QUICK NEWS, February 5: McKibben On How To Fight Climate Change Without The White House; The Future Of Jobs In The Wind; Tesla and Aussies To Build The World’s Biggest Virtual Power Plant

McKibben On How To Fight Climate Change Without The White House We can battle climate change without Washington DC. Here's how; Global warming is an immediate battle with enormous consequences. We dare not wait for Washington to return to sanity – nor do we have to

Bill McKibben, 1 February 2018 (UK Guardian)

“…The State of the Union address omitted] mention of climate change, the greatest problem the world faces…[and] official Washington seemed barely to notice…The Democratic response from Representative Joe Kennedy didn’t touch on global warming, either…[Winning the midterm elections is crucial because] it will help the effort to play defense] but since global warming is an immediate battle with enormous consequences, we dare not wait for Washington to return to sanity…The strategy that’s been evolving for US climate action – and for action in many other parts of the planet – bypasses the central governments as much as possible…[because that is where oil and coal] money is most toxically powerful…[The flank attack at local levels begins with joining in work pioneered by groups like the Sierra Club] to persuade towns, cities, counties, and states to pledge to make the transition to 100% renewable energy…Job two is to block new fossil fuel infrastructure…And third is to cut off the money that fuels this industry – by divestment…” click here for more

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The Future Of Jobs In The Wind Reasons For Hope: The Answer Is Blowin’ In The Wind; Learn how wind energy is an engine for job creation across the US.

January 19, 2018 (Climate Reality Project)

“…Wind energy isn’t just a clean alternative to the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis – it’s also an engine for job creation across the US…As the coal industry continues to decline, many former fossil fuel workers in cities and towns across the US are seeing which way the wind is blowing and training for new careers in renewable energy…[In Casper, Wyoming, Goldwind Americas, runs] a wind energy technician training program that teaches former fossil fuel workers to operate and maintain wind technology across the country…[The decline of the fossil fuel industry in Wyoming and other areas across the US] has created opportunities for experienced workers to transfer their valuable skills to new jobs in new sectors like wind…[Recent employment data shows] the US wind sector put over 101,000 Americans to work in 2016 – a 32 percent increase from the previous year. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that wind technician jobs are expected to increase 108 percent over the next decade…[A] recent study found that investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency create more jobs than expanding the fossil fuel sector…” click here for more

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Tesla and Aussies To Build The World’s Biggest Virtual Power Plant Solar power and Tesla batteries will create the world’s largest “virtual power plant” in Australia

Akshat Rathi, February 5, 2018 (Quartz)

“…[In the state of South Australia,] about 1,000 homes in public housing will receive Tesla batteries connected to solar panels installed on rooftops. The government will own the equipment, and residents will pay for the usage as they did before. Those who don’t consume all the energy produced by their solar panels can feed it back to the grid, and those who consume more can take extra from the grid…[Where South Australia’s program differs from similar subsidized programs around the world] helping users cut their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint…[is that] the state will open up the program to 50,000 homes…[T]he state would have, in effect, a distributed power plant that can produce 250 MW of power from rooftop solar panels and store 650 MWh of energy in Tesla batteries…[By 2021, it] will be the world’s largest virtual power plant…” click here for more

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