#Energy cost reduction

[rachelsdryervent]

Vent Cleaning Benefits

Hi, I’m Rachel Bennett. I am a home maintenance expert based in El Paso, TX, passionate about educating families on the risks of neglected dryer vents. Outside of work, I love hiking, cooking, and participating in local charity events.

[justnownews]

Punjab Government Announces Electricity Relief for Consumers

In a significant move, the Punjab government has announced a relief package for electricity consumers, offering a reduction of PKR 14 per unit for users consuming between 201 and 500 units per month. This decision is aimed at providing financial relief to domestic consumers facing high electricity costs.However, the relief will not be applicable to those using up to 200 units. According to…

[futureaircleaning]

Maximizing Comfort: The Essential Guide to Attic Insulation

Explore the comprehensive guide to optimizing your home’s comfort with proper attic insulation. From understanding insulation materials to DIY installation tips and professional insights, this resource equips you with everything you need to keep your space cozy and energy-efficient year-round. Say goodbye to drafty rooms and skyrocketing energy bills – welcome a warmer, more sustainable living environment today! Future Air Cleaning (888) 7195-717 2721 Morgan dr, San Ramon, CA 94583, USA https://futureaircleaning.com/ https://maps.app.goo.gl/JuKpKqKMYpaYsPta8

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Real innovation vs Silicon Valley nonsense

This is the LAST DAY to get my bestselling solarpunk utopian novel THE LOST CAUSE (2023) as a $2.99, DRM-free ebook!

If there was any area where we needed a lot of "innovation," it's in climate tech. We've already blown through numerous points-of-no-return for a habitable Earth, and the pace is accelerating.

Silicon Valley claims to be the epicenter of American innovation, but what passes for innovation in Silicon Valley is some combination of nonsense, climate-wrecking tech, and climate-wrecking nonsense tech. Forget Jeff Hammerbacher's lament about "the best minds of my generation thinking about how to make people click ads." Today's best-paid, best-trained technologists are enlisted to making boobytrapped IoT gadgets:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/24/record-scratch/#autoenshittification

Planet-destroying cryptocurrency scams:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/15/your-new-first-name/#that-dagger-tho

NFT frauds:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/06/crypto-copyright-%f0%9f%a4%a1%f0%9f%92%a9/

Or planet-destroying AI frauds:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/29/pay-no-attention/#to-the-little-man-behind-the-curtain

If that was the best "innovation" the human race had to offer, we'd be fucking doomed.

But – as Ryan Cooper writes for The American Prospect – there's a far more dynamic, consequential, useful and exciting innovation revolution underway, thanks to muscular public spending on climate tech:

https://prospect.org/environment/2024-05-30-green-energy-revolution-real-innovation/

The green energy revolution – funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the CHIPS Act and the Science Act – is accomplishing amazing feats, which are barely registering amid the clamor of AI nonsense and other hype. I did an interview a while ago about my climate novel The Lost Cause and the interviewer wanted to know what role AI would play in resolving the climate emergency. I was momentarily speechless, then I said, "Well, I guess maybe all the energy used to train and operate models could make it much worse? What role do you think it could play?" The interviewer had no answer.

Here's brief tour of the revolution:

2023 saw 32GW of new solar energy come online in the USA (up 50% from 2022);

Wind increased from 118GW to 141GW;

Grid-scale batteries doubled in 2023 and will double again in 2024;

EV sales increased from 20,000 to 90,000/month.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/blog/2023/12/19/building-a-thriving-clean-energy-economy-in-2023-and-beyond/

The cost of clean energy is plummeting, and that's triggering other areas of innovation, like using "hot rocks" to replace fossil fuel heat (25% of overall US energy consumption):

https://rondo.com/products

Increasing our access to cheap, clean energy will require a lot of materials, and material production is very carbon intensive. Luckily, the existing supply of cheap, clean energy is fueling "green steel" production experiments:

https://www.wdam.com/2024/03/25/americas-1st-green-steel-plant-coming-perry-county-1b-federal-investment/

Cheap, clean energy also makes it possible to recover valuable minerals from aluminum production tailings, a process that doubles as site-remediation:

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/toxic-red-mud-co2-free-iron

And while all this electrification is going to require grid upgrades, there's lots we can do with our existing grid, like power-line automation that increases capacity by 40%:

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/13/1187620367/power-grid-enhancing-technologies-climate-change

