Economic Failure=Environmental Sucess!

[Warped]

Energy Use Dips Due to Recession and Tech Advances

(A local windfarm roughly 20 mins away from my town)

In perhaps some good news for the environment, Americans are using less energy overall and making more use of renewable energy resources, scientists report today.

The United States used significantly less coal and petroleum in 2009 than in 2008, and significantly more wind power, according to energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), a government national security laboratory in Livermore, Calif. There also was a decline in natural gas use and increases in use of alternative energy sources, including solar, hydrothermal and geothermal power, the researchers say.

However, the consumption dip doesn't necessarily reflect a sea change in the way Americans think about and use energy, or a shift to more "green" behavior. Rather, the decrease is due, in part, to the current economic downturn as well as advances in technology.

"Energy use tends to follow the level of economic activity, and that level declined last year," said A.J. Simon, an energy systems analyst for LLNL. "At the same time, higher efficiency appliances and vehicles reduced energy use even further."

"As a result, people and businesses are using less energy in general," Simon added.

Energy dip

The estimated U.S. energy use in 2009 equaled 94.6 quadrillion BTUs ("quads"), down from 99.2 quadrillion BTUs in 2008. A BTU or British Thermal Unit is a unit of measurement for energy, and is equivalent to about 1.055 kilojoules, or about the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.

For comparison, 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) equals about 3,400 BTUs, with a typical American household consuming some 11,000 kWh per year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy use in the residential, commercial, industrial and transportation arenas all declined by 0.22, 0.09, 2.16 and 0.88 quads, respectively.

Wind power increased dramatically in 2009 to 0.70 quads of primary energy compared with 0.51 in 2008. Most of that energy is tied directly to electricity generation and thus helps decrease the use of coal for electricity production.

"The increase in renewables is a really good story, especially in the wind arena," Simon said. "It's a result of very good incentives and technological advancements. In 2009, the technology got better and the incentives remained relatively stable. The investments put in place for wind in previous years came online in 2009. Even better, there are more projects in the pipeline for 2010 and beyond."

Less carbon emissions?

The significant decrease in coal used to produce electricity can be attributed to three factors: overall lower electricity demand, a fuel shift to natural gas and an offset created by more wind power production, according to Simon.

Nuclear energy use remained relatively flat in 2009. No new plants were added nor were any existing plants taken offline in this interval, and the existing fleet operated slightly less than in 2008.

While data on the country's carbon emissions from last year have yet to be released, Simon suspects they will tell a similar story. A 2009 study by the International Energy Agency found that the world's carbon emissions fell sharply that year.

"The reduction in the use of natural gas, coal and petroleum is commensurate with a reduction in carbon emissions," Simon said. "Simply said, people are doing less stuff. Therefore, they're burning less fuel."

http://www.livescience.com/environment/americans-use-less-energy-100824.html

The way i look at it, everyone will be happy in the long run. 100 years from now the world could be a better place if everyone is on board with going green. your thoughts??

 

[Dr.Demento]

It'll flop because oil companies are too greedy and clever.

/thread

 

[Warped]

It'll flop because oil companies are too greedy and clever.

/thread

Wind Power this year just matched Nuclear Power in terms of cost. so I don't believe so. in just a few short years everything could change like it has been.

 

[VirusType2]

They should put solar panels on wind turbine blades.

 

[Dr.Demento]

They should put solar panels on wind turbine blades.

That's actually a brilliant idea. Why hasn't anyone tried this yet?

On a sort of related note, I'd like to find a place somewhere in the U.S. where I could utilize all the elements and have a completely self sustaining eco-house. Like somewhere with a relatively high altitude so I could utilize wind, but next to a stream for hydro, and plenty of sunlight for solar. This way there's no element that would fail to provide power. I wonder how much a project like this would cost?

P.S. I'm sick of utility companies. F**king scumbags.

 

[Eejit]

Who's to say it hasn't been tried?

 

[Ridge]

Wind Power this year just matched Nuclear Power in terms of cost. so I don't believe so. in just a few short years everything could change like it has been.

According to a report created on request by a company that develops wind power technology...

We'd be much greener if we actually built some nuclear power plants. They can provide several times the power output of a coal plant, for a fraction of the price, and the only emission being water vapor.

 

[Eejit]

Particularly Thorium nuclear plants.

