This month, the Italian utility Enel unveiled “Archimede”, the first Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plant in the world to use molten salts for heat transfer and storage, and the first to be fully integrated to an existing combined-cycle gas power plant. Archimede is a 5 MW plant located in Priolo Gargallo (Sicily), within Europe’s largest petrochemical district. The breakthrough project was co-developed by Enel, one of World’s largest utilities, and ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development.
Several CSP plants already operate around the world, mainly in the US and Spain. They use synthetic oils to capture the Sun’s energy in the form of heat, by using mirrors that beam sunlight onto a pipe where pressurised oil heats up to around 390°C. A heat exchanger is then used to boil water and run a conventional steam turbine cycle. Older CSP plants can only operate at daytime – when direct sunlight is available -, an issue that has been dealt with in recent years by introducing heat storage, in the form of molten salts. Newer CSP plants, as the many under construction in Spain, use molten salts storage to extend the plants’ daily operating hours. Archimede is the first plant in the world to use molten salts not just to store heat but also to collect it from the sun in the first place.
This is a competitive advantage, for a variety of reasons. Molten salts can operate at higher temperatures than oils (up to 550°C instead of 390°C), therefore increasing efficiency and power output of a plant. With the higher-temperature heat storage allowed by the direct use of salts, the plant can also extend its operating hours well further than an oil-operated CSP plant with molten salt storage, thus working 24 hours a day for several days in the absence of sun or during rainy days. This feature also enables a simplified plant design, as it avoids the need for oil-to-salts heat exchangers, and eliminates the safety and environmental concerns related to the use of oils (molten salts are cheap, non-toxic common fertilizers and do not catch fire, as opposed to synthetic oils currently used in CSP plants around the World). Last but not least, the higher temperatures reached by the molten salts enable the use of steam turbines at the standard pressure/temperature parameters as used in most common gas-cycle fossil power plants. This means that conventional power plants can be integrated – or, in perspective, replaced – with this technology without expensive retrofits to the existing assets.
So why hasn’t this technology come before? There are both political and technical issues behind this. Let’s start with politics. The concept dates back to 2001, when Italian nuclear physicist and Nobel prize winner Carlo Rubbia, ENEA’s President at the time, first started Research & Development on molten salt technology in Italy. Rubbia has been a preminent CSP advocate for a long time, and was forced to leave ENEA in 2005 after strong disagreements with the Italian Government and its lack of convincing R&D policies. He then moved to CIEMAT, the Spanish equivalent of ENEA. Under his guidance, Spain has now become world leader in the CSP industry. Luckily for the Italian industry, the Archimede project was not abandoned and ENEA continued its development till completion.
There are also various technical reasons that have prevented an earlier development of this new technology. Salts tend to solidify at temperatures around 220°C, which is a serious issue for the continuous operation of a plant. ENEA and Archimede Solar Energy, a private company focusing on receiver pipes, developed several patents in order to improve the pipes’ ability to absorbe heat, and the parabolic mirrors’ reflectivity, therefore maximising the heat transfer to the fluid carrier. The result of these and several other technological improvements is a top-notch world’s first power plant with a price tag of around 60 million euros. It’s a hefty price for a 5 MW power plant, even compared to other CSP plants, but there is overwhelming scope for a massive roll-out of this new technology at utility scale in sunny regions like Northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, the US.
The Italian CSP association ANEST claims Italy could host 3-5,000 MW of CSP plants by 2020, with huge benefits also in terms of jobs creation and industrial know-how. A lot more can be achieved in the sun belt south of the Mediterranean Sea, and in the Middle East. If the roll out of solar photovoltaics in Italy is to offer any guidance (second largest market in the World in 2009), exciting times are ahead for Concentrating Solar Power.
Related Posts:
- Concentrated solar thermal power Solar Baseload “” a core climate solution
- French nuclear giant Areva buys Ausra, says solar thermal power market may increase 30-fold by 2020
- Obama announces $2 billion investment in solar PV manufacturing and “the first large-scale solar plant in the U.S. to actually store the energy it generates for later use – even at night.”
You probably won’t hear it from columnist George F. Will, Fox News commentators or the plethora of conservative blogs that have claimed global warming essentially stopped in 1998, but recent figures released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that global land and ocean surface temperatures in June were the highest since record-keeping began in 1880. What’s more, the first half of 2010 was the hottest such period ever recorded, and Arctic sea ice melted at a record-setting pace in June.
The heat can probably be attributed at least in part to periodic and entirely natural changes in ocean temperatures and surface air pressure “” the El Ni±o/La Ni±a phenomena most likely played a role. But the fact that peak years are getting hotter while even relatively “cool” years now tend to remain above historical averages (the 10 warmest years on record all occurred within the last 15 years, according to the NOAA) shows that something else is at work. A consensus of climate scientists worldwide, including not only the United Nations‘ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change but the national scientific academies of the United States and the rest of the developed world, have identified that “something else” as anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gases, which reflect the sun’s heat back onto the Earth rather than letting it escape into space.
Climate skeptics such as Will et al either deny that this warming is happening “” an increasingly untenable position in the face of overwhelming evidence that it is “” or insist that it doesn’t matter. They argue that it would be more expensive to try to solve the problem than to adapt to it, and that in any case, the effects of higher temperatures won’t be all that damaging. Climate modelers, who have accurately forecast the currently observed climate oscillations, sea-level rise and ice melting, do not agree. They predict catastrophic destruction in coastal cities, droughts, crop failure, forest loss, insect infestations and other woes.
For us, it’s not a difficult decision which side to believe: scientists who directly observe and measure climate changes and whose accuracy is rigorously tested by their peers, or pundits with little knowledge of climate science whose views are informed by a long-held resentment of environmentalists and government regulation. Yet the latter group, working hand in hand with big energy companies that profit from the filthy status quo, have injected enough doubt into the national debate to paralyze Congress “” which seems little closer to imposing greenhouse-gas limits or placing a market price on emissions than it was during the laissez-faire George W. Bush administration “” and confuse the public, who in recent polls are increasingly inclined to believe that the threat of climate change has been exaggerated.
Granted, scientists themselves deserve some blame for the shift in attitudes. Climatology, even more than other fields, is undergoing changes that are unsettling for those in the trenches. A relatively obscure line of work until policymakers started seriously considering carbon curbs in recent years, climate science is suddenly at the center of a raging international debate. Meanwhile, a sedate culture of publication and private peer review has been roiled by a new media environment; today, critics of a scientist’s work don’t have to publish a carefully reviewed study in a major journal, they just have to fire off an indignant blog post.
