Clean energy puts U.S. ahead, Chu says
The U.S. Energy Department needs a holistic approach in researching clean energy if it’s to out-compete the rest of the world, the energy secretary said.
U.S. President Barack Obama during his State of the Union address said the United States needed to invest heavily in research, “especially clean energy technology,” to remain at the top of the geopolitical hierarchy.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu told a subcommittee on energy and water at the House Committee on Appropriations that his department issued a budget request of $29.5 billion for 2012 to support Obama’s objectives.
“To reach our energy goals, we must take a portfolio approach to research and development: pursuing several research strategies that have proven to be successful in the past,” he said in prepared remarks.
Research and development targeting energy efficiency programs, he said, wouldn’t only help consumers save money but conserve energy as well.
Midsize Solar Installations Grow At Light Speed
As Tim Nilsen steps into one of his barns outside Sacramento, Calif., hundreds of turkeys snap to attention.
Turkeys are the name of the game at Nilsen Farms. But his property is also serving up something else “” solar energy for about 750 homes in the community.
That’s because the property is also home to an 8-acre solar array “” a field of shiny black panels. A lot of customers want solar, but for one reason or another, they would rather not have panels on their house, says Jim Burke, a program manager for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.
Burke says it became apparent that “there’s really no reason why we had to climb on top of somebody’s perfectly good roof and drill a hole in it. We could actually come out to a larger facility like this, [and] take advantage of the economies of scale.”
Renewable power is on the rise across the country. But for states with ambitious clean energy goals like California, it isn’t growing fast enough. That has them turning to a new kind of renewable project “” midsized solar farms. Many are calling it the Goldilocks of renewable energy.
Negawatts Put on Equal Footing With Generation
Things are looking up for demand response. Less than two weeks after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission refused to make any rash judgments regarding a double counting issue pertaining to the PJM Interconnection, the regulatory body–in an unrelated action to the double counting initiative–has amended the rules in another area to allow for demand response to receive the same payment as generation resources in wholesale markets.
The change in the Federal Power Act applies to Regional Transmission Organizations and Independent System Operators that have the ability to balance supply and demand instead of calling on more generation. Those grid operators will have to pay the full market price, known as the locational marginal price, to demand response resources in real-time and day-ahead markets as long as dispatching DR is cost-effective.
“Our customers want to know, ‘What is the value of price-based demand response?’ FERC’s final ruling answers that question. It makes it much more attractive to participate in these types of programs,” said Gregg Dixon, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales at EnerNOC. “Going forward, we expect much greater interest in these offerings, from new and existing customers alike.”
While the changes brought cheers from curtailment service providers like EnerNOC, the adjustment will take a while to be put in place. Each RTO and ISO has to determine a price level at which demand response dispatch is cost-effective compared to generation. The tariff changes need to be established by July 22.
“This landmark decision is just the motivation needed to transform the market and empower customers, clearly validating EnergyConnect‘s commitment and leadership in price-responsive demand,” Kevin R. Evans, President and CEO, EnergyConnect, said in a statement.
DOE Loan Chief: We Remain Committed to Nuclear
The sentiment echoes DOE Secretary Steven Chu’s cautious but steadfast comments supporting nuclear before the House Energy & Commerce committee.
The DOE Loan Program has issued a conditional commitment for a $8.33 billion loan guarantee to Georgia Power to build the first nuclear power plant in the U.S. in three decades. Silver noted briefly in his talk that the nuclear technologies used by Georgia Power will be different from the GE Mark I, which are the type of reactors that are under going a partial meltdown in Japan right now, in the wake of the massive earthquake and tsunami.
Silver said the Loan Program expects to move forward with the Georgia Power nuclear plant, as well as additional nuclear projects. The Georgia Power project is still a conditional commitment, and the loan guarantees take months to finalize.
Unrest stalls Middle East effort to cut CO2
Political unrest in the Gulf has complicated the task of lowering fuel subsidies to help cut carbon in a region with the world’s highest per capita emissions.
Gulf countries, where summer temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius (122 F), want to adopt renewables like solar power to free up oil for export at high prices as well as cut emissions, which are six times higher than the world average.
But they have been dragging their feet by providing $30 billion a year in subsidies for oil and gas use, selling gasoline and electricity domestically at often a fraction of international rates.
G20 nations have pressured the region to end subsidies, which hamper fuel efficiency, push more oil into domestic power generation, and make renewable projects uncompetitive.
“With the protests … there is no regime that would dare to touch subsidies for quite some time, because the cost of living has been one of the main grievances throughout North Africa and the Gulf,” said Samuel Ciszuk, Middle East analyst at IHS Energy in London. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar all offer domestic fuel discounts. In Kuwait, the average fuel price break is 83 percent, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency.
