Wind Power Wins Big

If you're looking for some bright spots in the overall environmental picture since the U.S. elections this last week (and you may need night-vision goggles to see anything bright through the black results), voters in Colorado demanded that the state include solar and wind power in their energy portfolio. As reported by John Gartner in Alternet, Ammendment 37 requires that Colorado utilities that service 40,000 or more customers turn to renewable energy, targeting a level of 3 percent by 2007 and 10 percent by 2015. The measure gained approval by 52 percent of the voters, which in the currently skewed perspective of the major news media, is a "clear mandate."

Do It Without Oil

Eliminating oil use can be accomplished within a few decades, according to a new plan released by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). Through modern technologies and intelligent strategies, American businesses can gain a competitive edge and increase profits without the need for additional federal regulations or higher taxes. Partially funded by the Pentagon, Winning the Oil Endgame: Innovation for Profits, Jobs, and Security provides guidelines for achieving greater energy efficiency and substituting biofuels and natural gas for oil-intensive operations. RMI co-founder Amory Lovins sums up the findings of the study, "Because saving and substituting oil costs less than buying it, our study finds a net savings of $70 billion a year. That acts like a giant tax cut for the nation. It simply makes sense and makes money for all."

Super-Storms on the Rise

Although the mechanisms that spawn violent storms aren't fully understood, one key factor is the temperature of the world's oceans. Global warming has pushed the temperature of large areas of the ocean to around 27 degrees Centigrade or warmer during summer months. James McCarthy, a professor of biological oceanography at Harvard University sees this as a catalyst for more and more intense tropical hurricanes and cyclones. Water reaching these temperatures evaporates more readily, priming hurricane and cyclone formation and helping maintain the strength and intensity of newly formed storms. This Inter Press article by Stephen Leahy points out the correlations between climate change and extreme weather and argues that green energy to control global warming may help diminish future risks of severe storms.

China Commits to Renewable Energy

Anyone pondering the world's energy needs can't help but wonder how China, with strong population growth and increasing industrial development, will deal with the future. In an historic partnership, the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association (CREIA) have pledged to work together to help shape China's energy future. An encouraging note is that the Chinese Government anticipates achieving 12 percent of its power generation from renewables by 2020 and much of this capacity will be derived from wind. This Greenpeace press release details how new laws and cooperative efforts can help counter energy security and global warming threats.

The Costs of Extreme Weather

Those who contend that the economic impact of meeting the Kyoto Accord is too onerous for businesses probably haven't factored the economic costs of extreme weather into their calculations. Drought, flooding, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events around the world, a byproduct of global warming in the estimation of many climate scientists, produce billions of dollars in damage around the world every year. This presentation by Greenpeace, Global Warnings, provides vivid imagery and commentary on the increasing impact of extreme weather.

High-Power Spokespersons

Celebrity activism has a definite impact on bringing the message home: renewable energy works and it is available today. The benefits of green power are being promoted by a diverse range of high-profile personalities, including Dennis Weaver, Gwyneth Paltrow, Darryl Hannah, Tom Hanks, Cameron Diaz, and others. In the Wired article, Stars Power Move to Green Energy, John Gartner describes how celebrities influence the acceptance of alternative energy by what they drive, how they power their homes, and what they say to the media.

Pondering the Post-Petroleum Future

The transition from an oil-addicted present to a sustainable future either brings to mind visions of apocalyptic struggle for dwindling resources or a harmonious, nature-based world community ushering in a new peaceful phase in world history. Perceptions may make the difference in shaping the future, Jan Lundberg argues persuasively in this open e-Letter. What we know about modern physics and the interconnected reality of the world should be a guiding beacon towards a less-materialistic, more co-operative society.

Putting the Brakes on a Supertanker

More on the Arctic warming situation, this time from the folks at the heart of the issue. The Nunatsiaq News reports on the Arctic Council report, to be released on November 9th, 2004. The chairman of the ACIA, in a preview to the report's release, describes the task that awaits as "putting the brakes on a supertanker."

