opposition fueled by infrequent but devastating accidents like those in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986 and in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. But as the climate crisis accelerates, most Americans now support expanding nuclear energy — 57%, up from 43% in 2020, a Pew Research survey found last year.

    Nuclear power currently makes up only 19% of the nation’s overall energy generation, with 93 commercial reactors operating today, down from a peak of 112 in 1990. By one estimate, up to 800 gigawatts of new nuclear power will be needed by 2050 to meet current green energy targets.

    Unit 3’s reactor and cooling tower stand at Georgia Power Co.’s Plant Vogtle nuclear power plant on Jan. 20, 2023, in Waynesboro, Ga.

    John Bazemore | AP

    But as tech firms sprint toward AI, many data centers are already struggling to add capacity fast enough to remain affordable, with data center rents jumping nearly 16% between 2022 and last year alone. The demand crunch is one reason major industry players have been ramping up their nuclear investments.

    Microsoft signed a deal last summer with Constellation, a top nuclear power plant operator, to add nuclear-generated electricity to its Virginia data centers. The year before, Google took part in a $250 million fundraising round for the fusion startup TAE Technologies. And in late 2021, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and other investors raised over $130 million for Canadian nuclear company General Fusion.

    For tech firms, it makes sense to tap directly into nuclear plants “instead of sourcing electricity from the grid,” said Ross Matzkin-Bridger, a senior director at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a nonprofit group focused on reducing nuclear and biological risks. In addition to being clean, he noted, many recent nuclear projects are also compact. “You can fit a lot more energy per acre in nuclear energy than you can with any other technology,” he said.

    Beyond Silicon Valley, “big investment firms are actually starting to believe that this is going to take off,” said Ayan Paul, a research scientist at Northeastern University who studies AI. “People have started to believe that these kinds of energies are going to fuel our population.”

    But some experts warn that efforts to expand nuclear power shouldn’t be rushed, no matter how fast demand is growing.

    “We need nuclear power to get to a low-carbon future,” said Ahmed Abdulla, assistant mechanical and aerospace engineering professor at Carleton University. But for engineering projects that have historically taken decades, the regulatory process needs to be a methodical one, he said: “There is a chance to make serious mistakes if we sprint to the goal.”

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  • How sleep support+ Has Improved My Sleep At Home & On The Road*

    How sleep support+ Has Improved My Sleep At Home & On The Road*

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    I love to travel, but I don’t love what it does to my sleep. As someone who lives in Qatar but has family in the U.S., I’m used to taking international flights to vastly different time zones, usually around 10 hours apart. These days-long trips are very draining, and I used to take melatonin to help me adjust.

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  • Ukraine vows more self-reliance as war enters third year

    Ukraine vows more self-reliance as war enters third year

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    Ukrainians have questions

    On the anniversary of Putin’s aggression, however, uncertainty and irritation were undisguised in Kyiv. Ukrainians wanted to know why Western sanctions on Russia are not working, and why Moscow keeps getting components for its missiles from Western companies. Why Ukrainians have to keep asking for weapons; and why the U.S. is not pushing through the crucial new aid package for Ukraine.

    “We are very grateful for the support of the United States, but unfortunately, when I turn to the Democrats for support, they tell me to go to the Republicans. And the Republicans say to go to the Democrats,” Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova said at a separate Kyiv conference on Saturday. “We are grateful for the European support, but we cannot win without the USA. We need the supply of anti-aircraft defenses and continued assistance.”

    “Why don’t you give us what we ask for? Our priorities are air defense and missiles. We need long-range missiles,” Ustinova added. 

    U.S. Congressman Jim Costa explained to the conference that Americans, and even members of Congress, still need to be educated on how the war in Ukraine affects them and why a Ukrainian victory is in America’s best interests.

    “I believe that we must, and that is why we will decide on an additional aid package for Ukraine. It is difficult and unattractive. But I believe that over the next few weeks, the US response will be a beacon to protect our security and democratic values,” Costa said.

    The West is afraid of Russia, Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine’s security and defense council secretary, told the Saturday conference.