By making subsidies harder to discontinue, and by unnerving foreign investors, Arab unrest could limit Gulf oil exports and delay even modest regional plans to adopt cleaner energy.
Previous in TP Climate Progress
Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
Japan Earthquake Increases Flood Risk In Fukushima
http://www.science20.com/chatter_box/japan_earthquake_increases_flood_risk_fukushima-77280
ground level sank along the coast near Onahama Port, Fukushima Prefecture. This has caused recent average tide levels to rise by about 40cm.
You have to wonder why Energy Secretary Chu never talks about the looming “liquid fuels crisis” which is imminent and will cause the economy and industrial civiliation in general to implode.
To get a taste of what lies ahead, just listen to some of the reporters on the ground in the Northern region of Japan where gasoline is practically unavailable. Literally everything grinds to a halt.
Chu and Obama are sticking up for nuclear, as they did for offshore drilling after the Gulf spill. They seem to be afraid th chellenge fracking, too. They’ve shown whose side they’re on.
Martyn Williams, a Tokyo-based journalist, reports on Twitter that Tokyo Power Electric Company has released this new video of the badly damaged reactor buildings at the Fukushima Nuclear Plant, shot on Wednesday from a helicopter flying over the area:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/latest-updates-on-japans-nuclear-crisis-and-earthquake-aftermath-4/
>Chu and Obama are sticking up for nuclear
Nuclear will die of its own accord so it is best they preserve their political capitol for fights that are yet to be decided.
ScienceDaily (Mar. 16, 2011) — Bursts of intense global warming that have lasted tens of thousands of years have taken place more frequently throughout Earth’s history than previously believe, according to evidence gathered by a team led by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego researchers.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110316152941.htm
Scientist who studied nuclear worst-case scenarios talks about Fukushima worst-case scenario
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/17/scientist-who-studie.html
“Flood Risk In Fukushima”
Wouldn’t it help now to have the area flooded? Maybe an artificial tsunami even, with a precise water detonation to generate the waves? Desperate?
Mike Roddy #3 understands Obamaismo perfectly.
All-time record heat in Mumbai, India
Mumbai hits its hottest temperature of all-time
The temperature in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India skyrocketed to an all-time high of 107°F (41.6°C) yesterday, March 16, at the downtown Colaba observatory. Records at the observatory go back to 1847, which may be the longest time series of temperature observations at any location in Asia. Mumbai’s previous all-time record temperature was 105°F (40.6°C) recorded on April 19, 1955. Mumbai’s Santacruz Airport, located in the suburbs several miles inland, did not set an all-time high yesterday, hitting 41.3°C (all-time record: 42.2°C on April 14, 1952.) The record heat yesterday was due to an unusually hot and dry northeasterly flow of air from the center of India that kept the usual cooling sea breeze from establishing itself along the coast. Hot weather continued in Mumbai today, with the mercury hitting 102°F (39°C.)
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1766
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu: Japan situation has “caused me to reconsider” nuclear power
http://piersmorgan.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/17/israel-prime-minister-netanyahu-japan-situation-has-caused-me-to-reconsider-nuclear-power/?hpt=C2
“Are you saying you might actually stop any kind of nuclear program in Israel,” asked Morgan. “I don’t think we’re going to pursue civil nuclear energy in the coming years,”
Al Gore gives climate change talk in Bogota
On Wednesday, at the invitation of newspaper El Espectador and Caracol TV, Gore spoke in front of 1,200 people to discuss the science behind climate change and practical solutions nations can carry out to overcome the global crisis.
“The challenges I am presenting are related to innovation and developing countries like Colombia have a big task ahead,” said the former vice president, who has taken on the task of educating the world about climate change.
Gore proposed that Colombia should focus on “putting a price on carbon” by implementing taxes on fossil fuels like coal and oil, which is the largest supplier of greenhouse gases.
“CO2 is an invisible gas, but it is destroying our future. I know it is politically difficult to do this, but we live one of those moments in history when we need to think differently,” he said.
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/14957-al-gore-gives-climate-change-talk-in-bogota.html
Climate change and crop yields
One degree over
Data from crop trials underline the threat climate change poses to farmers
Days above 30°C are particularly damaging. In otherwise normal conditions, every day the temperature is over this threshold diminishes yields by at least 1%. Moreover, days where the temperature exceeds 32°C do twice the harm of those at 31°C. And during a drought, things are worse still. Then, yields take a hit of 1.7% per day over 30°C.
This matters because increasing the average temperature only a bit can multiply the number of the hottest days a lot. The research predicts that a 1°C rise in average temperature will reduce yields across two-thirds of the maize-growing region of Africa, even in the absence of drought. Add drought and that effect spreads over the entire area.
