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bingo plus fortune gems Large scale hydrogen storage sites could reduce customer energy costs by £1bn per year A landmark report by Centrica and FTI Consulting has confirmed the vital role that hydrogen can play in delivering a secure, decarbonised electricity system. The report found that a future energy system without an established hydrogen market would leave the UK at risk of huge swings in electricity generation from renewables, with no way of addressing the shortfalls and the surplus. By 2050, there could be excess electricity generation, driven by renewables around 15% of the time. Electricity generation from renewables could also rise or fall by as much as 100GW over the course of a single day making it incredibly difficult to balance the grid. Group Chief Executive of Centrica, said: Not only would hydrogen storage and transportation help address these issues, but the report also found that large scale hydrogen storage could reduce customer energy costs by as much as £1bn per year by 2050. The UK currently has the lowest levels of energy storage of the world’s major economies. While the UK has committed to net zero by 2050 and made more progress towards this ambition than other major economies, significant delivery challenges remain. By providing a means of storing energy over a longer period of time, and transporting energy over a greater distance, hydrogen can address the major issues with renewable generation – intermittency and curtailment. For this to be successful, the report found that the development of a hydrogen transportation network and sufficient large-scale storage facilities will be necessary. Repurposing underground gas pipes to be used as a hydrogen transport network would create an underground ‘superhighway’ to move renewable electricity as hydrogen gas. This could also reduce the volume of above ground electricity transmission infrastructure needed and significantly reduce the cost of net zero for consumers. Increased dependence on renewable generation will introduce greater supply volatility and increase cost on both a daily and seasonal basis. The report illustrates that making hydrogen when there is excess energy that can be stored and used when the wind isn’t blowing, and the sun isn’t shining, will be an essential part of the solution required to balance intermittent renewables. The report took a ‘whole-systems approach’ to explore a net zero future, reviewing all available and established methods for decarbonising the UK. Its publication comes as the National Energy System Operator (NESO) has been tasked with ensuring a secure and affordable future British energy system and planning for Britain’s electricity and gas networks. It concluded that both salt caverns and depleted gas fields will be required for hydrogen storage, with salt caverns being used for short term responses, and depleted gas fields, such as Rough, used for longer term storage. The modelling illustrates how both types of storage would work together to ensure hydrogen was in the right place, at the right time. Group Chief Executive of Centrica said: “What this report clearly demonstrates is the vital importance of hydrogen in decarbonising the UK’s energy system. By providing a way to store excess electricity, hydrogen will be crucial to managing more intermittency. We now have a blueprint for the role that hydrogen could play as a very big battery in a net zero energy system, providing electricity when the wind doesn’t blow, and the sun doesn’t shine. All we need now is the green light from regulators and the government to unlock £2bn of investment to transform our existing Rough storage facility to become the world’s biggest hydrogen storage facility and start building out the energy system of the future.” Centrica has offered to invest £2bn in upgrading and redeveloping the Rough gas storage facility. The site is currently responsible for 50% of the UK’s gas storage but requires significant investment to enable it to store hydrogen. To unlock the £2bn investment in the facility, Centrica requires a cap and floor model for the asset, similar to the model used for other forms of long-duration energy storage. If the facility had been able to operate at maximum capacity over the peak of the energy crisis (a scenario unreachable without regulatory certainty) it would have saved UK consumers over £5bn. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Large scale hydrogen storage sites could reduce customer energy costs by £1bn per year, UK Oil & Gas PLC – Placing and Retail Offer to fund new hydrogen storage site UK Oil & Gas PLC (London AIM: UKOG) is pleased to announce that it has successfully raised gross proceeds of £0.5 million... SoCalGas, GKN Hydrogen and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory Begin Innovative Solid State Hydrogen Storage Demonstration Project LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Southern California Gas Co... TNO – Dutch consortium participates in EU research project on large-scale hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields In the future energy system, which is primarily going to rely on wind and solar power, large-scale...In a significant boost to the construction sector, Senior Provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon and Provincial Minister for Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah attended the Sindh Premium Property Building Material and Home Decor Exhibition as chief guests at Abdullah Mall Qasimabad, Hyderabad. Addressing the event, Senior Provincial Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon emphasized the importance of promoting trade in the country, which will provide employment opportunities and