     “The West does not know what to do with Russia and therefore it does not allow us to win. Russians constantly blackmail and intimidate the West. However, if you are afraid of a dog, it will bite you,” he said.

    “And now you are losing not only to autocratic Russia but also to the rest of the autocracies in the world,” Danilov added.

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    Veronika Melkozerova

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  • Phasing out from Fossil Fuels: An Imperative for Climate Justice

    Phasing out from Fossil Fuels: An Imperative for Climate Justice

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    Africa has huge renewable energy potential – it has 60% of the world’s best solar resources, but the continent receives less than 3% of global energy investment. Credit: Aimable Twahirwa/IPS
    • Opinion by Sylvie Djacbou Deugoue (yaounde)
    • Inter Press Service

    YAOUNDE, Feb 20 (IPS) – Climate change made 2023 the warmest year on record. As urgency mounts to address this worldwide crisis, phasing out the use of fossil fuels is a necessary step that all nations must take. This is because fossil fuels—coal, oil and gas — are the primary drivers of the climate crisis accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions.

    Fossil fuels can be linked to severe human rights harm. According to the International Energy Agency, there cannot be any new fossil fuel projects if countries are to meet existing climate targets and avoid the worst consequences for frontline communities. Not addressing these issues can create a human rights crisis of unprecedented scale.

    Another ethical imperative for phasing out from fossil fuels is our responsibility to communities facing loss and damage. Fossil fuel projects and infrastructure often expose fence line and frontline communities to toxic substances, environmental degradation, and increased vulnerability to climate disasters.

    Fossil fuel extraction and production often violate the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities, and environmental defenders, who face land grabbing, displacement, violence, intimidation, and criminalization. This must change.

    When we look at the African continent, the current increase in investment in fossil fuels will increase Africa’s carbon emissions and raise Africa’s share of global climate change.

    In 2021, Africa contributed 3.9% (1.45 billion tonnes of CO2 eq.) of global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and industry. Continuing with this energy policy would be very suicidal for their future in the face of the consequences of climate change.

    There is also an economic impact of fossil fuel production too, especially in Africa. Fossil fuel subsidies and investments divert resources from addressing the needs and rights of people living in poverty.

    It is well known that Africa has contributed the least to climate change but still suffers the most from its consequences. Since rich countries have historically emitted the most greenhouse gases, the goal of transitioning to renewable energy sources is an act of responsibility and justice, providing support to those most in need.

    Fossil fuel extraction leads to deforestation, habitat destruction, and water pollution, which have contributed to 1.2 million deaths in 2020, leading to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.

    In the DRC for instance, if the peatland is destroyed by the construction of roads, pipelines and other infrastructure needed to extract the oil, up to 6 billion tonnes of CO? could be released, which is the equivalent of 14 years’ worth of current UK greenhouse gas emissions.

    Through a transition to renewable energies such as wind power and solar energy, we can take control of the effects of climate change and support future generation’s sustainability moving forward.

    Africa has huge renewable energy potential – it has 60% of the world’s best solar resources, but the continent receives less than 3% of global energy investment.

    As a region that has had the smallest impact on the climate crisis but suffers significant impacts now and in the future, the international community must work with Africa to invest in its clean energy future.

    For instance, Kenya is home to the Lake Turkana Wind Project, currently the largest wind farm in Africa. Output exceeds 310 MW—enough to power 1 million homes.

    The project also attracted the largest private investment in Kenya’s history, amounting to US$650 million. For Africa to achieve its energy and climate goals, Africa needs $190 billion of investment a year between 2026 to 2030, with two-thirds of this going to clean energy.

    Fortunately, some progress has been made toward ending use of fossil fuels on a global scale. During the recent COP28 in Dubai, nearly 130 nations approved a roadmap for “transitioning away from fossil fuels“—a first for a UN climate conference—but the deal still stopped short of a long-demanded call for a “phaseout” of oil, coal, and gas.

    This is what is needed to transition away and help keep us from reaching the 1.5°C degree limit. Another shortcoming of COP28 is that there was neither a clear commitment nor a well-funded phaseout of all fossil fuels, nor was there clear funding for countries to transition to renewables and cope with escalating climate impacts.

