Daily Links Sep 6

Warmer World May Bring More Local, Less Global, Temperature Variability
Many tropical or subtropical regions could see sharp increases in natural temperature variability as Earth’s climate warms over coming decades, a new Duke University-led study suggests.
http://www.enn.com/sci-tech/article/52375

Boiling frogs again.
Karachi Express Tribune editorial
Climate change is here to stay no matter what is the cause — and for south Asia it is a purely academic argument anyway as the region reels under catastrophic monsoon floods
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212643954

Denying Hurricane Harvey’s climate links only worsens future suffering
Dana Nuccitelli
The variables in the climate change formula are mitigation, adaptation, and suffering. Denying the problem loads up on the suffering.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2017/sep/05/denying-hurricane-harveys-climate-links-only-worsens-future-suffering

AEMO says fossil fuel failures, renewable investment delays biggest threat to grid
AEMO says the biggest threat to Australia’s electricity supply is hotter temperatures, failure of large fossil fuel plants, and delays in investment in new wind and solar. Smart solutions such as demand management and storage will mean no need for new coal generators.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/aemo-says-fossil-fuel-failures-renewable-investment-delays-biggest-threat-to-grid-82601/

Voters blame energy companies – and PM – for sky-high power prices
More than four times as many people blame Malcolm Turnbull for sky-high power prices than renewable energy companies.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/voters-blame-energy-companies-pm-sky-high-power-prices-87361/

Plan to ramp up coal power
A federal plan is under way to ­encourage more capacity at the nation’s biggest coal-fired power stations.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/powering-australia/plan-to-ramp-up-coal-power-to-avoid-more-blackouts/news-story/fb89d4b8fa82ca888901b616fe50c9ee

Finkel backs coal extensions
Chief Scientist Alan Finkel yesterday backed calls to extend existing coal plants rather than build new capacity.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/alan-finkel-supports-coal-plant-extensions/news-story/fe9745c96ebbac8f26baf4b5757371d3

Gas and hydro get big $ in energy markets, solar and wind paid less
Hydro and gas generation get higher half hourly prices than coal in Australia’s energy market. Wind & solar PV take a discount.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/gas-hydro-get-big-energy-markets-solar-wind-paid-less-16724/

Billionaire Cannon-Brookes backs home energy loan start-up
Australian tech investor Mike Cannon-Brookes has tipped close to $4m into home energy loan start-up Brighte.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/billionaire-cannon-brookes-backs-home-energy-loan-start-97344/

Garnaut slams AEMC move to delay 5-minute settlement rule
Energy rule-maker says it supports change to 5 minute settlement period, but wants it introduced gradually and not before July, 2021.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/garnaut-slams-aemc-move-to-delay-5-minute-settlement-rule-89819/

CSIRO a paid-up member of Minerals Council, which fights climate change action
Science agency stands in contrast to Australia’s biggest polluter, AGL, which parted ways with MCA over climate change
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/sep/06/csiro-member-minerals-council-which-fights-climate-change-action

Wind and solar facing “valley of death” despite changing economics
Adam Bandt
Australia faces energy crisis caused by failure of Labor and Coalition to face reality of both climate change and the technological transformation of the energy sector.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/wind-and-solar-facing-valley-of-death-despite-changing-economics-71296/

A bunch of reasons to be optimistic about clean energy in Australia
Ketan Joshi
Renewable energy is increasingly profitable without subsidies, and coal has become uninvestable without government intervention – this used to be the opposite.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/bunch-reasons-optimistic-clean-energy-australia-66679/

Retrofitted cities are forcing residents to live with planning failures – we’re due for a rethink
Linley Lutton, University of Western Australia
Planners wish to correct past errors by increasing densities, discouraging car dependency and mixing land uses. But imposing imported strategies on Australian cities is producing unhappy results.
https://theconversation.com/retrofitted-cities-are-forcing-residents-to-live-with-planning-failures-were-due-for-a-rethink-83216

The energy crisis is now, not in the ‘never never’
Laura Tingle
http://www.afr.com/news/aemo-confirms-the-energy-crisis-is-now-not-in-the-never-never-20170905-gybfzn

Making old coal new again
Jennifer Hewett
http://www.afr.com/opinion/columnists/making-old-coal-new-again-20170905-gybe9h

What’s the likelihood of load shedding this summer?
Nick Harmsen
The Australian Energy Market Operator says SA’s energy plan is working to reduce the threat of blackouts, but is also warning an unexpected outage at a major supplier could also affect Victoria.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-06/aemo-forecast-mixed-blackout-risk-for-south-australia-victoria/8875798

Summer blackout alert for Victoria
VICTORIANS will need costly emergency energy supplies — likely to include diesel generators — to avoid a risk of widespread blackouts this summer.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/energy-market-operator-warns-of-summer-blackouts-on-the-rise-in-victoria/news-story/5d7611dede8bc3a6caeb66e9664883ce

Call for state to purchase Hazelwood
THE State Opposition is calling on the Andrews Government to open up the chequebook and buy the Hazelwood power station to “prevent looming blackouts”.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/call-for-state-government-to-purchase-hazelwood-power-station/news-story/49e5a6468033da84a3b2a80cb9cde793

Melburnians could trade in rainwater to cut down on bills
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/future-melbourne-residents-could-trade-in-rainwater-to-cut-down-on-bills-20170905-gyb5mj.html

Can Melbourne be the new Amsterdam?
Alan Davies
It’s an appealing meme, but the idea Australian cities could replicate the experience of Amsterdam if only they had the political will is harder than it might look
https://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2017/09/05/can-melbourne-new-amsterdam/

