An Electrifying Plan to Address the Global Climate Crisis

Stanford Researchers Have an Exciting Plan to Tackle The Climate Emergency Worldwide

TESSA KOUMOUNDOUROS  | 27 DEC 2019  |  SCIENCE ALERT

Things are pretty dire right now. Giant swaths of my country are burning as I write this, at a scale unlike anything we've ever seen. Countless animals, including koalas, are perishing along with our life-supporting greenery. People are losing homes and loved ones.

These catastrophes are being replicated around the globe ever more frequently, and we know exactly what is exacerbating them. We know we need to rapidly make some drastic changes - and Stanford researchers have come up with a plan.

Using the latest data available, they have outlined how 143 countries around the world can switch to 100 percent clean energy by the year 2050.

This plan could not only contribute towards stabilizing our dangerously increasing global temperatures, but also reduce the 7 million deaths caused by pollution every year and create millions more jobs than keeping our current systems.

The plan would require a hefty investment of around US$73 trillion. But the researchers' calculations show the jobs and savings it would earn would pay this back in as little as seven years.

"Based on previous calculations we have performed, we believe this will avoid 1.5 degree global warming," environmental engineer and lead author Mark Jacobson told ScienceAlert.

"The timeline is more aggressive than any IPCC scenario - we concluded in 2009 that a 100 percent transition by 2030 was technically and economically possible - but for social and political reasons, a 2050 date is more practical."

Here's how it would work. The plan involves transitioning all our energy sectors, including electricity, transport, industry, agriculture, fishing, forestry and the military to work entirely with renewable energy.

Jacobson believes we have 95 percent of the technology we need already, with only solutions for long distance and ocean travel still to be commercialized.

"By electrifying everything with clean, renewable energy, we reduce power demand by about 57 percent," Jacobson explained.

He and colleagues show it is possible to meet demand and maintain stable electricity grids using only wind, water, solar and storage, across all 143 countries.

These technologies are already available, reliable and respond much faster than natural gas, so they are already cheaper. There's also no need for nuclear which takes 10-19 years between planning and operation, biofuels that cause more air pollution, or the invention of new technologies.

"'Clean coal' just doesn't exist and never will," Jacobson says, "because the technology does not work and only increases mining and emissions of air pollutants while reducing little carbon, and there is no guarantee at all the carbon that is captured will stay captured."

The team found that electrifying all energy sectors makes the demand for energy more flexible and the combination of renewable energy and storage is better suited to meet this flexibility than our current system.

New York mandates Bold Cuts in Greenhouse Gas Emissions to address Climate Change

Transition from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Energy 

will Cut Emissions and create New Jobs

By David Kowalski

On July 18, 2019, NY Gov. Cuomo signed into law the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). It is the most ambitious legal mandate in the nation for cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

The CLCPA mandates:

- by 2030, 70% of electricity will be generated by emission-free, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar

- by 2040, electricity generation will have zero greenhouse gas emissions

- by 2050, 85% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, and a goal of net-zero emissions in all sectors of the economy

The CLCPA has specific goals and timelines for different types of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Distributed solar is expected to have a capacity of six gigawatts by 2025. Offshore wind is expected to reach nine gigawatts of capacity by 2035. There's a target for energy efficiency improvements (a 185 trillion BTU reduction by 2025) and storage (3 gigawatts by 2030) as well.

When he signed the CLCPA, Cuomo announced some initial steps toward the goals, including contracts for two offshore wind power projects that will generate 1.7 gigawatts, enough electricity to power 1 million homes. These wind power projects will create 1,600 unionized jobs and over $3 billion of economic activity.

Cuomo said there would be nearly $280 million in new investments in infrastructure to distribute the power and a $20 million program at the state university system to train clean energy workers.

The CLCPA also focuses on adaptation mechanisms, including increasing the resilience of infrastructure to withstand disasters. The legislation also establishes a process ensuring that investments from clean energy and energy efficiency funds benefit frontline communities that have been historically burdened by pollution or are at high risk from the effects of climate change.

Achieving drastic emissions cuts will also require tackling transportation, the largest source of emissions in the state, and buildings where natural gas and other fuels are the primary source of heating.

A 22-member panel, which will include state agency commissioners and others appointed by Cuomo and legislative leaders, will be given broad authority and three years to come up with a "scoping plan" to recommend changes the state can make to reduce its emissions. Specific industries or areas, such as transportation, will be the focus of sub-panels.

The text of the CLCPA is here.

NY's Master Plan for Offshore Wind Power is here.

 BATTERY STORAGE

Grid-sized Battery Storage Facility under construction | NY Times photo

~     ~     ~

UPDATE: 8.01.2019

$1.1B Niagara Power Project upgrade is NYPA's biggest investment ever

ALBANY – The New York Power Authority will invest $1.1 billion in a massive modernization effort at the Niagara Power Project, the state’s largest producer of electricity.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, in a statement announcing the investment Wednesday, said the project will help the state meet its ambitious plans to transition a carbon-free energy system throughout New York by 2040.