Perhaps more important than the specific results, though, is the insight that data from crop trials could be used to look at the effects of warming on other farms in other places. Dr Bänziger says she is now planning to move on to wheat, which is widely seen as even more climate-sensitive than maize.
http://www.economist.com/node/18386161?story_id=18386161&fsrc=rss
Study Says Climate Debate Is Largely Cultural http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/22065
House Republicans reject climate change science http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20043909-503544.html
EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, today in Brussels: “I think by 2050 we’ll have 100% renewable electricity in Europe. That is perfectly doable”: http://bit.ly/Hed100
No wonder we have panic. From the recent headlines:
Nuclear crisis deepens.
Or
UN says crisis no worse than 24 hours ago.
Or
Clean up of nuclear plants may begin in two days.
Pick your truth…but keep in mind All governments will lie about large devastating disasters.
Filed under: The final argument
Battle-proof Wind Farms Survive Japan’s Trial by Fire
Despite assertions by its detractors that wind energy would not survive an earthquake or tsunami the Japanese wind industry is still functioning and helping to keep the lights on during the Fuksuhima crisis.
I’ve been directly corresponding with Yoshinori Ueda leader of the International Committee of the Japan Wind Power Association & Japan Wind Energy Association, and according to Ueda there has been no wind damage reported by any association members, from either the earthquake or the tsunami. Even the Kamisu semi-offshore wind farm, located about 300km from the epicenter of the quake, survived. Its anti-earthquake “battle proof design” came through with flying colors.
Mr. Ueda confirms that most Japanese wind turbines are fully operational. Indeed, he says that electric companies have asked wind farm owners to step up operations as much as possible in order to make up for shortages in the eastern part of the country:
Eurus Energy Japan says that 174.9MW with eight wind farms (64% of their total capacity with 11 wind farms in eastern part of Japan) are in operation now. The residual three wind farms (Kamaishi 42.9MW, Takinekoshirai 46MW, Satomi 10.02MW) are stopped due to the grid failure caused by the earthquake and Tsunami. Satomi is to re-start operations in a few days. Kamaishi is notorious for tsunami disaster, but this wind farm is safe because it is locate in the mountains about 900m high from sea level.
The largest wind farm operator in Japan, Eurus Energy with about 22% of all wind turbines in Japan, is a subsidiary of Tokyo Electric Company (TEPCO) which operates the Fukushima nuclear facility. Right now, it is likely the company is very happy about its diversified portfolio:
While shares in the Tokyo stock market have fallen during the crisis, the stock price of Japan Wind Development Co. Ltd. has risen from 31,500 yen on 11 March to 47,800 yen on 16 March.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/battleproof-wind-farms-su_b_837172.html
Riz Khan – The nuclear power debate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99EbhO3gPvk&feature=player_embedded#at=52
24 mins distraction from the NHK stream :)
2010 Russian Heatwave More Extreme Than Previously Thought
NEW ANALYSIS ON 2010 & 2003 HEATWAVES
Climate change in the next few decades could make European heatwaves, like those in 2003 and 2010, much more common.…
It’s safe to say the sweltering heat wave that struck western Russia last summer brought the hottest temperatures anyone from the region could remember. After all, the daytime temperatures in Moscow surged past 100°F, and prior to last summer, the city’s all-time high temperature had never reached the century mark (with records going back as far as 1879).
The Russian heatwave was a record-breaking event by nearly any description. Now, months later, there is a new perspective on just how rare the summer of 2010 was across Europe.
http://www.climatecentral.org/blog/2010-russian-heatwave-more-extreme-than-previously-thought/
A dozen years of protracted drought have allowed acidic compounds to build up in soils along the banks of the Murray river in south Australia. Recent flooding has redissolved the compounds, forming orange-brown pools of sulphuric acid which are now draining into the river.
The Water Department is warning farmers of the risks of contact with undiluted drainage water and says animals must be given access to safe drinking water.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/18/3167181.htm
Release of this sulphuric acid from the soil can in turn release iron, aluminium, heavy metals and arsenic within the soil. Once mobilized in this way, the acid and metals can create a variety of adverse impacts: killing vegetation, seeping into and acidifying groundwater and water bodies, killing fish and other aquatic organisms, and degrading concrete and steel structures to the point of failure.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_sulfate_soil
Snow Pack, Rains Heighten Flood Risk for Much of U.S.
Much of the northern half of the U.S.—from Montana to New York—faces an above-average risk of flooding in the next few weeks as new rainstorms loom after a winter of heavy snows, the National Weather Service said Thursday.
Spring floods already have hit portions of the Ohio River Valley and northern New Jersey, but the worst is yet to come, the weather service said.
“We’ve had an extremely active weather pattern, moving storms across the northern tier of the country this winter, leading to very saturated soils and heavy snow pack,” said Gary Carter, director of hydrologic development at the weather service. “If temperatures warm up and we get more systems moving rain, it’s going to flood.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704360404576206903018404180.html
Yes. US can be role model for other countries in harnessing clean energy technologies.
Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India