QUICK NEWS, January 29: Time To Save The Trees; The Solar Tariff Imposed By Dirty Old Men; New York Reveals Big Ocean Wind Plans

Time To Save The Trees Should We Plant Forests to Tackle Climate Change?

January 28, 2018 (Environmental Technology)

“…[C]limate change is having a serious impact on the world’s forests. It’s estimated to cause 8 million acres of deforestation annually…[F]orests are a massive aid in the fight against climate change. They can store vast amounts of carbon extracted from the air and remove large amounts of greenhouse gases found in the earth’s atmosphere – as well as releasing oxygen. As a result, countries around the world are beginning to recognise the importance of reforestation and how it can help combat air pollution…At the beginning of 2018, [China announced plans to reforest an area] the size of Ireland…[It intends] to cover 23% of China’s landmass with forests by 2020…[It will also] start an ‘ecological red line…to end construction near rivers, forests, and national parks. Between 3.5 – 7 billion trees are cut down a year…[O]ne tree has the capability of producing almost 260 pounds of oxygen…” click here for more

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The Solar Tariff Imposed By Dirty Old Men The Economics of Dirty Old Men

Paul Krugman, January 25, 2018 (NY Times)

“…[The just-imposed tariff on imported solar panels and cells] fits in with an important part of this administration’s general vision…[T]his is very much an administration of dirty old men…[and the solar tariff] will surely destroy many more jobs than it will create…[The U.S. is largely out of the solar panel-producing business…[and this tariff] won’t change it…[It is temporary and] won’t induce any long-term investments, and therefore won’t bring the U.S. solar panel industry back. What it will do, however, is put a crimp in one of the U.S. economy’s big success stories, the rapid growth of renewable energy…[It is clear that] hurting renewables is actually a good thing from [this administration’s] point of view…

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Over the past decade or so there has been a remarkable technological revolution in energy production…[driven by cheap and abundant natural gas and] stunning reductions in the cost of solar and wind power…[They have] become cost-competitive with conventional energy, and their cost is still falling fast. And they also employ…around five times as many people…Why do Trump and company love dirty energy? Partly it’s about the money…[I]t’s good for G.O.P. campaign finance…Partly it’s about blue-collar voters, who still imagine that Trump can bring back coal jobs…[Maybe] it’s also about a kind of machismo, a sense that real men don’t soak up solar energy; they burn stuff…” click here for more

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New York Reveals Big Ocean Wind Plans NYS offshore wind energy plan envisions $6 billion industry by 2028; The state says the industry could employ up to 5,000 people and the turbines aren’t expected to be visible from Long Island’s shore.

Mark Harrington, January 28, 2018 ((NewsDay)

“…New York’s exhaustive master plan for] offshore wind energy foresees up to 5,000 people employed in and around a $6 billion industry by 2028, with annual health benefits from reduced emissions valued at up to $400 million…The Cuomo administration plan also makes clear that while offshore wind representing 2,400 megawatts and hundreds of turbines will be in the waters south of Long Island, none is expected to be visible from shore. The state expects more than 1.2 million homes could be powered by offshore wind…

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[The 60-page report’s] studies examine everything from viable ports to turbine manufacturing and wind-farm construction and staging to the need for cables, pipelines and other infrastructure, as well as the impact on birds, bats and fish…The state determined that an area encompassing just over 1 million acres can accommodate wind turbines at least 21 miles from land…The area sits directly below a 79,000-acre wind farm already planned by Statoil called Empire Wind, which is expected to be operational by 2024…The state this year plans to offer the first procurement for at least 400 megawatts of offshore wind, with another 400 megawatts set for procurement in 2019, with a total 2,400 megawatts expected by 2030…” click here for more

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