Eight living of bar analysis and Site Coil -- the in advance premeditated offshore wind project in the U.S. -- is while in anticipation of its fundamental central permits that would entrust it to institute constructing 130 turbines on Horseshoe Shoal off the shore of Site Cod.
A concern of offshore wind projects (off the coasts of Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Atoll), take been premeditated when Site Coil hip on the espy bankroll in 2001. Allay, it seems clear that none of these possibly will be built otherwise Move Obama's in advance invite in refuge expires. This is ominous to details precise the enjoyment and opportunity that Secretary of the Focus Ken Salazar has generated with the exchange of his agency's secret language for gullible renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Projection. In the midst of other ideas, the Secretary has stated that offshore wind energy strength of mind control the nation's clean energy riot.
Let the riot begin! (GW)
Obama Vacations In Clean-Energy Arena
Activists Long for The President's Stay To Martha's Wine grower Request Gleam A Oil lamp On A Affecting Coil Support
By Amy Harder
Disarray Magazine
Splendid 19, 2009
In imitation of Move Obama vacationing in Martha's Wine grower adjoining week, abnormal activists plan to shower up the domicile concentrate as the in advance wire soaks up the sun.
Nantucket Faultless, where procedure to body type a 130-turbine wind farm take sparked raging ramparts, has deactivate auditorium burn for a fat thought about offshore renewable energies. Whether the wind farm -- the in advance of its sort in the society -- is a facilitator for finale projects or an disappointment possibly will be obvious if the precede takes sides.
Bathe Fix Now, one of the groups spearheading view for the wind farm project, hopes the precede strength of mind do reasonably that. They're mere talk their masses -- the roughly speaking 165 members who postponement on Martha's Wine grower -- to explore the precede about the issue and take been in read with members who activate at ice goo shops, farms and other abnormal establishments they goal Obama strength of mind spree.
"We are on tenterhooks for him to vocalize out about this issue markedly from the time when of the domicile corollary of this," hypothetical Barbara Rise, administrative planner of Bathe Fix Now. The project, she went on to add, "possibly will rather jump-start a new industry in this rural. Past we get the in advance one out represent, it's leaving to gaping up the gates."
The Jingle To Sanctuary Nantucket Faultless, a system that opposes the wind farm, says it too strength of mind "of course take a apparition" via the in advance family's set aside. "It's an path for Move Obama to spot firsthand how privileged Nantucket Faultless is," hypothetical Audra Parker, chief on the go officer and administrative planner of the merger.
Competing Visions Of The Providence
The top description is provided by Site Coil, and the stand ability to see is part thin by the Jingle To Sanctuary Nantucket Faultless. What's more image what the outlook strong point firm go up to from different parts of the close down coast.
Equivalent projects take been premeditated up and unhappy the Northeastern shoreline when this one was introduced in 2001, but Site Coil rest acute along in the permitting process. The diplomatic seascape surrounding the wind farm is tangled, however: Broadminded Sen. Edward Kennedy has aggressive Site Coil basically when it was premeditated, and Rep. Bill Delahunt (D) is besides not keen it.
Obama has spoken in try of wind energy as a sea green, all as a courier and precede. At an event memorial Hollow out Day in April, he outlined the country's first-ever program to certificate and limit offshore projects to generate electricity from wind turbines, effect and ocean floor currents. He hasn't, dispel, talked straight on about the Nantucket project.
So what happens if the precede volubly embraces Site Wind? That strength of mind be choice than reasonably music to Hill's ears. It strength of mind bring capacity aid for her group's project. "It would chauffeur a symptom to the investment public," Rise hypothetical. "If the precede is leaving to be dialect markedly about the project, it has the capacity to set up an good new industry."
Laurie Jodziewicz, an offshore wind boss at the American Coil Kick Convention, hypothetical that the Focus Department's assessment, slated to be released any day now, is raw to make it bankroll positive precise that keep going developing reviews take been favorable.
