Deep Geothermal Energy – From the winds of the Jetstream to the Bowels of the earth

Posted on June 24, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I haven’t updated this particular topic area for awhile. I think this may hold the future for us all. Deep drilling for geothermal heat rates 3 pages in the New York Times Online. My. Maybe the rich and powerful are starting to get it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/business/energy-environment/24geotherm.html?pagewanted=1&%2359&_r=2&%2359;em&%2359;amp

Deep in Bedrock, Clean Energy and Quake Fears

By JAMES GLANZ

Published: June 23, 2009

BASEL, Switzerland — Markus O. Häring, a former oilman, was a hero in this city of medieval cathedrals and intense environmental passion three years ago, all because he had drilled a hole three miles deep near the corner of Neuhaus Street and Shafer Lane.

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Christian Flieri for The New York Times

An earthquake halted Markus O. Häring’s geothermal project in Basel, Switzerland.

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He was prospecting for a vast source of clean, renewable energy that seemed straight out of a Jules Verne novel: the heat simmering within the earth’s bedrock.

All seemed to be going well — until Dec. 8, 2006, when the project set off an earthquake, shaking and damaging buildings and terrifying many in a city that, as every schoolchild here learns, had been devastated exactly 650 years before by a quake that sent two steeples of the Münster Cathedral tumbling into the Rhine.

Hastily shut down, Mr. Häring’s project was soon forgotten by nearly everyone outside Switzerland. As early as this week, though, an American start-up company, AltaRock Energy, will begin using nearly the same method to drill deep into ground laced with fault lines in an area two hours’ drive north of San Francisco.

Residents of the region, which straddles Lake and Sonoma Counties, have already been protesting swarms of smaller earthquakes set off by a less geologically invasive set of energy projects there. AltaRock officials said that they chose the spot in part because the history of mostly small quakes reassured them that the risks were limited.

Like the effort in Basel, the new project will tap geothermal energy by fracturing hard rock more than two miles deep to extract its heat. AltaRock, founded by Susan Petty, a veteran geothermal researcher, has secured more than $36 million from the Energy Department, several large venture-capital firms, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Google. AltaRock maintains that it will steer clear of large faults and that it can operate safely.

But in a report on seismic impact that AltaRock was required to file, the company failed to mention that the Basel program was shut down because of the earthquake it caused. AltaRock claimed it was uncertain that the project had caused the quake, even though Swiss government seismologists and officials on the Basel project agreed that it did. Nor did AltaRock mention the thousands of smaller earthquakes induced by the Basel project that continued for months after it shut down.

The California project is the first of dozens that could be operating in the United States in the next several years, driven by a push to cut emissions of heat-trapping gases and the Obama administration’s support for renewable energy.

IN Australia where it holds huge potential, as it does on the whole ring of fire.

http://thinkgeoenergy.com/archives/1832

Australia opens round 2 of the Geothermal Drilling Program

Enlarge ImageAustralia opens the second round of the Geothermal Drilling Program and Australia’s Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP invites geothermal companies to submit applications for funding under this round of the A$50 million (US$39.8 million) program.

Written by: lxrichter
Picture: Habanero, Drilling Rig, Geodynamics (source: Geodynamics)
Reported today, Australia opens the second round of the Geothermal Drilling Program with “The Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson AM MP inviting geothermal companies to submit applications for funding under Round 2 of the A$50 million (US$39.8 million) Geothermal Drilling Program, which opened today.

Round 2 funding will provide grants of up to A$7 million (US$5.6 million) on a matching-funding basis to support the drilling of deep geothermal wells and help finance geothermal proof-of-concept projects.
Geothermal energy producers pump water below ground (sometimes as deep as 5 kilometers (3.1 miles)), where it is heated by ‘hot rocks’. The heat energy is then used to generate electricity.

Ferguson said: “Geoscience Australia estimates that if just one per cent of Australia’s geothermal energy was extracted it would equate to 26,000 times Australia’s total annual energy consumption. “Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source with enormous potential in Australia; however, the Government recognizes technical development costs are high.

