Posted on December 22nd, 2009 by admin
Nigel Lawson has done a remarkable job of explaining the basic problem with limiting the use of carbon based fuels in our world today. His argument doesn’t really take a side on the merits of the science but rather on the realities of economics. His opinion recently showed up in the Wall Street Journal and I have taken the liberty to include selected parts here. I suggest that you click through to read the entire article.
Lord Lawson was U.K. chancellor of the exchequer in the Thatcher government from 1983 to 1989. He is the author of “An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming” (Overlook Duckworth, paperback 2009), and is chairman of the recently formed Global Warming Policy Foundation (www.thegwpf.org). Read more... (898 words, estimated 3:36 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Getting warmer, Politics, Technology
Posted on September 8th, 2009 by admin
The subject of windmills killing birds has been discussed occasionally on the web for several years. Every time the subject gets popular, it suddenly seems to drop out of vogue to discuss. The argument is always that the bird fatalities are a fraction of other human activity and therefore not significant.
There is little doubt that windmills kill birds and bats. Their remains are found at the foot of windmills on a regular basis. Robert Bryce, the author of “Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of ‘Energy Independence‘”, “Pipe Dreams: Greed, Ego, and the Death of Enron“, and “Cronies: How Texas Business Became American Policy– and Brought Bush to Power” recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal that the wind energy industry is being held to a different standard than other energy companies. Read more... (606 words, estimated 2:25 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Technology
Posted on August 17th, 2009 by admin
Boone Pickens and Ted Turner are well respected businessmen (the former a big investor and the latter a media mogul and founder of CNN). Both have a history of speaking their mind on public issues and both have a history of making huge sums of money.
While I certainly do not begrudge this gentlemen the right to speak their mind, I wonder if this message (that may be good for America) also is good for their business interests. Mr. Pickens is renown in the energy sector and a large scale switch to natural gas would likely help his wallet. Mr. Turner is a very large landowner in the western States and my gut is that he has found large deposits of natural gas under some of his holdings. Read more... (744 words, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Greenhouse gas, Politics, Technology
Posted on June 18th, 2009 by admin
Regular readers know that I think that nuclear power is one of the very few ways we can provide the power we need without taking the chance that global warming is caused by carbon dioxide. If you believe in anthropogenic global warming and don’t believe the human race should live like the Amish, then you really don’t have a choice but to endorse nuclear power.
Contrary to my custom, I will be recreating the complete story here.
Strickland details plans for nuclear plant
Business First of Columbus – by Matt Burns
A third nuclear power station proposed for Ohio likely wont start operating for years, but government officials and energy industry executives are saying it is time to start considering its construction and Piketon is the place for it. Read more... (659 words, estimated 2:38 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Greenhouse gas, Politics, Technology
Posted on June 15th, 2009 by admin
Today is Global Wind Day.
While there are some problems with relying on wind power for the bulk of our energy needs in the US, wind probably has a place to augment and help us meet our needs, especially if the US doesn’t quickly add more nuclear generation capability!
A short video from Wind Power Works
While I typically do not reproduce pages in whole, I am going to put the entire text of the Wind Day campaign here for your convenience. You should also go to the Global Wind Day site. Read more... (504 words, 1 image, estimated 2:01 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Getting warmer, Human fault, Technology
Posted on June 9th, 2009 by admin
While I am a big proponent of nuclear energy to solve our energy needs as well as to allow us a green source of energy, geothermal also offers some advantages that may be worth considering.
Like nuclear, it takes years to implement a large geothermal plant (perhaps decades). It is imperative that the United States aggressively and quickly begins the construction of these alternative sources of energy rather than building more coal fired plants.
The NY Times ran an editorial on geothermal which I have reproduced, in part, below. Also, for those that don’t understand the technology, the following video will allow you to learn the basics.
In short, geothermal energy is: Read more... (448 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)
- safe to operate in very populated areas
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Filed under: Technology
Posted on May 25th, 2009 by admin
There is a great post on the problems with all sorts of renewable energy on Watt’s Up With That. He does a great job of explaining the various downsides of most power sources and their lack of compatibility with the modern needs of our society.
The article is a posting of an essay by Ralph Ellis but I couldn’t find the original essay to link to.
Check out the article here.
The article discusses
- wind power
- solar power
- nuclear power
- tidal power
- hydrogen power
- traditional coal and oil power
The conclusion is that most of the “alternatives” actually hurt our environment more or cost us dramatically more money. The only realistic alternative is nuclear.
Permanent link to this post (123 words, estimated 30 secs reading time)
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Filed under: Technology
Posted on May 22nd, 2009 by admin
I don’t typically post news feeds here but I am making an exception in this case. It appears that the House committee has passed the bill to implement the foolish cap and trade (carbon trading) bill. Let’s hope that the larger House is more wise but I have my doubts.
This story is from AP.
By DINA CAPPIELLO and H. JOSEF HEBERT
WASHINGTON (AP) Legislation imposing the first nationwide limits on the pollution blamed for global warming advanced in the House late Thursday, clearing a key committee despite strong Republican opposition.
The Energy and Commerce Committee approved the sweeping climate bill 33-25 after repeatedly turning back GOP attempts to kill or weaken the measure during four days of debate. Read more... (794 words, estimated 3:11 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Getting warmer, Greenhouse gas, Human fault, Politics
Posted on May 8th, 2009 by admin
Here is an excellent interview with famed scientist James Lovelock. Dr. Lovelock is best known for formulating the controversial Gaia hypothesis in the 1970s, which states that organisms interact with and regulate Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Later this year he will travel to space as Richard Branson’s guest aboard Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo.
If you read this site often, you know that I really don’t like carbon trading. I don’t think it will help solve any problems and it is only a way to tax people and push industries into doom. Dr. Lovelock appears to agree with me and he is a fairly strong supporter of the theory that global warming is man made. Read more... (732 words, estimated 2:56 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Getting warmer, Greenhouse gas, Human fault, Politics, Technology
Posted on April 27th, 2009 by admin
Stupid title, I know. Everyone knows that the sun comes up in the East, water freezes to ice at 32F and politicians are all screwed up. It has become a fact of life just like death and taxes.
Right now, the Democrat party is in control of the US government. They have a majority in both houses and they control the executive branch. You would think that they could pull of their agenda of taxing energy use dramatically to change the production of carbon dioxide. But a little thing happened on the way to legislation – VOTERS! Read more... (483 words, estimated 1:56 mins reading time)
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Filed under: Getting warmer, Greenhouse gas, Human fault, Politics