Daily Links Aug 24

The surprising effect of ocean waves on global climate.
Evidence mounts of the important role of sea spray in shaping Earth’s atmosphere
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000469005401

What Exxon Mobil Didn’t say about climate change.
Geoffrey Supran, Naomi Oreskes New York Times
Company scientists raised concerns about greenhouse gases and the climate, but executives told the public a very different tale.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000469005397

How to win the climate wars – talk about local ‘pollution’ not global warming.
Tae Hoon Kim
Any language and issues that engage people against Trump’s climate folly in whatever way should be the priority for scientists and policy makers seeking to address the problem.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-3246038150322306147

Why is climate change’s 2 degrees Celsius of warming limit so important?
David Titley, Pennsylvania State University
More and more research shows that we are likely to pass the 2 degree Celsius temperature limit much of the world has agreed on. Where did that limit come from, and what if we miss it?
http://theconversation.com/why-is-climate-changes-2-degrees-celsius-of-warming-limit-so-important-82058

DIY power to avert bill shock
Anthony Pratt says his Visy Group will generate more than half its own power in the future from clean-energy plants.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/anthony-pratts-diy-power-to-avert-bill-shock/news-story/3c258ce5a05bba51d6f6d5db6a007f66

Coal in decline: an energy industry on life support
The pace of coal plants shutting down in Australia could mean the country’s fleet could be gone before 2040. The transformation is enormous – and seems inevitable
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/24/coal-in-decline-an-energy-industry-on-life-support

Expensive power: brought to you by bipartisan failure
Thomas Parry
Commentators and politicians continue to interpret and reinterpret why the Australian energy market has ended up in an undeniable mess. In less than two decades, we’ve gone from enjoying amongst the world’s lowest average electricity prices to around the highest.
http://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/expensive-power-brought-to-you-by-20-years-of-bipartisan-federalstate-failure-20170823-gy2e2v

Capturing the true wealth of Australia’s waste
William Clarke, The University of Queensland and Bernadette McCabe, University of Southern Queensland
Landfills produce huge amounts of methane. Many of the bigger operators capture it to turn into energy, but they’re wasting about 80% of what’s available. It’s time Australia stepped up.
http://theconversation.com/capturing-the-true-wealth-of-australias-waste-82644

Victoria plans 650MW renewable auction, plus two new solar farms
Andrews government unveils first of renewable energy auctions – for 650MW of wind and solar – and announces two new big solar farms, the 100MW Bannerton Solar Park near Robinvale in the Sunraysia district, and the 38MW Numurkah Solar Farm near Shepparton.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/victoria-plans-650mw-renewable-auction-plus-two-new-solar-farms-15047/

Vic energy plan ‘a dog’s breakfast’
The Andrews government faces a new row over electricity policy.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/canberra-under-pressure-on-clean-energy-as-states-go-it-alone/news-story/e123f0423f0ec5b30018920f70c9ad1d

Effectively planning for population growth
Victorian Auditor-General’s Office
Victoria has experienced strong population growth since 2011, with the population forecast to grow from 6.1 million in 2016 to 7.7 million by 2031.
http://www.apo.org.au/node/103596

Renewable power sums just don’t add up
Matthew Johnston
THE State Government claims its renewable energy scheme, will cut power prices. But creating new power lines or battery storage costs money. Someone will have to pay
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/victorias-renewable-energy-scheme-sums-just-dont-add-up-writes-matthew-johnston/news-story/d72805e3153d1a6a7f7345ef6651954a

Energy supply, not cost, behind government’s rush to renewables
Adam Carey
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/energy-supply-not-cost-behind-governments-rush-to-renewables-20170823-gy2kxu.html

State generates smart policy on green energy
Age editorial
Prices must be monitored to prevent those least able to afford power from paying too much, but the move to renewables is not optional.
http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/victorian-government-generates-smart-policy-to-drive-surge-in-renewable-energy-20170823-gy2he1.html

Canberra residents fired up about waste-to-power plant proposal
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-residents-fired-up-about-wastetopower-plant-proposal-20170823-gy22yd.html

Canberra renewable energy firm Windlab lists on stock exchange
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-renewable-energy-firm-windlab-lists-on-stock-exchange-20170823-gy28ic.html

Yass Valley Council’s ACT land buffer is well justified
Canberra Times editorial
Plans for a five kilometre “no development” buffer zone between the ACT’s northern border and the Yass Valley Council area make eminent sense.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/comment/ct-editorial/yass-valley-councils-act-land-buffer-is-well-justified-20170823-gy2e8g.html

More jobs as mining picks up
THE mining sector is leading a statewide jobs recovery, with ads on one employment website reaching their highest level since 2011.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/jobs-ads-on-seek-at-their-highest-number-in-years/news-story/6078a8a7e97b76840f88bd963e6f97c5

Activists paid for protest? Get out
ACTIVIST group GetUp! has questions over its integrity after getting paid millions to tout a power company and smear its competitors.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/getup-paid-to-encourage-people-to-sign-with-powershop/news-story/7019edbfeb1469ae3f39541b1ab1a336

‘Taken for granted’ Moreton Bay needs its own minister: academic
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/moreton-bay-is-taken-for-granted-and-needs-its-own-minister-academic-20170823-gy2qc4.html

Making Queensland buses safer could cost millions
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/queensland-bus-driver-safety-review-findings-show-changes-could-cost-millions-20170823-gy2esj.html

Pitt puts dredging onus on council
A FIGHT is brewing between Cairns Regional Council and the State Government over fine-print details in the massive Trinity Inlet dredging project.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/business/council-washes-hands-of-governments-dredging-spoil-responsibility/news-story/28a20eeb076971527f47497685271a72

