Figuratively,
such a combination would be a disgrace.
But on this occasion, I'm literally sitting
in a hot mineral stew at the Blue Lagoon,
a famous Icelandic spa, smeared in a white
silica mud mask.
In the distance, smokestacks
of the Svartsengi power plant, the source
of my spa treatment, blow plumes of steam
into the cold October wind.
The water is a byproduct
of the geothermal power plant. After pumping
lava-heated groundwater from 2 km below
the surface, steam is used to generate electricity
and the hot water to heat local homes.
Six million litres of
the excess runoff, or geothermal brine,
is then piped into the lagoon, a milky-blue
water rich in "biostuff" such
as minerals, silica and algae, and maintained
at a temperature of between 37C-39C.
The murky water feels
soft on the skin. It's been scientifically
proven to help treat psoriasis patients
and attracts visitors from around the world.
It's perhaps the most colourful example
of how Iceland has turned around in the
last 40 years to maximize its natural resources
and wean itself off oil.
Iceland gets 99% of
its electricity from renewable sources:
Kinetic energy from rivers and glaciers
is harnessed to generate hydropower, and
about 20% of the country is run on geothermal
energy. In the winter, geothermal systems
melt snow on sidewalks and driveways and
heat 90% of homes.
Water is so clean it's
piped straight into city taps without being
treated or chlorinated. A pollution-free
environment is said to be one of the reasons
why life expectancy on the island of 300,000
is among the highest in the world and, it's
said, to turn out some of the best looking
women in the world.
The country straddles
the mid-Atlantic ridge where the European
and American continental plates meet. Volcanic
systems and deep, porous lava rocks have
carved out a country dotted with more than
800 natural hot springs. In the last few
decades the country has started to tap into
their renewable energy potential.
Albert Albertsson prefers
to call the Svartsengi power plant a "resource
park" because it delivers several revenue
streams. Geothermal energy provides 17,000
people with hot water for heating, 45,000
residents with their electricity needs,
and 400,000 yearly visitors with a spa experience.
+ More
"We holistically
look at every available resource we have,"
he says. "In essence ... we do our
utmost not Protesters, regional government
call for coal plant shut down
26 October 2008 - Genoa,
Italy — A series of protests this morning
pressured the energy company Enel to shut
down its coal-fired power plant in Genoa,
Italy. Enel is keeping the plant open, despite
demands by the regional government to shut
it down immediately.
Activists entered the
power plant, and climbers hung a banner
from Genoa's landmark "Torre della
Lanterna" lighthouse. At the same time,
activists from our ship Arctic Sunrise painted
"Quit Coal" and "No Carbone"
[No Coal] on the Ukrainian cargo ship Aristea,
as it offloaded coal at the port.
About the coal plant
The plant, built in
1928, was due to shut down in 2002, but
the previous Italian government, under Silvio
Berlusconi, granted it an extension until
2020, directly undermining the regional
authorities. Enel insists it will keep the
plant open until this date. Enel is Italy's
single biggest climate polluter, and is
responsible for nearly a third of all CO2
emissions coming from Italian electricity
production.
"The Genoa plant is way past its retirement
age. Keeping it open directly contributes
to the climate crisis and to local pollution,"
said Francesco Tedesco, Greenpeace Italy
climate and energy campaigner, from the
scene. "The regional government has
made it clear that it wants Enel to close
the plant down, and Greenpeace is here today
to make sure Enel listens."
The Liguria regional government's energy
plan is one of the few in Italy to be applauded.
Greenpeace is encouraging it to push through
its renewable energy plans.
"It is scandalous that Enel ignores
the requests of the Liguria authorities,"
said Agnes de Rooij, Greenpeace International
climate and energy campaigner onboard the
Arctic Sunrise. "There is no excuse
for keeping this massively polluting coal-fired
power plant open, especially when clean,
safe wind and solar power are able to produce
the same amount of electricity."
Ciao Italy, Quit Coal tour continues with
the Rainbow Warrior
The crew of the Arctic
Sunrise and Greenpeace Italy activists have
had a busy and successful ten days in Italy,
challenging the coal industry.