End of the Inuit Culture

A four-year investigation into the climate change in the Arctic concluded that the traditional Inuit culture will cease to exist because of the depletion of summer sea ice. These same factors, as determined by the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), will drive marine mammals such as polar bears, walrus, and seals toward extinction by the middle of the century. Warming trends in the Arctic and nearby regions, such as Alaska, are leading to melting permafrost, thinning sea ice and other disruptions as climate change accelerates.

Rising Impact of Global Warming

The first indications of the adverse effects of global warming are already apparent throughout Europe, according to the European Environmental Agency. Among the visible effects that are evident and getting worse: increased risk of flash floods, an increase in the number of diseases transmitted by ticks, declining glacial masses, extinction of some plant and bird species, and other equally daunting trends. Wendy Grossman summarizes the predictions in this Wired article, Europe Warned About Warming. With the mainstream media in the U.S. still essentially shrugging off the immediacy of the threat, these European forecasts paint a grim portrait of the future unless we equip ourselve to counteract the trends.

Playing Catch Up

In the span of several decades, the U.S. has gone from being a world leader in environmental practices to lagging behind in several key areas. As this editorial in the Denver Post points out, when it comes to renewable energy, the U.S. is playing catch up to a host of other nations. For example, our total wind energy capacity last year was 464 megawatts, compared to 14,609 megawatts for Germany, 6,202 megawatts for Spain, and 3,110 megawatts for Denmark. Asia and Europe are embracing renewable energy as a practical solution to energy needs, while the U.S. tinkers with energy plans based on fossil fuels and lags behind more enlightened nations. We can do better.

A Fuel-Efficient SUV?

Ford Motor Company took a step towards lowering the overall fuel consumption of their vehicle fleet by releasing the first gasoline-electric hybrid (SUV) from a U.S. manufacturer. The Ford Escape Hybrid SUV offers a 50 percent improvement in fuel consumption over the standard Escape. The compact SUV gets between 35 to 40 miles per gallon in the city, relying on an electric motor under 25 miles per hour to reduce fuel consumption. Now that Ford has figured out the technology, we wish they would apply it to the rest of their vehicles, which, according to the EPA, have the lowest average fleet economy of any of the U.S. auto manufacturers.

Renewable Energy Bonanza in Arizona

According to a report produced by the Union of Concerned Scientists, Arizona could generate thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars for rural development by increasing the state commitment to renewable energy sources. Despite a substantial potential for tapping into solar and wind energy, Arizona currently produces less than one-half of one percent of electricity through renewable sources (other than hydro-electric power). The report determined that adopting the basic tenets of a national renewable electricity standard (RES), requiring 20 percent of electricity be generated by renewable sources by 2020, Arizona could create 3,900 new jobs and attract $1.6 billion in capital investment.

Lessons on Sustainable Living from Outer Space

Spacecraft offer useful guidelines for designing energy-efficient, self-sustaining dwellings that can function well in inhospitable environments. New Scientist describes how technologies designed for space travel are being adapted for use in the hostile climes of Antarctica. Some researchers think these eco-friendly structures may play a useful role in solving future housing problems in European cities. Solar power and a lightweight yet durable carbon-fiber shell are two important components of this design approach.

Options for Green Power

For anyone who wants to seek true energy independence, the options for equipping a new home with solar or wind power, or retrofitting an older home, are varied and growing. But, not everyone can immediately afford to invest several thousand dollars to get off-the-grid (though the prospects for doing this in the near future should become increasingly attractive). In the meantime, many utility companies across the country have begun to offer options to their customers to select renewable energy sources for all or part of their electrical service. For instance, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) in Washington State has added a Green Power option to their services. This option, created in collaboration with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, charges customers an extra $4 a month at the minimum level, which enables PSE to purchase 200 kilowatt hours of energy from local renewable sources. Additional blocks of kilowatt hours can be purchased in 100-unit increments for $2. By PSE calculations, if 100 customers adopt the minimum option of their Green Power Plan, in one year the environmental benefit would be equivalent to planting 70 acres of trees. Not a bad proposition, and this is clearly a way for every electrical customer to support the growth of renewable energy. If your utility company doesn't offer a similar plan, maybe they should.

