Comments Tim Hurst has made

Have fun, Sarah. I covered Rothbury for Green Options last year and was impressed with their sustainability efforts, but also saw room for improvement. Unfortunately, after my extended-Bonnaroo trip, I can't squeeze Rothbury into the Summer calendar this year.

Looking forward to hearing your reports!

That One

Thanks, Kate. Quality recap on the enviro-crux of this debate.

Tim Hurst

ecopolitology

Red, Green, and Blue

Ratcheting FITs

Yes, feed-in tariffs usually have a ratcheting component to encourage companies to make their technologies increasingly efficient. In the German case, the ratcheting component was recently accelerated to appease the conservative wing of the Christian Democrats and to prevent what some warned would be a spike in future electricity bills.

Under the current feed-in tariff system, the rate paid to solar power providers declines 5 percent annually for rooftop installations, and 6.5 percent for free-field installations, beginning on January 1, 2009.

But the Ministry of the Environment recently released a draft proposal to accelerate the tariff reductions to 7 percent annual reductions for rooftop and 8.5 percent for free-field.

And while the feed-in for solar PV is being ratcheted back, the tariff for onshore wind farms will be increased from EUR 7.9 to 9.2 cents/kilowatt-hour (kWh). The tariff for offshore wind will go up to EUR 13 cents/kWh (Renewable Energy World).

Tim Hurst ecopolitology

It took me a minute...

...but I was able to confirm my status as a 'certain kind of geek.'

Tim Hurst ecopolitology.org

What else do they differ on?

So RFK Jr. and Uncle Teddy have parted ways in terms of presidential endorsements, does that mean they have parted ways on other political issues too? I haven't heard much of anything from either of them about the Federal EIS that supported Cape Wind.

Has one or the other of the anti-Cape Wind Kennedys jumped ship in the middle of Nantucket Sound only to climb aboard the Greenpeace fleet?

Tim Hurst ecopolitology.org

Obama is making it difficult

...for me to support him fully. Now that my Johnny E. has gone the way of Mike Gravel (has Gravel gone away yet?), I will be supporting another candidate.

I've said it a hundred times before. If Obama wants to win in the purple states of the American West next Tuesday, he needs to speak directly to our big issues (i.e. climate, energy, environment).

Although Colorado certainly has a strong presence in the coal industry, there are just as many people here who want to move away from coal - clean or otherwise

Tim Hurst ecopolitology.org

I bet Bernie Sanders won't vote for it.

But then again, he is a socialist and all. IMHO this is not a good bill.

Tim Hurst ecopolitology.org

oops...

Okay Kucinich probably won't say anything at the debate itself since it is a Republican debate.

But you know what I mean!

Tim Hurst ecopolitology.org

Thank You Grist...

for providing something beyond the usual Wolf Blitzer-orchestrated circus of soundbite questions, "raise your hand if..." questions, and "yes or no" questions.

Dave, I couldn't notice that your shoes were old and I wasn't questioning your exercise regimen. However, I did notice that you presented eloquent and thoughtful questions. I honestly think that some of your questions were so sharp, and 'on it', that the candidates did not always answer them -- I think because they are all so used to stumping that they kept slipping into off-topic soliloquies.  

Finally, Barack Obama did not help his cause here in the Western states where enviro/energy issues are very salient. I agree with Greta that Sen. Clinton did offer some substantive specifics, but they were partially obscured by her pandering to the Hollywood environmental elite.

Timothy B. Hurst ecopolitology.blogspot.com

Red Sox Power into World Series

Greening?  We'll see. I'd love to see the new park really institutionalize a green consciousness in that great old building. It would me even prouder to be a Red Sox fan...and a Rockies fan second!On Red Sox partner with NRDC to green Fenway Park posted 2 years, 1 month ago 5 Responses

The Purpling of the American West

Spot on, Brian.
Sen. Domenici's denier-ideology and his ubiquitous foot-dragging style has created problems for significant environmental legislation. Historically, Westerners have been notorious ticket-splitters and for that reason it would not surprise me if Sen. Domenici's seat was taken by another Republican.

Having said that, we are also witnessing a demographic change in the American southwest and mountain states that is moving the states further to the left. One only need to look at recent elections in Montana and Colorado to see that pattern. The utility of the red state/blue state is coming into question as we now begin to see solid patches of purple.

Timothy B. Hurst ecopolitology.blogspot.com

Watch this interview on E&E too!

Avery and Singer: "We're not powerful enough to ruin the planet"

http://eenews.net/tv/video_guide/503

Timothy B. Hurst ecopolitology.blogspot.com

Energy Bill Reconciliation Will Not Be Pretty

I agree with kenrosso. Both energy bills show glimpses of wisdom. However, neither of them is strong enough, and reconciling the two will be no easy task. I am afraid that the few sharp edges found in the two bills will need to be smoothed out in order to get it past W's desk.

As it stands now, individual states and municipalities are showing the most leadership in issues of climate change, but relying solely on them to tackle this problem will bring uneven, piecemeal legislation, as well as the potential for a "race to the bottom." On the bright side, this country is undergoing a demographic metamorphosis which might just bring real change to the places it is needed most.  

For more on bill reconciliation and the renewable  the emergent politics of renewable energy visit http://ecopolitology.blogspot.comOn Dream a Little Ream of Me posted 2 years, 3 months ago 3 Responses