 

[PvtRyan]

Wind power increased dramatically in 2009 to 0.70 quads of primary energy compared with 0.51 in 2008.

Let me translate that for you:

Wind power still accounts for dick in terms of energy production

Wind Power this year just matched Nuclear Power in terms of cost. so I don't believe so. in just a few short years everything could change like it has been.

If we weren't so irrationally terrified of nuclear energy, and actually invested in it, it wouldn't even be close. We could be so much further than we are right now.

 

[VirusType2]

I read somewhere that if we used something like [a very small percentage] of the available land for harnessing wind power, we could power the entire worlds electricity demands. So, I mean, why not?

I found an image:

(by 2030)
http://www.landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/127

 

[PvtRyan]

I read somewhere that if we used something like 15% of the available land for harnessing wind power, we could power the entire worlds electricity demands. So, I mean, why not?

Because 15% is a ridiculous amount of land? That's the size of freaking Russia!

 

[VirusType2]

Like I said, I suppose that means suitable land (15% of suitable [high wind] land, like high wind plains). Anyway, I edited my post - now with more fact content.

 

[Warped]

I read somewhere that if we used something like [a very small percentage] of the available land for harnessing wind power, we could power the entire worlds electricity demands. So, I mean, why not?

I found an image:

(by 2030)
http://www.landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/127

very cool to know. If I ever win the lottery I'm looking into these places for sure for my power plants. Also my desalinization plants will be in high demand by then too

 

[Ridge]

I read somewhere that if we used something like [a very small percentage] of the available land for harnessing wind power, we could power the entire worlds electricity demands. So, I mean, why not?

I found an image:

(by 2030)
http://www.landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/127

Another thing of note is that all the highlighted areas in the map are filled with extremely high population densities...

 

[15357]

Wind Power this year just matched Nuclear Power in terms of cost. so I don't believe so. in just a few short years everything could change like it has been.

This reminds me; I was watching an anime and it had some girl that shoots electricity out of her body destroy a wind turbine, and we were both screaming: "NO YOU FAG YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THAT THING COSTS YOUR PARENTS COULDN'T AFFORD TO BUY HALF A TURBINE IF THEY WORKED FOR 10 YEARS STRAIGHT AVALGSGLJGJDFLJSDBM"


In summary, turbines are prohibitively expensive, and they are made with the sweat and blood of engineering majors like my friend there.

 

[Warped]

yeah they are expensive now but in 10 years?? probably much cheaper and more efficient too. who knows, maybe they'll hook up electrodes to your brain when you sleep and you'll charge your electronics while you sleep. i bet they could do that with animals too!

 

[unozero]

yeah they are expensive now but in 10 years?? probably much cheaper and more efficient too. who knows, maybe they'll hook up electrodes to your brain when you sleep and you'll charge your electronics while you sleep. i bet they could do that with animals too!

Not to be a pessimist but I honestly think in 10 years time Alternative energy sources won't really matter anymore.
It's either now or never.

 

[Ridge]

yeah they are expensive now but in 10 years?? probably much cheaper and more efficient too. who knows, maybe they'll hook up electrodes to your brain when you sleep and you'll charge your electronics while you sleep. i bet they could do that with animals too!

You can have today's tech at tomorrow's prices, or tomorrow's tech at tomorrow's prices...

Not to be a pessimist but I honestly think in 10 years time Alternative energy sources won't really matter anymore.
It's either now or never.

I respectfully disagree. It is just going to take a lot of pushing and shoving to get startups going that make better/more use of alternative fuels.

Something similar to the 1970s oil embargo.

 

[Warped]

Not to be a pessimist but I honestly think in 10 years time Alternative energy sources won't really matter anymore.
It's either now or never.

if the internet is like it is today, we can expect to see changes. but if info is locked down, expect people to forget about it. thats probably how its going to be though at this rate.

 

[Danimal]

Like the Illuminati would want to find ways to support more people on Earth.

That is technically a sin, for them.

 

[Raziaar]

What the hell is with all this necromancy?

 

[Mogi67]

I read somewhere that if we used something like [a very small percentage] of the available land for harnessing wind power, we could power the entire worlds electricity demands. So, I mean, why not?

I found an image:

(by 2030)
http://www.landartgenerator.org/blagi/archives/127

Most of those coastlines are incredibly beautiful, especially the alaskan one. I'd rather have no electricity then touch that shit