By: Robert Hargraves and Chris Uhlik Introduction This essay responds to an article by Stanford Professor Mark Z. Jacobson et al, 100% Clean and Renewable Wind, Water, and Sunlight (WWS) All-Sector Energy Roadmaps for 139 Countries of the World. Their controversial WWS roadmap has several interesting features and benefits. Coal, natural gas, and petroleum energy […]
Climate change
Elegant simplicity of a CO2 tax and dividend should attract broad spectrum support
James Hansen and the Citizens’ Climate Lobby have attracted some heavy hitters from the Reagan Administration to the idea that the simplest, most elegant, most market-friendly and effective approach to reducing CO2 emissions is to apply a direct tax (fee) on all fuels in proportion to the amount of CO2 that they would release when […]
Eduardo Porter says states that close nuclear are going in wrong direction for climate
In a recent New York Times column titled On Climate Change, Even States in Forefront Are Falling Short, Eduarto Porter begins by lauding California’s claimed position as a leader in environmental consciousness. He points to recent political statements by the state’s elected officials indicating they plan to stubbornly resist any Trump Administration efforts to interfere […]
Will China convert existing coal plants to nuclear using HTR-PM reactors?
It would be a huge benefit to the earth’s atmosphere if China, India, Brazil and the US could reduce direct coal burning while still making use of much of the capital that they have invested in building coal fired power plants. It would make an even larger difference in reducing air pollution in the areas […]
Three nuclear science deniers express their concerns about climate science denial
A major reason that climate change skepticism has captured a strong foothold in the United States is that many of climate activists are illogical and inconsistent. They profess grave concern about climate change and call it one of the greatest threats to human civilization on Earth. They adamantly refuse to critically consider the usefulness of […]
Natural gas burners file suit challenging fairness of New York Zero Emission Credts
A coalition of electric power producers that operate natural gas-burning generation plants have filed suit in the U.S. District Court Southern District of New York. They are challenging the New York State Department of Public Service’s (NYSDPS) recently enacted Zero Emission Credit. Competition wasn’t designed with customers in mind The lawsuit filing document Indicates that […]
Can Modern Charcoal Help Solve Human Created CO2 Problem?
Human activity has created a carbon dioxide problem. Dr. Frank Shu and his team have a partial solution called “supertorrefaction” that is worth sharing. Problem Solving Versus Panicking When faced with problems, rather than panic or fret, people with an engineering mindset prefer finding solutions using the best available tools. The more creative members of […]
Why are nuclear plants losing money at an astonishing rate?
Joe Romm recently wrote a piece for Climate Progress titled Nuclear Power Is Losing Money At An Astonishing Rate. In that post Romm exaggerates the amount of support that the New York Zero Emissions Credit (ZEC) will provide, absolves the massive build out of industrial scale wind and solar from any responsibility for contributing to […]
New York’s environment progressed one step forward
The US environment and electrical supply system measurably improved yesterday. That is something worth celebrating. The New York State Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) took a small, but significant step forward yesterday. By a vote of three yeses and one concur, the commissioners decided to implement a clean energy standard that includes zero emission credits […]
Atomic Show #257 – Rich Powell, Managing Director Policy and Strategy ClearPath Foundation
ClearPath Foundation has established a new niche; it is an unabashedly conservative organization that believes that clean energy is an important issue. It is taking aggressive action to seize the initiative. It asserts that the definition of “clean” energy should not be left in the hands of people who do not like material prosperity and […]
Atomic Show # 255 – Powerful fuels can enable human freedom and prosperity
Some people who are not well versed in human history believe that fossil fuels are inherently evil, costly and harmful to human health. They ignore the side of the accounting ledger that documents the incredibly beneficial effects concentrated fuels have provided to overall human freedom, happiness, self actualization and reduction of dependence on nature. Those […]
Wild storms in Virginia crushed my plans to March for Environmental Hope
After spending the day scrambling for funds, packing my knapsack, arranging transportation and convincing my wife that I was not “crazy” to believe I should drop everything to head across the country to participate in a four-day march/organizing event with a bunch of rabble-rousing environmentalists, Mother Nature (or God, if you prefer) stepped in to […]