For their aspect, the plan's opponents alongside to a new aquatic zoning policy the govern announced in June that strength of mind itemize which areas of the ocean floor possibly will be trade. Site Coil have to, at the in detail bare minimum, "be put on encirclement until this plan is put trendy set down," Parker argued. (That won't look as if until December, at the prehistoric, according to a Pasty Own epistle.) But trustworthy if the identify is approved for development, "represent take been multiple projects premeditated in chief locations," she hypothetical.
AWEA's Jodziewicz maintained that if the project is expanded move forward or scrapped seamlessly, it would be a combined defer for offshore wind in pervasive. "A splendid climb of assistance has been invested, and Site Coil developers take basically put themselves out represent as part the inspection missile," Jodziewicz hypothetical. "To put the thinking out that they required to do this, and not part able to make it lay aside that process -- that would be a juncture bankroll."
It's a missile activists goal to make formerly the precede arrives on Sunday. "I would respect to be able to sit unhappy with him for five minutes and say, precede Obama, what you're aural are proposals that are 10 living to one side,'" Rise hypothetical, and "nobody strength of mind be built in your in advance govern" if Site Coil fails.
Obama speaking in Iowa surrounded by wind turbines about extending the wind tax break.
As the election results started to come in on Tuesday night, the world held its breath and questioned whether it would avoid the disaster of a Romney presidency? The results were unbelievably close, in some key swing states almost neck and neck, all in stark contrast to the outside world who largely favour and see Obama as someone moving in the right direction on most issues, including equality, human rights and, last but not least, climate change.
Environmentalists have grown increasingly frustrated with Obama's perceived lack of action on climate change, the increased level of fossil fuel exploration in the US and his silence on broader environmental issues. But when the choice came to one between Romney and Obama, there was absolutely no doubt who would be a better President of the USA. Obama ultimately understands the science of climate change and wants to see an increased level of action in addressing it. His acceptance speech spelt this out in words set to give environmentalists renewed hope: "We want our children to live in an America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't weakened by inequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet" ; a statement that was met by a large cheer from his excited crowd of supporters.
So what action is it crucial that Obama takes now?
1) A wind power tax break, which expires at the end of this year and is currently threatening the future of the wind industry in the US, needs urgent renewal to safeguard the industry. Romney made it clear he would have allowed it to expire, and the House of Representatives, still held by the Republicans, will surely put a fight up against a renewal. Obama must fight this alongside the Senate, which the Democrats fortunately held.
2) The ongoing fight against the Keystone XL pipeline, which Trans Canada keeps pushing on with despite Obama rejecting it last year, must be outright rejected by him again. It's an issue that has united landowners and environmentalists in protests in oil rich and conservative Texas, where the company has already started construction.
3) In the wake of the rapid melting of the Arctic, Obama must acknowledge the fragility of this region and put a stop to Shell's plans to drill in the Alaskan Arctic in addition to proposing a bill banning any future oil and gas exploration there.
4) Obama did try to set up a carbon 'cap and trade' system that was blocked by Republicans. He must revisit this and find a way to instigate a carbon tax in which carbon is priced reasonably enough for the system to actually work. This system could potentially link up with the existing Australian carbon tax model, in addition to the EU if they too develop one, in order to enable a globally linked up scheme. He must also immediately instruct US airlines to comply with EU carbon laws when flying in European airspace; they are currently defying these.
5) Obama's re-election might come a little too late to influence the US delegation to Doha, Qatar, on the 26th of November, where the next in the series of the faltering UN Climate Change Conferences COP18 is being held. But if the US were to galvanise around this upcoming opportunity, and start to send a strong signal that it was serious about taking strong action to combat climate change, the rest of the world would invariably start to follow.
Meanwhile 350.org and their founder Bill McKibben, yesterday began their Do the Maths Tour which will be based on McKibben's recent Rolling Stone Magazine article centering on how much carbon we can afford to burn to stay below a two degree temperature rise, in addition to how much is being held in reserve by fossil fuel companies and traded on the stock markets.
Mr Pa Ousman Jarju, Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group, has perfectly summed up what the world wants in an Open Letter published on the 8th November, reminding Obama not to forget the climate commitments he made at the COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009, and reiterating what we have all seen in recent weeks with Hurricane Sandy, that the US is not at all immune to the adverse effects of climate change which developing countries have experienced for years.
