Obama Aims To Slash Greenhouse Gas Emissions

We think this goal can be hit without pulling back on economic growth. Personally, professionally, we've experienced dramatic declines in energy use and carbon output.  And, we believe we can improve upon this performance and eclipse those achievements.

A lot or progress can be made through efficiency.  Part of making ambitious goals like these take historic changes in human behavior;  which means we all become very savvy consumers.  If we are mindful and vigilant in contemplating our actions on our environment, we'll make some very smart decisions.  In doing so, we'll save money and live a better quality of life.

We look forward to meeting or exceeding these goals here in the US.

“Climate change is real, it is being driven by human activity, and it is not a problem any one country can solve on its own,” Obama's senior advisor Brian Deese said.

(TRNS) — President Obama on Tuesday announced his pledge to the United Nations that the U.S. will slash its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 28 percent by 2025 in what he’s hoping will be a substantive contribution to a major international climate change agreement.

Brian Deese, a senior advisor to the president, made the announcement Tuesday morning, saying that with the progress made last year in China when the world’s two largest economies “surprised the global community by jointly announcing their plans to combat one of the biggest threats facing the world this century,” would be continued through the announcement.

“That’s a big deal, because truly global challenges demand global solutions. Climate change is real, it is being driven by human activity, and it is not a problem any one country can solve on its own,” Deese wrote.

Deese characterized the goals of up between 26-28 percent of emission reduction from 2005 levels as “ambitious and achievable,” adding that “the goal will roughly double the pace at which we’re reducing carbon pollution through cost-effective measures using laws already on the books.”

The Obama administration will tackle this issue on two fronts, using EPA rules that are already aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions as well as the expansion of the use of clean energy.

“It’s past time we heed these warnings. It’s past time for the world to take action. Under President Obama’s leadership, the United States is doing our part to take on this global challenge,” Deese said. “It’s time for other countries to do what the United States, Mexico, and the E.U. members have done and submit timely, transparent, measurable, and above all ambitious targets for cutting carbon pollution and building lower-carbon economies to the UNFCCC.”

July Lookout: Enjoy a Weeklong Vegan Vacation in Southern Italy

As you relax and enjoy a great Easter Holiday, and we wish great blessing for everyone, it is a nice, relaxing time to think about future vacations and how you can make them sustainability and memorable.

Here's one very interesting idea that came to us.

July Lookout: Enjoy a Weeklong Vegan Vacation in Southern Italy

Too often we vegans are met with naysayers suggesting veganism isn’t feasible; isn’t realistic; isn’t sustainable. To that we vegans say phooey! Non-vegans are missing out on the rewarding benefits and blissful beauty of leading a lifestyle free from animal abuse. No one’s perfect, but anyone still downing dairy, eating eggs or munching meat can without fanfare abandon said bad habits and the sky won’t come crashing down! Point. Of. Fact.

To the naysayers, we offer you this: an all-inclusive weeklong vegan vacation in Southern Italy. You imagined traveling vegan was challenging? Think again! We can have our vegan cake and eat it, too. Thankyouverymuch. Indeed, thanks to Tierno Tours and Green Earth Travel, vegans and the veg-curious can indulge in a hassle-free eight-day trip packed with plant-based edible pleasures, partnered with typical touristy treats. From sightseeing to shopping, lovely lodging to cultural outings, there’s something compelling for everyone participating in this inaugural installment of what’s been aptly titled the Vegano Italiano Festival.



Says Tierno Tours co-founder Gretchen Sheridan, “In 2009, my brother-in-law — a vegan of 15 years — asked me and my partner Pasquale to offer a vegan tour. At the time Pasquale and I weren’t even vegetarian! In the past six years we have evolved our lifestyle, and we’re happier and healthier than ever. We feel it’s important to share this with others in a fun way. What could be better than a plant-based trip to Italy?!”

Occupying the four-week span of July 2015, travelers can choose from among four different date ranges and, more rad than that, guests can also select with whom they’d like to spend roughly 192 hours. Each week features a different vegan scene “celebrity” — from the talented ladies of Our Hen House, Jasmin Singer and Mariann Sullivan; to the widely admired No Meat Athlete, Matt Frazier; from cashew cheese connoisseur and esteemed cookbook author Miyoko Schinner; to desserts diva and the authority on all things chocolate Fran Costigan. The list goes on, but you get the idea. For specifics surrounding these and other recognizable vegans you’ll bond with in Italy,



For Ms. Schinner, July can’t come soon enough. “I live for Italian fare, especially the vegetable-centric cuisine of Southern Italy — simply prepared, perfectly enhanced with a bit of seasoning.

