One of the greatest concerns with the Trump Administration remains the environment. I share those concerns. The United States is falling behind the rest of the world in advancing green industries and markets. A return to fossil energy could not only erase gains in the environment but push our workforce farther away from the most competitive economies. A new report shows how important solar energy is to the workforce and the economy. The latest report from the Department of Energy shows that solar energy in the United States employs more people than traditional coal, gas and oil combined. At the same time, we have seen other countries slash the cost of renewable energy and radically expand the use of such energy as global leaders in the new industry. Notably, a recent poll showed that two thirds of the public oppose the return to fossil fuels for energy as opposed to alternative fuels.
According to the government report, solar energy employed 374,000 people over the year 2015-2016. That accounted for 43 per cent of the sector’s workforce as compared to traditional fossil fuel employment of 187,117. That is just 22 per cent of the workforce.
The proposed return to fossil fuel production occurs at a time when the net generation from coal sources has declined by 53 per cent between 2006 and September 2016 and electricity generation from natural gas increased by 33 per cent. During that same period, solar power has increased by over 5,000 per cent in the same period.
Wind power stocks have already fallen after the election. Putting aside climate change concerns, the concern over the re-emphasis on fossil fuels could place the United States into a seriously diminished competitive position against our European allies. That will cost jobs, exports, and economic growth.
Without Government subsidies to the solar and wind energy industries AND Government mandates to the Electric Utility companies to purchase a certain percentage of their energy from “renewable” sources, there would be NO solar or wind energy produced in the USA. For decades the “Green Energy” lobby has been feasting at the gub’ment trough at taxpayer expense.
Next rant for the day is about protection of locally grown criminals in sancturary cities under the guise of supporting immigrants. If you didn’t like that slap in the face you are going to absolutely hate this next one.
As for thorium, this link is fairly good:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium-based_nuclear_power
As noted, the Indians have a thorough, long term plan for which there is a “see also” link. So do the Chinese for which find the World Nuclear Association page.
For those who wish to understand why avoiding so-called fossil fuels is a good idea, consider reading Sidney Weart’s
http://history.aip.org/climate/index.htm
or just “Six Degrees” by Mark Lynas.
We can’t afford to exclude fossil fuels. There isn’t enough without them . We CAN afford to use them more wisely such as anthracite veresus bituminous or cracking bituminous to extract the useful portions or ditching gasoline and the idiotic white lightning additive of ethanol and moving to diesel or electric or both. or producing and then transporting electricity as a safe power and energy source at it’s point of origin to it’s point of use. And banning offshore drilling unless the companies involved put up a bond in a trust account to cover costs of spills and clean up.
So far tanker spills and offshore drilling spills have been the culprit for disaster with pipeline problems trailing far behind but i can’t think of a single environmental disaster from electrical transmission and the number one safest way to produce energy is nuclear at least it was until the depository was shut down by the tree huggers. Thanks for nothing.
By the way when is that Hanaford seepage due to reach the Columbia River? Klein that question. Or the stuff still underwater in the White Sea? Out of sight out of mind and nothing done by last administrations.
So their solution? Would, could, should, and spermaceti candles.
Michael, the effects of too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the oceans are quite, quite serious. Do study before commenting.
The correct name is Hanford and indeed one of the natural springs is now ever so slightly radioactive. Do recall that Hanford was engaged in weapons plutonium production, hastily and sloppily done. That has nothing whatsoever to do with nuclear power plants.
Nice how you so calmly and condescendingly laugh off the Hanford radioactive ground water and the rest of the where do we put the radioactive waste problem. Close your eyes and it’ isn’t there is on a level and say something is the same as doing something when it’s doing nothing.
As for your other comment every time we track down these so called experts it turns out to be a grab for grant money and a blind obedience to what? The temperature has gone down per the normal weather cycles . So I’m just going to mark this crap up as what it is ….crap.
