Oh Lord, there be idiots at Stanford

solutions_projectFrom Stanford University , along with actor/activist Mark Ruffalo, and “Gasland” movie fabricator Josh Fox. I’m amazed the university would allow themselves to get used by these clowns. The website they are pushing actually doesn’t offer any solutions, but asks you to “Join the Movement”

Stanford scientist to unveil 50-state plan to transform US to renewable energy

Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson and his colleagues recently developed detailed plans to transform the energy infrastructure of New York, California and Washington states from fossil fuels to 100 percent renewable resources by 2050. On Feb. 15, Jacobson presented a new roadmap to renewable energy for all 50 states at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Chicago.

The online interactive roadmap is tailored to maximize the resource potential of each state. Hovering a cursor over California, for example, reveals that the Golden State can meet virtually all of its power demands (transportation, electricity, heating, etc.) in 2050 by switching to a clean technology portfolio that is 55 percent solar, 35 percent wind (on- and offshore), 5 percent geothermal and 4 percent hydroelectric.

“The new roadmap is designed to provide each state a first step toward a renewable future,” said Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford. “It provides all of the basic information, such as how many wind turbines and solar panels would be needed to power each state, how much land area would be required, what would be the cost and cost savings, how many jobs would be created, how much pollution-related mortality and global-warming emissions would be avoided.”

The 50-state roadmap will be launched this week on the website of The Solutions Project, a national outreach effort led by Jacobson, actor Mark Ruffalo (co-star of The Avengers), film director Josh Fox and others to raise public awareness about switching to clean energy produced entirely by wind, water and sunlight. Also on Feb. 15, Solutions Project member Leilani Munter, a professional racecar driver, will publicize the 50-state plan at a Daytona National Speedway racing event in Daytona, Fla., in which she will be participating.

“Global warming, air pollution and energy insecurity are three of the most significant problems facing the world today, said Jacobson, a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy. “Unfortunately, scientific results are often glossed over. The Solutions Project was born with the vision of combining science with business, policy, and public outreach through social media and cultural leaders – often artists and entertainers who can get the information out – to study and simultaneously address these global challenges.”

###

Jacobson delivered his AAAS talk on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1:30 p.m. CT, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Columbus Hall CD, as part of a symposium entitled, “Is it possible to reduce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions from energy by 2050?”

Relevant URLs:

Jacobson Lab

https://www.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/

The Solutions Project

http://thesolutionsproject.org/

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more soylent green!
February 17, 2014 6:54 am

I note “More Soylent Green” stated: “The road to Utopia doesn’t have any trucks because nobody knows how to transport large amounts of goods overland without fossil fuels. It could be done of course, just at a tremendous price. The road to Utopia is also lined with endless fields of wind turbines as wind farms consistently produce roughly 1/6 of their rated capacity. That factor, along with the energy density of wind farms, means huge swaths of land must be used.”
Trolley trucks have been used at various times – two overhead wires, trolley poles, and an electric motor on the truck, all same like trolley buses. Using hydro or wind power. Not certain if the price would be tremendous or not.

Yes, trolley trucks have been used at various times, but have been near universally replaced with fossil fuels trucks. I cannot imagine what it would take to wire our interstate highways and freeways for trolleys, plus the additional electric power needed would add even more load to the grid.

chris y
February 17, 2014 7:02 am

Thanks to Speed for reminding us-
“Providing all global energy with wind, water, and solar power, PartI:
Technologies, energy resources, quantities and areas of infrastructure, and materials
Mark Z. Jacobson, Mark A. Delucchi”
The EIA estimates global energy use of 770 Quads by 2035, or 2.3 x 10^14 kWh/year.
The Woods Holers claim the following will meet annual energy needs of that time using:
19 TW wind at 25% CF = 0.4 x 10^14 kWh
14.7 TW CSP at 50% CF = 0.6 x 10^14 kWh
12 TW PV farm at 20% CF = 0.2 x 10^14 kWh
5.1 TW PV roof at 20% CF = 0.09 x 10^14 kWh
0.5 TW geothermal at 100% CF = 0.05 x 10^14 kWh
0.4 TW Hydro at 50% CF = 0.02 x 10^14 kWh
0.5 TW wave at 25% CF = 0.01 x 10^14 kWh
0.5 TW tidal at 25% CF = 0.01 x 10^14 kWh
That adds up to about 1.4 x 10^14 kWh per year, before T&D, O&M losses.
The Woods Holers are counting on 40% energy conservation to show up from somewhere.
This is just to make the energy balance work.
It says nothing about the spatio-temporal distribution of the energy supply relative to the energy demand. This detail requires energy storage equivalent to several weeks of global energy consumption. Perhaps they are relying on electrolysis to make hydrogen that is then compressed and stored…which reminds me of Ballard Power’s fantasm claims of millions of hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars on the roads by 2003 or 2004…

February 17, 2014 7:04 am

Every day stupidity is redefined with a new low. It takes the brilliance of Stanford to lower the standard to the point where it cannot be perceived.
May Gaia have mercy on your energy system.

