clair031

Summary .   Several economic analyses of the expanding role of renewable energy in the U. S. are described here.   A meta-analysis by Wei and coworkers finds that over 4 million full time equivalent job-years will accumulate between 2009 and 2030.   Past experience by California , extending from 1976, has already shown that major savings occur by energy efficiency measures that reduce consumption of electricity; redirecting these savings results in significant expansion of jobs related to renewable energy.   Although wind energy is currently only a small component of the overall energy mix, it has the potential, between land-based and offshore wind generation, of providing as much as 20% of America ’s electricity by 2030 with attendant job creation.   Solar energy comprises an extended retail market as well as utility-scale generation.   Currently most employment in solar is retail.   Utility-scale generation and employment will grow significantly i...

Summary .   Man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are producing higher long-term global average temperatures.   A New York Times Op-Ed discusses a new normal of increased average global temperature accompanied by more, and more serious, extreme weather events with damaging consequences.   An editorial in the New York Times describes how a pilot project for CO 2 underground storage, which could reduce emissions, lost U. S. federal funding because of Congressional inaction.   A display ad by Chesapeake Energy, and its web site, describe the company’s new funding for projects to develop natural gas as a domestic American fossil fuel to replace imported oil. Analogies are presented to illustrate that even if mankind stopped emitting new CO 2 now, the present level of warming and its attendant spawning of extreme weather events would still be with us.   A peer-reviewed article by Davis and coworkers concludes that even if mankind ceased putting new fossil fueled ...