improve the lives of poor families. He assured that the government will provide all possible support to the construction sector, aiming to promote trade and increase investor confidence. Sharjeel Inam Memon highlighted the Sindh government’s ambitious project to build 2.1 million houses, the largest such project, in collaboration with international donors. He noted that every individual desires to own a home, and the Sindh Government is committed to providing the best possible support to the people of the province. The Information Minister also underscored the significance of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in addressing the problems of the poor and marginalized segments and credited the PPP with numerous achievements, including the establishment of a constitution of Pakistan, nuclear power, and a strong parliament. He praised the contributions of Shaheed Quaid-e-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who played a pivotal role in making Pakistan a nuclear power. He also acknowledged the achievements of Shaheed Bibi, and Benazir Bhutto, who introduced missile technology, established the First Women’s Bank, and initiated the Lady Health Workers Program. Memon further said that by highlighting the PPP’s commitment to democracy and the abolition of the 58 2B clause, which was transferred to parliament by President Asif Ali Zardari. Provincial Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has praised the visionary leadership of President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, who played a pivotal role in introducing the 18th Amendment, thereby empowering the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwan. Minister noted that national leaders like Asif Zardari have always understood the plight of the people and have worked tirelessly to address their deprivations. He also highlighted the instrumental role of President Zardari in launching the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a game-changing project that has transformed the economic landscape of Pakistan. Furthermore, he commended Chairman Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his courageous stance on the Kashmir issue, despite facing opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s unwavering commitment to the rights of Kashmiris has earned him widespread acclaim. In his address, Sharjeel Inam also shed light on the numerous initiatives undertaken by the Sindh government to uplift the lives of its citizens. These include the construction of 2.1 million houses, the introduction of Hari cards for farmers, and labour cards for labourers. Additionally, the Sindh government is providing free medical treatment to people from all over Pakistan. The provincial minister also highlighted the establishment of cadet colleges for women, a significant step towards promoting women’s education and empowerment. Moreover, he emphasized the importance of Thar coal in generating thousands of megawatts of electricity, which will help alleviate the country’s energy crisis. Provincial Minister for Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, who also addressed the ceremony, praised the effectiveness of the program and expressed his happiness at participating in it. He emphasized the need for such programs to promote commercial activities and restore investor confidence. The event was also attended by DIG Hyderabad Tariq Razzaq Dharejo, Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad Zain-ul-Abideen Memon, and representatives from various construction and material companies.

IT’S not Gavin & Stacey’s fault, but I’d started hating the Christmas special long before it came to screen. A resentment you can probably put down to personal failings and the fact that rolling news, the print media and even the BBC’s main bulletins seemed to be hyping the 90-minute episode’s expectations way beyond a point it could possibly deliver. Without anything else worth watching on Christmas Day, since the last Gavin & Stacey special in 2019, the longing was as understandable as it was damning, I suppose. But for the first half, at least, it seemed like all the pre-publicity had been a dreadful miscalculation. The storyline was going nowhere and everyone, bar James Corden and Ruth Jones , who’ve written themselves the two best parts, seemed to be performing instead of acting, to an annoying degree in the cases of Rob “Bryn” Brydon and Alison “Pam” Steadman . They clearly knew something we didn’t, though. Because, as soon as Smithy and Sonia’s abortive wedding scene kicked in, everything made perfect sense. It was an old-fashioned love story that had momentum, heart, soul, staggeringly good stars, Anna Maxwell Martin and Sheridan Smith, and also the good sense to flag up its own plot holes, on the final chase to Southampton Docks. As I’m sure the whole audience was screaming “Give her a ring,” long before Joanna Page’s Stacey said “I’ll try her on her mobile” and Jason replied “Why didn’t we just call her in the first place?” They would have looked daft, of course, if the show hadn’t delivered the ending the audience craved and deserved. But it gave the people what they wanted, a Smithy and Nessa wedding , and spared them from the one thing that infected other significant parts of the BBC’s Christmas Day TV, preachiness. For there were no gear-crunching references to diversity, as we got in the King’s Speech and EastEnders, nor was there any bleating about the arms trade, as in Doctor Who. For 90 minutes on Christmas Day, TV was a glorious, happy, woke-free zone again. And if you think the BBC will learn from Gavin & Stacey’s triumph and cut the political lectures in 2025? Well, I’d settle back and watch the Christmas special again and again, if I were you.

