Al Gore: "I've changed my mind."

[Bored Wombat]

Originally Posted by reng

The problem is that the problem is too hard. There isn't a solution (yet) that is tasteful to politicians, businesmen or the ordinary tax payer.

And the other problem is that we have to act now (and suffer the pains of changing the economy to a low carbon one now), in order to solve problems that won't manifest significantly economically for the better part of a century ... well beyond the term of your even most forward-looking and optimistic democratic governments.

[Windguy]

politicians usually don't think past their 4 year term in parliment. There is the what they should do, but no body is thinking past carbon trading for the how, and that is up in the air. Just wait and see that this economic crisis may derail some of the future actions currently on the table.

[draypoker]

I don't think there is a solution using existing technology. There are partial solutions, like solar and wind, but they can't provide a base load.

OTEC can be a base load.
http://www.members.aol.com/wimtalk/geotherapy/otec.html

[August]

Ocean thermal energy conversion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) is a method for generating electricity which uses the temperature difference that exists between deep and shallow waters to run a heat engine. As with any heat engine, the greatest efficiency and power is produced with the largest temperature difference. This temperature difference generally increases with decreasing latitude, i.e. near the equator, in the tropics. However, evaporation prevents the surface temperature from exceeding 27 deg.C (80 deg.F). Also the subsurface water rarely falls below 5 deg.C. Historically, the main technical challenge of OTEC was to generate significant amounts of power, efficiently, from this very small temperature ratio. Changes in efficiency of heat exchange in modern designs allow performance approaching the theoretical maximum efficiency.

And then there is solar power. Abundant, everywhere; trillions of sun rays just waiting to be captured and turned into electriacal power for human societies to make good use of. Forever.

[ashy]

Originally Posted by August

Ocean thermal energy conversion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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And then there is solar power. Abundant, everywhere; trillions of sun rays just waiting to be captured and turned into electriacal power for human societies to make good use of. Forever.

In most places it's neither abundant nor everywhere! At high latitudes it's nearly pointless, and they don't work for about half the time (i.e. at night). Solar power is great, but it'll be supplementing lots of other things.

[August]

The (Annotated) Gore Energy Speech - Dot Earth Blog - NYTimes.com

Scientists have confirmed that enough solar energy falls on the surface of the earth every 40 minutes to meet 100 percent of the entire world’s energy needs for a full year.

To those who say 10 years is not enough time, I respectfully ask them to consider what the world’s scientists are telling us about the risks we face if we don’t act in 10 years. The leading experts predict that we have less than 10 years to make dramatic changes in our global warming pollution lest we lose our ability to ever recover from this environmental crisis. When the use of oil and coal goes up, pollution goes up. When the use of solar, wind and geothermal increases, pollution comes down.

But forget! This speech was delivered in July 2008, and since then the man has changed his mind. The pharaos of our time must have come to make him realize that a change of energy systems is not going to take place in no matter which time scale he once thought about. Ten years? Twenty years? Nevermind! The task itself is simply too difficult! It's too complex! And the military-industrial complex (which is in no need of fresh air in order to survive; all it needs is motors) won't have it! And while it may be true to say that oil, gas, and coal makes the emissions go up, it also remains true to say that oil, gas, and coal is equal to a mathematical equation that simply does not add up! It requires too much effort. And too much money. Too many people are working in the oil, gas, and coal sector of our societies, and that is also a fact.

[TomFS08]

Al Gore gives insight on a new documentary about the life and influence of Johnny Cash. Good to see Al making the appearances.

Check out bio.com/johnnycash for details

The doc airs October 23rd at 9 PM ET on the Bio Channel. I'm definitely going to tune in, not just for Gore but for Johnny Cash as well!

Tom with A&E

[August]

Citing global warming, Gore renews call to cut use of oil - The Boston Globe

Speaking yesterday at Harvard University, former vice president Al Gore renewed his call for an end to dependence on oil and other carbon-based fuels, blaming it for global warming and the United States' problems in the Middle East.

"We have a very few short years to change the way we conduct global civilization," Gore said. "It is almost absurd to think that we as a human race could make any one decision as a species, but that is, in fact, the challenge before us."

[cbacba]

so now he claims to have a brain

[e2e]

I got something for you all. Let me get my post count up. And be amazed. xD