A female condor above the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County, California. Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
<p><br/></p>
<p>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) <a href="https://www.fws.gov/birds/bird-enthusiasts/threats-to-birds.php" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">estimated</a> that a median average of 234,012 birds were killed by land-based wind turbines a year as of 2017. While that number is far fewer than the 599 million killed by glass buildings and the 2.4 billion killed by cats, it is not nothing. Further, the American Bird Conservancy <a href="https://abcbirds.org/program/wind-energy-and-birds/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">warns</a> it could climb to five million a year if wind power increases to provide 35 percent of U.S. electricity.</p>
<p>Now, at least one wind energy company is trying to compensate for the damage it might cause. Avangrid Renewables is working with federal <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wildlife" target="_self">wildlife</a> officials and the Oregon Zoo to breed <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered</a> California condors to replace any that might be killed by its turbines, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-wind-power-california-condors-2f8fc5848b6d903718593d4fc7f24409" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported Monday</a>.</p><p>"We see this as a win for condors," Amy Parsons, Avangrid's operations wildlife compliance manager, told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/01/california-condor-endangered-wind-turbines-breeding" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p>
<p>Specifically, Avangrid seeks to offset any damage done by its Manzana wind power project, a 126-turbine wind farm in the Tehachapi mountains northeast of Los Angeles. The turbines have 252-foot diameter blades, which might pose a threat to the birds that have a 9.5 foot wingspan.</p><p>The farm has been open since 2012, and since that time there are no records of any condors being killed there. However, the company estimates that as many as two adult condors with two chicks or eggs each may be killed by the turbines in the next 30 years, according to The Associated Press.</p>
<p>To offset this, the company will provide more than $500,000 in funding to breed six condors over three years at the Oregon Zoo's Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation.</p><p>"We're prepared to start this condor mitigation effort as early as this spring," Oregon Zoo condor recovery lead Kelly Flaminio told The Associated Press. "Our zoo already nurtures the second-largest breeding population of condors in the nation."</p>
<p>Once raised, the condors will then be released into the wild. California condors were nearly driven to extinction by the 1980s because of hunting, habitat loss and poisoning from lead bullets left in the animals they scavenged from, <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/california-condor-chick-born-2639303735.html" target="_self">as EcoWatch reported previously</a>. A breeding program has helped their populations to recover, however, and there are now more than 300 in the wild and 500 worldwide.</p><p>If no condors are killed by Avangrid's turbines, then the wild population will simply increase by six, Flaminio told The Associated Press. However, some conservationists argue that the company's plans do not go far enough.</p><p>The plan "should provide funding to raise a minimum of 30 condors to 1.5 years of age when they are released into the wild." the Center for Biological Diversity wrote in comments to the FWS.</p>
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For nearly 100 years, the Empire State Building has stood as a testament to the industriousness and economic power of the United States. Now, it can also be considered a beacon for the future of sustainable energy. Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) signed a deal in early February to convert the Empire State Building, along with all of its other real estate holdings, to 100% renewable energy.
<p>ESTR is working with Green Mountain Energy to purchase renewable power equivalent to its entire real estate portfolio for the next three years, according to a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/empire-state-realty-trust-becomes-nations-largest-100-user-of-green-power-in-real-estate-301221569.html" target="_blank">press release</a>. This newfound commitment emerged after success in a 10-year partnership with Green Mountain Energy to supply the Empire State Building with renewable energy. In 2011, the building went under massive renovations to bring it up to the latest standards in green energy and technology. This retrofit created a 40% reduction in energy use and emissions for the skyscraper. Now, ESTR is ready to bring that change to the rest of its properties in New York, Connecticut, and surrounding areas. </p>
<p>Commercial buildings are a leading consumer of non-renewable energy, accounting for <a href="https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/about-commercial-buildings-integration-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">35% of total electricity use</a> in the U.S. and 16% of all carbon dioxide emissions in the country. Unfortunately, <a href="https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/us-energy-facts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">only 2% of the nation's renewable energy</a> goes to commercial buildings, as compared to 7% in residential and 22% in industrial sectors. Without leaders in the commercial space switching to renewables, this trend is likely to continue.</p>
<p>However, ESTR is trying to change the course of renewables in the commercial sector. By switching their entire portfolio to wind energy purchased from Green Mountain Energy, they estimate a reduction of nearly 450 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from their properties. They will also become the biggest investor in renewable energy in the real estate industry with this partnership.</p>
ESTR is Investing in the Economic and Environmental Future
<p>ESTR's properties throughout the Northeast will not be directly powered by wind energy from Green Mountain Energy. Instead, Green Mountain will ensure that an equivalent amount of energy used by the Empire State Building and other holdings will be produced throughout the U.S. This not only reduces the nation's environmental footprint but provides access to sustainable energy to areas that could otherwise not afford such an investment.</p> <p>This is a major step forward in New York City's commitment to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/new-york-fossil-fuel-divestment-2524494059.html" target="_self">divesting fossil fuels</a>. In 2018, the city decided to <a href="https://comptroller.nyc.gov/newsroom/climate-action-mayor-comptroller-trustees-announce-first-in-the-nation-goal-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">file lawsuits</a> against several major fossil fuel companies directly contributing to the climate crisis. They also decided to divest the city's pension funds from fossil fuel companies and reserve owners. To celebrate, the Empire State Building glowed green from its peak to show support for the mayor's decision.</p><p>However, ESTR knows it's not just the sustainable choice to switch to green energy -- it's also the most economical. Cyndy Reynolds, commercial sales director for Green Mountain Energy, explains that the deal was made based on a competitive rate structure just as much as it was for environmental factors: "When you have someone like ESRT who you know is going to look at every facet, whether it's cost or reliability, and they decide to move forward … it's not just a PR play at that point...It truly does check the boxes of all the business metrics they have."</p><p>Green Mountain Energy focuses on wind energy production, which is not only the most prevalent form of renewable energy in the U.S. but also the cheapest. <a href="https://www.lazard.com/perspective/lcoe2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Studies</a> by financial advisory firm Lazard confirm that wind energy is more affordable to manufacture than almost all kinds of non-renewable energy, even excluding government subsidies. They report that wind can cost as little as $9 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours; whereas natural gas power typically costs $23 per kilowatt-hour when tax incentives and subsidies are equalized. Plus, research suggests that there will be an <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wind-power-costs-2478701894.html" target="_self">additional 50% decrease</a> in wind energy costs in the next 10 years.</p><p>Anthony Malkin, ESTR's chief executive, believes that the best approach to converting the country to renewables is through market action rather than government action. "We're trying to move the market with capital, rather than through a policy mandate," he said.</p><p>Through ESRT's actions, they are proving that the switch to renewables is not only for good press, but also good for business. To learn more about the Empire State Realty Trust commitment to sustainability, <a href="https://www.empirestaterealtytrust.com/about-us/sustainability/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</p>
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Like many other plant-based foods and products, CBD oil is one dietary supplement where "organic" labels are very important to consumers. However, there are little to no regulations within the hemp industry when it comes to deeming a product as organic, which makes it increasingly difficult for shoppers to find the best CBD oil products available on the market.