When scientists at the prestigious Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia responded to such critics by sending catty e-mails to their colleagues, and when those e-mails were made public by hackers last November, it did more to impede action on climate change than Big Oil could have achieved with an army of lobbyists. Yet investigations have shown that the e-mails amounted to little more than fits of pique. The most recent review, conducted by an independent team funded by the University of East Anglia, found no evidence that the researchers had undermined scientific findings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change or any other group, and that they neither withheld access to data nor tampered with it.
We’d love to hear climate skeptics explain away the results of such investigations and address the latest report from the NOAA. But we suspect they’ll do what they usually do when confronted with facts that contradict their worldview: ignore them.
Previous in TP Climate Progress
Have a laugh – Creative ways to deny that Arctic sea ice is in decline
http://denialdepot.blogspot.com/2010/07/arctic-ice-continues-its-recovery.html
The LA Times piece continues the good trend that we have seen in reporting by the MSM lately. Very refreshing to see more and more newspapers ridicule the anti science cultists and highlighting their failures.
It would be fantastic if molten salt proves out in the field. A solar engineer told me last year that effective storage doubles the cost of a plant, but the numbers above indicate considerably less than that.
It’s also possible that the additional cost is worth it. A solar plant with storage in the Mojave will have less down time than one in Spain or even the Sahara, where rainfall is double what it is here in our deserts. It will also have less downtime for maintenance than a fossil fuel plant, and obviously not require fuel.
I’d love to see some numbers on all of this, Joe, including the percentage premium for storage. Archimede’s $12k per kw price will obviously go down at scale and with experience. Are there solid projections of how much? Also, can it be adapted to heliostat/power tower CSP technology, or does it have to be troughs (which cost more)?
More!
A study done by Greenpeace International, the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association, and the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES group investigated the potential and future of concentrated solar power. The study found that concentrated solar power could account for up to 25% of the world’s energy needs by 2050.
Esop, #1, you’re right. People should take a look at LAT as the new paper of record (if you don’t mind scrolling around all the celebrity stuff).
I am in another argument with Andy, over a story he ran about how “scientists disagree” about the extent or even existence of deepwater environmental damage from Mocando. Andy quoted a NYT story, which in turn quoted a Texas A&M scientist. My dad taught at A&M, whose mission is to turn out soldiers and petroleum engineers.
You won’t see that kind of nonsense at LAT, and part of the credit goes to Margot Roosevelt, who is becoming one of the top MSM environmental reporters. NYT has nobody even close, and assigns people like John Broder, Mr. “On the other hand Lindzen and Christy say” himself, to key stories. Let them convert to an all out oil organ and see how they like their bottom line then.
Audio: How Green Is My Country?
The race is on to develop sustainable solutions to climate change. From clean coal technology in Tianjin to the construction of Masdar City—a self-contained metropolis in the United Arab Emirates designed to be carbon neutral—countries around the world are devising new ways to reduce global dependency on fossil fuels. But as places like China and the U.A.E. move ahead with large scale green initiatives, is the U.S. lagging behind? http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/07/audio-how-green-my-country
Thirty Two Years Ago
“… and the educational systems of developed countries have a responsibility to prepare engineers for the inevitable task of switching from nonrenewable to renewable energy sources.”
From the book, “Principles of Solar Engineering”, by Frank Kreith and Jan F. Kreider, 1978.
Yes, that was 1978! And here we are, over thirty years later!
Jeff
More climate disruption right here in the US… dam failure reported in Iowa after 6 to 8 inches of rain fell overnight in parts of Iowa and Illinois, including the Chicago metro area.
http://www.radioiowa.com/2010/07/24/a-tornado-plus-more-rain-flooding-hit-iowa/
Rather than simply buying renewable energy credits (RECs) and adding some solar panels to show their commitment to green, Google’s energy subsidiary signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy. Google will begin buying 114 megawatts of electricity from an Iowa wind farm later this summer. Now of course Google doesn’t consume much of their energy anywhere near Iowa, but they can (and intend to) sell this energy on wholesale markets, and simultaneously buy energy where they do use it.
http://www.care2.com/causes/global-warming/blog/does-google-know-something-about-energy-that-the-rest-of-us-dont/
Report urges ‘timely’ climate reporting
U.S. responses to future climate change will need reliable information and better communication between relevant agencies and groups, a report says.
The report, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was requested by the U.S. Congress as part of a series of studies on America’s Climate Choices, the National Academies release said. http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/07/23/Report-urges-timely-climate-reporting/UPI-92891279921587/
Groundbreaking Sandia study ties climate uncertainties to economies of US states
A climate-change study at Sandia National Laboratories that models the near-term effects of declining rainfall in each of the 48 U.S. continental states makes clear the economic toll that could occur unless an appropriate amount of initial investment – a kind of upfront insurance payment – is made to forestall much larger economic problems down the road. Thus far, the only existing models say that if nothing is done now, “by the time the negative effects of climate change significantly affect populations, it will be too late to prevent the escalating damage,” Backus said. http://www.rdmag.com/News/Feeds/2010/07/environment-groundbreaking-sandia-study-ties-climate-uncertain/
NASA: Piecing together the temperature puzzle http://is.gd/cCdbG
Parties merge in a climate haze
COULD it really be? Could we actually be witnessing the emergence of a meaningful policy difference between the two major parties? http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/parties-merge-in-a-climate-haze-20100725-10pz3.html
Australia’s Gillard Plans Climate-Friendly Car Rebate, Emission Controls http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-24/australia-s-gillard-plans-climate-friendly-car-rebate-emission-controls.html
No end to Russia’s heatwave
The asphalt is yielding to car wheels and even people’s heels. Engineers report thermal deformation in railtrack and steel parts of bridges.
The government weather prophets expect the heatwave to crest at 39 some time next weekend. Subsequent thunderstorms are likely to bring inundation and winds of up to 20 metres a second. Uprooted trees, smashed cars, torn off roofs and downed power cables go without saying.
Eggheads blame man-induced climate change and warn of consequences. http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/07/24/13323475.html
David -
The radar returns say 12 inches fell where Lake Delhi dam is -
http://radar.weather.gov/radar_lite.php?rid=dmx&product=NTP&loop=yes
Heat wave in Moscow near to reach absolute record
A heat wave has gripped Moscow since mid-June and there are no signs the temperatures will fall below 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in the near future.
