QUICK NEWS, March 15: Florida Voters Get In The Climate Fight; How To Cut Offshore Wind’s Cost By Two-Thirds; Massachusetts Politics Slowing Solar-For-All
Florida Voters Get In The Climate Fight Florida Republicans Demand Climate Change Solutions; Democratic and Republican mayors in the Sunshine State realize something must be done about global warming
Erika Bolstad, March 15, 2016 (E&E News via Scientific American)
“…As primary voters in Florida go to the polls today, scientists, business leaders and political figures all say they've seen a shift this election cycle. Figuring out how to adapt to the economic realities of 6 to 10 inches of sea-level rise over 1992 levels in the next 15 years has become a bipartisan issue in much of Florida, particularly in places most vulnerable to rising seas…Already, the city of Miami Beach is pouring money into elevated roadways and pumping systems that keep high tides from flooding city streets, just the beginning of pricey plans to protect the city's $30 billion tax base. These expensive projects aren't just municipal problems for mayors -- losses to the tax base from sea-level rise or storm surge at a tourist draw like Miami Beach could be a costly hit not just to individual homeowners but to the state economy…The numbers bear it out. The twice-yearly Energy Poll at the University of Texas, Austin, released earlier this year shows that 81 percent of Floridians think that climate change is occurring. About 9 percent say it's not happening, and another 10 percent don't know. When the poll began asking that question in March 2012, 63 percent of Floridians said climate change was occurring. Another 26 percent said it was not, and 11 percent didn't know…” click here for more
How To Cut Offshore Wind’s Cost By Two-Thirds Report on Offshore Wind in Massachusetts Confirms Outlook for Market Driving Low Cost at Larger Scale to Power State's Clean Energy Future; Study finds State's commitment to offshore wind would enable markets and technology to generate a more than 50% drop in cost – and below or at-market energy prices for ratepayers – in next decade
March 15, 2016 (University of Delaware Special Initiative on Offshore Wind)
…[A] commitment by Massachusetts to develop offshore wind (OSW) energy at a scale of 2,000 MW, combined with ongoing technology and industry advances, will lower previously projected costs for the clean energy source by as much as 55 percent in the next decade. That kind of cost reduction, driven by market forces, will put offshore wind on a clear path to deliver clean power at competitive prices for millions of ratepayers in the Boston area and beyond, and make the renewable resource a key contributor to the state's clean energy future [according to a new report from the University of Delaware Special Initiative on Offshore Wind]…The study says that costs for the first project in a 2,000 MW build-out of OSW will be [16.2¢/kWh, much lower than a one-off project cost of 24¢/kWh]. Further, costs will continue to decline and the last of these projects will reach a very competitive LCOE of 10.8¢/kWh…” click here for more
Massachusetts Politics Slowing Solar-For-All New guide aims to help steer solar energy into low-income communities
Katie Lannan, March 14, 2016 (State House News Service via WWLP-22News)
“…[Massachusetts has been] a leader in making solar energy accessible to low-income communities…[but] that status could be at risk under legislation lawmakers are negotiating…[A new policy guide for low-income solar projects, assembled by national nonprofits Vote Solar, GRID Alternatives and the Center for Social Inclusion] examines models that open up solar access to affordable housing developments and low-income households, citing Massachusetts’ solar loan program and Green Communities Act of 2008 as successful examples…[until debates about net energy metering blocked growth because] it is not easy to keep solar projects alive while on a net metering waiting list, particularly low-income projects that tend to be more complicated and costly…” click here for more
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home