Futuristic Farmers Deploy Solar Power To Farm For Microbes
Ambient air carbon capture has come in for its share of ridicule over the years, but fans of the technology finally have something to cheer about. As applied to farming, carbon can be plucked from the air to boost crop yields. All that’s needed is an assist from solar power and some other equipment. An international research team has the goods to prove it, only the crops in question ain’t no ordinary food crops.
Future Farming: Microbial Protein Edition
If you’re guessing microbial protein powder is in the mix, run right out and buy yourself a cigar. Researchers have been looking into the production of microbial protein as an energy efficient, water saving, and land conserving alternative to farming for conventional animal and plant proteins.
Microbial protein refers to just what you might think it does: tiny bits of living matter in the form of algae, yeast, fungi, or bacteria, murdered and dried into a powder.
That doesn’t sound too appetizing, but back in 2016, researchers took note that the “time has come to re‐assess the current potentials of producing protein‐rich feed or food additives in the form of algae, yeasts, fungi and plain bacterial cellular biomass, producible with a lower environmental footprint compared with other plant or animal‐based alternatives.”
They also observed that non-technological roadblocks are in the way.
“In order for microbial protein as feed or food to become a major and sustainable alternative, addressing the challenges of creating awareness and achieving public and broader regulatory acceptance are real and need to be addressed with care and expedience,” they wrote.
Sure enough, animal feed is the leading market for microbial protein today, with aquaculture being the main driver.
As for humans, microbial protein hasn’t quite caught hold in the popular imagination yet. However, it is emerging as a health supplement, so that’s a start.
Solar Power (& Carbon Capture) For Better Microbial Protein Farming
If microbial protein powder is to become the food of the future, investors need to be convinced that it is a money-maker compared to conventional crops, and that’s where the new research comes in.
Earlier this year, an international research team studied a microbial protein farming method that deploys solar power with carbon capture along with two other necessary components, land and nutrients.
“The study carried out an analysis of the energy requirements for each step, from the very start to the end product, taking into account: electricity generation (from solar panels), electrochemical production of energy-rich substrate for the microbes, microbe cultivation, harvesting, and processing the protein-rich biomass,” explained Göttingen University, which was the former home of first author on the study, Dorian Leger.
“We show that the production of microbial foods outperforms agricultural cultivation of staple crops in terms of caloric and protein yields per land area at all relevant solar irradiance levels. These results suggest that microbial foods could substantially contribute to feeding a growing population and can assist in allocating future limited land resources,” the researchers concluded.
Let’s Get Excited About The Solar Power & Protein Powder Mashup
For all the juicy details, look up “Photovoltaic-driven microbial protein production can use land and sunlight more efficiently than conventional crops” in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Meanwhile, it appears that the solar power plus carbon capture angle is not waiting around to leap the Valley of Death that can trap promising new technology in the lab forever.
Over in Finland, a startup called Solar Foods has just nailed down the first ever investment from the new Finnish Climate Fund, to the tune of €10 million. That pumps Solar Foods’s finanical profile up to a total of €35 million to commericialize its proprietary Solein® microbial protein powder.
Solar Foods appears to have taken a look back at the 2016 research, and they are not taking the public awareness angle for granted.
The company is pitching its product straight to the tech-savvy, transparency-demanding foodie of the future.
“Solar Foods has turned sci-fi into reality — it is now possible to produce nutritionally complete protein using carbon dioxide in the air and electricity as its primary raw materials,” the company enthuses, explaining that its first industrial-scale demonstrator facility in Finland will include “the Solein Experience Hub and a future-food bar to provide citizens with an entirely new level of transparency in food production.”
“We want to disconnect food production from the accelerating consumption of natural resources. It is fascinating to be part of making this happen,” they add.
As for the aesthetic experience, Solar Foods has that covered as well.
“Solein vanishes into daily meals, while at the same time maintaining its rich nutritional value and offering a unified solution that caters to virtually every imaginable meal of today and tomorrow,” explains Solar Foods CTO and co-founder Juha-Pekka Pitkänen, adding that “Our vision is to change the way food is produced. The world has hope. The food of the future is no longer a utopia, it is already being produced.”
Solar Power Plus Carbon Capture For The Sustainable The Farm Of The Future
Sweet. Don’t break out the knives and forks just yet, though. Solar Foods is looking to start operations at the new facility in 2023, so let’s take this opportunity to take a closer look at the solar power angle.
Solar Foods estimates that Solein’s comparative greenhouse gas emissions involved in Solein production are only about 1% compared to meat protein, and 20% compared to plant protein production, partly due to the use of solar power to generate electricity for ambient air carbon capture and other systems.
If you’re thinking that the emerging field of agrivoltaics could possibly come into play, that’s possible. Agrivoltaics refers to the combination of solar power with farming practices that conserve soil and build soil health. The trend has already caught on among livestock farmers, who graze sheep and cattle amongst the arrays of solar panels on their land. The solar power plus farming trend is also coming into vogue as a means of expanding pollinator habitats.