Local to check on turbines
A TABLELANDS resident opposing a wind farm has taken her objection to the $380 million development to the next level by becoming a certified noise surveyor.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/walkamin-resident-is-keeping-tabs-on-mt-emerald-wind-farm-through-stateoftheart-equipment/news-story/952f812c3ca20f41f94e2f337704d687

The Adani coalmine will hasten a climate catastrophe. As faith leaders, we must act
Jonathan Keren-Black and Tejopala Rawls
A Buddhist leader has told environment minister Josh Frydenberg he would stand in front of machinery if digging started. All people of faith should join him
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/23/as-faith-leaders-we-asked-frydenberg-to-cancel-the-adani-mine-its-a-simple-moral-choice

30MW battery to create renewables-based mini grid in South Australia
ARENA funds 30MW battery to be built in South Australia to help grid security, and be the first of a series of renewable-based mini-grids to keep the lights on.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/30mw-battery-to-create-renewables-based-mini-grid-in-south-australia-63304/

Weatherill: ‘They’ll have you for breakfast’
PORT Augusta would have the Federal Government “for breakfast” if it blocked a $110m loan needed for the region’s $650m solar thermal plant, the Premier says.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/premier-jay-weatherill-calls-on-federal-government-to-provide-110m-loan-for-650m-port-augusta-solar-plant/news-story/40c4bb6cffce77e1c2cf0f5816fd1334

Bigger fish boost Tassal’s bottom line
FAVOURABLE growing conditions have helped Tassal produce larger fish and a record annual profit.
http://www.themercury.com.au/business/bigger-fish-provide-big-boost-to-tassals-bottom-line/news-story/853fb51a5dc61b3653fe0d94df3d6cd6

EPA ticks off quarry upgrade
The quarry will now produce up to 100,000 cubic metres of rock and gravel per annum.
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4875859/epa-ticks-off-quarry-upgrade/?cs=95

Tick for dam pipeline plan
The Glamorgan Spring Bay Council has approved a pipeline that would link a $4.5 million dam at Buckland to developments including Tassal’s Okehampton Bay salmon farm at Triabunna.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/glamorgan-spring-bay-council-approves-pipeline-for-buckland-dam/news-story/5a2d6fdfa684b3320ad6f4a619393054

Traditional owners accuse former WA government and Onslow Salt of collusion
Traditional owners in Western Australia’s Pilbara are accusing the former state government and the mining company Onslow Salt of collusion.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-24/traditional-owners-accuse-former-wa-gov-onslow-salt-of-collusion/8836770

Is the power grid getting more vulnerable to cyber attacks?
Rising computerization opens doors for increasingly aggressive adversaries, but defenses are better than many might think.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-3246038150322304709

Scientists hope to farm the biofuel of the future in the Pacific Ocean.
A team of researchers is working on what they hope will become an energy source of the future — macroalgae, otherwise known as kelp.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000469005411

Arsenic Risk in Pakistan Much Greater Than Expected
Arsenic-contaminated groundwater may threaten the health of 50 to 60 million people in Pakistan.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170823145401.htm

Spinning plant waste into carbon fiber for cars, planes
Using plants and trees to make products such as paper or ethanol leaves behind a residue called lignin, a component of plant cell walls. That leftover lignin isn’t good for much and often gets burned or tossed into landfills. Now, researchers report transforming lignin into carbon fiber to produce a lower-cost material strong enough to build car or aircraft parts.
http://www.enn.com/sci-tech/article/52236

How 139 countries could be powered by 100 percent wind, water, and solar energy by 2050
The latest roadmap to a 100% renewable energy future from Stanford’s Mark Z. Jacobson and 26 colleagues is the most specific global vision yet, outlining infrastructure changes that 139 countries can make to be entirely powered by wind, water, and sunlight by 2050 after electrification of all energy sectors.
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-08/cp-h1c081717.php

AECEA: China installations to surpass 40 GW in 2017
Forecasts for solar PV installations in China for 2017 rise to 40-45 GW.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/aecea-china-installations-surpass-40-gw-2017/

Morgan Stanley is wrong about Tesla’s electric cars
Last week, it was claimed EV’s are responsible for more global warming emissions than petrol cars, suggesting Tesla isn’t a ‘green’ company.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/morgan-stanley-wrong-teslas-electric-cars-50946/

Small-scale solar will displace $2 billion of US power by 2025
Bloomberg New Energy Finance Solar on U.S. homes and businesses will grow 10% a year, displacing $2 billion of grid-based power by 2025. But Australia leads the way.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/small-scale-solar-will-displace-2-billion-us-power-2025/

Graph of Day: How solar tower and storage sailed through eclipse
Giles Parkinson
Murdoch media’s “Monkey’s uncle” thinks solar towers and storage are intermittent. But its performance during eclipse shows otherwise.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/graph-day-solar-tower-storage-sailed-eclipse-89326/

Back to the wild: How nature is reclaiming farmland.
Farmland is shrinking for the first time on record thanks in part to consumer choices. What does this mean for the environment and the future of food?
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/2460133000469005374

Wiping out a population of animals might help the species
Mass deaths might not be all bad, because local die-offs could help to ensure the survival of the species as a whole
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2144693-wiping-out-a-population-of-animals-might-help-the-species/

Climate change is luring Kodiak bears away from their iconic salmon streams
Kodiak brown bears are abandoning salmon–their iconic prey–due to climate change, according to a new study. 
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/52239