Italian food speaks to my soul. But it’s not just the eats; it’s the setting, the ambience, the culture, the lilting voice of the waitress who says Allora! as she serves you your carafe of the house wine made from its own vineyards. It’s cruising through the hillsides of the Amalfi Coast and seeing the backyards filled with olive trees and ripe tomatoes. It’s the loud, friendly voices in the markets, the impossibly beautiful scenery dotted with the rustic history of ancient villages, the vibrant colors…” Clearly this San Francisco-based fromage savant is ready to go!



While she’ll be executing cooking demos over the course of her particular trip, OHH will be podcasting from the road and discussing relevant topics with travel companions.

“We plan on making ‘Hen Week’ the trip of your lifetime,” enthuses Ms. Singer. “You can expect a workshop that debunks any questions a burgeoning vegan, or even a longtime vegan, might have.”

Their week also includes the presence of Chef Jason Wyrick, so anticipate tasty cooking tips from him as well. As for Ms. Costigan, she’s still debating which sweets to whip up during her designated week. “Will it be the Italian olive oil and almond cake or the classic chestnut cake known as Castagnaccio? Espresso truffles or biscotti? Definitely chocolate crostini with local fruit!” Brace yourself for much chocolate homage with this cocoa pro.



So, to sum up: Rub elbows with your favorite vegan figures. Explore Pompeii and Positano, among myriad other locations of note, all the while daydreaming about the magnificent meal you’ll share with your group later that evening. Appreciate ancient ruins alongside likeminded animal lovers.
Wake every day in a four-star villa/B&B in The National Park of Cilento — a UNESCO site in the Province of Salerno, in Campania — and sleep easy each night knowing you were part of something special and completely compassionate.

“The trip the organizers put together is packed full,” remarks Ms. Sullivan. “It’s a total no-brainer for us and other attendees, since all the hard work — where to stay, how to get around — is already done. I’m looking forward to finally going on a trip where I don’t need to worry about the next detail.”



Adds Ms. Schinner, “Vegans love to socialize, and what better place to do so than an eating trip through Italy? We don’t often have opportunities to travel where we can truly celebrate local cuisine without having to exert caution about the ingredients. The fact that this is all planned by our wonderful hosts? I can’t imagine a better deal.”

As for any non-vegans on the fence about obtaining tickets, Ms. Sheridan ensures, “They won’t miss a thing.”

Emissions by Makers of Energy Level Off

We've reported on this previously, and will continue to track and follow up on the radio side.  This is fantastic news and a great moment in life.

Emissions by Makers of Energy Level Off

By JOHN SCHWARTZ                       

             

Somebody tapped the brakes.

Carbon dioxide emissions from the world’s energy producers stalled in 2014, the first time in 40 years of measurement that the level did not increase during a period of economic expansion, according to preliminary estimates from the International Energy Agency.

The research suggests that efforts to counteract climate change by reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy efficiency could be working, said Fatih Birol, the agency’s chief economist and incoming executive director. “This is definitely good news,” he said.

Dr. Birol noted that many nations have promoted energy efficiency and low-carbon energy sources like hydroelectric, solar, wind and nuclear power. China, he noted, has worked to reduce carbon emissions as part of an intensive effort to limit environmental damage from economic development.

That China appears to be successfully moving down that path, he said, portends well for the deal struck with the United States in November. China committed in that agreement to turning around its growth in carbon emissions by 2030, or earlier if possible, while increasing the share of non-fossil fuels in energy production to 20 percent of its menu.

The agency has been collecting data on carbon dioxide emissions for 40 years, and in that time emissions have stalled or dropped only three times; each of those coincided with weakness in the global economy. The last instance was in 2009, during a global economic slump. In 2014, however, the economy expanded by about 3 percent.

The agency reported that global emissions of carbon dioxide in 2013 and in 2014 were 32.3 billion metric tons. The figures were first published by The Financial Times in an interview with Dr. Birol. The organization said that these preliminary figures will be contained in a report scheduled to appear in June. That report, Dr. Birol said, could provide guidance for negotiators seeking a global climate deal in Paris in December.

