Cheap green energy: the only way to fight global warming

Public skepticism about global warming may be growing, but the scientific consensus is as solid as ever: Man-made climate change is real, and we ignore it at our peril.

[LessHypeMoreFact]

The usual Bjorn Lomborg runaround. He advocates green energy at some 'future' point when miracle upon miracle, without ever having won in the marketplace it will somehow have evolved to be so much cheaper than fossil fuels the world will finally be able to invest in it.

A scam from the first words. Certainly the investment in infrastructure (that he claims precludes doing anything now) is large. But so is the amount of money invested in power plantes EVERY YEAR by 'business as usual'.

And if you put off investing in green energy now, you instead make a huge investment in dirty fossil fuel power plants that will take FOURTY YEARS to be paid off and thus 'lock in' fossil fuel power for another fourty years at which point we will still not have a serious investment in green energy?

Delay is the deadliest form of denial. But he did say one thing that is correct.

"The price of solar energy has been dropping steadily for 30 years – by about 50 percent every decade – and we could likely accelerate that decline further with sufficiently large investments in research and development."

And solar is the LEAST effective green energy out there so far. Wind is competitive. Geothermal is near competitive. Nuclear is cheaper than coal power. Even with the massive subsidies to the fossil fuel industry.

The FIRST step should be to eliminate those fossil fuel subsidies. They make big enough profits without them. And with a more 'level playing field' investment in green energy will increase over time. The only interference government might make is to assist in loan guarantees to help with the high upfront cost of green energy in comparison to conventional power.

[Parorchestia]

I agree totally with LessHypeMoreFact. Unless we take active steps to migrate to a more sustainable world we are in for some extremely unpleasant consequences in the not-too-distant- future. I am not a great believer in Cap and Trade ETS schemes, as they are distortionary and too easily rorted. A straight carbon tax on all sources of carbon fuels (and all emissions, too) would have far more effect in promoting efficiency, conservation and sustainable, non-C alternatives. And the ducking and diving by the governments of most countries trying to avoid ETS schemes is very alarming. We need action now along the lines suggested by LessHypeMoreFact. We cannot defer or delay.

Brazil installs cheap solar panels in their homes for lower income families. They are said to be about $1,000 or 1/4 the cost of the more high tech units. We are working on even cheaper models that are integral in roof cladding.

So there are solutions, but we cannot delay.

[Glasnos]

Yeah ... let's get Spain's expertise ... so we can waste as much as possible for technology that will be obsolete in 5 years.
How about we allow the marketplace to dictate? That seemed to have worked pretty well, before government beaurocracies began meddling with things they know nothing about.

[Earthling]

Parorchestia wrote:

Brazil installs cheap solar panels in their homes for lower income families. They are said to be about $1,000 or 1/4 the cost of the more high tech units. We are working on even cheaper models that are integral in roof cladding.

Lower income Brasilian families either can't afford that price or they live in a high rise apartment, where do they put their solar panels?
Here's a photo of Sau Paulo FYI:
http://www.destination360.com/south-america/b...
A logistical problem or not?

[Earthling]

Glasnos wrote:

Yeah ... let's get Spain's expertise ... so we can waste as much as possible for technology that will be obsolete in 5 years.

You got it in one, learning by the mistakes of others is the best way forward.

Glasnos wrote:

How about we allow the marketplace to dictate? That seemed to have worked pretty well, before government beaurocracies began meddling with things they know nothing about.

Don't hold your breath waiting for common sense to take hold of government, most governments believe it's a nasty disease.

[Earthling]

Oops, post #4, should read Brazilian.
Reminds me of the Duba joke, when he though a brazilian was more than a trillion.

[filo]

The only way to stop GW is to end Globalization. The more we transport raw resouces and finished products for comsumption the warmer the planet will become. While globalization continues to expand so does the population of the human race...growth and excess comsumption of the rich and poor will destroy life as we live it now.

[GEEWIZ]

filo wrote:

The only way to stop GW is to end Globalization. The more we transport raw resouces and finished products for comsumption the warmer the planet will become. While globalization continues to expand so does the population of the human race...growth and excess comsumption of the rich and poor will destroy life as we live it now.

What will destroy everything is costly green energy that is not dependable and 2 costly.USE our FOSSIL fuels COAL and oil shale, no sense in letting them lay in the ground its no wonder the economy is in bad shape we invent reasons not 2 use them OPEC is laughing all the way 2 the bank.

[White Dude]

Build nuclear power plants & produce hydrogen for fuel cells durning off peak load hours! Power for home & cars! I guess that just makes too much sense.

[GEEWIZ]

White Dude wrote:

Build nuclear power plants & produce hydrogen for fuel cells durning off peak load hours! Power for home & cars! I guess that just makes too much sense.

make some sense a fews plants would be ok if they would stop shutting down good ole coal-fired plants which does not make any sense.

[Concerned US Citizens]

Left-Wing Scientist Jumps Ship: Tells Truth About Global Warming Hoax (watch video)

http://allpainnogain.cfact.org/default.asp

[White Guy]

GEEWIZ wrote:

<quoted text>make some sense a fews plants would be ok if they would stop shutting down good ole coal-fired plants which does not make any sense.

None of it makes sense. "MAN MADE" global warming is a scam.

[neighbour]

Green energy only makes sense if we do shut down coal plants. Otherwise it's just more overconsumption. It's like trying to avoid bankrupcy by buying stuff you don't need, just because it's on sale.

[REDD]

I love to heat my house with wood.I cut wood all summer. I built my own coal-wood fired mini power plant for my home it's great!

Its all green, all natural!

[GEEWIZ]

neighbour wrote:

Green energy only makes sense if we do shut down coal plants. Otherwise it's just more overconsumption. It's like trying to avoid bankrupcy by buying stuff you don't need, just because it's on sale.

And thats what green energy is bankrupcy.Shutting down coal fired plants that cost hundreds of millions 4 a green joke like solar and wind that costs 2 much is a bad joke on consumers that have 2 pay 4 it.EMISSIONS are in fine shape.

[Earthling]

neighbour wrote:

Green energy only makes sense if we do shut down coal plants.

So shut them all down tomorrow?

neighbour wrote:

Otherwise it's just more overconsumption.

Overconsumption of what?

neighbour wrote:

It's like trying to avoid bankrupcy by buying stuff you don't need, just because it's on sale.

Can you explain that rather odd analogy?

[I am CO2]

Why does everyone hate me? Plant's love me.

[Curmudgeon]

Same half dozen greenies here?