vbstenswick’s Recent Comments

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  I wonder if it would not be more effective to test out the latest lead-acid batteries (Firefly Energy, Axion Power, maybe others), and do a 20 year install campaign, going door-to-door. It would be much more efficient than our normal free market approach. I would think you could install batteries in a house for $1000-$2000 because the batteries themselves would be cheap. People would not have to sign up, but if they are paying for it as part of their utility bill and have space, why not?On The long and wind-powered road posted 1 week, 1 day ago 7 Responses

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  I think someone should integrate this with studying the costs of putting up more wind turbines and utility grade batteries. The reason I say this is I heat my house in a Minneapolis suburb with a geothermal heat pump. I buy all of my electricity from our local utilities "WindSource" program. I tracked my electrical usage fairly closely a few years back, and I used 7600 kwh to run the heat pump for heating, and 1400 kwh for cooling. My heating bills would be under $400 for the winter except for the extra for wind energy, which last year was an extra $50 for heating. I am fairly energy conscious, but I am sure my house could be made more tight. However, I question the payback on retrofitting my double pane windows with triple pane windows. It might be more cost effective on many houses in cold climates to put in geothermal heat pumps and put up more wind turbines. In more temperate climates, use air-source heat pumps.On Weatherization will save us all posted 2 weeks, 5 days ago 6 Responses

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  Let's stick to the issue, climate change. One of the author's points is working class people will get access to middle class via green jobs. That may work out, and it may not. We may end up with the same wealth inequity that we have now. The real issue is how difficult do you want to make life for your grandchildren. We face the real possibility that infants today may live long enough to see New Orleans abandoned permanently, and every coastal city in the world doomed. Over what time span is uncertain. It is also very possible and economic to cut our GHG emissions quite quickly utilizing the organic rankine cycle to generate electricity from waste heat. The problem is the loss of revenue for the utilities. I would also like to add my analysis of temperatures in a cold climate, though not as cold as Alaska, and not as cold as it used to be. I analyzed weather data at MSP for 1960-1967 versus 2000-2007. My premise was that people who live in warm climates wonder what the big deal is, weather has not changed. My results, July highs are 1+ degrees warmer than 40 years ago, July overnight lows are 4+ degrees warmer, January highs are 6+ degrees warmer, and January overnight lows are 9+ degrees warmer. Also, I prefer to use the argument about how difficult do you want to make life for your grandchildren. I am afraid that hearing about the hardship of Alaskans will fall on deaf ears. We become immune to this when you hear about Darfur, Somalia, etc. I am not sure people become immune to the fact that they are going to make life very difficult for their grandkids. They may not want to believe it, but the numbers tell a different story.On Calling all radicals: Unite for Kerry-Boxer posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago 32 Responses

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  I do not have time to read everything, and most of the commenters are more informed than myself, but I have a hard time with the fact the the current buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere appears to coincide with the beginning of the industrial revolution. Yes we have had natural cycles in the past due to orbital forcing and solar forcing. I do not know where we stand on solar forcing now, but according to orbital forcing, we should be cooling, not warming, so it would appear to limited understanding that the current warming we are seeing is due to man's activities. Perhaps Dr. Fred could explain this to me. As a sidelight, overnight lows in January in Minneapolis are 9 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than 40 years ago (1960-1967 versus 2000 - 2007).On Entergy CEO warns of humanity’s extinction if climate legislation not passed posted 3 weeks, 2 days ago 13 Responses

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  In reply to ShellyT and Latecommer, I doubt any of us really have the time to study this. People make their living studying this, so it somewhat comes down to what sources we believe. I live in a Minneapolis suburb, and overnight lows in January are 9 degrees F warmer than 40 years ago. (NWS data for MSP airport, 1960-1967 and 2000-2007). As far as the icecaps go, I read an article a few years ago that was a synopsis of a presentation by Dr. James Hansen, and due to increase precipation, the ice caps might very well expand temporarily. That aspect was predicted. I am aware that the temperature has lagged CO2, but that has been due to warming due to Milankovitch cycles. My understanding is that currently the oceans are becoming more acidic due to absorbing CO2, so the oceans are absorbing, not releasing CO2. I could be wrong, I only know what I have read. I also believe that growth in GHG can be stopped in 2-3 years with the organic rankine cycle, and probably some decent cutbacks in CO2 emissions. I am a former high school science teacher, I happen to know how little I know. I also have a hard time with the fact that the current build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere appears to correspond with the beginning of the industrial revolution. This is too big a coincidence for me.On ‘No compromise’ faction attacks climate bill posted 1 month ago 104 Responses