“The Niagara Power Project is New York’s largest source of clean electricity and this modernization project will allow it to continue operating for another 50 years," Cuomo said in a statement.

Read the article in The Buffalo News

Help Pass Strong Climate Legislation in NYS Now -- Take Action!

We are on the verge of passing the strongest climate legislation in the country, right here in New York!

But Governor Cuomo, who says he supports strong climate legislation, is not standing as the bold leader he’d like us to believe he is and has called proposed legislation “a political placebo.” 

We need to tell him to get his priorities straight and pass a strong Climate and Community Protection Act (CCPA) now.

It's more important than ever to Call Governor Cuomo and Email Your Representatives to tell them it is beyond time to pass a strong CCPA!

It's EASY: simply Click the Link above and select Call or Email. A message is supplied.

Despite Cuomo’s feet dragging, pressure to #PassTheCCPA is at its all time high. Our New York congresspeople endorsed this landmark legislation this week, from Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand to Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Brian Higgins and most other members of the NY congressional delegation (see letter and signatories, below).
 

The time is now. Let’s get this done. Let’s pass the CCPA this legislative session!

~  Environmental Advocates of New York - EANY.org

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Endorsement of the Climate and Community Protection Act by U.S. Representatives 
(click images to enlarge):

TALK: Diesel-Electric Locomotives and Environmental Sustainability

Environmentalist and life-long rail fan Walter Simpson will present his new information-packed, beautifully illustrated book which explains in detail:

•     How all energy-related components of a contemporary diesel-electric locomotive work

•     Locomotive fuel economy measures shrouded in secrecy by the railroad industry

•     Emissions regulation and technology

•     Railroad motive power options to address the threat of climate change

The Museum’s model railroad layout will be open and running 5-6 pm and the Singing Brakemen will sing train songs beginning at 5:30. Walter’s book will be available at special event discount price. 

Admission: Museum members free; others $5. 

For more information about Simpson’s book, see www.diesel-electric-locomotives.com. For more information about this event, email enconser@buffalo.edu

Sponsors: The Buffalo History Museum. Co-sponsored by the Citizens for Regional Transit, Niagara Frontier Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society, Partnership for the Public Good, Sierra Club Niagara Group, WNY Environmental Alliance, WNY Peace Center, WNY Railway Historical Society.

Governor Cuomo's Proposal for New York's Clean Energy Jobs and Climate Agenda

On January 2, 2018, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo released the 20th proposal of the 2018 State of the State: a comprehensive agenda to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and growing the clean energy economy. 

As stated in Cuomo's proposal, by further strengthening the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and welcoming new state members, New York will continue its progress in slashing emissions from existing fossil fuel power plants. In addition, unprecedented commitments announced today to advance clean energy technologies, including offshore wind, solar, energy storage and energy efficiency, will spur market development and create jobs across the state.

"New Yorkers know too well the devastation caused by climate change, and in order to slow the effects of extreme weather and build our communities to be stronger and more resilient, we must make significant investments in renewable energy," Governor Cuomo said. "With this proposal, New York is taking bold action to fight climate change and protect our environment, while supporting and growing 21st century jobs in these cutting-edge renewable industries."

Below are highlights listed in Gov. Cuomo's proposal:

• Expand Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Reduce Emissions Equitably From the Highest-Polluting, High Demand "Peaker" Power Plants

• Issue Solicitations in 2018 and 2019 to Develop at Least 800 MW of Offshore Wind Projects and Foster Offshore Wind Industry and Workforce in New York State

• $200 Million Investment to Meet Unprecedented Energy Storage Target of 1,500 Megawatts by 2025 In Order to Increase Transmission of Clean and Renewable Energy

• Create the Zero Cost Solar for All Program for 10,000 Low-Income New Yorkers

• Reconvene Scientific Advisory Committee on Climate Change Disbanded by the Federal Government

• Governor Directs the Establishment of Energy Efficiency Target by Earth Day

• Regulations to Close all Coal Plants to be Adopted

The full text of the Governor's proposal is here.

For reactions to the Governor's proposal by NY Renews, a state-wide climate & energy coalition, and by local groups, click here. 

Buffalo Activists Traveled to Washington D.C. to March for Climate, Jobs and Justice

By David Kowalski

100 People Traveled from Buffalo to D.C. in Buses Chartered by the Sierra Club 

Photos below show a few of the groups of people after departing the bus at the RFK Stadium in D.C.. [Click images to enlarge] 

 Buffalo Youth for Climate Justice

 Students from the University at Buffalo

Burmese Family from Buffalo

Buffalo Women for the Planet and a System Change

~   ~   ~

We traveled via the Metro Rail to the Capitol area where groups were assembling in preparation for the march.