    We have a responsibility to protect future generations and support vulnerable communities. The countries, businesses, civil society, and leaders who came together during COP28 and made this first step deal should now walk the talk.

    I can’t agree more with UN Secretary-General António Guterres who said during COP28: ‘’that a fossil fuel phaseout is inevitable, whether they like it or not. Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late.”

    Being the custodians of the planet, it is our moral duty to leave a world that is habitable for our children and our grandchildren.

    Sylvie Djacbou Deugoue is a Senior Aspen New Voices Fellow, a Policy Advocate & campaigns Builder.

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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  • Biden administration to reportedly relax EV rule on tailpipe emissions

    Biden administration to reportedly relax EV rule on tailpipe emissions

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    U.S. President Joe Biden answers questions from reporters after driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Xe around the White House driveway following remarks during an event on the South Lawn of the White House August 5, 2021 in Washington, DC. Biden delivered remarks on the administration’s efforts to strengthen American leadership on clean cars and trucks.

    Win Mcnamee | Getty Images News | Getty Images

    U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration intends to relax limits on tailpipe emissions that are designed to get Americans to move from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the plan.

    The administration would give car manufacturers more time instead of requiring them to rapidly ramp up sales of electric vehicles over the next few years, the report said, adding that the new rule could be published by early spring.

    The shift would mean that EV sales would not need to rise sharply until after 2030.

    John Bozzella, president and CEO of auto industry trade group the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI), said on Sunday that the next three or four years are critical for the development of the EV market.

    “Give the market and supply chains a chance to catch up, maintain a customer’s ability to choose, let more public charging come online, let the industrial credits and Inflation Reduction Act do their thing and impact the industrial shift,” Bozzella said.

    Reuters previously reported that the White House could enact proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulations as soon as March that would mandate dramatic reductions in tailpipe emissions. The administration proposal would require boosting U.S. EV market share to 67% by 2032 from less than 8% in 2023.

    General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis — the European parent of U.S.-based Ram and Jeep — have warned they cannot profitably transition their truck-heavy U.S. fleets that quickly, according to a Reuters analysis of automakers’ sales data and a review of comments to regulators.

    Automakers and the AAI have urged the Biden administration to slow the proposed ramp-up in EV sales. They have said EV technology is still too costly for many mainstream U.S. consumers, and more time is needed to develop the charging infrastructure.

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  • Former Finland PM Alexander Stubb wins presidential election 

    Former Finland PM Alexander Stubb wins presidential election 

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    After attending school in Finland and later the U.S., Belgium and the U.K., Stubb entered politics in 2004 as a member of the European Parliament. He hit the Finnish big time in 2008 when — to his own surprise — he was named foreign minister.

    Praised by allies for his high-energy approach to politics, he was also criticized during his time in government for his occasionally hasty statements, and was forced to apologize after being accused of swearing at a meeting of the Nordic Council, a regional cooperation body. 

    During a difficult year as prime minister in 2014 he failed to reverse his NCP’s declining popularity, and lost a parliamentary election in 2015 amid an economic slump. After a subsequent spell as finance minister he quit Finnish politics in 2017, vowing never to return.

    During the five-month presidential election campaign, observers say, Stubb earned the support of voters by demonstrating a calmer and more thoughtful demeanor during debates than had been his custom, and for being at pains to show respect for his rivals. 

    “However this election goes, it will be good for Finland,” he said in a debate with Haavisto earlier last week. 

    Stubb has said he intends to be a unifying force in Finnish society, something the country appears to need after a series of racism scandals involving government ministers and, more recently, strikes over work conditions and wages that paralyzed public services.



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    Charles Duxbury

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  • Divided panel calls for shift away from natural gas

    Divided panel calls for shift away from natural gas

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    BOSTON — A divided state commission is calling for more aggressive steps to shift Massachusetts away from its reliance on natural gas for energy, but it’s not clear if state lawmakers will take up any of the proposed changes.

    In a report to the state Legislature, the Gas System Enhancement Working Group takes more steps to shift the state’s utilities away from installing gas infrastructure in the state. In some cases, the changes include only those to one or two words in the state laws on fixing gas leaks.

