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Renewable Energy Could Solve Economic, Environmental and Social Problems:

Scientific American By Douglas Fischer 26 March 09 ASPEN – Shifting the United States to clean-burning renewable fuels has the potential to cut through a thicket of thorny social ills and solve long-standing problems across the entire spectrum of American life, from manufacturing to national security to clean water, the country’s top environmental cop said on Wednesday.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson spoke before 150 scientists, lawyers, industry executives, activists and others gathered at this alpine town for a three-day conference on the country’s energy future.

She said weaning the country from fossil fuels remains a top priority of the Obama administration because it offers such a broad suite of solutions across all aspects of American life: rewarding innovation, discouraging pollution, investing in jobs and encouraging energy independence………………………………

“It’s extraordinary to be at a time where one answer answers so many extraordinary big issues,” she said.

“If you think climate protection endangers economic growth, wait ’till you see what climate change does.”

Renewable Energy Could Solve Economic, Environmental and Social Problems: Scientific American

March 27, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

Suddenly, progress on renewable energy

Las Vegas Sun Scot Rutledge, Mar 9, 2009

In just the past few weeks, Nevada has made staggering progress toward realizing a vision for a clean energy economy. We took giant steps forward toward creating high-quality, green jobs and revitalizing our economy by tapping into our abundant solar, wind and geothermal power.

First, we heard that NV Energy canceled plans for a dirty coal plant in White Pine County, and that it announced plans for at least one solar-powered plant here in Southern Nevada. Now, we hear that LS Power has indefinitely postponed another White Pine County dirty coal plant, saying this sort of power plant doesn’t make sense in today’s economic and political climate. In just a few short weeks, our state looked away from a past of dirty coal plants — one of the largest contributors to global warming — and toward a future of clean, renewable energy.

Also, Sen. Harry Reid announced plans for a bill to speed up the process of transmitting renewable energy from our remote rural areas — where it will be generated — to the cities that need it most. This is the missing link in making Nevada one of the world’s renewable energy leaders, and Sen. Reid should be commended for the vision he has established here in Nevada, and nationally, of a clean energy economy

At a time when unemployment is skyrocketing and our financial situation seems so dire in Nevada, we have an opportunity looking at us straight in the face: a clean energy economy that creates thousands of green jobs that can’t be exported overseas, reduces our greenhouse emissions and cuts our dependence on foreign oil. Thanks to Sen. Reid, NV Energy, LS Power and many other forward-thinking community leaders and businesses who are looking to a bright, green future.

March 9, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

Nuclear waste dogs US energy policy

Nuclear waste dogs US energy policy The Christian Science Monitor Yucca Mountain was supposed to be where the highly toxic material was sent. But Obama’s energy budget leaves it out.By Gail Russell Chaddock  Christian Science Monitor 6 March 09

Washington – President Obama’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2010 all but sinks prospects to store America’s nuclear waste at Nevada’s Yucca Mountain.

But it leaves wide open the role of nuclear power in building “a new economy powered by clean and secure energy” – and the question of what to do with existing, highly toxic nuclear waste.

“The nation has already accumulated 60,000 metric tons of spent nuclear waste, and the material is going to have to be isolated from the environment for hundreds and thousands of years,” says Edwin Lyman, senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington.

“There’s no way to make the waste disappear. No matter what the French say, there’s no alternative to having a mined geological repository,” he says. The challenge is to find one that is technically and politically acceptable……………………….the budget document released by the White House last week makes no mention of nuclear power as an element in a transition to a low-carbon economy. Instead, it cites the need for increased support for solar, biomass, geothermal, wind, and low-carbon-emission coal power………………………….Since failing to complete a storage facility by 1998, as provided in the contract, the US Energy Department has faced open-ended court challenges over billions in liability payments to utilities now having to store toxic waste on site.

Nuclear waste dogs US energy policy | csmonitor.com

March 6, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

No nukes or coal for clean energy future

David K eppel March 1, 2009 The Utilities and Energy Committee of the Indiana Senate is considering a bill that would include so-called “clean coal” and nuclear power in a Renewable Energy Standard.

Public relations campaigns notwithstanding, coal is not clean, and nuclear is not safe. Carbon capture and sequestration technology is uncertain. Carbon capture will reduce the power output of a coal plant, and it does nothing to address the environmental devastation of coal mining. With nuclear power, the issue of long-term disposal of nuclear waste remains unsolved. The transport of nuclear fuel and waste involves risks of theft and terrorism, and a nuclear plant itself is a potential terrorist target. Unlike wind and solar, neither coal plants nor uranium-based nuclear reactors are renewable energy. Breeder nuclear reactors would invite weapons proliferation.