Below is the front line of the Sierra Club group. 

Chapters from States around the U.S. were represented.

Leading the Sierra contingent is Aaron Mair, 

National President of the Sierra Club 

Earlier that morning, Aaron Mair was interviewed near the Capitol about the march. He said: 

“We're rising up to save our planet, but more importantly to offer solutions. This is not just a rise up for the sake of rising up. But it's a rise up to save our democracy. Because at the end of day, there's no planet B and there's no second leader. Our country was the world leader when it came to climate change, and the world leader with climate solutions.”

A video of that interview can be viewed here.

David and his son, Jason Kowalski, U.S. Policy Director 

at 350.org in D.C., met up at the march

Just days before the historic Peoples Climate mobilization, Senators Jeff Merkley and Bernie Sanders introduced the ‘100 by ‘50 Act’, a piece of legislation that calls for 100% clean energy by 2050. While recognizing the legislation likely won’t move under the Trump administration, the Senators and their supporters view this as a ‘roadmap for America.’
 
Days after the march, Jason Kowalski commented at 350.org: “If this type of visionary legislation can be introduced at the federal level under the Trump administration, there’s no excuse left for officials at the city and state level. At the Peoples Climate March, we put forward this vision nationally. Now we’ll hold every elected official accountable — no one is off the hook.”

By working at the local and regional level, communities will organize for powerful and lasting change, forcing elected officials to choose a side: that of Trump and his fossil fuel billionaire cabinet, or that of the people fighting for a stable climate and an economy that works for everyone.

Trump's Wrong-Headed Energy Plan Ignores Clean Energy Revolution and Climate Change

Trump’s “America First” Energy Plan Leaves America Behind

January 30, 2017 Roland Hwang   Kit Kennedy    
National Resources Defense Council 
 

On the eve of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources confirmation vote for Rick Perry to be Secretary of Energy, it’s important to take a close look at the Trump administration’s plans for America’s energy future. The administration’s new webpage on “An America First Energy Plan” is—like much of the president’s rhetoric—wrong-headed, short on details, and divorced from reality.

In fact, it’s most notable for what it doesn’t say — there’s not a word about the clean energy revolution, a boom in wind, solar, and energy efficiency that is creating millions of jobs, saving billions of dollars, and even saving lives by cutting pollution. This misleading plan not only fails to put America first — it threatens to pull America back to the 20^th century. NRDC will fight to make sure that the Trump administration doesn’t succeed at making America’s energy choices worse.

Here’s a look at a breakdown of the Trump plan [in italics] contrasted with the authors' comments on what that plan gets wrong [no italics]:

The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans ...

One of the best tools at our disposal to slash energy bills is energy efficiency — but it isn’t mentioned anywhere in the Trump plan. Since 1987, federal energy efficiency standards on appliances and equipment have saved Americans a cumulative total of $2 trillion on energy costs. Standards set in 2016 alone will save $75 billion on utility bills. With such tremendous cost-cutting power, it’s no wonder that federal efficiency standards have long enjoyed bipartisan support. Leaving efficiency out of an energy plan is a major oversight.

Despite wild swings in fossil fuel prices, America’s electricity bills and the per-kilowatt-hour rates recorded on them have been relatively stable and affordable for decades, thanks in good part to leadership at the state level in support of energy efficiency and renewable resources. In fact, after adjusting for inflation, U.S. electricity is cheaper today than it was more than a quarter-century ago, in 1990. And in some regions, solar and wind energy are already cost-competitive with fossil fuels, helping to lower everyone’s utility bills.

…and maximize the use of American resources… 

In 2015, nearly 70 percent of new electric generation came from American wind and solar power. Yet these American energy resources aren’t mentioned at all in the Trump plan — even though many heartland states, both red and blue, want more, as clean energy is helping revive both rural and rust-belt economies. And let’s not forget that Rick Perry’s home state of Texas is a national leader in wind energy. Today, more than 2.5 million Americans work in clean energy, from skilled factory workers making batteries for hybrid vehicles to military veterans who now scale turbine towers as wind energy technicians. China plans to create 13 million jobs by 2020 by investing in clean power. Where are the clean energy jobs in the Trump plan?

...freeing us from dependence on foreign oil.

Thanks to strong clean car and fuel economy standards set under the Obama administration, we’re already loosening the grip of oil dependence. The standards, which will double mileage for cars and light trucks by 2025, will also cut oil consumption by 1.5 million barrels per day — equivalent to current U.S. imports from the Persian Gulf. Standards save money for consumers, too —  nearly $4,000 over the lifetime of a vehicle. According to the BlueGreen Alliance, clean car standards will also create more than half a million jobs nationwide.

