The Week That Was: 2013-02-02 (February 2, 2013) Brought to You by SEPP (www.SEPP.org) The Science and Environmental Policy Project
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Quote of the Week: Occam’s Razor and the null hypothesis. William of Occam (1285-1347) was an English Franciscan monk and philosopher to whom is attributed the saying ‘Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate’, which translates as ‘Plurality should not be posited without necessity.’ Bob Carter
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Number of the Week: 5,322
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THIS WEEK:
By Ken Haapala, Executive Vice President, Science and Environmental Policy Project (SEPP)
Articulating the Differences: The publication of the American Institute for Technology and Science Education (AITSE), contains a new article by marine geologist and environmental scientist Bob Carter, a coeditor of Climate Change Reconsidered (2011) by the independent Nongovernmental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC).
Carter succinctly addresses the differences among scientists on the issue if human emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), are causing Dangerous Anthropogenic Global Warming (DAGW, his term), as alleged by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He uses a prior article in AITSE by Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist and Director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, to address the common ground and then to stated the differences on three major points: 1) amount of human caused warming from emissions; 2) actual evidence of human caused warming over the past 50 years; and 3) can the IPCC models provide accurate climate predictions 100 years into the future.
Carter then applies the principles of Occam’s Razor and the importance of testing the hypothesis against the null hypothesis. Carter proposes five separate hypotheses that can be used to test the DAGW hypothesis against the null, using the data currently available. The DAGW fails in each of these tests. Please see link under Challenging the Orthodoxy.
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Royal Society: The Philosophical Transactions of Royal Society A, Mathematical, Physical, Engineering Science published a paper calling for a reduction in the production of high volume energy intensive materials. The presumption is that the world is running out of scarce resources and that government intervention and regulation is needed to prevent this from occurring. Other papers in the edition call for controlling consumer demand, the products consumers can buy and, of course, more renewable power.
The Society is beginning to sound a bit like the Club of Rome in the 1970s, which used the most up-to-date computer models to predict that the world would quickly run out of key resources. President Carter was so taken that he declared the world would run out of oil by the end of the 20th century. The world did not obey the computer models.
The call for greater government control of industrial production has often been very popular. Many economists in the early 20th century identified an economic system whereby the ownership of the industry remained private, but the production was controlled by government. They termed the system National Socialism – a term that has fallen out of favor. Please see links under Defending the Orthodoxy.
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Non Peer Reviewed Studies: Last week, TWTW provided a link to the press release of a study done in Norway that indicates the sensitivity of the planet’s climate to a doubling of GHGs, namely CO2, is about 1.9 deg C, which is significantly less than the IPCC models project, and below the artificial threshold established by the IPCC and its political followers.
A short while ago, TWTW reader Donald Rapp suggested that when linking to a report of a paper, TWTW also links to the actual paper as well. We have endeavored to do so and provide links when possible. TWTW was unable find a link to the Norwegian paper, just the press release, but did not so note it. In the future, TWTW will attempt to provide the links to the underlying paper when providing the link of the report of the paper. If it is unable to find a link to the paper, it will be so noted.
Some made much of the fact that the Norwegian study was not published in a peer reviewed journal. This should have been emphasized. The study relies on a complex statistical process that may or may not apply. It should be remembered that one of the criticisms of the BEST land temperature data announced some time ago was that the press releases were not based on peer-reviewed papers. Apparently, the papers are now being published.
Anthony Watts (WUWT) has excellent comments on the difficulties in obtaining links to the actual papers, and what press releases should contain, and frequently do not. Andrew Revkin (Dot Earth) discusses the issue of press releases before publication. Of course, TWTW will provide links to essays and op-eds that are clearly not intended for publication in scientific journals. Please see links under Seeking a Common Ground.
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EPA Games: One of the stunts pulled by the EPA is to apply court decisions it considers favorable to expanding its powers and ignore court decisions it considers unfavorable. Since there are 11 Courts of Appeal in the Federal system, and 89 District Courts in the 50 states, which are subordinate to the Court of Appeals in that region, the EPA has developed an imaginative game. For example, if the Second Court of Appeals, covering the mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia, makes a ruling EPA considers unfavorable, and the District Court for Alaska makes a ruling the EPA considers favorable, in its regulations, the EPA may apply the District Court ruling for the nation except for the area covered by the Second Court of Appeals. This has been done, but usually for issues that do not have powerful opponents.