Brazil Pushes for Renewable Energy

Countries squabbling at the World Summit over resolutions to adopt workable energy targets are considering a proposal presented by Brazil to achieve 10 percent renewable energy sources by 2010. This level of commitment could have an important role in stimulating local economies and cutting pollution around the world. Currently, only 2 percent of the world's energy comes from wind, solar or wave power. An American-based group, the Apollo Alliance, also sees renewable energy as having the potential to create millions of jobs.

Popeye's Favorite Solar Cells

Solar cells made from the spinach leaf? It sounds improbable, but that's exactly what a team of researchers is working on, taking advantage of the ability of plants and photosynthetic bacteria to convert photons to energy. In this article from Technology Review, researchers from MIT, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, and the University of Tennessee have achieved initial 12 percent power-conversion efficiency rates, combining biology and electronics to create photosynthetic molecules. A traditional solar cell, the product of several decades of research, achieves 20 efficiency. This new approach sounds promising.

Competition for the Last Dregs

The last dregs of the dwindling worldwide oil supply look very appealing to a voracious consumer that rivals the U.S. in terms of raw appetite. China, with a population of 1.3 billion, is enjoying strong economic growth and, with that growth, the demand for automobiles within the country, including woefully inefficient SUVs, has skyrocketed. This piece in Newsday provides 1.3 billion reasons why we might want to worry about oil.

Power from the Sea

With wind power growing at record levels around the world (with 8,133 megawatts installed in 2003, according to the American Wind Energy Association and European Wind Energy Association) and solar power for home users becoming much more cost effective, other advances in renewable energy are taking place out of the spotlight. Generating electricity from the sea is not a new idea and past attempts have been riddled by failure, but a host of new efforts are underway, as described in this Wired News article, Seas Seen as Viable Power, by Stephen Leahy. A 486-ton wave turbine is being deployed off the coast of Australia, touted as the "first plant in the world to make wave energy commercially viable." The Department of Energy estimates that wave energy has the potential to produce 2 terawatts of electricity. That ought to keep a few electric toothbrushes humming.

A Solution to Global Warming

Finally, the Bush administration has somewhat sheepishly admitted that global warming appears to be a byproduct of human activities. It's about time, though this announcement curiously coincides with the start of the Republican National Convention. Could the most anti-environmental administration in a century be trying to paint itself as moderate as they prance on stage in front of the public? I wonder...

Given this official endorsement by the powers that be, we can no longer label global warming as a wild-eyed delusion invented by the liberal media, a plot by godless communists to drive America to bankruptcy, or a free-market opportunity for Wal-Mart to sell more air conditioners. Now that we have almost everybody onboard (except for those quasi-scientific mouthpieces who earn a direct living from fossil-fuel industry handouts), agreeing with what the vast majority of climate scientists have been asserting for years, what do we do about it?

In a commentary published in the Denver Post, Dr. Howard Geller of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project points to renewable forms of energy and overall improvements to energy efficiency as the answer. He also pointedly critiques those who see nuclear power as a viable solution, citing the lack of economic competitiveness, lack of public support, waste disposal issues and safety concerns--basically all of the same arguments that applied when U.S. nuclear power construction was halted 25 years ago. Nuclear power proponents, always ready to rally behind any excuse to re-energize the dead-end technology, have been blathering on about how nuclear power is the only answer, and, by the way, it is clean and safe and will deliver power that is too cheap to meter (or, have they finally given up on the too-cheap-to-meter argument?). Without the subsidy granted by the Price-Anderson Act, which limits plant owner liability in the event of a catastrophic accident (leaving taxpayers to pick up the additional tab), the industry would probably not even exist. A nice summary of the safety issues, produced by the Union of Concerned Scientists, can be found here.