Climate Climate & Energy
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Do we want an economy that’s a bit more Belgian or Belgian Congo?
A simple syllogism to expose the flaws in our GHG debate: Fossil fuels cost money. When burned, fossil fuels emit CO2. Therefore, burning less fossil fuel saves money and CO2. The logic is impeccable (even if not quite as entertaining as Lewis Carroll’s syllogisms). And yet our entire GHG debate continues to be framed as […]
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A purely local approach would double or triple costs
This is one more attempt to kill a zombie myth: the notion that local generation of renewable electricity can substitute for long-distance transmission. I can see where this comes from — the sun shines almost everywhere, and the wind blows strong within a few hundred miles of most places where it doesn’t, right? If we […]
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2008 Arctic sea-ice melt second-meltiest ever
Sea-ice melt in the Arctic this year was the second-largest on record, falling just short of 2007’s all-time record melt, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center. The slightly larger ice cover this year is hardly cause for celebration, though; sea ice may have covered more of the ocean’s surface overall, […]
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Renewable energy promotion policies: transparent
The previously discussed finance mechanisms tend to hide the costs of building renewable generators by concealing the actual cost per unit of electricity and costs for the ratepayers or taxpayers as a whole. In an era when so much is hanging on energy policy, it makes more sense to consider policies that do not pull […]
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Tesla Motors to build electric-car plant in San Jose, Calif.
Tesla Motors, maker of the ultra-sleek, ultra-expensive, all-electric Tesla Roadster sports car, has announced it will build a manufacturing plant in San Jose, Calif., to churn out within two years its newest all-electric offering: a five-seater sedan. Priced at a still-spendy-but-slightly-saner $60,000, Tesla’s “Model S” sedan is expected to roll off the production line in […]
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Physics For Future Presidents twists facts on electric vehicles and nuclear blasts
The following post is by Earl Killian, guest blogger at Climate Progress. —– Part 1 of this book review looked at the (mis)handling of climate science in two books by Professor Richard A. Muller — his textbook and general public book, which, confusingly, are both named Physics for Future Presidents. Here I turn to portions […]
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WSJ special package runs the energy gamut
The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday produced a special report covering all things energy. The series warns that the gasoline engine won’t be phased out anytime soon; considers the newfound popularity of wood stoves and LED lights; takes a critical look at “clean coal”; peruses the latest in clean-tech; and surveys the energy situation in […]
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Renewable energy promotion policies: non-transparent or hidden
Tax credit policies One of the ways the gap between market price and feasible price of renewable energy plants has been bridged is through tax benefits to investors. Just as the oil and gas industries have enjoyed various tax benefits to encourage investment in drilling, exploration, and production facilities, in the last couple decades investors […]
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Physics For Future Presidents fails to deliver sound climate science
The following post is by Earl Killian, guest blogger at Climate Progress. —– We all bemoan the low level of scientific discourse in politics. So one might have high hopes for a course, textbook, and book for the general public all titled Physics For Future Presidents as resources that might help educate today’s students and […]
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Oh, not those special interests
The Science Debate folks got both the candidates to answer a list of 14 questions. (h/t Andy Revkin) Drawn from John McCain’s answer on climate policy: I am also committed to investing two billion dollars every year for the next 15 years on clean coal technologies, to unlock the potential of America’s oldest and most […]
