tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post8995669012092304660..comments2023-10-30T09:23:42.803-05:00Comments on Some Assembly Required: SAR #10006Charles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-81207361470804326042010-01-06T19:17:37.996-06:002010-01-06T19:17:37.996-06:00I agree with James Kunstler's view on a "...I agree with James Kunstler's view on a "green" economy (ignoring most of his other hyperbole). Without much thought, we seem hell-bent on greening our current car-centric culture. Trouble is, it is exceeding unlikely that we CAN maintain our current car-centered culture with any combination of green power or green cars.kwarknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-43098666698359700572010-01-06T12:22:08.566-06:002010-01-06T12:22:08.566-06:00rjs - No silver bullet, for sure. The bullet is p...rjs - No silver bullet, for sure. The bullet is pretty much coal black - for the reasons you cite. Until non-fossil fuel energy systems can produce enough energy to replicate themselves (mine the ore, smelt the ores, shame the metals, transport all the stuff about...) they will be but interesting toys. When we have burned all the fossil fuel (and we will - it is just too damned easy) it won't much matter anyway, or not for long.<br />ckmCharles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-46945995877318113302010-01-06T10:36:48.611-06:002010-01-06T10:36:48.611-06:00something ive never seen in any of the equations o...something ive never seen in any of the equations on the benefits replacing current technology with "green", be it electric cars or wind and solar power, is the amount of coal based generating power needed to get from here to there; ie., most manufacturing done in the midwest is from coal generation; hybrid cars, windmills, solar panels all must be manufactured, and expansion the electric grid (massive amounts of steel & aluminum; iron ore & bauxite mining are energy intesive) to move the power from where your "clean power" comes from will also be needed; all of that takes enrgy inputs from current systems to complete...there's no silver bullet...rjshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15681812432224138582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-88724722284508509012010-01-06T10:21:31.933-06:002010-01-06T10:21:31.933-06:00FYI I came across the 4th generation nukes option ...FYI I came across the 4th generation nukes option in Dr Hansen's "Storms of My Grandchildren" - which I recommend, even though it is unevenly written and a tad dense in places. The message is important, and even though he is not challange Carl Sagen,Stephen Jay Gould or James McPhee as a stylist, he does merit reading.<br />ckmCharles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-78657033285055093842010-01-06T10:03:11.535-06:002010-01-06T10:03:11.535-06:00On cars: There are some 246 million light vehicle...On cars: There are some 246 million light vehicles in the US. Last year we dumped 14 million and bought 11 million new. Quick estimate says that if we bought only electrics (or super efficient hybrids that do better than a diesel) we could replace about half the fleet in a dozen years. Anybody think we're going to stop buying ICE's that suddenly? The replacement rate will get us, no matter how pretty the flowers in the ads. <br /><br />I suspect (as you may have noticed) that the economy will change the whole equation long before the ICE/electric question gets settled.<br />ckmCharles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-36530582528513181622010-01-06T09:59:48.899-06:002010-01-06T09:59:48.899-06:00The Iceman Waffles:
Death to the "Vampire S...The Iceman Waffles: <br /><br />Death to the "Vampire Squids"!<br /><br />Plus the Brits are threatening to keep Iceland out of the EU. What could be better for Icelanders!<br /><br />RBMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-54996444968320233012010-01-06T09:46:26.948-06:002010-01-06T09:46:26.948-06:00Humph!
I was writing while you posted ckm. I edit...Humph!<br /><br />I was writing while you posted ckm. I edited out my anti-car stuff because I was rambling too much by then!<br /><br />My current house also has a Walkscore of 100.Eric Hackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03288021379443566141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-43960078803256797432010-01-06T09:44:11.350-06:002010-01-06T09:44:11.350-06:00that was the first id heard of 4th gen nuclear pow...that was the first id heard of 4th gen nuclear power, so i did a search on it; it appears <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125683823531916471.html" rel="nofollow">the chinese are way ahead of us</a> on that, too...rjshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15681812432224138582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-63061095948862577952010-01-06T09:40:02.933-06:002010-01-06T09:40:02.933-06:00Re: Electric Vehicles
Just because the electricit...Re: Electric Vehicles<br /><br />Just because the electricity comes from coal today, that does not means it will come from coal tomorrow. Replacing a gas powered vehicle fleet is a serious challenge to changing over to greener vehicles. The vehicles will likely stay on the road until they completely break down. Better to at least get the electric vehicles in place now than to wait until clean electricity is widely available. <br /><br />Electric vehicles also require less maintenance.<br /><br />Pollution is easier to control at power plants than on individual vehicles.<br /><br />I think, but admit that the details are very complicated, that electric vehicles are overall more efficient than gas powered vehicles. Just look at the efficiency gains by going hybrid.<br /><br />It will probably be easier to keep electric vehicles going into the long emergency than gas ones. <br /><br />Disclaimer:<br />I participate in a Greenup program that allows me to buy all renewable generated electricity at a premium. I do have some doubts about the merits of these programs which operate on credits and such, but I'm trying. <br />I also own a Prius.<br />My skateboards and bicycles are entirely human powered, however.Eric Hackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03288021379443566141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-29848716311373158342010-01-06T09:28:28.444-06:002010-01-06T09:28:28.444-06:00Louis: You - and PG&E - get good marks for avo...Louis: You - and PG&E - get good marks for avoiding coal generation. But the US as a whole gets 57% of its electricity from coal-fired plants (2007 data). If we all begin driving electrical vehicles, carbon emissions will actually increase, because more coal will be burned to supply the electricity and coal is far dirty to burn than petroleum. <br /><br />However, the problem is not what to use to fuel our cars; the problem is our cars and the effect they have on promoting an energy intensive (and energy wasteful) lifestyle. Your scooter (a Segway?) is a far better solution than an electric car. Mass transit is better than that. And walking wins the prize.<br />ckmCharles Kingsley Michaelson, IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04364694465614330540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7806136543904112143.post-43417181832069039042010-01-06T08:51:59.745-06:002010-01-06T08:51:59.745-06:00As a passionate left coast advocate of electric ve...As a passionate left coast advocate of electric vehicles, and owner of an electric scooter and a hybrid car, I must point out that very little of <i>my</i> electricity comes from coal.Matte Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01600390687462125499noreply@blogger.com