geoharvey

Opinion:

¶ Government U-turn on renewables shows gas, oil and nuclear are still favorites. • Costs have fallen; the latest ground-mounted solar and onshore wind are cheaper than new nuclear, and offshore wind is not far behind, but despite this the government favors nuclear and oil. [The Guardian]

The sun sets at Hinkley Point nuclear power station. Photograph: iVistaphotography / Barcroft

Science and Technology:

¶ With the big animals gone forever, climate change could get worse, according to a study. University of East Anglia research says a decline in fruit-eating animals such as large primates, tapirs and toucans could have a knock-on effect for tree species because they disperse seeds. [Financial Express]

World:

¶ A wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway, sufficient to power more than 37,000 homes, has secured almost £83 million in financing. The UK Green Investment Bank, which is headquartered in Edinburgh, is putting £49.5 million into the consented 52.9-MW Blackcraig wind farm. [Scotsman]

Once operational, the new wind farm is expected to produce more than 150 GWh of renewable electricity annually. Picture: TSPL

¶ The Iranian government plans to offer guaranteed purchase terms to domestic and international investors who contribute to the construction of power plants that obtain power from non-exhaustible resources, according to the director of Iran Power Generation and Transmission Company. [Zawya]

¶ Delhi has been shrouded in a toxic soup in recent weeks, pushing PM 2.5 levels more than 10 times over the WHO’s recommended safe limit. These fine particles less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter are linked to higher rates of chronic bronchitis, lung cancer and heart disease. [Yahoo7 News]

Anger, fear at Delhi’s pollution ground zero

¶ Jordan has launched the first utility-scale wind power project in the Middle East to boost the country’s shift to renewable energy sources amid growing demand for power. King Abdullah inaugurated the project on Thursday in the presence of senior officials from Jordan and UAE. [Utilities-ME.com]

US:

¶ The governor of Massachusetts is launching a $30-million residential solar loan program. The program is tuned for loans between $3,000 and $60,000 with low, fixed interest rates and should help the state reach its goal of 1,600 MW by 2020. The state currently has 985 MW. [WLNE-TV (ABC6)]

¶ In Minnesota, a three-year, $260 million emissions-reduction project for the Boswell Energy Center’s 585-MW Unit 4, Minnesota Power’s largest coal-fired generating unit is complete. The upgrade will reduce mercury emissions by 90% and reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide and particulates. [Grand Forks Herald]

Large cranes were used to install new equipment. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Power

¶ Lamoureux Ford, a 38-year auto dealership in East Brookfield, Massachusetts, may soon be 100% solar powered. A parking lot at the dealership will have a canopy with 408 solar panels, possibly by year’s end. The panels will produce 160,000 kWh and provide 80% of Lamoureux Ford’s electricity needs. [Worcester Telegram]

¶ President Obama tasted salmon that had been chewed on by a bear, but passed on drinking his own pee, on “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” a reality TV show with famous people trying survival skills. He alternated between serious talk on battling climate change and jokey banter. [China Post]

This entry was posted on December 20, 2015 at 6:41 am and is filed under Uncategorized.