According to environmentalists, the heat wave in Russia has been caused by man-made global warming.
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20100724/159935998.html
Season’s longest heat wave grows
Heat Advisory Friday; Excessive Heat Watch Saturday
* Did melting ice cause the earthquake?
Had enough heat? If so, sorry. This heat wave will become our longest of the year — passing the 11-day stretch of 90+ that occurred June 19-29. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/07/pm_update_seasons_longest_heat.html
Didn’t we do molten salt collector/storage first? Solar II power tower, dedicated 1996, “The unique feature of Solar Two is its use of molten salt to capture and store the sun’s heat.” http://www.sandia.gov/media/solarll.htm
They probably mean first commercial plant, or first to use troughs and molten salt.
Prok -
Moscow did it :
Air temperatures in Moscow beat all records
Saturday’s high at 36.7 exceeded by two degrees the previous record for July set in 1936.
The current heat wave is the longest and most intense on record.
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/07/24/13327739.html
“When you in the energy business the next big thing is renewable energy.” – U.A.E. – Masdar City, see MotherJones link from #6.
Prokaryotes,
I had no idea how hot it has been in Moscow. I haven’t heard a peep about this from the media.
The average high is about 74F there, but its been in the 90s F for several days with no end in sight. It’s supposed to reach 100F next week.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/monthly/RSXX0063
Someone needs to look at the economics of placing molten salt troughs in parallel with existing coal fired steam turbines in areas with less than ideal sunshine. (obviously it would work perfectly in areas with few clouds) They are saying multiple days storage, which means the overall rate of change in average storage temperatures would be slow, which in turn means the operators would have many hours to increase or decrease rate of coal firing. Without large storage in there to buffer intermittent sun, integrating CSP with coal would be difficult.
Stating the obvious here, but using existing turbine generators, power lines, etc, would lower the deployment cost of baseload solar, and the coal guys get to keep earning on their investments.
I had no idea that the russian media connects the dots. Apparently a prolonged heat wave with all the consequences is enough.
” . . . catastrophic destruction in coastal cities, droughts, crop failure, forest loss, insect infestations and other woes.”
Will likely cost many tens of $trillions for adaptive strategies only desperately temporary with money best spent now for aggressive mitigative strategies most with very high return on investment potential.
Just imagine the value of New York City real estate if it hadn’t polluted and junked up its waterways!
Obviously, an awful large number of this country’s high-net worth financiers, bankers, and industry executives can be characterized by skill sets that are low to non-existent.
5 MW isn’t a real power plant. It’s more like a lab experiment or a publicity stunt.
26. Theodore, “5 MW isn’t a real power plant.”
What about 3,000 to 5,000 MW? Is that serious?
Great Lakes at near-record temperatures
“All of the lakes are either at or approaching their normal temperatures for late August,” Jay Austin, a physics professor at the University of Minnesota, said. “They’re already at what we would have expected to be their peak temperatures for the summer, and we have several more weeks of warming to go.”
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/07/23/Great-Lakes-at-near-record-temperatures/UPI-45181279929099/
Oppressive heat wave killing Russia’s crops – and people
Russia’s unprecedented heat wave rages on, with more record-breaking temperatures forecast for the weekend. Almost 300 people have drowned in the country this week alone – most of them trying to cool down.
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Abnormally high temperatures have gripped Moscow since mid-June and four records have already been broken in July, meaning that on four occasions it was the highest temperature recorded for that day.
Slowly but surely Russia is wilting in the heat, not to mention the fact that thousands of forest fires are breaking out all over Russia. http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-07-23/record-heat-russia-drought.html
@ #19, The Guardian added a ” , and the first to ” to the orignal press material which reads “The Archimede plant is the first in the world to use molten salts as heat transfer fluid and to integrate a combined-cycle gas facility and a solar thermal power plant for electricity generation.” Completely chnaged the meaning.
Theodore “5 MW isn’t a real power plant”. There are plenty of examples of pilot commercial facilities that are small and expensive but serve the very important function of demonstrating reliability of components, robustness of control systems, safety, etc. The storage feature is really important, now the plant can do load following, supply baseload at night.
” 5 MW isn’t a real power plant. It’s more like a lab experiment or a publicity stunt. ”
I believe the term is prototype .
Experts: Climate change challenges global food security http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2010-07/23/c_13411708.htm
Luke Air Force Base may become a solar force
A massive solar project at Luke Air Force Base is expected to provide power for a majority of the base by 2011, strengthening the U.S. Defense Department’s reputation as Arizona’s biggest proponent for renewable power and energy efficiency.
Military installations in the state are making aggressive strides toward saving electricity, water and fuel, as part of a federal policy plan launched in 2005 encouraging the Defense Department to get 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources.
If it were built today, the 17-megawatt solar project planned at Luke, in the West Valley, would increase by about 50 percent the amount of solar power on the Arizona Public Service Co. grid, including rooftop solar on customers’ homes. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/07/24/20100724luke-air-force-base-solar-power.html
Changing attitudes
To meet its renewable-energy goals, the Defense Department has 255 solar projects under way and 25 wind projects, in addition to requiring all new buildings to be energy-efficient.
The alternative-energy push at the Defense Department has required a change in attitudes among troops, officials said. Military officers and official reports now talk about being stewards of the environment and helping to clean up the Earth.
Still, the military goals shocked the private sector, Thomas said. “Their first comment was (the military goals) were extremely aggressive compared to their goals,” he said. “When you look across the board, we lead the way.”
—-
So where is the private sector now … 5Mw Prototype … /Sigh
AUSTRALIA’S renewable energy industry was reeling yesterday after discovering a $520million budget cut to low-emissions technology in the fine print of Julia Gillard’s ‘‘cash-for-clunkers’’ announcement.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-election/solar-plan-raided-to-pay-for-guzzlers-20100724-10pvk.html
Round-up of global electricity developments http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100724/BUSINESS/707249962/1005
The heat in Moscow has been historical- the steppes (Kuban) to the south are hotter . At least the Russian controlled media is putting the dots together- in this country the problem of climate change in the Broadcast media is non existent. So which is reporting the truth- which is not?
