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News Roundup

Norway opens world’s first osmotic power plant | Reuters

November 24th, 2009

‘TOFTE, Norway Reuters – Norway opened on Tuesday the world’s first osmotic power plant, which produces emissions-free electricity by mixing fresh water and sea water through a special membrane.’

via Norway opens world’s first osmotic power plant | Green Business | Reuters.

This year ‘in top five warmest’

November 24th, 2009

‘This year will be one of the top five warmest years globally since records began 150 years ago, according to figures compiled by the Met Office.’

Via BBC news

Recovery Act Spurs $4 Billion in Wind Power Projects | Reuters

November 23rd, 2009

‘Through its Texas subsidiary Horizon Wind Energy, the giant Portuguese company EDP Renewables; the second largest wind company in the world, intends to almost triple its US projects to $4 billion worth of new wind energy projects in the United States through 2012.’

via Recovery Act Spurs $4 Billion in Wind Power Projects | Green Business | Reuters.

Renewable Energy for $1 a Watt? Yes, Says Alphabet Energy | Greentech Media

November 23rd, 2009

‘SAN FRANCISCO — Alphabet Energy, a Lawrence Berkeley National Labs spin-out with a semiconductor that converts heat directly into power, says it can make devices that will produce power at close to $1 a watt.’

via Greentech Media: Renewable Energy for $1 a Watt? Yes, Says Alphabet Energy | Green Light.

US-China climate statement raises hopes, questions : AP

November 23rd, 2009

‘BEIJING — A joint statement by the U.S. and Chinese presidents on climate change is encouraging as pressure builds in the last few weeks before a 192-nation conference in Copenhagen, but the language leaves a lot unsaid, observers in both countries said Wednesday.’

via The Associated Press: US-China climate statement raises hopes, questions.

Lexington: Farmers v greens | The Economist

November 23rd, 2009

‘AMERICA will not pass a cap-and-trade law in time for the global climate-change summit in Copenhagen next month. To understand why, it helps to ask a farmer.’

via Lexington: Farmers v greens | The Economist.

Hacked E-Mail Is New Fodder for Climate Dispute – NYTimes.com

November 22nd, 2009

‘Hundreds of private e-mail messages and documents hacked from a computer server at a British university are causing a stir among global warming skeptics, who say they show that climate scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change.’

via Hacked E-Mail Is New Fodder for Climate Dispute – NYTimes.com.

What are the largest sources of global warming emissions in California? The list is out – SJM News

November 22nd, 2009

‘The single largest California emitter last year was the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, which emitted 4.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gases. Second was the Shell refinery in Martinez, with 4.5 million metric tons, followed by the BP and Chevron refineries in Carson and El Segundo, near Los Angeles. Rounding out fifth place was the Dynegy Power Plant at Moss Landing, a massive 1950s era structure on the Monterey Bay that burns natural gas to create electricity for much of Northern California.’

via What are the largest sources of global warming emissions in California? The list is out – San Jose Mercury News.

Turtles Are Casualties of Warming in Costa Rica – NYTimes.com

November 22nd, 2009

‘Even before scientists found temperatures creeping upward over the past decade, sea turtles were threatened by beach development, drift net fishing and Costa Ricans’ penchant for eating turtle eggs, considered a delicacy here. But climate change may deal the fatal blow to an animal that has dwelled in the Pacific for 150 million years.’

via Turtles Are Casualties of Warming in Costa Rica – NYTimes.com.

Warming’s impacts sped up, worsened since Kyoto – Yahoo! News

November 22nd, 2009

‘As the world has talked for a dozen years about what to do next, new ship passages opened through the once frozen summer sea ice of the Arctic. In Greenland and Antarctica, ice sheets have lost trillions of tons of ice. Mountain glaciers in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa are shrinking faster than before.’

via Warming’s impacts sped up, worsened since Kyoto – Yahoo! News.