They kicked it off by
occupying a crane at a coal plant construction
site near Rome, on October 16th. Other activists
painted, "No Carbone" on the power
plant's dock.
Meanwhile, the Italian
government was trying block important climate
change agreements being discussed by the
European Union. We helped turn up the heat
on them in Brussels and back home. After
two days of talks, the Italian government
lost. EU leaders confirmed their commitment
to finalise the climate and energy package
before international climate negotiations
take place in December.
Next, activists blockaded
an E.ON coal plant in Sardinia - stopping
the two conveyor belts delivering coal into
the furnace. We met with the regional environmental
minister - while climbers maintained a 14-hour
occupation of the conveyor belt.
We talked to the minister
about how Sardinia should be investing in
renewable energy instead of pushing more
coal. He agreed and promised the regional
government would revise its energy plans
to meet EU climate protection targets.
After this victory,
we decided to show some support for a regional
government that was already trying to do
the right thing. Hopefully, today's action
will get Enel to listen, and shut down its
coal plant near Genoa.
The Quit Coal expedition
Time is running short.
Quitting coal is essential to a meaningful
deal to save the climate. European governments
need to show leadership by phasing-out coal
in their own countries. Our Energy [R]evolution
shows how renewable energy, combined with
greater energy efficiency, can cut global
CO2 emissions by 50 percent and deliver
half the world's energy needs by 2050.
Today's protests are
part of a four-month tour by our ships Rainbow
Warrior and Arctic Sunrise. Bringing the
"Quit Coal" message to the Mediterranean
and Europe. Our Quit Coal expedition is
happening in the run-up to crucial UN climate
negotiations in Poznan, Poland, this December.
+ More
Energy Revolution Now!
27 October 2008 - International
— Greenpeace has published the second edition
of the Energy [R]evolution scenario, updated
with the latest economic, technical and
population data. The Energy [R]evolution
is the only energy scenario which shows
how the world can cut emissions, phase out
nuclear power, save money and maintain global
economic development; without fuelling catastrophic
climate change. All we need to kick start
this plan is bold energy policy from world
leaders.
That’s why we prepared
this video – to show what a bold approach
to tackling climate change could really
look like.
The Energy [R]evolution
demonstrates how the planet can get from
where we are now, to where we need to be.
The new global energy scenario outlines
how carbon emissions from the energy and
transport sectors alone can peak by 2015
and be cut by over 50% by 2050. Aggressive
investment in renewable power and energy
efficiency could create an annual USD 360
billion industry, providing half of the
world’s electricity. We could slash more
than US $18 trillion in fuel costs and fight
economic downturn and climate change at
the same time
The Energy [R]evolution
uses a three step approach:
Step 1: Electrical efficiency
• Exploit all technical potential for electrical
efficiency
via technical standards
Step 2: Structural changes
• Change the way we produce energy in large
centralised power stations towards a decentralised
energy system, using large-scale renewable
resources that use locally available energy
sources such as wind, sun or geothermal.
• Cogeneration – end the huge amounts of
waste energy via cooling towers
Step 3: Energy-efficient
transport
• Build up efficient public transport systems
• Implement efficient cars, trucks, etc.
Global emissions need
to return to current levels by 2020. For
this to be achieved, industrialised economies,
such as the USA, the European Community
and Australia, have to reduce their greenhouse
gas emissions by up to 30% below 11000 levels.
Developing countries like China and India
will have to stabilise CO2 emissions by
2020 and start reducing emissions towards
2030 and beyond, while providing a secure
and affordable energy supply and, critically,
maintaining steady worldwide economic development.
With today’s economic
instability, investing in renewable energy
technologies is a ‘win-win-win’ scenario:
a win for energy security, a win for the
economy and a win for the climate. While
‘business as usual’ energy scenarios come
at the cost of the climate and the economy,
the Energy [R]evolution makes a clear case
for ‘business as unusual’. The renewable
industry is ready and able to deliver the
needed capacity to make the energy revolution
a reality. There is no technical impediment
to doing this, just a political barrier
to overcome as we rebuild the global energy
sector.
YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN-
Join the Energy [R]evolution.
The Energy [R]evolution Scenario provides
a practical blueprint for the world’s renewable
energy future, and was developed in conjunction
with specialists from the Institute of Technical
Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Centre
(DLR) and more than 30 scientists and engineers
from universities, institutes and the renewable
energy industry around the world.
+ More
Armada of activists
descends on Kingsnorth
29 October 2008 - United
Kingdom — A nine-boat protest armada led
by the Rainbow Warrior has arrived at Britain's
most controversial power station with dozens
of activists from around the world filling
the jetty at the plant in Kent.
Thirty activists attempted
to reach the site of Britain's first new
coal-fired power station in decades. They
were holding 30 flags representing the least
climate polluting countries in the world
including Cameroon and Mali and intended
to plant the flags on the site earmarked
for the construction and hold a sombre and
dignified ceremony for the victims of climate
change. But guards stopped them entering
the power station in a heavily defended
security zone, while police intercepted
the flotilla of our inflatable boats and
canoes. So they held the commemoration on
the jetty, with the security guards - and
the rest of the world listening.
Coal is the most climate-wrecking
form of electricity generation yet invented.
A new Kingsnorth, propsed by German energy
giant E.ON, would emit the same amount of
carbon dioxide as the 30 least polluting
countries in the world combined. A new coal
plant at Kingsnorth would be a huge blow
to the fight against global warming.
Update, October 30th:
The Rainbow Warrior left Kingsnorth in the
early hours of this morning after being
served a high court injuction. The ship
is now returning to London for a weekend
of open days with thousands of people already
booked to go on board. Our campaigners continue
to call on the British government to block
E.ON's plans for a new climate changing
coal plant at Kingsnorth.
Beam it up Scotty!
A team of six are occupying
a small concrete island owned by E.ON in
the shadow of the power station. Using a
projector and a biodiesel-powered generator,
they will beam images of climate change
disaster onto the plant throughout the night.
They will also beam the words 'GORDON BIN
IT' – the slogan they attempted to paint
down the smokestack last year before a police
helicopter delivered a high court injunction,
forcing them down.
Two of the 'Kingsnorth
6' are back again
The demonstration comes
a month after six Greenpeace campaigners
were cleared by a Crown Court following
the shutdown of the Kingsnorth power station.
A Maidstone jury concluded the activists
were justified in shutting the power station
because coal is such a significant contributor
to climate change.
Two of the 'Kingsnorth
Six' are part of part of the team occupying
the island. Ben Stewart, one of the 'Kingsnorth
Six' who was acquitted last month plans
to spend the night with a team of several
others projecting onto the chimney from
the island.
The new UK Climate Change
Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to make
a decision on whether or not to permit the
new plant within the next few months. A
coalition of development charities, environment
groups and scientists is demanding that
the government blocks E.ON's plans.
Rainbow Warrior to stay
put if possible
The Rainbow Warrior will attempt to stay
moored to the Kingsnorth jetty all night
but E.ON are considering "taking action"
and there is currently a standoff.
Earlier this week the
directors of groups including Oxfam, the
Women's Institute and Tearfund – with a
combined membership of four million – boarded
the Rainbow Warrior to sign a declaration
committing themselves to stopping a new
Kingsnorth. Although E.ON claims the new
power station would be less polluting than
the present one, it would emit about eight
million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year
– the same as the existing plant. For that
reason scientists from across the world
are opposed to a new coal plant at the site.
We need to quit coal
and embrace an energy [r]evolution
Our ships the Rainbow Warrior and the Arctic
Sunrise have been in Europe and the Mediterranean
recently to spread the message that we can
fight climate change but only if we quit
coal, and catalyse a revolution in the ways
we use and produce energy.
We have just published
the second edition of the Energy [R]evolution
scenario. It's the only energy scenario
which shows how the world can cut emissions,
phase out nuclear power, save money and
maintain global economic development - without
fuelling catastrophic climate change.
All we need to make
this plan a reality is world leaders to
get serious. Britain can start by saying
"No" to E.ON.
