Sweden has announced ambitious plans to completely phase out greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The nation also reaffirmed the urgency of tackling climate change and called for all countries to “step up and fulfill the Paris Agreement.”
The Kapaia project is a combination 13MW SolarCity solar farm and 53MWh Tesla Powerpack station on the island of Kauai. In partnership with the KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) the project will store the sun’s energy during the day and release it at night. The station (along with Kauai’s other renewable resource solutions including wind and biomass) won’t completely keep the island from using fossil fuels but it will temper the need. In addition to using Tesla’s station to battle the island’s incredibly high electric bills, it’s also part of a long-term Hawaii-state plan to be completely powered by renewable energy sources by 2045.
Renewable energy supplies are great because they produce power without filling the air with pollution. Yet, once the sun goes down solar panels become pretty useless. But Tesla and Hawaii have a solution that’ll use the sun’s rays both day and night using Powerpacks built at the Gigafactory.
The Kapaia project is a combination 13MW SolarCity solar farm and 53MWh Tesla Powerpack station on the island of Kauai. In partnership with the KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) the project will store the sun’s energy during the day and release it at night. The station (along with Kauai’s other renewable resource solutions including wind and biomass) won’t completely keep the island from using fossil fuels but it will temper the need.
In addition to using Tesla’s station to battle the island’s incredibly high electric bills, it’s also part of a long-term Hawaii-state plan to be completely powered by renewable energy sources by 2045.
Last week, April 9, 2017, four municipal election candidates from the traditionally anti-nuclear Green Party in Finland published an opinion piece where they clearly stated that humanity no longer has the luxury of opposing nuclear power.
Well over a hundred election candidates from all the major parties – these Greens included – signed a petition calling for feasibility studies for nuclear district heating to provide heat for Finnish cities.
But the country has vowed to end the use of coal by 2030 and their wide use of biomass is controversial as it causes significant health effects in some indoor air situations. Finland is receiving the brunt of global warming, as temperatures across Finland are climbing faster than anywhere else in the world. And global warming is impossible to address in the next 20 years without expanding nuclear power.
The Pirate Party member, Dr. Petrus Pennanen who is pro-nuclear and favors strong climate policies, made the news by proposing the use of nuclear-generated heat to replace coal and biomass in Helsinki’s building heating. Petrus became one of the two first elected Pirate Party members in Finland, probably because of this pro-nuclear stance.
This joint study looks at the potential for decarbonisation in the energy sector in G20 countries and around the world. Chapter 3, “Global Energy Transition Prospects and the Role of Renewables”, highlights findings from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Coal is the worst power source for fueling climate change, as burning it causes air pollution that kills millions and mining is also very dangerous. What few have noticed is the devastating cost to our health of just storing coal. A new paper published in the National Bureau of Economic Research puts some astounding figures on the cost coal imposes on society between the mine and the power plant.
The consumption of thermal coal, used for heating and generating electricity, peaked in 2013 and has fallen almost 10 percent since
By burning away all the pesky carbon and other impurities, coal power plants produce heaps of radiation
Coal, meanwhile, is believed responsible for a host of more quotidian problems, such as mining accidents, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions. But it isn’t supposed to spawn three-eyed fish like Blinky.
Over the past few decades, however, a series of studies has called these stereotypes into question. Among the surprising conclusions: the waste produced by coal plants is actually more radioactive than that generated by their nuclear counterparts.
Finland has emerged as one of the EU’s worst carbon emitters in recent years, with coal, steel and oil plants pumping out more CO2.
Last year, Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by six percent to nearly 60 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to revised figures released by Statistics Finland on Friday.
That is still lower than the peak year of 2003, when they soared to 88.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
In May the EU’s Eurostat data base said that Finland increased its CO2 emissions more than any other EU country in 2016. While the EU’s 27 member states overall managed to slightly reduce their emissions, Finland stuck out with emissions increase of more than eight percent.
That was mostly due to a rise in the use of coal power plants, with consumption shooting up by 31 percent to the same level as 2014. In 2015, consumption dropped by 30 percent.
According to Eurostat’s figures, Finland’s energy consumption rose by four percent from 2015 to 2016. Electricity consumption also went up by four percent.
Renewable energy sources gained two percent, to hit a record high. They accounted for 34 percent of overall energy consumption and nearly 39 percent of end use. However fossil fuel consumption increased even faster, by seven percent.