When Gemma Bentley walked down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams with her two daughters as bridesmaids, it was a bittersweet moment. While Gemma beamed at finding happiness with future husband Ben, there was one person missing from the celebrations. Her first-born daughter Honey Cook, 15, took her own life during lockdown in February 2021 after a vicious campaign of online bullying on Instagram - by girls she had never met. She is one of countless teens throughout the UK who have quite literally been bullied to death on social media. Now parents are backing growing calls for social media to be banned for under 16s after Australia moved to protect its kids from harmful content. The UK government this month warned tech giants to get their act together or they face a blanket ban among British kids. Gemma, 38, whose daughter Honey already suffered mental health problems when bullies told her to kill herself, said: “We absolutely need more control over social media when it comes to our children. “Kids say thing to each other online they might not say in person and online grooming is a massive issue. It makes sense to ban kids from platforms altogether.” Gemma says Honey, a talented artist who enjoyed cosplay, was sent more than 100 vile messages after being befriended by a group of girls on Instagram, where she often posted her pictures. “These girls were relentless,” says Gemma, of Barnsley, South Yorks . “They told Honey to kill herself, that everyone hated her, that she was ugly and never wanted by her family. They went into really graphic detail about how to take her own life. “Honey would still be here if it hadn’t been for these kids, in my opinion. She had very poor mental health already and was struggling with an eating disorder so was very fragile, but had been coping a lot better before these messages. “I don’t understand how these messages were able to get through the Instagram app because of their damaging content and that’s something else that needs to be looked at.” Gemma wed new husband Ben,32, a family friend, in October this year, with daughters Indie, 17, and 10-year-old Teddy as bridesmaids. She said: “It was such a bittersweet moment because I was marrying the man I love but Honey wasn’t there to see it. “I attached her favourite picture to my bouquet so she was there in some sense and we spoke about her a lot at times during the day. “Her sisters still struggle without her. Teddy was six when she lost her big sister and Honey doted on her. “Indie was 13 and has grieved very differently, which shows how it impacts everyone differently and how hard it is to navigate your child's grief while dealing with your own too." Gemma, who has set up a charity in her daughter’s name which provides self-help journals to help other struggling children, added: “I don’t think kids will take any of the online bullying seriously until one of them is prosecuted.” South Yorkshire Police investigated Honey’s death, which a coroner ruled suicide, but it’s understood they were unable to make any criminal charges against those involved. A spokeswoman said: "Both girls were dealt with via restorative justice, in which they wrote a letter each to the coroner explaining their involvement in creating malicious communications and expressing their remorse." Last year, additions to the Online Safety Bill mean trolls can be jailed up to five years for encouraging victims to harm themselves, but they were not in force when Honey died. This month Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said a ban on social-media for the under 16's is “on the table” if tech giants don’t take action to protect kids. He said: “I don’t want to ban things outright unless I absolutely need to. I will always put the safety of people first.” The minister made the warning as he prepares to tell Ofcom to be more assertive with firms - including a crackdown on age-restricted content for under 13s. He is in talks with counterparts in Australia where new laws are expected to be ushered in to block under-16s from accessing platforms like Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, X and Instagram. This week an inquest heard how Welsh schoolgirl Megan Evans, 14, was found dead in her bedroom after a cyber-bullying campaign . Megan, of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, took her own life in February 2017 after being told to “kill yourself” by vile trolls. After her death, mum Nicola Harteveld found a Facebook group entitled ‘I hate Megan Evans’. Mum-of-eight Nicola has worked to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media following her daughter’s death. Yet a coroner last week ruled bullying had not played a part in Megan's death - saying phrases like 'go kill yourself' can be "interpreted in different ways" by pupils. Nicola said: "It's heartbreaking and beyond disgusting to see a conclusion that tries to blur the line between bullying and banter. "Phrases like those can never be dismissed as a joke." She launched the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free counselling