Solar Foods envisions parking its systems in deserts where regular food crops can’t grow, but in other areas the solar farm component of the system could do double duty as a host for pollinator habitats or shade-tolerant crops, providing an additional layer of sustainability pixie dust to microbial protein farming.
Solar Power & The Fourth Agricultural Revolution
Commercial agriculture has changed over the years, but solar power is always at the heart of it.
As Solar Foods explained in a recent blog post, taking things down to the cellular level is the next logical step, sustainably speaking.
“It is being called the fourth agricultural revolution. The first one taking place when humans started farming around 12,000 years ago, the second was the reorganisation of farmland after the Middle Ages, and the third (also known as the Green Revolution) was the introduction of chemical fertilisers and pesticides alongside heavy machinery and mass production from the 1950s onwards,” Solar Foods wrote.
When you put it that way, “cellular agriculture” is not even as much of a switcheroo as the transition from the Middle Ages to industrial farming. It’s just more industrial farming, fine tuned with 21st century technology including artificial intelligence, robots, gene editing, and of course, carbon capture and solar power for maximum sustainability.
Follow me on Twitter @TinaMCasey.
Image: Microbial protein farming with solar power and ambient air carbon capture courtesy of Göttingen University.
The Honda Prologue continues to surprise, ranking among the top ten most leased vehicles (gas-powered or EV) in the US in the first quarter. It was the only EV, outside of Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3, that made the list.
Honda Prologue EV is one of the most leased vehicles
After launching the Prologue in the US last March, Honda’s electric SUV took off. In the second half of the year, it was the second-best-selling electric SUV, trailing only the Tesla Model Y.
The Prologue remains a top-selling EV in the US this year, with over 13,500 units sold through May. That’s not too bad, considering it only sold 705 through May of last year.
According to a new Experian report (via Automotive News), Honda’s success is being driven by ultra-affordable lease rates. In the first quarter, nearly 60% of new EV buyers in the US chose to lease, up from just 36% a year ago.
Three EVs ranked in the top ten most leased vehicles in Q1, including the Tesla Model Y, Model 3, and Honda Prologue.
Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 took the top two spots, while the Honda Prologue ranked number seven. Those who leased Tesla’s Model 3 paid $402 per month, Honda Prologue lessees paid $486 a month.
Given the average loan rate was $708 a month for those who bought it, it’s no wonder nearly 90% chose to lease. Under 9% chose to buy, while less than 2% paid cash.
The discounts are piling up, but for how long?
To give you a better idea, the average monthly payment for a new vehicle lease in the US in the first quarter was $595.
With over $20,000 in discounts, Honda’s luxury Acura brand is selling a surprising number of EVs in the US. The nearly $65,000 Acura ZDX is sold for under $40,000 on average in May, according to Cox Automotive’s EV Market Monitor report for May.
The trend is primarily thanks to the $7,500 federal EV tax credit, which is being passed on to customers through leasing.
With the Trump administration and Senate Republicans aiming to kill off federal subsidies, the savings could soon disappear. If the Senate’s recently proposed bill is passed, the $7,500 credit would expire within 180 days. It would not only make electric vehicles more expensive, but it would also put the US further behind China and others leading the shift to electrification.
Some automakers, including GM, are expected to continue offering the incentives. “GM has been very competitive on the incentives on their end, and that is not scheduled to end.”
After outselling Ford, GM’s Chevy is now the fastest-growing EV brand in the US through May. Chevy is starting to chip away at Tesla’s lead, largely thanks to the new Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable +315 range EV,” as GM calls it.
According to Xperian, those who leased a new Chevy Equinox EV in Q1 paid $243 less than those who financed it. The electric Equinox stood out in Cox Automotive’s EV Market Monitor report with an average selling price under $40,000, even without incentives.
The Chevy Equinox EV remains one of the most affordable EVs on the market. Starting at just $34,995, the base LT FWD model offers an EPA-estimated range of 319 miles.
After Hyundai cut lease prices earlier this month, the 2025 IONIQ 5 might just take the cake. You can now lease the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 (now with a built-in NACS port) for as low as $179 per month.
Looking to test out some of the most popular EVs for yourself? With Honda Prologue leases as low as $259 per month and Chevy Equinox EV leases starting at just $289 per month, the deals are hard to pass up right now while the incentives are still here. You can use our links below to find models in your area.
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The US energy storage market just posted its strongest Q1 ever, adding more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity across all segments, according to the latest US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association (ACP).
That makes Q1 2025 the biggest first quarter for energy storage in US history.
The surge was led by utility-scale projects, which accounted for over 1.5 GW of the new capacity, a 57% jump compared to Q1 2024.
Surging energy demand is putting the electric grid under strain,” said John Hensley, SVP of markets and policy analysis at ACP. “The energy storage market is responding to help keep the lights on and support this unprecedented growth in an affordable and reliable way.”
But that momentum is now bumping up against policy uncertainty that could derail growth in the near future.