It appears that the EPA will ignore a ruling by the Second Court of Appeals and require petroleum refiners to use cellulosic ethanol in their gasoline blends for 2013, even though the Court “found that the EPA had abused the law with ‘an unreasonable exercise of agency discretion,’ and it vacated the 2012 cellulosic ethanol mandate.” The favored industrial plant is in Mississippi, technically outside of the jurisdiction of the Second Court of Appeals, and the EPA may not make its regulations binding on the few refineries within the jurisdiction of the Second Court of Appeals. Who says the EPA cannot be imaginative in playing legal games? Too bad it is not as accomplished in producing science. Please see Articles # 1 & #2, the above quote comes from Article #1.
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Keystone XL Pipeline: Now that Senator John Kerry is becoming the Secretary of State, the decision on permitting or denying the Keystone XL pipeline to cross the boundary from Canada to the US falls upon him. There is great speculation on what he will decide: maintain close relations with Canada, the largest exporter of oil to the US and its greatest trading partner, or “prove” his environmental credentials by denying an opportunity for economic expansion and jobs without government support? [Admitted, this is a loaded question.] Please see links under Washington’s Control of Energy.
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Race to Extremes: After taking some $25 million from Chesapeake Energy, a natural gas company, for its successful marketing (propaganda) program called Beyond Coal, the Sierra Club is implementing its new program, Beyond Natural Gas. Its spokesperson, Jenny Craig, has stated that natural gas can never be truly clean and “Clean energy and natural gas are not on the same spectrum.”
No doubt, to be in the vanguard, other environmental groups will join in with the “trail blazing” Sierra Club. If they are successful, what will be the next program to stop economic advancement: Beyond Energy? Beyond the Oxcart?
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Wind Promotion: When pleading for subsidies, a favorite tactic of those who promote wind and solar power is to point out the subsidies given to fossil fuels world-wide. A map prepared by the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows that Western nations have less than 0.3% fossil fuel subsidization rates in 2011. Generally, the nations of North Africa and the Mideast have the subsidization rates, between 50.7% and 87.8%.
Apparently, the wind and solar advocates believe that what applies to petroleum fuels in Iran should apply to wind and solar in the US. The logic is less than impeccable. Please see: http://www.iea.org/subsidy/index.html [H/t David Kreutzer]
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China Coal: The US Energy Information Agency reports that China is using almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. In 2011, China consumed 3.8 billion tons (US); the rest of the world excluding China consumed 4.3 billion tons. In 2000, China consumed 1.5 billion tons and the rest of the world excluding China consumed about 3.8 billion tons. How will Western environmentalists react to the news?
No doubt, the global warming advocates will demand that the US and the EU lead by example, which could more correctly be termed as lead by sacrifice. They will imply smog and health issues regarding coal in China are equivalent to those in the US and the EU, which they certainly are not. What will incoming Secretary of State John Kerry do? Suggest a confrontation with China by claiming carbon dioxide emissions are weapons of mass destruction, citing Sandy and the US drought as proof? Threaten to cut off trade with China, excepting, of course, the trade in financial instruments, namely China buying US government debt? The absurdity of the positions of many politicians and their green supporters regarding CO2 emissions is becoming clear. Please http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=9751&src=email#
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Number of the Week – 5,322 separate cited studies on the benefits of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide on various plants and trees are contained in the 2009 NIPCC report Climate Change Reconsidered. [H/t Leighton Steward]
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ARTICLES:
For the numbered articles below please see this week’s TWTW at: www.sepp.org. The articles are at the end of the pdf.
1. Zero Dark Ethanol
‘Do a good job . . . If you fail, we’ll fine your customers.’
Editorial, WSJ, Jan 28, 2013
2. EPA Continues Ethanol Push
By Ryan Tracy, WSJ, Jan 31, 2013
3. Cheaper Natural Gas Lets Nucor Factory Rise Again on Bayou
By John Miller, WSJ, Jan 31, 2013
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NEWS YOU CAN USE:
Challenging the Orthodoxy
Global Warming: Anthropogenic or Not?
