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Hundreds of US localities restrict renewables siting, with 293 projects currently contested: Columbia report

  • 1.  Hundreds of US localities restrict renewables siting, with 293 projects currently contested: Columbia report

    Silver
    Contributor
    Posted 06-12-2023 03:24 PM
    "The report demonstrates that local opposition to renewable energy facilities is widespread and growing, and represents a potentially significant impediment to achievement of climate goals"


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    Ella Nielsen
    Membership & Engagement Manager
    American Solar Energy Society
    Boulder CO
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  • 2.  RE: Hundreds of US localities restrict renewables siting, with 293 projects currently contested: Columbia report

    Silver
    Contributor
    Posted 06-13-2023 08:52 AM

    Its multi faceted like most things are. NIMBY is always present for anything you can see, hear or smell. The "state" has always deemed eminent domain when it comes to power infrastructure. Gas pipe lines, high tension wires, dams, etc..

    RE has the additional hurtle that there is no money to be made on fuel supplies by the FFI. Electric utilities like solar as long as they own it. They can profit. But even with that, there is no one making money selling coal, uranium, gas etc. to the utilities. So the OVERALL "picture" is less captialistic. Free energy doesn't fit (But yes, frees for me).

    The successful polarization of RE has also allowed the adoption rate to be proportional to the "Party" politics further slowing down adoption. 

    The graph I attached is one that has been floating around recently regarding CO2 PPM. You take a close look at that and we at no time have made even a ding in the acceleration upward. By 2200 or 2250 we will be at the Cretaceous level of CO2, 1000PPM range. Just no Dinos and probably just the cockroaches and some other cold blooded life.

    Honestly we will very likely have a Nuclear "event" long before that which will most likely yield Nuclear Summer (After Nuclear Winter) and run away global heating....

    SO as they say, Party like its 1999....

    CO2 PPM over time
    Let the sun shine...


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    william fitch
    Owner
    www.WeAreSolar.com
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Hundreds of US localities restrict renewables siting, with 293 projects currently contested: Columbia report

    Posted 06-13-2023 10:24 AM
    There is a wind project in the Horse Heaven Hills in my area (Eastern Washington) that is getting lots of opposition, including from some of my environmental friends in the classic case of NIMBYism.  There was a good article in the May-June Mother Jones by Bill McKibben that I think was spot on for this situation, but the problem is getting anyone to read it.  It does not help that it was in Mother Jones, which any right leaning people will generally refuse to read.  That said, RE projects should not just be blanketly pushed through.  There are important processes such as NEPA (or what is left of it) that need to be followed to ensure impacts are identified and mitigated.  Often this may just mean some wise modification to a project.  I think the NEPA process could address some of the major complaints on the Horse Heaven project, but the perception by those opposed is that NEPA/SEPA are being mostly ignored in the rush to get the project done.  They may be right in this case, though largely this perception falls along party lines.



    Original Message