Lethal Heating: 07/05/16

05/07/2016

Solar Energy to Power India of the Future

Summary

India’s plan to ramp up solar power generation to 100 GW by 2022 is among the largest in the world. It will help bring sustainable, clean, climate-friendly electricity to millions of India’s people.
The World Bank Group (WBG) is helping India deliver on its plans with more than $1 billion in lending over FY 2017. This is the Bank’s largest-ever support for solar power in any country.
The WBG is also backing the India-led International Solar Alliance which aims to promote solar use globally by mobilizing $1 trillion in investments by 2030.

The World Bank Group is moving to help India deliver on its unprecedented plans to scale up solar energy, from installing solar panels on rooftops to setting up massive solar parks.
This will catapult India to the forefront of the global effort to bring electricity to all, mitigate the effects of climate change, and set the country on a path to become the 'India of the future'.
"The world must turn to (the) sun to power our future," India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the historic COP21 climate conference in Paris last year. "As the developing world lifts billions of people into prosperity, our hope for a sustainable planet rests on a bold, global initiative."
Unveiling its own bold initiative, India pledged that it would derive at least 40% of its energy needs from renewable sources by 2030.
This includes plans for the development of 100 GW of solar energy by 2022, an extremely ambitious target considering the world's installed solar power capacity in 2014 was 181 GW.
Supporting India's solar push is a key part of WBG President Jim Yong Kim's agenda as he visits the country this week. Over FY 2017, the World Bank hopes to provide more than $1 billion to support India's solar plans.
"India's plans to virtually triple the share of renewable energy by 2030 will both transform the country's energy supply and have far-reaching global implications in the fight against climate change," said Kim.
"Prime Minister Modi's personal commitment toward renewable energy, particularly solar, is the driving force behind these investments.
The World Bank Group will do all it can to help India meet its ambitious targets, especially around scaling up solar energy."

"The world must turn to (the) sun to power our future. As the developing world lifts billions of people into prosperity, our hope for a sustainable planet rests on a bold, global initiative."
Narendra Modi
Prime Minister of India

The World Bank has already approved a $625 million loan that will support the Government of India's Grid Connected Rooftop Solar program by financing the installation of solar panels on rooftops across India.
The project draws funds together from the Bank, as well as from the Clean Technology Fund of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), and will mobilize additional funding from public and private investors.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group's private sector arm, is supporting the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh set up the 750-MW ultra-mega solar power project in Rewa. This will be the largest single-site solar power project in the world.
IFC will help structure and implement the transaction to help attract investments of about $750 million. IFC was one of the earliest financiers of wind and solar power in India, and helped develop the country's first grid-connected solar power project.
While in India, Kim is also extending support for the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The alliance, spearheaded by India and France at COP21, brings together 121 countries and aims to mobilize a trillion dollars in investments to increase the use of solar energy. By signing an agreement with the ISA in New Delhi, the WBG paves the way for it to partner with the alliance's member countries to help them deliver on their individual objectives.
In India, the WBG has a number of initiatives in the pipeline.
These include developing solar parks, promoting innovative solutions to generate and store solar power, and providing support for solar mini-grids.
The Bank's backing will help increase the availability of private financing, introduce new technologies, build capacity for solar rooftop units, and enable the development of common infrastructure to support privately developed solar parks across India.
India is already planning to develop one of the largest solar parks in the world.
The 2 GW park in the southern state of Karnataka is expected to generate enough electricity to power nearly 1 million households. The park's supply of clean, renewable solar energy will help reduce CO₂ emissions by 20 million tons a year, and save 3.6 million tons of natural gas which is used to generate electricity.
The success of the solar auction for the park highlights the potential for more such large scale renewable projects in the country.
Generating clean renewable electricity is crucial for India where nearly 300 million people—about a quarter of its population—live without access to electricity.
Today, India is one of the lowest per capita consumers of electricity in the world; even when people are connected to the electricity grid, they face frequent disruptions.
Add to that the projected economic growth and the increase in population, and the demand for energy in India is expected to double by 2040.
"With around 300 days of sunshine every year, India has among the best conditions in the world to harness solar energy.
The rapid expansion of solar power can improve the quality of life for millions of Indians, especially for its poorest citizens. It can also create thousands of jobs in the solar industry and underpin progress in all areas of development, helping the country fulfil its dream of becoming the 'India of the future'," said Onno Ruhl, World Bank Country Director in India.
Solar Powers Brighter, Greener Future for India

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Global Coral Bleaching Continues For a Record Third Year

Climate Central - Brian Kahn

Bad coral reef news seems to be never-ending these days. Case in point: on Monday, scientists announced that the world is in for an unprecedented third year of coral bleaching across the globe. The announcement comes courtesy of NOAA Coral Reef Watch, which keeps an eye on a number of climate factors that can stress reefs out. That includes rising ocean temperatures, which have absolutely pummeled reefs in recent years and will only ratchet up the pressure as the globe continues to warm.

