Wind Power Makes a Big Advance

First, Happy Holidays to all.

And to keep things cheerful, this post is full of positive information. Basically, by improved precision in forecasting winds near wind turbine sites, utilities are able to save millions of dollars per year in total power generation costs. This is because they can now match coal and gas fired generator needs to the predicted output from associated wind turbines, which allows them to shut down coal and gas generation units as long as wind generation units are forecast to be more productive with more wind. Neat science, and a benefit to all.

Methane vs CO2, which is more to be feared

A very thoughtful article from David Archer, author of one of my favorite books on impending climate change, The Long Thaw. His synopsis of methane vs CO2 is so revealing:

"CO₂ is plenty to be frightened of, while methane is frosting on the cake. Imagine you are in a Toyota on the highway at 60 miles per hour approaching stopped traffic, and you find that the brake pedal is broken. This is CO₂. Then you figure out that the accelerator has also jammed, so that by the time you hit the truck in front of you, you will be going 90 miles per hour instead of 60. This is methane. Is now the time to get worried? No, you should already have been worried by the broken brake pedal."

Smile if you can, or better still, read the whole article which concludes with:

"For methane to be a game-changer in the future of Earth’s climate, it would have to degas to the atmosphere catastrophically, on a time scale that is faster than the decadal lifetime of methane in the air. So far no one has seen or proposed a mechanism to make that happen."

Wave Energy

 E.ON Pelamis P2, Orkney

I just received a Christmas Newsletter from Pelamis, a company that makes wave powered generators. Their good news is the recent one year anniversary of their first commercial wave generator off the coast of Scotland. The title link goes to the Pelamis site and will open on the page explaining the benefits of wave energy, such as it can be forecast up to 5 days in advance (unlike solar and wind), and it has a very low visual impact. The rest of the site explains how their device works to extract wave energy, what their history is, and what their plans are.

Greenland Ice Sheet, Melting Accelerates

Orange on the above figure indicates where satellites measured increased melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet in 2011

For details about the measurements, see the title link. There is a phenomena involved called "Arctic Amplification". From the Arctic Report Card issued Dec 1, 2011:
"The amplification of warming in the Arctic reflects a powerful feedback between the region’s ice covers and air temperature. As air temperature increases, ice melts; as the bright, reflective ice melts, it reveals darker ocean and land surfaces. These dark surfaces absorb more solar energy during the Arctic’s summer season, when the Sun never sets. This causes more heating, which causes more melting…and so on."

Complete melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet would cause sea levels to rise 6.5 meters, or 21 feet. (USGS fs002-00)