[GWSG] Speth's Angels; biofuels to solar; spurt ahead; bank recs solar; NC beats CA; Aussie rooftoops

[Tilley, Al]

1.  James Gustave Speth's Angels by the River: A Memoir (October, 2014) tells, among other things, of his part in the founding of the Natural Resources Defense Council and other significant environmental groups, of his sometimes alarming childhood in Orangeburg, South Carolina, of his lessons and hopes, and of the South's mixed legacy.  I found it a brief and quite engaging read.  http://smile.amazon.com/Angels-River-James-Gustave-Speth/dp/1603585850/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425166065&sr=1-1&keywords=Speth+angels+by+the+river



2.    A report from the World Resources Institute (founded by Gus Speth) concludes that we should grow food on the land now used for biofuels and replace with solar power the energy they generate.   http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0227-gfrn-gaworecki-biofuel-bad-news-for-forests-climate-food-security.html  On the World Resources Institute:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Resources_Institute



3.  The Pacific Decadal Oscillation has been bringing cool water to the surface for about twenty years, slowing atmospheric heating.  A new study supports previous findings that climate models have accurately represented recent global heating.  In the near future the oceanic oscillations are likely to begin accelerating atmospheric heating.  http://news.sciencemag.org/climate/2015/02/cold-pacific-ocean-offsetting-global-warming
The looming spurt in heating could spur efforts to negotiate a price on carbon, if the resulting climate disruptions are accurately interpreted to the public.  http://www.climatecentral.org/news/warming-spurt-looms-will-it-change-minds-on-climate-change-18716



4.  The National Bank of Abu Dhabi concludes that even at $10 a barrel oil could not compete with the cost of solar energy; at current rates solar is the cheapest energy available in the region.  The bank's recommendation should help guide future investment toward renewables.  Energy efficiency is also an attractive investment, with a five year payoff in many cases.  http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/even-at-10barrel-oil-cant-match-solar-on-cost-37540



5.  North Carolina had nearly 4 GW of utility-scale solar power under development last year, more than California.  http://www.climatecentral.org/news/eastern-us-solar-development-18714?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20climatecentral/djOO%20Climate%20Central%20-%20Full%20Feed



6.  Australia's two largest utilities are moving into offering distributed generation through rooftop solar.  The industry internationally is split between the majority who expect a rapid transition away from centralized power production and those who anticipate a slower pace.  http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/big-utilities-charge-into-distributed-energy-one-step-at-a-time-59843
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