An Alternative View from Down Under
By Bob Carter, AITSE, No Date
http://www.aitse.org/global-warming-anthropogenic-or-not/
Defending the Orthodoxy
Departing Energy secretary offers climate warning
By Ben Geman, The Hill, Feb 1, 2013
http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/280611-departing-energy-secretary-offers-climate-warning
United States should lead on climate change
Editorial, Kansas City Star, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/01/28/181234/united-states-should-lead-on-climate.html
Savings needed to meet future demand for resources
By Roger Harrabin, BBC, Jan 27, 2013 [H/t Bishop Hill]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21203336
Link to Paper: Material Efficiency: providing material services with less material
Editors: J. M. Allwood, M. F. Ashby, T. G. Gutowski and E. Worrell, Royal Society A, Jan 28, 2013
http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/site/2013/1986.xhtml
Nurse joins the EU referendum battle
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill Jan 27, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/1/27/nurse-joins-the-eu-referendum-battle.html
Obama rekindles climate hopes
President will use regulations to sidestep stalled Congress.
By Jeff Tollefson, Nature, Jan 29, 2013
http://www.nature.com/news/obama-rekindles-climate-hopes-1.12322
[SEPP Comment: When does executive side-stepping become authoritarian government?]
Obama’s New Chief of Staff on Climate Change
Denis McDonough has spoken out about the need to help developing countries cope.
By Kevin Mullis, MIT Technology Review, Jan 25, 2013
Questioning the Orthodoxy
A Mother’s Concern; Promise Of A Green Future Is More Than A White Lie.
By Tim Ball, A Different Perspective, Jan 28, 2013
http://drtimball.com/2013/a-mothers-concern-promise-of-a-green-future-is-more-than-a-white-lie/
Obama’s path toward energy poverty
Shoddy science backs damaging policies
By Tom Harris, Washington Times, Jan 30, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/30/obamas-path-toward-energy-poverty/
A Lukewarmer’s Ten Tests
What It Would Take To Persuade Me That Current Climate Policy Makes Sense
By Matt Ridley, GWPF, Jan, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/content/uploads/2013/01/Ridley-Lukewarmer-Ten-Tests.pdf
A Tsunami of Governmental Global Warming Lies
By Alan Caruba, Warning Signs, Jan 27, 2013
http://factsnotfantasy.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-tsunami-of-governmental-global.html
Climate shocker: Carry on as we are until 2050, planet will be FINE
Doubled CO2 means just 1.9°C warming, says Norwegian gov
By Lewis Page, The Register, Jan 25, 2013 [H/t LB Hagen]
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/25/norwegian_co2_warming_shocker/
[SEPP Comment: The study has not been published.]
Climatologists Retrench as Climate Refuses to Warm
By Doug Hoffman, The Resilient Earth, Jan 29, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/climatologists-retrench-climate-refuses-warm/
New Book By Hans von Storch: Climate Scientists Took On Role Of Prophets…”Completely In Over Their Heads”
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t Anne Debeil]
Coralline Algae and the Case for Natural Climate Change
By Jim Steele, WUWT, Jan 28, 2013
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/01/28/coralline-algae-and-the-case-for-natural-climate-change/
Not a peer reviewed paper.
[SEPP Comment: A lagged correlation between the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the North Atlantic Oscillation? Study not published.]
Questioning European Green
The perils of precaution
By Martin Livermore, Scientific Alliance, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.scientific-alliance.org/scientific-alliance-newsletter/perils-precaution
Seeking a Common Ground
More on that Norwegian CS study
By Andrew Montford, Bishop Hill, Jan 28, 2013
http://bishophill.squarespace.com/blog/2013/1/28/more-on-that-norwegian-cs-study.html
Link to Magazine Article p. 8: Using modeled historical concentrations of short lived climate components to constrain the climate sensitivity
http://www.notur.no/publications/magazine/pdf/meta_2012_2.pdf
Eurekalert’s lack of press release standards – a systemic problem with science and the media
By Anthony Watts, WUWT, Jan 29, 2013
When Publicity Precedes Peer Review in Climate Science (Part One)
By Andrew Revkin, Dot Earth, NYT, Jan 28, 2013
Cities Affect Temperatures For Thousands Of Miles
By Staff Writers, Boulder CO (SPX), Jan 31, 2013
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Cities_Affect_Temperatures_For_Thousands_Of_Miles_999.html
Link to Letter: Energy consumption and the unexplained winter warming over northern Asia and North America
By Guang J. Zhang,, Ming Cai, & Aixue Hu, Nature Climate Change, Jan 27, 2013
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1803.html
Dear Expert, Please Cook the Books
Governments love to refer to experts—until their advice doesn’t suit.
