The uncertain dash for gas
Editorial, Nature Journal
This week, Nature presents previously unpublished data suggesting that the lock-in of technology into shale-gas production may be a riskier bet than previously realized, at least in the United States. Nature has obtained detailed US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts of production from the nation’s biggest shale-gas production sites. These forecasts matter because they feed into decisions on US energy policy made at the highest levels. Crucially, they are much higher than the best independent academic estimates.
Full article at Nature by Mason Inmman.
FRACKING AMERICA: Visualizing the Virus (Is it Worth It?)
Post Carbon Institute
In the past decade, we’ve fracked 80,000+ wells in the United States. WE AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET.
OPEC Squeeze on Oil Spares Renewables From Energy Turmoil
Reed Landberg, Bloomberg
While OPEC is helping drive down global prices for crude, it’s having less success squeezing the $250 billion clean power industry.
Green energy will receive almost 60 percent of the $5 trillion expected to be invested in new power plants over the next decade, according to the International Energy Agency. That’s because the U.S., China, Japan and the European Union are all pushing for global limits on greenhouse gases and promoting alternatives to fossil fuels…
Oil Investors at Brink of Losing Trillions of Dollars in Assets. Gore: It’s That Road Runner Moment
Alex Morales, Bloomberg
A major threat to fossil fuel companies has suddenly moved from the fringe to center stage with a dramatic announcement by Germany’s biggest power company and an intriguing letter from the Bank of England.
A growing minority of investors and regulators are probing the possibility that untapped deposits of oil, gas and coal — valued at trillions of dollars globally — could become stranded assets as governments adopt stricter climate change policies…
Abundant Clean Renewables? Think Again!
Almuth Ernsting, Truthout
Although "renewable" energy is growing faster than ever before, it is neither carbon neutral, "clean" nor sustainable. We need to transform into low-energy societies that meet human – not corporate – needs. Renewable energy is growing faster than ever before. Sure, some countries are lagging behind, but others are setting widely praised records…
Here’s the first problem with celebratory headlines over renewables: Record renewable energy hasn’t stopped record fossil fuel burning, including record levels of coal burning. Coal use is growing so fast that the International Energy Authority expects it to surpass oil as the world’s top energy source by 2017…
Fracking risk compared to thalidomide and asbestos in Walport report
Adam Vaughan, The Guardian
Fracking carries potential risks on a par with those from thalidomide, tobacco and asbestos, warns a report produced by the government’s chief scientific adviser.
The flagship annual report by the UK’s chief scientist, Mark Walport, argues that history holds many examples of innovations that were adopted hastily and later had serious negative environmental and health impacts…
Unclean at Any Speed
Ozzie Zehner, IEEEE Spectrum
…The idea of electrifying automobiles to get around their environmental shortcomings isn’t new. Twenty years ago, I myself built a hybrid electric car that could be plugged in or run on natural gas. It wasn’t very fast, and I’m pretty sure it wasn’t safe. But I was convinced that cars like mine would help reduce both pollution and fossil-fuel dependence.
I was wrong.
I’ve come to this conclusion after many years of studying environmental issues more deeply and taking note of some important questions we need to ask ourselves as concerned citizens. Mine is an unpopular stance, to be sure. The suggestive power of electric cars is a persuasive force—so persuasive that answering the seemingly simple question “Are electric cars indeed green?” quickly gets complicated…
Germany’s Largest Utility Gets Out Of The Fossil Fuel Business
Ari Phillips, Climate Progress
On Sunday, Germany’s biggest utility E.ON announced plans to split into two companies and focus on renewables in a major shift that could be an indicator of broader changes to come across the utility sector. E.ON will spin off its nuclear, oil, coal, and gas operations in an effort to confront a drastically altered energy market, especially under the pressure of Germany’s Energiewende — the country’s move away from nuclear to renewables. The company told shareholders that it will place “a particular emphasis on expanding its wind business in Europe and in other selected target markets,” and that it will also “strengthen its solar business.”
E.ON will also focus on smart grids and distributed generation in an effort to improve energy efficiency and increase customer engagement and opportunity.
“With its decision, E.ON is the first company to take the necessary steps from the completely changed world of energy supply,” German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, said Monday…
Bank of England investigating risk of ‘carbon bubble’
Damian Carrington, The Guardian
The Bank of England is to conduct an enquiry into the risk of fossil fuel companies causing a major economic crash if future climate change rules render their coal, oil and gas assets worthless.
The concept of a “carbon bubble” has gained rapid recognition since 2013, and is being taken increasingly seriously by some major financial companies including Citi bank, HSBC and Moody’s, but the Bank’s enquiry is the most significant endorsement yet from a regulator…
How I was censored by The Guardian for writing about Israel’s war for Gaza’s gas
Nafeez Ahmed, Medium
After writing for The Guardian for over a year, my contract was unilaterally terminated because I wrote a piece on Gaza that was beyond the pale. In doing so, The Guardian breached the very editorial freedom the paper was obligated to protect under my contract. I’m speaking out because I believe it is in the public interest to know how a Pulitizer Prize-winning newspaper which styles itself as the world’s leading liberal voice, casually engaged in an act of censorship to shut down coverage of issues that undermined Israel’s publicised rationale for going to war…
Education is "top priority" for climate change adaptation, study shows
Robert McSweeney, Carbon Brief
Education does more to reduce deaths from climate-related disasters than economic growth, a new study finds. The researchers say education helps reduce vulnerability to disasters and enhances adaptation to climate change…
Yeb Sano absence casts shadow over Lima climate talks
Ed King, RTCC
Mystery surrounds the absence of one of the most colourful and vocal climate diplomats from UN climate talks taking place in Lima, Peru…
Speaking to RTCC, Heherson Alvarez, former Senator and member of the Philippine delegation said it was still unclear why Sano had not been admitted. “I don’t know, I have to raise this issue and investigate it, because I don’t like it,” he said…
Eating less meat essential to curb climate change, says report
Damian Carrington, The Guardian
Global livestock industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than transport but fear of a consumer backlash is preventing action, says Chatham House report..
