Energista

2009-11-15T05:24:00.001-06:00

New Home!

2006-08-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

Energista! has moved to a new home - Energista.org. Please visit our new home. You can create your own account if you want an identity for posting comments and such. If you have questions or comments about the switcheroo, please email me and I'll straighten you out.

This new codebase offers more features and supports local small business rather than relying upon the generosity of Google's services. Thank you for reading!

Slow Start to Nuclear

2006-08-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

Despite the Federal government sending a message to the private sector to push forward with building new nuclear power plants, the response has been tepid. A longish NY Times article looks at the business outlook on nuclear power plants. I found there to be a couple interesting tidbits. One is that the reasons companies decide not to build a new nuclear power plant are generally not the same as the reasons opponents are worried about:

“Opponents often cite the risk of accidents and the problem of nuclear waste, but the companies that do not want to build say that those are not factors in their decisions…the risk that really matters to utility executives is financial. Among the companies that would actually build these plants, executives focus more on uncertain factors like the future price of power, the cost of producing competing fuels, and the cost of cleaning up coal plants to meet standards for the pollutants that Washington does regulate — sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and soot.”

One energy company executive stated it clearly that their role is to maximize their shareholders profits. Even if nuclear power plants may eventually be more cost effective than coal plants they carry a much higher level of uncertainty and risk. An example is that typically when they build a new power plant they begin the process by selling the future power for a certain length of time (hedging). They then use these contracts to ease the worries of investors and bankers in order to get the outside financing necessary for the high capital outlay. Since nuclear power plants take on the order of 10 years to bring into production it is difficult to sell power 10 years from now for a 10 year timeframe.

Airline Emission Trading

2006-08-22T12:04:00.000-05:00

The World's 18 Aug, 2006 technology podcast discusses a proposed airline emissions trading program.

I seem to recall the statement that airline emissions are the fasting growing carbon emissions in Europe. So the EU may institute a trading program to reduce them.

The view is shared by a number of airlines which accept that their current exemption from tax on aviation fuel is not tenable in the long term. Many operators are alarmed at plans to slap a levy on tickets to generate funds for areas not related to aviation, such as development aid. Moreover some airlines see an advantage in the fact that it will take at least two or three years to get the measure through the EU legislative procedure.

A way to model the pollution impacts of distributed energy sources

2006-08-21T23:51:00.000-05:00

Ok, the last post for the day. Researchers in California have developed means to model the air quality impacts of small scale, distributed power sources.

“Using a supercomputer, scientists analyzed thousands of variables including land-use information, emissions data and atmospheric chemistry to determine the potential effect of distributed generation on Southern California air by 2010. Distributed generation – the operation of many small stationary power generators located throughout an urban air basin – includes fuel cells, photovoltaics, gas turbines, micro-turbine generators and natural gas internal combustion engines. The use of clean distributed generation in place of traditional power-plant generation cuts down on electricity transmission losses, reduces the need for unsightly overhead power lines and facilitates the use of generator waste heat, which further reduces electricity needs and emissions.”

Bioenergy crops on Industrial Brownfields

2006-08-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

In the hopes of being able to address two problems at once, researchers have been investigating growing bioenergy crops in brown-fields; areas that are not usable for other purposes without considerable cleanup.

“Right now, brownfields don’t grow anything,” Thelen said. “This may seem like a drop in the bucket, but we’re looking at the possibilities of taking land that isn’t productive and using it to both learn and produce.”

They are also investigating whether or not the plants will contribute to remediation of the pollution by taking up contaminants from the soil.

While the plants are not going to be eaten I think it is still going to be important to investigate whether or not the contaminants taken up from the soil impact the use of the biomass. The processes used for conversion of biomass to ethanol involve a number of yeasts and enzymes that could be adversely affected by many different compounds. If the biomass is to be burned the concern would be the level of contaminants in the emissions. We certainly don’t want to just be trading soil and groundwater contamination for air contamination.

Scientific American looks at Energy and Climate Change

2006-08-21T12:03:00.000-05:00

The Scientific American recently had a series of articles related to energy and climate change. Unfortunately, most of these require a subscription to access online. You can purchase them or buy the hardcopy.