“The Australian Government is pleased to be able to support drilling at the first stage of development as part of its A$4.5 billion (US$3.5 billion) Clean Energy Initiative.

“Geothermal energy is important because it has the capacity to produce baseload power, diversify Australia’s energy supply and increase our energy security.

“The Australian Government has set a target for 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity generation to come from renewable sources by 2020; a policy which will likely require an additional 45,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity generation from renewable sources.

HOT Rocks Rock

From Infinity And Beyond – Electricity from kites…yes yes Kites

Posted on June 22, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

After an extended meditation like I just concluded on the Federal Energy Tax Credits (please click 2008 elections, international environmental groups and religion categories for more examples), I am always at a loss for where to go next. I find it useful to just blow it out! So from Live Science and Yahoo I bring you some of the most implausible energy thoughts ever encountered by man:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/powerfulideasmileshighkitescouldgenerateelectricity

http://www.livescience.com/environment/090622-kite-wind-power.html

Environment

Powerful Ideas: Miles-High Kites Could Generate Electricity

By Charles Q. Choi, Special to LiveScience

posted: 22 June 2009 08:21 am ET

Full Size

1 of 1

: Airborne turbines like these depicted in this illustration could generate electricity from strong high-altitude winds. Credit: Ben Shepard, courtesy Sky WindPower

Editor’s Note: This occasional series looks at powerful ideas — some existing, some futuristic — for fueling and electrifying modern life.

The sky might literally be the limit for wind power — rotors spinning miles high could help supply electricity worldwide.

“There is a huge amount of energy available in high-altitude winds,” said researcher Ken Caldeira at the Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology in Stanford, Calif. “These winds blow much more strongly and steadily than near-surface winds, but you need to go get up miles to get a big advantage. Ideally, you would like to be up near the jet streams, around 30,000 feet.”

All told, if wind turbines miles above the planet were tethered to 10 percent of the world’s land, there is enough energy in these jet stream winds to meet world demand 100 times over, researchers said.

Jet streams are meandering belts of fast winds at altitudes between 20,000 and 50,000 feet. They shift seasonally, but are otherwise persistent features in the atmosphere. Jet stream winds are generally steadier and 10 times faster than wind near the ground, making them a potentially vast and dependable source of energy.

But how to capture the wind so high?

Kites and tethers

A number of technological schemes have been proposed to harvest energy from these high-altitude winds, including tethered, kite-like wind turbines lofted miles high. Up to 40 megawatts of electricity could be generated by current designs and transmitted to the ground via tether.

Using 28 years of weather data, the researchers developed the first-ever global survey of high-altitude wind energy.

“We found the highest wind power densities over Japan and eastern China, the eastern coast of the United States, southern Australia, and north eastern Africa,” said researcher Cristina Archer, an atmospheric scientist at California State University in Chico.

You can go to the Energies site to see the scientific part of the study:

http://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/2/2/340

Mesoscale Simulation of Year-to-Year Variation of Wind Power Potential over Southern China

Steve H. Yim ¹, Jimmy C. Fung ^1,2 and Alexis K. Lau ^1,3^,*

¹ Institute for the Environment, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
² Department of Mathematics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China
³ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, China

^* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 27 April 2009; in revised form: 27 May 2009 / Accepted: 1 June 2009 / Published: 3 June 2009

Download PDF Full-Text (1202 KB)

Abstract: The objectives of this study are to combine historical observations and state-of-the-art numerical models (MM5/CALMET system) to map the spatial distribution of wind resources in high resolution, and to help foster a deeper understanding of the wind power potential over southern China (Guangdong). Hourly wind fields were simulated for three entire years (2004-2006). It found that almost 70% of the time, the wind speed along the coast of Guangdong is over 5 m/s, which is deemed a baseline magnitude for typical wind turbines. Spatial plots of the wind speed and power and their variations over Guangdong Province for the three years are also presented.

