by Judith Curry
A few things that caught my eye this past week.
Energy policy
France, which was supposed to prove the viability of large-scale nuclear power deployment, is proving the opposite. [link]
Corn Ethanol Is Even Worse For The Climate Than We Thought. But Is It Legal? [link]
Government scientists conclude #ethanol refineries pollute a lot more than previously known [link]
Latest analysis from @RobertStavins: Assessing the #energy efficiency gap [link]
Energy technologies
Wind energy could be a lot cheaper – and better looking – in the next few years if this blade-less technology works: [link]
“There’s just one problem: Tesla’s new battery doesn’t work well with rooftop solar—at least not yet.” [link]
One of the few evenhanded articles about the @elonmusk Powerwall. [link]
Nature: Will Tesla’s battery change the energy market? [link]
Energy Vampires Suck Up Home Power: 5 Ways You Can Stop Them [link]
Water
Congo River: “The potential for economic benefits from low-carbon energy make the project hard for a global institution to ignore” [link]
China’s Water-Energy-Food Choke Points: [link]
Why is São Paulo running out of water? Dodgy privatisation is largely to blame. [link]
Multiple dams are an ominous threat to life on the Mekong River [link]
Fear of floods and droughts dominate Pakistan climate plan [link]
Israel cuts cost of desalination in half. A model for California? Great @NewsHour segment. [link]
Great primer on desalination, which is pricey, has drawbacks, but will likely expand as freshwater becomes limited: [link]
Great guide on California’s current water supply crisis: [link]
How California’s water markets work — and where their limits are: [link]
Food
Farmers of the future will utilize drones, robots and GPS [link]
Smart piece on the future of CA agriculture in a drier climate [link]Filed under: Week in review