For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry.

The data clearly shows that environmental safeguards, rather than being a burden, have drastically cut pollution over the past 40 years while the economy has enjoyed tremendous growth. As the U.S. Environmental Protection reports, from 1970 to 2015, the Clean Air Act helped cut 70 percent of the soot and smog from American skies while the economy grew 246 percent. More than double the growth, less than half the pollution. That’s progress. Meanwhile, due to energy efficiency progress accelerated by appliance and equipment standards and building energy codes, the historical link between economic growth and total energy use was broken four decades ago and has not reappeared. GDP increased by 30 percent between 2000 and 2015, while total energy consumption remained flat.

President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.

The 117 million people whose drinking water supplies depend on Waters of the U.S. protections would hardly call it unnecessary. And when climate change creates international instability, dries up crops and ranchland, swamps low-lying communities and drives extreme weather that cost taxpayers $100 billion in 2012 alone, an action plan is surely in order. The Clean Power Plan aims to cut carbon pollution from power plants by 40 percent. Efficiency standards for appliances and federal buildings will play a big role in this, with a goal of cutting 3 billion metric tons of carbon emissions by 2030. There’s no reference to back up the wage increase mentioned in the Trump plan, but studies on the Clean Power Plan have shown that it would create as many as 274,000 jobs and deliver climate and health benefits worth $53 to $93 billion every year — including saving thousands of lives.

RENEWABLE ENERGY NEWS: No Fossil Fuels? A Renewable World?

Where in the world have we achieved 100% renewable power?

In a few places around the world, humans have achieved a feat that seemed impossible just a few years ago, and still seems inconceivable nearly everywhere else: They’ve stopped burning fossil fuels for electricity.

Throughout 2015, several nations, states and cities announced they had either managed the switch to renewables, or to a massive increase in non-polluting energy production. It’s a big shift from a time when, after the financial crash of 2008, many dismissed renewable energy as unscalable, niche, or too expensive to consider.

So who is producing the most power from renewable sources, and how are they doing it? The areas that go 100% renewable tend to combine two factors: great natural resources (like the terrain needed for hydropower) and small populations (getting power to everyone is easier when there are only a few million of them). Others might not be quite at 100% yet—but are taking impressive steps towards it. 

Read more at Quartz


Video: Mark Jacobson on a Renewable World

Mark Z. Jacobson, PhD, of Stanford University, has modeled a transition to 100% renewable, carbon free energy, for 138 countries and all 50 US states. He was interviewed in December 2015.

Rooftop solar and energy efficiency just saved Californians $192 million in transmission costs

In regulatory proceedings across the country, we have long made the case that consumer investment in solar and other clean energy options can be a real cost-saver as it reduces the need for expensive new and upgraded utility infrastructure. Now, with solar on the rise, we’re seeing that promise turn into reality.

The governing board of the Golden State’s grid operator, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), recently approved its 2015-2016 Transmission Plan which … wait for it … calls for canceling THIRTEEN sub-transmission projects that had been planned for PG&E’s service territory.

Read more at Vote Solar


Renewables Are Leaving Natural Gas In The Dust This Year

The U.S. electric grid added more than 70 times as much renewable energy capacity as natural gas capacity from January to March.

In the first three months of 2016, the U.S. grid added 18 megawatts of new natural gas generating capacity. It added a whopping 1,291 megawatts (MW) of new renewables.

The renewables were primarily wind (707 MW) and solar (522 MW). We also added some biomass (33 MW) and hydropower (29 MW). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) latest monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” reports that no new capacity of coal, oil, or nuclear power were added in the first quarter of the year.
Continue reading at ThinkProgress

Green Drinks: Renewable Energy, Efficiency, and Clean Transportation

Green Drinks @ Ulrich's 1868 Tavern
 
Date: Tuesday, May 24th

Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Location: 674 Ellicott Street Buffalo, NY 14203

Green Drinks is on Tuesday evening at Ulrich's 1868 Tavern.

Renee Vogelsang and Elizabeth Broad will be stopping in Buffalo on their “Road to Renewables” tour across the state in a Ford Fusion Energi, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. We're excited to welcome them to Buffalo!

Elizabeth Broad and Renee Vogelsang - NY'ers for Clean Power

The event will promote local campaigns for renewable energy and announce the “New Yorkers for Clean Power” statewide campaign to increase the deployment of clean energy across New York State.

The campaign will focus on education, organizing, and advocacy to engage the public, local governments, and businesses to advance a range of renewable energy, efficiency, and clean transportation solutions.

Delicious German food will be provided courtesy of PUSH Buffalo, this month's Green Drinks sponsor.

RSVP to Melanie at Mshorey107@gmail.com will receive a free drink ticket. Please write GD RSVP 5/24 in the subject line of the email!