<p>Here you can learn about the importance of organic hemp oil, why it's better for the environment, and which CBD companies actually make trustworthy products with sustainable farming processes. origins which weigh heavily on many consumers who want to buy a product that's produced in the best way possible for not only themselves to ingest, but for the environment as well through sustainable farming methods. </p><h2>What Is CBD Oil?</h2><p>First things first, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it's a cannabinoid found within cannabis sativa plants. This plant compound is believed to have many potential benefits, and it is primarily derived from hemp plants via a CO2 extraction process. </p><p>Since CBD is extracted from industrial hemp, which contains only trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component in cannabis plants), this means that CBD won't make you feel high like marijuana, which has much higher levels of THC that causes psychoactive effects. Instead, the effects of CBD are much more subtle and promote a general sense of calm and relaxation in most users.</p><h2>What Makes a CBD Oil Organic?</h2><p>In terms of organic labels, perhaps the most important (and prominent) certification comes from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This government organization has been labeling foods as "organic" for many years, but what exactly does this certification entail? Essentially, a label indicating that a product is "USDA Organic" or "Certified Organic" means that at least 95% of the ingredients are obtained from organic sources.</p><p>For a crop to be considered organic by the USDA, it must be grown without the use of industrial solvents, irradiation, genetic engineering (GMOs), synthetic pesticides, or chemical fertilizer. Instead, farmers rely on natural substances and <a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mechanical, physical, or biologically based farming</a> techniques to cultivate healthy and organic crops.</p><p>Before the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, no hemp-derived products could be dubbed as "certified organic" since the hemp plant and its extracts were still categorized as a Schedule I Controlled Substance. However, it's still difficult for CBD companies to obtain a USDA certified organic label for their products due to the legal grey area that still surrounds CBD extracts. </p><p>Because of these challenges, and due to the fact that industrial hemp has only recently become an agricultural crop, very few CBD oils are USDA certified organic. Rather, many CBD products contain hemp extracts from plants that were grown in organic conditions but may not be federally certified.</p><h2>What are the Best Organic CBD Oil Brands?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><em><br></em>
<h2>Why Organic Hemp Oil Matters</h2><p>Hemp is a unique plant, not only for its rich cannabinoid content, but also for its ability to absorb a wide variety of components in soil. But this trait poses great risks when it comes to the creation of CBD products derived from hemp.</p><p>Because hemp has a high capacity for compound uptake, this means that the plants can retain <a href="https://www.remedyreview.com/industry/lab-test-results/" target="_blank">harmful chemicals like pesticides</a>, heavy metals, and other residual solvents. This is especially true when it comes to synthetic chemicals that are more toxic to humans, and difficult to remove once they have been absorbed by the hemp plant.</p><p>Organic farming practices help reduce the risk of hemp crops absorbing harsh chemicals that may later end up in CBD oil after extraction. When you're taking CBD as a wellness supplement to help alleviate your symptoms or improve your overall well-being, the last thing you want is to ingest compounds that might negatively outweigh the benefits of CBD. This is an important reason to look for third party lab test results when shopping for CBD products since these certificates of analysis can show the full cannabinoid and terpene profile of a hemp extract, as well as test results that search for the presence of any residual solvents.</p><p>In addition to creating a better end product, organic farming practices are also better for the environment. Sustainable and organic farming methods may <a href="https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/organic-foods.htm" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduce pollution, conserve water, reduce soil erosion, increase soil fertility, and use less energy</a>. The use of natural pest deterrents as opposed to chemical pesticides is also better for nearby animal populations and ecosystems.</p><h3>Organic vs. Natural</h3><p>While there are only a select few companies offering certified organic ingredients in their products, almost every brand in the CBD market creates "natural" products. The term "all-natural" or "plant-based" does not mean that a product is organic, and since hemp oil is a natural derivative of hemp plants, these products are often referred to as all-natural. However, there are some synthetic CBD oils that should be avoided because they are chemically constructed and may produce unwanted side effects that are not caused by naturally derived CBD extracts.</p><h2>What are the Benefits of Organic CBD Oil?</h2><p>There's a long list of potential CBD oil health benefits, and some of the most common wellness advantages include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/" target="_blank">Chronic pain relief</a></li><li><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604171/" target="_blank">Anti-anxiety effects</a></li><li>Better sleep</li><li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/inner-source/201901/cbd-oil-mental-health-should-you-take-it-too" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Improvements in mood</a></li><li>Internal balance and regulation</li></ul><p>When dealing with pain, inflammation, sleep issues, and mental health struggles, it can be hard to find sufficient treatment options. The use of certain prescriptions can cause unwanted side effects, yet they are often the only solution for patients with these medical conditions. In search of other therapies, people have started to flock towards CBD oil as an alternative remedy for a variety of conditions. However, it should be noted that CBD products are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and you should seek your doctor's advice before using CBD if you have a serious medical condition.</p><h2>Look at the Labels Before You Buy CBD Oil</h2><p>When you go online to buy CBD oil, you'll quickly realize there is an overwhelming number of brands that are saturating the market. It can be difficult to determine which products are truly as good as they make themselves out to be. Always look for up-to-date third-party lab tests so you know you are getting a great product, and don't hesitate to contact the brand if you have any additional questions. And if you're intent on purchasing 100% organic CBD oil, it's best to look for certified products or brands that are held to strict regulatory standards.</p><p><strong>Melena Gurganus </strong>is the Reviews Editor at EcoWatch. She is passionate health and wellness and her writing aims to help others find products they can trust. Her work has been featured in publications such as Health, Shape, Huffington Post, Cannabis Business Times, and Bustle.<br></p>
Spruce
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjI3OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyOTM2NzgzOX0.axY0HjeqRctJsR_KmDLctzDpUBLBN-oNIdqaXDb4caQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="774be" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8379f35b1ca8a86d0e61b7d4bfc8b46e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="spruce organic cbd oil" data-width="710" data-height="959" /><p>As one of the best brands in the business, Spruce CBD is well-known for its potent CBD oils that feature many additional beneficial phytocannabinoids. This brand works with two family-owned, sustainably focused farms in the USA (one located in Kentucky and one in North Carolina) to create its organic, small product batches. The max potency Spruce CBD oil contains 2400mg of full-spectrum CBD extract, but the brand also offers a lower strength tincture with 750mg of CBD in total.</p>
$89
CBDistillery
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjkzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTU4OTM4Nn0.ypRdeDSBcE87slYrFfVrRwtJ2qGIK6FD5jBB4pndTMo/img.jpg?width=980" id="b473b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9930b53c9d58cb49774640a61c3e3e75" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="cbdistillery cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>All of the products from CBDistillery are <a href="https://ushempauthority.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">U.S. Hemp Authority Certified</a>, and for good reason. The company only uses non-GMO and pesticide-free industrial hemp that's grown organically on Colorado farms. Its hemp oils are some of the most affordable CBD products on the market, yet they still maintain a high standard of quality. CBDistillery has a wide variety of CBD potencies across its product line (ranging from 500mg to 5000mg per bottle) and offers both full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD oils to give customers a completely thc-free option.</p>
$35
FAB CBD
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIyNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDIwOTEyMn0.MlTjz096FJ0ev_-soK7_Z-FeQeJczWoeh9Qi9SSkHsY/img.jpg?width=980" id="04b26" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="76aa4862f44603242e318982acea6646" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="fab cbd oil" data-width="800" data-height="800" /><p>For an organic CBD oil that has it all, FAB CBD offers plenty of variety for any type of consumer. All of its products are made with zero pesticides and extracted from organically grown Colorado industrial hemp. FAB CBD oil comes in five all-natural flavors (mint, vanilla, berry, citrus, and natural) and is also available in four strengths (300, 600, 1200, and 2400mg per bottle).</p>
$39
NuLeaf Naturals
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDY4NjIxOS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzExNTgyMX0.D6qMGYllKTsVhEkQ-L_GzpDHVu60a-tJKcio7M1Ssmc/img.jpg?width=980" id="94e4a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3609a52479675730893a45a82a03c71d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="nuleaf naturals organic cbd oil" data-width="600" data-height="600" /><p>As an industry-leading brand, it comes as no surprise that NuLeaf Naturals sources its CBD extract from organic hemp plants grown on licensed farms in Colorado. The comany's CBD oils only contain two ingredients: USDA certified organic hemp seed oil and full spectrum hemp extract.</p><p>NuLeaf Naturals uses one proprietary CBD oil formula for all of its products, so you will get the same CBD potency in each tincture (60mg per mL), but can purchase different bottle sizes depending on how much you intend to use.</p>
$38.50
Charlotte's Web
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNDcwMjk3NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzQ0NjM4N30.SaQ85SK10-MWjN3PwHo2RqpiUBdjhD0IRnHKTqKaU7Q/img.jpg?width=980" id="84700" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a2174067dcc0c4094be25b3472ce08c8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="charlottes web cbd oil" data-width="1244" data-height="1244" /><p>Perhaps one of the most well-known brands in the CBD landscape, Charlotte's Web has been growing sustainable hemp plants for several years. The company is currently in the process of achieving official USDA Organic Certification, but it already practices organic and sustainable cultivation techniques to enhance the overall health of the soil and the hemp plants themselves, which creates some of the highest quality CBD extracts. Charlotte's Web offers CBD oils in a range of different concentration options, and some even come in a few flavor options such as chocolate mint, orange blossom, and lemon twist.</p>
$60
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Shelter-in-place orders in the San Francisco Bay area in March 2020 effectively simulated a future with fewer gas-powered cars. Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images
Many people expect the future of transportation to be electric, and that drivers will charge their cars with solar and wind power. Recently, scientists got a window into that future and saw what it could mean for the climate and people's health.