It's also going to require a lot of storage, which is why it's so exciting that we're figuring out how to turn decommissioned mines into giant batteries. During the day, excess renewable energy is channeled into raising rock-laden platforms to the top of the mine-shafts, and at night, these unspool, releasing energy that's fed into the high-availability power-lines that are already present at every mine-site:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/02/06/this-disused-mine-in-finland-is-being-turned-into-a-gravity-battery-to-store-renewable-ene

Why are we paying so much attention to Silicon Valley pump-and-dumps and ignoring all this incredible, potentially planet-saving, real innovation? Cooper cites a plausible explanation from the Apperceptive newsletter:

https://buttondown.email/apperceptive/archive/destructive-investing-and-the-siren-song-of/

Silicon Valley is the land of low-capital, low-labor growth. Software development requires fewer people than infrastructure and hard goods manufacturing, both to get started and to run as an ongoing operation. Silicon Valley is the place where you get rich without creating jobs. It's run by investors who hate the idea of paying people. That's why AI is so exciting for Silicon Valley types: it lets them fantasize about making humans obsolete. A company without employees is a company without labor issues, without messy co-determination fights, without any moral consideration for others. It's the natural progression for an industry that started by misclassifying the workers in its buildings as "contractors," and then graduated to pretending that millions of workers were actually "independent small businesses."

It's also the natural next step for an industry that hates workers so much that it will pretend that their work is being done by robots, and then outsource the labor itself to distant Indian call-centers (no wonder Indian techies joke that "AI" stands for "absent Indians"):

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/17/fake-it-until-you-dont-make-it/#twenty-one-seconds

Contrast this with climate tech: this is a profoundly physical kind of technology. It is labor intensive. It is skilled. The workers who perform it have power, both because they are so far from their employers' direct oversight and because these fed-funded sectors are more likely to be unionized than Silicon Valley shops. Moreover, climate tech is capital intensive. All of those workers are out there moving stuff around: solar panels, wires, batteries.

Climate tech is infrastructural. As Deb Chachra writes in her must-read 2023 book How Infrastructure Works, infrastructure is a gift we give to our descendants. Infrastructure projects rarely pay for themselves during the lives of the people who decide to build them:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/17/care-work/#charismatic-megaprojects

Climate tech also produces gigantic, diffused, uncapturable benefits. The "social cost of carbon" is a measure that seeks to capture how much we all pay as polluters despoil our shared world. It includes the direct health impacts of burning fossil fuels, and the indirect costs of wildfires and extreme weather events. The "social savings" of climate tech are massive:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/climate-and-health-benefits-of-wind-and-solar-dwarf-all-subsidies/

For every MWh of renewable power produced, we save $100 in social carbon costs. That's $100 worth of people not sickening and dying from pollution, $100 worth of homes and habitats not burning down or disappearing under floodwaters. All told, US renewables have delivered $250,000,000,000 (one quarter of one trillion dollars) in social carbon savings over the past four years:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/climate-and-health-benefits-of-wind-and-solar-dwarf-all-subsidies/

In other words, climate tech is unselfish tech. It's a gift to the future and to the broad public. It shares its spoils with workers. It requires public action. By contrast, Silicon Valley is greedy tech that is relentlessly focused on the shortest-term returns that can be extracted with the least share going to labor. It also requires massive public investment, but it also totally committed to giving as little back to the public as is possible.

No wonder America's richest and most powerful people are lining up to endorse and fund Trump:

https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2024-05-30-democracy-deshmocracy-mega-financiers-flocking-to-trump/

Silicon Valley epitomizes Stafford Beer's motto that "the purpose of a system is what it does." If Silicon Valley produces nothing but planet-wrecking nonsense, grifty scams, and planet-wrecking, nonsensical scams, then these are all features of the tech sector, not bugs.

