QUICK NEWS, January 4: WHAT’S MISSING IN CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTING; NEW ENERGY BOOMING; THE CARBON IN CANNABIS

WHAT’S MISSING IN CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTING 5 New Year's Resolutions For Reporting On Climate Change

Denise Robbins, December 31, 2015 (MediaMatters)

“Whether they were covering extreme weather events or presidential campaign events, media outlets often came up short in their reporting on climate change this year…[H]ere are five resolutions for reporters looking to provide better coverage of climate change in the new year…Resolution #1: I Will Disclose The Fossil Fuel Ties Of Those Attacking Climate And Clean Energy Policies…Resolution #2: I Will Not Provide False Balance On The Science Of Climate Change…Resolution #3: I Will Provide The Climate Change Context When Reporting On Extreme Weather Events…Resolution #4: I Will Compel Presidential Candidates To Discuss Climate Change, And Hold Them Accountable When They Do…Resolution #5: I Will Give Climate Change The Coverage It Deserves…” click here for more

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NEW ENERGY BOOMING Wind, solar power soaring in spite of bargain prices for fossil fuels

Joby Warrick, January 1, 2015 (Washington Post)

“Wind and solar power appear set for a record-breaking year in 2016…in spite of a global glut of cheap fossil fuels…Installations of wind turbines and solar panels soared in 2015 as utility companies went on a worldwide building binge, taking advantage of falling prices for clean technology as well as an improving regulatory and investment climate. Both industries have seen stock prices jump since Congress approved an extension of tax credits for renewables…Orders for 2016 solar and wind installations are up sharply, from the United States to China to the developing economies of Africa and Latin America, all in defiance of stubbornly low prices for coal and natural gas, the industry’s chief competitors…

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“Energy analysts say the boom is being spurred in part by improved technology, which has made wind and solar more competitive with fossil fuels in many regions. But equally important, experts say, is better access to financing, as major Wall Street investment houses adopt a more bullish posture toward an industry that was once considered financially risky…Wind and solar together account for only about 6 percent of U.S. electricity generation, compared with about 39 percent for coal. And wind and solar companies have yet to conquer the biggest challenge for renewables: how to cheaply store energy so it is reliably available on cloudy or calm days…Analysts also warn that renewables could suffer if prices for natural gas remain at such historically low levels…For now, however, industry officials say cheap fossil fuels are having little impact on purchase orders…” click here for more

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THE CARBON IN CANNABIS The growing potential of energy-efficient pot farms; Cannabis industry is a heavy energy user but has potential to go green with the right technology and incentives

Renee Lewis, January 1, 2016 (Al Jazeera)

“Cannabis production is among the most energy-intensive industries in the U.S. But some experts, growers, utility companies and local government agencies in states where marijuana is legal point the way toward reducing pot production's energy consumption and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions…One study found that Colorado growing operations in 2014 used energy equivalent to that consumed by 35,000 households…A key challenge is that most commercial growing operations in Colorado are located indoors…Indoor operations often use 1000-watt, high-intensity bulbs — which generate a lot of unwanted heat that then has to be removed from the indoor environment with air conditioners and ventilation systems…[E]nergy bills might represent 30 percent of the total cost of an operation…[But with legalization, a gradual shift is expected] to outdoor cultivation and sophisticated greenhouse designs…Some cautioned that greenhouses also consume energy through their use of ventilation systems and supplemental lighting [during the winter. But experts agree] new technologies are currently being developed — including brighter LED lighting — that can make the industry more energy efficient and climate friendly…” click here for more

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