[GWSG] Batteries and wind stability; 2 old lies; heater storage; marchers; coastal boom; Antarctic sea ice; speedy trees

[Tilley, Al]

1.  A German utility has brought online a 5 megawatt battery backup system designed to balance supply as they transition to 100% wind power this year.  Wemag AG is already at 80% wind.   http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2370677/germany-charges-forward-with-opening-of-europes-largest-grid-battery-plant

2. A recent study, and the experiences of Denmark, Germany and other European countries, show that wind power can help produce a stable power grid.  Newer turbines can alter blade pitch and generator torque to produce variances in power output.  http://climatecrocks.com/2014/09/18/scientific-american-wind-power-to-stabilize-grid/

3.  Paul Krugman confronts two hoary talking points—that dealing with climate disruption cannot be done with renewables, and that it would be an economic disaster—with a couple of recent studies which show that it would be cheap or even free, and quite doable with current technology.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/19/opinion/paul-krugman-could-fighting-global-warming-be-cheap-and-free.html?emc=edit_th_20140919&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=43628374&_r=0

4.  Electric water heaters make up about 18% of residential energy use.  By aggregating heaters and storing heat during times of high energy production, then allowing them to coast as energy is needed elsewhere, the heaters can act as one of the cheapest of energy storage systems at the grid level.  http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/aggregating-water-heaters-as-grid-batteries-steffes-secret-sauce?utm_source=Daily&utm_medium=Headline&utm_campaign=GTMDaily

5.  UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will join the climate action march in New York this Sunday.  The UN climate summit begins next Tuesday.    http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/17/ban-ki-moon-climate-change-march
Mary Robinson, the US climate envoy, is also marching, and says that the summit will see the world “change course.”  http://news.yahoo.com/world-change-course-climate-un-summit-223457907.html

6.  Attempts to restrict coastal building are failing in the face of determined efforts to build at public expense and risk.  Florida is a leading horrible example.  http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/waters-edge-the-crisis-of-rising-sea-levels/#article-2-against-the-tide  The story does not cover the ongoing and partly successful attempts to render federal flood insurance and Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance actuarially responsible, moving financial risk back where it belongs: with the property owners.

7.  The record extent of sea ice in the Antarctic may be the result of increased calving of icebergs and the influx of easily frozen fresh melt water.  http://www.citylab.com/weather/2014/09/antarctic-sea-ice-hits-a-record-max-and-thats-not-good/380412/

8.  Trees are growing faster than they were fifty years ago—the European beech, 77% faster. http://e360.yale.edu/digest/trees_growing_significantly_faster_in_warming_climate_study_finds/4249/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29
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