February 17, 2014 7:05 am

Mods.
Please look at the comment being held in comment jail and tell me what you think is so wrong with it. Seems like half the comments I make end up in moderation but there has never been a snip or even a warning. What is it? Seriously, I am beginning to think my name is on a list someplace.

ferdberple
February 17, 2014 7:08 am

Trolley trucks have been used at various times – two overhead wires, trolley poles, and an electric motor on the truck, all same like trolley buses. Using hydro or wind power. Not certain if the price would be tremendous or not.
===========
overhead wires for it trolley buses are way more expensive and complicated to maintain than is typically realized.
in effect a trolley system turns roadways into railways, with all the limitations of fixed rails. how do you pass the vehicle ahead of you when it stops to load/unload?

Jeff Alberts
February 17, 2014 7:10 am

4 eyes says:
February 17, 2014 at 1:38 am
And I’d like to see the specs for a windmill that will be kept spinning during a hurricane.

Hurricane? Heck I’d like to see one that can be used in sustained winds well below hurricane levels, but well above average.

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:11 am

Eric Worrall says: February 17, 2014 at 3:46 am
We used to think James Hansen was the gold standard for climate lunatic, but even he is demanding a nuclear future these days – Hansen thinks a 100% renewable future is not plausible.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Maybe Hansen got frost bite.

New York state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency Wednesday…
Cuomo said the state of emergency allows the state to circumvent some regulations to provide additional state help to areas being pummeled by the storm. He said about 2,500 people in New York are without power. He urged people to stay off the roads but said transit service in New York City was not expected to be suspended.
Police in Westchester County, N.Y., said there was a near whiteout from heavy snowfall that came fast and deep.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/02/05/snow-storm-midwest-east/5221445/

Westchester County, N.Y, is where the NYC snobs live BTW…It ranks as #47 in counties for the entire USA with $77,006 median household income. (WIKI)
Top three counties:
1. Loudoun County, Virginia — $119,134
2. Fairfax County, Virginia — $105,797
3. Arlington County, Virginia — $100,735

…The wintry weather making its way through the D.C. area has knocked out power to homes and businesses across the area. Parts of Maryland have been particularly badly hit with freezing rain that put a layer of ice on roads, cars and power lines….
(wwwDOT)wjla.com/articles/2014/02/maryland-d-c-and-virginia-power-outage-numbers-99914.html

D.C. area digging out from beneath biggest snowfall in years
(wwwDOT)wjla.com/articles/2014/02/d-c-area-digging-out-from-beneath-biggest-snowfall-in-years-100216.html
Mother Nature is really trying her hardest to knock some sense into these arrogant idiots who are running our country. I hope she finally manages it.

February 17, 2014 7:13 am

climateismydj (February 17, 2014 at 5:02 am)
Climateismydj has either no clue about power engineering, or he does know about it but has no problem with millions of Americans suffering under the green regime.

David Ball
February 17, 2014 7:14 am

Knowledge and wisdom are two very disparate things. The difference can be dangerous.
Sometimes on this site, what is not said is just as important. No comment from Dr. Svalgaard on this thread (yet), but more importantly not a single comment from him on the IBEX thread. Hmmmmm.

wws
February 17, 2014 7:16 am

I see a serious problem with their energy supply breakdown – they completely left out the 40% portion of future energy supplies that will need to come from the harvesting of Unicorn farts.
Without that, well, there is just no way this plan can work.

chris y
February 17, 2014 7:19 am

And then there is Roger Pielke Jr’s Feb 26, 2013 estimates of 2035 global energy needs assuming that poor countries are not kept poor. Roger estimates 2035 global energy needs of between 940 and 2310 Quads per year, compared with the EIA’s 770 Quads and the Woods Holers energy rationing down to around 500 Quads.
http://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/voices/roger-pielke-jr/how-much-energy-does-the-world-need#

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:21 am

ROM says: February 17, 2014 at 4:02 am
The universities have yet to realize that the world they thought they knew and could deal with from the great heights of their status as untouchable seats of learning has changed…
A very good quote for university vice chancellors to remember is;
“He who has the gold makes the rules”
Universities don’t own the gold!
Governments and the public do .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I would correct that. The public owns the wealth. The government takes that wealth from them at the point of a gun. However if you take too much wealth the public will rebel. Sometimes subtly via the underground economy, sometimes via voting although that is becoming less and lessuseful since both parties are the same, and last via “other methods”.