Climate Activist, Bill McKibben, looks at Green Energy Solutions in relation to Electric Utility Practices

Power to the People

Why the rise of green energy makes utility companies nervous.

By Bill McKibben  | The New Yorker | June 29, 2015 Issue

Mark and Sara Borkowski live with their two young daughters in a century-old, fifteen-hundred-square-foot house in Rutland, Vermont. Mark drives a school bus, and Sara works as a special-ed teacher; the cost of heating and cooling their house through the year consumes a large fraction of their combined income. Last summer, however, persuaded by Green Mountain Power, the main electric utility in Vermont, the Borkowskis decided to give their home an energy makeover. In the course of several days, coordinated teams of contractors stuffed the house with new insulation, put in a heat pump for the hot water, and installed two air-source heat pumps to warm the home. They also switched all the light bulbs to L.E.D.s and put a small solar array on the slate roof of the garage.

The Borkowskis paid for the improvements, but the utility financed the charges through their electric bill, which fell the very first month. Before the makeover, from October of 2013 to January of 2014, the Borkowskis used thirty-four hundred and eleven kilowatt-hours [3411 kWh] of electricity and three hundred and twenty-five gallons of fuel oil [325 Gal.]. From October of 2014 to January of 2015, they used twenty-eight hundred and fifty-six kilowatt-hours [2856 kWh] of electricity and no oil [0 Gal.] at all. President Obama has announced that by 2025 he wants the United States to reduce its total carbon footprint by up to twenty-eight per cent [28%] of 2005 levels. The Borkowskis reduced the footprint of their house by eighty-eight per cent [88%] in a matter of days, and at no net cost.

I’ve travelled the world writing about and organizing against climate change, but, standing in the Borkowskis’ kitchen and looking at their electric bill, I felt a fairly rare emotion: hope. The numbers reveal a sudden new truth—that innovative, energy-saving and energy-producing technology is now cheap enough for everyday use. The Borkowskis’ house is not an Aspen earth shelter made of adobe and old tires, built by a former software executive who converted to planetary consciousness at Burning Man. It’s an utterly plain house, with Frozen bedspreads and One Direction posters, inhabited by a working-class family of four, two rabbits, and a parakeet named Oliver. It sits in a less than picturesque neighborhood, in a town made famous in recent years for its heroin problem. Its significance lies in its ordinariness. The federal Energy Secretary, Ernest Moniz, has visited, along with the entire Vermont congressional delegation. If you can make a house like this affordably green, you should be able to do it anywhere.

Most of the technology isn’t particularly exotic—these days, you can buy a solar panel or an air-source heat pump at Lowe’s. But few people do, because the up-front costs are high and the options can be intimidating. If the makeover was coördinated by someone you trust, however, and financed through your electric bill, the change would be much more palatable. The energy revolution, instead of happening piecemeal, over decades, could take place fast enough to actually help an overheating planet. But all of this would require the utilities—the interface between people and power—to play a crucial role, or, at least, to get out of the way.

An electric utility is an odd beast, neither public nor exactly private. Utilities are often owned by investors, but they’re almost always government-regulated, and they are charged with delivering power reliably and at an affordable price. Utilities are monopolies: since it would make no sense to have six sets of power poles and lines, utilities are granted exclusive rights to a territory. When you buy or rent a house, you automatically become the customer of the local utility, assuming that you want electricity and you don’t plan to generate all of it yourself. To keep the nation’s utilities honest, they are typically regulated at the state level by a public-service commission that sets rates, evaluates performance, and enforces mandates, such as a requirement that a certain amount of power come from renewable sources.

Whereas most enterprises are about risk, utilities are about safety: safe power supply, safe dividends. No surprises. As a result, the industry “has not attracted the single greatest minds,” David Roberts, who has covered energy for various outlets for a decade and is now a reporter for Vox, told me. “If you’re in a business where the customer is the public-utility commission, and after that your profits are locked in by law, it’s the sleepiest business sector there is, if you could even call it a business sector. They build power plants, sit back, and the money comes in.” The entire realm is protected, he added, by “a huge force field of boringness.”

But what has been a virtue, by and large, is now almost certainly a vice. Scientists insist that in order to forestall global warming we need to quickly change the way we power our lives. That’s perhaps most easily done by giant companies with big budgets for new technology; Google, Apple, and Ikea have all announced major plans to switch to renewable energy. For average Americans, however, the biggest source of carbon emissions is their home, so the utilities’ help is crucial in making the transition. And, even without climate change, utilities face a combination of threat and opportunity from disruptive new technologies.