Has anyone seen this story? The latest attempt to by science. BP Buys Up Gulf Scientists For Legal Defense
BP has been offering signing bonuses and lucrative pay to prominent scientists from public universities around the Gulf Coast to aid its defense against spill litigation. BP PLC attempted to hire the entire marine sciences department at one Alabama university http://www.newslook.com/videos/231869-bp-buys-up-gulf-scientists-for-legal-defense?autoplay=true
Obama Urges Liberals To ‘Keep Up The Fight’
President Barack Obama made an election-season appeal Saturday to disgruntled liberal activists and bloggers http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128731007
BP to start drilling for oil off Libya within weeks
BP’s Libyan well, at about 5,700 feet under water, is deeper than the well beneath the Deepwater Horizon http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100724/wl_uk_afp/usoilpollutionenvironmentlibyabp
So if any part of this system falls below 220 degrees, the salt is solid and the system is plugged. It all stops.
Most of the molten salt path is vacuum insulated, and rest would be easy to insulate, so it probably is. If the heat storage tanks cooled to the point where they couldn’t send hot liquid into the piping periodically, there is an inline heater. The salt fuses at 238 deg C, not very hot.
http://www.archimedesolarenergy.com/molten_salt_vs_oil.htm
Everything you need to know about global warming http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2010/07/everything_you_need_to_know_ab.html
Iowa’s Lake Delhi Dam Bursts Due to Flooding http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/24/national/main6709905.shtml
#43: Thanks for the link. That was another well written piece of information in the MSM. We are seeing huge progress over the past few weeks.
There is a very good movie from 2006 with the same title, by Tom Brokaw.
Poison ivy crops up in record levels
The abundance of poison ivy and other invasive plants proliferating in Illinois and across much of the nation this year is a symptom of a scenario more serious than an itchy red rash, experts say.
Elevated CO2 levels in the atmosphere, although destructive to many plant species, are proving a boon for adaptive weeds such as poison ivy, said Lewis Ziska, a federal plant physiologist.
“We are up to our arms in poison ivy this summer,” said Ziska, with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md.
The higher CO2 levels, he said, also are contributing to an increasing abundance of kudzu, the legendary vine once limited to the South but was discovered lurking in central Illinois and as far north as Canada.
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Dr. Paul Epstein, associate director for the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard Medical School, said recent studies show that poison ivy is not only more prevalent across the U.S. but more toxic, too. The rise in CO2 levels strengthens an oil in the plant that triggers itchy havoc when it touches the skin, he said. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-07-21/news/ct-x-n-poison-ivy-0721-20100721_1_poison-ivy-plant-species-elevated-co2
The heavy rains, warmer temperatures and rising CO2 levels that have disturbed plant chemistry also have increased pollen counts, leading to higher rates of asthma and allergies.
“It’s not an accident we’re having this perfect storm,” said Epstein. “Pests and pathogens thrive in extreme events, like floods or droughts. We need to stabilize the climate by reducing fossil fuel emissions dramatically.”
Dave Brooks, manager of conservation services for the Schaumburg Park District, said it’s nearly impossible for hikers and gardeners to avoid running into poison ivy.
The rash itself can be as minor as an annoyingly itchy spot; it can also cause blisters and hives, requiring a trip to a hospital emergency room.
The US stays cool, but is global warming the price?
According to Stan Cox, author of the recent book Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths about Our Air-Conditioned World, AC for buildings and cars alone in the US generates the equivalent of half a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, more than the total CO2 emissions of France, Brazil or Indonesia.
Obviously air con has been a boon for the economy … Worse still, Cox argues, air conditioning increases demand for more air conditioning. On the roads, the ever-growing amount of poisonous exhaust spewed out by cars makes it even more essential for other drivers to roll up their windows and crank up the AC. http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/rupert-cornwell/rupert-cornwell-the-us-stays-cool-but-is-global-warming-the-price-2034971.html
Deep Underground, Miles of Hidden Wildfires Rage
Three blistering fires are blazing through Wyoming’s scenic Powder River Basin, but firefighters aren’t paying any attention. Other than a faint hint of acrid odors and a single ribbon of smoke rising from a tiny crack beyond the nearby Tongue River, a long look across the region’s serene grassland shows no sign of trouble.
That’s what makes the three infernos, and the toxins they spew, so sinister. Their flames are concealed deep underground, in coal seams and oxygen-rich fissures, which makes containment near impossible. Shielded from fire hoses and aerial assaults, the flames are chewing through coal seams 20 feet thick, spanning 22 acres. They’re also belching greenhouse gases and contaminants, contributing to an out-of-sight, out-of-mind environmental hazard that extends far beyond Wyoming’s borders. “Every coal basin in the world has fires sending up organic compounds that are not good for you,”
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2006195,00.html#ixzz0ueEcMt00
A surprising number of us live close to them. According to a review by the Department of Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Enforcement and Reclamation, more than 100 fires are burning beneath nine states, most of them in Colorado, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia. But geologists say many fires go unreported, driving the actual number of them closer to 200 across 21 states. Most have burned for years, if not decades. Pennsylvania’s three dozen underground fires include America’s most notorious subterranean blaze, a 48-year-old fire in Centralia, whose noxious emissions sickened residents and eventually prompted the federal government in the late 1980s and early ’90s to evict homeowners and pay them a collective $40 million for what is now a virtual ghost town.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,2006195,00.html
Think now global about dirty coal.
Well read the article …
The smoke escaping through vents contains carbon dioxide, methane, mercury and at least 40 toxic compounds
estimates — 40 tons of mercury spewing into the atmosphere annually, and 3% of the world’s annual CO2 emissions — are imprecise. But the negative implications for human health and global warming, they say, are clear.
Apes running ‘out of time’ due to global warming
Julia Lehmann, from Roehampton University, said: “In reality, the effects of climate change on African apes may be much worse, as our model does not take into account possible anthropogenic effects, such as habitat destruction by humans and the hunting of apes for bushmeat.”
The study states that rising temperatures and changes in rainfall patterns have strong effects on ape behaviour, distribution and survival, pushing them even further to the brink of extinction. http://sify.com/news/apes-running-out-of-time-due-to-global-warming-news-international-khxqOgahbjd.html
Nuclear energy causes global warming
Once you release all that energy from Uranium, as in a nuclear reactor, it is here forever, except for some fraction that radiates out into outer space as “long-wave radiation.” The rest goes into the air, waterways, glaciers, dirt and rocks as waste heat, also called thermal (heat) pollution, increasing the temperature, thereby bringing about global warming. http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=223583
Construction of nuclear plants is also a considerable factor, transport of waste (as long it depends on fossil energy) etc.
