Introducing the Climate Progress Podcast: Jigar Shah on Why Renewables Will Win This Decade

[bananas]

http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/10/24/351592/climate-progress-podcast-jigar-shah-renewables/

Introducing the Climate Progress Podcast: Jigar Shah on Why Renewables Will Win This Decade, Even Beating Natural Gas

By Stephen Lacey on Oct 24, 2011 at 3:05 pm

I’m happy to introduce our first episode of the Climate Progress Podcast!

As an extension of our coverage here at ClimateProgress.org, our show will be devoted to communicating the science and solutions of climate change through engaging interviews with news makers, thoughtful analysis and occasional documentary-style reporting.

Our first show features a wide-ranging interview with Climate Progress editor Joe Romm, who explains why the scientific community needs a strong voice in communicating the science of climate change. We’ll also chat with Carbon War Room CEO Jigar Shah about how to profitably deploy clean energy solutions.

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For those of you who may have followed my previous work producing the Inside Renewable Energy Podcast, we’ll be following a similar style and format.

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They won't show up in iTunes until they get a few more shows, but you can add the feed manually.
The podcast url is http://podcasts.americanprogress.org/podcast/feed/category/climate_progress

[bananas]

1. That webpage has a built-in player

if you want to listen without subscribing.

[kristopher]

2. $137 Billion in 5 Years for German Clean Energy

$137 Billion in 5 Years for German Clean Energy
posted by Jake Richardson
Oct 24, 2011 7:07 am

Germany has seized upon renewable energy development as a way of retreating from power sources such a nuclear and coal. Their strategy is not only better for the environment, it is good economics as it is making them more energy independent and is creating jobs for German workers.

“With the decision to abandon nuclear power earlier this year, it was clear that the road ahead would be challenging. But Germany is in a very promising position to be the first industrialized country to rely entirely on renewable energy”, said Tobias Homann an energy expert. (Source: Scandoil.com)

So where are the billions coming from for all these renewable energy projects? The German Development Bank (Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau) is funding not just a handful of clean energy projects, but a nationwide approach to changing a fundamental aspect of their society. Germany is now a world leader, or the leader in renewable energy around the world, due in no small part to the role played by its federal government. There are problems of course; it would be very unrealistic to believe such a large-scale shift would happen without any challenges or struggle, but how often can a whole nation mobilize, cooperate and become effective in making positive changes with benefits for both the short-term and long-term? Sadly, war is often the example of such society-wide cooperation, both socially and technologically.

The American invasion and occupation of Iraq has been estimated to cost one to three trillion dollars in both direct and indirect expenditures, by the time the whole situation has been finalized. This war was unnecessary, cost many lives and caused even more injuries. Another disadvantage was the opportunity cost of not investing heavily in renewable energy like German has and continues to do. The United States imports tremendous quantities of oil, yet has a very large potential for both wind and solar electricity generation.

Of all nations, it stands to benefit greatly...

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/137-billion-in-5-years-for-german-clean-energy.html

[txlibdem]

3. We'd be almost up there with Germany... IF we ended all subsidies to fossil fuels

And gave that money to further the expansion of renewable energy in this country.

Why are *our* politicians so damn stupid???

/edited to add the word "our"