Global Climate News

The United States hosted a technical program on Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) from March 3-5, 2025, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX. The event featured presentations and discussions on various themes including subsurface storage, site selection, injectivity challenges, and global CCUS implementation. Companies like Net Power, ExxonMobil, and Chevron participated, highlighting advancements in CO2 storage and utilization technologies. The program also included discussions on policy innovations for CCUS in India and a model for developing oil and gas regions globally, such as the Niger Delta.

Researchers at MIT assessed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) options for six Latin American countries. Under an ambitious scenario, SAF could reduce aviation emissions by 60% by 2050, requiring $204 billion in investment. The study recommends government policies to support SAF production and a regional collaboration to achieve decarbonization goals.

US-based data centers consumed over 4% of the nation's electricity in 2023, projected to reach 9% by 2030. This surge in demand, driven by AI, is causing delays in coal plant closures and impacting clean energy transitions. Companies like Microsoft and Amazon are partnering with nuclear plants, while others explore SMRs and renewable energy sources to meet their sustainability goals. MIT is researching energy-efficient data center designs and clean energy solutions.

Chile's InvestChile agency reported a record US\$56.2 billion in foreign investment projects in 2024, a 68% increase from 2023. Green hydrogen projects accounted for US\$25.6 billion of this total. The energy sector led with US\$36.8 billion in investment, followed by mining (US\$8.6 billion) and global services (US\$5.4 billion). The United States was the leading source country with US\$20.5 billion in investment.

US-based researchers have found that winters in and around the Great Lakes are about 14 days shorter than they were in 1995. This was determined using subsurface temperature readings from buoys and thermistor strings in Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior, and comparing it to five years of air temperatures. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, highlights how climate change is affecting seasons in the Great Lakes.

A team of researchers at MIT has developed a new method for producing ammonia underground using Earth's natural heat and pressure, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The process involves injecting water with nitrogen and a catalyst into iron-rich rocks, generating hydrogen that reacts with nitrogen to form ammonia. This could reduce global CO2 emissions by up to 1 percent.

US-based Bloom Energy's 2025 Data Center Power Report predicts a 35 GW increase in data center capacity in the next five years. The report highlights that approximately 30% of data center sites are expected to use onsite power as a primary energy source by 2030, driven by the increasing demand from AI and cloud computing.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts benchmark Brent crude oil prices to fall from $81 per barrel in 2024 to $74 per barrel in 2025 and $66 per barrel in 2026. This is due to strong global growth in petroleum production, slower demand growth, and OPEC+ production restraint. Uncertainty remains regarding OPEC+ policies, U.S. production sensitivity to price changes, and global oil consumption growth.

Canadian PyroGenesis Inc. received a CA$1.04 million payment for milestones reached under a CA$4.1 million contract with a US aeronautics and defense client. A second contract for a $27 million plasma torch was also signed with the same client. PyroGenesis' plasma torches are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The president's new executive order would allow more LNG export facility approvals. Gillian Giannetti, senior attorney at NRDC, criticized the decision, stating that expanding LNG production deepens reliance on fossil fuels and contributes to climate pollution, harms public health, and increases energy costs.

Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart and her executives are seeking investment opportunities in the US, particularly in mining, oil and gas, and agriculture. They cite Australia's regulatory environment and high electricity prices as reasons for seeking investment elsewhere. Rinehart has publicly supported Donald Trump and criticized the Australian government's energy and resource development policies.

The US AI sector's explosive growth is driving a massive increase in energy and rare earth mineral demand. President Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland and Canada is linked to securing these resources, crucial for AI development and reducing reliance on China. The growth of the US AI sector is projected to reach 223.61 billion USD in 2030, representing 14.19% of the US GDP. This growth fuels a demand for semiconductors, with Nvidia's market value reaching 3.2 trillion USD in 2024.

US-based Ameren Corporation has announced over $70,000 in community support for five southeast Missouri organizations. This includes a $25,000 grant to Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri for neighborhood revitalization, $20,000 to Bootheel Regional Planning Commission for blight identification, $10,000 to Community Counseling Center for social-emotional learning, $5,000 to Semo Alliance for Disability Independence for adaptive bicycles, and $10,000 to Friends of Park Committee for recycling program development. The grants come from Ameren's Charitable Trust, funded by corporate earnings.

Canadian PyroGenesis Inc. received a US\$1.28 million (CA\$1.85 million) payment from a Saudi Arabian client, Radian Oil and Gas Services Company, for seven Drosrite™ aluminum dross recovery systems. Three systems are fully operational at Ma’aden’s aluminum plant (a joint venture with Alcoa) in Ras Al-Khair, Saudi Arabia, and the remaining four are being delivered.

Taiwan's National Central University (NCU) successfully launched its first lunar mission, the Deep Space Radiation Probe (DSRP), aboard the Japanese lunar lander HAKUTO-R Mission 2 via SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. The 399-gram probe, built by NCU faculty and students, is designed to withstand harsh radiation and shocks during its four-month journey to the moon. The mission aims to measure radiation doses between Earth and the moon to better prepare for future human missions.

MIT researchers have explored the significant environmental impact of generative AI, highlighting its substantial electricity and water consumption, especially in data centers. The study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and societal costs of generative AI, considering the energy used for training and deploying models like GPT-3, and the environmental impact of manufacturing and transporting high-performance computing hardware.

China saw a remarkable 40% on-year increase in EV sales in 2024, with over 11 million units sold. Global EV sales reached 17.1 million units, a 25% year-over-year increase. In India, over 2 million EV units were sold in 2024, primarily two-wheelers. North American EV sales grew by 9% year-over-year, while Europe experienced a 3% decline.

The Canadian government held a briefing with industry stakeholders on Canada-U.S. economic issues, focusing on potential U.S. tariffs. Canada is the top energy supplier to the U.S., with bilateral energy trade totaling US\$153.7 billion in 2023. The Canadian government is prepared to respond swiftly to any tariffs imposed by the U.S.

US-based Ameren Corporation facilitated 68 projects in 2024, resulting in over 2,700 new jobs and more than \$3.6 billion in capital investments across Missouri and Illinois. Partnerships with companies like Boeing (100% renewable electricity), Western Smokehouse Partners, and Manner Polymers (on-site solar field) highlight sustainable practices. Ameren was also recognized as one of Business Facilities Magazine’s 2025 Top Utilities for Economic Development.

US-based Stem, Inc. appointed Arun Narayanan as its new CEO, effective January 27, 2025. Narayanan has over 25 years of software experience in oil and gas and renewable energy. He previously served as CEO of RES Digital Solutions, driving digital transformation in renewables. Stem aims to accelerate its software and services strategy to advance clean energy.