As Anil Dash writes:

Driving change requires us to make the machine want something else. If the purpose of a system is what it does, and we don’t like what it does, then we have to change the system.

https://www.anildash.com/2024/05/29/systems-the-purpose-of-a-system/

To give climate tech the attention, excitement, and political will it deserves, we need to recalibrate our understanding of the world. We need to have object permanence. We need to remember just how few people were actually using cryptocurrency during the bubble and apply that understanding to AI hype. Only 2% of Britons surveyed in a recent study use AI tools:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c511x4g7x7jo

If we want our tech companies to do good, we have to understand that their ground state is to create planet-wrecking nonsense, grifty scams, and planet-wrecking, nonsensical scams. We need to make these companies small enough to fail, small enough to jail, and small enough to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

We need to hold companies responsible, and we need to change the microeconomics of the board room, to make it easier for tech workers who want to do good to shout down the scammers, nonsense-peddlers and grifters:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

Yesterday, a federal judge ruled that the FTC could hold Amazon executives personally liable for the decision to trick people into signing up for Prime, and for making the unsubscribe-from-Prime process into a Kafka-as-a-service nightmare:

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2024/05/amazon-execs-may-be-personally-liable-for-tricking-users-into-prime-sign-ups/

Imagine how powerful a precedent this could set. The Amazon employees who vociferously objected to their bosses' decision to make Prime as confusing as possible could have raised the objection that doing this could end up personally costing those bosses millions of dollars in fines:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

We need to make climate tech, not Big Tech, the center of our scrutiny and will. The climate emergency is so terrifying as to be nearly unponderable. Science fiction writers are increasingly being called upon to try to frame this incomprehensible risk in human terms. SF writer (and biologist) Peter Watts's conversation with evolutionary biologist Dan Brooks is an eye-opener:

https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/the-collapse-is-coming-will-humanity-adapt/

They draw a distinction between "sustainability" meaning "what kind of technological fixes can we come up with that will allow us to continue to do business as usual without paying a penalty for it?" and sustainability meaning, "what changes in behavior will allow us to save ourselves with the technology that is possible?"

Writing about the Watts/Brooks dialog for Naked Capitalism, Yves Smith invokes William Gibson's The Peripheral:

With everything stumbling deeper into a ditch of shit, history itself become a slaughterhouse, science had started popping. Not all at once, no one big heroic thing, but there were cleaner, cheaper energy sources, more effective ways to get carbon out of the air, new drugs that did what antibiotics had done before…. Ways to print food that required much less in the way of actual food to begin with. So everything, however deeply fucked in general, was lit increasingly by the new, by things that made people blink and sit up, but then the rest of it would just go on, deeper into the ditch. A progress accompanied by constant violence, he said, by sufferings unimaginable.

https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2024/05/preparing-for-collapse-why-the-focus-on-climate-energy-sustainability-is-destructive.html

Gibson doesn't think this is likely, mind, and even if it's attainable, it will come amidst "unimaginable suffering."

But the universe of possible technologies is quite large. As Chachra points out in How Infrastructure Works, we could give every person on Earth a Canadian's energy budget (like an American's, but colder), by capturing a mere 0.4% of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface every day. Doing this will require heroic amounts of material and labor, especially if we're going to do it without destroying the planet through material extraction and manufacturing.

These are the questions that we should be concerning ourselves with: what behavioral changes will allow us to realize cheap, abundant, green energy? What "innovations" will our society need to focus on the things we need, rather than the scams and nonsense that creates Silicon Valley fortunes?

How can we use planning, and solidarity, and codetermination to usher in the kind of tech that makes it possible for us to get through the climate bottleneck with as little death and destruction as possible? How can we use enforcement, discernment, and labor rights to thwart the enshittificatory impulses of Silicon Valley's biggest assholes?

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/30/posiwid/#social-cost-of-carbon

[just2bruce]

Carbon Capture for ships - current state

Some people think carbon capture onboard is going to be important in meeting emissions goals for ships. There is some entrepreneurship, and some interest by large oil producers and purveyors. However, many problems remain to be solved. There is essentially no ‘supply chain’ to handle the liquefied carbon product the ships produce onboard from running the carbon capture equipment. Liquid CO2 has…

[invidiatechdemo]

remind me to write up my big meandering thesis about what i'm assuming the standard ecology of yonder pecharunt is like, because i unfortunately have been rotating them in my mind for the past weeks.

[rajeshwaria]

Unlocking Cost and Risk Reduction in Energy Procurement

Introduction

Energy procurement is a high-stakes game, where pricing volatility and supply uncertainties can significantly impact a company’s bottom line. At SpendEdge, we specialize in designing energy procurement strategies that minimize costs and mitigate risks, ensuring that your organization can continue operations smoothly and cost-effectively.

Understanding the Challenges of Energy Procurement

The energy sector’s unpredictable nature, marked by fluctuating prices, supply chain disruptions, and policy changes, can leave businesses vulnerable. To manage these risks, companies need to adopt proactive procurement strategies that balance cost management and long-term supply reliability.