    But the panel, which included state regulators, environmental groups, labor leaders and representatives of utility companies, was unable to reach a consensus on many of the proposed regulatory changes.

    One proposal called for a shift from “replacement” to “repair” of leak-prone natural gas lines, which proponents argued would save ratepayers money and accelerate the state’s transition from fossil fuels to wind, solar and other renewable energy. But the utility panelists voted against in opposition, arguing that it would compromise safety and exceed the working group’s mandate.

    “A shift in policy that prioritizes repair over replacement does not reduce the risk that leak-prone pipes pose to people, property, and the environment,” they wrote in a summary of the report. “Both cast iron and cathodically unprotected steel will continue to pose concerns as they age.”

    The panel was created under a 2014 state law that requires utilities to track and grade all gas leaks on a scale of 1 to 3, with 1 being most serious, and immediately repair the most hazardous.

    The panel’s report noted that Massachusetts gas companies are spending more than $800 million a year installing new gas mains to replace aging leak-prone pipes. The new pipes have a lifespan of 50 years and will be paid for by energy consumers in the form of higher rates, they noted.

    But the report’s authors said estimates suggest utilities will spend $34 billion on new gas infrastructure, which would not be fully paid for until 2097. They noted that as more properties are retrofitted with heat pumps to replace gas, fewer customers will be on the gas distribution system.

    “However, that gas system will still have the same number of miles of pipe, with the same fixed maintenance costs,” Audrey Schulman, a panelist and director of the Home Energy Efficiency Team, a Cambridge nonprofit, wrote in a summary of the report. “These maintenance costs will be shouldered by fewer and fewer gas customers, making the customers overall gas bills increase.”

    Schulman said the state is “wasting money and time now by installing long-lived combustion infrastructure, while knowing that combustion is going away.”

    “Instead we are investing significantly and actively in the gas and electric system at the same time, without thinking through how to synergize the work to reduce the cost and increase the speed,” she wrote.

    “It is as though we are taking out a mortgage to replace the foundation on our horse’s stable, even after we’ve ordered an electric car,” Schulman added.

    Massachusetts utilities are under increasing pressure to employ alternatives to natural gas to comply with requirements of a climate change bill approved last year that requires the state to reduce its emissions to “net-zero” of 1990 levels by 2050.

    Meanwhile, environmental groups have been prodding the state to force utilities to move away from new natural gas infrastructure as the state seeks to diversify its energy portfolio to include solar, wind and other renewable sources of power.

    But industry officials argue the state will continue to need natural gas for a large portion of its energy, even as it turns to more renewable sources.

    Roughly half of New England’s energy comes from natural gas, according to ISO New England, which oversees the regional power grid.

    Critics have also noted the pocketbook costs to consumers from replacing natural gas infrastructure in homes and businesses.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Neocolonial ISDS, Abused, Biased, Costly, and Grossly Unfair

    Neocolonial ISDS, Abused, Biased, Costly, and Grossly Unfair

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    • Opinion by Jomo Kwame Sundaram (kuala lumpur, malaysia)
    • Inter Press Service

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Feb 07 (IPS) – Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions in international trade and investment agreements – long abused by opportunists with means – are slowly being rejected by cautious governments.

    Jomo Kwame SundaramDeveloping country governments need to be much more wary of ISDS and its implications, and should urgently withdraw from existing commitments. They should expunge ISDS clauses in existing trade and investment agreements and exclude them from new ones.

    ISDS ripe for abuse
    ISDS allows a foreign investor to sue a ‘host’ government for compensation by claiming new laws, regulations and policies adversely affect expected profits, even if changed in the public interest. It involves binding arbitration without going to court.

    ISDS provisions are included in many free trade agreements (FTAs) and bilateral investment treaties (BITs). These were invoked in 84% of cases before the World Bank Group’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the most used arbitration forum. Investment contracts and national investment laws are also invoked.

    ISDS decisions are made by commercial ‘for-profit’ arbitrators prone to conflicts of interest. Foreign investors can thus seek compensation amounting to billions of dollars via a parallel legal system favouring them.