The point of a Renewable Energy Standard is to facilitate widespread adoption of truly clean technologies such as wind, solar and geothermal. Wider use will make them cheaper, as manufacturers achieve economies of scale.

Scientists tell us we must reduce carbon emissions by 25 percent to 40 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2020 to avoid a climate catastrophe. Coal and nuclear would be a fatal distraction from this task.

March 2, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

Obama’s budget focuses on renewable energy

Obama’s budget focuses on renewable energy Tom LoBianco THE WASHINGTON TIMES February 27, 2009 President Obama’s first budget includes $15 billion a year for renewable energy programs and an ambitious plan to raise $656 billion from a carbon reduction proposal.

“Because our future depends on our ability to break free from oil that’s controlled by foreign dictators, we need to make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy,” Mr. Obama said Thursday.

The plan uses money from a cap-and-trade program – which would allow companies to emit carbon dioxide up to a certain level, and then charge them $20 per ton of gasses emitted above that cap – would pay for Mr. Obama’s middle-class tax cuts and investments in renewable energy.

Washington Times – Obama’s budget focuses on renewable energy

February 27, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

Obama To Congress: Economic Recovery ‘Begins’ With Clean Energy

Obama To Congress: Economic Recovery ‘Begins’ With Clean Energy WASHINGTON, DC, February 25, 2009 (ENS) – In his first address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, President Barack Obama earned repeated standing ovations from both Democrats and Republicans……………………….”It begins with energy.”

“We know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the 21st century. And yet, it is China that has launched the largest effort in history to make their economy energy efficient,” the President said. “We invented solar technology, but we’ve fallen behind countries like Germany and Japan in producing it. New plug-in hybrids roll off our assembly lines, but they will run on batteries made in Korea.”…………………… “Thanks to our recovery plan, we will double this nation’s supply of renewable energy in the next three years,” he said…………………

“We will soon lay down thousands of miles of power lines that can carry new energy to cities and towns across this country. And we will put Americans to work making our homes and buildings more efficient so that we can save billions of dollars on our energy bills,” Obama said.

“But to truly transform our economy, protect our security, and save our planet from the ravages of climate change, we need to ultimately make clean, renewable energy the profitable kind of energy,” he said.

“So I ask this Congress to send me legislation that places a market-based cap on carbon pollution and drives the production of more renewable energy in America. And to support that innovation, we will invest $15 billion a year to develop technologies like wind power and solar power; advanced biofuels, clean coal, and more fuel-efficient cars and trucks built right here in America,” said President Obama.

With Democrats in control of both the House and the Senate, the President is likely to get the kind of climate change legislation he asked for.

Obama To Congress: Economic Recovery ‘Begins’ With Clean Energy

February 26, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment

Earthtoys – Coal, Nuclear Decline As Renewables Increase Share Of U.S. Electricity Supply

COAL, NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY GENERATION DECLINES
AS RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES SOAR;
NON-HYDRO RENEWABLES GROW BY TEN PERCENT OVER 2007

Industry News February 18, 2009

 Ken Bossong,

Washington DC – According to the latest figures published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its “Electric Power Monthly” report released on February 13, 2009, renewable sources of electricity enjoyed significant growth during the past year while nuclear and coal both experienced notable declines.

Specifically, EIA reports that net electricity generation in the United States dropped by 0.9 percent from November 2007 to November 2008. This was the fourth consecutive month that net generation was down compared to the same calendar month in 2007.

The drop in coal-fired generation was the largest absolute fuel-specific decline from November 2007 to November 2008 as it fell by 4,380 thousand megawatt-hours, or 2.7 percent. Declines in Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee, and West Virginia totaled 4,262 thousand megawatt-hours.

Nuclear generation was down by 2.3 percent and was second only to coal-fired generation in its contribution to the national drop in net generation. The biggest drop in generation at a nuclear plant was at the Millstone facility in Connecticut, which was down for part of the month for a refueling outage.
On the other hand, EIA figures show that renewable energy, including conventional hydropower, increased by 7.3 percent — reflecting a combined increase of 6.1 percent in conventional hydropower coupled with a 10.0 percent increase in non-hydro renewables (i.e., solar, wind, geothermal, biomass).

Earthtoys – Coal, Nuclear Decline As Renewables Increase Share Of U.S. Electricity Supply

February 19, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, USA | Leave a comment