By Roger Pielke Jr, WSJ, Jan 29, 2013
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323539804578264460952281772.html?mod=ITP_opinion_0
Communicating Better to the Public – Exaggerate, or be Vague?
Enjoying Snow, While We Still Have It
By Mark Vanhoenacker, NYT, Jan 26, 2013 [H/t David Manuta]
In Energy Taxes, Tools to Help Tackle Climate Change
By Eduardo Porter, NYT, Jan 29, 2013
[SEPP Comment: Typical propaganda photo of a farm harvest during last summer’s drought. It would spoil the article to have a photo that was taken during the great Dust Bowl in the 1930s.]
Moral sediments
Alarmists exaggerate oil sands lake study
By Peter Foster, Financial Post, Jan 29, 2013
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/01/29/peter-foster-moral-%C2%ADsediments/
Communicating Better to the Public – Make things up.
Center for American Progress’ Christie Hefner: Climate change a factor in Chicago’s murder rate
By Jeff Poor, Daily Caller, Jan 30, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
Sydney Morning Herald: Jessica Wright gets the facts wrong. An attempt to defame and smear?
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jan 30, 2013
Humans Have Already Set in Motion 69 Feet of Sea Level Rise
Glaciologist Jason Box describes a post-warming world that you won’t even be able to recognize.
By Chris Mooney, Mother Jones, Jan 31, 2013 [H/t Tom Nelson]
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/01/climate-desk-greenland-and-69-feet-sea-level-rise
[SEPP Comment: No explanation of the Eemian warm period except the CO2 and methane levels were lower than today.]
Changing Weather
Eight reasons the Australian heatwave is not “climate change”
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jan 28, 2013
Superstorm Sandy (Part I: Spinning Climate, Weather for Political Points)
By Paul Driessen and Patrick Moffitt, Master Resource, Jan 31, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/01/superstorm-sandy-i-climate-weather-spin/#more-23800
Superstorm Sandy (Part II: Warnings Given–And Ignored)
By Paul Driessen and Patrick Moffitt, Master Resource, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.masterresource.org/2013/02/superstorm-sandy-part-ii/#more-23833
Debate Over Rebuilding Beaches Post-Sandy Creates Waves
By Jennifer Ludden, NPR, Jan 30 , 2013 [H/t Ray Lehmann]
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/30/170301306/debate-over-rebuilding-beaches-post-sandy-creates-waves
Changing Cryosphere – Land / Sea Ice
Deep ice shows Greenland was warmer; offers clued to future warming impacts
By Staff Writers, Boulder CO (SPX), Jan 29, 2013
[SEPP Comment: To utilize the clues of the ice cores we need to understand the causes of the Eemian interglacial period.]
Changing Earth
Scientists underestimated potential for Tohoku quake. Now what?
By Staff Writers, Corvallis, OR (SPX) Jan 29, 2013
Agriculture Issues & Fear of Famine
Central Valley irrigation intensifies rainfall, storms across the Southwest
By Staff Writers, UCI, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t WUWT]
Link to Article: Irrigation in California’s Central Valley Strengthens the Southwestern U. S. Water Cycle
By Min-Hui Lo & James Famiglietti, GRL, Jan 29, 2013
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/grl.50108/abstract
[SEPP Comment: Confirming what many have observed for decades.]
New paper finds climate change benefits Chinese agriculture
By Staff Writer, Hockey Schtick, Feb 1, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/new-paper-finds-climate-change-benefits.html
Link to Article: The impacts of Climate change on crops in China: A Ricardian analysis
By Yongfu Chen, et al, Global and Planetary Change, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921818113000180
New paper predicts CO2 fertilization will greatly improve plant productivity by 40-60%
By Staff, Hockey Schtick, Jan 23, 2013
http://hockeyschtick.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/new-paper-predicts-co2-fertilization.html
Link to paper: A model-based constraint on CO2 fertilisation
By Holden, et al, Biogeosciences, 2013
http://www.biogeosciences.net/10/339/2013/bg-10-339-2013.html
[SEPP Comment: The benefits of CO2 fertilization not are a surprise to those familiar with NIPCC reports. Unfortunately the authors did not consult the hundreds of empirical studies in NIPCC publications.]