“The numbers I announced are definitely encouraging, but it doesn’t bring us to a happy ending yet,” he said. “If you want to see a happy ending, you want to see an agreement in Paris that will send a powerful signal to investors to go in the direction of low-carbon technologies.”

Some energy experts sounded a note of caution about the research, while applauding it. Steven Smith, a senior scientist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, warned that even a two- or three-year shift in emissions “doesn’t tell you anything,” and that “what’s important is the long-term trend.”

Hal Harvey, who runs a policy research group called Energy Innovation in San Francisco, agreed, saying, “One year does not a trend make.” Still, he said, “This is a big deal: China is starting to reverse its carbon trend, as are others. But much more is necessary,” including strong government policies to keep the trend going in the right direction.

The renewable energy sector has grown tremendously as costs of the technology have come down and new vehicles have become more fuel-efficient, said Michael B. Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University Law School. The possibility that these shifts could already be affecting overall carbon emissions, he said, “is a welcome splash of light amid all the gloom surrounding climate projections.”

For all of the progress, however, billions of people will be entering the middle class in coming years, noted Steven Cohen, the executive director of the Earth Institute at Columbia. “Some of these early gains are going to be wiped out pretty quickly unless we develop some of the renewable energy sources that can replace fossil fuels,” he said. The technologies to address those problems have not yet been developed, he added.

New York And Other Major Cities

Power outages, of any kind (storm related, over demand in peak periods, etc) disrupt the economy.  Commerce stops in the affected areas.  Long-term outages cripple the job market.

Every city, state, nation, continent are now scrambling to build resilience into their core systems.  Power production and distribution, on a large scale basis, needs to get smarter and more integrated.  Our antiquated grids will fail us if we don't change and improve.  Part of the solution is more local power...as in micro grids.

Get ready for an interesting ride. 

Face More Power Outages Thanks To Climate Change

by Jeff Spross

    

Lower Manhattan in New York City, during a power outage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Major cities like New York and Philadelphia could see a big uptick in power outages if climate change continues unabated, a new study warns.

Climate change is likely to up the severity of future storms through a range of factors — higher precipitation, flooding, high winds, sea level rise, and the like — that pose a threat to electrical grids across the United States. So a research team at Johns Hopkins University used a series of simulations to test how a range of different global warming scenarios would affect storm behavior, and what those changes would mean for the power systems of 27 different cities. They found that cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts in particular will be at significantly higher risk of blackouts from hurricanes in future decades.


“Topping the list of cities most likely to see big increases in their power outage risk are New York; Philadelphia; Jacksonville, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Hartford, Connecticut,” Phys.org reported on Monday. “Cities at the bottom of the list, whose future risk of outages is unlikely to dramatically change, include Memphis, Tennessee; Dallas; Pittsburgh; Atlanta; and Buffalo, New York.”

One of the benchmarks for the study was what’s called the 100-year storm scenario: how severe the impacts would for a storm of such power that the odds of it happening are only once a century. A 100-year storm is itself something cities need to plan for, since, while they may not occur often, when they do the damage is lasting. But how bad a 100-year storm can get is also an indication of storm severity for weaker storms all the way down the odds distribution: as the 100-year intensity goes up, so does the intensity of storms that occur more often.

The researchers found that for cities like New York and Philadelphia, climate change could drive up 100-year storm severity by 50 percent, leading to power outages for far more people much more often. For other cities like Miami and New Orleans, who already sit in the paths of significant storms, the increase is on the level of 30 percent. And for cities more protected by geography, like Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, the uptick would be around 20 percent.

“The range of results demonstrates the sensitivity of the U.S. power system to changes in storm behavior,” said Seth Guikema, an associate professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at Johns Hopkins, and a member of the team who carried out the modeling. “Infrastructure providers and emergency managers need to plan for hurricanes in a long-term manner and that planning has to take climate change into account.”

Thanks to sea level rise, storm surges are going to become increasingly able to top Manhattan’s sea wall, for instance, threatening a possible repeat of the flooding that occurred with Hurricane Sandy. So the city of New York has already allocated several hundred million dollars to improve the resilience of its infrastructure in the face of storms and flooding, including levees and flood walls around Staten Island, and a revamp of the city’s public transit system.