and support to young people. Nicola continued: "As a society we've become far too comfortable with dismissing harmful words as 'banter' or 'harmless fun'. "Phrases like 'Go kill yourself' are deeply damaging and never acceptable, yet they are being trivialised. "This normalisation teaches young people that cruelty is acceptable and victims should just toughen up. "Social media amplifies this harm, making it inescapable, yet accountability remains inconsistent both online and off line. "We need to stop normalising cruelty and start protecting our young children." Tech is an everyday part of children’s lives now. Here’s some ways you can protect their online safety. Talking to your kids about the dangers is an important part of safeguarding them. For the under 11s try simple NSPCC resources like Talk PANTS and Techosaurus . Older kids might find it embarrassing to talk about difficult topics but it’s worth checking in with them regularly to see if there’s anything they want to chat about. It’s worth buying a book on the topic and reading it together, before talking about it. Or ask if they’ve discussed the issue in class. You could pretend a friend of yours needs advice to find out how much they know about online safety. The NSPCC has created an online safety toolkit which you can access here . It can be helpful to remind kids they shouldn't share their location or personal information on their posts, on public forums and chats, on videos or with people they don't know. Exploring the safety and privacy settings on apps will help you decide which are right for your child to use. Apps have different ways to set up an account but most have options to set an account to private, ban new friend requests and hide the user's location. Each app has slightly different ways to set up an account, but most have the option. Each has a different age rating. For more information log on to the NSPCC or for more advice the Internet Watch Foundation A third family also told The Sun how they want to see tougher regulations - or a total ban. The family of 16-year-old Kibi Wade were left devastated after she took her own life in July this year after classroom bullies continued to stalk her when she left school. Vile messages shown to The Sun reveal how Kibi was sent messages by a group of girls who warned her she would be continually bullied unless she met their demands - which included sitting at the front of the school bus, a bar on talking to certain kids and not going to the toilets if they were using them. She was also blackmailed into buying vapes or her tormentors threatened to spread false rumours about her. Kibi’s mum Michelle Barrett, 47, of Caistor, Lincs, said: “Kibi was very distressed by it and we thought it would all come to an end when she left school in the summer, but the messages just kept coming until she couldn’t take anymore. “If she left a group chat they would just add her to another and start abusing her again. I think she felt there was no escape from them.” Michelle and partner Michelle Gardner, 50, have now launched a campaign to raise awareness about cyberbullying - but are also backing calls for the blanket ban. Michelle said: "If it was up to us we wouldn’t let kids on social media until they were at least 18. Kids don’t seem to have any awareness of the impact their words can have on others.” The NSPCC says any under-16 ban would “penalise children for the failure of tech companies” CEO Sir Peter Wanless said: “Social media is now an integral part of young people’s lives. It provides them with opportunities to communicate with friends and family, to learn and be creative. “We understand concerns about children having access to social media that is fundamentally unsafe for them. However, children deserve to have age appropriate experiences online rather than being cut off from it all together.” Campaigner Ian Russell, whose daughter Molly took her own life after being exposed to suicide and self-harm online, said a ban would push "bad actors en masse" onto gaming platforms. Fourteen-year-old Molly, of Harrow, north-west London, died in November 2017 after viewing "dark, graphic, harmful" content. Her death sparked campaigning to clean up the internet, leading to the Online Safety Act that will force firms to take down damaging posts from their platforms. According to the experts at Family Lives, there are some specific signs to look out for. These can be split into three different sections - emotional, physical and changes at school. Emotional - the child is isolating themselves and not talking to family, they are becoming more withdrawn, there are changes in eating habits, and behaviour, such as becoming more angry, they avoid social media, they don't see their friends outside school, they show new anxiety and nervousness. Physical - the child may have unexplained bruises, cuts or marks on their body, issues with sleep, complain of headaches or tummy aches and wet the bed. Changes at school - the child suddenly starts doing badly in lesson, becomes anxious about school, claims to feel unwell more than