Jeff Alberts
February 17, 2014 7:29 am

Gail Combs says:
February 17, 2014 at 7:11 am
Westchester County, N.Y, is where the NYC snobs live BTW…It ranks as #47 in counties for the entire USA with $77,006 median household income. (WIKI)
Top three counties:
1. Loudoun County, Virginia — $119,134
2. Fairfax County, Virginia — $105,797
3. Arlington County, Virginia — $100,735
…The wintry weather making its way through the D.C. area has knocked out power to homes and businesses across the area. Parts of Maryland have been particularly badly hit with freezing rain that put a layer of ice on roads, cars and power lines….
(wwwDOT)wjla.com/articles/2014/02/maryland-d-c-and-virginia-power-outage-numbers-99914.html
D.C. area digging out from beneath biggest snowfall in years
(wwwDOT)wjla.com/articles/2014/02/d-c-area-digging-out-from-beneath-biggest-snowfall-in-years-100216.html

I lived in Loudoun County during the massive snows two years in a row, 95 and 96. FYI, I was well below the median income 😉 I was working in a NOC (Network Operations Center) for a major data carrier at the time, so I had to be at work regardless. My little Toyota 4×4 made it like a champ, in spite of snow halfway up the doors. Those were the worsts snows I’ve ever seen, apart from one day in the mountains at Wildflecken, Germany in 1982. I don’t think the DC/Northern VA area has yet seen those levels of snow since.

February 17, 2014 7:34 am

Jeff Alberts (February 17, 2014 at 7:29 am)
Sorry your 96 storm slipped to 2nd place: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/winter/storm-pr.htm#TopDaySnowfall

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:37 am

more soylent green! says: February 17, 2014 at 4:33 am
The road to Utopia is paved with green…
The road to Utopia will be built on fossil fuels, of course, as there is no green heavy construction equipment.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Actually the road to Utopia is build using men with wooden shovels and stone axes. It is build by children carrying woven baskets filled with dirt, baskets woven by women from swamp reeds. Just think 100% employment!
Obama would be so happy. (What did you think he meant by ‘Shovel ready jobs’)

February 17, 2014 7:38 am

Jimbo says: February 17, 2014 at 2:11 am

If the economics stacked up it would have been adopted a looooooong time ago….

The Green case for the economics is that markets are short-term and that the greens know better. Markets undervalue the impact of externalities and so the economics is flawed.
I question that case but have considered it. For me the root issue here is the definition of externalities.
No-one can realistically argue that failing companies that cannot make money without subsidy are a good thing. However, some people argue that the true costs of their competitors are not being spotted or paid by the market. These costs are external to the system as they can’t be easily monetised.
There are some problems with this theory however.
1) Are capitalists so much stupider than greens that they haven’t considered the loss of green fields, degradation of water resources and regulations? Certainly, the richer a country is the less environmental damage is caused per economic growth. Compare East and West Germany for an example. Perhaps the externalities are already in the price.
2) Many externalities are long term impacts. And the future is less certain than the real world that exists now. Markets expect greater profits for an investment if the profits will only appear in the distant future than if the return is immediate. This counters uncertainty. Unfortunately, the certainty of global environmental disasters must be judged as very low. The track record of such claims is proven to be poor. We are all meant to be starving by now, to have run out of zinc and have lost all our trees to acid rain. Collective judgements on the wisdom of gambling on the end of the world will always be less certain than the less moderate views of green activists.
3) Money invested to generate maximum profit will generate more wealth (on average) than money invested for sentimental reasons. There is a cost to non-profit motivations, the cost of lost growth. As wealth feeds people the current consensus that lost growth is morally good is not necessarily permanent. Moral investments need to be certain that the definition of externalities will not change (that 60% of people will always want windfarms). And yet people are fickle.
My point is that it is not as simple as saying that markets are short-term and we know better.
Yet, just saying “the market will decide” is not in and of itself persuasive.