Global Warming and Wildflowers
University of Maryland ecologist David Inouye has been studying wildflowers in the Rocky Mountains near Crested Butte, Colorado for four decades, and has noticed that blooms have indeed begun earlier over the last decade. Aspen sunflowers, among other charismatic high country wildflowers, used to first bloom in mid-May, but are now are doing so in mid-April, a full month earlier. Inouye thinks that smaller snow packs in the mountains are melting earlier due to global warming, in turn triggering early blooms.
Smaller snow packs not only mean fewer flowers (since they have less water to use in photosynthesis); they can also stress wildflower populations not accustomed to exposure to late-spring frost. According to Inouye’s research, between 1992 and 1998 such frosts killed about a third of the Aspen sunflower buds in some 30 different study plots; but more recently, from 1999 through 2006, the typical mortality rate doubled, with three-quarters of all buds killed by frost in an average year thanks to earlier blooming.
Several studies in Europe have shown that some species of wildflowers there may be able to migrate north and to higher elevations as the climate warms, but Inouye fears his beloved Aspen sunflowers and many other American wildflowers may be lost forever as they are not able to migrate as quickly as needed in order to survive widespread surface temperature increases and escape extinction. http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Environment_380/Global_Warming_and_Wildflowers.shtml
“Lets Finish What We Started” Obama To Netroots Nation 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgid2Jom7F8
@Prokaryotes: You are quoting the Tehran Times as a source for information about nuclear power?? Sorry, that’s nuts. While there are problems with NP – and with all other forms of energy generation – it generates a lot less GHG than coal. See http://bravenewclimate.com/ for another prospective.
“Lets Finish What We Started” Obama To Netroots Nation 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgid2Jom7F8
A nice talk. Not a word on climate change.
General Motors to cut emissions with new refrigerant
The HFO-1234yf refrigerant, supplied by Honeywell, breaks down in the atmosphere faster than the refrigerant currently used – R-134a. On average, R-134a has an atmospheric life of more than 13 years meaning a global warming potential of more than 1,400. However, by contrast, the new refrigerant has a global warming potential of just four with an atmospheric life of just 11 days. This means its global warming potential is 99.7 per cent below that of the existing refrigerant.
http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2010/07/24/general-motors-to-cut-emissions-with-new-refrigerant/
Mike, did you even read the article? The source is irrelevant if the content is plausible. Beside this it is an afront in light of some irans energy projects. The author according to the article btw is from the US.
Mike thanks for the link but can you link directly to an relevant article, something which quantifies the effect of nuclear power plant cooling in regards to global warming impact.
Palms, a reliable climate change indicator in Europe
http://www.youris.com/Environment/Palms/Palms_a_reliable_climate_change_indicator_in_Europe.kl
Prokaryotes, did you read the whole article?
As far as global warming is concerned, thermal pollution is utterly trivial. The Earth intercepts ~170,000 TW of solar power, which it reflects or re-radiates away. A thousand 1 GW thermal power plants add about 3 TW of heat to the Earth’s atmosphere.
I was more concerned about water, mainly river heating – which often leads to nuclear plant shutdown. Anyway i did not read the parts of denial, which makes this article bad. Thanks Bill Woods for pointing this out to me.
More odd news
Heat wave flip-flops radio signals
Layers of cool air and warm air over the Chesapeake Bay cause radio signals to bend up and down, a process called atmospheric ducting
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/07/heat-wave-flipflops-radio-signals-va-maryland?cid=mc
Another impact from flooding
Nuke plant unit shut down
Unit 1 of the PPL Susquehanna nuclear power plant could be shut down for a long period of time due to flooding. http://standardspeaker.com/news/nuke-plant-unit-shut-down-1.898980
Climate: Controlled
Geoengineering Threatens to Save the Planet from Global Warming http://www.truth-out.org/climate-controlled60973
What i miss in this articles are biochar and other considered natural/harmless geoengineering approaches.
US Farmers May Face Crackdown on Pesticide Use
The nation’s farmers could face severe restrictions on the use of pesticides as environmentalists, spurred by a favorable ruling from a judge in Washington state, want the courts to force federal regulators to protect endangered species from the ill effects of agricultural chemicals. http://www.truth-out.org/us-farmers-may-face-crackdown-pesticide-use61681
Delaware Drinking Water at Risk
What you haven’t been told about chemicals polluting the aquifer that serves Del., Md., N.J.
… foul waters discharged by chemical and petroleum manufacturers. http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100725/NEWS02/7250361/Delaware-s-Drinking-Water-at-Risk
Iowa Dam Ruptures Under Torrential Rain http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/25/us/25dam.html
Outlook chilly for a smart climate bill
Other proposals promoting natural gas, efficiency, and research and development also have a shot of passing this year. But these are not enough to achieve the size of emissions reductions for which America must aim. The most attractive policy is putting a simple price on carbon, which would encourage private initiative to reduce emissions.
What’s next? Under the Clean Air Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon emissions, and it is set to begin with power plants and factories in January. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/24/AR2010072402222.html
Montana-Saskatchewan climate project shelved
Money troubles have stalled indefinitely a proposal to capture carbon dioxide emissions from a Canadian coal plant and store the gas underground in Montana – a largely unproven concept considered key for addressing climate change. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/25/AR2010072501140.html
Australia’s Climate Policy Paves Way for Controls
The Australian Labor party’s climate protection policies will pave the way for creating limits on carbon emissions, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/25/AR2010072501140.html
Climate change discussion heats up on the Web
professor John Abraham has been alternately praised as a long-needed factual voice on climate change and vilified for attacking Lord Christopher Monckton, a journalist, classics scholar, politician and hereditary peer also known as 3rd Viscount Monckton of Brenchley. Monckton’s critique of climate change science led him to testify before the U.S. Congress.
For his part, Monckton has fired back in a YouTube interview clip, calling Abraham “a wretched little man,” the University of St. Thomas “a half-assed Catholic bible college,” and its president, the Rev. Dennis Dease, “a creep.” http://www.kansascity.com/2010/07/25/2105225/climate-change-discussion-heats.html
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says political candidates and forces in his own party who argue for the suspension of the state’s climate change law are “trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes” and have “the intention of eliminating” the landmark climate change bill he signed in 2006.
“There is no suspension,” the governor said in an interview with The Chronicle last week, adding that the state’s economy is “like a ship – and when you approach the iceberg, you cannot just move the ship.”
