[GWSG] Greenland warning; +AP weather story; Hansen on temp; EPA rules; Ensol spray; EU homes; Aus. renewable by 2020 plan

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Richard Alley warned a committee of the US Congress that we could pass the tipping point for melting Greenland within the next decade, making about 23 feet of sea level rise inevitable.  His testimony made papers in Australia, India, and England but not in, say, Florida.  Alley’s informed opinion will not be striking news to many in the scientific community but the general public could use some perspective on senates and legislatures which believe they may choose not to believe in climate change.  http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/huge-rise-in-sea-levels-forecast-if-global-warming-ignored-20100811-11zqc.html?autostart=1  More on Greenland and the pace of sea level rise: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100813/sc_afp/climatewarminggreenlandglacier

2.  On the other hand, the Florida Times-Union and many other newspapers ran this straight AP story on the connection between global warming trends and this summer’s weather catastrophes.  http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5irCJhAm4CU5t117e6Pn_oZa2gy2AD9HHTB6G0

3.  Jim Hansen has provided some graphs of recent temperatures.  http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2010/20100813_WhatGlobalWarmingLooksLike.pdf  Hansen and his coauthors have a paper forthcoming in Reviews of Geophysics on the temperature record, its misuse for political ends, and the necessity for scientists to counter propaganda.  The summary:  http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/paper/gistemp2010_summary.pdf  The full paper:  http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/paper/gistemp2010_draft0803.pdf

4.  The EPA has finalized the rules under which large emitters will be granted permission to produce greenhouse gasses.  The rules will cover 70% of US emissions, and are being contested by both industrial and environmental groups.  http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2268131/epa-finalises-carbon-permit

5.  The Norwegian company Ensol hopes to offer a spray-on solar cell by 2016.  It is expected to produce 100 watts per square meter through nanoscale particles which will leave glass looking a little tinted. http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2268047/spray-solar-cell-give-windows

6.  By 2012 any home for sale in the European Union must carry an energy efficiency rating. http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/aug/12/energy-efficiency-ratings-home-sales

7.    For $37 billion a year over the next 10 years Australia’s energy supply could be fully renewable by 2020.  A university-led consortium proposes a mix of 60% concentrating thermal solar with heat storage and 40% wind power to generate 325 terawatt hours of power a year.  The cost would increase utility bills by about 30%.  Then, of course, the fuel is free, though operation and maintenance costs would continue.  The plan has attracted significant scientific and political support. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/how-to-be-fully-renewable-in-10-years-20100812-121l0.html