Okay, I'm not sure what topic we're covering here anymore. Is it the fact that climate is changing, or is it the fact we are responsible for it?
Wasn't there an ice age centuries ago? Doesn't that mean the planet has been warming by itself ever since? Suddenly are we to believe that it's CO2 is the culprit? Don't get me wrong, I fully support recycling & improving efficiency of anything we can to make our planet a cleaner place, but allocating millions of $ to carbon trading only seems to me as a scheme to make money for some very select groups or individuals.
Below is an article doing the rounds on email at present. It has to do with Australia's contribution to the level of CO2. Just my 2c worth. I haven't checked the sums he presents, but I'm sure someone here will check the numbers.
"REAL EMISSIONS DATA FROM RETIRED POWER WORKER.
T.L. Cardwell
I should clarify. I spent 25 years in the Electricity Commission of NSW working, commissioning and operating the various power units. My last was the 4 X 350 MW Munmorah Power Station, near Newcastle. I would be pleased to supply you any information you may require.
I have sat by for a number of years frustrated at the rubbish being put forth about carbon dioxide emissions, thermal coal fired power stations and renewable energy and the ridiculous Emissions Trading Scheme. Frustration at the lies told (particularly during the election) about global pollution.
Let me use Power Station cooling towers for an example. The condensation coming from those cooling towers is as pure as what comes out of any kettle. Frustration about the so called incorrectly named man made 'carbon emissions' (which of course is Carbon Dioxide emissions) and what it is supposedly doing to our planet. Frustration about the lies told about renewable energy and the deliberate distortion of benefit from renewable energy and its ability to replace fossil fuel energy generation. Frustration at the ridiculous carbon credit programme which is beyond comprehension. But, further frustration at some members of the public who have not got a clue about thermal Power Stations or Renewable Energy, yet who go on quoting ridiculous figures about something which, they clearly have little or no knowledge.
First; coal fired power stations do NOT send 60 to 70% of the energy up the chimney. The boilers of modern power station are 96% efficient and the exhaust heat is captured by the ‘economisers’ and ‘pre-heaters’ which pre-heat the air and water going into the boilers. The very slight amount exiting the stack is moist as in condensation and CO2. There is virtually no fly ash because this is removed by the ‘precipitators’ and/or ‘bagging plant’ which are 99.98% efficient. The 4% heat lost, is through boiler wall convection. Coal fired Power Stations are highly efficient with very little heat loss and can generate massive amount of energy for our needs. They can generate power at an efficiency of less than 10,000 b.t.u. per kilowatt and cost-wise, this is very low. The percentage cost of mining and freight is very low. The total cost of fuel is 8% of total generation cost and does NOT constitute a major production cost.
As for being laughed out of the country, China is building multitudes of coal fired power stations because they are the most efficient for bulk power generation.
We have (like the USA), coal fired power stations because we HAVE the raw materials and are VERY fortunate to have them. Believe me no one is laughing at Australia - exactly the reverse, they are very envious of our raw materials and independence.
The major percentage of power in Europe and U.K. is nuclear because they don't have the coal supply for the future.
Yes it would be very nice to have clean, quiet, cheap energy in bulk supply. Everyone agrees it would be ideal. You don't have to be a genius to work it out. But there is only one problem---It doesn't exist.
Yes - there are wind and solar generators being built all over the world but they only add a small amount to the overall power demand. The maximum size wind generator is 3 Megawatts, which can rarely be attained on a continuous basis because it requires substantial forces of wind and for the same reason, they only generate when there is sufficient wind to drive them. This of course depends where they are located but usually they only run for 45% -65% of the time, mostly well below maximum capacity. They cannot be relied on for a 'base load' because they are too variable and they certainly could not be used for load control.
The peak load demand for electricity in Australia is approximately 50,000 Megawatts and only a small part of this comes from the Snowy Hydro Electric System (The ultimate power Generation) because it is only available when water is there from snow melt or rain. Yes, they can pump it back but it costs to do so. (Long Story).
Tasmania is very fortunate, they have mostly hydro electric generation because of their high amounts of snow and rainfall. They also have wind generators (located in the roaring forties) but these provide only a small amount of total power generated.
Based on an average generating output of 1.5 megawatts (of unreliable power) you would require over 33,300 wind generators. As for solar power generation much research has been done over the decades and there are two types. Solar thermal generation and Solar Electric generation but in each case, they cannot generate large amounts of electricity.
Any clean, cheap energy is obviously welcomed but they would, NEVER have the capability of replacing Thermal power generation. So get your heads out of the clouds, do some basic mathematics and look at the facts not going off with the fairies (or some would say the extreme greenies). We are all greenies in one form or another and care very much about our planet. The difference is, most of us are realistic, not in some idyllic utopia where everything can be made perfect by standing around holding a banner and being a general pain in the backside. Here are some facts which will show how ridiculous this financial madness the government is following is. Do the simple maths and see for yourselves. According to the 'believers' the CO2 in air has risen from .034% to .038% in air over the last 50 years. To put the percentage of Carbon Dioxide in air in a clearer perspective; If you had a room 12 ft x 12 ft x 7 ft or 3.7 mtrs x 3.7 mtrs x 2.1 mtrs, the space which carbon dioxide would occupy in that room would be .25m x .25m x .17m or the size of a large packet of cereal.
Australia emits 1 percent of the world's total carbon Dioxide and the government wants to reduce this by twenty percent or reduce emissions by .2 percent of the world's total CO2 emissions. What effect will this have on existing CO2 levels?
By their own figures they state the CO2 in air has risen from .034% to .038% in 50 years. Assuming this is correct, the world CO2 has increased in 50 years by .004 percent. Per year, which is .004 divided by 50 = .00008 percent. (Getting confusing -but stay with me). Of that, because we only contribute 1%, our emissions would cause CO2 to rise .00008 divided by 100 = .0000008 percent. Of that 1% which we supposedly emit, the governments wants to reduce it by 20% which is 1/5th of .0000008 = .00000016 percent as the effect per year they would have on the world CO2 emissions based on their own figures. Which would equate to an area in the same room, about the size of a small pin.!!! For this, they have gone crazy with the ridiculous trading schemes, Solar and roofing insulation, Clean coal technology. Renewable energy, etc, etc.
How ridiculous! The cost to the general public and industry will be enormous. It will cripple and even close some smaller business.
T.L. Cardwell"