<iframe style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/17592614/height/45/theme/standard/thumbnail/yes/direction/backward/" height="45" width="100%" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>Ronald Cohen is a professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. For years, his team has been using low-cost sensors to monitor and map carbon emissions and air pollution in the Bay area.</p><p>When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he saw a unique opportunity. Shelter-in-place orders effectively simulated a future with fewer gas-powered cars.</p><p>"We had a brief moment, two or three weeks in every city that shut down, where passenger vehicles dropped to almost half of their normal driving miles," he says.</p>
<p>Cohen's team found that during the first six weeks of the shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay area, carbon dioxide emissions fell by about 30%. Other air pollution improved, too.</p><p>"And that was almost entirely due to a decrease in passenger vehicles," Cohen says.</p><p>So he says the data demonstrates the benefits of moving away from gas-powered cars.</p><p>"We can reduce CO2 emissions and reduce health impacts at the same time," he says.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2021/02/what-covid-19-lockdowns-show-about-a-future-with-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank">Yale Climate Connections</a>.</em></p>
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Winter Storm Leaves Texans in the Cold and Dark, Sparking Political Debate on Renewable Energy
17 February
Politics
Some conservatives are blaming wind turbines for Texas' power grid failure following a severe winter storm. Orjan F. Ellingvag / Corbis / Getty Images
While Texans suffer from freezing temperatures and extensive power outages, frozen wind turbines are being used as a ploy to spread skepticism on the reliability of renewable energy.
<p>This week, a relentless <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/?s=extreme+weather" target="_blank">winter storm</a> pummeled through parts of the southern and central U.S., causing people to crank their electric heating systems. In Texas, the energy demand became too high for its electric grid, forcing the state to begin rolling blackouts on Monday, leaving more than four million Texans in the cold and dark, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/climate/texas-power-grid-failures.html" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>.</p><p>So far, analysts say the grid system failed due to high electricity demand, pushing grid operators into worst-case scenarios, The New York Times reported. Other causes for the failed grid included fuel shortages as gas-fired power plants went offline while demand increased, and frozen wind turbines.</p><p>Yet while some experts used the dire conditions to urge the state to adopt more climate-resilient energy systems, a few conservative commentators used the example of frozen wind turbines to encourage distrust of renewable energy systems in a state largely dependent on natural <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-and-gas" target="_blank">gas</a>. </p><p>"Texas is frozen solid as folks are left w/ no power to stay safe & warm," Steve Daines, a Republican U.S. Senator from Montana, <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines/status/1361711788493074432" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tweeted Tuesday</a>. "This is a perfect example of the need for reliable energy sources like natural gas & coal." </p>
<div id="9b820" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cdbcb237d30bb9f384ddd01ee0f0c9e0"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1361711788493074432" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Texas is frozen solid as folks are left w/ no power to stay safe & warm. This is a perfect example of the need fo… https://t.co/Tktn0F89t4</div> — Steve Daines (@Steve Daines)<a href="https://twitter.com/SteveDaines/statuses/1361711788493074432">1613492364.0</a></blockquote></div><p>According to The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which represents 90 percent of the state's electric load, wind turbine outages were responsible for less than 13 percent of Texas' lost generation. The majority of the power outages can instead be attributed to <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coal" target="_blank">coal</a> and gas, a local news outlet <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/texas/are-frozen-wind-turbines-to-blame-for-texas-power-outages/" target="_blank">reported</a>.</p><p>The Montana senator's tweet included a viral image of a helicopter spraying liquid to defrost a frozen wind turbine. According to the image's caption, fossil fuels powered the helicopter while the liquid it sprayed contained them. "Keep that in mind when thinking how 'green' windmills are," <a href="https://twitter.com/laurenboebert/status/1361664647661780992" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rep. Lauren Boebert</a> from Colorado tweeted, gaining thousands of retweets, <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/viral-image-claiming-to-show-a-helicopter-de-icing-texa-1846279287" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Earther reported</a>. This same image has been <a href="https://twitter.com/lukelegate/status/1361149723072208896" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">shared</a> by Luke Legate, a prominent oil and gas consultant, Earther added, although it is misleading. </p><p>While helicopters are used to defrost wind turbines, the image is from Sweden in 2014, not present-day Texas, said Brian Kahn, managing editor of Earther. The photo is originally from a Swedish study on de-icing wind turbines using hot water. Now the image is being used "to argue against clean energy in the U.S," Kahn wrote. "It's a rather silly claim."</p><p>Wind turbines in Texas did indeed fail during the frigid winter temperatures, losing about 4.5 gigawatts of capacity according to The New York Times. But as of Monday afternoon, 26 of the 34 gigawatts of ERCOT's grid that went offline were from thermal sources such as gas and coal, <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/161386/conservatives-wind-turbines-killing-people-texas-blackouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New Republic reported</a>. </p>
<p>Cold temperatures are becoming less common due to<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_blank"> climate change.</a> But research suggests that as the Arctic warms, the jet stream will weaken, sending cold temperatures farther south, The New York Times reported. As a result, Texans are asking how their energy system can be more resilient to a changing climate.</p><p>Solutions include heaters that can help turbines operate in winter storms, on-site oil storage for gas plants and backup power plants for emergencies. These strategies could make Texas' electric grid more resilient to severe weather caused by climate change, The New York Times reported. But baseless skepticism toward renewable energy will not make the transition any easier. </p><p>"That type of work and serious conversations about how to end our grids' reliance on <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/fossil-fuels" target="_blank">fossil fuels </a>— which, just to be clear, are severely underperforming during the Texas blackout — are vital moving forward," Kahn wrote in Earther. "Misinformation and whataboutism to score lazy political points as a humanitarian emergency unfolds are not."</p>
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Polar Vortex Power Outages: 6 Things to Know About Supply, Demand, and Our Electricity Future
17 February
Climate
Pike Electric service trucks line up after a snow storm on February 16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Ron Jenkins /Getty Images
By John Rogers
The Polar Vortex hitting much of the US has wreaked havoc not just on roadways and airports, but also on our electricity systems, as plenty are experiencing first-hand right now. Households, institutions, and communities across the region — and friends and family members — have been hit by power outages, and all that comes with them.
<p>Here are six things to keep in mind as we make it through this.</p>
1. Restoring power (safely) is Job 1.
<p>First: Some things about all this we won't know until we have the benefit of a few days — or months — of hindsight, and data. But one thing we do know right now is that electricity, which we so often take for granted, is crucial to so many aspects of our lives.</p><p>For some, power outages are an inconvenience. For others, they're <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/julie-mcnamara/hurricane-irma-power-outage" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">life-threatening</a>. So keeping the power flowing, or getting it back up as quickly as possible, is key. Grid operators need to avoid affecting vulnerable populations and critical infrastructure as much as possible when they're implementing rolling blackouts, and need to prioritize them when they're restoring service.</p><p>While all confronting power outages or near misses are indebted to those working around the clock to keep things from getting worse, keeping crews safe is also key. Weather like this, combined with the ongoing pandemic, sure doesn't make for the easiest working conditions, so utilities and grid operators will need to use really solid judgement about where they can safely focus people, and when, for any needed repairs.</p>2. The power outages are about both supply and demand.
<p>Utilities and grid operators have been hit by the double whammies of unprecedented demand and big challenges on the supply side. On the demand side, for example, Texas on Valentine's Day <a href="https://twitter.com/ERCOT_ISO/status/1361142665140711427" target="_blank">shattered</a> its previous winter peak record by almost 5%. The peak was 11,000 MW above what ERCOT, Texas's electric grid operator, was projecting and planning for as of November — some 15-20 good-sized power plants' worth.</p><p>And on the supply side, power lines taken out by the weather are a piece of it, as you'd expect. But it also turns out that all kinds of power plants have gone offline, for a range of reasons. Take natural gas, for example:</p>3. Natural gas plants have been hit hard.
<p>Gas plants suffer from their own supply-and-demand issues. One piece of it is the fact that the same gas that supplies them is also needed for heating homes and businesses. And if a power plant doesn't have firm contracts to get gas when it needs it, the way gas utilities would, the power plant loses out. The laws of physics may also be coming into play, as any moisture in the gas lines succumbs to the extreme cold and gums up the works—valves, for instance.</p><p>And indeed, initial indications are that a lot of the lost capacity is natural gas-fired. Data from Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the grid operator for much of the Great Plains, <a href="https://marketplace.spp.org/pages/capacity-of-generation-on-outage#%2F2021%2F02" target="_blank">show</a> that 70% of its "outaged" megawatts (MW) were natural gas plants.</p><p>ERCOT, which is powered primarily by natural gas and wind, was <a href="http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225210" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">warning</a> yesterday that "Extreme weather conditions caused many generating units — across fuel types — to trip offline and become unavailable." It <a href="https://twitter.com/Sonalcpatel/status/1361365934204674053" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clarified</a> elsewhere, though, that the majority of the capacity it had lost overnight was "thermal generators, like generation fueled by gas, coal, or nuclear". In all, Texas was out <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Wholesale-power-prices-spiking-across-Texas-15951684.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more than a third</a> of its total capacity.</p>4. Don’t think an “all of the above” strategy would have saved the day.