Indiana shows what’s possible
Energy storage is no longer limited to early-adopter states like California and Texas. In Q1, Indiana added 256 megawatts (MW) of new energy storage, quadrupling its total installed capacity. It now has more than 10 GW of new storage in its interconnection queue, the fifth-largest in the country.
Indiana’s growth is being driven by available land and clear permitting processes, two major barriers in other states.
“We’re now seeing significant deployment in emerging markets like Indiana, while states across the Southwest like Nevada and Arizona continue to expand their energy storage portfolio,” said Noah Roberts, VP of Energy Storage at ACP.
Home battery boom
Residential storage also set a new record, with 458 MW installed in Q1, the most ever in a single quarter. California and Puerto Rico led the way, accounting for 74% of that growth, while Illinois and other emerging markets began to pick up pace.
Trouble on the horizon
Despite a strong near-term outlook, the long-term picture is cloudier. The five-year forecast for utility-scale storage remains solid, but looming changes to federal policy could slash future growth.
If proposed changes to the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in the House’s reconciliation bill become law, the total storage buildout over five years could fall 27% below the current base case.
- Distributed storage would take the biggest hit, with a projected 46% drop.
- Utility-scale storage could shrink by 16 GW.
The CCI (community, commercial, and industrial) segment has already seen a 42% cut in its five-year outlook, weighed down by tariff risks and slow adoption of California’s NEM 3.0 rules.
The Q1 2025 results demonstrate the demand for energy storage in the US to serve a grid with both growing renewables and growing load,” said Allison Weis, global head of energy storage at Wood Mackenzie. “However, the industry stands at a crossroads, with potential policy changes threatening to disrupt this momentum.”
In the near term, the report expects 15 GW/49 GWh of new storage capacity to be installed across all segments in 2025, with utility-scale installations projected to grow 22% year-over-year. However, the utility-scale segment is at risk for a potential 29% contraction in 2026 due to policy uncertainty.
Bottom line: the energy storage boom isn’t slowing down – yet. But all eyes are on Congress.
Read more: This new San Diego battery can power 200,000 homes during peak hours
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Environment
Cadillac just delivered the first Celestiq, a hand-built ultra-luxury EV that costs $350,000
The Celestiq is more than an ultra-luxury electric sedan. Cadillac is saying it “marks a new milestone in American luxury and innovation.” The ultra-luxury EV is hand-built at Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, but it’s not cheap. Cadillac’s flagship electric sedan starts at around $350,000.
Cadillac delivers the first ultra-luxury Celestiq EV models
Cadillac is back and better than ever. After delivering the first Celestiq models to customers on Tuesday, Cadillac said it’s out to re-establish the brand as the “Standard of the World.”
The ultra-luxury electric sedan was delivered during a private event at GM’s Global Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.
Each Celestiq model is hand-built at Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, where you can customize the vehicle through a “highly personalized experience.” Cadillac designers and engineers wanted to create the most technologically advanced vehicle possible.
Although the Celestiq was first unveiled in 2022 and was expected to go into production in 2023, the ultra-luxury EV arrives with a slight increase in power.
The electric sedan features a dual-motor AWD powertrain, packing 655 horsepower and 646 lb-ft of torque (with Velocity Max), good for a 0 to 60 mph sprint in 3.7 seconds. Powered by a massive 111 kWh battery, Cadillac says its flagship EV has a range of 303 miles.
Inside, you’ll find ample screen space with a 55″ advanced interactive display that spans the entire dashboard. It’s Cadillac’s first vehicle to feature five standard HD interactive displays, including two 12.6″ entertainment screens for rear passengers.
Other interior features include a panoramic Smart Glass Roof with four independently controlled sections, a 38-speaker AKG audio system, and Climatesense, a “world first” four-zone microclimate system.
Each Celestiq is built to order and assembled at GM’s new Artisan Center on its campus in Warren, Michigan. Prices start in the “mid-$300,000 range.” You can inquire for more information on Cadillac’s website.
Electrek’s Take
Cadillac is coming off one of its best sales quarters since 2008. With a full lineup of electric SUVs, Cadillac is aiming to be the bestselling luxury EV brand in the US this year.
With the entry-level Optiq, midsize Lyriq, three-row Vistiq, and massive Escalade IQ, Cadillac offers an EV in nearly every segment.
Earlier this week, GM announced that the 2026 Cadillac Optiq will be its first vehicle to launch with a built-in NACS port, allowing it to access Tesla’s Supercharger network.
Although Cadillac said the Celestiq would help re-establish the brand as the “Standard of the World,” it will likely play only a minor role. The Optiq, Lyriq, Vistiq, and Escalade IQ will be the growth drivers over the next few years in a competitive luxury EV market.
GM said over 75% of Optiq buyers were new to Cadillac last month. After delivering the first models in late 2024, Cadillac sold over 1,700 Optiqs in the first quarter, outpacing Mercedes-Benz, Genesis, and other luxury rivals in the US.
Looking to test out Cadillac’s new electric SUVs for yourself? We can help you get started. Check out our links below to find Cadillac Optiq, Lyriq, Vistiq, and Escalade IQ models available in your area.
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