Do try to find some provable facts before you start propagandizing and present them as if you really believed what you are saying. Or whoever you are saying it for. I hasten to add members of the secular progressive clonettes collective are not allowed to think or use reason.
Now it’s time for the buzz word of the day. and that will be left wing fact until tomorrows change.
I don’t believe you . Too many money oriented false alarms and too much BS
AlthoughI noted one thing. Where pot has been made legal the interest in green has diminished.
Radioactive waste disposal is a technically solved problem. There is likely to be a page on it at the World Nuclear Association website.
Oh dear. Do learn some economic geology. The world is running out of anthracite and it is necessary for steel production. Don’t just burn it to make electricity.
Michael, two of my students, at least, spent their entire careers assisting in the Hanford cleanup. I continue to follow the progress.
The radioactivity from the spring is too slight to matter and yet that too is being remediated.
Your assertions about climate are false. There are many good introductory books but I particularly favor Ruddiman’s “Earth’s Climate: Past and Future”.
I’m not asserting anything. The people who started this global warming talk publicly recanted and withdrew their assertion stating they had fudged the figures in order to get grant funds. In person and live. The others who followed are assertng this stuff and it is their assertion and their place to back up their claim. We get one way far out claim after another and frankly I’m sick of it. I don’t believe you any more.
Come with same real proof state it is real proof state the case and I’ll read that but if I run head long into a wall of spurious conjecture and would, could, oughta be followed with send money I turn off and figure it for a scam Al Bore is a major example.Michael Moore is another one and so are the huge amount of never got past high school stars who can’t speak with out a script to follow. I don’t believe you any more.
It’s not my place nor responsibility to prove or disprove some one elses claim.
The same group cried onions over the White Sea sunken reactors and about Hanford and thank you for the spelling and now you are saying they lied. Why should I believe them on anything else.
The same group stopped the storage facility for radioactive waste, the same group got Trojan Nuclear shut down the same group had it replaced with Boardman now on it’s last legs, the same group stopped the burning of anthracite coal and brought in dirty coal from the east and the same group constantly changes it’s position for each new grant and funding request.
The same group went on an on about kangaroo mice in California blocked or destroyed a whole agriculture industry and now is builidng two huge tunnels to divert water to the swimming pools and golf courses of southern desert california which itself is already using 500 gallons per capita per day and those figures are readily available
The Same group put in golf courses at El Toro instead of job producing and while I’m at it sponsored undocumented aliens to work instead of local out of work as a result
The same group backed ethanol ran the price of food up 30% and did that world wide.
The same group whines about starving children with a food bank on every corner but fails to distribute food where needed instead sending it at tax payer expense elsewhere.
The same group is blocking this pipe line even though every claim is false.
The same group threatens concentration camps like a bunch of f’n Nazi’s when people quit believing their lies and worse.
The same group shut down the lumber industry instead of working for changing the rules to sustain not destroy the real Oregonians wanted then clear cut their own propert (Sierra Club did that)
The same group makes movies in protected Wild and Scenic areas to line their own pockets and Meryl Streep the environment for her own wealth is the chief of that let the public eat ethanol movement.
The same group shut down in southern oregon separation of garbage and separate areas in the dumps and now the locals have to pay to move the whole thing to the next county. (Josephine and Jackson areas.)
What happened to the Spotted Owl AFTER little Davy Adkins the altrustic donate his time lawyer got what the same group wanted. SOB charged the taxpayer for his legal skills and became an instant multi millionaire. (Oregon)
Who do you think your kidding.
and don’t think the lack of caring being coupled to the gain of pot growing areas has gone un-noticed.
I’ll read your stuff until the first false statement then go vote agains ‘the same group’ again.
Environmentalists? WTF happened to conservation and being good stewards of the land and the planet.
Where’s your GD support then?
Stuck in some ivy flaked towers on some pristine campus filled with students who don’t study and then want their student loans cancelled.
I DO NOT BELiEVE YOU ANY MORE.
