Good morning. Here are today’s much-needed stories of progress:

🧪 Transforming carbon into ethanol

Scientists have discovered a way to capture carbon dioxide and turn it into ethanol. Since ethanol can be used as fuel, again releasing carbon dioxide, this creates a circular system. The technique involves using cobalt to break the bonds between CO2, and copper to turn the resulting carbon monoxide into ethanol. The experiment was successful in a carbon-saturated environment, rather than with atmospheric carbon, and was 80% effective. 

🌾 Growing recognition of regenerative agriculture’s potential

There’s mounting evidence that regenerative agriculture is the way forward for both tackling the climate crisis and feeding the world. These ancient practices focus on improving soil health – soil is a potent absorber of carbon – and include rotating crops and planting cover crops between harvests to absorb excess fertilizer and release nutrients. Although these techniques are powerful at combating the climate impacts of farming, it can take years before farmers see financial benefits, so advocates in the US are arguing that they should be offered incentives to take the jump.

🚌 Turning bus depots into local energy hubs

Electric buses are pivotal for decarbonizing cities, but all that power needs to come from somewhere, and puts a heavy burden on the grid. Research into Beijing’s 27,000-strong bus fleet suggests that bus depots can be turned into mini solar farms. By producing more energy than they consume, these hubs could go beyond just charging up the buses, and help to stabilize the grid.