The latest research suggests six feet of sea level rise is possible for 2100, and since carbon in the atmosphere is cumulative and its effects delayed, it’s not clear what amount of that rise can even be prevented at this point. With a six-foot rise, about half of southern Florida would be underwater. So the city of Miami is mapping out future sea level rise and identifying hazardous areas so developers know where not to build, and the city is working on several water conservation efforts.

Other cities with lower threat levels are places like Houston, Texas, which faces possible damage to its shipping port — one of the busiest in the world — and the city could ultimately suffer the world’s seventh-largest increase in average economic losses per year from sea level rise. After a big flood in 2012, Houston set about overhauling its drainage systems and its street infrastructure.

Then there’s Boston, another Atlantic coast city that faces new flooding in coming decades. It’s been holding symposiums to hash out plans for new canals, absorbent streets, floodable parks, and other infrastructural innovations. And the state of Massachusetts has allocated $50 million to protect its coastal communities against sea level rise.

“We provide insight into how power systems along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts may be affected by climate changes, including which areas should be most concerned and which ones are unlikely to see substantial change,” Guikema said of his team’s research.

“If I’m mayor of Miami, we know about hurricanes, we know about outages and our system has been adapted for it. But if I’m mayor of Philadelphia, I might say, ‘Whoa; we need to be doing more about this.”

U.K. Approves World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm

More great news on the wind side.  We know how difficult it is to permit, then build, such a massive project.  Congratulations to all.  

Note the many jobs created as well.

U.K. Approves World’s Largest Offshore Wind Farm, Farthest Ever From The Coast

Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm in the UK.

The United Kingdom has approved what will become the world’s biggest offshore wind farm, and one of the U.K.’s biggest power stations of any sort. When completed, the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck project will have a total generating capacity of 2.4 gigawatts, enough to power about 2.5 percent of the country’s electricity needs. Made of up two separate 1.2-gigawatt farms of up to 200 turbines each, the project will be located about 80 miles off the coast and occupy up to 430 square miles.

While final investment decisions are still being made, which will likely include backing by the U.K.’s renewable energy subsidy, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey’s approval of the record-setting project is a major step forward, bringing the wind farm into the pre-construction phase.

“This development has the potential to support hundreds of green jobs and power up to two million homes,” said Davey. “Making the most of Britain’s home grown energy is creating jobs and businesses in the UK, getting the best deal for consumers and reducing our reliance on foreign imports. Wind power is vital to this plan.”

If and when it’s built, the project would far exceed the 175-turbine capacity of the London Array, currently the world’s largest operating offshore wind farm at 630 megawatts.

“This is an awesome project,” said Nick Medic, director of offshore renewables at RenewableUK, the wind industry trade body. “It will surely be considered as one of the most significant infrastructure projects ever undertaken by the wind industry.”

As RenewableUK reports, the Dogger Bank Creyke Beck project would be the farthest offshore wind project from the U.K.’s shoreline, meaning “that it will be at the cutting edge of advancements in offshore wind farm development across the world.”

More powerful and reliable offshore wind turbines are being developed to harness the strong winds located farther offshore. The Dogger Bank Creyke Beck project will be sited in shallow waters approximately 100 feet deep — it is the first phase of developing the much larger Dogger Bank zone, which comprises six sites with an estimated total capacity of up to 7.2 gigawatts.

While the U.K. has more offshore wind-generating capacity than the rest of the world combined, with about 1,200 offshore wind turbines and a total generating capacity of about 4 gigawatts, there are still some sources of apprehension. As the Financial Times reports, most of these projects have been built by companies based abroad, making them less economically appealing. Several major projects have also been cancelled or pushed back over the last 18 months due to uncertainty regarding both wind energy subsidies and cheap oil prices. “The government has in effect put the industry on notice that it must lower its costs,” according to the Financial Times.

Urban Green Energy/Nick Blitterswyk

Is live with us today from 1-2p, EST on WRNP 1320, our flagship station.  We hope you join us.  Fascinating company, as you will find.

Some background:

UGE:  POWER YOUR BUSINESS WITH CLEAN, AFFORDABLE & RELIABLE ENERGY

Controlling your energy is just the beginning. Reduce your operating expenses with UGE's turnkey solutions and full service support.