Core Energy Procurement Strategies

1. Comprehensive Energy Market Analysis The first step to securing cost-effective energy procurement is understanding the market landscape.

Identifying Market Patterns: Use historical data to understand price trends and seasonal behaviors.

Predictive Analytics: Leverage forecasting tools to anticipate market changes and plan procurement strategies accordingly.

Risk Identification: Regularly assess potential energy market risks to develop proactive risk management plans.

2. Expand Energy Sourcing Options Limiting energy sources can expose businesses to significant risks, particularly when market prices spike or supplies are disrupted.

Diversified Sources: Integrate renewable energy sources such as wind and solar to protect against fossil fuel price volatility.

Supplier Variety: Work with a diverse set of suppliers to ensure a continuous energy supply.

Long-Term Contracts: Secure long-term agreements with multiple suppliers to protect against price hikes and supply shortages.

3. Boosting Energy Efficiency Incorporating energy-saving measures reduces overall consumption and protects against price volatility.

Efficiency Audits: Conduct regular audits to identify wasteful energy practices and implement improvements.

Adopt Green Technologies: Invest in energy-efficient technologies to reduce long-term consumption.

Promote Energy-Conscious Culture: Engage employees to adopt energy-efficient practices and behaviors.

4. Embrace Automation and Technology By integrating cutting-edge technologies, businesses can optimize energy procurement processes.

Real-Time Monitoring: Use energy management systems to track energy use in real-time and optimize consumption.

Automated Procurement: Automate procurement processes to streamline decision-making and enhance efficiency.

Data-Driven Insights: Utilize big data to analyze consumption patterns and improve procurement outcomes.

5. Secure Favorable Contracts Contract negotiations play a vital role in mitigating procurement risks and securing better energy rates.

Negotiate Flexible Terms: Develop flexible contracts that allow for price adjustments based on market conditions.

Use Hedging Strategies: Lock in fixed prices to shield against sudden price fluctuations.

Incorporate Performance Clauses: Ensure that suppliers meet agreed-upon service levels through performance clauses.

6. Collaborative Procurement Solutions Collaborating with other businesses can amplify buying power and lead to better pricing and terms.

Group Purchasing: Join forces with industry peers to take advantage of bulk purchasing discounts.

Shared Knowledge: Leverage the collective experience and insights of multiple organizations to improve procurement strategies.

Joint Negotiations: Use the collective bargaining power to negotiate better deals with suppliers.

The Advantages of Optimized Energy Procurement

Cost Reduction: Significantly reduce energy expenses through better procurement strategies and diversified energy sources.

Risk Minimization: Protect against energy price fluctuations and supply disruptions with flexible contracts and hedging strategies.

Sustainability: Enhance your company’s sustainability efforts by investing in renewable energy sources and energy-efficient practices.

Operational Efficiency: Streamline procurement processes using automation and data analytics.

Stronger Supplier Partnerships: Build long-lasting relationships with suppliers to ensure reliability and better service.

SpendEdge’s Success in Energy Procurement

SpendEdge has a proven history of helping businesses optimize their energy procurement strategies. In one case, a leading global tech company reduced its energy costs by 18% through strategic sourcing, market analysis, and technology-driven insights, all while enhancing sustainability through renewable energy adoption.

Conclusion

A strategic approach to energy procurement can drive substantial cost savings and risk reduction. By leveraging market analysis, diversifying energy sources, implementing efficiency measures, adopting technology, and negotiating strategic contracts, businesses can secure a reliable energy future. SpendEdge’s expertise in energy procurement provides the tools and strategies necessary to navigate these challenges with confidence and success.

For more information please contact

[glzwoodw]

Funding The Great Australian Housing Scheme.

I recently wrote an article "How to Build 1.2 Million Homes in 5 Years," which discussed my idea of building all of these homes identically and why it might work.  I tagged this idea "The Great Australian Housing Scheme," and shortly after publishing that article, I realised I needed to raise a few more dollars for the scheme.

With that in mind, I've written a new article titled "Funding The Great Australian Housing Scheme," of which I would like to talk about today.

I’m the first to admit this article is a little "out there," but perhaps this is exactly what's needed; after all, we're not doing a great job of building people the homes they so desperately need.

I devised some novel funding strategies, such as selling and restructuring government-owned media assets and optimising public service salaries, in order to generate significant funding.

