Comments jeffgreen11 has made

let the circus begin

Lets see there's still strong denial that AGW is even a serious issue. With the accepted insanity of the Repubs, it makes for great theatrics and entertainment. Serious change is needed, we will see how much the process will be gutted to get a bill through.On The players: House and Senate posted 9 months, 2 weeks ago 3 Responses

A demonstration is in order

Its time to show that renewable energy can do the job with a demonstration town. Preferably a small rural one that would have wind, solar, biomass, caes, (compressed air energy storage).

Building enough renewable energy production to cover most of the town's energy live. Excess energy production can be stored in the compressed air energy storage.

Below is the Grand Solar Plan from scientific american that they can power the whole country. Believability is needed and lets provide it.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-solar-grand-plan

The goal would be 80% or better renewable energy feed in with natural gas turbine backup.

Next would be then replace a whole coal plant and get smarter and more cost effective at it for every one we do.

Coal can be replaced and should be.On Superb NYT story captures both coal's peril and the barriers to its elimination posted 9 months, 2 weeks ago 38 Responses

multiple reasons

oil supply is peaking,

oil rich countrys are increasing their own oil usage, possible decreasing oil exports in the future.

sending our dollars overseas

global warming anyone?

one less thing to fight about in the future. (national security)On Obama should make like Lincoln and abolish fossil fuels posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 10 Responses

nuclear short sightedness

I don't know where you got the figure of 20 years for CSP. It should easily outlast the nuclear plants with absolutely no possible drastic side effects. Mix this with smart grid, wind, biomass, geothermal, vehicle to grid storage, CAES (compressed air energy storage), and simply energy efficiency.

Nuclear has serious problems to deal with that are very expensive. On Biggest California utility contracts for world's biggest solar power deal posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

Its all too easy.

Two birds with one stone.
Another word is ROI (return on investment).

Wind will create construction jobs, maintenance jobs, tax revenue, and income for 25 years.

Same with fields of solar energy.

Energy efficiency creates jobs and saves money
and energy for the rest of the life of the building.

Any alternative energy electricity generator makes energy for the rest of its life with the benefits above.

As we get more experience from the generation of electricity from renewable energy, we becoome more effective at using its full potential.On Fighting economic decline and climate change simultaneously posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 1 Response

Sooooooooo why are we waiting?

There is more and more information based in science showing AGW symptoms growing stronger. What level of climate destructive change does it take to change minds. As the tipping points become stronger the path back to lower co2 becomes more difficult.On West Antarctic ice-sheet collapse means more catastrophe for U.S. coasts posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 5 Responses

world war 2 comes to mind

I hope these stories illustrate why super projects along the lines of the Manhattan Project or the Apollo moon shot are bad models for improving greenhouse gas-reducing technology. The type of improvements we need are more likely to be discovered during deployment than in some separate mega-process that precedes implementing the huge number of solutions we already know about.

Truthfully I think the author is disconnected from how the apollo and manhattan worked. Research is based in reality.

 World war 2 developed the mustang P51 as the war raged on. The first mustangs were limited to a ceiling of 15000 feet due to the limitations of the engine. A few years later a different engine was put in along with other improvements to have the superior fighter planes compared to the Germans and Japanese. We need to deploy now fast and hard. With improvements coming from R&D along the way. On Deployment precedes innovation posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 2 Responses

Compromise is a _itch

His standard may be the one that will get by a minority republican congress. At least its a start.On Bingaman unveils draft of renewable energy standard posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 2 Responses

Economic influence?

I'll take it as true that coal hires fewer locals than before.

If there was more economic impact in the community do you feel the community would be more willing to live with eco disruption?

Truthfully I'm quite happy to see coal having a more isolated relationship from society. I'm quite anxious to see coal replaced.On Announcing a new blog from veteran coalfield journalist Ken Ward posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 6 Responses

Utility Energy Storage

Compressed air energy storage. CAES. Two plants are operational in the world. One in Germany, and one in the United States. One is being built in Iowa now to be completed in 2011.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Minebw-large.jpg

http://i-r-squared.blogspot.com/2006/05/compressed-air-en ...

This is the storage that will smooth renewable power to give us the power when we need.

I see very little discussion on this topic and yet its the one which would easily get us to 80% renewable.

Mix this with a national smart grid and we can be energy independent.On Energy density is not an immutable requirement posted 9 months, 4 weeks ago 44 Responses

When will science be listened to

When will momentum turn? We are on a destructive binge of burning coal. When will science be taken into account about the destruction of our environment? Profit is so important with an axe to grind on top of it. This is the dizzying nuttiness of no common sense on the part of business.On Kansas legislature reviving last year's coal fight posted 10 months ago 3 Responses

Ohhhhh what fun

The denialists need something to get excited about. Funny how the facts aren't that important. Its just a desperate chance to prove things wrong.
They'll be back as excited as ever with more false information.On Was there another breathless announcement of another phony record, and another quiet retraction? posted 1 year ago 1 Response

McCain could be crucial

All Obama needs is a 1/2 dozen repubs and its 60 votes with a filibuster proof majority. The beauty of McCain is that he's no longer beholden to the far right. Lets go kick a$$ this 4 years.On Obama and McCain make nice and possibly talk climate and energy posted 1 year ago 3 Responses

An inconvenient truth

This phrase holds so true for so many disbelievers. How about oil companies want to keep their profits high. Follow the money.

How about a doubling of co2 280 to 560 ppm brings about 3 degrees centigrade without pos. feedbacks. With feedbacks it will be 6 degrees increase.

Now as predicted by James Hanson in 1988 the ice in the artic has accelerated in melting.

Here are 10 predictions by GW theory that have come true.
http://www.livescience.com/environment/070419_earth_timel ...

Carbon cap and trade brings together the entrepreneurial solvers of GW problems with the investors. In the so2 cap and trade the problem was solved in less time than expected and under budget. It is giving the private sector the motivation to do this in the most cost and time efficient way.On Will New York Gov. Paterson gut the regional northeastern-state carbon cap? posted 1 year, 2 months ago 4 Responses