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Global Climate Change Digest
A Guide to Information on Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Depletion
Published July 1988 through June 1999

FROM VOLUME 10, NUMBER 7, JULY 1997

PERIODICALS...
ENERGY POLICY & USE

Item #d97jul66

"Deregulated Power: Cheaper but Dirtier?" J.A. Dillon, Technology Review, pp. 17-18, Aug.-Sep. 1997. (Mass. Inst. Technol., Bldg. W59, Cambridge MA 02139; WWW: http://web.mit.edu/techreview/)

Through its "open access" rule, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission now allows utilities to compete with one another by selling power directly to consumers. A danger is that older coal-fired power plants will operate at higher capacity than the present 64%, and create more pollution. Even if coal-based electricity production rises only 3%, emissions of CO₂ would go up by 7.8% over the projected rate in the absence of competition; nitrogen oxide emissions would rise as well.

Item #d97jul67

"Painting the Town White--and Green," A. Rosenfeld, J.J. Romm et al., Technology Review, pp. 53-59, Feb.-Mar. 1997.

In urban heat islands, the ambient temperature in summer may be 5° F higher than the surrounding suburban and rural areas, because dark roofs and pavement absorb sunlight so well. Lighter-colored roofs and pavements and more trees could make the city of Los Angeles cooler than the surrounding semidesert. The need for air conditioning would decrease by 18%, smog would lessen, and adverse health effects would decline.

Item #d97jul68

"The Power of Biomass," A. Kendall, A. McDonald, A. Williams, Chem. & Industry, pp. 343-345, May 5, 1997. (See Global Climate Change Digest, PROF. PUBS./GEN. INTEREST & COMMENTARY, June 1997.)

Item #d97jul69

"Utility Customers Go for the Green," L. Lamarre, EPRI Journal, pp. 5-15, Mar.-Apr. 1997.

"Green pricing programs," offered by more than a dozen U.S. electric utilities, give customers the option of paying more for their electricity to help fund the installation of environmentally friendly power generation, including photovoltaic panels on schools and wind turbines.

Item #d97jul70

"Rethinking the Car of the Future," D. Sperling, Issues in Science and Technology, pp. 29-34, Winter 1996-97.

The Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles, launched in 1993 by President Clinton and the "Big Three" U.S. automakers to develop a revolutionary fuel-efficient vehicle, is in need of a midcourse correction. The fundamental flaw is the pursuit of technologies that are already close to commercialization, which are those least suited to a government-industry partnership.

Item #d97jul71

"Why Environmentalists Should Promote Nuclear Energy," B. Wolfe, Issues in Science and Technology, pp. 55-60, Summer 1996.

U.S. environmentalists need to take a fresh look at energy needs, the clear and worsening problems of fossil fuels, and the empirical evidence on the safety of nuclear power. The Club of Rome, an international organization with a particular interest in the environment, has evolved from nuclear critic to nuclear promoter because of its concern about global climate change.

Item #d97jul72

"Harvesting the Benefits of Biomass," T. Moore, EPRI Journal, pp. 16-25, May/June 1996.

Several utilities are involved in evaluating and developing the potential for biomass feedstocks as a renewable energy resource for power generation. Discusses agricultural production and the technologies used for generation. Biomass-fueled generating systems promise an effective and economically feasible approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Item #d97jul73

"Trouble Bubbles for Hydropower," F. Pearce, New Scientist, pp. 28-31, May 4, 1996.

New hydroelectric schemes are supposed to help cut emissions of greenhouse gases. But flooding to make reservoirs releases greenhouse gases; no country has included such emissions in their inventories of greenhouse gases.

Item #d97jul74

"Meltdown," N. Lenssen, C. Flavin, World Watch, pp. 23-31, May-June 1996. (Worldwatch Inst., 1776 Mass. Ave. NW, Washington DC 20036; tel: 202 452 1999; fax: 202 296 7365; WWW: http://www.worldwatch.org/).

The worst industrial accident ever to befall humanity (Chernobyl) left a wound that has not healed with time. Now, the nuclear power industry appears to be wearing out its welcome on the planet-and opening the door wider to renewables.