I suppose the purpose of my new article is to emphasise that unless we are willing to take some "Tough Measures" to ensure success, neither my plan nor any other plan is worth considering.

For my mind:

1 homeless person in Australia is one too many &

1 family living in a tent due to no affordable housing available is too many.

As a result, I believe that challenging measures such as streamlined land acquisition, zoning reform, and regulatory changes should be implemented as soon as possible.

Significant tax breaks would also be required, as would relaxed guidelines for international investment and the implementation of strict cost monitoring and control systems.

I also emphasise the importance of community consultation, displacement mitigation, local business integration, and adequate provision of social infrastructure such as schools and hospitals.

There is also the issue of "Urgency vs. Democracy," where we must strike a balance between the need for immediate action and the preservation of democratic values and open debate.

If only those in charge cared about:

Preventing homelessness,

Ensuring everyone gets an affordable home &

Preventing any further building and construction companies from going bankrupt.

as much as they seem to care about:

Constantly increasing the overhead costs of government by creating and growing departments that nobody wants or needs,

Constantly increasing their own pays as well as the hundreds of bureaucrats pays &

Immigration policies that seem to have caused us substantial financial harm.

I might have digressed a little bit here but this is in line with the reason for the article I'm referring to; if you'd like to read it, here's the link.: Funding The Great Australian Housing Scheme - GLZ Woodworking

[techdriveplay]

How to Monitor and Control Your Energy Usage with Tech

In an era where sustainability and cost-efficiency are at the forefront of global conversations, learning how to monitor and control your energy usage with tech is not just beneficial—it’s essential. With energy costs rising and climate concerns escalating, leveraging technology to reduce consumption and optimise efficiency has become increasingly accessible. Whether you’re looking to save money,…

[solarkart]

Solar panel savings for companies

Solar panel savings for companies

Harnessing Solar Energy: A Game-Changer for Businesses

In today's fast-paced world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to enhance their profitability, reduce operating costs, and build a reputation for corporate responsibility. One solution that addresses all these goals is solar energy. By transitioning to solar power, businesses can unlock a multitude of benefits that go beyond just reducing their electricity bills. Here's why more and more companies are making the switch to solar energy. Commercial solar installation

1.Significant Cost Savings

The most immediate and obvious benefit of solar energy for businesses is the reduction in energy costs. Traditional electricity prices are volatile and often on the rise. Solar energy benefits for businesses By installing solar panels, companies can generate their own electricity, significantly lowering their reliance on the grid and stabilizing energy costs. In many cases, the savings on electricity bills can be substantial, allowing businesses to recoup their initial investment in just a few years.

2. Return on Investment (ROI)

While the upfront costs of installing solar panels can be high, the long-term financial benefits are undeniable. Solar energy systems typically come with warranties of 25 years or more, and once the system is paid off, the electricity it generates is virtually free. Business solar power solutions additionally, many governments offer tax credits, rebates, and other incentives to businesses that invest in renewable energy, further enhancing the ROI.

3. Environmental Impact and Corporate Social Responsibility

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of the businesses they support. By adopting solar energy, companies can significantly reduce their carbon footprint, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability. Corporate renewable energy This not only helps the environment but also strengthens a company's brand image. Customers and clients are more likely to engage with businesses that prioritize eco-friendly practices, giving companies a competitive edge in the market. Solar panel savings for companies

4. Energy Independence and Reliability

Relying on traditional energy sources can leave businesses vulnerable to price hikes, supply shortages, and power outages. Solar energy provides a level of energy independence that can protect businesses from these risks. With solar power, companies can generate a portion, if not all, of their electricity needs on-site, ensuring a more reliable energy supply. Some businesses also choose to pair solar panels with battery storage systems, allowing them to store excess energy for use during peak hours or outages.

5. Increased Property Value

Commercial properties equipped with solar energy systems often see an increase in property value. Potential buyers or tenants recognize the long-term cost savings and environmental benefits of solar energy, making such properties more attractive. Green energy for businesses This can be a significant advantage for businesses that own their premises, providing an additional financial incentive to go solar. Green energy for businesses

6. Job Creation and Economic Growth

Investing in solar energy can also contribute to the broader economy. Commercial solar panel benefits The solar industry is a major job creator, with opportunities ranging from manufacturing to installation to maintenance. By supporting the growth of this industry, businesses help foster economic development while contributing to a more sustainable energy future. Solar energy tax incentives

7. Compliance with Regulatory Standards

As governments worldwide ramp up efforts to combat climate change, regulations surrounding energy use and emissions are becoming stricter. Businesses that proactively adopt solar energy are better positioned to comply with current and future regulations, avoiding potential fines or penalties. Solar power ROI for businesses Moreover, businesses that exceed regulatory requirements may be eligible for additional incentives or recognition.

