Climate Letter #347

Important new study about reasons for the warming “pause.” Michael Mann, who is one of the best, is a co-author. What you can learn here is that oscillations in the Atlantic Ocean are just as important and potentially powerful as the more familiar ones in the Pacific; both situations can cycle over periods of 50 to 70 years; and the long pause in the middle of the last century was probably dominated by the Atlantic Oscillation, while the Pacific is now the dominator. Mann thinks its effects are “bottoming out,” thus not far from ending the pause. Again, the “pause” idea only applies to “lightweight” surface temperatures, not the heavyweight buildup in the ocean depths created by heat that is constantly being processed downward from the surface.

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On the outlook for solar energy. This story, and others like it, is starting to gain a following, but I don’t want you to miss the closing paragraph, which says, “Favorable financing conditions and stable legal frameworks are therefore vital conditions for cheap, clean solar electricity,” said Dr. Graichen. “It is up to policy makers to create and maintain these conditions.” There are several countries that fall short, including some where certain policy makers are poised to deliberately sabotage this activity, however they can.  There is much they can accomplish in the absence of strong resistance..

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Another look at emerging flow-battery technology. This will give you a quick look at some of the details of how it works. The possibilities are exciting, assuming the “dendrite problem” can be overcome. (Recent reports from other sources claim to have found solutions.)

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