A Climate Repair Manual [ INTRODUCTION ]
Global warming is a reality. Innovation in energy technology and policy are sorely needed if we are to cope

An Efficient Solution [ ENERGY EFFICIENCY ]
Wasting less energy is the quickest, least expensive way to stem carbon emissions

High Hopes for Hydrogen [ FUEL CELLS AND MORE ]
Using hydrogen to fuel cars may eventually slash oil consumption and carbon emissions, but it will take some time

The Rise of Renewable Energy [ CLEAN POWER ]
Solar cells, wind turbines and biofuels are poised to become major energy sources. New policies could dramatically accelerate that evolution

What to Do about Coal [ CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE ]
Cheap, plentiful coal is expected to fuel power plants for the foreseeable future, but can we keep it from devastating the environment?

A Plan to Keep Carbon in Check [ STRATEGY ]
Getting a grip on greenhouse gases is daunting but doable. The technologies already exist. But there is no time to lose.

Plan B for Energy [ SPECULATIVE TECHNOLOGY ]
If efficiency improvements and incremental advances in today's technologies fail to halt global warming, could revolutionary new carbon-free energy sources save the day? Don't count on it--but don't count it out, either

Fueling Our Transportation Future [ AUTOMOTIVE ANSWERS ]
New technologies, lighter vehicles and alternative fuels can lower greenhouse gas releases from cars and trucks

The Nuclear Option [ ROLE FOR FISSION ]
A threefold expansion of nuclear power could contribute significantly to staving off climate change by avoiding one billion to two billion tons of carbon emissions annually

Oil Profits and Arms Purchases

2006-08-21T11:38:00.000-05:00

An article at the TimesOnline links profits received due to the high oil prices to purchases of military goods. The month of July showed sales of $12.9 billion from the US to foreign governments – the largest single month during the Bush Administration. Besides being tied to the support for the US government’s foreign policy aims and other factors it is also related to oil profits.

"Other factors behind the leap in arms sales include the rising price of oil, which has given oil-producing nations more money to spend."

A New Look at Hydrogen Fuel Cells

2006-08-20T22:19:00.000-05:00

Sciency Daily has a story about a new imaging device at NIST that will allow researchers to watch the internal workings of hydrogen fuel cells.

""Better water management is fundamental to meeting targets for fuel cell performance, reliability and durability. Reaching these targets, in turn, is integral to efforts to replace petroleum with hydrogen to power cars and trucks by 2020--the goal of President Bush's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative."

"An expert panel described the imaging method as "one of the most significant analytical advances in the membrane fuel cell realm in decades." "

Still, nothing that should make one hopeful of having a viable hydrogen solution in the coming decade capable of widespread use.

Willow for Ethanol

2006-08-20T13:33:00.000-05:00

IT Conversations has a podcast about non corn ethanol sources (also not sugar cane). 15 minute interview with Stephen Hall, Chief Executive of Genesis R&D.

Ford Cuts Production Again

2006-08-18T15:44:00.000-05:00

Ford sees no end in sight for the high gas prices and cutting truck and SUV production as a result.

Looks like the specific cuts will be announced in September but will definitely impact St. Paul.

The change will result in more downtime at Ford's St. Paul Ranger Truck plant as well as nine other plants, officials said.

Might As Well Pack It In...

2006-08-18T14:35:00.000-05:00

Dang -- just as all this energy policy stuff was getting interesting, a bunch of smart Irish guys have figured out how to get clean free energy! So much for worrying about whether global warming is real, since it turns out basic physics is what turned out to be a hoax. Rather than waste time on those science journals (who would just try to ruin the party), they've taken out a full-page ad in the Economist challenging scientists to prove there's no dragon in their garage.

What I haven't figured out is how they plan to make money on this scam -- it seems like an awful lot of effort just to get email addresses to sell spammers.

Chicago Story

2006-08-17T00:27:00.000-05:00

Several blogs have been abuzz with a remarkable story from the Chicago Tribune. Paul Salopek tracked the origin and route of gas pumped from a nearby station. In essence, he de-fungized oil.

