Smoke Haze over Melbourne ( 14 Jan 2020 )

[jokiin]

all the weather conditions we have been having are things that we've always had, the difference is we are getting them far more often, and far more extreme than ever before

 

[Nigel]

Not quite- there's carbon emissions involved with the making of the turbines, generating equipment, wiring, and it's manufacturing, installation and upkeep have economic costs. Even with that, it is a great source of energy which is as clean and impact-free as we're capable of doing right now. And hydrogen is probably the same for energy storage.

Practicality is the problem with energy production and storage which also includes economic practicality. We have many approaches, means, and methods which can be viable in most places but none are perfect enough to be a single solution yet. Hydrogen seems to be the most promising of all the approaches.

Interestingly, some people in Ohio and Pennsylvania USA who have allowed natural gas wells to be drilled on their property receive free natural gas for their personal usage as part of the leasing terms. There are some restrictions involved but as long the well on your land is operating you pay nothing for heating and cooking fuels.

Phil

The wind turbine manufacturers are going zero carbon, the ships to install them and provide maintenance are going hydrogen powered, Trump may still be saying that wind turbines produce more CO2 than they save, but in reality the biggest ones are producing 100th compared to coal for the same power output and a 6th compared to solar, and the figure is steadily getting better. In any case they produce the same amount of CO2 over their lifetime if you use the overnight power or not, so overnight you can effectively produce zero carbon hydrogen.

The big question is what to do with the hydrogen? It is easier to transport electricity than hydrogen so I suspect most of it will be stored for turning into electricity when there is more demand than supply. You can then use the electricity for cars and domestic heating.

Encouragingly, due to cleaner electricity, a major milestone for electric heating is likely to have been reached in 2019. Using electricity from the grid to heat buildings or hot water is less carbon intensive than burning natural gas to get one kilowatt hour (kWh) of heat from a modern gas boiler. This means that even a simple electric heater releases on average less carbon than burning natural gas.

Luke Clark, director of strategic communications at RenewableUK, which represents green energy companies, said: “Since the turn of the year, wind energy has been the UK’s biggest source of electricity and would have provided more if the grid were operating at full power.

Don't have to use a "simple electric heater" though, a heat pump (reverse air conditioning) can use less power for the same heat.

 

[Nigel]

The fires seem to have left the news in Australia, but that doesn't mean they have stopped.

What is happening in Canberra?
Looks pretty bad on the video: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-51338314

Residents in some areas around the capital, Canberra, were warned that it was "too late to leave" and they should try to seek shelter.

Six fires in the ACT and nearby parts of New South Wales (NSW) state were burning out of control, officials said.

The ACT declared a state of emergency on Friday - the first in the area since deadly fires in 2003.

People living in affected areas are being urged to fill up their bathtubs, buckets and sinks, so that when the fire arrives, they have access to water - to extinguish flames and to drink.



"Scott Morrison hits back at "internal and global" criticisms of Australia's climate change policy, saying "Australia is doing our bit". "
But the figures don't agree:



Australia does however have big plans to provide a "CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-Chain" to Japan by shipping them liquified hydrogen produced in Australia ... by burning coal! "(The bulk of this carbon could be captured and stored, but the project does not currently aim to do so, despite the “CO2-free” in its name.) "

World's first liquefied hydrogen carrier launched in Japan

The Suiso Frontier is a key part of the HySTRA demonstration project, which will see hydrogen shipped 9,000 km from southeast Australia to the Japanese city of

www.rechargenews.com

 

[jokiin]

Still plenty of fires, the news is busy trying to scare everyone with virus info though

 

[SawMaster]

News goes stale like old bread; after a few days of glory it's not going to be worth noting and after a few days more it goes into the trash heap
I'd rather hear of the things 'down under' than of the political manure my own country is miring itself into willingly and with vigor, but I'm not given the choice and I'm just a lone voice among the masses

Still wishing well for y'all- some of us haven;'t forgotten and we never will.

Phil

 

[DT MI]

...and I'm just a lone voice among the masses.

Nah, there's two of us.

 

[Nigel]

I'd rather hear of the things 'down under' than of the political manure my own country is miring itself into willingly and with vigor, but I'm not given the choice and I'm just a lone voice among the masses

Still wishing well for y'all- some of us haven;'t forgotten and we never will.

Phil

I don't understand why your opposition party is giving Trump so much publicity when it should be them getting the publicity at the moment, are they really so bad that they want to avoid their own publicity and give it all to Trump? They can't think that all the publicity they are giving Trump won't help him win his 2nd term! "There is no such thing as bad publicity."

At least the Australian fires are not increasing, most of the ones currently burning have been burning since December, and many since November, there are a lot less than there were:

Australia fires: A visual guide to the bushfire crisis

How Australia has been battling bushfires during a devastating fire season.

www.bbc.co.uk