Green, ethical, energy issues in the news

pile-o-stone

Interesting article about the positive health impact of closing down coal fired power stations:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171221122409.htm

"Shutdown of coal-fired power plant results in significant fetal health improvement in downwind areas"

"First study to show fetal health improvement as a result of a coal-fired power plant shutdown due to direct federal level regulation on single pollution source finds 15 percent reduction in likelihood of having a low birth weight baby and 28 percent reduction in likelihood of a preterm birth in areas downwind of the power plant."

As we know, coal miners don't get black lungs on their first day in the mine. The health problems develop over years. Conversely when coal miners leave the mines it can take years for their health problems to alleviate (if at all, as most damage will be permanent).

Similarly, with residents who live next to coal fired power stations, the damage to their health may not be reversed just by closing down the power station, and certainly not overnight. However, the lack damage to new residents (i.e. babies) around former coal power stations, the affects can be seen. This report shows a marked improvement in the health of babies conceived & born after the closure of a coal fired power station. As these babies grow, we will no doubt see similar huge improvements in other health related symptoms, such as a reduction in the number of childhood cancer patients around former coal power stations then a few years later, the reduction in the number of adolescent cancer patients, then a few years later the reduction in the number of young adult cancer patients, etc, etc.....

Martyn1981

In Indian news, we see that RE is increasing the percentage of leccy it provides, but can't keep up with rising demand which means more coal capacity too.

Coal Makes A Comeback In India, New Capacity Up 73% In 2019

India witnessed a sharp rise in new coal-based power generation capacity last year, with dirty power plants accounting for 44% of the total new power generation capacity added in the country. The share is a huge increase from just 21% in 2017 and 25% in 2018.

India’s power generation sector witnessed 7.8 gigawatts of net coal-fired generation capacity coming online in 2019. The net generation capacity addition in overall the fossil fuel-fired sector was only marginally lower at 7.7 gigawatts due to some retirements in diesel-powered generation.

Despite the decline in new capacity addition from the renewable energy sector, especially solar and wind, India’s installed capacity mix is progressively becoming cleaner. At the end of 2019, the share of fossil fuels in India’s capacity mix had dropped to 62.6% compared to 69.8% at the end of 2015. The share of solar power has increased from 1.5% to 9.1% and the share of renewable energy has increased from 13.2% to 23.3% during the same period.

Martyn1981

Small state, big target.

Rhode Island Is 1st US State To Commit To 100% Renewable By 2030 — “It’s Time To Set Our Sights Higher”

Martyn1981

Carney sides with Greta Thunberg against Trump over climate

Mark Carney has provided backing for Greta Thunberg in her clash with Donald Trump, contrasting the contribution the teenage activist has made towards tackling the climate emergency with the White House’s less helpful approach.

Speaking at an event hosted by Bloomberg in Davos, Carney said Thunberg was correct to point out that the world was rapidly using up its remaining carbon budget and that the US stance made tackling global heating more difficult.

The Bank of England governor’s intervention followed Trump’s warning to the World Economic Forum of the dangers of listening to “prophets of doom” and Thunberg’s insistence that the US president needed to listen to the science on global heating.

Asked whether forging a common understanding was more difficult without the US’s involvement, Carney said: “It is certainly more difficult.”

Carney said Thunberg was right to point out that climate science showed that the world had only eight years of emitting carbon at its current rate if there is to be a 67% chance of limiting the increase in global temperature to 1.5 degrees. “That’s a legitimate point to make,” he said. “There have been many positive contributions from Greta Thunberg.”

Martyn1981

Big storage planned in the US with a 2.2GW 10hr PHS proposal, and making use of powerlines from the closed coal powerstation.

$3.6 Billion Energy Storage Project Rising From Ashes Of Coal Power Plant

For those of you new to the topic, the former Navajo Generating Station was the largest power plant in the US west, and one of the nation’s single largest carbon emitters, too. It was built in the 1970s and finally closed for business last year.

That finally brings us to the workings of the proposed NESS project. As a pumped hydro storage system, it will require the construction of a reservoir, to be built on the Cummins Plateau above Lake Powell. The project will deploy wind and solar power to pump water from the lake up to the reservoir during daily periods of low use. As needed, the water will flow by gravity down through a generating station to produce electricity.

Martyn1981

Renewables hit 18% of EU energy mix

The share of energy from renewable energy sources in gross final energy consumption reached 18% in the EU in 2018, up from 17.5% in 2017, according to latest figures published by Eurostat.

The EU's target is to reach 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 and at least 32% by 2030.

zeupater

Martyn1981 wrote: »

Renewables hit 18% of EU energy mix

Hi

... but that level of analytical simplicity is where statistics often become that meaningless that many consider their application as being little more than data supported mistruths!

Take for example one set of data that maintains a steady level of consumption whilst increasing their renewables proportion from 10% to 20% against another that achieves a 10% to 15% improvement in renewable energy sector penetration, whilst additionally reducing overall consumption be 10% .... I know which one has done better, despite the statistics!

This is a really important observation to understand ... just think about economic migration within the EU - wouldn't an area with a falling population be more likely to achieve their target by doing little more than maintaining existing renewable energy capacity whilst decommissioning legacy generation sources thus allowing the total energy mix to swing towards the set target? ....

It's certainly good news overall and describes a trend in the right direction, but not really worthy of statistical regional performance comparison!

HTH
Z

Martyn1981

I'd say this was disappointing if it wasn't so predictable. Why don't we just 'build em better', and save on the energy costs later.

Proposed changes to regulations 'will make buildings less energy efficient'

Proposed changes to building regulations in England and Wales are likely to make buildings less energy efficient not more, a group of leading architects and engineers has warned.

In a damning assessment of proposals to reform Part L of the Building Regulations, which sets the minimum energy performance standards for new dwellings, a growing coalition of professionals has described the changes as “a step backwards, in a climate where we need a huge leap forward”.

Secondly, Leti warns that a proposed emphasis on overall carbon footprint will help to mask the actual energy performance of new homes. The government intends to introduce a new factor into the assessment, related to the energy efficiency of the grid, not the building itself. Because the National Grid has been rapidly decarbonising over the last few years, as more renewables have been connected, the new method of assessment would show that a home produced lower carbon emissions than before – despite the design being exactly the same.

NigeWick

Martyn1981 wrote: »

I'd say this was disappointing if it wasn't so predictable.

HMGov getting big builders' backhanders to increase profits?

Martyn1981

More legal action and investment reviews on FF's and AGW.

French NGOs and local authorities take court action against Total

An alliance of 14 French local authorities and several NGOs will take unprecedented court action this week against the French oil firm Total to try to force the firm to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

It is the first climate change litigation against a private company in France. Campaigners want the court to ensure Total does more to curb its emissions.

Total is on the list of top 20 global fossil fuel companies whose joint exploitation of the world’s oil, gas and coal reserves can be directly linked to more than a third of all greenhouse gas emissions in the modern era, according to analysis last year.

£30bn pension fund: we'll sack asset managers that ignore climate crisis

A £30bn British pension fund has threatened to sack investment managers that do not take action on the climate crisis, criticising the sector as “not fit for purpose”.

Brunel Pension Partnership, which manages pension money for nine councils in south-west England as well as for the Environment Agency, said it would review the mandates of asset managers that don’t reduce exposure to climate risk by 2022.

The Bristol-based pension fund will demand that companies in which it invests take steps to align their emissions with targets agreed at the 2015 Paris climate summit. Brunel will vote against the reappointment of board members of companies that who are not doing enough, and could also sell its stakes from 2022 onwards.