<p>As ERCOT's messages suggests, this isn't just a gas issue, and these last few days should in no way be fodder for the type of fact-free "all of the above" pushes <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/jeremy-richardson/rick-perry-rejects-facts-in-favor-of-coal-and-nuclear-bailouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">favored</a> by the prior administration.</p><p>For example, many power plants, including all nuclear plants, virtually all coal plants, and a lot of natural gas plants, depend on <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/water-power-plant-cooling" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">water to cool the steam</a> that drives the electricity-producing turbines. Any power plant dependent on cooling water will run into trouble if that cooling water is actually frozen solid. And they can have their own troubles with fuel availability during extreme cold.</p><p>(While we're on the subject of fossil fuels: Note that the extreme weather has also <a href="https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/02/16/stories/1063725119" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hit oil production</a>, with the Permian basin, for example, down an estimated 1 million barrels a day.)</p>5. Wind turbines can be winterized (but Texas…?).
<p>Wind turbines aren't immune to extreme cold, and initial reports show that they, too, have been hit by this wave. In SPP, wind was the <a href="https://spp.org/newsroom/press-releases/spp-becomes-first-regional-grid-operator-with-wind-as-no-1-annual-fuel-source-considers-electric-storage-participation-in-markets-approves-2021-transmission-plan/" target="_blank">#1 source</a> of electricity last year, and initial data from yesterday suggested it accounted for almost a fifth of the capacity taken offline.</p><p>ERCOT also mentions wind turbines going offline; one source <a href="https://twitter.com/Sonalcpatel/status/1361357248988143620" target="_blank">suggests</a> 4,000 MW of wind was offline yesterday morning, compared with 26,000 MW of downed thermal capacity (mostly gas). Wind is ERCOT's second-largest supplier of power, accounting for 23% of its electricity last year (from a nation-leading <a href="https://cleanpower.org/resources/american-clean-power-market-report-q4-2020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">33,000 MW</a>).</p><p>But wind farms going offline appears to be a <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/frozen-wind-farms-just-small-002954294.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">much smaller piece</a> of the picture than detractors will suggest. And wind power has played an important role in keeping the lights on in past extreme cold events (remember the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wind-power-bomb-cyclone-2554824592.html" target="_self">Bomb Cyclone</a>?). They can also be at least partially winter-proofed — by hardening the control systems, using the right fluids, and de-icing the blades. But if you don't see weather like this coming…</p>6. We need to be ready for more extreme weather.
<p>And that's one of the lessons to learn from this episode, once we get beyond the immediacy of it all: Past performance is no indication of what's going to be coming at us. We know that climate change is bringing not just overall warming, but also <a href="https://ucsusa.org/resources/does-cold-weather-disprove-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">more extremes at <em>both</em> ends</a>. We also know that there are all kinds of ways that <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/power-failure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate change affects our ability to keep the lights on</a>.</p><p>So we need to be ready, or readier, for situations like this. And it turns out that there are <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/julie-mcnamara/noreaster-power-grid" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a lot of ways</a> we can be. Stronger transmission links can <a href="https://mailchi.mp/acore/acore-statement-on-heartland-power-outages?e=a4ae549508" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allow regions to back each other up</a> when they aren't all facing the same challenges at the same time. A diversity of (clean) power options can mean some might be available even when others aren't. (ERCOT anticipated yesterday morning being able to reconnect customers later that day in part because of "additional wind & solar output".)</p><p>We also <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/julie-mcnamara/one-way-to-boost-renewables-let-flexible-demand-lend-a-helping-hand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">don't have to take electricity demand</a> as a fixed, can't-do-anything-about-it quantity. Utilities (including mine, a few days ago) called on customers to <a href="http://www.ercot.com/news/releases/show/225151" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">be as efficient as possible</a> to get us past the latest crunches. Programs put in place ahead of time can reward customers for delaying or shifting their electricity use.</p><p>And energy storage can be an important middleperson between supply and demand, from the large scale all the way down to battery packs in our garages and basements.</p>Getting through this, and beyond
<p>Right now, the task is getting the power back on. Longer term, the goal shouldn't be about ensuring 100% reliability (because of the prohibitive cost of removing that last fraction of a fraction of a possibility of a blackout), but to make them as infrequent and as limited in duration as possible. It should, though, be about making sure we make <a href="https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/lights-out" target="_blank">decisions</a> that serve us well in the short term and, in the face of climate change, in the long term.</p><p>Blackouts will happen; that doesn't mean we're powerless against them. The need is there, but so are the tools.</p><p><em><a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/author/john-rogers" target="_blank">John Rogers</a> is a senior energy analyst with expertise in renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and policies.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from the <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/john-rogers/polar-vortex-power-outages-6-things-to-know-about-supply-demand-and-our-electricity-future" target="_blank">Union of Concerned Scientists</a>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
- What Exactly Is the Polar Vortex? - EcoWatch ›
- Polar Vortex: Everything You Need to Know - EcoWatch ›
- What Exactly Is the Polar Vortex? - EcoWatch ›
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EON's biofuel power station in Lockerbie Scotland with timber supplies. Ashley Cooper / Construction Photography / Avalon / Getty Images
By Andrea Germanos
A group of more than 500 international scientists on Thursday urged world leaders to end policies that prop up the burning of trees for energy because it poses "a double climate problem" that threatens forests' biodiversity and efforts to stem the planet's ecological emergency.
<p>The demand came in a letter addressed to European Commission President Urusla Von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, U.S. President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The signatories—including renowned botanist Dr. Peter Raven, president emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden—reject the assertion that burning biomass is carbon neutral.</p>
<div id="200b9" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4af740861bc34234a0593375af60c730"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1359919525727207427" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">"Regrowth takes time the world does not have to solve climate change”
Over 500 scientists tell world leaders, to st… https://t.co/kFt4ofX6l6</div> — Greta Thunberg (@Greta Thunberg)<a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/statuses/1359919525727207427">1613065055.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Referring to forest "preservation and restoration" as key in meeting the nations' declared goals of carbon neutrality by 2050, the letter frames the slashing of trees for bioenergy as "misguided."</p><p>"We urge you not to undermine both climate goals and the world's biodiversity by shifting from burning fossil fuels to burning trees to generate energy," the group wrote.</p><p>The destruction of forests, which are a carbon sink, creates a "carbon debt." And though regrowing "trees and displacement of fossil fuels may eventually pay off this carbon debt," the signatories say that "regrowth takes time the world does not have to solve climate change."</p><p>What's more, burning trees is "carbon-inefficient," they say. "Overall, for each kilowatt hour of heat or electricity produced, using wood initially is likely to add two to three times as much carbon to the air as using fossil fuels."</p><p>Another issue is that efforts using taxpayer money to sustain biomass burning stymies what are truly renewable energy policies.</p><p>"Government subsidies for burning wood create a double climate problem because this false solution is replacing real carbon reductions," the letter states. "Companies are shifting fossil energy use to wood, which increases warming, as a substitute for shifting to solar and wind, which would truly decrease warming."</p><p>The letter denounces as further troubling proposals to burn palm oil and soybean, which would entail further <a href="https://www.grain.org/fr/entries/5714-green-oil-palm-plantations-are-a-scam-the-case-of-olam" target="_blank">deforestation</a> to make way for palm and soy crops.</p><p>Merely making countries responsible for the emissions that stem from land use changes is insufficient, the scientists write, because that would "not alter the incentives created by [national] laws for power plants and factories to burn wood."</p><p>As such, the letter calls on governments to end measures including subsidies that advance the burning of biomass. More specifically, the group writes:</p><blockquote>The European Union needs to stop treating the burning of biomass as carbon neutral in its renewable energy standards and in its emissions trading system. Japan needs to stop subsidizing power plants to burn wood. And the United States needs to avoid treating biomass as carbon neutral or low carbon as the new administration crafts climate rules and creates incentives to reduce global warming.<br></blockquote><p>Simply put, "Trees are more valuable alive than dead both for climate and for biodiversity," the letter states.</p><p>The letter was released after groups including WWF urged the European Commission to change the Renewable Energy Directive so that the law would not classify as carbon neutral, and thus not subsidize, the burning of trees and crops for energy. The advocacy groups <a href="https://www.eubioenergy.com/2021/01/25/burning-trees-is-not-climate-solution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">asked</a> people to sign onto a petition by February 9 to "help end this madness."</p><p>"Fighting the climate emergency without changing the EU's biomass rules is like trying to bail out a boat with a hole in the bottom," Alex Mason, senior policy officer at WWF's European Policy Office, <a href="https://www.wwf.eu/?uNewsID=2128466" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a> in a statement Thursday.</p><p>"The revision of the EU renewables law is a crucial chance; the Commission must listen to scientists and citizens and stop trees being burned in the name of the climate," said Mason.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/02/12/500-scientists-demand-stop-tree-burning-climate-solution" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>. </em></p>
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Denmark already has wind parks, like this one in Copenhagen, but the country plans to build its biggest one yet on an artificial island by 2033. Flottmynd / Getty Images
Denmark approved plans on Thursday to construct an artificial island in the North Sea and use it as clean energy hub.
