[GWSG] Community solar; blue-green diesel; deep geothermal; DOE awards; grid parity; gig in CA; ozone healing;

[Tilley, Al]

1.  The experience of 9 community solar projects shows that groups can save money through collective action.  A drawback is that nonprofit organizations and other groups which do not pay taxes cannot claim the 30% federal tax credit.  Legislation is in process to change that.  Meanwhile, many make community solar power work anyway.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/community-solar-a-new-model-for-local-ownership?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-September15-2010

2.  Joule intends to produce ethanol and biodiesel fuel from sunlight and CO2 (perhaps from a coal plant or cement manufacture) using a designed version of blue-green algae.  They intend to begin manufacture in 2012.  Their target price is $30 a barrel.  From the UF BEST list.   http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20016330-54.html

3.  As the oil industry has gone ever deeper in search of new deposits, they have developed technology which could be used to drill for geothermal power.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/geothermal-energy-is-the-solution-for-the-future?cmpid=WNL-Friday-September17-2010

4.  The Department of Energy this month has awarded almost $100 million to renewable energy projects.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/us-doe-awards-almost-100m-to-renewable-energy-research?cmpid=WNL-Friday-September17-2010

5.  Since the cost of conventional power does not represent such crucial externalities as the cost of climate change, achieving grid parity with renewable energy is a false goal.  Cost comparisons between fossil fuels and renewables must be levellized by including significant externalities to be meaningful.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/the-grid-parity-fallacy?cmpid=WNL-Friday-September17-2010  A few externalities of fossil fuels are masked by government subsidies and liability shelters.  The playing field is markedly tilted.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/09/the-illusion-of-a-level-playing-field?cmpid=WNL-Friday-September17-2010

6.  A 1,000 megawatt solar thermal project on federal lands in Southern California has cleared the state Public Service Commission.  The last step, approval by the Bureau of Land Management, is scheduled for next month.  http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/09/17/17greenwire-calif-oks-major-solar-project-slated-for-feder-36415.html?partner=rss&emc=rss  Further details:  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68E5GV20100915

7.  A UN report says that the depletion of the ozone layer has ceased.  The protective layer is expected to be restored to 1980 levels by mid-century, at least in the midlatitudes.  http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68F1UW20100916?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29  The British program which discovered the ozone hole in the early ‘80s was marked for cancellation.  http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727771.400-zeros-to-heroes-how-we-almost-missed-the-ozone-hole.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=climate-change