[GWSG] Koched; DOE initiatives; group solar; Hansen activist; slr; CA BLM solar projects; Windows 7; US sponsors coal

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Koch Industries, the largest privately held US oil company, has sponsored since the Kennedy administration and continues to sponsor a staggering number of covert libertarian (or anarchist) propaganda initiatives.  They are far outdoing Exxon-Mobil in fighting action against climate change.  They view politicians as actors, and undertake to write the lines for them.  The goals are corporate self-interest and a set of political ideas worthy of an abused adolescent.  For example, they have successfully fought the regulation of formaldehyde, a carcinogen which they produce in great quantity.  They consider the government to be fundamentally tyrannical and fight against any exercise of government authority, whether to provide health care or to protect us against climate change.  We are indebted to them for the Tea Party, the Cato Institute, a lot of anti-Obama propaganda, Georgia Pacific’s pollution of the St. Johns River, and much more.  Thanks to Ed Brock for this link to the New Yorker profile of the Koch brothers.     http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer

2.  The Department of Energy reports that the Recovery Act has resulted in a large number of heartening developments.  Utility-scale solar energy is on track to drop from $.13/kilowatt-hour today to $.06 in 2015.  Battery prices are dropping similarly.  We expect to double renewable energy production by 2012.  http://www.energy.gov/news/9383.htm  Three energy innovation hubs will design ways to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.  http://www.energy.gov/hubs/index.htm

3.  In California the San Jose Credit Union has organized a group buy of solar electric and thermal installations for their customers at low prices.   http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/08/group-buy-solar-program-lowers-the-cost-of-solar-energy?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-August25-2010

4.  Jim Hansen, with some amazement at himself, has become an activist.  He explains why.  http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls/radiant/rb_01.html

5.  PNAS has published a study indicating that geoengineering could delay but not avoid sea level rise.  Nothing so far proposed will prevent ocean acidification, either.  I was surprised to see biochar listed; surely its proper use is to draw down atmospheric CO2 after we have succeeded in stopping emissions growth.  I suppose there is nothing wrong in getting started now.  It is something we could practice indefinitely.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11076786

6.  The Bureau of Land Management is moving with 4,580 megawatts of solar power in 9 projects on 41,229 acres of public land in California.  They hope to start construction on all 9 by the end of the year.  Together, the projects will move the US into global leadership in solar power production.
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/08/26/26greenwire-1000-megawatt-plant-in-calif-marks-new-milesto-25893.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

7.  Windows 7 uses about 30% less energy than Windows XP. http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2268816/exclusive-microsoft-opens

8.  The US Export-Import Bank is in the process of financing enormous coal plants in India and South Africa.   http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0826-ex-im_bank.html