Likewise, the state cannot “from one year to the next, change policy and stop the creation of jobs,” http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/25/MNA11EIM4V.DTL&type=politics
With the world experiencing the ill effects of climate change, the Philippines urged its co-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to “climate-proof” the region’s energy sector
Asean member-states should also assess current technology needs and options, with emphasis on energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, nuclear energy, traditional coal and clean coal technology, and carbon capture and storage, he added.
He explained that the energy sector was very vulnerable to the effects of climate change, using as an example the Philippines’ experience during the extended El Niño weather phenomenon. http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100725-283145/Asean-urged-to-climate-proof-energy-sector
Traditional coal … /facepalm
Army lines up new trucks to tackle flooding
THE Army is gearing up to deal with more apocalyptic style flooding this winter.
Last November’s floods were described by Environment Minister John Gormley as “a once in 800 years event,” but new research shows that extreme weather leading to an increased risk of flooding will become more commonplace in Ireland as climate change takes hold.
The big flood — and the New Year big freeze — together cost the country over €540m. http://www.herald.ie/national-news/army-lines-up-new-trucks-to-tackle-flooding-2271222.html
Flood study predicts $6.7m bill
“The problem is we are trying to manage something (climate change) which we don’t yet have a full handle on,” http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/07/26/flood-study-predicts-67m-yearly-bill/
Indonesia’s Climate Change Dilemma Will Have Biggest Impact on Poorest
As we have seen in recent years, the impacts of climate change are becoming increasingly more visible through all too frequent weather anomalies. http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/indonesias-climate-change-dilemma-will-have-biggest-impact-on-poorest/387675
Tthe poorest are hit first, but no money can buy you food/water while CC progresses.
Amazon deforestation in dramatic decline, official figures show
Increased use of satellite data and new tactics to deter loggers have led to drop, says Brazilian environment agency http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/23/amazon-deforestation-decline
UK climate change skeptic accuses US prof of libel http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/state-and-regional/mn/article_3f3e7ac8-96e0-11df-a36c-001cc4c002e0.html
@Prokaryotes:
Try this http://bravenewclimate.com/integral-fast-reactor-ifr-nuclear-power/
It is one of the few green pro-nuclear websites. Unfortunately it is also anti renewables like wind. The anti-np site I would most suggest is by the Union of Concerned Scientists: http://www.ucsusa.org/nuclear_power/
The anti-np article you posted a link to was way off base. Yes E=Mc^2, but this nothing to do with GW. All energy we generate ends up as heat. But this is a very small part of Earth’s energy budget compared what comes in from the sun.
Thanks Mike, there is a post in moderation – this link has also some infos
http://www.pollutionissues.com/Te-Un/Thermal-Pollution.html
I have been posting this on stories about midwestern flooding:
Climate Change Impacts on the United States
Overview: Midwest
Observed Climate Trends: Over the 20th century, the northern portion of the Midwest, including the upper Great Lakes, has warmed by almost 4F (2C), while the southern portion, along the Ohio River valley, has cooled by about 1F (0.5C). Annual precipitation has increased, with many of the changes quite substantial, including as much as 10 to 20% increases over the 20th century. Much of the precipitation has resulted from an increased rise in the number of days with heavy and very heavy precipitation events. There have been moderate to very large increases in the number of days with excessive moisture in the eastern portion of the basin.
Scenarios of Future Climate: During the 21st century, models project that temperatures will increase throughout the Midwest, and at a greater rate than has been observed in the 20th century. Even over the northern portion of the region, where warming has been the largest, an accelerated warming trend is projected for the 21st century, with temperatures increasing by 5 to 10F (3 to 6C). The average minimum temperature is likely to increase as much as 1 to 2F (0.5 to 1C) more than the maximum temperature. Precipitation is likely to continue its upward trend, at a slightly accelerated rate; 10 to 30% increases are projected across much of the region. Despite the increases in precipitation, increases in temperature and other meteorological factors are likely to lead to a substantial increase in evaporation, causing a soil moisture deficit, reduction in lake and river levels, and more drought-like conditions in much of the region. In addition, increases in the proportion of precipitation coming from heavy and extreme precipitation are very likely.
By the National Assessment Synthesis Team, US Global Change Research Program
Published in 2000
Prokaryotes: Yes, thermal water pollution is a downside to NP.
Side note, the thermal pollution article ends with “The disadvantages of cooling towers are the potential for local changes in meteorological conditions.”
In Yahoo! News and other places you cannot use links. So, for stories about the East Cost heat wave I post this:
Google: Time “Turning Up the Heat on Climate Change”
Google: NOAA global temperatures June 2010
Google: “America’s Climate Choices”
Each gets the page I want on the top of the list. The “discussions” on those sites roll by so fast that debating deniers is not worth it. So, I just find good info and refer people to it via Google.
BAE to assist green energy project
Britain’s biggest arms manufacturer will contribute its marine engineering expertise to a wave-power project off Orkney
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/25/bae-green-energy-project
AP picks up Monckton/Abraham story http://climatecrocks.com/2010/07/25/ap-picks-up-moncktonabraham-story/
Biodiesel From Algae May Not Be as Green as It Seems: New Scientist Magazine
Bubbling green tubes filled with algae gobbling up carbon dioxide and producing biodiesel may sound like the perfect way to make clean fuel, but it could generate nearly four times the greenhouse emissions from regular diesel. http://www.soyatech.com/news_story.php?id=19465
Nice to see that Monckton now gets outed as the conspiracy theorist he is.
Fungus, not comet or catastrophe, accounts for carbonaceous spherules in the Younger Dryas “impact layer” http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2010/2010GL043345.shtml
Tropical fungus spreads illness in Northwest http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/23/1274132/tropical-fungus-spreads-illness.html
S. Korea names 100 biological species as indicators of climate change http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2010/07/25/39/0302000000AEN20100725000300315F.HTML
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the climate has been warming on the Korean Peninsula twice more rapidly than in the rest of the world over the past century. The annual temperature on the peninsula rose 1.7 C in the 1912-2008 period, while the world averaged 0.74 C, the weather watchdog said. The length of winter has also shortened by more than a month, while summer has been extended by about two weeks.