usual, loses items or money that can't be explained, have damaged possessions and refuse to take part in after school clubs. You can call The National Bullying Helpline for a free consultation on 0300 323 0169. Ensure your offspring has the number for Childline on 0800 1111. Ian told the i paper that a ban would wrongly deny youngsters the benefits of the digital world - and called for the Government to strengthen existing laws . Tech giant Meta said it has recently introduced an initiative called Teen Accounts which can limit what kids are exposed to. All young people who sign up to Instagram in Britain, America and Canada will be put under the restrictions with a global rollout planned for later this year. It means teens will need to accept new followers and people who don’t follow them can’t see their content or interact with them. Parents can also put on controls which mean they can see who their child is messaging and a sleep mode will mute nighttime notifications. A spokesperson said Instagram also has a ‘hidden words’ feature, which allows users to filter emojis, words, phrases or comments they don’t want to see.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shortly after doing a face-down snow angel, firing a few celebratory snowballs and singing “Jingle Bells” on his way to the media room, Jameis Winston ended his postgame news conference with a simple question. “Am I a Brown yet?” he asked. He is now. And who knows? Maybe for a lot longer than expected. Winston entered Cleveland football folklore on Thursday night by leading the Browns to a 24-19 win over the division rival Pittsburgh Steelers, who had their five-game winning streak stopped. Winston's performance at Huntington Bank Field, which transformed into the world's largest snow globe, not only made him an instantaneous hero in the eyes of Browns fans but added another wrinkle to the team's ever-changing, never-ending quarterback conundrum. In his fourth start since Deshaun Watson's season-ending Achilles tendon injury, Winston made enough big plays to help the Browns (3-8) get a victory that should quiet conjecture about coach Kevin Stefanski's job. Some wins mean more than others. In Cleveland, beating the Steelers is as big as it gets. But beyond any instant gratification, Winston has given the Browns more to consider as they move forward. Watson's future with Cleveland is highly uncertain since it will still be months before the team has a grip on whether he's even an option in 2025, his fourth year since signing a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract that has proven calamitous. It's also possible the Browns will cut ties with Watson. They signed Winston to a one-year contract to be Watson's backup. But the unexpected events of 2024 have changed plans and led to the possibility that the 30-year-old Winston could become Cleveland's full-time QB or a bridge to their next young one. So much is unclear. What's not is that Winston, who leaped into the end zone on fourth-and-2 for a TD to put the Browns ahead 18-6 in the fourth quarter, is a difference maker. With his larger-than-life personality and the joy he shows whether practicing or throwing three touchdown passes, he has lifted the Browns. A man of faith, he's made his teammates believe. Winston has done what Watson couldn't: made the Browns better. “A very, very authentic person,” Stefanski said Friday on a Zoom call. “He’s the same guy every single day. He's the same guy at 5 a.m. as he at 5 p.m. He brings great energy to everything he does, and I think his teammates appreciate that about him.” Winston, who is 2-2 as a starter with wins over the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, has a knack for inspiring through fiery, preacher-like pregame speeches. But what has impressed the Browns is his ability to stay calm in the storm. “He doesn’t get rattled,” said Myles Garrett, who had three sacks against the Steelers . “He’s just tuned in and focused as anyone I’ve seen at that position. Turn the page. There was a turnover, came back to the sideline, ‘Love you. I’m sorry. We’re going to get it back.’ He was already on to the next one, ‘How can we complete the mission?’ “I have a lot of respect for him. First was from afar and now seeing it on the field in front of me, it’s a blessing to have someone who plays a game with such a passion and want-to. You can’t ask for a better teammate when they take those things to heart and they want to play for you like we’re actually brothers and that’s what we have to attain. That brotherhood.” What's working Winston has done something else Watson couldn't: move the offense. The Browns scored more than 20 points for just the second time this season, and like Joe Flacco a year ago, Winston has shown that Stefanski's system works with a quarterback patient enough to let plays develop and unafraid to take shots downfield. What needs help The conditions certainly were a factor, but the Browns were a miserable 1 of 10 on third down, a season-long trend. However, Cleveland converted all four fourth-down tries, including