8. Long-Term Sustainability

Finally, solar energy is a renewable resource, meaning it will never run out. Sustainable business practices As fossil fuels become scarcer and more expensive, businesses that rely on solar power will be better prepared for the future. This long-term sustainability ensures that companies can continue to operate efficiently and profitably, regardless of the challenges posed by energy markets.

Conclusion

The shift to solar energy is not just a trend—it's a strategic decision that offers numerous benefits for businesses. From significant cost savings and a strong ROI to environmental responsibility and enhanced brand reputation, the advantages of going solar are clear. As the world moves towards a more sustainable future, businesses that invest in solar energy today will be the ones leading the way tomorrow.

Commercial solar installation, solar energy benefits for businesses, Business solar power solutions, corporate renewable energy, Solar panel savings for companies, Green energy for businesses, Commercial solar panel benefits, Solar energy tax incentives, Solar power ROI for businesses, Sustainable business practices, Energy cost reduction with solar, Solar investment for companies, Corporate sustainability initiatives, Solar power for large enterprises, Renewable energy adoption in business

[reasonsforhope]

No paywall version here.

"Two and a half years ago, when I was asked to help write the most authoritative report on climate change in the United States, I hesitated...

In the end, I said yes, but reluctantly. Frankly, I was sick of admonishing people about how bad things could get. Scientists have raised the alarm over and over again, and still the temperature rises. Extreme events like heat waves, floods and droughts are becoming more severe and frequent, exactly as we predicted they would. We were proved right. It didn’t seem to matter.

Our report, which was released on Tuesday, contains more dire warnings. There are plenty of new reasons for despair. Thanks to recent scientific advances, we can now link climate change to specific extreme weather disasters, and we have a better understanding of how the feedback loops in the climate system can make warming even worse. We can also now more confidently forecast catastrophic outcomes if global emissions continue on their current trajectory.

But to me, the most surprising new finding in the Fifth National Climate Assessment is this: There has been genuine progress, too.

I’m used to mind-boggling numbers, and there are many of them in this report. Human beings have put about 1.6 trillion tons of carbon in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution — more than the weight of every living thing on Earth combined. But as we wrote the report, I learned other, even more mind-boggling numbers. In the last decade, the cost of wind energy has declined by 70 percent and solar has declined 90 percent. Renewables now make up 80 percent of new electricity generation capacity. Our country’s greenhouse gas emissions are falling, even as our G.D.P. and population grow.

In the report, we were tasked with projecting future climate change. We showed what the United States would look like if the world warms by 2 degrees Celsius. It wasn’t a pretty picture: more heat waves, more uncomfortably hot nights, more downpours, more droughts. If greenhouse emissions continue to rise, we could reach that point in the next couple of decades. If they fall a little, maybe we can stave it off until the middle of the century. But our findings also offered a glimmer of hope: If emissions fall dramatically, as the report suggested they could, we may never reach 2 degrees Celsius at all.

For the first time in my career, I felt something strange: optimism.

And that simple realization was enough to convince me that releasing yet another climate report was worthwhile.

Something has changed in the United States, and not just the climate. State, local and tribal governments all around the country have begun to take action. Some politicians now actually campaign on climate change, instead of ignoring or lying about it. Congress passed federal climate legislation — something I’d long regarded as impossible — in 2022 as we turned in the first draft.

[Note: She's talking about the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Act, which despite the names were the two biggest climate packages passed in US history. And their passage in mid 2022 was a big turning point: that's when, for the first time in decades, a lot of scientists started looking at the numbers - esp the ones that would come from the IRA's funding - and said "Wait, holy shit, we have an actual chance."]

And while the report stresses the urgency of limiting warming to prevent terrible risks, it has a new message, too: We can do this. We now know how to make the dramatic emissions cuts we’d need to limit warming, and it’s very possible to do this in a way that’s sustainable, healthy and fair.

The conversation has moved on, and the role of scientists has changed. We’re not just warning of danger anymore. We’re showing the way to safety.

