“Falling in Love with the Wind”

In face of wonderful New York Times reporting on windpower, giving voice to NIMBYism, perhaps we should highlight better reporting on and discussion of windpower.  OnEarth, the Natural Resources Defense Council’s magazine, had a wonderful article earlier this year, “Falling in Love with Wind: How a small farm town traded its dair cows for renewable energy”.  Wonderful not because it is without fault. Wonderful not because it is simply boosterism for wind power.  Wonderful not just because it is (very) well written (kudos Joseh D’Agnesse) with great photos.  No, wondeful because one can read the article, gain a feel for some strengths and weaknesses of windpower in terms of the lives of individuals and communities.

Can we find Human Solidarity in our Divided World?

The UN has issue Fighting Climate Change: Human Solidarity in a Divided World.

 Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st Century. Failure to respond to that challenge will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem. Looking to the future, no country—however wealthy or powerful—will be immune to the impact of global warming.

The question before us all is whether those wealthy will care enough to act in time.? Or, will Americans and other wealthy around the world continue bread and circuses, partying as the world crashes around us all?   Sadly, looking at the nightly television schedules and lavish Christmas light displays across Americans does not instill confidence.

Australia has a new National Anthem?

Australia’s incoming prime minister, Kevin Rudd, has named a singer from Midnight Oil, Peter Garrett, to be the new environmental minister.  For those for whom the band name doesn’t ring the bell, there can’t be many who won’t recognize the music.

The time has come
To say fair’s fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share

The time has come
A fact’s a fact
It belongs to them
Let’s give it baaaack

having a problem loading the video … see Celsias.

Where’s the fight for renewable power?

Words leaking from behind closed doors about the Energy Bill are, well, to anyone who cares about an Energy Smart future simply foul language. According to the New York Times,

Reaching agreement on that timetable is likely to require Congressional leaders to drop provisions like a mandate that electric
utilities nationwide generate 15 percent of their power from renewable sources, including wind, solar and hydroelectric power. Utilities lobbied intensively against that requirement.

A House-passed measure to repeal $16 billion in tax breaks for the oil industry is also expected to be scrapped, aides said. President Bush threatened to veto the entire package if the oil and gas tax bill were included.

The utilities have spoken. 

Mr. 26% has spoken.

And, Congress has capitulated.

Well, it is time for someone to say: BRING IT ON, Mr Unpopular!

Dirty Hands and Clean Coal?

In an extremely good (and highly recommended) article, Environmental News Service is reporting that there is some serious cash supporting getting environmental organizations in line behind so-called “Clean Coal” (what should be called: Less Dirty Coal) and massive investments to explore the potential for carbon sequestration.   Carbon sequestration is a long-shot, which puts off implications and investments and responsibilities and consequences ‘out into the future’, thus is loved by industry and politicians, but it shouldn’t be liked by anyone really concerned about reducing future risk.

10 Steps to a Low-Carbon Economy?

The Center for American Progress just released its 10-step plan to a Low-Carbon Economy.  Based on an early look at the summary pages, great stuff and, well, ho-hum, and well, missing elements.  But, looking forward to seeing the full report.

Googling to a Clean Energy Future?

Today, Google announced RE<C — think renewable electricity cheaper than coal.  To be honest, it is hard to underestimate the importance of actions like these. 

The newly created initiative, known as RE<C, will focus initially on advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential breakthrough technologies. 

To achieve this, Google is planning to start $10s of millions in investments in R&D, with the anticipation of $100s of milions of investment in the coming few years.  

The target:  1 gigawatt of renewable energy capacity at or below the cost of coal-generated electricity.

A small update re Gridpoint

Having discussed Gridpoint in Energy COOL: Luxury that could go mainstream, a small update from an article in The Washington Post business section.  Gridpoint looks to still mainly be in the testing / development phase, but is available at a retail price of $12.5k rather than the $10k in yesterday’s post.

WashPost Business Section worth a look

Monday’s Washington Post business section has an excellent set of articles examining local green businesses.   They provide a window on those pursuing green productivity for, it seems, ethical/moral issues first (and financial as corollary) as per Honest Tea and those who started entirely with financial reasons (with any environmental/ethical/moral issues secondary, a corollary) as per Marriott (article subtitle: “Marriott Transforms Its Penny-Pinching Measures Into a Conservation Ethos”).

NIMBYism: a global obstacle to a renewable energy future

NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard driven opposition to some form of change) is a challenge to moves to a sensible energy future not just in America but around the globe.  Whether solar panels, drying clothes outdoors, white roofing, subways, or otherwise, a good number of paths toward a better energy future face opposition from those outraged over perceived impositions on their way of life, or at least their views in some way.  Perhaps the most visible battles: over wind turbine installations.

Today, the New York Times took us to the Greek isles,

THE tiny Greek island of Serifos, a popular tourist destination, depends on its postcard views of sandy beaches, Cycladic homes and sunsets that blend sea and sky into a clean wash of color. So when a mining and energy company floated a plan earlier this year to build 87 industrial wind turbines on more than a third of the island, the Serifos mayor, Angeliki Synodinou, called it her “worst nightmare.”

She imagined supersize wind towers looming over the island, destroying romantic vistas, their turbines chopping the quiet like a swarm of helicopters. The project is now stalled, and Ms. Synodinou doesn’t regret it. “No one would come here,” she said. “Our island would be destroyed.”