Consider the Borkowskis’ new air-source heat pumps, which use the latent heat in the air (down to about zero degrees) to heat their home and provide hot water. These devices have made it practical for electricity to be used for tasks traditionally performed by oil and gas. Smart thermostats, such as the Nest, allow you to make your home far more energy-efficient—and can even, when connected to the “smart meters” that are now appearing on many houses, permit the utility to turn your demand down for a few seconds in response to fluctuations in the supply of sun and wind. Electric vehicles provide a major new use for electricity and, perhaps soon, the opportunity for huge numbers of idle car batteries to serve as a storage system for reserve power. (Solar and wind power can be a challenge to incorporate into the grid, because they’re intermittent—cloudy days happen, the wind fails. Affordable batteries are essential to making renewable energy widely available.)

“Americans spend eight per cent of their disposable income on all forms of energy,” David Crane told me. Crane is the C.E.O. of NRG, the country’s biggest independent power provider; the company operates more than a hundred energy-generation facilities, selling electricity to utilities that, in turn, sell it to customers. Nobody wants that eight-per-cent figure to rise, Crane said, because when energy prices go up the country tends to trip into recession. But plenty of companies, including Crane’s, would like to see a larger slice of that eight per cent. “I’m interested in electric cars, for instance, not just because of the effect on air quality but because I want to take market share away from oil,” Crane said. “It’s a brutal fight for market share.”

Power utilities now face uncertainty of a kind that traditional phone companies faced when cellular technology emerged. A few utilities welcome the challenge; others are resisting it; and the rest are waiting for someone to tell them what to do.

Read the full article at The New Yorker online to learn about McKibben’s interview with the co-founder and C.E.O. of SolarCity. McKibben also interviewed the New York State chairman of energy and finance and learned about his initiative called REV - Reforming the Energy Vision - that is trying to change the rules so that the utilities can both shift direction and make money. 

Click here to go to The New Yorker online.

Earth Day Talk: Our Warming Planet, Climate Change and Smart Solutions

Our Warming Planet, Climate Change and Smart Solutions

Tuesday, April 21 at 7:00pm

The presenter will talk about how he became interested in these topics, the scientific evidence for human-caused global warming, and some of the impacts of climate change. He will wrap up with smart solutions to curb warming and climate change, and what people can do to help preserve the vital environment of our planet.

David Kowalski is a retired research professor and a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club Niagara Group and the Conservation Committee of the local chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club.

 Free and Open to the Public

REGISTER by Phone: 716-689-4922
LOCATION: Audubon Library, 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst, NY [MAP]

TALK: Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Public Health

Heat and Cool Efficiently with a Geothermal Heat Pump -- Upcoming NY Geo Conference

Are you concerned about how to keep your home warm as fossil fuel supplies continue to dwindle and the price rises?

Do you wonder if there is an alternative to high electric bills from air conditioning in the summer?

Geothermal Heat Pumps (GHPs) are the most efficient way to heat and cool buildings and are
becoming increasingly important as we recognize the need to reduce energy use in the face of climate change and volatile fossil fuel prices.

GHPs, when combined with renewable electricity such as solar PV panels, are the best way to get to net-zero energy consumption. Net-zero means that the total amount of energy used by a home or building is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site.

Net-zero is coming on strong in New York state.

UPCOMING CONFERENCE on GEOTHERMAL ENERGY:
The NY Geothermal Organization (NY-GEO) will hold its Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, just North of Albany, March 17th and 18th. 

In addition to great speakers and workshops, the conference will feature a Top Job Competition, where 7 contractors will compete for the "2014 Top Geothermal Job" title.

Another highlight is the location - Skidmore College plans to be 50% geothermal by 2020 and we've got some great "hands on" tours planned for you to see geothermal in action! 

The first day of the conference will be mainly technical in nature, featuring engineer, contractor and product showcase tracks. The second day will focus more on policy and support for geo, and it will include tours of the Skidmore's geothermal facilities as well as the Top Job competition.

You are able to sign up for either or both days as fits your interest and schedule. Visit http://ny-geo.org/pages/geopalooza

Please see this flier, register today, and help us spread the word in your company and/or your community.

Feel free to call Bill Nowak with any questions.

Bill Nowak

Executive Director, NY-GEO

518-3136-GEO

PUBLIC HEARING: NY State's Energy Vision - Raise Your Voice!

Can't afford your energy bills?

Concerned about climate change?

Want more local control over our energy future?

Raise your voice at the upcoming Public Hearing on NY State's "Reforming the Energy Vision" plan.

Each Public Hearing will be preceded by an Informational Forum sponsored by the State Public Service Commission.

DATE: Thursday, January 29, 2015
FORUM / HEARING Times: 2:00PM/3:00PM;  6:00PM/7:00PM
PLACE: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo [Map]

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is seeking to inform and obtain public comment on their regulatory component of Gov. Cuomo's "Reforming the Energy Vision" (REV) plan. The plan will promote more energy efficiency, greater use of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar, and “distributed” energy resources, such as micro grids, on-site power supplies, and storage.