If we want that we’ll have to get it on our own cause it isn’t happening with ‘the same people.’
.lein was a useful fool in the election but only to the extent of one percent. Even her own home party doesn’t believe in the Green Party any more and the Greens don’t believe in feather my nest Klein.
WE do not blieve you any more.
How much stock in dirty coal mines do you own? THAT I would believe.
Providing information to support your position at least amongst serious intellects requires providing information. Consider reading does not really toe the mark but it’s a start so I should be happy.
As for the first it looks worth pursuing when i have time but really provides no fact in an of itself. However it’s at no cost so I’ll get to it after I finish some current projects and if that book on the bomb doesn’t show up first. A resource but not in and of itself reasons or facts or evidence.
NEXT
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Once bit twice shy. I wonder what it cost for his students as a required text at UVA. No wonder they rioted.
He know specializes in government grant funded research.
“Six Degrees” by Mark Lynas. or Apocolypse Then? Even the Guardian panned it. Naomi Klein’s and Al Gores recommendatin killed the ideas. so i rejected it for the second time.
Summation? No facts presented just a three book version of Google listing resources….
Not nearly good enough to qualify for a serious discussion try the guy just ahead of you if you want to be taken seriously.
But I am browsing the catalog so don’t give up hope…..but don’t expect miracles I don’t believe in mysticism.
Just as you are busy, I am busy too–I tried to be respectful of your thoughts–yet you continue to “rant away”. and haul insults which undermines the very credibility you espouse–and underscores the closed mind you have. If you are insulted by it, Too bad–and I am not going to do your homework for you. You need to prove your assertions-not the other way around by hauling insults–and not even bothering to at least click on one source to read up on James Hansen is just laughable–I have.
Since you basically called me an idiot (and hope it makes you feel good), you need to at least have the open mind to read up on the UN IPCC (and I really don’t care for your expected insults about some statistical anomalies/etc. which I am well aware of) that underscores that a problem exists–and dismissing it just won’t make it go away. I am also certain based on your stance that you believe Paris AGreement is a waste of time, COPA 21 in Marakesh is a waste of time–Here is the resource: http://www.un.org/climatechange/)
Cheers.
Paris is not a waste of time but it is illegal so anything the country does in it’s support is not covered by a treaty but is a private effort at this point in time. Dumb Ass deciding to sign it was a sort of private commitement at best and a joke at worse. Why? Only Senate approval can ratify and make a treaty legal. Best of my knowledge they didn’t bring it out of committee. So???? Whose fault is that. They had enough votes before this latest election but decided to pander to the former dictator.
People who can’t follow the rules usually get bit in the ass and that was one case as was the Iran deal. That one is between Kerrry, Obama and Iran has nothing to do with this country. if youcon’t like that feel free to do one of two things. Amendment To the Constitution or …go elsewhere. It is after all a free country but it doesn’t cater to stupidity and intentional criminal acts such as phony treaties.
Not sure about the connection, but let me just note this On Iran: The whole world is better because of the Iran Deal–and all have said Iran has lived up to its’ part of the deal–and the US has also done its’ part. I take the Defense Secretary at his word when he says America has to keep its’ word. You’re welcome to visit the IAEA site (although I get that you don’t really care for such resources)..and as for Paris, I will only note this for your reading enjoyment:
http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world-walking-back-from-paris-climate-deal-can-harm-us-all-india-366329
Cheers.
Now you can move to Paris or Iran and be welcome. You been reading Pravda again?
To borrow a phrase from Ronald Reagan, “….There you go again…”. You seem to live in your alternative reality..and again that’s cool…..Cheers…
Plonk
Of course not but let’s put our energy into reality not poorly written fairy tales. Solar alone has made huge giant step in just the last four years. BUT part of it is affordability and for that reason a. most solar panels are made outside the USA and b a good many of the solar panel brands like battery makers are also made out side the USA with just some name stamped on them. We may (or may not) have led the way in inventiveness but then lost out to straight up crappy economic policies.
