#fossil fuel infrastructure

[feckcops]

‘Very disturbing’: crackdown on oil pipeline protests in Uganda concerns UN rights expert

“In mid-September, four dozen university students marched through Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, to deliver a petition to parliament calling on the government to end fossil fuel investments and scrap the 900-mile east Africacrude oil pipeline (Eacop) ... Police officers refused to let them enter parliament. Most were chased away, but four male students were corralled under a table near the main entrance, where they say police kicked and punched them, and beat them with wood.

“After the beatings, the students were handcuffed and taken to a police station, where they say officers accused them of having been paid to protest against the pipeline. The four students spent the weekend in one of the city’s most notorious and overcrowded prisons, before being charged with public nuisance and released on bail.

“‘Young people are the majority in our country and we are the most vulnerable to the climate crisis. But anyone rising up against Eacop is facing the brutal wrath of the regime,’ said Magambo, who suffered a dislocated ankle and damage to his left eardrum. ‘It is a laughable case, but they want to keep us busy in court so that we can’t organize and protest. But we have to join the global community’s fight against fossil fuels,’ he said.

“Last month’s arrests were the latest in a wave of criminal charges and other judicial harassment against activists and organizations, raising concerns about the environmental and social impacts of the east African pipeline – which is one of the largest fossil fuel projects under construction in the world.”

[nando161mando]

[wachinyeya]

Australia has reached the 'electrification tipping point,' making electric alternatives cheaper over 15 years compared to gas appliances and petrol vehicles.

Households switching from gas to electric appliances can save an average of $4,100 per year over 15 years, factoring in upfront costs.

Electric vehicles are now the lowest cost option for driving, with potential savings of $17,000 over 15 years compared to petrol cars.

Mar 31, 2025

[blatentmisinformation]

Asphalt was created by accident during early experiments to produce an edible product using waste oil found during coal mining.

[tomorrowusa]

Russia makes money primarily off of fossil fuels. It does have decent agricultural exports but those alone could not pay for Putin's war machine. So disrupting Russia's oil and gas industry is a way of reducing the country's revenue which allows it to conduct an illegal war of aggression.

Hostile drones have been winding their way across the Russian landscape this winter, striking refineries and related oil and gas infrastructure all the way from the Baltic Sea in the northwest to the Black Sea in the southwest. Drones attacked both the Ilsky and Afipsky refineries in Russia's Krasnodar region, east of occupied Crimea, on Feb. 9, less than a week after another refinery in Volgograd, the largest in southern Russia, was hit. Further attacks have struck other refineries and oil depots near the Ukrainian border, as well as much deeper into Russian territory. Though Ukraine does not typically confirm its actions outside its borders and Russia has not officially acknowledged drones were the cause of these incidents, media reports have identified Kyiv's hand in the attacks occurring with regularity as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark. Analysts say the drone attacks are demonstrating that oil and gas targets of economic significance are not out of reach, even far from the front lines of the war. 

The late Sen. John McCain nailed it.

Late U.S. Senator John McCain once derisively described Russia as being "a gas station masquerading as a country" — a jibe underlining the critical importance of oil and gas products to Moscow. Indeed, Russia draws heavily on its resource reserves to support the state. The International Energy Agency says Russia's oil and gas export revenues accounted for 45 per cent of its federal budget in 2021.

Of course a lot of that fossil fuel money gets siphoned off by corrupt oligarchs who use it to purchase superyachts and expensive real estate in Western countries.

A January attack on a Novatek facility in Ust-Luga halted gas processing operations there for several weeks. The plant processes gas condensate into various fuel products that are exported to customers in Turkey and Asia, according to Reuters. Sergey Vakulenko, a former strategy executive at Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of the larger Russian energy firm, believes the Ust-Luga episode may illustrate a bigger problem for Russia than a temporary disruption to production at a single facility. In a recent analysis published online, Vakulenko reasoned that if small drones can get all the way to Ust-Luga, which is hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, there are some 18 Russian refineries at risk of being targeted, and they account for more than half the country's refinery production. He's not the only analyst noticing this concern for Russia's refineries.

And because hundreds of thousands of competent Russians have (wisely) fled the country and others are being used as cannon fodder for Putin's war, it takes longer to repair facilities damaged by Ukraine.

