Sustainability Weekly
Fridays are for…
Nuclear Energy, Green Microgrids, Carbon Sequestration, and more!
by Alli DiGiacomo
Happy Friday! This week as part of Women's History Month, I want to highlight one of my favorite women in sustainability, Ellen MacArthur. A British sailor-turned-environmental advocate, she founded the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in 2010 to advocate for a transition to a circular economy, a system that eliminates waste and keeps resources in continuous use. EMF works with big companies like Google, Unilever, and IKEA, as well as policymakers, to rethink how we make and use products. Instead of the old “take, make, waste” model, they encourage ways to reuse, recycle, and regenerate materials. They also focus on education and research to spread the idea worldwide, helping industries shift toward more sustainable and circular practices. Check out EMF’s website and their take on why design has the power to shape a circular economy here.
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T H I S W E E K ’ S T O P S T O R I E S
MAJOR TECH COMPANIES PLEDGE TO TRIPLE GLOBAL NUCLEAR ENERGY BY 2050
At CERAWeek 2025, major companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Dow pledged to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050, joining 14 financial institutions, 140 nuclear firms, and 31 countries. This initiative, led by the World Nuclear Association, is the first time large energy-consuming businesses outside the nuclear sector have publicly backed an extensive expansion of nuclear power. Companies signing the pledge emphasize nuclear energy’s role in enhancing energy security, resilience, and sustainability, advocating for equal access to financing for nuclear projects. Google’s Lucia Tian highlighted nuclear’s importance in providing continuous clean power, while Amazon’s Brandon Oyer stressed its role in national security and climate change mitigation, recalling Amazon’s $1 billion investment in nuclear projects. They also highlighted nuclear’s potential beyond electricity generation, such as supporting sectors like technology, manufacturing, oil and gas, and industrial heating. This commitment is not only historic but signals a growing industry-wide demand and support for nuclear energy and decarbonization.
HOW TOXIC MINING WASTE CAN HELP REMOVE CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE
A Newfoundland company, BAIE Minerals, plans to process asbestos mining waste to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere while extracting critical minerals. This process occurs when magnesium-rich ultramafic rock, left over from asbestos mining (typically discarded as waste) naturally reacts with CO₂ to form stable magnesium carbonate, effectively trapping the greenhouse gas in solid form. But this process is slow, so other companies worldwide, like Arca and Exterra, are also exploring methods to speed up this process using heat, chemicals, and robotics. A 2022 report by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory estimated that existing asbestos tailings in Canada and the United States have the potential to remove up to 750 million tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere.
While there are concerns about health risks if asbestos fibers are disturbed, if properly harnessed, this approach not only helps with carbon sequestration but also addresses the environmental and health hazards associated with asbestos waste, which would reduce contamination risks in mining-affected areas, and has economic benefits. BAIE Minerals plans to establish a demonstration project at the community college in Baie Verte this year.
HOW GREEN MICROGRIDS ARE POWERING A MORE RESILIENT FUTURE
Across the U.S., green microgrids are emerging as a resilient solution to power outages, using cleaner and more reliable energy. Traditional backup power systems rely on diesel generators, but microgrids work as independent energy sources by integrating solar panels, battery storage, and smart management systems. This keeps homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure powered in times of need. One example is the Blue Lake Rancheria, a Native American reservation in Northern California. After a devastating earthquake in 2022, the tribe seamlessly powered its facilities using its microgrid, a system developed in collaboration with the Schatz Energy Research Center and other partners. The Rancheria’s initial $6.3 million microgrid was installed in 2016 and has now ended up saving the tribe money. Currently, a new $177 million expansion project will extend solar capacity to 20,000 kilowatts and link multiple tribal communities with a 142-mile distribution circuit, reinforcing regional energy resilience. Another example is when Hurricane Beryl struck Texas, leaving 3 million people without power for a week in 100+ degree temperatures, one microgrid company, Enchanted Rock, operated 140 microgrids simultaneously, totaling 210 mWh. This helped grocery stores keep thousands of dollars of product from spoiling and medical centers lights on to keep working on disaster relief.
Installations in the U.S. have grown 170% over the past decade as hospitals, businesses, and communities are installing microgrids. Solar panel prices have decreased 90% and battery storage decreased 80% over the past decade as well. Companies are leveraging microgrids not only for backup power but also for economic benefits, using stored energy to manage costs and support grid stability. As climate change intensifies, microgrids are proving to be a vital component of a more resilient, low-carbon energy future.
MORE IN SUSTAINABILITY NEWS
How a third generation driller transitions from oil and gas to geothermal.
Florida is now a solar superpower. Here’s how it happened.
Data centers are overwhelming the grid. Could they help it instead?
In Trump’s new purge of climate language, even ‘resilience’ isn’t safe.
Cuts to clean energy tax credits will harm North Carolina, advocates say.
Texas broke its solar, wind, and battery records in one week.
The company behind the UK’s first new nuclear plant to be built in 20 years is considering installing 288 underwater speakers in a nearby river to deter fish from entering the plant’s water intake system. This “fish disco” would generate sounds that are louder than a jumbo jet 24 hours a day for 60 years.
Three people bought an abandoned high school for $100K and converted it into 31-unit housing.
What we've learned about cleaning up major oil spills since Deepwater Horizon.
Turning Invasive Seaweed into ‘Gold’.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration laid off more than 1,000 people as part of the Trump administration's workforce reduction plan; the agency's duties include collecting data to monitor and predict storms, coastal restoration, and more. This includes the NOAA scientists helping whales and offshore wind coexist.
Insurers are worried that the NOAA cuts will make it harder for them to forecast natural disaster risks like hurricanes, where the difference of a few miles or degrees can be a matter of life or death.
Take a look at the welcoming climate shelters of Barcelona.