QUICK NEWS, April 19: The Meat Of The Climate Debate; The Texas Template For Wind; The Threat Of Solar Value Deflation

The Meat Of The Climate Debate The link between climate change and meat consumption is harrowingly real; Adjusting our diets will greatly reduce the costs associated with global warming. The public just needs to buy in

Annick De Witt, April 16, 2016 (Salon)

“…[T]he media have slowly but steadily fed the public information about the staggering impact of our meat-eating habits on the environment, and on climate change in particular…[Research shows] low-meat diets could reduce the costs of climate change mitigation by as much as 50 percent by 2050…[But new research shows] most people are still not aware of the full extent of meat’s climate impacts…[M]eat reduction as an effective option for addressing climate change] was only clear to 6% of the US population, and only 12% of the Dutch population…[T]he outstanding effectiveness of reducing meat consumption could be a game-changer: knowing that it makes such a big difference may motivate people to change. This is particularly so, because the research results also show a direct relationship between this knowledge and people’s willingness to consume less meat as well as their actual meat consumption…The inspiring and empowering narrative about climate change and the impact of our diets could be:] eat a little less meat and get healthier…” click here for more

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The Texas Template For Wind The Mystery of Wind Energy in Texas

Kyle Downey, April 10, 2016 (Law Street)

“…[Texas] has a longstanding reputation for supporting the interests of the fossil fuel industry…and politicians there fiercely deny the scientific validity of climate change…In 2001, Texas received only 1 percent of its energy from wind. Only 15 years later, wind provides almost 10 percent of the state’s energy…[and its 17,713 MW of installed wind capacity is almost three times the 6,212 MW] of the second place state, Idaho…[After the 1999 Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) revealed wind] to be a reliable and affordable source of electricity…[T]he legislature updated it in 2005…[and the Public Utility Commission created Competition Renewable Energy Zones (CREZ) and fund to build gigantic transmission lines connecting the windy zones] to the highly populated urban areas…[I]mplementing renewable energy is rarely as easy as being a pro-clean energy state…[but on] December 20, 2015, wind turbines generated a record high of 40 percent of Texas’s energy for 17 hours of the day…[showing] the extreme potential of wind within the region..[and proving] the newly built transmission lines are capable of handling almost an entire day’s worth of wind energy without malfunction, contrary to the arguments of many fossil fuel advocates…” click here for more

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The Threat Of Solar Value Deflation How cheap does solar power need to get before it takes over the world?

Brad Plummer, April 18, 2016 (VOX)

“…[Solar is growing at double-digit rates each year but] still has some hard economic obstacles to overcome before it can become a major energy source and provide (let's say) one-third of our power…[According to Solar power needs a more ambitious cost target, value deflation causes the electricity generated by solar to be less valuable as more comes online so its installed cost must drop from today’s $3 per watt to $0.25 per watt by 2050]…That's a mind-bogglingly low number, and it could require thinking about solar innovation in a radically new way…[The authors said] we're still many years away from value deflation becoming a crippling problem. But that's why it's dangerous to get complacent…[Batteries and utility load shifting can help fend off value deflation — but only partly…Achieving the $0.25-per-watt goal…[will require] not just ruthlessly cutting costs for existing technology but also plunking down money on future ideas…” click here for more

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