BBC NEWS :
David MacKay, who takes up his post at the Department of Energy on 1 October, says that the public keep objecting to energy projects. This, he says, is creating a huge problem, which could turn out the lights.
David Roberts: Blackout: Dwindling Coal Reserves and the Siren Song of "Clean Coal"
If we don't begin massive investment in renewable power sources, civilization could be at risk before the end of the century. Such is the stark conclusion of Blackout, one of the scariest books I've ever read.
Kerry Trueman: Earth Days: Dare To Care
Earth Days, the new film that opens this weekend from acclaimed documentarian Robert Stone, is being promoted as a history of the environmental movement in the United States. But it's more of a road trip, really.
Bob Dinneen: The Days of Energy Malaise Are Over
So when are we going to wake up to the fact that our dependence on imported oil is worse than in the days of Carter's "malaise"? And what are we going to do about it?
MediaPost Publications - Home of MediaDailyNews, MEDIA and OMMA Magazines
Stubborn: NFL Not Going To Budge On Blackouts — Will Post Games Online
MediaPost Publications NFL Blackouts Could Effect 20% Of Games 09/15/2009
Recent blackouts in US, UK, Scandinavia and Italy: Is it contagious?
Blackouts could hit Britain by 2015, says National Grid chief ...
UK could face widespread seventies style blackouts - Home News, UK ...
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Unlike the UK we have the real estate and natural resources: Solar in low population areas of desert SW. Wind in the central plains' wind corridors.
13,000 200 MW plants, 1 square mile apiece in would use about 2% of the arid lands in CA AZ, NM and TX and supply the entire electricity needs of the US to 2050 for residential, commercial, industrial, all heat and AC, and all autos if 100% (PH)EV. It would cover the 16 hr/day baseload of electrcity for the entire US (coast-to-coast, 8AM EST to 8 PM PST)) in real time requiring a 30% back-up for the remaining 8 hours.
! million 1.5 MW wind turbines (at 20% capacity factor) on 1/2 mile centers in the central plains would produce all the power needs cited above to 2050. And that doesn't include any extra turbines built on the the high wind ridges of the Sierras, Rockies, or Appalachains.
Fold in energy efficiency increases and home geothermal for heating in the north and AC in the south. and our energy future is very bright. No coal, little gasoline, no natural gas, and minimal nuclear if you insist (H2 stoarge could obviate that.).
Congratualtions David! Good Luck
Jay
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First Posted: 09-11-09 04:32 PM | Updated: 09-11-09 04:54 PM