I was wrong about those previous reports: They did matter, after all. While climate scientists were warning the world of disaster, a small army of scientists, engineers, policymakers and others were getting to work. These first responders have helped move us toward our climate goals. Our warnings did their job.

To limit global warming, we need many more people to get on board... We need to reach those who haven’t yet been moved by our warnings. I’m not talking about the fossil fuel industry here; nor do I particularly care about winning over the small but noisy group of committed climate deniers. But I believe we can reach the many people whose eyes glaze over when they hear yet another dire warning or see another report like the one we just published.

The reason is that now, we have a better story to tell. The evidence is clear: Responding to climate change will not only create a better world for our children and grandchildren, but it will also make the world better for us right now.

Eliminating the sources of greenhouse gas emissions will make our air and water cleaner, our economy stronger and our quality of life better. It could save hundreds of thousands or even millions of lives across the country through air quality benefits alone. Using land more wisely can both limit climate change and protect biodiversity. Climate change most strongly affects communities that get a raw deal in our society: people with low incomes, people of color, children and the elderly. And climate action can be an opportunity to redress legacies of racism, neglect and injustice.

I could still tell you scary stories about a future ravaged by climate change, and they’d be true, at least on the trajectory we’re currently on. But it’s also true that we have a once-in-human-history chance not only to prevent the worst effects but also to make the world better right now. It would be a shame to squander this opportunity. So I don’t just want to talk about the problems anymore. I want to talk about the solutions. Consider this your last warning from me."

-via New York Times. Opinion essay by leading climate scientist Kate Marvel. November 18, 2023.

[buddyverse]

3 Ways to Beat the Tariff Hike: Tips for Saving on Electricity Costs in Nigeria

Nigeria's electricity sector reform is a delicate balancing act. While the government seeks financial sustainability, it must also prioritize the well-being of its citizens. Close monitoring, targeted interventions, and a commitment to transparency will..

Band A Hit Harder: Understanding Nigeria’s Latest Electricity Tariff Adjustments Nigeria’s electricity sector has been a topic of national conversation for years. Recent adjustments to electricity tariffs have reignited the debate, with Nigerians grappling with the potential impact on their wallets and the health of the power industry. Here, we delve into the complexities of the situation,…

[homeimprovementrefferal]

Smart Thermostat For Energy Efficiency At Your Home

Smart Thermostat For Energy Efficiency At Your Home - #homeimprovementreferral #Energy - https://www.homeimprovementreferral.com/smart-thermostat-for-energy-efficiency-at-your-home-2024-03/

[futureaircleaning]

Elevating Efficiency: Unveiling the Advantages of Attic Insulation

In the quest to enhance home energy efficiency, attic insulation emerges as a pivotal solution. Attic insulation not only helps maintain a more consistent indoor temperature throughout the year but can also significantly reduce energy costs and enhance home comfort.

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Understanding R-Values: Choosing the Right Insulation for Your Attic

Starting the process of enhancing your attic's insulation begins with grasping the essentials of R-Values. Through this detailed exploration, we unlock the complexities surrounding R-Values, clarifying the insulation puzzle to guide you towards making knowledgeable choices for superior attic insulation.

Understanding R-Values in Attic Insulation R-Values act as the key to unlocking the thermal resistance capabilities of insulation materials. Explore the importance of R-Values in attic insulation, uncovering how these metrics influence the effectiveness of materials in blocking heat flow.

Adjusting Insulation According to Climate: The Role of R-Values

Your living environment significantly influences the appropriate R-Value for your attic insulation. This manual illustrates how R-Values correlate with different climate zones, offering a strategy for homeowners to customize their insulation to achieve optimal performance in both hot summers and cold winters.

Evaluating Insulation Materials: The Role of R-Values

Insulation materials vary widely, with R-Values highlighting these differences. Delve into the comparison of insulation materials based on R-Values, enabling you to select options that meet your requirements for energy conservation and personal comfort.

Achieving Excellence in Attic Insulation through R-Values

The secret to excelling in attic insulation is a thorough comprehension and application of R-Values. This resource acts as your guide through the essential elements of home insulation, aiding in decisions that boost energy efficiency, increase comfort, and promote eco-friendly living practices. With R-Values leading the way, you're on the path to upgrading your attic into a space that efficiently maintains temperature control, irrespective of the weather outside.

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