For the SEX part of it…Generating energy from the jet stream …well it is awful high up there (40-50 miles), really really cold (100 degrees below zero) and really close to the cosmic rays…and it has been around for awhile. I mean looking up is to dream right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVi_-dlDVcw

http://sleepgreen.info/?tag=energy

Comments (0)

KINETIC ENERGY CREATES ELECTRICITY

Posted by admin | Green News | Wednesday 21 January 2009 2:43 pm

Dutch astronaut Dr Wubbo Ockels has successfully demonstrated i Netherlands his new energy concept. He has flown a high-flying energy kite, creating kinetic energy from huge radio-controlled highflying kites. He has designed ‘ladder-mills’ to store the kinetic energy and convert it into electricity.

Three such ladder-mills provide enough electricity to power one city. The experiment was carried out along the northern coastline of The Netherlands where there’s usually more than enough wind to raise the gigantic kites into.The radio- controlled, high-flying kites can create some 10,5kw electricity each, Dr Ockels told a local radio station.High-altitude kites could be used to generate clean energy at a cost comparable with that of fossil fuel generation , researchers claim.The “Ladder-Mill” is a chain of controllable wing-like kites attached to a looped cable stretching more than five miles into the sky.Strong high altitude winds acting on the “kitewings” produce as upward force on one side of the loop and a downward force on the other, causing it to rotate.The slowly turning cable drives a power generator in the Ladder-Mill base station.Although the concept sounds far fetched, its developers at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands hope to build a working model in the next four years.

They claim one Ladder-Mill could generate 100 megawatts of electricity, compared with only a few megawatts from a conventional wind turbine.

Winds at 30,000ft are 20 times more powerful than at sea level.

Professor Ockels, an ex-astronaut and head of the European Space Agency’s education office, told The Engineer magazine: “Above a certain altitude there is a massive amount of wind power.

Source:
http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2004/12/wind-power-laddermills-high-altitude.html
http://www.rense.com/general78/kinet.htm

Did you know that people have even tried to use kites for COMMERCIAL FISHING?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kite_applications

Kite applications

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

The kite is used to do certain things; one kite or many kites are applied to achieve certain purposes, objectives, or tasks, that is: applications. Humans have applied the kite to bring perceived benefits during peace and war alike. New applications for the kite continue to be found. Only some innovative applications appear in national patents; others are communicated in newspapers, magazines, books, and internet pages. Air kites, water kites, bi-media kites, fluid kites, gas kites, kytoons, paravanes, soil kites, solid kites, and plasma kites have niche applications that are furthering the interests of humans. Non-human-made kites have applications; some spiders make use of kiting.

If you click on 17 or 24 you can see the energy apps. By the way # 24 is funded by Google.

Feds Form 5695 That You Use To Claim The Big Ticket Items In The Stimulus Package

Posted on June 19, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I know that this is an obvious ploy for google numbers but I am the original google whore. I tried to get the PDF file from the Feds converted to a Word file so we could become the goto site for such things but I failed miserabley…(psss. it jam band friday –http://www.youtube.com )

All I succeeded in doing was getting the instructions but I think even they are instructive. In fact I will put the locations of the forms 5695, 3800 and 8910:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8910.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3800.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8OgkjcW0g4

There was a comedian whose whole stick was to read the tax code in a very high minded and serious tone and used to cause audiences to roar. This was the case because we have all had our tax code moments, because we can imagine little people in offices dreaming this shit up, and because we can see people taking advantage of it.

General Instructions

Section references are to the Internal Revenue Code.

What’s New for 2008 Nonbusiness energy property credit expired. You cannot take the nonbusiness energy property credit for property placed in service in 2008.

Credit expanded. You can now include costs for qualified small wind energy property and qualified geothermal heat pump property in figuring the residential energy efficient property credit.

What’s New for 2009 Nonbusiness energy property credit available. The nonbusiness energy property credit will be available for property placed in service in 2009. The credit is available for items such as high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, water heaters, windows, doors, and insulation. The amount of the credit will be limited by the amount of any nonbusiness energy property credit you took in 2006 or 2007.

