GRLCowan’s Recent Comments

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  Fossil fuel subsidies are loathsome, stupid and wrong. But it's fantasy to think that eliminating them would make renewables and efficiency considerably more competitive.

  Not acknowledging that fossil fuel subsidies plus fossil fuel taxes net out to a large subsidy from the citizenry, to the government, is loathesome, stupid, and undignified. Government subsidizes certain clean energies out of its fossil fuel income. Those that can readily grow to cancel that income get no subsidy. (How fire can be domesticated)On Fossil fuel subsidies dwarf clean energy subsidies; Obama wants to eliminate them posted 1 month, 3 weeks ago 13 Responses

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  a modification to the decades-old loan guarantee program that - prior to 2005 - was available only for nuclear facilities.

  ... As it applied to the nuclear program, my understanding is that the program was created and maintained on the proposition that the inherent risks associated with nuclear plant construction would compel banks to loan money at rates that would not allow for project construction, and that there was therefore a public benefit in providing a federal backstop to those risks, lowering the rate so that we could all benefit from more nuclear power.

  Loan guarantees for nuclear construction are a new thing. Had they been in effect when government was red-taping many projects to death in the 70s and 80s, it would not have done so. Do you have some evidence that a "decades-old loan guarantee program ... for nuclear facilities" ever existed?

   

  (How fire can be domesticated)

  On If progressives want a Clean Energy Bank, they need better economics posted 3 months ago 5 Responses

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  Oh, I was supposed to disparage the guy? I guess I should have figured.

  
  (<em><a href="http://www.eagle.ca/~gcowan/">How fire can be domesticated</a></em>)

  On Caption needed! UPDATE: Caption found posted 3 months, 1 week ago 21 Responses

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  At the Sesame Street Club, for appointed leaders such as Tom Vilsack, much can be forgiven -- even, perhaps, skipping veggies for dessert.

  (How fire can be domesticated)

  On Caption needed! UPDATE: Caption found posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago 21 Responses

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  It's not as if the past eight years had seen no progress in hydrogen cars, though. Just look at these numbers:
  
  The Honda Clarity goes 310 km to 320 km on a tankful.

  This is fully 10-20 km more than what the BMW 520h was doing, 30 years ago, on hydrogen internal combustion!

  --- G.R.L. Cowan, hydrogen energy fan until ~1996
  (How fire can be domesticated)

  On Congress reverses Chu’s decision, flushes $100 million down the toilet pursuing hydrogen cars posted 3 months, 4 weeks ago 39 Responses