Why does WalMart exist and the different Dollar Store chains. Because people can’t afford to go to the malls and pay higher prices for stuff that also made outside the country.
1. Who pays business taxes? Anyone want to take a stab at that it’s a two word answer and the first word is ‘the’
2. When a tariff is charged who wins and who loses? And there is a huge portion of USA business that loses but only one winner and it isn’t the buyer.
How will we pay for the wall. The answer given today was add tariffs or border crossing fees. The latter makes some kind of sense bu tariffs do not. although no new tariffs are needed just use the current one’s earmarked for that project.
So let’s see how many know the answer to one and two. and no it isn’t VAT. which is another question so let’s ask that
3. If VAT was added who would pay it? Hint Rubio and Cruz were both wrong. One reason I did not support them they flunked Economics including their idiot fix for that and flat rate income tax.
1 2 3 easy as pie or it should be.
Who pays? Who loses?
Report: Solar Energy Employs More People Than All Fossil Fuel Industries Combined
Unfortunately flicking a light switch to the on position or plugging a refrigerator’s electric cord into an outlet have absolutely nothing to do with the amount of people employed in the field of solar energy.
Looking at the main sources of energy generation in the US for 2015 we see that all renewable sources amount to roughly 7% of the total with solar contributing 0.6%.
Highlighted text below was excerpted from the website of the US Energy Information Administration:
Major energy sources and percent share of total U.S. electricity generation in 2015:1
Coal = 33%
Natural gas = 33%
Nuclear = 20%
Hydropower = 6%
Other renewables = 7%
Biomass = 1.6%
Geothermal = 0.4%
Solar = 0.6%
Wind = 4.7%
Petroleum = 1%
Other gases = <1%
https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=427&t=3
Lets conduct a very simple experiment. Look around at your present surroundings everything within you sight and touch (indoors/out) the clothing that you are wearing (unless it is home spun), the pharmaceuticals/ food you ingest has been derived via sources of fossil fuel.
Whether petroleum (ie fossil fuel) is a constituent part of an item or was used as a source of energy to harvest or transport raw material to factory or power the factory it is the most important cog in all advanced industrial nations and with out use of fossil fuels every single human being would see their standards of living immediately drop as if they had fallen off a cliff Wylie E Coyote style. Beep Beep.
http://www.ranken-energy.com/products%20from%20petroleum.htm
Without the use of fossil fuels humanity would never be able to sustain a worldwide population of over 7 billion and growing.
Persons calling for the cessation of humanities use of fossil fuels based upon their specious human driven climate change religion should lead by example. Shut off your electronic gear, fire down your homes furnace and hot water heater, spin/weave your own clothing, place the main circuit in your homes electric panel in the open position, park your car (even a Tesla needs charging and as we have covered earlier solar amounts to less than 1% of all energy generated so the “green” Tesla is charged via fossil fuels), stop taking your pharmaceuticals and start your very own organic garden.
We haven’t even touched upon the Achilles heal of renewable energy — intermittent energy generation and our inability to store it efficiently.
This is not to say that renewable energy sources will not place a leading role in 50 -100 years time (maybe sooner) but at this present moment and for the entirety of the Industrial Revolution fossil fuel has been bringing humanities dreams to life.
Does that mean that we stop? That’s the implicit message that everyone is saying here–and if that is not the definition of insanity, I don’t know what is–if this mentality was what Edison Believed, we would not have electricity today.
Mikepouraryan – Edison invented DC electricity, Tesla invented AC electricity.
The point, Paul Schulte, is this: Doing nothing is not an answer–which is the message folks are sending–all are entitled to their opinion–I am also, for the record, am well aware of the contribution by Tesla.