AGL ridicules Coalition request to keep Liddell open extra 5 years
Coalition wants AGL to keep 46-year old Liddell coal generator open another five years, despite AEMO saying there is no threat to security standards and …
http://reneweconomy.com.au/agl-ridicules-coalition-request-to-keep-liddell-open-extra-5-years-58040/

Coal city Newcastle prepares tender for 5MW solar farm
Eight companies short-listed to tender for job to develop, operate 5MW solar farm on former landfill site at Newcastle.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/coal-city-newcastle-prepares-tender-5mw-solar-farm-86104/

The NSW towns with deadly pathogens in their drinking water
The ABC obtains water safety reports that show dangerous pathogens are regularly detected in drinking water in several rural areas of NSW, putting people at risk of serious illness.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-06/drinking-water-contaminated-with-pathogens-in-nsw-towns/8875464

KEPCO investigation adds to hurdles facing Bylong coal mine proposal
The NSW government has confirmed it is conducting an investigation into the Australian subsidiary of South Korean giant KEPCO that could affect the company’s plans for a $1.5 billion coal mine in the Bylong Valley.
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/kepco-investigation-adds-to-hurdles-facing-bylong-coal-mine-proposal-20170904-gyafd5.html

Labor warns of ‘fire sale’ as NSW government orders Crown land valuation
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-crown-land-valuation-sparks-fresh-selloff-fears-20170905-gybd5g.html

Canberra could face worst bushfire season since 2003
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/commissioner-dominic-lane-says-canberra-facing-worst-bushfire-season-since-2003-20170905-gyb7hl.html

Plastic bags banned in Queensland
SINGLE use plastic bags will be banned in Queensland and money will be refunded to recycle drink containers after State Parliament unanimously passed new laws.
http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-parliament-passes-new-law-banning-single-use-plastic-bags-drink-containers-now-eligible-for-recycling/news-story/f10efb0aac14f6e09cd7be1123ba6732

Global ‘community’ rallies for the Reef
Who cares about the Great Barrier Reef? Lots!
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-09/acoe-gr090517.php

Fury at trawler plan
CAIRNS recreational fishermen have strongly opposed a Federal Government draft management plan that allows trawling in the Coral Sea.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/lifestyle/boating-and-fishing/cairns-fishermen-strong-oppose-federal-government-draft-management-plan-for-coral-sea/news-story/837107747d61a885abecbfda2bc76790

Graph of the day: South Australia’s “baseload” wind supply
Giles Parkinson
Wind energy has supplied a constant output of 1200MW over last three days in South Australia – just like “baseload”
http://reneweconomy.com.au/graph-day-south-australias-baseload-wind-supply-89624/

Bushfire warning for state’s south, east
IT is hard to believe that a state shivering under a blanket of snow faces a bushfire season starting next month — but that’s what fire chiefs are warning.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/bushfire-outlook-delivers-warning-for-states-south-and-east/news-story/1aabdf91884bb3ea60b0deced66feaeb

Hydro set to fire up power station
HYDRO Tasmania will restart operation of the gas-powered Tamar Valley power station in a bid to reduce high-cost Basslink imports at drier times later in the year.
http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/hydro-set-to-restart-tamar-valley-gasfired-power-station/news-story/9b8acb384b49efdf58976737dab71952

‘People still get excited when they see them’: Meet the newest peacock spiders
These tiny, dazzling spiders are 100 per cent real and scientists have discovered another five species and sub-species in Western Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-06/peacock-spiders-scientist-finds-five-more-species-in-wa/8870456

Fracking fear turns gas off
Western Australia’s new Labor government has placed a 12-month moratorium on fracking for gas.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/was-statewide-12month-ban-on-fracking-for-gas/news-story/c38d14ac9cb02efb6bb12e02a6e8ff84

Kairos fast tracks Pilbara review
Kairos Minerals will fast track a geological review of its extensive West, Central and East Pilbara tenement portfolio
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/breaking-news/kairos-fast-tracks-pilbara-review/news-story/c2a70a51f18eac1a4c76d101917657ec

WA residents urged to prepare for deadly fire season
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-residents-urged-to-prepare-for-deadly-fire-season-20170905-gyb2nj.html

Better than a battery? Big energy backs hydrogen power storage.
The secret to switching the global energy system entirely to renewables may lay in the universe’s most abundant substance.
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-6766923627212643969

Stanford professor tests a cooling system that works without electricity
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/52380

Looking for methane leaks.
Low-cost sensors could help natural gas producers fix a costly and climate-altering problem
http://www.dailyclimate.org/t/-6766923627212642990

The cities of the 21st century will be defined by water.
“If we only respond to the past, we will only get answers that fit the past,” says Dutch water expert Henk Ovink.
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212643469

URI researcher says invasive plants change ecosystems from the bottom up
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/52379

A revolution in lithium-ion batteries is becoming more realistic
http://www.enn.com/energy/article/52367

Climate-smart agriculture urgently needed in Africa.
Africa contributes only 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while six of the 10 most affected countries by climate change are in Africa
http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/t/-6766923627212643985

Could switchgrass help China’s air quality?
http://www.enn.com/pollution/article/52377

Cruise ships showed contempt for customers by breaking clean air pledge, report says
German environment group says industry has not tried to cut pollution over the past year and reneged on a promise to install soot filters
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/05/cruise-ships-showed-contempt-for-customers-by-breaking-clean-air-pledge-report-says

Diverse Landscapes Are More Productive and Adapt better to Climate Change
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/52369