<p>When built, the island will supply both clean power to homes and green hydrogen for use in shipping, aviation, industry and heavy transport.</p><p>The decision came as the EU unveiled plans to transform the bloc's electricity supply. The bloc aims to rely mostly on renewable energy within a decade while increasing offshore wind energy capacity roughly 25-fold by mid-century.</p><h2>Tapping Into 'Enormous Potential' of Wind Power</h2><p>The planned island, which will be located 80 kilometers off Denmark's west coast, will initially be 120,000 square meters in size, bigger than 18 standard football fields.</p><p>"The energy hub in the North Sea will be the largest construction project in Danish history," Climate Minister Dan Joergensen told a press briefing.</p><p>"It will make a big contribution to the realization of the enormous potential for European offshore wind,'' he continued.</p><p>Authorities hope to have the hub operable by 2033. The first phase of the project is expected to cost around 210 billion Danish crowns ($33.87 billion).</p>
<h2>Big Step for Global Green Transition</h2><p>The surrounding wind turbines will have a capacity of at least 3 gigawatts, ramping up to 10 gigawatts over time.</p><p>"This is truly a great moment for Denmark and for the global green transition," continued Jorgensen.</p><p>The energy island is an important part of country's legally binding target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 70% of the 1990 levels by 2030.</p><p>"Only by inspiring others and developing new green solutions they also want to use, can we really do something to combat climate change,'' Joergensen added.</p><h2>Decades of Wind Power</h2><p>The Nordic country, with its favorable wind speeds, was a <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/denmarks-wind-power-flowering-a-small-country-with-big-dreams-of-a-fossil-free-future/a-18398487" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pioneer in both onshore and offshore wind</a>, building the world's first offshore wind farm almost 30 years ago.</p><p><em>Bloomberg Green</em> reports Denmark gets <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/denmark-leads-the-charge-in-renewable-energy/a-17603695" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">40% of its electricity from wind power</a>. The nation is also <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/wind-farm-group-aims-for-denmarks-biggest-ever-ipo/a-19284321" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">home to the world's largest wind turbine producer</a>, Vesta Wind Systems and the world's top developer of offshore wind, Orsted AS. </p><p>In December, the government decided to <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/danish-pension-fund-dumps-oil-majors-on-climate-change-concerns/a-50288283" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">halt the search for oil and gas</a> in the Danish part of the North Sea.</p><p>No date has yet been set to begin construction of the island, which will be controlled by the Danish government.</p><p>The state also has plans for a second energy island in the Baltic Sea.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/denmark-to-construct-artificial-island-as-a-wind-energy-hub/a-56458179" target="_blank">Deutsche Welle.</a></em><br/></p>
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By Mark McCord
- An academic paper suggests key tipping points can significantly reduce carbon emissions, which would help to slow global warming.
- Government policies are making coal uneconomical.
- Electric vehicle pricing structures have helped reduce the number of petrol and diesel cars on the world's roads.
There may be light at the end of the tunnel in the battle to reduce carbon emissions.
<p>Governments and institutions could help halt carbon emissions with just a few carefully selected policy measures, according to a new paper, which looked at the experience of the energy industry and changing trends in road vehicle purchases.</p>
<p>If chosen properly and applied internationally, such "tipping points" could set off a series of other changes that snowball into a movement with enough critical mass to slow global warming and reduce natural disasters.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/positivetippingpointsoffe.html" target="_blank">paper</a>, published in the journal Climate Policy, argues that actions taken within each industry created a cascade of further developments that helped reduce their carbon footprints.</p><p>"In complex systems – including human societies – tipping points can occur, in which a small perturbation transforms a system," wrote the paper's authors, Professor Tim Lenton, director of the Global Systems Institute (GSI) at the University of Exeter and Simon Sharpe, a deputy director in the UK Cabinet Office 26th session of the Conference of Parties (<a href="https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2020-un-climate-change-conference-unfccc-cop-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">COP 26</a>) unit.</p><p>"Crucially, activating one tipping point can increase the likelihood of triggering another at a larger scale, and so on."</p>
Towards the Paris Agreement Targets
<p>Such tipping points are hoped to help the world meet the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement, in which 196 heads of state agreed to reduce global warming to within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with a preferred target of 1.5 degrees. Were they achieved, experts say the positive impacts would be <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/emissions-paris-agreement-two-decades-climate-change-global-warming/" target="_blank">felt within two decades</a>.</p><p>The accord strives for a climate-neutral world by the middle of this century. It's expected to be built upon at the United Nations Climate Change conference, or COP26, which is due to take place in November. The World Economic Forum's <a href="https://www.weforum.org/our-impact/accelerating-climate-action" target="_blank">Climate Initiative</a> strives also to offer globally linked solutions.</p><p>The report in Climate Policy explains how a combination of factors led to the tipping point that prompted the UK to decarbonize its power industry. They included the creation of a carbon tax, an EU scheme that made gas cheaper than coal and an investment strategy for renewable energy that made coal less economical.</p><p>"The power sector needs to decarbonize four times faster than its current rate, and the pace of the transition to zero-emission vehicles needs to double," Lenton said.</p><p>"Many people are questioning whether this is achievable. But hope lies in the way that tipping points can spark rapid change through complex systems."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU1Njk2MC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MTA0MzY2MH0.aeowRd-sEX7nd5xnijsCNTSSekAtpS3wpEN46KVIPMU/img.png?width=980" id="87cc2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="92b9fbb9ef86f4f9154ecd20fe0d6477" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="1008" data-height="1132" />Wind and solar accounted for a third of the UK's energy generation in 2020. Statista
Positive Tipping Points
<p>Besides the UK, the authors of the paper cited Norway as an example of the nations that have acted to reduce greenhouse gases pumped out by motor vehicles.</p><p>Through government incentives, new electric vehicles (EV) in Norway are priced similarly to petrol and diesel cars. This has <a href="https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/news/articles/positivetippingpointsoffe.html" target="_blank">boosted sales of EVs to more than 50% of new car purchases, compared with 2%-3% worldwide</a>.</p><p>China, the European Union (EU) and California are responsible for half of global car sales. Professor Lenton suggests that if they formed an international effort to redirect investment from conventional cars to EVs they could reduce costs, boost production and create a broader tipping point that would accelerate the reduction of fossil fuel use.</p><p>Lenton argues that if government action can lower the cost of financing renewables to below that of excavating coal, industries linked to transport, heating and power could all rapidly decarbonize.</p><p>That's good news because a new, more urgent, approach is needed to reduce the rate at which the global climate is warming, according to scientists.</p>2020 and 2016 Hottest Years on Record
<p>Earlier this month, the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/climate-change-temperature/2020-ties-with-2016-as-worlds-hottest-year-on-record-eu-climate-change-service-says-idUSL1N2JI1YT" target="_blank">EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said 2020 had equaled 2016 as the hottest year on record</a>.</p><p>A study published in Climate Dynamics said <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/global-warming-threshold-reached-by-2027/" target="_blank">the planet could breach the threshold for global warming between 2027 and 2042</a>, a decade earlier than previously thought.</p><p>"If either of these efforts – in power or road transport – succeed, the most important effect could be to tip perceptions of the potential for international cooperation to tackle climate change," Lenton said.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from the </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/01/climate-change-carbon-emissions-global-warming/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Several innovative companies have begun brainstorming better ways to repurpose old wind turbine blades. xu wu / Getty Images
When wind turbine blades reach the end of their usefulness, most are sawed into transportable pieces and hauled to landfills, where they never break down. Because of the resources and energy that go into producing these blades, this type of disposal is inefficient and wasteful. Recently, several innovative companies have begun brainstorming better ways to repurpose this green technology after it goes offline.