a fourth-and-3 pass from Winston to Jerry Jeudy with 2:36 left that helped set up Nick Chubb's go-ahead TD run. Stock up RT Jack Conklin. Garrett outplayed Steelers star T.J. Watt in their rivalry within the rivalry partly because Conklin did a nice job containing Pittsburgh's edge rusher, who was held without a sack and had one tackle for loss. Conklin has made a remarkable comeback since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery last year. Stock down Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. Their desire to build a dome is well intended, but an indoor game could never come close to matching the surreal setting of Thursday night, when snow swirled throughout the stadium and covered nearly all the yard lines and hash marks. “It was beautiful,” Winston said. Injuries WR Cedric Tillman is in the concussion protocol. He had two catches before taking a big hit on the final play of the third quarter. Key numbers 9 — Consecutive home wins for the Browns in Thursday night games. Three of those have come against Pittsburgh. What's next An extended break before visiting the Denver Broncos on Dec. 2. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Britain’s POSHEST migrant hotel revealed as £150-a-night palatial manor house hosts migrants for three years

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Nyla Harris had 14 points and Jayda Curry scored 10 of her 14 points in the fourth quarter to help No. 24 Louisville get past Colorado 79-71 on Saturday. The Cardinals led 56-55 after three quarters before pulling away in the fourth by scoring 16 unanswered points, capped by a fast-break layup by Curry, before Colorado made its first field goal of the frame with 2:48 left. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

No. 7 Tennessee gives up 1st 14 points before rallying to rout Vanderbilt 36-23Power couple: green energy, gas giant bet on renewables

Biden says US hostage Austin Tice is alive in SyriaSteel is a modern necessity – a critical component of everything from appliances and cars to buildings and bridges. But making it is a huge climate problem. Steel production generates vast amounts of carbon pollution, owing to its heavy use of coal. It’s estimated to account for as much as 10% of global emissions of carbon dioxide, the key driver of global warming. Now, a new process to make steel with almost no carbon emissions is starting to catch on in Sweden. About 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the Swedish company Stegra, founded in 2020 under the name H2 Green Steel, is building the world’s first commercial-scale “fossil-free” steel mill on a 660-acre site near the town of Boden. Projects from other companies are also in the works. Instead of using coal to make steel, Stegra will use hydrogen, a common industrial gas. This way, the biggest byproduct is water, not CO2. “In a very concrete way, we are physically going to remove CO2 emissions by providing better steel,” said Anne Graf, a company spokeswoman. When it’s completed in 2026, the plant will produce 2.5 million tons of steel a year – enough to build 40 Empire State Buildings . “It will become cars, trucks, construction materials. It will become dishwashers and fridges and freezers,” Graf said. “Steel is all around us in our everyday [life]. Once you start thinking about how much steel you see or use in a day, you’ll be surprised.” Steel’s dirty carbon impact The way most steel is made now comes with a heavy climate price. That’s because most steelmakers have been using the same basic recipe for hundreds of years, says Chris Pistorius, a materials scientist and co-director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Iron and Steelmaking Research. All steel starts with iron ore, a mineral-rich deposit mined around the world. Most steelmakers then heat the iron ore in a blast furnace with refined coal, known as coke. The carbon from the coal reacts with oxygen in the iron ore to produce a purer form of iron, which is then made into steel. But it also creates an unwanted byproduct: carbon dioxide. “All of that carbon turns into CO2 somewhere in the process,” Pistorius said. And that CO2 is then released into the atmosphere, where it will trap heat for hundreds of years, contributing to global warming. That’s why steel is such a big problem when it comes to climate change. It contributes up to 10% of all carbon dioxide emissions , according to the International Energy Agency. Stegra’s new plant aims to eliminate nearly all carbon emissions by replacing coal in the process with hydrogen. Sweden becomes a center for hydrogen-based steel Scientists have known hydrogen could be used to make steel for decades. But it’s hard to work with and more expensive than coal, in part because it requires large amounts of energy to produce and special equipment to store and distribute. Steel made with hydrogen currently costs about 25% more expensive than traditional, coal-based steel . Plus, most hydrogen today is extracted from fossil fuels in a process that creates a carbon pollution problem of its own. Stegra