Plants Adapt to Drought But Limits Are Looming, Study Finds
By Daniel Stolte/UANews and Ann Perry/USDA ARS, UANews, Jan 22, 2013
http://uanews.org/story/plants-adapt-drought-limits-are-looming-study-finds
Unable to link to a published article
[SEPP Comment: Plants have been adapting to changing climate and moisture for millions of years.]
Review of Recent Scientific Articles by NIPCC
For a full list of articles see www.NIPCCreport.org
Elevated CO2 Enhances the Berry Quality of Sub-Arctic Shrubs
Reference: Gwynn-Jones, D., Jones, A.G., Waterhouse, A., Winters, A., Comont, D., Scullion, J., Gardias, R., Graee, B.J., Lee, J.A. and Callaghan, T.V. 2012. Enhanced UV-B and elevated CO2 impacts sub-Arctic shrub berry abundance, quality and seed germination. Ambio 41 (Supplement 3): 256-268.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jan/29jan2013a1.html
[SEPP Comment: Lingonberries become better!]
Islands Rimming Pacific Atolls: Their Response to Sea Level Rise
Reference: Rankey, E.C. 2011. Nature and stability of atoll island shorelines: Gilbert Island chain, Kiribaati, Equatorial Pacific. Sedimentology 58: 1831-1859.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jan/29jan2013a2.html
Extreme Temperature Events in China’s Three Gorges Area
Reference Deng, H., Zhao, F. and Zhao, X. 2012. Changes of extreme temperature events in Three Gorges area, China. Environmental and Earth Sciences 66: 1783-1790.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jan/29jan2013a3.html
Growth, Calcification and Mortality of Juvenile Mussels Exposed to Ocean Acidification
Reference: Range, P., Pilo, D., Ben-Hamadou, R., Chicharo,M.A., Matias, D., Joaquim, S., Oliveira, A.P. and Chicharo, L. 2012. Seawater acidification by CO2 in a coastal lagoon environment: Effects on life history traits of juvenile mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 424-425: 89-98.
http://www.nipccreport.org/articles/2013/jan/30jan2013a2.html
Cap-and-Trade and Carbon Taxes
Fifty shades of energy taxes
Gasoline faces higher taxes per unit of carbon emitted than do other forms of energy. Why?
By William Watson, Financial Post, Jan 31, 2013
http://opinion.financialpost.com/2013/01/31/william-watson-fifty-shades-of-energy-taxes/
[SEPP Comment: Applies to Canada.]
The U.S. has some of the lowest energy taxes in the developed world
By Brad Plumer, Washington Post, Jan 31, 2013
EPA and other Regulators on the March
Expect More Attempts to Bypass Congress
By Marlo Lewis, National Journal, Jan 31, 2013
http://energy.nationaljournal.com/2013/01/how-should-washington-address.php#2294222
Adding Ethanol To Our Fuel Will Cause Cars To Break Down
Editorial, IBD, Jan 31, 2013
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/013113-642734-e15-blend-has-less-energy-than-gasoline.htm
Officials Back Deep Cuts in Atlantic Cod Harvest to Save Industry
By Katharine Seelye & Jess Bidgood, NYT, Jan 30, 2013
[SEPP Comment: In the end the bureaucrats blame global warming /climate change.]
Energy Issues – Non-US
European Shale: Green Opposition Increasingly Isolated
By Staff Writers, EurActiv, via GWPF, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.thegwpf.org/european-shale-green-opposition-increasingly-isolated/
[SEPP Comment: Graph of shale formations in Europe.]
Energy Issues — US
U.S. energy policy isn’t sustainable
By Tom Harris, Letter, Miami Herald, Jan 30, 2013
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/01/30/3208950/us-energy-policy-isnt-sustainable.html
Stupid Grids
Report: ‘Smart grid’ technology projects funded by stimulus at risk of ‘fraud, waste and abuse’
By Lachlan Markay, Washington Free Beacon, Jan 24, 2013
http://freebeacon.com/stupid-grids/
CHARTS: Renewables in Bed With Natural Gas?
Top solar rep endorses long-term marriage to natural gas.
By Tim McDonnell, Climate Desk, Jan 31, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
http://climatedesk.org/2013/01/charts-renewables-in-bed-with-natural-gas/
But Jenny Chang, a spokesperson for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Natural Gas campaign, says the partnership between renewables and natural gas is more unholy than happy: It distracts, she says, from the basic fact that, as a fossil fuel, natural gas can never be truly “clean.”