<p>According to <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-wind-turbine-blades-could-be-recycled-instead-of-landfilled/" target="_blank">Scientific American</a>, wind turbines are built to last an industry standard of 30 years. As installed <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wind-power-capacity-2645577863.html" target="_self">wind energy capacity continues to increase globally</a>, it is becoming increasingly important to think about the next phase in a wind turbine's lifecycle: the end. Some existing turbines have already been taken out of service and decommissioned at the end of their lifecycle, or during "repowering," a process where companies replace smaller turbines with bigger ones capable of producing more energy.</p><p>While roughly 85 percent of turbine component materials — including steel, copper wide, electronics and gearing — can be recycled or reused, old blades are harder to salvage, Scientific American reported. Since blades are comprised of fiberglass, a lightweight and durable composite material ideal for withstanding storms, separating the plastic and glass fibers for recycling is difficult, the article found. The process also requires powerful diamond-encrusted industrial saws and a lot of effort. Due to this, tens of thousands of aging blades are being removed and have nowhere to go but landfills, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-02-05/wind-turbine-blades-can-t-be-recycled-so-they-re-piling-up-in-landfills" target="_blank">Bloomberg Green</a>.</p><p>The article estimated that 8,000 blades will be decommissioned each year until 2024, and Europe will see about 3,800 coming down each year through at least 2022.</p><p>To combat what <a href="https://grist.org/energy/todays-wind-turbine-blades-could-become-tomorrows-bridges/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Grist</a> called the impending "wind turbine blade waste crisis," scientists around the world are focused on finding ways to recycle, upcycle and redesign blades for the future.</p>
<p>Washington-based Global Fiberglass Solutions (GFS) believes itself to be the first U.S.-based company to commercially recycle fiberglass wind turbine blades, a 2019 <a href="https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2019/03/27/company-expands-wind-turbine-recycling-operation/" target="_blank">Plastics Recycling Update</a> report noted. According to a GFS <a href="http://blog.global-fiberglass.com/blog/global-fiberglass-solutions-becomes-the-first-us-based-company-to-commercially-recycle-wind-turbine-blades-into-viable-products" target="_blank">press release</a>, the company grinds up discarded blades, which are then used for decking materials, pallets and piping, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/09/10/759376113/unfurling-the-waste-problem-caused-by-wind-energy" target="_blank">NPR</a> reported.</p><p>Wind energy giant G.E. similarly announced a wind turbine blade recycling program in the U.S., where the majority of old blades from onshore turbines would be shredded and used to replace raw materials in cement manufacturing, <a href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/ge-announces-first-us-wind-turbine-blade-recycling-program-with-veolia/591869/" target="_blank">Utility Dive</a> reported late last year.</p><p>The process should make wind turbines fully recyclable while also reducing carbon dioxide emissions from cement production by a net 27 percent, Utility Dive found. Because concrete is the most widely used human-made material in existence, the production of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cement" target="_self">cement</a>, one of its composite materials, accounts for approximately eight percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, reported <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46455844#:~:text=Cement%20is%20the%20source%20of,behind%20China%20and%20the%20US." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BBC</a> in 2018. Veolia, the company that will process GE's old blades for recycling, hopes to use this co-processing technology to create a greener cement, Bob Cappadona, executive vice president for Veolia North America's environmental solutions and services, told Utility Dive.</p><p>"Last summer we completed a trial using a GE blade, and we were very happy with the results. This fall we have processed more than 100 blades so far, and our customers have been very pleased with the product," said Cappadona.</p>
<p>Upcycling might be a stronger solution for the planet because old blades' strength and durability aren't wasted by shredding them. In Ireland, an experimental blades-to-bridges program run by Re-Wind is reimagining decommissioned blades into bicycle and pedestrian bridges, transmission towers and other civil engineering structures, the <a href="https://blog.ucsusa.org/james-gignac/wind-turbine-blades-recycling" target="_blank">Union of Concerned Scientists</a> reported. The blade pieces are strong enough to replace steel girders in construction because the technology is built to withstand intense pressure and wind speeds, Grist added.</p><p>Re-Wind is brainstorming other novel uses for the scrap blades, from serving as artificial reefs to highway noise barriers. The company is also considering cutting up the durable material to create affordable housing that can withstand extreme weather, Grist reported.</p><p>"If you are talking about a sustainable, renewable fuel source, it's not appropriate to then pollute the environment with materials that are decommissioned," Re-Wind team lead Larry Bank told Grist.</p><p>A final innovation hopes to add a third option to the recycle-or-discard dilemma surrounding wind turbines. Scientists at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are changing turbine material in hopes of making them cheaper and recyclable. Last November, Scientific American reported on the new turbine blades, which use a thermoplastic resin instead of epoxy thermoset resin to set the fiberglass into shape. Critically, the new material can be reclaimed at the end of a blade's life by melting and reusing it in new blades.</p><p>While years of additional testing may be required, Daniel Laird, the director of NREL's wind technology center, was hopeful. He told Scientific American, "I think that a lot of progress is going to be made on the recyclability of blades in the next year or two."</p>
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A seagull flies in front of the Rampion offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom. Neil / CC BY 2.0
By Tara Lohan
A key part of the United States' clean energy transition has started to take shape, but you may need to squint to see it. About 2,000 wind turbines could be built far offshore, in federal waters off the Atlantic Coast, in the next 10 years. And more are expected.
<p>East Coast states from Maine to North Carolina are working to procure nearly <a href="https://www.oedigital.com/news/483741-2020-has-been-a-big-year-for-us-offshore-wind" target="_blank">30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035</a> — a huge leap from the five turbines currently generating 30 megawatts in Rhode Island waters. If a regulatory backlog of projects awaiting approval from the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is finally unstuck — <a href="https://therevelator.org/offshore-wind-growth/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">as experts hope will happen this year</a> — the buildout of offshore wind will arrive during a crucial decade for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.</p><p>Spinning turbine blades on the watery horizon may be a welcome sight in the fight against climate change, but they still come with potential threats to marine wildlife. Many environmental groups believe the challenges aren't insurmountable if scientific study can help inform regulatory action and if we can learn — and adapt our practices — as we go.</p><p>"We believe that offshore wind can absolutely be developed in an environmentally responsible manner," says Francine Kershaw, a staff scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. "But that has to be incorporated throughout the whole process — from site assessment through development, construction and operations."</p>
Threats to Birds
<p>One of the gravest threats facing birds is climate change, according to Audubon, which found that rising temperatures threaten <a href="https://www.audubon.org/2019climateissue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nearly two-thirds of North America's bird species</a>. That's why the impending development of offshore wind is a good thing, says Shilo Felton, a field manager in the organization's Clean Energy Initiative, but it also comes with dangers to birds that need to be better studied and mitigated.</p><p>The most obvious risk comes from birds colliding with spinning turbine blades. But offshore wind developments can also displace birds from foraging or roost sites, as well as migratory pathways.</p><p>Along the Atlantic Coast four imperiled species are of top concern to conservationists: the endangered piping plover, red knot, roseate tern and black-capped petrel, which is being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act.</p><p>"Those four species are of utmost importance to make sure that we understand the impacts," says Felton. "But beyond that there are many species that are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act that could potentially see more impacts from offshore wind."</p><p>Northern gannets, for example, are at risk not just for collision but <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308703197_Possible_impacts_of_offshore_wind_farms_on_seabirds_a_pilot_study_in_Northern_Gannets_in_the_southern_North_Sea" target="_blank">habitat displacement</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ3NDc0My9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MzA3NTkwM30.L3sUMX9PbRxFqSnNPKWfQSB33NNak0zZ6x9gdLCZPJM/img.jpg?width=980" id="31fc5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e1429caf713cfa9e6b78cc218d884453" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="799" data-height="533" />
A northern gannet flying along Cape May, N.J. Ann Marie Morrison / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
<p>"There's <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320716303196" target="_blank">some evidence</a> that they just won't use areas where turbines are, but that also excludes them from key foraging areas," says Felton. Researchers are still studying what this may mean for the birds. But a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113620305304" target="_blank">study</a> published in December 2020 conducted at Bass Rock, Scotland — home to the world's largest northern gannet colony — found that wind developments could reduce their growth rate, though not enough to cause a population decline.</p><p>Other birds, such as great cormorants and European shags, are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320716303196" target="_blank">attracted to wind developments</a> and use the infrastructure to rest while opening up new foraging areas farther from shore.</p><p>"There's plenty of potential for a bird to use a wind farm and still to avoid the turbines themselves," says Felton.</p><p>Birds like pelicans, however, are less versatile in their movements and are at particular risk of collision because of their flight pattern, she says.</p><p>But how disruptive or dangerous offshore turbines will be along the East Coast isn't yet known.</p><p>Federal and state agencies, along with nongovernmental organizations, says Felton, have done good research to try to better understand those potential impacts. "But these are all theoretical, because we don't have a lot of offshore wind yet in the United States."</p>Threats to Ocean Life