And the fossil fuel industry mostly has to fend for itself.

Maxim Starchak, an independent expert on the Russian defence and nuclear industry, says regulations have been put in place to restrict drones from flying close to "the most significant fuel and energy sector facilities" and operators are using electronic warfare systems to defend against drone threats. But Starchak said Russian energy firms must foot the bill for expenses related to defence of their facilities. "Moscow will not specifically help," he said, noting Russian authorities may hold firms accountable for not putting measures in place to protect their facilities.

So that burden cuts down on revenue as it adds to the cost of doing business.

One thing Ukraine has been innovative at is drone technology. It's become one of the world's leaders at that.

As Ukraine continues to fight to repel Russian forces from its lands, its military leaders have signalled drones and related technology will be needed to win the war that seems to have no end in sight.

And Western countries find it easier to provide additional drones to Ukraine than to send tanks and cruise missiles.

So Russian convict troops can luxuriate in the ruins of Avdiivka while their oil refineries back home get blown up by Ukraine.

EDIT: Speaking of fuel, just saw this at NPR.

Putin's regime is 'running out of fuel,' a Russian opposition activist tells NPR

[matthewgallaway]

The beach was as beautiful as ever but it was mind-blowing in a bad way to know that the reason it’s so wide is because the government (to protect the adjacent millionaire homes) is spending literally billions of dollars to dredge sand from the bottom of the ocean and drop it on the beach, where it will be washed away in a few years.

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Otrdien seminārā “Elektrisko transportlīdzekļu integrācija elektrotīklos un ēkās” Klimata un enerģētikas ministrijas enerģētikas tirgus departamenta direktors Gunārs Valdmanis vēstījis, ka Latvijas energosistēmas tīkls ir gatavs elektrotransporta pieaugumam(..)

The Latvian electric grid is ready for the growth of electric transport

On Tuesday, at the seminar "Integration of electric vehicles in power grids and buildings", the director of the energy market department of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, Gunārs Valdmanis, announced that the Latvian energy system network is ready for the growth of electric transport(..)

P.S. Unlike expensive fossil fuel imports, Latvia has enough renewable energy resources to produce cheap electricity to power all electric vehicles.

[dotx-pk]

PM Pushes for Swift EV Policy to Cut Fossil Fuel Dependence

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is pushing for a faster transition to electric vehicles in Pakistan, aiming to decrease the country’s dependence on traditional fossil fuels. He recently instructed officials to finalize the Electric Vehicles (EV) Policy 2025 and present it to the federal cabinet for approval without delay. This directive came during a high-level meeting held on Saturday, where the���

[meteorologistaustenlonek]

"According to the report, new design standards will improve the resilience of critical infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and buildings, to withstand the effects of climate change. The workshop identified six major climate hazards that require updated engineering standards: Extreme temperatures, rainfall and flooding, snow loads, wind hazards, shifting earth materials, and compound flooding."

[clown-machine]

only in TFA? and some of the movies I think? most of the time they run on Energon, which changes forms in different continuities and media.

Most of the other tf fans in the notes are just saying 'no they run on energon, duh', but I think that only answers one of the questions here. Would Captain Planet think they're friends just because the fuel they use isn't a fossil fuel from earth? Sometimes energon is just a magical/scifi physical manifestation of electrical power and can be harvested from renewable resources(like g1 where they got it from dams and power plants and such). Other times it is a finite resource of magical crystals or glowing liquid that needs to be mined (series in the Aligned continuity and a lot of assorted media use energon as a source of the Autobot/Decepticon war in the first place, it's finite and Cybertron is DYING from energon harvesting). Also there might be some continuities where energon itself is a renewable resource or has sustainable alternatives? (synth en in TFP and some post-war comics touch on this, as well as Earthspark's Terrans running from a new fuel that seems to be generated by Earth through magic.)