“It’s incredibly frustrating and incredibly manipulative” for the gas industry to align itself with renewables, Chang said. “Clean energy and natural gas are not on the same spectrum.”
Washington’s Control of Energy
The pipeline to change the direction of the economy
No more ‘studies’ to delay the proven Keystone XL
By Rep. Lee Terry, Washington Times, Jan 30, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/29/the-pipeline-to-change-the-direction-of-the-econom/
Change for good
The United States must boost energy spending to make its mark on the climate debate.
Editorial, Nature, Jan 29, 2013
http://www.nature.com/news/change-for-good-1.12312
[SEPP Comment: Promote Keystone and natural gas to crush coal! The article fails to recognize there is a huge difference between government spending on basic research and government spending used to force an inferior technology, such as wind power, onto the public.]
Carbon Use and GDP
Why are progressives so eager to suppress the things most necessary for economic growth?
By Robert Zubrin, National Review, Jan 28, 2013
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/338944/carbon-use-and-gdp-robert-zubrin#
White House targets oil-and-gas tax breaks to replace sequester
By Zack Colman, The Hill, Jan 30, 2013
Obama should ‘face down critics’ and approve Keystone XL: science journal
By Yadullah Hussain, Financial Post, Jan 30, 2013
Desperately Trying to Derail Canadian Oil Sands
By Paul Driessen, Townhall, Jan 26, 2013
Greens bank on Kerry to quash Keystone pipeline
By Ben Wolfgang, Washington Times, Jan 30, 2013
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/30/greens-bank-on-kerry-to-quash-keystone-pipeline/
Oil and Natural Gas – the Future or the Past?
Natural Gas Vehicles in 2013 – Part 1
By Donn Dears, Power for USA, Jan 29, 2013
http://dddusmma.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/natural-gas-vehicles-in-2013-part-1/
OriginOil’s Eckelberry says algae can ease fracking chemical concerns
Interview by Monica Trauzzi, EENEWS, Jan 28, 2013
http://www.eenews.net/tv/transcript/1635
Return of King Coal?
China consumes nearly as much coal as the rest of the world combined
By Staff Writers, EIA, Jan 29, 2013
http://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=9751&src=email#
Oil Spills, Gas Leaks & Consequences
BP’s $4.5 bn plea deal over US oil spill approved by judge
By Staff Writers, Chicago (AFP), Jan 29, 2013
http://www.energy-daily.com/reports/BPs_45_bn_plea_deal_over_US_oil_spill_approved_by_judge_999.html
Nuclear Energy and Fears
UK Process to Site Nuclear Geologic Waste Depository Stalled
By Staff Writers, Power News, Jan 31, 2013
http://www.powermag.com/news/5340.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=2607830&hq_l=11&hq_v=5e660500d0
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Solar and Wind
The Corruption of Wind Energy
By Peter Glover, Energy Tribune, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/72221/the-corruption-of-wind-energy
Supersized Wind Turbines Head Out to Sea
The giant turbines could help make offshore wind cheaper.
By Kevin Bullis, MIT Technology Review, Feb 1, 2013
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/510566/supersized-wind-turbines-head-out-to-sea/
The push to supersize wind turbines is part of an effort to reduce installation and maintenance costs, which can be far higher than the cost of the turbines themselves
Expensive Electricity’s Hidden Costs Include More Than Just Direct Economic Impact
By Marita Noon, Energy Tribune, Jan 30, 2013
http://www.energytribune.com/71995/electricitys-hidden-costs-than-economic-impact
Link to FERC Report http://www.ferc.gov/legal/staff-reports/dec-2012-energy-infrastructure.pdf
Link to Contradicting Report http://www.atinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Hidden-Cost.pdf
Facing expiring tax credit, wind industry posts record year
By Zack Colman, The Hill, Jan 30, 2013
[SEPP Comment: What percentage of the 13,124 MW of new power can be relied upon when needed the most – 10%?]
Germany Breaks Clean-Energy Taboo in Attack on Price Surge
By Stefan Nicola, Bloomberg, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t GWPF]
[SEPP Comment: But if you shift the costs to the producers of sub-prime electricity, they will produce less. Horrors!]
Another Blow To Germany’s Solar Industry: “Center For Solar Excellence” Bankrupt After Less Than 3 Years!
