GM forfeited right to privacy for private jet when they asked for a public bailout
While we have been fairly unsympathetic to the plight of the Big Three automakers, who have largely themselves to blame for their current mess, we did defend the decision by the CEOs to fly to Washington last week on private jets. In that post, we noted that while flying private is terrible for the environment, and very expensive, given the crisis situation they should not waste their time in airport lounges and on tarmacs, which naturally comes with commercial air travel.
However, we do agree that when these CEOs come to the government to ask for a bailout, it is appropriate for their activities to come under closer scrutiny by the government and the public. If they don’t want to be judged in the court of public opinion, they shouldn’t ask the public for subsidies. READ MORE
Does Tesla deserve to receive $400 million in low-interest federal loans?
An article in Sunday’s NYTimes asks if Tesla Motors deserves to receive $400 million in low-interest federal loans as a part of Congressional efforts to assist the auto industry.
The author, a professor at San Jose State near Silicon Valley, makes some interesting observations:
First, he comically wonders if the $25 billion in low interest loans passed by Congress last year, of which Tesla is seeking a piece, should be called the “2008 Bailout of Very, Very High-Net-Worth Individuals Who Invested in Tesla Motors Act?” READ MORE
Florida high speed rail proposal may get back on tracks
With indications from the Obama team that a stimulus package will put resources towards infrastructure projects, there is new hope in Florida that the on-again, off-again, high speed rail proposal might find new life.
In 2000 Florida voters approved initial funding for a high speed rail system that would have run from Tampa to Orlando, with later expansions to St. Petersburg, Miami, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Pensacola. But in 2004, with support of then Gov. Jeb Bush, the project was overturned by voters.
However, supporters of the project feel that given the new political landscape, support for the system might be sufficient to get the project back on track. The Florida high speed rail proposal, along with other proposals for the Midwest, Texas, and the plan recently approved by California voters, might represent the dawn of a new era of efficient public transit in our country.
Biodiesel tax credit intended to reduce oil dependency backfires
Yesterday we looked at two alternative fuel policies that have backfired with unintended consequences. Today we look at a third:
Under current federal law, US biodiesel manufacturers are granted a $1 tax credit for every gallon of fuel they produce. Biodiesel in the US is usually produced from soybean oil or recycled cooking oil from restaurants, which is blended with petroleum diesel. READ MORE
Billions spent by federal government on alternative fuel cars with little to show
Not surprisingly, a federal government program to invest in alternative fuel vehicles has been less than successful and has produced some significant unintended consequences.
Under the federal EPAct, for the past 16 years, federal agencies have invested billions of dollars to build-up a fleet of 112,000 alternative fuel vehicles. However, the positive effects of this policy have been limited, if not negated by the real world implementation of the program.
Of the thousands of alternative fuel vehicles purchased by the feds in recent years, 92% of them still run on standard gasoline. This is because many of these vehicles have been sent to locations that are hundreds of miles away from any alternative fueling stations.
Not only that, but a lot of the alternative fuel vehicles that are built today come standard with engines that are larger than the ones they replaced in the fleet. As a result, these new vehicles actually consume more gasoline and emit more greenhouse gases than the cars they replaced. READ MORE
British committee to release report on emissions cuts
The British Committee on Climate Change is expected to release a report on Monday that will lay out a plan for substantially reducing that country’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Committee, which was set up by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, will advise the government on how to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.
One issue the committee is expected to focus on is coal power plants. Similar to a recent change in coal policy in the US, it is expected that Britain will begin requiring all new coal plants to demonstrate how they can reduce carbon emissions in the future. The committee report should also be welcomed by the coal industry, since the uncertainty surrounding coal policy has worried investors and led to a situation where Britain may face electricity shortages by 2015 due to a lack of new investements.
The committee report is also expected to advise on how Britain could achieve the target of generating 15% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. As of 2005, only 1.3% of their power was generated from renewable sources.
Farm lobby picks up efforts to oppose regulation of cattle emissions
The American farm lobby is picking up its efforts to oppose an anticipated proposal to impose an emissions tax on livestock. Farmers worry that an emissions tax, which could be $175 per cow and $87.50 per head of beef cattle, would be too burdensome for the industry.
