[GWSG] G'land melt; EV charging; risk rating; India's solar; SF from Aus.; Japan's power; S CA's storage buy

[Tilley, Al]

1.  This NBC story on the studies of Greenland’s melt lakes is especially valuable for its second video, four minutes of NASA animation of recent melt patterns.  Thanks to Ed Carter for the link.  http://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/bad-news-florida-models-greenland-ice-melting-could-be-way-n268761

2.  A current problem with electric vehicles is the scarcity of charging stations.  One European solution is to use conventional current for cheap (but slow) stations mounted on lamp posts and sell drivers a kit to use them.  http://www.fastcoexist.com/3039850/how-we-could-put-an-ev-charging-station-on-every-lamp-post  A faster-charging solution is Tesla’s pilot battery swap program.  http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/20/tesla-battery-swapping-station-open-california/?utm_source=Cleantechnica+News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=d8b86ccf4f-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-d8b86ccf4f-331994013

3.  On utility scale, solar and wind power are much the least financially risky to develop, based on an analysis of 401 projects in 57 countries.  Nuclear projects are the riskiest for both cost escalation and percentage of overruns.  http://grist.org/climate-energy/wind-and-solar-are-much-less-financially-risky-than-other-power-projects/

4.  India’s program of 25 “ultra mega solar power” projects is underway with a world record 750 megawatt project which has attracted funding from the World Bank.  http://cleantechnica.com/2014/12/20/largest-solar-power-plant-world-750-mw-solar-power-plant-india-gets-world-bank-financing-commitment/?utm_source=Cleantechnica+News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=d8b86ccf4f-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-d8b86ccf4f-331994013

5.  Walking in sewage in Miami Beach; chatting with Harold Wanless: an Australian view of the US politics of climate.  Thanks to Brian Paradise for the story.  http://www.watoday.com.au/world/warming-worlds-rising-seas-wash-away-some-of-south-floridas-glitz-20141220-129wub.html

6.  Japan had been a leader in the development of solar power until monopolistic utilities bet everything on nuclear plants.  The solar industry is resurgent, but the country is increasingly dependent on fossil fuels.  A push is building toward taking control of transmission from the utilities. http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/533451/can-japan-recapture-its-solar-power/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_source=newsletter-weekly-energy&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20141222

7.   More on Southern California Edison’s purchase of 264 megawatts of power storage instead of natural gas.  Even the storage companies were surprised.  So was the utility when storage proved so competitive.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/22/business/energy-environment/california-picks-energy-storage-over-some-new-power-plant-bids.html?_r=0
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