Ember’s Post

What is the real environmental impact of wind/solar? And if we don't really know what their impacts are, why are we rushing to implement wind/solar?

As rejections of new industrial wind power sites rise in the U.S. and the number of Unwilling Host communities climbs in Ontario, this short documentary explains why. It's not 2009: people are well aware now of the negative impacts of industrial-scale wind turbines on the environment and wildlife, on communities and on our economy. Green Madness is an account of wind turbine construction in upstate New York, at Cherry Creek. The film of massive deforestation is heartbreaking. One comment in the film: wind power "is a charade sponsored by investment banks....Somebody's getting very rich, but it's not the little guy." No benefit to climate, far reaching impacts on environment and farmland, all for an intermittent unreliable form of power generation. Just 27 minutes, on YouTube, worth the time. #unwillinghost

From 2029, all new residential buildings will need to have solar panels installed when they are built. New public and commercial buildings will need to have solar panels installed 2026. This is the way. Legislate climate action - the market is incapable of moving fast enough. https://lnkd.in/dMpp6eHm

🌎 A Harmonic Fusion: From Pop Stages to Climate Stages 🌬️ In an intriguing blend of #music and #climateactivism, #popstar Adam Met, known for his vibrant hits with AJR, is now hitting a different kind of stage - the battle against #climatechange. With an #innovative plan to streamline the development of #wind and #solarprojects, Met proposes using lands already cleared for oil and gas to fast-track #renewableenergy permits. This potentially game-changing approach could significantly accelerate the U.S.'s shift towards a #cleanerenergy system, demonstrating that creativity and cross-sector collaboration are key to combating #environmentalchallenges. 📄Read the full article here https://lnkd.in/dYDbYdbu

Estimating installation costs can be tricky, but understanding how these key factors effect costs can make it easier: 1. Panel Direction 2. Watts per Panel 3. Roof Shading 4. Solar Easement Laws 5. Weather Patterns and Climate Stay informed and power your home with more sustainable energy! https://bit.ly/3BLRbp0 #SubstainableEnergy #BlueRavenSolar #WinterTips #SolarEnergy

Today, I’d like to highlight a letter authored by 20 business groups, which span across the state of New York, that was sent to the New York State legislature in opposition of the NY HEAT Act. In the letter, the group discusses their support of responding to climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, however they also touch on the need for the State to focus on “workable and affordable” means to achieve the goals set forth in the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The letter also states, “Importantly, the state’s electric grid needs significant upgrades and expansions to accommodate the shifting of building and transportation energy needs from fossil fuels to electric power, and the state needs dramatically increased renewable energy production and storage capacity to meeting system supply and reliability needs under the CLCPA’s decarbonization goals. Expedited contraction of the natural gas distribution system would only make these other transition efforts more economically disruptive and costly.” Natural gas is a safe, reliable, affordable and abundant source of energy, and as the letter mentions, the CLCPA does not impose specific restrictions on its use or changes to the natural gas distribution system. The NY HEAT Act’s intent to prohibit some uses of natural gas and discontinue portions of the distribution system could have adverse effects on constituents, including greater costs and less reliability. Exploring ways that we can utilize renewable natural gas, hydrogen and other low-emissions options without removing natural gas from the equation too quickly or without merit will help ease transition efforts. As the legislative session comes to a close this week, I thank these organizations for using their voice to express their concerns around the NY HEAT Act and the potential implications it could have on New York residents and businesses. I encourage you to read the full letter here: https://lnkd.in/e8HRjyqK

Published Today: "Clearing the Air: How Cities Can Mitigate the Impacts of the Gas System and Accelerate the Shift to Clean Energy" - a fun collaboration between Groundwork Data and Institute for Market Transformation Cities are leading the way on realizing a clean energy future and over 400 US Cities have developed climate action plans. One major sticking point is that the largest source of emissions in cities, buildings, is tied to a infrastructure (the gas system) that is outside of their regulatory control. This paper is 101, 201, and 301 for city leaders that are looking to usher in a clean energy future https://lnkd.in/eAWRg7K2 h/t to lead authors Michael Walsh and Julia Eagles along with guidance and editorial support from Rebecca Leber and the whole team at IMT.

Practical steps towards progress.

British Columbia gave the green light this week to nine wind energy projects intended to meet the insatiable demand for clean electricity. In the words of B.C. Premier David Eby, “We need a lot more juice.” Eight of these projects are majority owned by First Nations communities and all of them are set to proceed without the regular environmental assessments. This week, WONK host Edward Greenspon talks to an all-star panel of Western policy wonks — Janet Annesley, Kwatuuma Cole Sayers and Don Wright — about why this is such a big deal and what it means for the future of resource development. "Capital has lots of places to go. They're not going to come to a jurisdiction where it takes 15 years to get the green light on a project — and you're not even sure you're going to get the green light at the end of the day. I'm hoping it signals a recognition that we need to take a look at these things." Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts — or right here: https://lnkd.in/e5X-3nJE #energy #BC #electricity #environment

This has been a big week for electricity planning. New hydro. Interprovincial cooperation. A radical new approach out of BC on environmental assessment. Big gains on Indigenous ownership. New renewables rules in Alberta. Coincidentally, our Energy Future Forum 2.0's electrification table met to set its agenda as we drill down into how to move from theoretical investment to final investment decisions across various energy sectors and responsibilities. We would love to have you informing our work! Oh yea, and a fascinating WONK episode.