‘WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A U.S. Senate committee on Wednesday approved a comprehensive energy package that would require utilities to generate 15 percent of electricity from renewable sources such as solar and wind power.’

via U.S. Senate panel approves comprehensive energy bill | Green Business | Reuters.

This literally high tech approach is expensive and potentially politically dangerous. There is plenty of solar energy available for lower cost capture on the ground – is it reasonable to burn a lot of fossil fuels to get solar collectors into orbit so that we can beam additional energy down into an already overheated terrestrial system? Might this accelerate the development of space based military technology?

‘Space-based solar power is back in vogue these days, three decades after the U.S. government started toying with the idea as a way to get steady—if not cheap—power to remote battlefield locations. California utility PG&E just signed a deal with Solaren, another space-solar firm, to provide 200 megawatts of space-based solar power in 2016.’

via Spaced Out: Is Solar Power From Satellites Achievable? – Environmental Capital – WSJ.

/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Climate change has already caused “visible impacts” in the United States and poses particular risks to the U.S. agriculture and energy industries, a new government report said on Tuesday.’

via U.S. climate report details energy, agriculture harm | Green Business | Reuters.

‘The U.K. Food Climate Research Network estimates food production is responsible for between 20 percent to 30 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and says livestock are responsible for around half of these. Livestock production releases gases such as methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere and have a much more powerful climate changing effect than CO2, campaign organizers said in a release.’

via McCartney calls for Meat Free Mondays – UPI.com.

‘BONN, GERMANY—Throughout the United Nations climate talks due to end today in Bonn, the United States blocked measures that would move negotiations forward, according to Friends of the Earth.’

via U.S. Holds Climate Negotiations Hostage | Friends of the Earth.

The world is on track to produce a new global climate treaty by December, the top United Nations climate official said Friday as delegates from more than 100 nations concluded 12 days of talks in Bonn, Germany.

via Climate Change Treaty, to Go Beyond the Kyoto Protocol, Is Expected by the Year’s End – NYTimes.com.

‘SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – California on Friday forecast high costs for the most ambitious clean energy plan in the nation, including a 28 percent rise in electricity rates and $115 billion in construction if the state wants to get a third of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020.’

via California sees big costs to renewable power plan | Green Business | Reuters.