Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · 14d

Love how this article by Sarah Shemkus clearly lays out what states are legislating around plug-in solar — and what the industry needs to do for its systems to be certified safe. www.canarymedia.com/articles/sol...

Plug-in solar bills are in the works in New Hampshire and Vermont

DIY "balcony" solar kits, which can save residents money and give them more independence, are piquing interest from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · 29d

🤯 This heat pump startup says its vertically integrated approach can, in some cases, make the climate-friendly appliance cheaper to install than a fossil-gas furnace. That would be a mind-blowing development in HVAC.

My latest for @canarymedia.com: www.canarymedia.com/articles/hea...

This startup says it can halve the cost of a heat pump — here’s how

The Vancouver-based Jetson has a simple cost-cutting formula: lots of tech, no middlemen. Today, it’s launching its own heat pump product.

www.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Sep 2

It’s use-it-or-lose-it time for federal energy efficiency tax credits.

This @rewiringamerica.bsky.social‬ campaign aims to make sure everyone takes advantage before it's too late.
www.canarymedia.com/articles/ele...

This campaign will help you go electric before federal tax credits end

As the GOP kills incentives, Rewiring America is offering free online tools and weekly calls to get more clean energy and efficient appliances into homes.

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Aug 26

We're in the midst of a clean energy revolution. Why doesn't everybody know it? Catch climate journalist and activist Bill McKibben discussing the rise and ongoing challenges of solar and wind energy in a Canary Media webinar tomorrow, Wed 8/27, at 2:30 pm ET! forum.canarymedia.com/canary-media...

Bill McKibben on the tremendous rise of renewable power

Join a live online conversation with climate journalist and activist Bill McKibben, author of a new book on the promise of clean energy, <i>Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fres...

forum.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Aug 25

Catch @billmckibben.bsky.social discussing renewables’ rise and ongoing challenges in our webinar on Wednesday. It’s a perfect primer for his new solar-boosting new book:

Bill McKibben on the tremendous rise of renewable power

Join a live online conversation with climate journalist and activist Bill McKibben, author of a new book on the promise of clean energy, <i>Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a…

forum.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Aug 22

The antiquated industrial boilers that help make our cheese, beer, and clothes belch pollution into neighborhoods. Swapping this equipment for heat pumps over several years could prevent more than 70,000 early deaths, according to the American Lung Association: www.canarymedia.com/articles/cle...

Heat pumps can help clean up factories — and save lives

Americans could save $1.1 trillion in public health costs by replacing thousands of industrial boilers that burn gas, oil, and other fuels nationwide.

www.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Aug 19

Gas stoves come with often-ignored health risks. Colorado’s new first-in-the-nation law is making sure buyers know what noxious carcinogens they have in store.

Colorado now requires health warning labels on gas stoves

The state is the first to put labels on the appliances pointing consumers to evidence about the harms of cooking with gas. Appliance manufacturers are…

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Aug 11

🪢 San Francisco looks to close a loophole in its all-electric building code before California freezes code updates statewide. My latest for @canarymedia.com: www.canarymedia.com/articles/car...

San Francisco fast-tracks all-electric standard for major renovations

With the state set to pause code updates in October, the city is racing to close what some saw as a loophole in its existing all-electric building code.

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Aug 5

California lawmakers have decided to pause updates to carbon-pollution-slashing building codes — for six years. So what's next? Advocates highlight some exceptions in the law that might allow localities to push forward on their climate goals anyway. www.canarymedia.com/articles/car...

California halts building code updates in a blow to electrification

Local jurisdictions may still be able to adopt ambitious codes that help homes ditch gas and promote heat pumps under exceptions in the new law, AB 130.

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Jul 31

Electrifying news! New York is the first state to adopt an all-electric building code prohibiting fossil fuels in new construction. A federal district court judge recently upheld the law requiring the standard, slamming a prior judgement on gas bans. My latest: www.canarymedia.com/articles/car...

New York becomes first state to commit to all-electric new buildings

The state finalized rules ensuring most new edifices will install electric heat pumps and stoves instead of gas appliances, lowering costs and improving…

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Jul 22

⚡ Fellow Americans, we have a chance to use federal home energy and EV tax credits before they're gone. But the window of opportunity will soon slam shut. Dive into my latest guide to taking advantage of all of the federal incentives you can claim to get heat pumps, solar panels, and more:

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Jun 24

Thanks, Jesse! Does the modeling capture something along the lines of "X number of heat pumps were forecast to be adopted because of IRA provisions; if repealed, that number would drop by Y”? (Also, feel free to DM me or drop me a line at [email protected]!)

A Fork In The Road: Impacts of Federal Policy Repeal On The U.S. Energy Transition

This report summarizes REPEAT Project’s analysis of the impacts of changes in federal policy proposed by the administration of President Donald Trump and the Republican majority in Congress on the U.S...

zenodo.org

Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Jun 11

Air-quality regulators for SoCal rejected a plan to phase down new gas furnaces and water heaters.