This was cross posted with the Huffington Post.
If everyone reservations the likelihood of these fuels, inspect Brazil. As I understood, I was without prejudice bestow stage week. Lacking of Brazil's vehicles can run on biofuels -- shortened of their navy of automobiles can run on biofuels fairly of petroleum. Reasonable stage week, our Air Obtain under duress -- our own Air Obtain under duress -- used an first-class biofuel distil to fly a Raptor 22 -- an F-22 Raptor closer than the pull of well-spoken. Construe about that. I contemptible, if an F-22 Raptor can fly at the pull of -- closer than the pull of well-spoken on biomass, then I be au fait with the old champion that you've got, that you're overcast physically in -- (high spirits) -- can doubtless do so, too. There's no entity why we can't attach our cars do the extraordinarily.
In fact, the Air Obtain under duress is aiming to get shortened of its domestic jet fuel from alternative sources by 2016. And I'm directing the Air force and the Bifurcate of Fervor and Crop growing to activity with the family unit sector to create first-class biofuels that can power not without prejudice crusader jets, but in addition to trucks and commercial airliners.
President Barack Obama, Explanation by the President on America's Fervor Ease, Amble 31, 2011I attention it was sensational that happening the Presidents big energy speech a few weeks ago, the President discussed energy guarantee and alternative energy development in the context of USDA, Bifurcate of Fervor, oh and the US Air force. It strikes me that Ray Mabus, who unfortunate on was pushing (or lagging depending upon how you be seen at it) the Air force to get nasty about alternative fuels has been heaps blooming in that take a crack at. Past history on the broader issue of alternative energy in the DoD can be deck interior this RAND report, which I think is clearly versatile for framing the issue and challenges.
At Sea Air Amount this week bestow was an sensational panel that discussed alternative energy. It was a lot expand than I accepted, but it was the impart by Thomas Hicks to one of the questions deceased in the warning that got my care.
An article at the Kingdom Exempt blog rather captures the sense of the chat, but what Mr. Hicks understood happening Q&A was that the state-run calculating to estimate create the alternative fuels market to person in command it "to hand aggressive" with present fuel source options. I watched the warning end and attach not seen the videos from Sea Air Amount posted publicly online, so I can't do the significant costing, but it was a large criticism.
Because in the context of whatever thing the DoD has polished with alternative fuels, one might say the policy get-up-and-go overcast the US Navy's alternative energy strategy is to build a new reachable economic market for alternative fuels in the Partner States based on Mr. Hicks write. I discern that large, and would veneration to see a RAND plot on the viability of the state-run building any maiden name new alternative economic market aggressive with an present market in the Partner States. This is different than other examples of state-run market affect famine Condition Management and Retirement (Expressive Ease) as the administration the state-run is prize with energy is to speak to to invest plenty in the family unit sector to smooth completely new technologies.
It forte certainly activity, seeing that the expert aggressive the technology is in the market, the expert family unit investment the technologies ghost attract. The problem in "Sea green Fervor" stiff the stage few years has been the thin economy, which had led to lower energy prices, which then led to a geological sustained lifeless in investment fifty pence piece. With energy prices dissatisfied over and the economy in sidetrack, with the technology stationary moving unashamed kindness in one part due to nonstop DoD investments... you never be au fait with.
Auspiciously the Air force Syndicate ghost get videos of their Sea Air Amount speeches and panel sessions online in a while, seeing that bestow is a lot to examination from the conference but flaw the videos, it ghost be unbearable for me to get the quotes warrant. As one who watched as to a large extent as I might from the online end feed, I attach to say Sea Air Amount was an excessive accomplishment - and I participated from my convene in New York.
Every so often, I feel compelled to lecture on energy and the environment. After all, I once taught those courses in the College of Engineering at the University of Hawaii. After a string of postings on aliens, optimal governments, the gold tree, suicide and the Flat Universe, here is an article that is impossibly pedantic, but is provided to insert the fear factor into decision-making on sustainable resources and climate change. Scientific logic is failing, so what about The Venus Syndrome?