France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted.
France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted.
The French government claims the ban is a world first. However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the approval of the law on Twitter, saying in part: “Very proud that France has become the first country in the world today to ban any new oil exploration licenses with immediate effect and all oil extraction by 2040.”
A loophole in carbon-accounting rules is spurring a boom in burning wood pellets in European power plants. The result has been a surge in logging, particularly in the U.S. South, and new doubts about whether Europe can meet its commitments under the Paris accord.
It was once one of Europe’s largest coal-burning power stations. Now, after replacing coal in its boilers with wood pellets shipped from the U.S. South, the Drax Power Station in Britain claims to be the largest carbon-saving project in Europe. About 23 million tons of carbon dioxide goes up its stacks each year. But because new trees will be planted in the cut forests, the company says the Drax plant is carbon-neutral.
There is one problem. Ecologists say that the claims of carbon neutrality, which are accepted by the European Union and the British government, do not stand up to scrutiny.
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9 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sweden Pledges To Cut All Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 2045
https://yro.slashdot.org/story/17/02/04/0210234/sweden-pledges-to-cut-all-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-2045?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
Sweden has announced ambitious plans to completely phase out greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. The nation also reaffirmed the urgency of tackling climate change and called for all countries to “step up and fulfill the Paris Agreement.”
Sweden pledges to cut all greenhouse gas emissions by 2045
Climate minister urges European Union to take lead on climate change as fears Donald Trump will pull out of Paris Agreement
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sweden-pledges-greenhouse-gas-emissions-zero-2045-paris-agreement-a7561111.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tesla’s New Solar Energy Station On Kauai Will Power Hawaii At Night
https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/17/03/08/2237204/teslas-new-solar-energy-station-on-kauai-will-power-hawaii-at-night?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
The Kapaia project is a combination 13MW SolarCity solar farm and 53MWh Tesla Powerpack station on the island of Kauai. In partnership with the KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) the project will store the sun’s energy during the day and release it at night. The station (along with Kauai’s other renewable resource solutions including wind and biomass) won’t completely keep the island from using fossil fuels but it will temper the need. In addition to using Tesla’s station to battle the island’s incredibly high electric bills, it’s also part of a long-term Hawaii-state plan to be completely powered by renewable energy sources by 2045.
Tesla’s new solar energy station will power Hawaii at night
Energy generated during the day will power Kauai when the sun goes down.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/03/08/teslas-new-solar-energy-station-will-power-hawaii-at-night/
Renewable energy supplies are great because they produce power without filling the air with pollution. Yet, once the sun goes down solar panels become pretty useless. But Tesla and Hawaii have a solution that’ll use the sun’s rays both day and night using Powerpacks built at the Gigafactory.
The Kapaia project is a combination 13MW SolarCity solar farm and 53MWh Tesla Powerpack station on the island of Kauai. In partnership with the KIUC (Kauai Island Utility Cooperative) the project will store the sun’s energy during the day and release it at night. The station (along with Kauai’s other renewable resource solutions including wind and biomass) won’t completely keep the island from using fossil fuels but it will temper the need.
In addition to using Tesla’s station to battle the island’s incredibly high electric bills, it’s also part of a long-term Hawaii-state plan to be completely powered by renewable energy sources by 2045.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finland’s Green Party And Nuclear Power – Really?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesconca/2017/04/17/finlands-green-party-and-nuclear-power-really/#4ea8ab1b5ec4
Last week, April 9, 2017, four municipal election candidates from the traditionally anti-nuclear Green Party in Finland published an opinion piece where they clearly stated that humanity no longer has the luxury of opposing nuclear power.
Well over a hundred election candidates from all the major parties – these Greens included – signed a petition calling for feasibility studies for nuclear district heating to provide heat for Finnish cities.
But the country has vowed to end the use of coal by 2030 and their wide use of biomass is controversial as it causes significant health effects in some indoor air situations. Finland is receiving the brunt of global warming, as temperatures across Finland are climbing faster than anywhere else in the world. And global warming is impossible to address in the next 20 years without expanding nuclear power.
