QUICK NEWS, September 11: Now Is The Time, Earth Is The Place; Floridians Forming Solar Co-ops; The Rich Winds Of South Dakota
Now Is The Time, Earth Is The Place Now Is the Time to Solve Climate Change for 2050
Paula Caballero, September 9, 2017 (EcoWatch)
“The reality of daily life is that we try to fix the problems that are staring us in the face. In many ways, the desire for short-term results defines the rhythm of both public and private life…Yet the unprecedented, deadly tropical cyclones in the Caribbean today and around the world foreshadow a perilous tomorrow if we don't tackle climate change now. We are at an historic crossroads that requires us to factor in the future. Because in a very real sense, 2050 is now…[D]ecisions today will define where we end up tomorrow. The idea that unabated, incremental growth is the formula to eradicate poverty will leave us all ultimately poorer and make the pockets of desperate poverty more entrenched…[What we do now will determine whether we are able to keep global temperature to well below 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) above preindustrial levels,] the point beyond which the most severe consequences of climate change kick in. Short-sighted investments could lock in 20th century ways of doing business and policy that will make achieving this target more expensive and technologically challenging…” click here for more
Floridians Forming Solar Co-ops Residents boost solar energy options by forming co-ops
Tracey McManus, September 9, 2017 (Tampa Bay Times)
“…[The St. Pete Solar Co-op, led by The League of Women Voters Florida with FL SUN, helps residents band] together and hire a single company to install systems on all of their homes, resulting in a 20 percent bulk discount and moral support to navigate a complicated process…[One homeowner used the 30 percent federal tax credit and co-op discount to get]15 panels installed for $6,800 on the roof of her 1,264-square foot home…[Her electric bill in August was] $5.49…As interest in solar energy grows in the state, more resident-driven co-ops are sprouting…[Two FL SUN co-ops to be launched Sept. 25 will join]the dozen running across the state…Florida currently ranks 13th nationally for solar capability even though the Solar Energy Industries Association estimates the Sunshine State as having the third-highest potential... The number of customer-owned solar energy systems increased nearly 40 percent in 2016, reaching 15,965 compared to 11,600 in 2015…[but that's] only a fraction of the state's 7.9 million utility customers…” click here for more
The Rich Winds Of South Dakota Wind energy good for the state and the nation
Chris Kunkle, September 8, 2017 (Watertown Public Opinion)
“…[Contrary to ill-informed reports in South Dakota,] there are few greater economic development opportunities in rural America right now than wind power…Across the country, wind farms are providing a stable source of new revenue for farmers and ranchers, without disturbing their existing operations. These projects inject private capital into rural communities and produce new, family-supporting jobs where they are needed most…[The] in South Dakota is because our region’s electricity providers recognize the benefits that wind energy can have for their customers. Not only is wind a low-cost, reliable source of electricity, it provides a hedge against the volatility of other fuel costs, such as natural gas or coal…Existing S.D. wind projects pay millions annually in land lease payments to rural landowners and millions more to locals, which helps fund vital services, support road improvements, and keep a lid on property taxes. Best of all, as wind energy grows in the state, so too will the money flowing to rural communities. Nationwide, rural landowners receive over $245 million annually…” click here for more
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