Global renewable energy investments amounted to 257 billion in 2011, six times higher than in 2004. A little more than half went towards solar photovoltaics. Renewable energy sources were responsible for nearly half the total new electrical capacity. Sounds terrific....but...a sum of of 302 billion went towards new fossil-fuel capacity, and the growth from the previous year of of more than 25% exceeded the 17% of the green option.
Yet, solar companies are doing dismally, and the death spiral of bankruptcies is growing. The combination of poor economy, overcapacity and uncertainty about continued federal support is taking a heavy toll. On the other hand, maybe this could be just normal attrition, for there were over 500 car companies in 1903. But electricity is only about a third of total energy usage. Glance at the right column and note that the wind/biofuls/solar/geothermal percentage stands today at around 2%.
Here are the comparative statistics for petroleum:
" - The value of oil consumed in 2011 was around 3 trillion (or 3000 billion")
- Over the next decade, oil/gas companies will spend 3 trillion for exploration and drilling, or 300 billion/year.
" - During the past decade, BP, Chevon, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell made about 1 trillion in profits. More specifically, they had profits of 137 billion in 2011. They spent 66 million on lobbying in 2011 and received nearly 2 billion worth of tax breaks. Wouldn't it be an ultimately magnanimous gesture for them to show up at the next G8 gathering and donate this sum to global climate change remediation? Of course, I suggested in my original Huffington Post article that President Obama go to his first summit and say, the U.S. will reduce our defense budget by 10%, and will cut it again by another 10% next year, if all of you (and China") do the same. In a few short years, if the major countries comply, serious wars should end. Crazy? Sure, but click on "Well, Barack, We Have a Problem..."
Pardon me for that diversion, but to summarize, while the renewables remain marginally small, there has been spectacular growth since the turn of the millennium. Part of the problem, though, is that, even with the sluggish economy, energy use continues to climb, especially in countries like China and India. Further, they appear not to mind adding more coal to the mix. For at least a decade now, THE SOURCE THAT HAS GROWN THE MOST IN TERMS OF TOTAL ENERGY IS COAL. Have they heard of global warming?
I particularly worry about The Venus Syndrome:
The above graphs are from Encyclopedia of Earth. Thus, is there sufficient time for the renewables to make an impact to prevent The Venus Syndrome? There is a theory called the Clathrate Gun Hypothesis:
Each peak indicates major extinction events for life on Planet Earth, caused by a jump in methane into the atmosphere. However, those numbers stand for millions of years. Thus they only occur every 100 million years or so. So, we probably have time on our side, except for the nagging reality that what took millions of years to build each spike is now being reached in a century.
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There are two major ocean storms, and one of them will intersect with me in a week or so. First Tropical Storm Carlotta, which will become a hurricane and make landfall in the vicinity of Acapulco in a few days:
But the one that worries me is Typhoon Guchol, already at 95 MPH and scheduled to roar through Japan, if not South Korea, and I'll be in both countries from Saturday:
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This preceding Friday, January 10th, Bring round Wisconsin hosted its third annual report Cause to move Connection Peak. The Peak was a increase triumph and Bring round would identical to thank all of the sponsors, speakers, and attendees who ended it achievable.
Less than is an article by Thomas Pleased of the Milwaukee Text Fob watch that recaps the Summit's topics and speeches.
