Feinstein blocks solar projects in desert; RFK Jr. and other environmentalists disagree

AMBOY, Calif. — Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation in Congress on Monday to protect a million acres of the Mojave Desert in California by scuttling some 13 big solar plants and wind farms planned for the region.

Her intervention in the Mojave means it will be more difficult for California utilities to achieve a goal, set by the state, of obtaining a third of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020; projects in the monument area could have supplied a substantial portion of that power.

“This is arguably the best solar land in the world, and Senator Feinstein shouldn’t be allowed to take this land off the table without a proper and scientific environmental review,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the environmentalist and a partner with a venture capital firm that invested in a solar developer called BrightSource Energy. In September, BrightSource canceled a large project in the monument area.

Union officials, power industry executives, regulators and some environmentalists have also expressed concern about the impact of the monument legislation,

More (New York Times)….

Florida Keys Now Shrinking From Sea Level Rise

from NPR (see below for link)

Discussion of climate change — and what to do about it — is gaining urgency. It’s being debated in Congress and is the focus of December’s international summit in Copenhagen.

In South Florida, the issues of global warming and rising seas are more than theoretical. Florida is one of the parts of the country most vulnerable to a rise in sea level, and officials are beginning to plan how they’ll cope with it.

Scientists say the sea level has been rising since the end of the last ice age. The concern now is how fast it’s rising, and whether cities and natural ecosystems can adapt fast enough to avoid being devastated.

“You hear predictions of up to 3 or 4 feet over the next century,” said Chris Bergh, of The Nature Conservancy’s Florida Keys program. “It really makes you nervous for the future of this place.”

With an average elevation of just 3 or 4 feet, there are few places in America where the rising sea level is a bigger threat than in the Keys.

Changes Already Visible

On Big Pine Key, one of the chain’s largest and most environmentally diverse islands, you can already see changes brought on by the accelerating sea level rise.

A spot not far from the island’s coast used to be a pine forest. Now, it’s tidal wetlands — home to a few salt-tolerant plant species and the desiccated remnants of the old forest. Bergh described some of the changes brought on by the rising sea level.

“This stump is a pine tree — was a pine tree,” he said. “Now, it’s an old weathered pine stump. And it’s literally 100 feet or more away from the nearest living live pine. At one time, pines could live out here in what is now a mangrove marsh.”

At risk are more than a few pines. The Keys are home to many plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world. The Nature Conservancy is working to develop special elevation maps for the Keys and other sensitive areas in Florida that will show which spots are most vulnerable and where action is needed to buy time for endangered ecosystems.

Bergh says it’s hoped that with help, rare plants and animals may be able to migrate to higher ground before they’re wiped out.

More…

Video: Nuclear safety inspector gives chilling testimony about Vermont Yankee

A public forum on the future of Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, which will complete its designed lifetime in 2012. The owners of the plant are asking to extend the license a full 20 years past its design, and to operate it at 120% its original design capacity during that time.

In this video, nuclear safety inspector Arnie Gunderson discusses the safety issues with the plant. This video is very scary because it is actually possible that in spite of all these saftey issues, the license of Vermont Yankee could be extended another 20 years.

Note, the fidgety guy next to Arnie is a representive from Entergy, the owners of Vermont Yankee.

Video from last event of the year

The Solar Bus was asked to solarize the music stage for a private party in Massachussettes. It was a lot of fun and the band, Don’t Call Me Shirley, was great. Here is some video of the solar powered stage. Thanks to Windstream Power for the bicycle generator and Evergreen Solar for the solar panels that helped make it all possible.

The Solar Bus Goes To Washington.

We are just found out that we’re heading to Washington DC for the International Day of Climate Action. On October 24th, there will be rallies all over the world to raise awareness of the ugency of the problem of global warming and climate change. It’s being organized by 350.org, an organization founded by Bill McKibben. If you live in the DC area, go to the rally, and stop by the Solar Bus. Maybe we’ll even have some room for you to ride as we “march” up to the White House. If you can’t make it to DC, consider attending or organizing a rally in your area. For more information on the various rallies over the globe see 350.org. For info on what’s happening on DC click here.

Bill Maher smacks down global warming skeptics

True…. Serious…. Hilarious!

HR 676: Universal Health Care For All

While the debate goes on about the “public option,” “triggers,” “non-profit co-ops,” “mandated purchasing, like car insurance,” for a bill that has “yet to be ironed out,” there is a completed bill sitting in the House, co-signed by 93 Representatives, which would bring universal health care to every US citizen.

HR 676 is titled, the United States National Health Insurance Act (or the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act).

The bill has the following features:

But don’t take my word for it. Read the bill here.

This is exactly what the health insurance companies DON’T want. It is what they are spending millions if not billions of lobbying money fighting against. But in truth, it is what we the people need.