    ISDS provisions in such agreements enable foreign investors to sue governments for billions of dollars in compensation by claiming changes in national law or policy will reduce profits for their investments.

    Neocolonial ISDS
    During the colonial era, imperial authorities often used concession contracts to grant private companies exclusive rights to extract resources, such as minerals and crops, or conduct other economic operations, including building infrastructure and operating utilities.

    Investments were protected by (colonial) law, and sometimes by investment contracts after independence. Companies might negotiate contracts with governments to get better terms. A tenth of the claims before the ICSID involved such contracts.

    Thus, ISDS perpetuates a colonial pattern of privileging the interests of foreign capital. The World Bank’s Foreign Investment Advisory Service (FIAS) has long promoted including ISDS in domestic investment laws. Thirty of the 65 countries it advised enacted new laws providing for such arbitration.

    Investment treaty arbitration started as a post-colonial innovation to protect the assets of former colonial powers from newly independent states. Investment arbitration rules deliberately privilege foreign investment over national law.

    ISDS abused, biased and corrupt
    ISDS encourages abuse and corruption. As legal fees and arbitration awards tend to be very significant for developing countries, when invoked, ISDS has a chilling effect intimidating host governments, often forcing them to concede or compromise regardless of the merits of the claims.

    Nigeria was ordered to pay US$11 billion to a British Virgin Islands company, Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID). P&ID had used ISDS to claim compensation from Nigeria for allegedly breaking gas supply and processing contract.

    When P&ID initiated ISDS proceedings in August 2012, it had not even bought a site for the gas supply facility. Yet, it claimed to be ready to fulfil its contractual obligations.

    Six years later, in November 2023, the English High Court ruled the contract in dispute was obtained fraudulently via secretive practices allowed by ISDS. The Court also ruled P&ID had bribed Nigerian officials, including its legal team then, to get the contract.

    Presiding English High Court Judge Knowles expressed “puzzlement over how the Tribunal failed to notice the serious irregularities” despite various “red flags” of fraud noted by others.

    Elsewhere, Pacific Rim Mining Corp, a Canadian company, had proposed a massive gold mine in El Salvador using water-intensive cyanide ore processing. Later, it claimed the government had violated its domestic investment law by not issuing a permit for the mine.

    The ICSID ultimately rejected the company’s claim, ordering it to pay two-thirds of the US$12 million El Salvador had spent on legal fees. But the company has refused to pay.

    Wake-up call ‘down under’
    The Australian Fair Trade and Investment Network (AFTINET) advocacy group has updated its brief supporting its call for the urgent review and removal of ISDS clauses in the country’s existing foreign trade and investment agreements.

    AFTINET has specifically urged the Australian Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) to review and amend the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA).

    The Australian Labor Party government, elected in May 2022, pledged not to include ISDS in new trade agreements, and to review such provisions in current agreements. Its brief focuses on ISDS provisions used by Australian mining billionaire Clive Palmer to sue Canberra.

    Registering his Zeph Investments in Singapore, Palmer has used AANZFTA ISDS provisions to get compensation from Australia in two matters. The first is his application for an iron ore mining lease in Western Australia.

    The second is against the authorities’ refusal of coal mining permits in Queensland for environmental reasons. Palmer has also made a third claim invoking the Singapore-Australia FTA, bringing his total claims to nearly A$410 billion.

    Despite the government’s policy against ISDS, the provision was not reviewed in the amended AANZFTA. AFTINET is urging Canberra to urgently remove its exposure to ISDS cases as Palmer’s actions have made this all the more urgent.

    ISDS abuses recognised
    The Palmer case has increased concerns about ISDS, especially the abuse of lack of transparency. Arbitration processes are typically closed-door, preventing public, including forensic scrutiny of business transactions and practices.

    AFTINET notes “excessive” ISDS claims have been growing, while Judge Knowles noted the “severe abuses” of ISDS in the Nigeria v. P&ID case “driven by greed”.

    The huge compensations sought and awarded have encouraged even more “long-shot, speculative ISDS claims”. Such claims are typically based on “loose” book-keeping and dubious projections and other calculations, easily falsified by well-paid accomplices.