will produce its hydrogen from water, using renewable energy, significantly cutting its CO2 footprint. “What you’re doing is essentially replacing a coal mine with a facility that uses electricity and water,” Graf said. That’s easier to do here in part because of Sweden’s distinct energy mix. Sweden’s electric grid is almost entirely carbon-free . The country relies mostly on hydroelectric and nuclear plants–not fossil fuels. Other steel companies in Sweden are also starting to work with hydrogen. In nearby Luleå, HYBRIT, a consortium of Swedish industrial companies, completed a pilot project for hydrogen-based steel in 2020 . The group is planning full-scale production of fossil-free steel by 2026. The steelmaker Ovako recently switched to hydrogen from natural gas for part of its operations. It recently completed the conversion of some of its furnaces, which heat steel before it is rolled and shaped into industrial products. Mikael Persson, the project manager, said it took his team four years to install equipment to make hydrogen at one of Ovako’s mills in Central Sweden. “It was very hard,” Persson said, laughing. “We’ve never done this....We went into it ... blindfolded.” At Ovako’s plant in Hofors, Sweden, Persson showed off the plant’s electrolyzer, the machines that turn water into hydrogen using electricity. Inside a large white room are eight cylindrical tanks resembling huge double-A batteries laid on their side. An electric current courses through each tank, separating water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. “The current is really, really, really high,” Persson says. This process requires a huge amount of energy. Ovako’s plant uses 20 megawatts of electricity at full capacity – enough to power 10,000 homes in the U.S. Because Ovako is drawing on a mostly carbon-free grid, the electrolyzers have virtually no climate impact. Sweden’s clean grid has made it an attractive place for companies experimenting with hydrogen in steelmaking and other industries. Boosted by a carbon tax But what’s really driving this investment in green steel now is money, says Max Åhman, a professor at Lund University in Sweden. In Europe, making steel the old-fashioned way is about to get much more expensive. “The EU system for putting a price on carbon has actually started to work,” Åhman said. The European Union has a carbon trading system that taxes companies for emitting greenhouse gases. It’s set to impose a larger penalty on traditional steelmakers in the next decade. “With that price on CO2,” Åhman said, “Green steel from hydrogen is more or less competitive.” Car makers like Volvo and BMW have lined up to buy green steel in Sweden to meet their own climate goals of reducing net carbon emissions to zero in the next few decades. And dozens of similar projects are in the works around the world. Lars Nilsson, professor of Environmental and Energy Systems at Lund University, says this outcome seemed a longshot a decade ago. That’s when he started working on the HYBRIT project. “I remember other big steel companies sort of laughing about it. You know, ‘This is just fairy tales.’ But I think it’s quite real,” Nilsson said. “You can discuss technology readiness, but it’s not a giant technological leap.” Nilsson says Sweden is proving that green steel is possible. But to make it work elsewhere, the industry needs lots of affordable clean energy. And policies like a carbon tax that will help it compete with traditional steel. “If you do have decent carbon pricing, as we have in Europe with the emissions trading scheme, and if you have access to low-cost electricity, it’s actually a good business.” Reporting for this story was made possible by a grant from the MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship. Read more from our partners, The Allegheny Front .Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire slammed the College Football Playoff selection committee on Saturday for snubbing the Big 12 in the latest playoff rankings. "It's absolutely embarrassing what they're doing to this conference," McGuire said on Saturday. "If they look at it that way, if they sit there and say who's playing the best football, who's the most competitive conference, who week in and week out, what you see on tape and the games that you've got to play, I think the Big 12 should be in, the Big 12 champion should be in the Final Four." McGuire added: "I think it's absolutely ridiculous what is happening at that level, with that committee." Boise State is ranked above every Big 12 team at No. 11 in the Week 13 CFP rankings and could beat out the conference for a first-round bye. This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .

No. 24 Louisville women use 16-0 4th-quarter run to beat Colorado 79-71

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No. 7 Tennessee gives up 1st 14 points before rallying to rout Vanderbilt 36-23How to watch Texas vs. Texas A&M: TV channel, streaming infoOusted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.

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