Can simple government programs effectively promote voluntary initiatives to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions? This paper by Matthew J. Kotchen provides an evaluation of how the Connecticut Clean Energy Communities program affects household decisions to voluntarily purchase “green” electricity, which is electricity generated from renewable sources of energy. The results suggest that, within participating communities, subsidizing municipal solar panels as matching grants for reaching green-electricity enrollment targets...
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The Chalmers Climate Calculator allows the user can decide on when and how fast emissions of CO2 are reduced and what this emissions scenario implies in terms of CO2 concentration and global average surface temperature change.Example of questions that can be explored with the model: What if we delay emission cuts for another 10, 20, or 30 years? How significant is climate sensitivity for estimating the impacts...
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Three United States senators – Sens. Lindsay Graham, Orrin Hatch and James Inhofe – last week demonstrated continued confusion about the scientific support for climate change.   Senator Graham, R-SC: “The science about global warming has changed. I think they’ve oversold this stuff, quite frankly. I think they’ve been alarmist and the science is in question.” Senator Hatch, R-Utah: “There is nowhere near a scientific consensus on either one...
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The US Federal Regulatory Commission gave the green light on a proposed river tidal demonstration project in the state of Maine recently, declaring that the the facility does not require a license to operate since it will not be connecting with the grid. The order (DI10-1) allows the Maine Maritime Academy to proceed with testing underwater power devices at two river sites for short amounts of time....
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