<p>Birds aren't the only wildlife of concern. More development in ocean waters could affect a litany of marine species, some of which are already facing other pressures from overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction and climate change.</p><p>Scientists have found that marine mammals like whales and dolphins could be disturbed by the jarring sounds of construction, especially if pile driving is used to hammer the steel turbine platform into the seafloor.</p><p>The noises, though short-lived, could impede communication between animals, divert them from migration routes or cause them to seek less suitable areas for feeding or breeding. Research from Europe found that harbor porpoises, seals and dolphins may avoid development areas during construction. In most, but <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/7/4/045101" target="_blank">not all cases</a>, the animals were believed to have returned to the area following construction.</p><p>The biggest concern for conservation groups in the United States is the critically endangered North American right whale. There are fewer than 400 remaining, and the species' habitat overlaps with a number of planned wind development areas along the East Coast.</p><p>"Offshore wind is in no way the cause of the challenges the whales face, but it's going to be another pressure point," says John Rogers, senior energy analyst for the Union of Concerned Scientists.</p><p>Researchers aren't sure how right whales will respond to the noise from pile driving.</p><p>"But we are concerned, based on what we know about how whales react to other noise sources, that they may avoid [wind development] areas," says Kershaw.</p><p>And if that displacement causes them to miss out on important food resources, it could be dangerous for a species already on the brink.</p><p>There are a few other potential threats, too.</p><p>Ships associated with the development — more plentiful during construction — also pose a danger. In the past few years cargo ships, fishing boats and other vessels have caused half of all deaths of North Atlantic right whales.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ3NDg5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1ODIyNzI3MX0.PzGzo5LJmV9E00augQhHgO5eMTxkVqRBYGZrzkrxP78/img.jpg?width=980" id="f44b2" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5fcb375b72d14dd0cf745ecc7fb4494a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="799" data-height="533" />
A juvenile right whale breaches against the backdrop of a ship near the St. Johns River entrance. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission / NOAA Research Permit #775-1600-10
<p>And after construction, the noise from the spinning turbines will be present in the water at low decibels. "We don't quite know how the great whales will react to those sounds," says Jeremy Firestone, the director of the Center for Research in Wind at the University of Delaware.</p><p>Other marine mammals may also perceive the noise, but at low decibels it's unlikely to be an impediment, <a href="http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v309/p279-295/" target="_blank">research has found</a>.</p><p>And it's possible that wind development could help some ocean life. Turbine foundations can attract fish and invertebrates for whom hard substrates create habitat complexity — known as the "reef effect," according to researchers from the University of Rhode Island's <a href="https://dosits.org/animals/effects-of-sound/anthropogenic-sources/wind-turbine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Discovery of Sound in the Sea</a> program. Exclusion of commercial fishing nearby may also help shelter fish and protect marine mammals from entanglements in fishing gear.</p>Ensuring Safe Development
<p>Despite the potential dangers, researchers have gathered a few best practices to help diminish and possibly eliminate some risks.</p><p>When it comes to ship strikes, the easiest thing is to slow boats down, mandating a speed of <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/vessel-speed-limits-sought-protect-endangered-north-atlantic-right-whales-2020-08-06/" target="_blank">10 knots</a> in wind development areas, and using visual and acoustic monitoring for whales.</p><p>Adjusting operations to reduce boat trips between the shore and the wind development will also help. A new series of service operating vessels can allow maintenance staff to spent multiple days onsite, says Kershaw, cutting down on boat traffic.</p><p>For construction noise concerns, developers can avoid pile driving during times of the year when whales are present. And, depending on the marine environment, developers could use "quiet foundations" that don't require pile driving. These include gravity-based or suction caisson platforms.</p><p>Floating turbines are also used in deep water, where they're effectively anchored in place — although that poses its own potential danger. "We have concerns that marine debris could potentially become entangled around the mooring cables of the floating arrays and pose a secondarily entanglement risk to some species," says Felton, who thinks more research should be conducted before those become operational in U.S. waters — a process that's already underway in Maine, where a <a href="https://composites.umaine.edu/2020/08/05/diamond-offshore-wind-rwe-renewables-join-the-university-of-maine-to-lead-development-of-maine-floating-offshore-wind-demonstration-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">demonstration project is being built</a>.</p><p>If loud noises are unavoidable during construction, noise-reducing technologies such as bubble curtains can help dampen the sound. And scheduling adjacent projects to conduct similar work at the same time could limit the duration of disturbances.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTQ3NDkwMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NDIwMTMwNX0.EzMWtZyoKz02dkfoC7ZYvs51VS4JwnUZzeaby4WBs5w/img.jpg?width=980" id="fa370" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5f32770cc89291d00aed7de6d0204760" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="755" data-height="552" />
The foundation installation of the off shore wind farm Sandbank using a bubble curtain. Vattenfall / Ulrich Wirrwa / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
<p>Once turbines become operational, reducing the amount of light on wind platforms or using flashing lights could help deter some seabirds, NRDC <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/harnessing-wind-advance-wind-power-offshore-ib.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">researchers reported</a>. And scientists are exploring using ultrasonic noises and ultraviolet lighting to keep bats away. "Feathering," or shutting down the turbine blades during key migration times, could also help prevent fatalities.</p><p>"We need to make sure that offshore wind is the best steward it can be of the marine ecosystem, because we want and expect it to be a significant part of the clean energy picture in some parts of the country," says Rogers. "We also have to recognize that we're going to learn by doing, and that some of these things we're going to figure out best once we have more turbines in the water."</p><p>That's why environmental groups say it's important to establish baseline information on species before projects begin, and then require developers to conduct monitoring during construction and for years after projects are operational.</p><p>Employing an "adaptive management framework" will ensure that developers can adjust their management practices as they go when new information becomes available, and that those best practices are incorporated into the requirements for future projects.</p>Putting Research Into Action
<p>Advancing these conversations at the federal level during the Trump administration, though, has been slow going.</p><p>"We didn't really have any productive discussions with the administration in the last four years," says Kershaw.</p><p>And when it comes to birds, Felton says the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's recently completed "draft cumulative environmental impact statement" covering offshore wind developments had a lot of good environmental research, but little focus on birds.</p><p>"Part of that comes from the current administration's interpretation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act," she says.</p><p>President Trump has been hostile to both wind energy <em>and</em> birds, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/climate/trump-migratory-bird-protections.html" target="_blank">and finished gutting the Migratory Bird Treaty Act</a> in his administration's the final days, removing penalties for companies whose operations kill migratory birds.</p><p>There's hope that the Biden administration will take a different approach. But where the federal government has been lacking lately, Kershaw says, they've seen states step up.</p><p>New York, for example, has established an <a href="https://www.nyetwg.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Environmental Technical Working Group</a> composed of stakeholders to advise on environmentally responsible development of offshore wind.</p><p>The group is led by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, but it isn't limited to the Empire State. It's regional in focus and includes representatives from wind developers with leases between Massachusetts and North Carolina; state agencies from Massachusetts to Virginia; federal agencies; and science-based environmental NGOs.</p><p>New York's latest solicitation for clean energy projects includes up to 2,500 megawatts of offshore wind and <a href="https://www.nyetwg.com/announcements" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">requires developers</a> to contribute at least $10,000 per megawatt for regional monitoring of fisheries and other wildlife.</p><p>Environmental groups have also worked directly with developers, including an agreement with Vineyard Wind — an 800-megawatt project off the Massachusetts coast that could be the first utility-scale wind development in federal waters — to help protect North Atlantic right whales.</p><p>The agreement includes no pile driving from Jan. 1 to April 30, ceasing activities at other times when whales are visually or acoustically identified in the area, speed restrictions on vessels, and the use of noise reduction technology, such as a bubble curtain during pile driving.</p><p>"The developers signed the agreement with us, and then they incorporated, most, if not all of those measures into the federal permitting documents," says Kershaw. "The developers really did a lot of bottom up work to make sure that they were being very protective of right whales."</p><p>Environmental groups are in talks with other developers on agreements too, but Felton wants to see best practices being mandated at the federal level.</p><p>"It's the sort of a role that should be being played by the federal government, and without that it makes the permitting and regulation process less stable and less transparent," she says." And that in turn slows down the build out of projects, which is also bad for birds because it doesn't help us address and mitigate for climate change."</p><p>Kershaw agrees there's a lot more work to be done, especially at the federal level, but thinks we're moving in the right direction.</p><p>"I think the work that's been done so far in the United States has really laid the groundwork for advancing this in the right way and in a way that's protective of species and the environment," she says. "At the same time, it's important that offshore wind does advance quickly. We really need it to help us combat the worst effects of climate change."</p><p><em><a href="https://therevelator.org/author/taralohan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tara Lohan</a> is deputy editor of The Revelator and has worked for more than a decade as a digital editor and environmental journalist focused on the intersections of energy, water and climate. Her work has been published by The Nation, American Prospect, High Country News, Grist, Pacific Standard and others. She is the editor of two books on the global water crisis.</em></p><p><em style="">Reposted with permission from <a href="https://therevelator.org/offshore-wind-wildlife" target="_blank" style="">The Revelator</a>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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A wind turbine on the tip of Hull, Massachusetts, with the Boston skyline in the distance on Dec. 28, 2005. Tom Herde / The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is reviewing sweeping legislation to reduce the commonwealth's greenhouse gas pollution, spur clean energy jobs, electrify buildings, and protect communities disproportionately harmed by pollution.