Bryan A
February 17, 2014 7:43 am

I like the
Indipendant
Movement (for the)
American
National
Associated
Social
Sciences
IMANASS
Considering the proposal is 99% and 55% solar will only fill 13% of the total need given that solar doesn’t generate but 27% of the time

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:46 am

climateismydj says: February 17, 2014 at 5:02 am
“…idiots…” “…clowns…”
Indeed, but they’re not at Stanford.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
No, they are not “…idiots…” “…clowns…” They are our new would be masters and YOU are their serf.
They know exactly what they are doing as I showed in my comment February 17, 2014 at 6:23 am (comment is awaiting moderation.)
If it would ever get out of moderation.

more soylent green!
February 17, 2014 7:47 am

Gail Combs says:
February 17, 2014 at 7:37 am
more soylent green! says: February 17, 2014 at 4:33 am
The road to Utopia is paved with green…
The road to Utopia will be built on fossil fuels, of course, as there is no green heavy construction equipment.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Actually the road to Utopia is build using men with wooden shovels and stone axes. It is build by children carrying woven baskets filled with dirt, baskets woven by women from swamp reeds. Just think 100% employment!
Obama would be so happy. (What did you think he meant by ‘Shovel ready jobs’)

That could lead to full employment! Of course, manual labor isn’t a job Americans want, so we need immigration reform now so we can hire somebody to actually do the work.
BTW: I grew up in Missouri, and I can tell you fresh manure is green, very green. Shoveling cow manure is both a green and a shovel-ready job.

Curious George
February 17, 2014 7:51 am

“55 percent solar, 35 percent wind (on- and offshore), 5 percent geothermal and 4 percent hydroelectric.” No trains at night – or develop a separate timetable for windy nights only. Use trolley trucks to move goods. Daytime only. You would think that road have to be widened, but that problem is solved easily in an eco-friendly way by banning private cars. Utopia, indeed.

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:54 am

dccowboy says: February 17, 2014 at 5:44 am
…Wonder how we’re going to deal with an essentially birdless future given that the existing wind turbines in the US kill 2 million birds annually. Imagine how many birds will die when 19,000,000 wind turbines are churning
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
And do not forget the bats.

A new study is the first to tie a dollar value to the millions of crop-damaging insects that bats routinely devour each year….
In the April edition of the journal Science, researchers estimate that U.S farmers would see annual economic losses of $3.7 billion to $53 billion if the nation’s bat population were wiped out….
Paul Cryan, a U.S. Geological Survey research biologist and a co-author of the study, said the estimates should serve as a starting point for a discussion of bats’ importance to people.
In Ohio, bats eat pests that include cucumber beetles, stink bugs and leafhoppers, said Marne Titchenell, an Ohio State University Extension wildlife program specialist.
By eating moths that develop from crop-damaging worms, bats break the reproductive cycle, Cryan said.
Bats “are tremendously valuable creatures,” Cryan said. “We think it’s worth the effort now, to try to protect these (bat) populations.”
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/04/26/bat-disease-could-allow-insects-to-destroy-crops.html

Of course there is no mention of wind turbines kills.

observa
February 17, 2014 7:56 am

“The Solutions Project was born with the vision of combining science with business, policy, and public outreach through social media and cultural leaders – often artists and entertainers who can get the information out ”
It’s like this slowpokes-
http://www.the-american-interest.com/wrm/2010/07/12/the-big-green-lie-exposed/
and no amount of artists and entertainers in poley bear suits are gunna put Numpty Dumbty back together again.

Gail Combs
February 17, 2014 7:56 am

richardscourtney says: February 17, 2014 at 5:47 am
You beat me to it.
These Malthusians really do want to kill us off!

Jeff Alberts
February 17, 2014 7:57 am

eric1skeptic says:
February 17, 2014 at 7:34 am
Jeff Alberts (February 17, 2014 at 7:29 am)
Sorry your 96 storm slipped to 2nd place: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/lwx/winter/storm-pr.htm#TopDaySnowfall

Dang, so it did. Now I’m all bummed out.

Speed
February 17, 2014 8:00 am

The Solutions Project web page projects, for California, a drop of 43.7 percent from current energy demand while fuel costs fall from 14.0 cents per kWh to 6.3 cents per kWh. Falling demand in the face of falling prices is not something we see every day.
http://thesolutionsproject.org/infographic/#ca