[GWSG] Turbo-transition?; CA vs. big oil; CA calls for C tax; Tesla-Solar City & the transition

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Tom Steyer, a businessman and climate activist, warns that new scientific analyses of climate data may require that we replace significant functioning assets, suffering a much less comfortable energy transition than is currently underway.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/can-progress-on-climate-change-keep-up-with-its-quickening-pace/2016/08/26/f5934118-68b8-11e6-8225-fbb8a6fc65bc_story.html?utm_term=.32cb04cc9c3e



2.  In setting a new goal of a 40% reduction of climate emissions by 2030 California defeated a well-funded effort by the oil industry to influence the legislature.  The winning initiative had an impressive array of supporters in health, business, local government, religion, and other interests.  CA is now set to be a developer of and market for low emissions transportation.  One Republican legislator voted for the bill.  62% of the state's Republicans consider climate change a serious threat, and 2/3 expect to see effects in their lifetime.  As elsewhere the Republican leadership misrepresents their membership.  Carl Pope, a leader of the Beyond Coal campaign which so far has helped close or prevent construction of over 230 US coal-fired power plants, considers that the oil industry may have been seriously wounded by the CA initiative.     http://www.ecowatch.com/california-climate-policy-1988157045.html



3.  California has passed a resolution calling on the federal government to pass a revenue-neutral carbon tax such as that urged by the Citizens' Climate Lobby.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2016/aug/29/california-has-urged-president-obama-and-congress-to-tax-carbon-pollution



4.  A merged Tesla-Solar City has the potential to spur wide adoption of solar power.  Home battery storage, an electric vehicle, and rooftop solar can mean an annual return of 20% or more on the initial investment in the home battery and solar system.  Further, Tesla's Gigafactory is expected to drive the battery cost down, and the cost of solar is dropping.  https://theconversation.com/will-a-merged-tesla-solarcity-put-a-solar-powered-battery-in-every-home-64101?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20August%2028%202016%20-%205502&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20August%2028%202016%20-%205502+CID_d26f2e6dd53504cdc115680a601b7647&utm_source=campaign_monitor_us&utm_term=Will%20a%20merged%20Tesla-SolarCity%20put%20a%20solar-powered%20battery%20in%20every%20home?

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