    While the Australian government pledges no new ISDS commitments, but also wants to get rid of earlier ones, much more vulnerable developing country governments seem quite oblivious of the huge risks they are exposing their countries to!

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service



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  • BP shares rise 6% after British oil giant announces plans to boost shareholder returns

    BP shares rise 6% after British oil giant announces plans to boost shareholder returns

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    BP in 2020 set out its ambition to become a net zero company “by 2050 or sooner.”

    Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images

    Shares of BP rose 6% on Tuesday after the oil giant accelerated the pace of its buybacks and increased its dividend, despite a drop in annual profit.

    The energy major increased the pace of its share repurchases, announcing intentions to execute a $1.75 billion share buyback prior to reporting first-quarter results. The company said it was committed to announcing a $3.5 billion share buyback for the first half of the year.

    BP also announced a dividend per ordinary share of 7.27 cents for the final three months of 2023, marking a 10% increase compared to the same period in the previous year.

    The oil giant posted underlying replacement cost profit, used as a proxy for net profit, of $13.8 billion for 2023, a steep fall from a record $27.7 billion in the previous year. Analysts had anticipated net profit of $13.9 billion for full-year 2023, according to an LSEG-compiled consensus.

    BP declared fourth-quarter net profit of nearly $3 billion, beating analyst expectations of $2.6 billion.

    As London-listed stock of the oil major soared toward the top of the pan-European Stoxx 600 index on Tuesday morning, analysts at RBC Capital Markets described BP’s commitment to share buybacks beyond the first quarter of 2024 as a “welcome positive surprise.”

    They added that BP’s plan to execute share buybacks of at least $14 billion through 2025, subject to maintaining a strong investment grade rating, was likely not expected by the market.

    “With BP putting out 2025 specific EBITDA targets, which are also above consensus expectations, the commitment on the payout front shows confidence in future delivery, we think,” RBC Capital Markets said in a research note. EBITDA refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

    ‘Real momentum’

    “Looking back, 2023 was a year of strong operational performance with real momentum in delivery right across the business,” BP CEO Murray Auchincloss said in a statement.

    “We are confident in our strategy, on delivering as a simpler, more focused and higher-value company, and committed to growing long-term value for our shareholders.”

    BP said it’s fourth-quarter results reflected strong gas trading and “significantly lower” industry refining margins. Net debt for the period stood at $20.9 billion at the end of the 2023, compared with $21.4 billion at the end of 2022.

    British rival Shell on Thursday reported stronger-than-anticipated full-year profits, announcing a 4% increase to its dividend and a fresh $3.5 billion share buyback program.

    In the U.S., Exxon Mobil and Chevron both beat quarterly earnings expectations, although their results also fell sharply compared to a year ago amid weaker fossil fuel prices.

    Strategy

    BP’s latest results come as the company faces pressure from one activist investor over its strategy.

    In a letter to BP Chair Helge Lund and then-interim CEO Murray Auchincloss in October, Bluebell Capital Partners urged the company to ramp up its oil and gas investments and reduce spending on clean energy. The letter was first reported by the Financial Times last week.

    Bluebell Capital’s Giuseppe Bivona has since expressed his frustration with BP’s “totally underwhelming” share price performance relative to the firm’s U.S. and European peers. Bivona told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Jan. 30 that BP should consider deploying its capital in a “rational way.”

    In response to the publication of the letter, a spokesperson for BP at the time said that the company “welcomes constructive engagement” with its shareholders.

    BP has also contended with a mediatized leadership change. The company appointed Murray Auchincloss as permanent CEO last month, roughly four months after his predecessor Bernard Looney resigned after less than four years on the job.

    Under Looney’s leadership, BP promised its overall emissions would be 35% to 40% lower by the end of the decade.

    The firm, which was one of the first energy giants to announce plans to cut emissions to net zero “by 2050 or sooner,” watered down these climate plans last year. BP said almost a year ago that it would instead target a 20% to 30% cut, noting that it needed to keep investing in oil and gas to meet demand.

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