Energy and Environment News Roundup – 4.7.14

A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.

CLIMATE 

UN says time running out to meet global warming target (via Reuters)

US seeks changes to “skewed” data in UN climate draft (via Bloomberg)

Forest fires arrive early as Siberia sees record high temperatures (via Siberian Times)

Climate change could turn focus on Canadian Prairies for food production (via Calgary Herald)

NATURAL GAS/FRACKING 

Gazprom stops courting US investors after Crimea crisis (via Houston Chronicle)

Ukraine in emergency talks with EU neighbors on natural gas imports (via Reuters)

Interior Department works through millions of comments on fracking rules (via Bloomberg)

Exxon Mobil to reveal fracking data (via Time)

Wyoming to start plugging old methane wells (via Billings Gazette)

RENEWABLES 

Global trends in renewable energy investment 2014 (via Bloomberg)

Japan’s new energy policy stops short of setting renewables targets (via Bloomberg)

Britain embraces distributed solar (via Forbes)

Solar capacity in India crosses 2.6GW (via Panchabuta)

Fastest quarterly growth in polysilicon prices since 2010 (via Greentech Media)

Wind power has cut US CO2 emissions 4.4%, says report (via Huffington Post)

Wind power is reducing electricity rates: Repays tax credit 17x over (via TriplePundit)

Policy headwinds for the wind industry (via Navigant Research)

Deeper data dives yield more certainty on solar jobs (via Solar Industry)

Study touts benefits of wood pellets for energy (via Houston Chronicle)

Kansas lawmakers pass net metering plan in defeat for ALEC (via Midwest Energy News)

Home Depot launches the next generation of outdoor power (via EarthTechling)

Women are key residential solar energy customers (via Energy Collective)

Criticism of 2008 law part of new debate over Ohio green energy bill (via Columbus Dispatch)

Tackling energy poverty with renewables? (via Breaking Energy)

OIL 

Canada can move faster than US on oil rail cars, says Transport Minister (via Reuters)

Interior says Atlantic offshore drilling tests could begin this year (via The Hill)

Coast Guard report criticizes Shell’s judgment in Arctic drilling (via The Hill)

California regulations block state shale oil boom (via Reuters)

TRANSPORTATION 

Solar, hydrogen, and aluminum: A guide to the latest advanced vehicle technology (via Climate Progress)

Electricity pricing and the economics of EVs (via Navigant Research)

NUCLEAR 

Dozens of nuclear reactors must prove safety under revised quake estimates (via New York Times)

ENERGY EFFICIENCY 

Opower makes public market debut, gives hope to other green tech startups (via Forbes)

TAR SANDS

Mounting evidence of health concerns near tar sands development (via Energy Collective)

Enbridge first to confirm re-exports of Canadian crude via US (via Reuters)

Is Minnesota the next tar sands fight battleground? (via Midwest Energy News)

GRID 

Enabling remote microgrids in the developing world (via Navigant Research)

Texas blackouts rise, rank second in nation (via Houston Chronicle)

OPINION 

Declare a California fracking moratorium now (via San Francisco Chronicle)

Must-see video: Showtime climate series “Years of Living Dangerously” (via Climate Progress)

Can “Generation Hot” avoid its fate? (via The Daily Beast)

Should the wind production tax credit be revived? (via National Journal)

Opower IPO is a sign that “intelligent efficiency” truly matters (via Greentech Media)

Why Norway has embraced Tesla and other EVs (via Renew Economy)

Louisiana’s coastline is disappearing – here’s why it’s so hard to escape (via Washington Post)

Is Tesla Motors a carmaker, or really a grid-storage company? (via Green Car Reports)

What does “winning” the clean energy race even mean? (via Greentech Media)

Can complexities of sugarcane ethanol imports lead to increased carbon emissions? (via Energy Collective)

Artisanal Tempeh: Choose Natural Fermented Awesomeness

Five Slices of TempeI was doing some research a few days ago on tempeh, and I found some stuff that was mildly startling: the tempeh that we're accustomed to in our daily lives is hiding a little secret.

I've long been a fan of tempeh. You can think of tempeh as tofu's sexier, healthier cousin. Tempeh is a wonderful bean food, made with cooked whole soybeans that have been inoculated with culture (Rhizophus Oryzae). This culture grows prolifically on the cooked beans, forming a solid mass (a cake, if you will) of beans connected with a network of rich mycelium or fungus. Not only does the culturing of the beans make them more digestible and improve the nutritional value of the beans, it creates a mega delicious and versatile product to use in your kitchen. In Indonesia, tempeh is made daily and comes wrapped in banana leaves, the white fuzz of mycelium thick and dense on the beans.

But the commercially available varieties differ pretty significantly from that traditional tempeh. I found out that the tempeh that is available to us commercially is actually pasteurized, which negates all the healthy benefits the comes from the culturing process. Though the protein, digestibility and texture is still there, you lose all the probiotic benefits through the pasteurization process. Confirmed by consumer emails from the companies, both Hain-Celestial tempeh (sold under Westsoy) and Lightlife brand are pasteurized after culturing. These brands are pasteurized to give them a longer shelf life for long hauls across the country and for longer term storage. But it also means we're missing out on all the vital, living energy that has been cultivated for us.

The solution? Find local, artisanal tempeh or learn to make your own. Tempeh can be made from a variety of beans, including adzuki, black bean, chickpeas or mung beans. Tempeh cultures are available online from a variety of sources. Here’s one brand, from Cultures for Health, that seems to be pretty easy to use is available online (but check with your local health food store first!).

But there are tempeh renegades around the US making their own tempeh and keeping it truly alive! I found companies in Brooklyn, Asheville, Hawaii, and Maine making tempeh from all sorts of beans, and selling it locally to keep all those vital cultures alive. Smiling Hara company in Asheville, North Carolina, makes some wild looking black bean and black-eyed pea tempeh. Lalibela Farm in Bowdoinham, Maine, makes black bean and cattle bean tempeh, and Barry's Tempeh in Brooklyn makes Adzuki Bean & Brown Rice and White Bean & Brown Rice. In Hawaii, in Life Foods (based in Maui), makes their tempeh with mung beans and spices for a uniquely delicious take on this classic vegetarian staple. These brands have limited availability because of their short term storage. But if you can get your hands on them– enjoy the true bounty of probiotics, nutrients and yum from these cultured beans. As a side note, I did find some research about some salmonella scares related to tempeh, so please note that all tempeh needs to be cooked before eating it! So what’s your favorite tempeh?

 

tempeh image from Mother Earth News.