On a broad note, Thanks again everyone for your contributions–despite my profound reservations (and noted), It has been fun to engage you all…keep it up and have a great rest of the week…looking forward to “seeing” you all on the web 🙂 🙂
thank you for that well written and documented response. If only the fanatics would or could take the time to do the same.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/donald-trump-puts-his-businesses-not-america-first-2017-01-27
So, then, folks–here is the question for all: What do you recommend? All I have seen is this: More of the same–since everyone seems to reject science…..and the true reality…..
http://www.globalresearch.ca/police-state-your-home-appliances-will-soon-be-remotely-controlled-by-the-government/5427568
keep Jill Klein happy burn spermaceti candles.
Being sarcastic does not contribute to a better future-does it?
mikelpouraryan – I reject Al Gore’s fake science, if that helps you any.
Dont’ concern yourself about what helps me or not? The question is that doing nothing is not an answer–and simply “claiming” that Al Gore is “wrong” is not solving the problem–blaming is easy–but finding solutions is hard–isn’t it?
Finding solutions to what? It’s your premise it’s your responsibility to not only validate but to offer solutions with verifiable references. All we have to do is sit back and say Ho Hum more unsupported BS.or unacceptable sources or red herrings or just, after a while, ignore the nonesense.
Thanks for your opinions. You’re entitled to them. Cheers.
..and of course I will anticipate your response: he’s an agent of George Soros….which is cool–just know this: You’re entitled to your opinion, not your own facts–and if you dismiss a scientist like James Hansen, then you do indeed have a closed mind..and again you’re entitled to your stance. Thanks again for taking the time to write–and your compliments.
mikepouraryan – you assume there is a problem that needs a solution, I do not believe their is a problem.
Burn humans for electric generator power. Go solar on the molar.
Just FWIW, there are some new electrical generation ideas out there, like burning Baby Boomers!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
If only we had this technology long ago. We might have emerged from the dark ages centuries sooner.
Oh my God, it’s Soilent Green. And I’m actually thinking, well of course it would be nice not to waste the thermal energy. What’s wrong with me!!!
What did they used to call the emissions standards on English smokestacks in the early 1800s – something about Parliamentary smoke? Elizabeth Gaskell briefly mentioned it in “North and South”.
A great classic!
he funny part is without petro chemicals and similar we wouldn’t have solar or wind gen power. That stuff is too valuable to waste on being turned into smog and acid rain. If it were me….I’d limit it as a fuel to Diesel, JP4-JP7 (Kerosene to most of you) the sludge to winter fuel oil and the rest to far more useful purposes. Bunker Grade can produce the electricity adjacent to the refineries adjacent to the wells and cut out a lot of tranportation of energy costs and not so potential problem. Nowadays we ship coal from the east to the west and use it in electric production plants only to send the power back east along with acid rain crap for the whole country. Thanks for nothing Al Gore hope you choke on your stocks you phony
I am still waiting to see ANY disagreement with Trump by name on this blog. So even though he appoints a C student from Texas A&M in animal husbandry to the Dept of Energy to replace a Nobel Prize winning physicist and head of MIT physics dept. we hear and see nothing about this outlandish appointment. Even during the campaign, Turley was sympathetic to the inability of Perry to recall the name of the dept he now heads. He seems to see no problem with a person so clueless that he could not bother to go on the wikipedia to find out what the Dept of Energy does, yet still advocate its abolition! So we are treated instead to National Enquirer articles about freaks and odd bits of trivia that mean little or nothing. Incredible. How about some substance for a change?
OK. This is an appointment that has problems. It’s tricky to find someone with energy experience that is not in any of the industries’ pocket – beholden to neither oil and gas nor heavily subsidized alternatives nor his or her boss, big government. We need someone with deep understanding of the energy infrastructure and options, who represents taxpayers above all else. They should have found another spot for Perry. He seems nice, but there are many qualified experts that could be outstanding in this position.
There are some aspects I like about Trump and some I do not. I expect he’ll give me ample opportunities to criticize him as well as appreciate him.