Solar-powered process could decrease carbon dioxide to pre-industrial levels in 10 years
By using the sun’s visible light and heat to power an electrolysis cell that captures and converts carbon dioxide from the air, a new technique could impressively clean the atmosphere and produce fuel feedstock at the same time. The key advantage of the new solar carbon capture process is that it simultaneously uses the solar visible and solar thermal components, whereas the latter is usually regarded as detrimental due to the degradation that heat causes to photovoltaic materials. However, the new method uses the sun’s heat to convert more solar energy into carbon than either photovoltaic or solar thermal processes alone http://www.physorg.com/news199005915.html
It’s time to end the excessive subsidies for corn ethanol
It’s time to end the excessive subsidies for corn ethanol http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/23/AR2010072304345.html
Forcings
So how can the temperature of the Earth be changed? Naturally, there is a lot of year-to-year variation. For example, when the oceans absorb radiation from the sun, they don’t always emit it right away. They will store heat for a long time, and sometimes release lots at once, during El Nino. This kind of internal variability makes the average global temperature very zig-zaggy.
We need to revise the question, then. The question is not about the average global surface temperature – it’s about the amount of energy on the planet. That’s generally how the climate is changed, by increasing or decreasing the amount of energy the Earth emits as heat, and consequently, the temperature. http://climatesight.org/2010/07/25/forcings/
PAKISTAN: Flash floods wreak havoc
With the onset of a heavier than usual monsoon season, assistance to tens of thousands of people affected by torrential rains and flash floods in different areas of the country has not been adequate and the risk of disease outbreaks is growing, local authorities have said. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89961
Storms hammer Midwest with floods, tornadoes http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-chicago-flooding-20100725,0,7371195.story
Three Gorges Dam’s Flood-Control Function Questioned http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/39737/
With mercury hitting record highs in Moscow and office dress-codes eased all around, the city of 12-million is starting to look like a beach resort. “This is a serious abnormality. The Russian weather service has never measured such temperatures in Moscow in July,” said Dmitry Kiktyov, Deputy Director of the Hydrometeorological Center of Russia. “According to our calculations, it hasn’t even reached its peak yet.” http://rt.com/Top_News/2010-07-25/summer-heat-baking-alive.html?fullstory
This is an opportunity to cut dependence on oil imports
It will take our country years to fully recover from the tragic oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. But we can prevent even bigger tragedies by learning from the crisis and finally taking action to reduce our dependence on oil – an inherently unreliable and dangerous source of energy. http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/25/1276227/this-is-an-opportunity-to-cut.html
Prokaryotes – #96
Many of the responses to that article point to the
advertising quality of the article and the lack of
substantial description of the scientific process
that could make such a thing possible.
Oil Sands Ad Campaign Touches Energy Security Raw Nerve
“We’re absolutely thrilled,” he told SolveClimate. “We broke through in the media in a way that other groups have not been able to do in the last three years.”
“They need to do more to demonstrate how they’re meeting the challenges of providing energy security while meeting their obligations of environmental stewardship,” he was quoted as saying in the Calgary Herald. http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100722/oil-sands-ad-campaign-touches-energy-security-raw-nerve
LNG Development Could Destroy Australia’s Kimberley Coast
The Kimberley region of north western Australia is one of the world’s great natural and Indigenous cultural regions – comparable to the Amazon and the Arctic/Antarctic in terms of vast naturally functioning ecosystems.
Sadly, years of neglect and mismanagement have created a range of yet to be addressed environmental problems but even bigger threats are now looming over the region, in the form of plans for large scale fossil fuel (LNG) processing which would in turn open the door for many other proposed damaging industrial projects. http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/lng_development_could_destroy_australias_kimberley_coast/
You wouldn’t read about it: climate scientists right http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/you-wouldnt-read-about-it-climate-scientists-right-20100725-10qev.html
Australian Prime Minister accused of poor leadership on climate change
Reserve Bank board member Warwick McKibbin joins Friends of the Earth protester Bradley Smith and other critics in calling the updated climate change policy, which is set to include a ‘Citizens Assembly’ among other things, a “lack of leadership”, a “policy failure” and a “delay to make it appear that action is being taken”. Smith voiced his opposition by disrupting Gillard’s press conference before he was escorted out by security agents. http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Australian_Prime_Minister_accused_of_poor_leadership_on_climate_change?dpl_id=196769
The world is on course for the hottest year since records began in 1880 after record-breaking temperatures in four of the first six months of the year http://www.gscurrentaffairs.com/world-on-course-for-hottest-year-since-1880
Investment Needed to Prevent Economic Crisis Ahead Due to Declining Rainfall http://www.azocleantech.com/details.asp?newsID=11236
General Mills Methuen Warehouse is Company’s First Solar Powered U.S. Facility http://www.greenpowersource.net/solarpower/9848-general-mills-methuen-warehouse-is-companys-first-solar-powered-us-facility
Victoria to fast-track solar station development
The Victorian Government will fast track applications for new solar stations in regional Victoria, in response to the recent announcement to increase Victoria’s electricity supply from solar power to 5 per cent by 2020. http://www.architectureanddesign.com.au/article/Victoria-to-fast-track-solar-station-development/520833.aspx
Wow, 5% by 2020!
China meets target of closing outdated coal-fueled power stations
The Chinese government has met its annual target to close outdated coal-fueled power generating capacity of 10 million kilowatts this month, an energy official said Sunday.
A total of 468 generators with generating capacity of 10.71 million kilowatts have been closed by July 15, said the official with the National Energy Administration. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-07/26/content_11047808.htm
Oily people send warning over new offshore drilling
Greenpeace volunteers covered themselves in ‘oil’ today to send a strong message to the Government to stop its plans for the drilling of new deep water oil wells off New Zealand’s coast. http://infonews.co.nz/news.cfm?id=55313
TW4XP electric vehicle runs using electricity and human power http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/tw4xp-electric-vehicle-runs-using-electricity-and-human-power/
Greenland’s ice is melting so quickly that land underneath is rising at an accelerated pace. http://geology.com/press-release/greenland-rebound/
Black carbon plumes
Increasing the ratio of black carbon to sulphate in the atmosphere increases climate warming, suggests a study published online this week in Nature Geoscience. Black carbon aerosols absorb solar radiation and are thought to be a significant source of global warming.
Furthermore, black carbon plumes derived from fossil fuels were 100% more efficient at warming than plumes that arose from biomass burning.