UGE'S ADVANTAGE
For business and government clients, 
UGE offers an unparalleled range of

renewable energy solutions and services



FULL SERVICE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROVIDER
UGE offers a full service solution for renewable energy systems.
We take care of everything from system design to maintenance. 
Site Assessment

Engineering
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Nick Blitterswyk

CEO, Co-Founder

Nick founded UGE with a focus on distributed renewables to address the world’s energy challenges. His leadership and belief in a productive and enjoyable company culture has grown UGE into a global leader. Raised on a Canadian nature reserve, Nick is a Fellow of the Society Actuaries with previous experience at JPMorgan and AIG.

Cold Fusion Goal by 2020 Olympics: Press Release — Clean Planet Inc. and Tohoku University Launch “Clean Energy [LENR] Research Lab

We know this controversial but this is a worthy discussion to have.  In essence, can we make nuclear power clean, including the waste?  It appears, from this and other sources, we can.

Very interesting, of course, the tie-in with the 2020 Olympics.  

Let us know what you think.  We'll reach out to both groups for a radio interview as well.

Today, by the way, we have a great interview with the CEO of the NY-based company that put wind on the Eiffel Tower.  We'll post something on that as well:

Thanks to Sverre Haslund for the following story:

The following joint press release has been issued today in Japan by Clean Planet, Inc. and Tohoku University. 

Link: http://cleanplanet.co.jp/news/en/15.03.30%20Clean%20Planet%20-%20Press%20release.pdf

Clean Planet Inc. and Tohoku University to launch “Clean Energy Research Lab” to develop a clean, safe
and abundant form of energy for our global community.

TOKYO – March 30, 2015
Clean Planet Inc. and The Research Center for Electron Photon Science of Tohoku University agreed to establish the collaborative research division – Condensed Matter Nuclear Reaction Division at Tohoku University. In this division, fundamental research on condensed matter nuclear reaction, R&D on energy generation and nuclear waste decontamination will be performed.

The members of the new division consist of researchers of Tohoku University, Clean Planet Inc. and HEAD (Hydrogen Engineering Application & Development Clean Planet Inc. and Tohoku University are launching “Clean Energy Research Lab” at Tohoku University on April 1st, 2015.

The mission of the “Clean Energy Research Lab” is to develop a clean, safe and abundant form of energy for our global community. This new research division will be devoted to developing practical applications for clean energy using LENR, Low Energy Nuclear Reaction, (a.k.a. Cold Fusion). This is the first official research division created for condensed matter nuclear science and its application in Japan. We are determined to bring the application
models from this division to the market before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Clean Planet Inc. and The Research Center for Electron Photon Science of Tohoku University agreed to establish the collaborative research division – Condensed Matter Nuclear Reaction Division at Tohoku University. In this division, fundamental research on condensed matter nuclear reaction, R&D on energy generation and nuclear waste decontamination will be performed.

The members of the new division consist of researchers of Tohoku University, Clean Planet Inc. and HEAD (Hydrogen Engineering Application & Development Company). Yasuhiro Iwamura and Takehiko Itoh left the research center of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries at the end of March 2015 to complete the formation of this illustrious team. This new division is made up of the following members:

• Yasuhiro Iwamura, Jirohta Kasagi and Hidetoshi Kikunaga (Condensed Matter Nuclear Reaction Division, Research Center for Electron Photon Science, Tohoku University, Japan)
• Tadahiko Mizuno (HEAD, Japan)
• Hideki Yoshino, Takehiko Itoh and Masanao Hattori (Clean Planet Inc., Japan)

Additionally, the government of Japan will provide support in the form of funding for the nuclear waste decontamination research project at the Electron Photon Science of Tohoku University. The project named “Reduction and Resource Recycle of High Level Radioactive Wastes with Nuclear Transformation”, will be funded and supported by the ImPACT Program, which is a Japanese national research program.

We are determined to bring the application models to the market before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Our collective dreams are to provide the world with this clean source of energy.

About Tohoku University:
Tohoku University located in Sendai, Miyagi in the Tohoku Region, Japan, is a Japanese national university. It is the third oldest Imperial University in Japan and among the National Seven Universities. It is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in Japan, and one of the top fifty universities in the world. For more information on Tohoku University, please visit http://www.tohoku.ac.jp/en/or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tohoku_University
.
About Clean Planet Inc.:
Web: http://www.cleanplanet.co.jp/index.php?lang=en
Press Contact: Kazuo Tanaka
Clean Planet Inc.
Email: kazuo.tanaka@cleanplanet.co.jp
Phone: +81-3-5403-6380