As part of the REV process, the PSC is planning a 10-year phase out of government support and subsidies for clean energy development, in favor of a market-oriented approach. The REV proceeding will determine what role New York’s utility companies, like National Grid, will play in the energy system of the future. The PSC proposes to give utilities more control over designing, planning and managing the new energy markets in the hopes of motivating them to promote energy efficiency and renewables.

The Public Service Commission needs to hear the voices of the public, not just those of utility companies.

KEY ISSUES:
Grassroots public interest organizations from across New York have emphasized the following issues in response to the strong influence of utility companies and other for-profit corporations in the REV proceeding so far:

• Every New Yorker should have access to the benefits of clean energy

• New York must set and meet ambitious goals for greenhouse gas reductions

• There needs to be democratic participation in the energy system

• There is a need for regulation and consumer protections

TALKING POINTS:
The local Sierra Club is encouraging area residents to testify at the Public Hearing. To read suggestions for Talking Points by the Sierra Club Niagara Group, click here.

Detailed descriptions of Key Issues, additional Talking Points, a brief video and more are available at the Alliance for a Green Economy: click here. To download a printable description of REV plus Talking Points, click here, and a Testimony worksheet, click here.

PSC PUBLIC HEARING:
It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearing, to make an appointment in advance, or to present written material to speak at the hearing. Persons will be called to speak after completing a request card.

For additional information provided by the PSC, click here.

Public Service Commission: Reforming NY State's Energy Industry and Regulatory Practices

The energy industry is in transition. Technological innovation and increasing competitiveness of Renewable Energy resources, combined with aging infrastructure, extreme weather events, and system security and resiliency needs, are all leading to significant changes in how electric energy is produced, managed and consumed.

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) is conducting informational forums and public hearings across the State to seek public input and comment on the PSC’s regulatory component of Governor Cuomo’s overall strategic energy plan, ‘Reforming the Energy Vision’, or REV.

The REV initiative will lead to regulatory changes that promote more efficient use of energy and a deeper penetration of renewable resources such as Wind and Solar. The PSC is considering a new business model for energy service providers where distributed energy resources (Tomorrow's Energy Model, see below) will become a primary tool in the planning and operation of the electric system.

 

















PSC identified six policy objectives supporting the REV effort:

• Enhance customer knowledge and tools to enable customers to manage their energy bills and provide them more choice in how they use energy

• Animate the market and leverage ratepayer contributions

• Promote system-wide Efficiency

• Increase fuel and resource diversity

• Enhance system reliability and resiliency

• Reduce Carbon Emissions

PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Two Informational Forums with Public Hearings will be held in Buffalo, NY on  THURSDAY, January 29, 2015:

• FORUM / HEARING Times: 2:00PM/3:00PM;  6:00PM/7:00PM

• PLACE: Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo [Map]

It is not necessary to be present at the start of the hearing, to make an appointment in advance, or to present written material to speak at the hearing. Persons will be called to speak after completing a request card. Each public statement hearing will continue until everyone wishing to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements have been made.

For more information from the PSC, click here.   

Renewable New York -- Planning for a Clean Energy Future

By Jannette M. Barth, Ph.D. 
RenewableNewYork.org

Renewable New York is a newly formed grassroots organization dedicated to helping New York State transition to a 100% renewable energy infrastructure. It was founded by individuals who recognize that fossil fuels must be phased out quickly and replaced with the superior alternative: renewable energy combined with energy efficiency and conservation.

Renewable New York will work to advance the goals of The Solutions Project, a national effort to move each state to an energy infrastructure that is 100% supplied by wind, water and sunlight. A team of scientists under the direction of Professor Mark Jacobson of Stanford University has described how New York can successfully, affordably and productively transition to renewable energy by relying solely on technology that exists today, creating new jobs in the process.

The Solutions Project plan for New York can be found here:

http://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf

A brief summary of the plan is here:

http://www.eeb.cornell.edu/howarth/documents/2030PlanHandout.pdf

A distinguished group, including five coauthors of the Solutions Project plan, has agreed to serve as Special Advisors to Renewable New York.

Renewable New York recognizes that there are many groups and individuals in New York State already successfully working to increase the production and use of renewable energy and to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Renewable New York seeks to assist with these efforts, in part by assembling a database of programs already underway so others can benefit from past efforts. For this reason, Renewable New York is asking organizations throughout the state to send us information about your projects so that we can post them online on our forthcoming website. (Please email info@RenewableNewYork.org with the name of your organization, contact information, a link to your website, and a brief description of your organization’s efforts.)

We’d also like to hear from individuals with particular relevant expertise in energy conservation and sustainable energy. A timely response will insure that your efforts are included when our website first goes online.