Speaking of which, the bill banning horse soring (please Google the Tennessee Walkers Big Lick and horse soring; you’ll be appalled), was among the bills that the Obama Administration for some reason never implemented. Any and all bills not completed have been sent back for review by the Trump Administration. I have no problem with this. Of course he wants to vet bills from here on out. But please, anyone who is interested, contact your representative and request two things – 1) reword the bill to exclude beneficial liniments, wraps, boots, and healing salves which may be inadvertently lumped in with painful tortuous soring and 2) get that bill passed pronto. Horse show season is soon upon us. and 3) perhaps we could get some PSAs out there to reach the fools who can’t seem to understand that a horse staggering around at a weird raked angle standing on 9 inch stacks with deliberately sored feet so he’ll snatch them up with high action is abusive. This is not a PETA shenanigan but a good bill that needs to pass, with some minor tweaking.
Sorry for the segue but can’t resist.
http://www.local8now.com/content/news/Trump-administration-puts-horse-soring-ban-on-hold-411705495.html
Of the fossil fuels that we consume, I would prefer that we continue to shift sources from terrorist nations to domestic and close allies. And of course I hope that we continue to develop alternative, and affordable, renewable energy sources.
I think we’re going to have to rethink the grid. Here in CA, it is required that every house be connected to the electrical grid. As more users go solar in our sunshine state, utility companies raise the rates on everyone. Plus, net metering is not always offered. So users inject excess energy into the grid without getting compensated.
At some point, we may need to remove the requirement that every house be connected. People survive in Alaska without the grid, albeit in rather rough conditions. Or perhaps the grid can become a coop, with every user contributing or withdrawing from it. And once we perfect storing solar energy, the grid may become obsolete in sunny states.
Renatus – what more can you tell us about thorium nuclear reactors/molten salt reactors? I found this (http://energyfromthorium.com) and this (http://www.thoriumenergyworld.com). I know it’s energy dense, and fertile instead of fissile, and safer as far as meltdowns, but I’m not clear on the waste dynamic. Is this one of the cycling effects where the U-233 continues to contribute neutrons and there is no effective waste? My nuclear energy physics is shaky.
Jim22 could answer your questions to the level you would like Karen–no disrespect intended to Renatus. I hope Jim responds.
Thanks! There are so many opportunities to learn on this blog. One of the aspects I most love about it.
Energy from thorium does need to be part of the conversation of alternative clean energy.
There has been a tremendous misallocation of resources here. Government subsidies tend to do more harm then good over the long haul because they encourage bad practice, inefficient resource allocation, support of dog companies, etc; economics 101. Once in awhile they are lucky but you cannot count on it.
Thorium energy seems to be scientifically feasible, just needs serious R&D to make it practical. If it becomes a reality, it will completely change the economics of the world for the better. China and India have the vision and are investing. US is stuck in politics of supporting both fossil fuels and established Green industries because they have the money and influence. We need to be investing in serious energy alternatives, not the highly questionable ethanol. Wind power has issues and solar seems to be getting somewhat reasonable but they have practical disadvantages compared to other standard forms of power generation.
Fake news from the left on the environment has been pervasive for decades now. It’s in panic mode now.
As the previous post pointed out it’s a secular religion in this case ‘mysticism’ where people are taught nothing is real and there isn’t anything you can do about it EXCEPT we have this one group who do understand it and you only have to follow what they say and do what they say without question. Thus they play stupid on command and cannot be reasoned with for they have rejected everything that leads to reason. They are impervious to anything except ignoring them. The best way to handle that is don’t waste your time just block them and get on with fixing the damage they have caused. At the same time why reward stupidity. You don’t owe them anything.
Some of these ‘freaks’ are not freaks just followed the party line hoping against hopelessness for change. The party includes RINOs to DINOs and that’s a problem we can do something about as we just showed at the polls. In one election obliterated the left, crushed the right wing of the left and elected an outsider who flawed or not is all about business not playing fairy tail games or smoking hollyweed or watching each other turn into melted snow flakes.