A dying giant clam in the Great Barrier Reef following severe bleaching in winter 2016. Credit: XL Catlin Seaview Survey

"This is the most widespread, longest coral bleaching event ever to occur globally," Mark Eakin, the director of NOAA Coral Reef Watch, said. Over the past two years, reefs have been essentially boiled to death in parts of every ocean basin on earth. Abnormally hot waters have turned vibrant coral communities into pale white ghost towns as heat has sapped coral of the algae they need to survive. That includes a tragedy unfolding in the Great Barrier Reef, which could be permanently reshaped by rising ocean temperatures.
It kicked off in 2014, when El Niño was still bubbling, and it's still going strong in the middle of 2016 despite El Niño's demise. Bleaching alerts are in place through fall despite increasing odds of La Niña, a Pacific Ocean phenomenon which tends to cool the planet a bit as a whole.There are only two other global coral bleaching events to precede this one: 1998 and 2010. Both came during El Niño years. This event is a different creature, though. Not all parts of the ocean are cooler than normal during La Niña, however. In particular, NOAA Coral Reef Watch sounded the alarm for Palau and the Federate State of Micronesia, which sit on the edge of the horseshoe of warm water that typically forms during La Niña in the western tropical Pacific.
Both are small island nations where reefs play a vital role in tourism and storm surge protection. Other areas such as the Caribbean are still dealing with the added heat of El Niño propagating through the ocean and can expect bleaching risks to remain this summer and fall.

Coral bleaching forecast through September 2016. Credit: NOAA Coral Reef Watch

That risks extends to many reefs in the U.S. including the Florida Keys, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Other U.S. reefs are also at risk through the fall including those near Hawaii, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Overall, U.S. reefs have been disproportionately affected by bleaching by dint of their wide geographical reach.
"More than 70 percent of U.S. reefs have already been hit," Eakin said, noting that in comparison, 40 percent of reefs have been affected globally.
In some areas such as Florida, the bleaching event has lasted so long that reefs have been beset by bleaching twice and could be in for their third go-round this summer and fall.
The U.S. is far from the only place to suffer, though. The Great Barrier Reef has also been hit hard with up to 93 percent of the reef showing signs of bleaching. The damage was so extensive, it brought scientists to tears. Research released in April showed that global warming made the bleaching there up to 175 times more likely.

Scientists surveying coral bleaching in the Maldives in May 2016. Credit: XL Catlin Seaview Survey

Other parts of the ocean have been equally devastated, including some of the most pristine reefs on the planet that sit in the middle of the Pacific. The death of El Niño has helped cool waters in that region a bit, but warming in other parts of the ocean mean a new set of reefs are in the crosshairs.
Scientists have pointed to global warming as a major driver. Roughly 93 percent of the heat the planet has been absorbing due to excess carbon pollution is ending up in the oceans. That's causing changes to ecosystems across the high seas, but none are quite as dramatic as what's happening at coral reefs.
"If you think of them as a (climate change) bellwether, they're ringing the bells like crazy right now," Jennifer Koss, NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program director, said. "We can't afford to not listen to them."
As to whether this round of bleaching goes from being a singular event to a new normal, Eakin said, "ask me next year if this doesn't end."

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Coalition Will Need To Choose Between The Centre Or Extreme On Climate

Climate Institute - John Connor*

Australia's election results could actually support considered climate action, particularly when viewed in the context of community and mainstream business support. But that will require assistance and leadership.
Polling shows support for climate action is at its highest since 2008.
A very persuasive 66 per cent of Australians want our country to be a world leader in finding solutions to climate change.
At the same time, an overwhelming majority, including over two thirds of Coalition supporters, think tackling climate change will create economic opportunities, such as new jobs and investment.
Mainstream business has been urging the integration of climate and energy policies, recognising the need for net zero emissions and highlighting the costs of piecemeal action.
With the major party numbers tight it is important to note that four out of five of the lower house crossbenchers support credible climate action.
Only Bob Katter is ambivalent. Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie supported the previous carbon pricing mechanism and have strong and/or inclusive policies. Nick Xenophon's team backed strong 2030 targets and look likely to gain three Senate seats.
And it appears at least eight Green Senators will be returned.
As a matter of fact The Coalition, Labor, Greens and Nick Xenophon Team (NXT) now all support emissions trading and renewable energy, albeit to varying degrees. Labor had stronger policies but both they and the Coalition share support for the Paris climate agreement's goals of keeping global warming well below 2°C and the pursuit of limiting it to 1.5°C.
There is a centre that can support credible climate action and there are extremes with Hanson and others that won't.
Only the centre offers chances of political, investor and community stability.
If the Coalition manages to retain government, it will need to choose between the extremes and the centre on climate change and on other issues.
It will also need to choose between scare campaigns and substance.
It was a bittersweet irony at best to hear the Coalition complain about scare campaigns given its colourful past of wrecking balls, cobra squeezes and distortions regarding the impacts of the carbon pricing mechanism.
It continued this election with claims of a 78 per cent electricity price hike from Labor's policies which were an extreme misrepresentation which got no traction.
A move beyond scare campaigns would be welcome but will need mediation from independent institutions and/or assistance from civil society and business partnerships such as the Australian Climate Roundtable of business, investor, welfare, union and environment groups.
Though it has committed to a review of climate policies in 2017, and consideration of a long term emissions reduction target, the Coalition may benefit from bringing that process forward.
It would certainly be supported by regular independent processes such as that offered by the Climate Change Authority - which has survived despite continued Coalition opposition.
Oddly, after a week of Brexit chaos, our country can learn from a UK decision welcomed across the political spectrum, by mainstream industry, by investors and by environmental activists.
On Thursday, the Conservative UK government accepted the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change, responding to its regular carbon budget driven review process, and adopted an ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target.
Perhaps surprisingly, climate action in UK and in Australia could be a lifebuoy of stability amongst turbulent political waters. But it will require a clear choice.
A choice for inclusive processes, independent institutions and considered deliberation.
Not a choice for extremism, scare campaigns or deliberate distortions.

*John Connor is CEO of The Climate Institute. Whilst qualified as a lawyer, John has spent over twenty years working in a variety of policy and advocacy roles with organisations including World Vision, Make Poverty History, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the NSW Nature Conservation Council.

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