The oil industry largely refused to help him. Only Marathon - a gas station that consistently offers the cheapeast price in southern suburbia - aided Salopek's mission by sharing some data. He actually volunteered dozens of times to work at a gas station where he interviewed people (disclosing that he was a reporter) between janitorial tasks. He finished with a 4 part series for the paper. I would be surprised if he does not develop a book out of it.

I grew apprehensive at the first Matthew Simmons quote and discussion of peak oil, but Salopek integrates it well and does not become sidetracked with the peak oil debate. This is good reading. It mixes the daily lives of gas station attendents with those on the rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. It hops between lecture and human interest. It even seems to be rather balanced.

U.S. refineries have dwindled from more than 300 to just 145 over the last 25 years. Industry blames this perilous bottleneck in the nation's gasoline production on environmental red tape and public opposition to new oil infrastructure--BANANA they call it, Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. But critics claim that Big Oil actually likes the status quo; the inevitable shortfalls drive up gas prices.

This article may seem lengthy, but it rolls many insights into a few paragraphs.

Americans already get more oil from Africa than from Saudi Arabia. By 2015, oil experts say, African states will supply a quarter of all U.S. imports, up from 15 percent today. The United States quietly signaled this shift in 2002, when the State Department declared African oil a "strategic national interest," meaning in diplomatic code that U.S. troops may intervene to protect it.

"I think the U.S. military would find our swamps worse than Iraq," snorted Austin Onuoha, a Nigerian human-rights activist who specializes in oil issues. "But at least they might build some infrastructure after they invade. Americans always do this, right?"

Onuoha's sarcasm was well-earned. He was talking in the dark, from his blacked-out house in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The electricity in Africa's petro-giant had winked out again. And this fit sourly into his main thesis: Oil is rotting Africa's frail democracies.

As for the people who think the United States need to install a windfall tax to capture some of the "unfair" profiting of oil companies, they must seriously freak out when they consider how it impacts the areas from which it is extracted.

Jeremiah's catch fetched 450 naira at the local market, about $3. His boat engine had swallowed $6 in fuel. As it happened, it was Oct. 27, the day when Exxon Mobil announced record quarterly oil and gas profits of $7.35 billion.

It's Easier Being Green

2006-08-15T21:58:00.000-05:00

Both the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune's Red Eye edition recently had articles on the growing popularity of environmentally conscious lifestyles. On Sunday, The New York Times published an article about manhattan's green apartment buildings and Monday's Red Eye piece covered a broader selection of social trends towards environmentalist consumerism

While they do discuss the 'fad' potential, one thing they don't discuss are the demographics of interest in these things. My speculation would be that there's a bias towards childless members of the upper middle class.

Low Sulfur Gas

2006-08-15T17:28:00.000-05:00

Last week's "This Week in Petroleum" by the EIA discusses the BP pipeline shutdown, the phasing out of MTBE, and low sulfur diesel.

The second major transition is the move to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) for highway use. In June, refiners and importers of highway diesel fuel were required to begin providing at least 80% of their highway diesel fuel with no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur, compared to previous highway diesel at 500 ppm. Terminals must be ready by September 1 with the new fuel, and retail facilities must be ready by October 15.

They use the word fungible!

2006-08-11T12:50:00.000-05:00

Nice Opinion in the Washington Post talking about the impacts of the next oil price shock...

Wind Round the World

2006-08-10T21:34:00.000-05:00

The city of Cape Town has signed a deal to buy wind-generated electricity, in what is set to be South Africa's first fully fledged wind power project.

BBC is reporting on South Africa's first foray into wind power.

The Danish government and the Development Bank of South Africa have provided most of capital for the establishment of the Darling Wind Farm.

They may be late in the game, but have an ambitious plan to provide 10% of its demand in 2020 by sustainable sources...

PacWind Generator

2006-08-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

The Energy Blog is covering a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) which looks interesting. Apparently it runs silently and does not run the risk of destroying itself in high speeds. It doesn't produce much power at low wind speeds but it seems like it might have some uses in urban environments if priced low enough.

