QUICK NEWS, 6-9: MORE NOW ACCEPT CLIMATE CHANGE; SMALL WIND STANDS STRONG; SOLAR WITH LESS WATER; ROADBUILDERS FIGHT CLIMATE/ENERGY BILL

MORE NOW ACCEPT CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans’ Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in June 2010
June 8, 2010 (Yale Project on Climate Change Communication/George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication)

"…[T]wo reports from our latest national survey of Americans’ climate change and energy beliefs, attitudes, policy support, and behaviors…found that public concern about global warming appears to be on the rise again, after a year of significant declines.

"Since January, public belief that global warming is happening rose four points, to 61 percent, while belief that it is caused mostly by human activities rose three points, to 50 percent. The number of Americans who worry about global warming rose three points, to 53 percent. And the number of Americans who said that the issue is personally important to them rose five points, to 63 percent."

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"The stabilization and slight rebound in public opinion is occurring amid signs the economy is starting to recover, along with consumer confidence, and as memories of unusual snowstorms and scientific scandals recede. The BP oil disaster is also reminding the public of the dark side of dependence on fossil fuels, which may be increasing support for clean energy policies.

"Americans who said President Obama and Congress should make developing sources of clean energy a high priority increased 11 points, to 71 percent, while those who said that global warming should be a high priority rose six points, to 44 percent. In a seven-point increase since January, 69 percent of Americans said that the United States should make a large or medium-scale effort to reduce global warming even if it incurs large or moderate economic costs."

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"…[C]hanges since January, 2010…87% support funding more research into renewable energy sources (+2) …83% support tax rebates for people who buy fuel-efficient vehicles and solar panels (+1) …77% support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant (+6)...65% support signing an international treaty that requires the United States to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide 90 percent by the year 2050 (+4) …61% support requiring electric utilities to produce at least 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy sources, even if it cost the average household an extra $100 per year (+2) …

"Support for expanding offshore drilling for oil and gas off the U.S. coast fell to 62% (-5) …77 percent of Americans support regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant, including 64 percent of Republicans, 63 percent of Independents, and 91 percent of Democrats…"


SMALL WIND STANDS STRONG
Sales Of Small Wind Turbines Up In 2009; U.S. Market Prospers Thanks to Incentives, Investment, Popular Demand
June 8, 2010 (American Wind Energy Association)

"The U.S. market for small wind energy systems is prospering, expanding 15% in 2009 and accounting for about half of the units sold in the entire world, the American Wind Energy Association said…highlighting findings from its annual Small Wind Turbine market study. Small wind systems are defined as those with rated capacities of 100 kilowatts (kW) or less, and are used primarily to power individual homes, farms, and small businesses…

"…The U.S. small wind turbine market grew 15% in 2009, with 9,800 units sold and 20.3 megawatts (MW) of new generating capacity…An estimated 100,000 small wind turbines are now installed in the U.S., bringing total small wind generating capacity to the 100-MW milestone…"

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"The U.S. market is the world’s largest -- about half of all units and capacity added worldwide in 2009…The U.S. is the world’s leading manufacturer of small wind turbines: about two-thirds of all small wind systems sold in the world last year were made by U.S. manufacturers.

"The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) expanded the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for small wind turbines in 2009, allowing consumers to take 30% of the total cost of a small wind system as a tax credit. The ITC was perhaps the most important factor in last year’s small wind turbine market growth."

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"In 2009—during the height of the economic recession--$80 million of private equity was invested into small wind turbine manufacturing companies, boosting to over $250 million the total equity invested over the past five years. This investment helped manufacturers increase production, lower costs, meet sustained demand, and even acquire competitors."

[Denise Bode, CEO, AWEA:] “Americans and people around the globe want to take control of their energy future, and investing in a small wind turbine to generate your own electricity is one of the most rewarding ways to do so…Wind works for people and for our planet in many different ways.”