Renewable New York understands that the 2030 Plan for New York State as described in the Jacobson et al. study is just one feasible way to make the transition. The 2030 plan is a plan, not necessarily the plan. All of our ideas need to be thrown into the mix. It is fully expected that this plan will be adjusted as progress is made. The most immediate need is for us all to pull together to ensure a speedy transition to a sustainable future.

Please forward this message to list serves and other contacts.

 ~  ~  ~

DEADLINE to Submit Public Comments on the draft New York State Energy Plan is April 30, 2014. Deadline has been EXTENDED to May 30, 2014.

Help N.Y. State achieve critical goals on climate, energy efficiency and renewable energy by submitting your comments here: http://energyplan.ny.gov/Process/comments.aspx

Walking Relay and Fair for Renewable Energy

SUNDAY, April 28 Event 

calling for the 

Expansion of Clean, Renewable Energy in NY

Niagara County, NY -- On Sunday, April 28 at 1:00 pm the Niagara Group of the Sierra Club and the Beyond Coal Campaign are sponsoring a Walking Relay for Renewables and Renewable Energy Fair, hosted by Singer Farm Naturals.

Moms, dads, kids, students, activists, and community members will pass a solar torch from the nearby Somerset coal-fired power station to Singer Farm Naturals, a farm business powered by wind and solar energy. This event symbolizes moving beyond coal, gas, and nuclear to a clean, renewable energy economy for New York.

Relay for Renewables is part of Sierra Club’s WNY Clean Energy Campaign kick-off featuring billboards, print ads, and grassroots events throughout the region – calling on Governor Cuomo to meet and extend New York’s renewable energy commitments. Dirty-fuel sources like coal are responsible for 40% of New York State’s greenhouse gas emissions.

WHAT: Walking Relay for Renewables and Renewable Energy Fair featuring family
friendly activities, a solar-powered band, food, and great presentations on
solar, wind, geothermal, and energy efficiency.

WHEN:          Sunday, April 28 -- Relay Ceremony begins at 1:00pm

WHERE:        Singer Farm Naturals, 6730 Lake Road (Route 18) Appleton, NY [Map]

WHO:             Hosted by Tom and Vivianne Szulist at Singer Farm Naturals 
                        Sponsored by Niagara Sierra Club and the Beyond Coal Campaign
                        Music by Solar Punch

Renewable Energy Fair starts after the Relay.
Participants to include renewable energy companies Solar Liberty and Simply Solar, and Speakers: 
Tom Thompson: New York Solar Energy Society
Frank Westgate (wind),
Tom Szulist  (efficiency),
Bill Nowak (geothermal)

POSTER:  Click here.

Solar & Green Building Tour of WNY

On Saturday, October 13, 2012, over 1500 people from across WNY will experience the Solar & Green Building Tour, an annual event held by the Western New York Sustainable Energy Association (WNYSEA). With over 25 sites open across the region, for one day only, attendees will have an opportunity to learn about solar, geothermal, energy efficiency, net zero houses, green roofs, bale on bale construction, LEED buildings and adaptive reuse of historic buildings and more.
 
This event is an open house, not a guided tour. All sites are open on October 13 from 10am – 4pm unless noted otherwise. The event is free, open to the public and no registration is required.  A full list of sites in the Buffalo area is Here.

Awards Ceremony: WNYSEA will be kicking off the annual event with an awards ceremony at 9:30am, on Saturday, October 13 at Hispanics United of Buffalo – 254 Virginia Street on Buffalo’s West Side. WNYSEA will give its annual leadership award to both the University at Buffalo and Hispanics United for their efforts in promoting renewable technologies in our region. The public is welcome to attend. Rita Yelda, Director of WNY Drilling Defense, and Erin Heaney, Executive Director of the Clean Air Coalition of WNY will both receive WNYSEA Individual Leadership awards for their great work in Environmental Stewardship.

Green Solutions to Fix a Broken Economy

Video: "The Story of Broke" with Annie Leonard

The United States isn't broke. But the truth is, our economy is broken, producing more pollution, greenhouse gasses and garbage than any other country. But rather than invest in something better, we continue to keep this 'dinosaur economy' on life support with hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax money.  

"The Story of Broke" calls for a shift in government spending toward investments in clean, green solutions—renewable energy, safer chemicals, zero waste and more—that can deliver jobs AND a healthier environment. 

It's time to rebuild the American Dream; but this time, let's build it better. Watch this Video:
 

Carbon Nation -- The Movie

Carbon Nation -- a climate change solutions movie that doesn't even care if you believe in climate change!

We know there's a problem, but how do we get everyone to do something about it?

Watch the trailer and see:

Carbon Nation is what the messaging on climate and clean energy must become, according to GRIST.

The Carbon Nation website is here.