Klare Interview

2006-08-08T23:27:00.000-05:00

I have long enjoyed reading Michael Klare books and columns. He is a Professor of Peace and World Security Studies at Hampshire College. Mother Jones interviews him about him Blood and Oil book. He paints a bleak future of resource wars and focuses on the importance of oil for the U.S. military.

I particularly like his reaction to this energy independence talk.

And the administration talks about 'energy independence' from the Middle East, by which they seem to mean, exclusively drilling in Alaska and other protected environmental sites. So, I want to avoid that word, because I think it’s become a sham expression to cover up a failed policy.

Wind economics

2006-08-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

I just posted a rather long-winded comment under the Vail post about how wind energy functions on the MISO market, if anyone cares to read it.

Agricultural subsidies -- Welfare Kings

2006-08-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

In this Op Ed, Jonah Goldberg levels some strong criticism toward current US agricultural policy. I post it here because of the strong influence that ag policy has on renewable energy policy. In particular, in Minnesota where the push to ethanol, produced from home grown crops, is so strong.

I don't think that the interconnection is fully understood but it certainly exists. It is also very complex and convoluted. One effect is what is sometimes called ag-driving-energy. This can be seen by the fact that the two leading sources of renewable liquid fuels are corn and soybeans...also two of the largest agricultural crops and also two of the heavily subsidized crops. Current US ag policy has been often criticized for its effect of reducing the varieties of crops grown by farmers. This affects energy in that it can result in a smaller established markets for those commodities of more interest for use in energy production; cellulosic biomass crops being the most significant.

Another impact is on the other side of the current successful liquid fuels production markets is that the farmers are seeing less of the benefit of increased demand for corn because of agricultural subsidies. For corn farmers, the largest form of subsidy is that of the loan guarentee. The way it works is that, for loans granted under this program, if crop prices are not above preset levels the government will kick in a portion of the difference to ensure that the farmers are able to avoid defaulting on their loans. Even if ethanol pushes corn prices above that preset level that portion of the increase necessary to cross the threshold needs to be ascribed as a benefit to tax payers not to the farmer.

I have not seen any good studies, yet, on the impact of agricultural policy on energy policy and vice versa. One good book that touches on many of the factors is 'Agriculture as a Producer and Consumer of Energy' with articles by Vern Eidman and Doug Tiffany at the University of Minnesota. I would love to hear if others have other takes on the issue or know of other good sources.

Gas prices to go up

2006-08-08T11:13:00.000-05:00

It was a busy day today in the local paper on energy items. This AP article in the Star Trib shouldn't be any surprise to anybody keeping up on energy issues. I filled up the car yesterday (we drive so little these days that I don't think to check and almost ran out on the way to a meeting) and the price was $3.066 at the BP down the road. Sounds like we can expect another 5 to 10 cents due to the pipeline shutdown. What I'm suspicious of is that, with all the publicity it's received, the oil companies will apply the price increase early and milk a few more profits out of the system before they feel the pinch.

MN Ethanol Roundup

2006-08-08T10:55:00.000-05:00

The Star Tribune's Neal St. Anthony recently explored the role of ethanol in the future. He correctly notes that ethanol can only ever be a part of the solution.

I have to wonder though - is the ethanol industry exploding too quickly? A recent "ethanol booms" article in the Bemidji Pioneer calls ethanol a modern day "bit of a gold rush."

A recent Science Friday episode on ethanol said that it would take the entire Iowa corn crop to meet the demand from all the Iowa ethanol plants. Is this a bad situation? Is there too much ethanol investment now?

During her recent ethanol tour, Nancy Pelosi said

"I believe you are going to change the economy of our country," she told farmers. "You are going to save the auto industry."

If she is talking about continuing to subsidize suburban sprawl, I hope ethanol offers as little promise as I think it does.

Pipeline Shut Down

2006-08-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

BP is shutting down 8% of U.S. oil production by closing an Alaskan pipeline. The pipeline is in danger of causing a big spill if not repaired. It is going to take days to shut down the pipeline. I cannot find an estimate for how long it will take to repair overall. Oil prices are up and may actually overtake the early 80's high according to some analysts.

pat robertson?

2006-08-03T15:30:00.000-05:00

yes pat robertson has finally been convinced that global warming is happening. is this a good thing?