[GWSG] Solar transition; $15b overhaul; power & water; water stress; fracking disater; President's Earth Day talk

[Tilley, Al]

1.  12% of Hawaiian homes have solar power.  The utility is attempting to obstruct the new power source, with little success.  The situation illustrates challenges of the energy transition as several recent articles on this list have described.  Thanks to Todd Sack for the lead.  http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/solar-power-battle-puts-hawaii-at-forefront-of-worldwide-changes/ar-AAbhq8A?ocid=AARDHP



2.  President Obama is planning a $15 billion overhaul of the country's energy infrastructure.  Among the objects is modernization of the grid (along with support for the use of oil and gas).  http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/21/us-usa-energy-infrastructure-idUSKBN0NC1ME20150421?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews
The administration's new Quadrennial Energy Review emphasizes the need to adjust to a transition to renewables, and to climate extremes.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/21/major-changes-needed-for-u-s-power-infrastructure-says-obama-report/
It may be a hard sell in congress.  Green Tech Media adds some details from the report.  http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/quadrennial-energy-review-calls-for-billions-in-new-grid-investment?utm_source=Daily&utm_medium=Headline&utm_campaign=GTMDaily



3.  It takes water to generate many forms of power, and when the water supply is stressed, fallback production methods often use a lot of energy.  Water and power are to an extent interdependent.  The Congressional Research Service projects that 85% of the growth in water usage 2005-30 will come from its use in generating power.  Fracking destroys an enormous volume of fresh water and puts adjacent sources at risk.   (Sub. req'd.)   http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/business/energy-environment/troubling-interdependency-of-water-and-power.html?emc=edit_tnt_20150422&nlid=43628374&tntemail0=y&_r=0



4.  Water managers in 40 states expect shortages in the next ten years.  By 2030 half the world's population will be living in highly water stressed areas.  Bank of America considers it the world's biggest problem.  http://www.businessinsider.com/americas-about-to-hit-a-water-crisis-2015-4



5.  Besides destroying water resources and jacking heating by adding greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere, fracking is associated with earthquakes.  (Years ago France banned it for the quakes that accompanied it.  Google "earthquake fracking ban" for a growing list of additional areas.)  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/22/3649781/fracking-activity-earthquakes-texas-oklahoma/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cptop3



6.  President Obama took a strong climate stance in the Everglades on Earth Day.    http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obams-issues-stark-warning-on-climate-change-in-south-florida-on-earth-day/2015/04/22/532319b0-e927-11e4-9767-6276fc9b0ada_story.html
Here is a tape of his fourteen minute speech.  http://climatecrocks.com/2015/04/22/everglades-presidents-earth-day-remarks/
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