The US is on a local weather tech spending spree. Over the previous 12 months, federal motion has put aside tons of of billions of {dollars} for power and local weather. Now, we’re beginning to see a few of that cash really get handed out.

The Division of Power introduced about $2.8 billion in grants to firms working to make battery supplies and elements within the US final week, becoming a member of what looks as if an infinite stream of bulletins from firms constructing EV and battery manufacturing within the US over the previous a number of months.

However whereas that is an thrilling first step to getting extra batteries constructed within the US, these deliberate services are in a deceptively small a part of the battery provide chain—and danger stealing focus from different essential, early levels of the provision chain too. Learn the complete story.

—Casey Crownhart

Casey’s story is from The Spark, her new weekly e-newsletter overlaying all issues power and local weather. Join to obtain it in your inbox each Wednesday.

Delve again into a few of Casey’s most up-to-date points:

• Why scientists wish to assist vegetation seize extra carbon dioxide. Casey sat down with Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist on the College of California, to listen to extra about her new plan to make use of superior genetics for carbon removing on farmland. Learn the complete story.
• How hydrogen and electrical energy can clear up heavy trade. “Onerous-to-Clear up Sectors” is a time period that’s more and more bandied round on the subject of applied sciences designed to deal with the local weather disaster. However what does the time period imply, precisely? Learn the complete story.
• Inside a battery recycling facility. Casey took a visit to Reno, Nevada, to go to an enormous new battery recycling facility from Redwood Supplies earlier than it opens its doorways. Learn the complete story.

The must-reads

I’ve combed the web to seek out you right now’s most enjoyable/necessary/scary/fascinating tales about know-how.

1 Elon Musk is edging nearer in direction of shopping for Twitter
If the deal closes on Friday, he’ll turn out to be extra highly effective than ever. (NYT $)
+ In his idiosyncratic trend, Musk arrived at Twitter HQ with a sink. (WP $)
+ He seems to have modified his thoughts about slicing jobs. (Bloomberg $)
+ Right here’s how the deal has unfolded over the previous 10 months. (Insider $)

2 Meta is a large number proper now
Fb’s not wanting wholesome, and it’s nonetheless ready for the metaverse to catch on. (NY Magazine $)
+ Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse gamble will preserve shedding cash. (Bloomberg $)
+ He doesn’t appear to thoughts that an excessive amount of, nevertheless. (Insider $)
+ Meta’s market worth has plunged by greater than $65 billion. (The Guardian)

3 Our urge for food for fossil fuels is predicted to peak by 2035
The struggle in Ukraine has accelerated the swap to cleaner power. (New Scientist $)
+ The US company in command of creating fossil fuels has a radical new job. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)

4 Recycling EV batteries is undoubtedly difficult
Devoted gigafactories might be our greatest wager. (Economist $)

5 China’s entrepreneurs are going through robust decisions
They will keep in an more and more hostile China, or danger it abroad. (WSJ $)
+ A professional-China group is clumsily attempting to unfold US election disinfo. (Wired $)
+ How the false rumor of a Chinese language coup went viral. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)

6 Puerto Rico’s energy grid by no means absolutely recovered from Hurricane Maria
Residents are nonetheless tormented by energy outages 5 years later. (The Verge)
+ How Google alerted folks to an earthquake earlier than it occurred. (Wired $)
+ Predicting—and getting ready for—the worst. (MIT Expertise Evaluate)

7 A mysterious particle appeared following an area explosion
Specialists hope it might show the existence of darkish matter. (Quanta Journal)