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NEARING
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Articles Posted: 38; Links Seeded: 3323
Member Since: 6/2007
Member Since: 6/2007
10 Votes
15 Comments
Gore sets goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2020
News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:31 PM EDT
Article Source: theoildrum.comadvertisement
Al Gore has made a major speech in Washington this morning, setting out an ambitious goal for the USA to produce all of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2020. I thought I'd comment on the technical feasibility of the plan, and the underlying economics of such an endeavour.
The short answer is: while 100% is probably unrealistic, it's not unreasonable to expect to be able to get pretty close to that number (say, in the 50-90% range) in that timeframe, and it is very likely that it makes a LOT of sense economically.
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 | Texas approves major new wind power project | Associated Press | Thu Jul 17 | 2 |
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5.6
{"commentId":2218437,"authorDomain":"nearing"}
Always ask for more than you want knowing you may get about 75% of it (if you are lucky).
{"commentId":2218437,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"nearing"}
- 2 votes
#1 - Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:33 PM EDT{"commentId":2219837,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
beside for the fact the other article link doesn't work anymore.. this article has an accurate title.
{"commentId":2219837,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
#2 - Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:03 AM EDT{"commentId":2219958,"authorDomain":"nearing"}
sorry? Can you be more specific> not sure what you mean, joules.
{"commentId":2219958,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"nearing"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2226985,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
I know I need to read what I write sometimes.
On the front page of newsvine was an article
Gore Wants U.S. to Abandon Fossil Fuels by 2018
His article on the same subject.. links to page not found error.. and I believe it was because the title was not accurate.
I wish your article got more play as it was more correct and therefore better to argue about.
{"commentId":2226985,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2219999,"authorDomain":"youthinasia"}
This is a good piece that provides details of the technical realities posed by this challenge. As he has noted, this would require more than simply installing wind power production capacity, it also requires substantial upgrade and some re-engineering of the existing power grid (which is in a bad state and should be upgraded anyway).
Two problem I see with his excellent analysis, for one thing he is assuming normal capital markets. He has to assume this of course, but that might be an unrealistic assumption if we have a major meltdown in the credit markets, which is a very real possibility. The other problem is that he does not address the very likely possibility of substantial opposition from various groups to this plan for a number of (bad) reasons, therefore this requires real leadership, national political leadership especially. These are two commodities (investment capital and political leadership) that are in very short supply in the US.
{"commentId":2219999,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"youthinasia"}
- 4 votes
#3 - Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:36 AM EDT{"commentId":2220328,"authorDomain":"nearing"}
he is assuming normal capital markets. He has to assume this of course, but that might be an unrealistic assumption if we have a major meltdown in the credit markets, which is a very real possibility.
Much more than a possibility, I'd say.
he does not address the very likely possibility of substantial opposition from various groups to this plan for a number of (bad) reasons,
Excellent points, yia.
Those are real world problems to his vision. At least it's a start.
Damn him for not running this time - he could have been the leader {of the ship} that you speak of.
{"commentId":2220328,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"nearing"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":2222798,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
Even tho Gore is not running, I'll bet he'll be a consultant on this issue, at least for Obama, if his plan is a good one.
{"commentId":2222798,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2224207,"authorDomain":"grog"}
Gore may not be too far off.
T. Boone Pickens (oil billionaire - knows we have passed peak oil) is building what he thinks is the largest wind farm in the world. "It'll be 4000 megawatts, which will be about probably two pretty good nuclear plants. So, it'll service a million, three-hundred thousand homes..."
The blades are scheduled to be spinning and electricity flowing by the end of 2011. (I hope he invites Gore to the event)
Pickens is expecting 15-25% profit on his wind energy investment. He and his team of experts have studied and understand the economics.
I say the wind blows green. What say you?
{"commentId":2224207,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"grog"}
- 4 votes
#4 - Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:43 PM EDT{"commentId":2227428,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
lol you know he is the guy that put up the money for the swift boat challenge and then renigged.
in the 2004 election. He said he would give anyone 1 million dollars if they could prove any of the swift boaters claims as false. Kerry did and he refused to pay.
So he's definitely as republican as they get. That said, I think he is a very wise man, I love what he is doing and he isnt afraid to speak his mind and go up against his own industry and the entire Gop. Kinda amazing. People like him give me hope for the gop, despite his deal with kerry.
{"commentId":2227428,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":2231789,"authorDomain":"grog"}
Sh.t I forgot about that swift move.
Well TBP is about 80 years old so maybe he's trying to repent and buy his ticket upstairs.
Or (more likely) some big shot oil guy may have pissed him off.
Either way it seems he's seriously up for the challenge and its all good.
{"commentId":2231789,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"grog"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":2233899,"authorDomain":"nearing"}
Or (more likely) some big shot oil guy may have pissed him off.
Or (more likely) he is a greedy republican who actually sees reality for what it is.
He plans on making cash off of the next industrial age - alternatives.
{"commentId":2233899,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"nearing"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2238359,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
*grin* nearing, I think you hit the bulls-eye of the bulls-eye there.
{"commentId":2238359,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2244375,"authorDomain":"grog"}
Or (more likely) he is a greedy republican who actually sees reality for what it is.
He plans on making cash off of the next industrial age - alternatives.
I'm sure you're right. He had better hurry up with turning his investment - the guy is 80+ yrs old.
Aaaaanyways, I think we all agree investing in alternative energy is a good thing.
It's best if we are able to do it on a small scale - if possible to the point of individual control.
{"commentId":2244375,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"grog"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":2246826,"authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
individual control
That's the key, imo, freedom from the grid.
{"commentId":2246826,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"inghar2004"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":2249922,"authorDomain":"grog"}
yes - release from the grid!
{"commentId":2249922,"threadId":"314888","contentId":"1674820","authorDomain":"grog"}
- 2 votes
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