In 2000, the World Health Organization studied the health care systems of the world and ranked the United States as number 37 in overal performance. 47 million Americans are uninsured and another 50 million are underinsured. People are spending their life’s savings when they get sick. People are dying because they can’t afford the treatments they need. Insurance companies are making millions in profit off illnesses and turning down treatments people need based on economics.

It’s time to stop the madness. Let’s do what the other countries do and make sure everyone gets treated when they’re sick. It’s as simple as that.

HR 676 has been endorsed by 558 union organizations in 49 states including 130 Central Labor Councils and Area Labor Federations and 39 state AFL-CIO’s.

Even the physicians want it. Over 59 percent of physicians now support a national, single-payer health insurance system for everyone.

We can find a way to pay for it. We spend 10 times more than any other country in the world on military. Perhaps we can cut a little of that back and still spend 8 times more than any other country and use some of the rest on our health. But in actuality, HR 676 would be paid for by removing the insurance companies from the equation.

I am proud to say that my state’s Representative, Peter Welch (D-VT) is one of the co-signers. To find out if yours is, click here for the current list.

Here’s what you can do to help HR 676:

Warmest Arctic temperatures in 2,000 years

CNN) — Arctic temperatures in the 1990s reached their warmest level of any decade in at least 2,000 years, new research indicates.

The study presents new evidence that the Arctic would be cooling if not for greenhouse gas emissions overpowering natural climate patterns.

The report published in Science magazine found that thousands of years of gradual Arctic cooling, related to natural changes in Earth’s orbit, would continue today if not for emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

more….

Holy Solar, Batman! It’s Finally Happening!

When I first got involved in solar energy 20 years ago, we used to dream of huge utility-scale solar arrays that would someday make power on the megawatt scale. There were a very small number of them in the world, and most were experimental like the PVUSA and Carrizo sites. We dreamed of more and larger solar power plants, making significant power for our country and powering homes just like other power plants. Many of us wondered if it would ever happen.

Well it’s happening! Several are online now — the biggest one in the US currently is a 14 megawatt plant at the Nellis Air Force Base. Many more large utility scale solar power plants are being planned, designed, and built. The race is on for the biggest solar power plants in the world and it’s anybody’s guess what will be the biggest one in 5 years from now. Just look at all the new huge plants being planned:

• Starwood Solar 1, a 290 Megawatt solar thermal power plant due to be completed by 2013, will be the largest “dispatched” solar power plant in the world.
• Martin Next Generation Solar Energy Center, a 75 Megawatt solar thermal power plant being built by Florida Power and Light, will be the second largest in the world and will power 11,000 homes.
• Florida Power and Light is also planning on building the largest photovoltaic solar power plant in the world, a 25 Megawatt plant using SunPower’s 20% efficient panels.
• Frankfurt, Germany: Ground Breaking Commences on 45 Megawatt PV System– RGE Energy AG officially started the construction of a 45-MW photovoltaic installation on a former military airfield area which equals the size of 162 soccer fields. The project is the largest solar power plant in Saxony-Anhalt and the world´s largest with string inverters.
• A 40 megawatt photovoltaic plant is going in Ontario, Canada.
• Cleantech America’s 80 megawatt (MW) planned solar farm will be among the largest photovoltaic solar utility-scale electric projects in the country upon completion in 2013. Scheduled to be developed in phases, with 20 megawatts (MW) coming online in 2011, 20 MW in 2012 and 40 MW in 2013.
• The Army plans to install a 500-megawatt solar thermal power farm at a Fort Irwin, Calif., base as part of its bid to reduce a $3 billion annual energy bill. The Army’s solar thermal system would eclipse the 14 megawatts at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, currently the largest U.S. solar photovoltaic installation.
• PG&E is putting in two huge photovoltaic power plants totalling 800 megawatts. According to the contracts signed, 550 Megawatts are from OptiSolar’s amorphous solar cells and 250 megawatts are from SunPower.
• Even cold cloudy Vermont, the first utility-scale solar power plant in the state is going up this summer.
• An amazing 850 megawatt solar stirling engine power plant near Victorville, California. According to the company building the site, permitting process is going forward and construction will begin next year.

Why is it happening now? A variety of factors have contributed. First, the cost of solar has come down a bit in the last 20 years. There are also grants and tax incentives available for commercial applications. Another factor is Read the rest of this entry »

Solar Bus on the Evening News!

The Solar Bus visited the ECHO Science Center for Earth Day. The WPTZ news crew, headed by meteorologist Tom Messner, showed up and ran this nice interview and “tour” of the solar bus. The segment aired live on the 6:00 news in Burlington. Here it is:



Special thanks to Tracy at ECHO, Tom Messner, and WPTZ for the publicity!