SOLAR WITH LESS WATER
Understanding Solar Power in Arizona
Senator Jon Kyl, June 7, 2010 (National Ledger)

"With its 300-plus days of sunshine annually, Arizona would seem a perfect place to produce solar power. Elected officials and solar developers alike are touting [it and]… claiming it will create hundreds of thousands of "green" jobs and replace energy production using fossil fuels…[F]ederal and state governments have enacted policies to accelerate the deployment of solar energy in Arizona….

"The reality, however, is not that simple. While Arizona enjoys abundant sunshine, it is also burdened with limited water resources. Conventional concentrating solar power (CSP), the solar technology of choice for utility-scale solar-power generation, requires billions of gallons of water to produce electricity…I recently prepared a report about the potential water-energy crisis in Arizona…"

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"Nearly all of the current federal applications for solar projects in Arizona call for conventional CSP, and at least one of these projects is being "fast-tracked" through the environmental-review process…These projects will have long lives - at least 30 years - so it's necessary that we account for their impact on our state's water supply…Arizona has yet to [\force its solar developers to use less water-intensive technologies or wastewater] and must consider doing so.

"Arizona, however, can still be the solar capital of the world if we focus on more responsible solar technologies that use far less water and develop advanced utility-scale technologies that will be cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Some companies are already deploying CSP in California and Nevada using a "dry-cooling" process…but, unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Energy has yet to recognize or provide the critical support needed to help make these alternatives a reality."

The numbers. (click to enlarge)

"Rushing to deploy conventional CSP will have unintended consequences that its proponents may regret…While it's true that Arizona's sunny climate is ideal for solar-energy production, its arid landscape poses significant challenges to the deployment of solar systems that rely more heavily on water than other forms of energy production.

"The water-consumption requirements of current solar-energy production could put considerable additional strain on Arizona's already limited water supply…State and federal policymakers should ensure that energy policy takes these factors into account in order to protect Arizona's limited water supplies."


ROADBUILDERS FIGHT CLIMATE/ENERGY BILL
Transportation Lobby Girds for Assault on Kerry-Lieberman Climate Bill
Josh Vorhees, May 19, 2010 (NY Times)

"Transportation's old guard is aggressively opposing the latest Senate climate proposal, arguing it diverts much-needed cash from the nation's crumbling infrastructure.

"State highway officials and road builders -- arguably, the loudest voices in Washington transportation circles -- were early critics of how the climate bill sponsors, Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), would address transportation emissions. Now, the two groups have begun to rally opposition to the legislation on the grounds that it will derail efforts to pass the next multiyear highway and transit bill."

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"More than two dozen other organizations that would benefit greatly from a new highway bill, ranging from general contractors to public transit officials, joined the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association…calling for a sweeping rewrite…[T]ransportation emissions would be regulated [by Kerry-Lieberman] under a national carbon cap, and producers and importers of gasoline and diesel would be forced to buy emissions allowances at a fixed price. In return, the proposal pumps $6.25 billion annually into the transportation sector to invest in more energy-efficient road and rail projects.

"The proposal has received strong praise from many newer transportation advocacy groups that have placed a higher premium on injecting transportation into the larger climate and energy debate…[T]ransportation traditionalists say that the oil companies will likely pass on the cost of the allowances to consumers at the pump, meaning road users won't be getting a fair return on their investment…"

Building was an achievement; maintaining it is a responsibility. (click to enlarge)

"…[F]ees from on-road fuel consumption [could] generate at least $19.5 billion annually by 2013, more than three times the amount of federal money being funneled back into the transportation sector…Further angering the transportation traditionalists is that of the $6.25 billion the climate bill would send to roads, rail and transit, $2.5 billion would head to the Highway Trust Fund, the cash-strapped federal account that currently pays the federal share of most surface transportation projects…

"…Lawmakers have had to approve a trio of multibillion-dollar transfers to the highway account in the past two years to keep it from running dry…The current bill was set to expire at the end of last September but has been extended through the end of this calendar year as Congress looks for a solution to the funding question…"