The Pirate Party member, Dr. Petrus Pennanen who is pro-nuclear and favors strong climate policies, made the news by proposing the use of nuclear-generated heat to replace coal and biomass in Helsinki’s building heating. Petrus became one of the two first elected Pirate Party members in Finland, probably because of this pro-nuclear stance.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Perspectives for the energy transition:
Investment needs for a low-carbon energy system
http://www.irena.org/menu/index.aspx?mnu=Subcat&PriMenuID=36&CatID=141&SubcatID=3828
This joint study looks at the potential for decarbonisation in the energy sector in G20 countries and around the world. Chapter 3, “Global Energy Transition Prospects and the Role of Renewables”, highlights findings from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coal Can Kill Even Without Being Burned
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/coal-can-kill-even-without-being-burned/
Coal is the worst power source for fueling climate change, as burning it causes air pollution that kills millions and mining is also very dangerous. What few have noticed is the devastating cost to our health of just storing coal. A new paper published in the National Bureau of Economic Research puts some astounding figures on the cost coal imposes on society between the mine and the power plant.
The consumption of thermal coal, used for heating and generating electricity, peaked in 2013 and has fallen almost 10 percent since
Tomi Engdahl says:
Coal Ash Is More Radioactive Than Nuclear Waste
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coal-ash-is-more-radioactive-than-nuclear-waste/
By burning away all the pesky carbon and other impurities, coal power plants produce heaps of radiation
Coal, meanwhile, is believed responsible for a host of more quotidian problems, such as mining accidents, acid rain and greenhouse gas emissions. But it isn’t supposed to spawn three-eyed fish like Blinky.
Over the past few decades, however, a series of studies has called these stereotypes into question. Among the surprising conclusions: the waste produced by coal plants is actually more radioactive than that generated by their nuclear counterparts.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finland torches more coal, overshoots emissions cap by a million tons
https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_torches_more_coal_overshoots_emissions_cap_by_a_million_tons/9971239
Finland has emerged as one of the EU’s worst carbon emitters in recent years, with coal, steel and oil plants pumping out more CO2.
Last year, Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions rose by six percent to nearly 60 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to revised figures released by Statistics Finland on Friday.
That is still lower than the peak year of 2003, when they soared to 88.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
In May the EU’s Eurostat data base said that Finland increased its CO2 emissions more than any other EU country in 2016. While the EU’s 27 member states overall managed to slightly reduce their emissions, Finland stuck out with emissions increase of more than eight percent.
That was mostly due to a rise in the use of coal power plants, with consumption shooting up by 31 percent to the same level as 2014. In 2015, consumption dropped by 30 percent.
According to Eurostat’s figures, Finland’s energy consumption rose by four percent from 2015 to 2016. Electricity consumption also went up by four percent.
Renewable energy sources gained two percent, to hit a record high. They accounted for 34 percent of overall energy consumption and nearly 39 percent of end use. However fossil fuel consumption increased even faster, by seven percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
France Passes Law To Ban All Oil, Gas Production By 2040
https://news.slashdot.org/story/17/12/19/2225226/france-passes-law-to-ban-all-oil-gas-production-by-2040?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Slashdot%2Fslashdot%2Fto+%28%28Title%29Slashdot+%28rdf%29%29
France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted.
France to ban all oil, gas production by 2040
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/france-to-ban-all-oil-gas-production-by-2040/
France’s parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted.
The French government claims the ban is a world first. However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the approval of the law on Twitter, saying in part: “Very proud that France has become the first country in the world today to ban any new oil exploration licenses with immediate effect and all oil extraction by 2040.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Carbon Loophole: Why Is Wood Burning Counted as Green Energy?
http://e360.yale.edu/features/carbon-loophole-why-is-wood-burning-counted-as-green-energy
A loophole in carbon-accounting rules is spurring a boom in burning wood pellets in European power plants. The result has been a surge in logging, particularly in the U.S. South, and new doubts about whether Europe can meet its commitments under the Paris accord.
It was once one of Europe’s largest coal-burning power stations. Now, after replacing coal in its boilers with wood pellets shipped from the U.S. South, the Drax Power Station in Britain claims to be the largest carbon-saving project in Europe. About 23 million tons of carbon dioxide goes up its stacks each year. But because new trees will be planted in the cut forests, the company says the Drax plant is carbon-neutral.
There is one problem. Ecologists say that the claims of carbon neutrality, which are accepted by the European Union and the British government, do not stand up to scrutiny.