The groups that are divorcing themselves from the regressive mystics and their pagan ways can identify themselves as conscious, thinking and therefore reasoning human beings. So why not encourage them. The current front runner now are Asians, Latin American leadership the Tejanos etc. and the African American Community AND the Jewish culture. Of that beginning one is already pretty much in charge of what’s left of the old DNC. So what if you suggest takeover? They don’t owe the leftists party of slavery and anti civil rights and war mongers a damn thing. Why not take over a dysfunctional operation that does have the parts and pieces.
That just leaves weeds and flakes fairies without tails. No big loss but a huge gain.
The rest is obvious. Coalitions form, people sit down and talk and consult using the democratic principles embodied in a Constitutional Repubic. Roll up their sleeves and fix things. They think, reason, discuss but not with those who are a. incapable of self government or b. have rejected it in a bid for a socialist dictatorship.
The rest? Do they really matter?
Say you want a counter revolution well count me in. But if you are into mindless hatred count me out. It’s all question of mind over nothing and I don’t mind that nothing doesn’t matter. .
Do not look for significant changes in the status quo anytime soon. The US runs on oil, and like big pharma and cigs, those billions will not be willingly relinquished.
That is a problem. My instinct is to always favor markets over human interference, but market adjustments do take time. It’s probably wise it does, but in the case of corporatist energy manipulators, like the NRC (who, like the treasury and SEC are there to protect the status quo…), they make current tech extend longer than they probably should. And to be honest, maybe free market change over time helps keep from developing all the problems that happen when humans try to control it.
From my limited understanding, energy from thorium would be quickly scalable, and I don’t see how any other form of energy creation could compare with it cost-wise. It’s not a win for the current nuke guys (once again, who are the NRC) because they have such a behemoth investment in the immense infrastructure required of regular fission plants, so things stay as they are…
Buy solar panels for your home. Get light bulbs which work on low energy. Use the AC lines for the stove. Get a water heater that is not a tank. The battery technology is advancing. I lived on a boat and it was mostly solar. The electric bill was nil.
But for land lubbers start with weathe proofing the house itself. All the neato rooney other stuff doesn’t mean beans when the house is leaking heat or AC and people turn it on and then leave the door open.
Energy from thorium, safe, scalable, inexpensive, and clean energy source that needs to become a major part of the discussion.
Couldn’t agree more.
Good to see you on here, Jim! Was hoping you would enter the discussion. You do much better justice to it than I do.
Have you ever heard of productivity? Increasing productivity is how societal wealth is created and humanity’s standard of living improves.
The amount of energy produced by the people employed in the fossil fuel industries is MANY, MANY multiple times larger than the fuel produced by those employed in the solar industry.
The irrational belief that it is “good” because more people are employed in solar than fossil fuel is equivalent to saying it is good that it takes more people to build a road using a spoons than mechanized equipment. Using spoons employs far more people, of course. But if you use bulldozers you can build more roads cheaper using fewer people. Then the people who are not using spoons to build roads are free to go to school, start businesses, produce music and art, or do something else with their time to improve all of our lives.
Furthermore, solar can not be base load fuel until a storage and transmission miracle happens. Smart people have been working on that problem for decades and still haven’t solved it.
“Germany added a whopping 10 percent more wind turbine capacity and 2.5 percent more solar panel capacity between 2015 and 2016, but generated less than one percent more electricity from wind and generated one percent less electricity from solar.” Turns out the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. Who knew?
http://www.environmentalprogress.org/big-news/2017/1/13/breaking-german-emissions-increase-in-2016-for-second-year-in-a-row-due-to-nuclear-closure
Germany is providing a textbook case study in how you not only reduce your standard of living by using uneconomic fuel, but you also INCREASE emissions because they have to rely on backup fuel for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine.
