Opinion:
¶ “The COP23 climate change summit in Bonn and why it matters” • Aiming to “prevent dangerous human caused interference with the climate system,” nations are meeting for the 23rd annual “conference of the parties” (COP23) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is taking place in Bonn starting November 6. [The Guardian]
Homes in West Bengal (Photo: Sushavan Nandy | Barcroft Images)
Science and Technology:
¶ The Trump Administration released a sweeping federal climate report concluding that the Earth is warming at an alarming rate due to human activity. The congressionally mandated report said the Earth is undergoing its warmest period “in the history of modern civilization,” fueled primarily by rising levels of carbon dioxide. [Bloomberg]
World:
¶ Roughly a quarter of the world’s oil refineries face closure by 2035 if governments around the world actually manage to meet their current greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, according to a report from the think tank Carbon Tracker, the investment fund AP7, and PKA, a pension fund is based in Denmark. [CleanTechnica]
Oil refinery (Image: James Daisa | Flickr, some rights reserved)
¶ Over 100 Vietnamese provincial government officials, investors and other stakeholders have gathered in Ho Chi Minh City to discuss policies for the development of solar energy. The central government has a target of increasing the installed capacity of solar power from around 7 MW at the end of 2017 to 850 MW by 2020. [en.vietnamplus.vn]
¶ The chief minister of the Indian state of Maharashtra launched a pilot project under which farmlands could get up to 12 hours of uninterrupted power tapping solar energy, officials said. The pilot project will come up at a famed model village created under the state’s “Mukhyamantri Agricultural Solar Feeder Scheme.” [ETEnergyworld.com]
Solar panels at sunset
¶ SaskPower’s president said it is “highly unlikely” his company will recommend the government pursue carbon capture and storage projects in the foreseeable future because of the costs. The economics of power generation have changed since the company decided in 2010 to retrofit a coal-fired generating unit to capture and store carbon emissions. [CBC.ca]
¶ To the anger of environmentalists, a Trump adviser is expected to take part in a presentation in at COP23, the UN’s climate conference in Bonn, promoting coal as a solution to climate change. Separately, a group of governors will say that the US is still committed to climate action despite Mr Trump’s rejection of the Paris agreement. [BBC News]
Clean as it can be (Getty Images)
¶ South Africa’s Energy Minister is forcing his plans for nuclear power into action, and officials at his department are working weekends to finalize the country’s reviewed integrated energy resource plan four months ahead of schedule. Last week, the Finance Minister said nuclear energy was neither affordable nor immediately necessary. [News24]
¶ Historically, Flinders Island, off Tasmania’s north-east coast, has been powered by diesel fuel. In December, Hydro Tasmania will enable the island to be powered by 60% renewable energy on average by putting its Hybrid Energy Hub into service. Solar, wind, and battery storage will reduce the island’s reliance on expensive diesel power. [ABC Online]
Hybrid Energy Hub (Photo: Rhiannon Shine | ABC News)
US:
¶ The White House has sought to downplay a major climate change report, which was compiled by 13 US federal agencies. The study is at odds with assertions from President Donald Trump and several members of his administration. It says it is “extremely likely” human activity is the “dominant cause” of global warming. [BBC News]
¶ President Trump is accused of deliberately obstructing research on global warming, blocking a critically important technique for investigating sea-ice cover at the poles. The row has erupted after a key polar satellite broke down a few days ago, leaving the US with only three ageing ones, and the only backup was ordered dismantled. [The Guardian]
Melting sea ice (Photo: David Goldman | AP)
¶ Storage specialist Sonnen launched its Puerto Rico Energy Security Initiative with the specific aim to restore power to a number of communities around the island nation with microgrid technology. Sonnen donated 15 microgrid systems, partnered with Pura Energia, and hit the road en route to Puerto Rico to get them up and running. [CleanTechnica]
Joseph Mangum of Sunnyside Solar is working in Puerto Rico,
helping people. How can I help the people of Puerto Rico? One
way is to donate at [Sunnyside Solar’s crowdfunding website].
¶ There’s been more than $3.3 billion in insured losses caused by the wildfires in California so far this year, with the figure expected to rise, the California Department of Insurance has revealed. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said he is concerned that the fires represent a new normal, as climate change raises temperatures. [PlanetSave.com]
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