Energon is usually shown to be clean-burning or at least have less exhaust than is typical of gasoline irl (That is probably mainly due to animation simplification, but optimus will usually have one or two moments spitting smoke from his exhaust pipes per series, as if he runs diesel like a real semi truck.) Energon seems to usually work as a combustible fuel (it explodes), but then again its not really clear how much of transformer physiology is electronic and how much is mechanical, but I don't think any series have stated transformers have a separate battery like cars do so I think it all is supposed to be powered by energon? Sure a transformer can scan and change vehicle mode to an electric model, but they would still be taking in energon and utilizing that resource the same as someone with a diesel or even coal-burning alt mode! (I dont know all that much about cars and i dont know every tf series feel free to correct me.)

Captain Planet would probably have a different opinion series to series, but for the most part he would have to contend with the fact that the Transformers are sentient alien lifeforms without the ability to change fuel source; their carbon emissions are a necessity of life like animal methane production. So unless energon in that context is clean and sustainable/has clean and sustainable alternatives, they could very well be enemies that Captain Planet feels the need to destroy.

[wat3rm370n]

Tech tycoons want to hog the power of dedicated power plants from the communities impacted by them.

HEATED AI is guzzling gas Big Tech is paying for gas plants and pipelines to directly power data centers, threatening global climate goals. Arielle Samuelson Dec 19, 2024 And they increasingly propose keeping those projects separate from the grid, fast tracking gas infrastructure at a speed that can’t be matched by renewables or nuclear. New pipelines and gas plants, built specifically for AI The growth of AI has been called the “savior” of the gas industry. In Virginia alone, the data center capital of the world, a new state report found that AI demand could add a new 1.5 gigawatt gas plant every two years for 15 consecutive years. And now, as energy demand for AI rises, oil corporations are planning to build gas plants that specifically serve data centers. Last week, Exxon announced that it is building a large gas plant that will directly supply power to data centers within the next five years. The company claims the gas plant will use technology that captures polluting emissions—despite the fact that the technology has never been used at a commercial scale before.

Letter to Reps:  

I don’t think power plants should ever exist solely to provide power to some tech company. The infrastructure needs and the living environment of the local population should always come first. 

Energy production pollution for no purpose other than cryptocurrency. Power plant is burning coal waste, burning construction debris, and planning to burn rubber. Chloe Humbert Nov 08, 2024

[mkcecollege]

Role of Renewable Energy Systems in Sustainable Urbanization

Sustainable urban development is crucial as cities expand and energy demands grow. Renewable energy systems, such as solar, wind, and hydropower, offer cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels, helping reduce carbon footprints and combat climate change. MKCE focuses on educating students through hands-on projects, equipping them to design and implement efficient energy systems. These systems provide economic benefits, enhance energy security, and improve public health by reducing air pollution. Despite challenges like high initial costs and infrastructure gaps, innovations like smart grids and energy storage are transforming urban energy management. MKCE prepares students to tackle these challenges and contribute to global sustainability goals. The adoption of renewable energy is essential for achieving a cleaner, healthier future. Through education and innovation, MKCE plays a key role in shaping future leaders in renewable energy. The integration of renewable energy is vital for building resilient and sustainable cities. Together, we can transition to a greener, more sustainable urban future. To Know More : https://mkce.ac.in/blog/the-role-of-renewable-energy-systems-in-sustainable-urban-development/

[wordforests]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2024/09/17/norway-electric-vehicles-exceed-gasoline/

By Nicolás Rivero

Updated September 17, 2024 at 2:10 p.m. EDT|Published September 17, 2024 at 1:42 p.m. EDT

Norway is the first country in the world with more electric vehicles than gas-powered cars on the road, according to vehicle registration data the Norwegian road federation, known as OFV, released Tuesday.

Of the 2.8 million passenger cars registered in the country, 26.3 percent are fully electric, just edging out the share of gas vehicles. Diesel remains the most common vehicle type, making up more than a third of Norwegian vehicle registrations.

“The electrification of the passenger car fleet is keeping a high pace, and Norway is moving rapidly towards becoming the first country in the world with a passenger car fleet dominated by electric cars,” OFV Director Oyvind Solberg Thorsen saidin a statement. He predicted EVs will outnumber diesel cars by 2026..."

[touchaheartnews]

Challenges Facing the Rollout of CNG Vehicles: An Investigation

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles have been promoted as a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles. As countries worldwide push for greener transportation solutions to address climate change, reduce air pollution, and decrease dependence on fossil fuels, CNG has emerged as a promising option. However, despite its potential, the widespread…