Showing posts with label Gas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gas. Show all posts

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Beware the Ozone

Ten years ago the ozone layer was a major topic. "The ozone is decreasing," headlines proclaimed. Then, it was just as quickly forgotten. It may not be growing so much but the ozone layer is still causing problems. The weather has been altered. Wet and dry extremes are the result. Desalination programs have been put on the backburner for now. They will be needed soon as the cycle swings back to dry.

The ozone hole shifts high-altitude wind circulation southward. Most notable for Australia has been the movement of the Southern Hemisphere jet stream to the south. This has severe effects. For example, in the north Britain has got very cold winters in recent years due to blocking of the Northern stream. Estimates are that Australia's weather has changed by a magnitude of 35 per cent. More rain has been brought here. With the impact from greenhouse gases this water evaporates very quickly, so the overall impact is dryness.

With the combination of ozone, greenhouse gases and El Nino the weather has become chaotic for Australia. Chlorofluorocarbon reduction has been successful. Nonetheless, we should not become complacent. Damage still persists in the Arctic. Besides, greenhouse gas emissions is doing more damage now than the depleted ozone. Australians need to consider the country as a whole. Eastern states are now soaking in water. Western Australia, however, is in drought.
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Science

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Gas prices around the globe, March 2011

chart from http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/market-news/gas-prices-world-high-low-country-pain-pump/19895547/?icid=maing-grid7main5dl3sec1_lnk252904
via AIRINC http://www.air-inc.com

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Natural Gas Must Not Be Used as a Substitute for Clean Power Generation

It is proposed that natural gas be used instead of coal for electric power generation. The national climate summit put a deadline of 2012 for this to happen with the dirtiest power station, Hazlewood. Environment Victoria took up the challenge saying that natural gas with renewable energy resources could reduce Hazlewood's pollution by 14.4 million tonnes to just 1.8. Wind generation would gradually replace natural gas.

The claim is exceedingly optimistic. Too much faith is placed in wind generation despite the fact that electricity production by this means has peaked in northern Europe and it still does not make a profit.

Beyond Zero Emissions is even more optimistic. Its plan aims to end Hazlewood's use of coal by 2013.

The future looks good for natural gas production with gas being obtained from coal seams and 20 gas power plants being planned. Natural gas is not really clean though. Indeed, leakage of methane gas occurs. Replacing coal power generation with gas as a temporary measure is a mistake. What is the point of wasting millions of dollars in investment on the premise that something better will come along?

The best way to go in the short term is to build solar thermal power sites alongside existing coal power stations. Note that solar thermal only produces electricity during the day. A final solution will undoubtedly be tidal generation because the moon continues to circle the earth making oceans rise and fall day after day.
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Saturday, April 3, 2010

Greens Groups Are Causing Divison Among Aboriginals Over NW Project

The Greenies and Aboriginals are at odds with each other. While Aboriginals are trying to get a share of the mineral boom, Greenies want to end it. A case in point is Broome in Western Australia where the WA Premier has said that if Aboriginals don't agree to what has been offered the state will allow development anyway. Greenies have responded to this with abuse of parliamentarians and lying about the consequences.

Save the Kimberley environmental groups and Wilderness Society have caused so much trouble that Aboriginal families are arguing with each other. Aboriginals want job creation. Greenies are not interested in more jobs. Greenies have even accused Aboriginals of being in league with developers.

Coming in and throwing your weight around to get what you want is not the way to go. Greenies carry a lot of weight and they are damaging Aboriginal communities by pretending to help native people. Greenies are trying to stop the gas hub at all costs and the cost could ultimately be met by Aboriginals who loose out on everything if they don't sign on the line.

Green groups are blaming the state and federal governments for causing division among Aboriginals when it is Greenies who are causing it.
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Friday, February 12, 2010

Hills Hoist Put to Use Again

Australians worship the Hills Hoist. Wherever one travels in this hot brown land the Aussie clothes line can be seen, with shirts and skirts attached thereto. It seems, however, that in other countries the Hills Hoist is a blot on the landscape. In the US the hoist is hardly seen at all. In the 1950s the electric dryer arrived and more recently in the 1970s regulations were brought in to prohibit the hoist on aesthetic grounds. Some argued that the humble Hills Hoist detracted from perfectly manicured backyards and could reduce home values.

The tide is turning. For people are hanging out their washing in protest. You see, electric dryers are bad for the environment. A significant amount of electricity is used by electric dryers in the US, six percent in fact. Furthermore, commercial laundry establishments including laundromats, gaols, prisons and hospitals use gas dryers. The humble clothesline could be a valuable weapon in the fight against global warming.
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