QUICK NEWS, November 14: A Look Ahead At Trump And Climate; Microsoft Ups Wind Energy Backing; The Fight For Solar In Florida Goes On
A Look Ahead At Trump And Climate What does a Trump presidency mean for climate change? Sea levels are rising, but he’s trying to bring coal back
Angela Chen, November 10, 2016 (The Verge)
“…Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, has…threatened to pull America out of the landmark Paris climate change accord, eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency, repeal environmental regulations, and cut climate funding. He proposed an incoherent energy plan aimed at reviving the coal industry…[C]limate scientists warn that his plan is a disaster that would create lasting harm…It would actually take Trump four years to officially withdraw from the [Paris] accord, but in the meantime he can simply not enforce its guidelines while repealing climate change regulation put in place under the Obama administration, like the Clean Power Plan…Trump’s energy plans [will face little political resistance from the now Republican-dominated Congress] are also cause for alarm. He wants to bring back coal mining…[but that is unlikely because] natural gas is now far cheaper…If Trump makes good on all his promises, climate change will continue unchecked…[T]here are a few ways that the damage could be limited…Democrats will still have the option of a filibuster…[Many hope Trump will withdraw his attacks on wind and solar energy] if he sees the US falling behind economically…” click here for more
Microsoft Ups Wind Energy Backing Microsoft Announces Biggest-Ever Wind Energy Buy
Barb Darrow, November 14, 2016 (Fortune)
“…[Still leading the high-tech sector’s support for New Energy, Microsoft just signed its biggest deals yet to acquire wind for] two of its massive U.S. data centers…[The two new contracts represent 237 megawatts of generating capacity, bringing Microsoft's wind power total in the United States to more than 500 megawatts…[Through Allianz Risk Transfer, Microsoft will] acquire energy from a new 178-megawatt Bloom Wind project in Kansas…[Through a long-term deal with Black Hills Energy, the high-tech giant will] buy 59 megawatts of energy ‘certificates’ from two wind projects near Microsoft's Cheyenne, Wyoming, data center site. The combined output of those two sites should produce enough energy per year to supply its Cheyenne facility with all the energy it needs…Microsoft and Black Hills Energy have worked out a new tariff that will enable the energy company to, as needs dictate, use the local data center’s backup generators, thereby eliminating the need for Black Hills Energy to construct a new power plant…” click here for more
The Fight For Solar In Florida Goes On As rooftop solar costs drop, utility attempts to raise barriers may not work
Mary Ellen Klas, November 12, 2016 (Miami Herald)
“Florida’s utility industry steered more than $20 million of their profits into a failed constitutional amendment to impose new barriers to the expansion of rooftop solar energy generation, but developers say that as the cost of installing solar panels drops, the state could quickly become a leader in private solar energy expansion no matter what the energy giants do…The Florida Solar Energy Industry Association estimates that over the next five years, Florida homeowners, businesses and utilities are projected to take advantage of the falling prices and install 2,315 megawatts of solar electric capacity — 19 times more than the amount of solar installed in the last five years…Large companies, such as Elon Musk’s Solar City, are offering zero down, low-interest loans, and people can also cut their expenses by deducting 30 percent of their costs under a federal Investment Tax Credit program that was extended last year…[S]olar will make up only a tiny fraction of all energy generation supplied by the regulated utilities in the next 10 years…[which helps explain why Florida ranks third in the nation for rooftop solar potential] but is only 14th for cumulative solar capacity that is installed…” click here for more
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