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/239679511.html
AS Other STATES Twitch, WIS. RENEWABLE BUSINESSES AIM TO Hook and eye UP
Make clear supervisor from Text Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/239679511.html#ixzz2qIyWHwZq
Evidence us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter
Renewable energy businesses that point to develop projects in Wisconsin are having triumph in other states, in the role of looking for ways to develop supervisor projects here.DVO, a Chilton-based company that is the state's first-class draftswoman of waste-to-energy digesters, is keenly pursuing projects in spaces identical Serbia, Chile and Vietnam as to all intents and purposes as Vermont and other states, said Melissa Van Ornum of DVO.DVO is seeing smaller amount squeeze to build projects in Wisconsin after utilities bigger the invoice they would pay to buy the electricity generated by the dairy farm digesterse in the state.Wisconsin is calm the nation's leader in development of waste-to-energy digesters, but other states are transferable up quick, she said.Matt Neumann of Sunvest Astrophysical in Pewaukee said his company has been keenly installing solar projects not far off from the realm, through Missouri. Of supervisor 212 projects the company has in the tweet this go out with, fair one is in Wisconsin, he said.Wisconsin wishes to get on your way the entry to supervisor solar overpower allowing third-party deed of solar projects, which effect solar developers to own the panels and homeowners and businesses to lease the panels on their rooftops, he said.Renewable energy electorate need to rule ways to make the acquaintance of on both sides of the passageway to rule hold from the Republican Congregate, said Neumann,
son of aged Republican Rep. Parcel Neumann."I'm a hot, and this necessity not be a subjective issue," he said.State, 80% of new solar installations last go out with came in states identical New Sport shirt, California and Arizona that have liable the thumbs up to third-party deed.In Wisconsin, policymakers have full a belt close at hand to expanding renewable energy in concerns about the impact on prices paid by other assistance patrons.Chris Schoenherr, substitute secretary of the state Partition of Provision, said the Usual Advantage Casing is looking into the issue, but ready a belt close at hand is frugal.Utilities have concerns about allowing too many solar projects, and the burble take-off on other patrons if large businesses and other patrons remove to generate their own power. Utilities have adjust power that need to be paid for and policymakers need to be brake to promise that assistance means aren't upended by strewn generation, he said.But by not pursuing renewable energy, the state is sinking gulp down its neighboring states, speakers at the conference said. Michigan built supervisor wind power in 2012 than Wisconsin has built in the preceding 15 go, he said.Wisconsin was along with the introductory states to execute a renewable energy control but other states have motivated to enact targets that are supervisor defiant than Wisconsin's.In Minnesota and Iowa, where assistance power are smaller amount beloved than Wisconsin, utilities are to all intents and purposes on their way to hit 25% to 30% of their power from renewable sources.In Minnesota, Xcel Cause to move is touching to build supervisor wind farms in a bid to notice the renewable energy tolerable as to all intents and purposes as perimeter its arrant emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, said Mike Bull of the Underlying for Cause to move and Ecology in Minneapolis.In advance, the new wind farms are predictable to perimeter power for patrons in aspect because current is no fuel invoice that wishes to be paid having the status of the wind blows, Sullivan said.As a result, Xcel's defiant proceed to add wind power in 2013 represents an investment of supervisor than 3.5 billion, said Michael First-rate of Minnesota-based Jade Cause to move."None of that was prompted by mandates. None of that was prompted by renewable energy ideals, none of that was prompted by state law," he said. "That was all prompted by economics: it's cheaper."Now that Wisconsin's utilities have overall met the state's 2015 renewable energy tolerable, it may quickly be aspect to increase twofold that, lawmakers at the conference said."We indigence perfectly provoke the bar up a little supervisor to see how noticeably we can do because this is a competitive world," said Sen. Valley Schultz, R-Richland Underlying.Schoenherr, of the Partition of Provision, said the aspect isn't involuntarily absolutely to proceed personal with expanding the Wisconsin renewable tolerable because assistance sales are glossy and the state nowadays has plenty power to notice its wishes. The aspect to mull over it would be having the status of the state is looking to add supervisor power plants.But that aspect isn't far off, as two state utilities announced last go out with they are next building new natural gas-fueled power plants by the end of the decade.Swift of folks condescending policy initiatives, the state necessity proceed introductory to increase twofold funding for renewable energy projects overpower the state Turn on Cause to move program - which has hanging funding for renewables multiply by two in later than usual go, said Rep. Katrina Shankland, D-Stevens Position."The last hook go have been a unyielding roller coaster for renewable energy producers," said Michael Vickerman, program and policy manager for the Madison-based nonprofit domestic Bring round Wisconsin.
Make clear supervisor from Text Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/239679511.html#ixzz2qIySBZHO
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