<p><br/></p>
<p>The <a href="https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S2995?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9KLjgqy8pzY2U2CYNVQIQULbQKL7CfLUGUKnezJgxcf2Q2rd1QIDZh_7gutpKG-EMMAVsFtDcpnUXyaY8Y2ZNeCaR5TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bill</a> passed by 38-2 vote in the State Senate and in the House 145-9, but Baker has not committed to signing the bill and could use a pocket veto to let it die following the conclusion of the legislative session overnight. In addition to mandating net-zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050, the legislation would also boost offshore <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/wind">wind</a> energy and codify the definition of "environmental justice populations." </p>
<p>It would increase fines for <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/pipelines">pipeline</a> safety violations, following a deadly series of explosions in late 2018. The bill's passage follows Gov. Baker's release of plans to eliminate greenhouse gas pollution by 2050, ban the sale of new internal combustion cars by 2035, and electrify heating in 1 million homes.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-bills-climate-change-legislation-environment-83e5c30f59ad676eb45a437e614276ad?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6Uxh9lYGafUMkX2MNHNSghxjQGZ6s3IkzedxIjlPlsfp7D4WDL211OYOmd9MEBsILRr_mn3UYZ-g4l38pOdvRQ_Q4TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a>:</p><blockquote>The focus on pipeline safety follows the series of explosions in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover in September 2018 that killed one person, injured almost two dozen and damaged more than 100 buildings. Federal investigators blamed the explosions on overpressurized gas lines.<br></blockquote><blockquote>The explosions led to a $56 million settlement between Massachusetts and Columbia Gas of Massachusetts and its parent, NiSource last year.</blockquote><blockquote>Newly elected Democratic House Speaker Ron Mariano said the bill sends the message Massachusetts "will empower our environmental justice communities, achieve net zero emissions by 2050, continue to lead on offshore wind, increase equitable access to our clean energy programs, and create pathways to clean energy jobs for underserved and low-income communities."</blockquote>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong><br/></p><p><a href="https://apnews.com/article/climate-bills-climate-change-legislation-environment-83e5c30f59ad676eb45a437e614276ad?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6Uxh9lYGafUMkX2MNHNSghxjQGZ6s3IkzedxIjlPlsfp7D4WDL211OYOmd9MEBsILRr_mn3UYZ-g4l38pOdvRQ_Q4TA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">AP</a>, <a href="https://www.eenews.net/energywire/2021/01/05/stories/1063721767?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--PQepwlFHXxfaJxaL3K0aJre2GRaLDjYJGkSL5Wdt45SE9hH3sYRxTIL2eYcs0lJzHM4wvysho6nbovV6nR_1B2ZIUCA&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">E&E</a>, <a href="https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2021/01/05/climate-bill-gas-safety-massachusetts?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BjjEGbH1BQsAGO3bDGjvdvokNJxJqpTp_0gOL8oXhLGcsZFLosb2duRh62K8wkyKiHvFcAG6FINAQLF1ZDK5l0XjKlQ&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">WBUR</a>, <a href="https://www.masslive.com/politics/2021/01/massachusetts-lawmakers-send-climate-bill-that-would-reduce-states-carbon-footprint-to-gov-charlie-bakers-desk.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_EJqBW5drcdi1xdaXgV74lD2mEi76E59DjoBEgl3epycNQvM1OKOfAEc9-0_3yKt7lH3gJV9N8teoX5ewQL6vollFLRg&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">MassLive</a>, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/04/business/heres-look-winners-losers-states-far-reaching-climate-bill/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_NMxxZ-fHQ6jsCZp00Awb6aMiMWbXC7jlz0xrnAY0Amrd_27zXaI_-YcoQ4J6DRwhGs8Sgin5dgXbrdd2zd62qdJ6ZPw&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Boston Globe</a>; Baker administration plan: <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/532684-massachusetts-to-require-100-percent-of-car-sales-to-be?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6SokBlmv5bkR_VOOxrXyz_QDE620lP0FEvk5yQ4Za6N6w627opWE8Osv818jshcslgoEGRauBIUW8Se5duX-b9lAE7A&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">The Hill</a>, <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a35104768/massachusetts-ban-new-gas-cars-2035/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=105503272&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8pxvLRV4Wzz2qeF-GRhWuBk0lrQqWicE5NkDJrvjOPlf1nX2FV0PNQN7306HxCnK08sjeOS1QrCtoCRn4ZF8LZwXBPnw&utm_content=105503272&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Car & Driver</a><span></span></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://www.linktrack.live/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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An electric trolley is seen in San Francisco, California, and is an example of renewable infrastructure. Robert Alexander / Getty Images
A new report from Princeton University released yesterday details five pathways for achieving net zero emissions in the U.S. by 2050, with "priority actions" the U.S. should take before 2030.
<p>A highlight across all pathways is total or near total electrification of energy use across the U.S. economy. </p><p>Additional recommendations include building a significant amount of new energy infrastructure, increasing wind and solar generating capacity, expanding the nation's electric grid, and transitioning homes off natural gas. </p><p>The research puts the price tag of this near-term action at $2.5 trillion, but calculates it will create at least half a million jobs and save tens of thousands of lives. </p><p>The report also identifies several pitfalls the transition could face, including local opposition to land-use for renewable infrastructure and a lack of public support for electric cars and homes. </p><p>"The costs are affordable, the tool kit is there, but the scale of transformation across the country is significant," said Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor and lead author of the report.</p>
<p><strong>For a deeper dive:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/climate/america-next-decade-climate.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9vzIPSABi2ZWdEdGo15AmEWXz6DgWIZvZrrWcVO5KJ6FkSwwiE1ePlD4NBsFt4cwpnGjV_9a7OLYBYQuIpD8VY_7rSZGM7uuZeQkNP5gq-xCPaE9I&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">New York Times</a>, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2020/12/15/biden-wants-halt-all-us-climate-emissions-by-2050-heres-what-that-would-actually-take/?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9oBoztvBfUWODxXpsJeUADXpLLxOPl4QNnvcsMVzCYSn_sKIpAK1I1_0_qwO8RphqlgQh0ymzxJe6qEdFXAmz-6iSZzCubwz_mVCIsyDGkEwlVJVQ&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Washington Post</a>, <a href="https://www.axios.com/net-zero-emissions-2050-study-19a44074-4b88-4ce8-804a-74898eb3f0a0.html?utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Vfl0jNmqcTq7LO2qV_Az1E8C3GLFVwaELgUEPpml1MDSz_6b25Yvpay75sbNZTFfIF67haJA2s3nEOjXLCnEsrcnk2VC1kHsLehGSALTi0cTXeyo&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Axios</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-15/getting-the-u-s-to-zero-carbon-would-cost-2-5-trillion-by-2030?sref=oUjKJw8m&utm_campaign=Hot%20News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=103219174&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--K__qcAzI1hFRNmpt_85pInviMgailOLxvIQGtcqF9sFMZghM8rO1AFjqXewktb0Wk06QKzRwdfEX4u3qog7RD5bcu5emn0Ajw4MfyJlPtX0S0sko&utm_content=103219174&utm_source=hs_email" target="_blank">Bloomberg </a><br/></p><p><em>For more </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/climate-change-news/" target="_blank"><em>climate change</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://ecowatch.com/business/renewables/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>clean energy</em></a><em> news, you can follow Climate Nexus on </em><a href="https://twitter.com/ClimateNexus" target="_blank"><em>Twitter</em></a><em> and </em><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ClimateNexus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Facebook</em></a><em>, sign up for daily </em><a href="https://newsletter.climatenexus.org/hot-news-sign-up" target="_blank"><em>Hot News</em></a><em>, and visit their news site, </em><a href="https://nexusmedianews.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Nexus Media News</em></a><em>. </em></p>From Your Site Articles
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