Yet, it is clear that livestock are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, both directly, and indirectly: READ MORE
British Columbia supports California lawsuit against feds over vehicle emissions
The government of British Columbia filed papers in a US Court of Appeals this week in support of California’s attempts to regulate vehicle emissions. California was forced to sue the federal government in order to adopt emissions standards that are more stringent than current federal law. California aims to have a reduction of 30% in vehicle emissions by 2016, however, the Bush administration has refused to grant a waiver.
The BC government noted that they would like to adopt the same regulations as California, but that they do not have enough of a market share to influence car manufacturer behavior. California, on the other hand, has more residents than all of Canada, and any regulations adopted there will substantially effect automaker behavior.
With a lot to lose, Aspen seeks greenhouse gas reductions
Very few industries have a greater interest in fighting climate change than the ski business. Therefore, it is not a surprise that ski towns, like Aspen CO, are leading efforts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
Since 2005, the city of Aspen has been working to reduce its emissions and has so far seen a reduction of 23.7% from 2004-05 levels. Much of this reduction can be attributed to the two electric utilities that serve the area, which have increased the share of renewable energy in their electricity mix. READ MORE
Sen. Reid asks Nevada governor to halt plans for coal plants
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada asked the Governor of that state to reconsider plans to construct three coal-fired power plants. Reid made this request in light of the recent EPA decision that the approval process for new coal plants must take into consideration the CO2 that a plant will emit and whether it can be reduced.
In his letter to the governor, Reid warned that under the EPA’s decision, Nevada “cannot move forward with any legal certainty” with these coal plants, noting that doing so could put “billions of dollars of Nevadans’ investments in great jeopardy.”
Current CO2 levels not far from past scenario of green Arctic and 80ft higher sea levels
Three million years ago, the Arctic was home to green forests and global sea levels sat 80 feet higher than they are today. Research by the USGS into this warm period is providing scientists with clues into the relationship between CO2 levels and the global climate.
During this mid-Pliocene epoch, atmospheric CO2 levels were only about 5% higher than they are today– Atmospheric CO2 levels at that time were about 400 parts per million. According to the IPCC, CO2 levels in 2007 were at 383.1 parts per million.
Analysis of the climate during that period, derived from data in fossilized plants and plankton, shows that global temperatures were around 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they are today. READ MORE
More lightning strikes on weekdays due to human activity
As George Carlin said, “The planet will be fine… it’s the people who are f**ked.” While this is surely true, that doesn’t stop the people from causing anthropogenic changes in the planet’s natural systems.
Beyond the obvious example of climate change, humans are also apparently responsible for an increase in storm activity during weekdays. NASA researcher Thomas Bell found that there is actually 10-20% more lighting strikes on Wednesdays and Thursdays than on the weekends. This effect is most pronounced in the southeastern US.
Bell’s research has shown that lighting strikes begin to rise on Monday and then peaks on Wed/Thurs. He has theorized that this spike is attributable to air pollution from heavy truck traffic during the middle of the week, which in effect, seeds the atmosphere and helps create thunderheads.
Bell’s previous research has also found that summer precipitation follows similar trends.
Cool green application for Google G1 phone
With the ubiquitous iPhone and Blackberry commercials on TV nonstop, the new G1 phone running Google’s Android platform is somewhat overlooked. However, having used one myself, it won’t be playing second fiddle for long. This is because the G1 makes it incredibly easy for users to download new third party software, or “applications.” READ MORE
Access to and control over water will shape the next century
One of the biggest impacts of climate change will be on the global fresh water supply. Across the globe, from the Sierra Nevadas to the Himalayas, snow packs are rapidly dwindling, thereby removing a major source of continuous fresh water for downstream population centers. Around a billion people rely on the dwindling Himalayan watershed alone. READ MORE
New wind farm to open in Northern California end of next year
California utility PG&E has announced an agreement to purchase 103 mw of energy from the Hatchet Ridge Wind farm, which is scheduled to open in late 2009. This 73 acre wind farm located near the town of Burney in the northern part of the state, should generate enough electricity to power approximately 44,000 homes.
California currently generates around 2,400 mw of wind energy, the majority of which comes from the Tehachapi, Altamont Pass, and San Gorgonio Pass farms. California law will require 1/3 of all electricity in the state to be generated from renewable sources by 2020.
Hat-tip: RenewableEnergyWorld; Photo credit.
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