All anybody wants is what is best for society. And what is best for society is using he most economic fuel. And don’t tell me about “social cost of carbon” studies based on fantastical assumptions. There may be “externalities” associated with fossil fuel, but don’t pretend anybody can measure them with any kind of precision. They are guesses and the ones I’ve seen bizarrely ignore the benefits from fossil fuel.
What we know, what we can measure and see with our own eyes, is that quality of life measures like standards of living, infant mortality rates, reduced poverty rates, education levels, luxury time, and longevity have all improved since man figured out how to use fossil fuels to make his life less miserable.
Well said. Exactly what I thought. This “study” if true, just points out how dumb and inefficient solar is. Funny how Isaac will say fossil fuels is backwards when it represents efficiency. He must really hate the sewing and washing machine and the reduction of labor that they provided.
It’s being done in the more enlightened countries. It’s being done here. The problem is that the only jobs created in the US are maintenance and installation jobs paying well below the engineering and manufacturing jobs. Hundreds of thousands are employed in Germany, Denmark, and other countries making the wages that the US has been losing. The coming of age of alternative energy is a reality. Productivity can only be addressed when things are produced. The US already produces the second level of alternative energy after China. This is exactly the same as the US driving the cars that are built elsewhere. It is just that simple.
Case in point, the US was instrumental in developing the tech revolution which created many high paying jobs. These jobs replaced the millions of jobs lost to American planned obsolescence, complacency, and xenophobia, primarily seen in the dissipation of the American Auto Industry. The alternative energy industry will be many times larger than the tech industry and will also be ongoing. Those countries developing the technology in the early stages will take the lead and reap the profits.
The real problem is the status quo coupled with ignorance and the ‘If it ain’t broke, why fix it?’ mentality. That was not how America was built. What is ironic is that the very people who want to make America great are those that have no idea how America was made great in the first place.
If you want a real forward thinking solution, the govt. should re-open the thorium reactor studies. Here is a true base load technology that was put on the shelf because the DOD wanted enriched Pu. Salt reactors are inherently safe due to the atmospheric run condition along with the fact that the reaction only happens when it is below a certain temperature. It is also has the potential to be scaled down to the home/vehicle. But you can thank (and I use this term in the strongest way possible) libtards of the likes of Jane Fonda for setting us back decades in nuclear power. I urge people to google the term LFTR and read up on the history and benefits of this technology. It is not pie in the sky stuff. They had a sodium reactor working.
I believe thorium technology, as well as clean, ethical renewables, was/is thwarted by the corrupt, greedy fossil-fuel establishment and their bought lackeys in government. They wanted/want to maintain control of US energy use and policy because they wanted/want to maintain their greed and huge profits. History of course backs this up. They’ve even fought oil-profiteering wars, and destabilized country after country for their natural resources, immorally killing a tremendous number of innocent people and our servicemen, all in their greedy madness.
Did they complain when the war monger party was in charge? Between RINO Bush II and the secular regressive extremist it’s been 16 years and the death toll includes our civil rights/.
The facts of the matter are that alternative energy is working in countries where fossil fuels are scarce and costly. Americans have always been controlled by cheap gas and trinkets. It’s sad but this country has a predominately third world mentality. The innovation and money made is to be found in the more needy and enlightened areas of the world. In fact the US is the second largest producer of alternative energy but imports almost all of the wind turbines and solar stuff. That’s the spooky but revealing stuff. The alternative energy industry will eclipse the tech industry many times over. There are boats leaving all the time but the US has yet to catch one. And, with the present idiocy in power, it seems the many more boats will leave without the US. The potential is Yuge.
Michael Moore @MMFlint 6h6 hours ago
If you won’t use the true word to describe what Trump says — “lie” — then I don’t want to read your paper or watch your newscast. #enabler
THIS IS NOT LIBERAL, CONSERVATIVE, ETC…, THIS IS REALITY:
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/foreigners-are-dumping-u-s-debt-at-a-record-pace-and-our-20-trillion-national-debt-is-poised-to-become-a-major-crisis