The authors suggest that climate mitigation policies should aim to reduce the ratio of black carbon to sulphate in emissions, as well as the total amount of black carbon released. http://www.natureasia.com/en/highlights/details.php?id=737
The Aerogenerator: The ‘holy grail’ of offshore turbines
Britain is racing firms worldwide to design and construct a new generation of mega-turbines that will tower 600m above the waves, and which will revolve like a falling sycamore seed. Check out how the technology has changed in the last 25 years http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2010/jul/26/wind-turbines-progression-energy-graphic
Engineers race to design world’s biggest offshore wind turbines
British firm to design mammoth offshore wind turbines with 275m wingspan that produce three times power of standard models http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/26/offshore-turbine-britain
Senate Democrats to introduce energy bill
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will unveil as early as Monday a slimmed-down energy bill seeking to make offshore drilling safer and convert trucks to run on domestic natural gas. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100726/ts_nm/us_congress_energy
Poor climate …
Unaccounted feedbacks from climate-induced ecosystem changes may increase future climate warming http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/10072605-unaccounted-feedbacks-from-climate-induced-ecosystem-changes-may-increase-future-climate-warming.html
The terrestrial biosphere regulates atmospheric composition, and hence climate. Projections of future climate changes already account for ‘carbon-climate feedbacks,’ which means that more CO2 is released from soils in a warming climate than is taken up by plants due to photosynthesis. Climate changes will also lead to increases in the emission of CO2 and methane from wetlands, nitrous oxides from soils, volatile organic compounds from forests, and trace gases and soot from fires. All these emissions affect atmospheric chemistry, including the amount of ozone in the lower atmosphere, where it acts as a powerful greenhouse gas as well as a pollutant toxic to people and plants.
Although our understanding of other feedbacks associated with climate-induced ecosystem changes is improving, the impact of these changes is not yet accounted for in climate-change modelling.
The Russian Energy Agency (REA) and the U.S. International Development (USAID) have inked a Protocol of Intent for strengthening partnership on clean energy, “smart grid” technology and energy efficiency.
This was done following the commitments made by Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama on June 24, 2010 at the US-Russia Summit for promoting green technology and energy efficiency.
This agreement will help in fostering partnerships with the U.S. as well as Russian regulators, utilities and others for sharing the best practices and information. In an effort to mitigate climate change, potential activities and initiatives will decrease energy loss that occurs in electricity systems and simultaneously decrease the carbon emission levels.
As per the World Bank, the U.S. and Russia are the two biggest emitters in terms of per capita greenhouse gases. This agreement will help in improving energy security, energy efficiency as well as clean energy technology. A World Bank Group report indicates that Russia could save around $80 billion annually if it realizes its full potential in energy efficiency. http://www.azocleantech.com/Details.asp?newsID=11255
Left-Wing ‘Hactivists’, Right-Wing Conservatives Work to Oppose Carbon Markets
Climate justice advocates ‘cyberjack’ EU carbon trading website on heels of climate bill’s death in Congress http://solveclimate.com/blog/20100726/left-wing-hactivists-right-wing-conservatives-work-oppose-carbon-markets
Hackers shut down EU carbon-trading website
Hackers hijacked Europe’s carbon-trading website and replaced it with spoof page detailing flaws in cap and trade scheme http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/26/eu-carbon-trading-website-hacked
Carbon trading doesn’t help to prevent emissions in the first place – and easy for fraudsters.
Unlikely bill fellows in California
Major Democratic donor and financier Tom Steyer has teamed up with former Republican Secretary of State George Schultz to lead a campaign against the ballot proposition aimed at defending California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s pet climate bill – a measure that’s become a talking point in the race to succeed him. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40214.html
Fires in Eastern Siberia
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=44756
Urban Air Pollutants Can Damage IQs Before Baby’s First Breath
Study in Krakow, Poland, corroborate NYC findings that links children’s lower IQ scores with mothers’ exposure to compounds created by burning of fossil fuels http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=urban-air-pollutants-can-damage-iqs-before-babys-first-breath
Solazyme founder Harrison Dillon: Why the U.S. Navy wants our green jet fuel http://www.smartplanet.com/people/blog/pure-genius/solazyme-founder-harrison-dillon-why-the-us-navy-wants-our-green-jet-fuel/4244/
A Climate Report Worth Slogging Through http://www.climatecentral.org/breaking/blog/a_climate_report_worth_slogging_through
WikiLeaks does humanity a service
The other shocking bit about this revelation is that it wasn’t done by any of the established media organizations http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2010/07/wikileaks_does_humanity_a_serv.php
Reminds me of the media reporting on climate change.
Mexican ‘climate migrants’ predicted to flood US
A tenth of Mexico’s population could surge north to escape climate-triggered crop failures, study claims. http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100726/full/news.2010.375.html
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez threatened to cut off oil to the US on Sunday. The latest Chávez oil threat comes amid a rising diplomatic spat with neighboring Colombia, a staunch US ally in the region. http://www.truth-out.org/hugo-chávez-oil-threats-why-chávez-wont-cut-off-oil-us61722
Even suburban Chicagoans want to invest in transit http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-26-even-suburban-chicagoans-want-to-invest-in-transit
In Africa, everyone is looking to the sky http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/in-africa-everyone-is-looking-to-the-sky/
http://www.gizmag.com/automotive-x-prize-tw4xp-three-wheel/15822
Energy and Global Warming News might want to look at the Automotive X Prize for the light-weighting trend in the future of transportation efficiency.
Federal study to tackle fracking impact
If natural gas drilling poisons the drinking water supply for 10 percent of the nation, it would be a public health disaster. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38408237
Wind Energy: The Power to Create 3,000 New Jobs Per State http://www.care2.com/causes/environment/blog/is-the-climate-bill-dead/
Premier’s bold plan on climate takes lead
JOHN Brumby has copped plenty of flak for inaction on climate change, but he can now justifiably claim to lead the country in setting a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions. http://www.smh.com.au/national/premiers-bold-plan-on-climate-takes-lead-20100727-10sth.html
Measuring Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide at the South Pole http://icestories.exploratorium.edu/dispatches/measuring-atmospheric-carbon-dioxide-at-the-south-pole/
U.N. Body Probes Cases of Paying Greenhouse Gas Emitters, Which Then Produce More
Paying firms to destroy a potent greenhouse gas sounds like a good way to help combat global warming, but a coalition of outside groups says these companies are deliberately producing more of the waste just to earn offset credits http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=un-body-probes-cases-of-paying-greenhouse-gas-emitters
U.S. faces climate-driven water shortages http://www.grist.org/article/u.s.-faces-climate-change-caused-water-shortages/