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NickB79

(20,359 posts)
13. I see two major errors with that study
Sun Dec 8, 2013, 10:35 PM
Dec 2013

1) They make no mention of taking into account major positive feedback mechanisms we're just now starting to notice, primarily methane release from a warming Arctic. The amount of GHG trapped in the permafrost and hydrates is enough to devastate the climate, and there are signs they've already entered feedback status.

2) They say this:

The U.S.—the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases per person, among major countries—has continued a transition to less CO2-intensive energy use that started in the early 20th century. Natural gas—which emits 40 percent less CO2 than coal when burned—now dominates new power plants (nearly 188 gigawatts added since 2000) along with wind (roughly 28 gigawatts added), a trend broadly similar to other developed nations such as Japan or Germany.


The switch to natural gas in the US hasn't actually translated into a reduction in GHG's, because: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=us-methane-emissions-prove-higher

The study also focuses attention on Texas and nearby states as a source of nearly a quarter of the country's human-related methane emissions. "We've learned that methane emissions from the south-central United States are probably a lot higher than existing estimates," Miller explained.

Miller's research finds that, in 2007 and 2008, U.S. emissions of methane from human-related sources were 33.4 teragrams of carbon equivalent per year. That number is significantly higher than EPA's methane budget, which puts U.S. emissions for 2008 at 22.1 teragrams of carbon equivalent per year.

"The results show that the emissions ... are about 1½ times the EPA estimate," said Steven Wofsy, a professor of atmospheric and environmental chemistry at Harvard and a co-author of the study.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

The ONLY answer is more nuclear power. Wilms Dec 2013 #1
The opening statement is correct, the sarcasm afterwards may be addressed by noting... NNadir Dec 2013 #3
How Much Global Warming Is Guaranteed Even If We Stopped Building Coal-Fired Power Plants Today? FreakinDJ Dec 2013 #9
I see two major errors with that study NickB79 Dec 2013 #13
Still trying to greenwash the behavior of the megaCorps, eh? kristopher Dec 2013 #2
Thank you for quoting the fool investment websites. I'm, um, unimpressed. NNadir Dec 2013 #6
Your concern is *exclusively* with the nuclear industry. kristopher Dec 2013 #8
27% Reduction in World Crop Yeilds due to Global Warming by 2050 FreakinDJ Dec 2013 #10
Meaning: the high speed and low cost of renewables is crucial to a transition from carbon. kristopher Dec 2013 #11
Thank you for offering another opinion on a subject you know nothing about. NNadir Dec 2013 #12
Energy storage will be the determining marsis Dec 2013 #4
Not really. Current research and experience have altered our understanding kristopher Dec 2013 #7
Thanks marsis Dec 2013 #17
It would be an economic decision, here are some references. kristopher Dec 2013 #30
This is a trend that is world wide. The old technologies cannot tsuki Dec 2013 #5
Kick... hunter Dec 2013 #14
What do you think of Canada Free Press? kristopher Dec 2013 #15
If one lives by googling and cut and paste sound bites... NNadir Dec 2013 #16
"Germany has the second highest electricity prices in Europe, after Denmark" kristopher Dec 2013 #18
Actually your evocation of "experts around the world," reminds me of Amory Lovin's 1976 "paper"... NNadir Dec 2013 #19
There you go again. kristopher Dec 2013 #20
There isn't a single anti-nuke "solar will save us" maven who ever uses any word BUT "could..." NNadir Dec 2013 #21
So your claim is that nuclear WILL save us? kristopher Dec 2013 #22
Um...um...I really don't think that you are any more qualified to give grammar lessons than you... NNadir Dec 2013 #33
Did you even bother to look at the publication date? Iterate Dec 2013 #23
“dispossessed”? There is no involuntary homelessness in Germany. Iterate Dec 2013 #24
If German electricity was priced by the usual market methods, Iterate Dec 2013 #25
Graphing German household energy costs kristopher Dec 2013 #29
We could parse the article word-by-word, number-by-number, Iterate Dec 2013 #32
yikes gopiscrap Dec 2013 #26
Lastly, when you fling insults like that Iterate Dec 2013 #27
My, my, my, this is an elaborate series of proofs that all of the poor people in... NNadir Dec 2013 #28
"Have a nice evening" kristopher Dec 2013 #31
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