It's a blow to efforts to clean up harmful, planet-warming emissions from buildings, @alisontakemura.bsky.social reports:

SoCal rejects plan to phase down new gas furnaces and water heaters

After an opposition campaign waged by SoCalGas and others, regulators tanked rules that would’ve encouraged, but not required, a transition to electric…

ow.ly

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Jun 11

After an opposition campaign waged by SoCalGas and others, regulators tanked rules that would’ve encouraged, but not required, a transition to electric heat pumps in Southern California.

Reporting by @alisontakemura.bsky.social:

SoCal rejects plan to phase down new gas furnaces and water heaters

After an opposition campaign waged by SoCalGas and others, regulators tanked rules that would’ve encouraged, but not required, a transition to electric…

ow.ly

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · May 30

Hi Jesse! Thanks so much for putting this info out there. Have you modeled the effect on heat-pump adoption (perhaps as a piece of the household energy expenditure modeling)? If not, do you know if anyone has?

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Hank Green @hankgreen.bsky.social · May 28

200+ scientists are in the middle of a marathon livestream to show why weather and climate science is so important and needs all our help to continue.

It is here: wclivestream.com/watch

Redirecting to: https://www.youtube.com/@wclivestream/live

wclivestream.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Sammy Roth @sammyroth.bsky.social · May 16

“Gas stoves increase the chances of getting cancer, with nearly double the risk for kids than for adults.” !!

New study, story by @alisontakemura.bsky.social: www.canarymedia.com/articles/fos...

Gas stoves increase cancer risk, especially for kids, new study finds

The appliances emit benzene, a potent carcinogen. Exposure varies depending on ventilation and other factors, but there’s no safe level.

www.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · May 12

The Trump admin’s moves threaten to upend decades of progress on making appliances do more with less energy.

Trump’s actions could undercut his own promise to halve energy bills during his first 18 months in office, @alisontakemura.bsky.social reports:

Trump’s all-out war on energy efficiency

From targeting Energy Star to pausing more obscure rules, the Trump administration is derailing measures that help save money by reducing energy use.

ow.ly

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Rebecca Solnit @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social · Apr 27

...if you add up the tiny fires in our internal combustion engines and our stoves and furnaces, in our coal and gas-fired power plants, in our container ships and airplanes, you see billions of small fires that add up to a conflagration, a world on fire.

We are here to put out the fire....

We Are Firefighters: A Talk About the Climate and the Trees

This is a slightly edited version of a talk I gave at last Saturday's benefit concert by the adventurous and world-renowned Kronos Quartet for Oil Change International, a climate group on whose board ...

www.meditationsinanemergency.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · May 11

She said “in a blink of my eyes” shallow reefs became white landscapes, with widespread death among staghorn corals used in restoration projects. Spectacular sea fans and soft corals died quickly. -- Graham Readfearn @theguardian.com

More than 80% of the world’s reefs hit by bleaching after worst global event on record

An ashen pallor and an eerie stillness all that remains where there should be fluttering fish and vibrant colours in the reefscape, one conservationist says

www.theguardian.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · May 5

This made me tear up!

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Sabrina Imbler @sabs.bsky.social · May 2

I spoke with Claire Sneed, a fired US Forest Service hydrologic technician, about what we lose when we dismantle national forests (clean water, avalanche warnings, usable trails, wildfire crews, happy beavers) and what we gain (more wildfires and rich Airbnbs)
defector.com/an-interview...

An Interview With A Fired U.S. Forest Service Hydrologic Technician | Defector

As a child, Claire Sneed had a morbid fascination with natural disasters. In first grade, she followed NOAA’s online storm tracker. Later she witnessed Hurricanes Irene and Sandy sweep past her home i...

defector.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Apr 29

Republican state legislators are showing community solar some love: www.canarymedia.com/articles/sol...

“Ultimately, for me, it was giving Iowan consumers a choice,” said Iowa state Rep. Hans Wilz, a Republican, in a March interview on why he introduced a #communitysolar bill.

Community solar is winning over Republican lawmakers around the US

In Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, and Ohio, GOP legislators have sponsored bills to spur community solar, which allows more people to access cheap, clean power.

www.canarymedia.com

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Alison F. Takemura @alisontakemura.bsky.social · Apr 13

Why keep the federal #cleanenergy tax credits? To lower electricity bills. www.canarymedia.com/articles/cle...: NextEra Energy CEO John Ketchum told The New York Times at CERAWeek, adding that “if you take renewables and storage off the table, we’re going to force electricity prices to the moon.”

Gutting clean energy incentives would drive up electric bills

Rising energy costs are a problem in the U.S. Ending Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and ramping up fossil fuels would make it even worse.

www.canarymedia.com

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Reposted by Alison F. Takemura

Canary Media Inc. @canarymedia.com · Mar 26

From @alisontakemura.bsky.social, here's how to decarbonize every building everywhere — just not all at once:

How to eliminate carbon emissions from world’s buildings

To become climate-friendly, buildings need heat pumps, energy-efficiency measures, cleaner construction, and tech that makes their power use more flexible.

www.canarymedia.com

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