By P Gosselin, No Tricks Zone Jan 26, 2013
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Energy — Other
New research shows E15 fuel causes more damage to cars
By Jayne O’Donnell, USA Today, Jan 29, 2013 [H/t Timothy Wise]
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2013/01/29/ethanol-fuel-car-engines/1873733/
Alternative, Green (“Clean”) Vehicles
Each electric car could add costs of $2000 per year for “our” electricity network
By Jo Nova, Her Blog, Jan 26, 2013
The best thing about electric vehicles is that in Australia, almost no one buys them. We have 15 million cars on the road, and in 2011 only 49 new cars were electric. That’s nearly one new one each week…
Boeing Battery Fires Highlight Folly of Obama’s Electric Car Push
Editorial, IBD, Jan 30, 2013
Germany’s Vision Of Electric Mobility Fades As Renewable Energy Sector Collapses, And Nuclear Power Is Refused
By P. Gosselin, No Tricks Zone, Jan 27, 2013
Carbon Schemes
Labour’s power call sets up clash with Coalition
Party wants carbon-capture and storage technology installed to cut emissions – but plan would double the cost of electricity
By Tom Bawden, Independent, Jan 29, 2013 [H/t Bishop Hill]
[SEPP Comment: Typical tactic of the greens, express willingness to reach an agreement provided there is a condition that is impossible to meet.]
California Dreaming
California’s Push for Renewable Energy Will Raise Prices
By Benjamin Zycher, Pacific Research Institute Jan 31, 2013
Link to full report: CA’s 33% Renewable Portfolio Standard Will Raise Power Rates by 13 Percent
Environmental Industry
The Sierra Club’s Broken Moral Compass
By Donna Laframboise, NFC, Jan 27, 2013 [H/t Climate Depot]
http://nofrakkingconsensus.com/2013/01/27/the-sierra-clubs-broken-moral-compass/
Other Scientific News
Bugs in the Atmosphere: Study Finds Substantial Microorganism Populations in the Troposphere, 8 to 12 Kilometers Above Earth’s Surface
By John Toon, Press Release, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t Jo Nova]
http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/study-finds-microorganisms-in-troposphere/
Florida’s aquifer models full of holes, allowing more water permits and pollution
By Craig Pittman, Tampa Bay Times, Jan 28, 2013 [H/t Charles Schafer]
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/article1272555.ece
[SEPP Comment: According to the article, the state Department of Environmental Protection rejected an offer to give a superior model, at no cost to the state, because it was designed by a corporation!]
Other News that May Be of Interest
U.S. Water Supply Not as Threatened as Believed, Study Finds
By Staff Writers, Science Daily, Jan. 30, 2013
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130130184031.htm#.UQo1B5XePA8.twitter
Link to the Article: Water availability and vulnerability of 225 large cities in the United State
By Julie Padowsky and James Jawitz, WRR, AGU, Dec 22, 2012
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2012WR012335/abstract
The researchers also had a modern twist to their study. Padowski created a media-text analysis to search online news archives for reports for each city, looking for stories about water restrictions or drought conditions.
Saving Scotland’s fishing industry – and a few whales
By Neil Craig, Think Scotland, Jan 31, 2013
Flaming idiocy
By Roger Underwood, Quadrant, Jan 31, 2013
http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/doomed-planet/2013/01/flaming-idiocy
In a Spectator review of one of the several books published after 2009’s horrific Black Saturday bushfires, I asked two questions: “Why, in Australia of all places, are bushfire science, the practical experience of firefighters and the lessons of bushfire history forgotten, overlooked or rejected, so that bushfire disasters are constantly replicated? And what is to be done about it?”
Besieged by bears
By Jake McDonald, Up Here, No Date [H/t GWPF]
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BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE:
France bans light at night
By Lubos Motl, Reference Frame, Feb 1, 2013
http://motls.blogspot.com/2013/02/france-bans-light-at-night.html
[SEPP Comment: Environmentalist bureaucrats are increasingly dim.]
Climate Change Could Cause Massive Losses in Pyrenees Ski Resorts
By Staff Writers, Science Daily, Jan 23, 2013 [H/t WUWT]
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130123094259.htm
Link to Article: Modeling climate change effects on winter ski tourism in Andorra
By Pons-Pons, et al, Climate Research, Oct 11, 2012
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/cr/v54/n3/p197-207/
[SEPP Comment: A speculated warming could mean a loss of skiers. A speculated ice age could do the same.]
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The “Lukewarmer’s 10 Tests” link is broken.