Qualified solar electric property. There is no limit on the amount of qualified solar electric property costs when figuring the residential energy efficient property credit.

Purpose of Form

Use Form 5695 to figure and take your residential energy efficient property credit, including any credit carryforward from 2007. :}

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zkEppr68PM

Apperently you can not be a human and take advantage of this but if you are a Home well you are in like Flin.

Who Can Take the Credit

You may be able to take the credit if you made energy saving improvements to your home located in the United States in 2008. For credit purposes, costs are treated as being paid when the original installation of the item is completed, or in the case of costs connected with the construction or reconstruction of your home, when your original use of the constructed or reconstructed home begins. If less than 80% of the use of an item is for nonbusiness purposes, only that portion of the costs that are allocable to the nonbusiness use can be used to determine the credit.

Home. A home is where you lived in 2008 and can include a house, houseboat, mobile home, cooperative apartment, condominium, and a manufactured home that conforms to Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards.

You must reduce the basis of your home by the amount of any credits allowed.

Main home. Your main home is generally the home where you live most of the time. A temporary absence due to special circumstances, such as illness, education, business, military service, or vacation, will not change your main home.

Special rules. If you are a member of a condominium management association for a condominium you own or a tenant-stockholder in a cooperative housing corporation, you are treated as having paid your proportionate share of any costs of such association or corporation.

Subsidized energy financing. Any amounts provided for by subsidized energy financing cannot be used to figure the credit. This is financing provided under a

federal, state, or local program, the principal purpose of

which is to provide subsidized financing for projects designed to conserve or produce energy.

Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit

You may be able to take a credit of 30% of your costs of qualified solar electric property, solar water heating property, fuel cell property, small wind energy property, and geothermal heat pump property. This includes labor costs properly allocable to the onsite preparation, assembly, or original installation of the property and for piping or wiring to interconnect such property to the home. This credit is limited to:

• $2,000 for qualified solar electric property costs,

• $2,000 for qualified solar water heating property costs,

• $500 for each one-half kilowatt of capacity of qualified fuel cell property for which qualified fuel cell property costs are paid.

• $500 for each one-half kilowatt of capacity of qualified small wind energy property for which qualified small wind energy property costs are paid (not to exceed $4,000), and

• $2,000 for qualified geothermal heat pump property costs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byjPd28KegM

I could let this stuff go with out comment but then that is nearly impossible. So if I spend money to cut down my neighbors tree so I can get my solar access back, is that tax deductible?

Qualified solar electric property costs. Qualified solar electric property costs are costs for property that uses solar energy to generate electricity for use in your home located in the United States. This includes costs relating to a solar panel or other property installed as a roof or a portion of a roof. The home does not have to be your main home.

Qualified solar water heating property costs.

Qualified solar water heating property costs are costs for property to heat water for use in your home located in the United States if at least half of the energy used by the solar water heating property for such purpose is derived from the sun. This includes costs relating to a solar panel or other property installed as a roof or a portion of a roof. To qualify for the credit, the property must be certified for performance by the nonprofit Solar Rating Certification Corporation or a comparable entity endorsed by the government of the state in which the property is installed. The home does not have to be your main home.

Qualified fuel cell property costs. Qualified fuel cell property costs are costs for qualified fuel cell property installed on or in connection with your main home located in the United States. Qualified fuel cell property is an integrated system comprised of a fuel cell stack assembly and associated balance of plant components that converts a fuel into electricity using electrochemical means. To qualify for the credit, the fuel cell property must have a nameplate capacity of at least one-half kilowatt of electricity using an electrochemical process and an electricity-only generation efficiency greater than 30%.

Costs allocable to a swimming pool, hot tub, or any other energy storage medium which has a function other than the function of such storage do not qualify for the residential energy efficiency credit.

Qualified small wind energy property costs.

Qualified small wind energy property costs are costs for property that uses a wind turbine to generate electricity for use in connection with your home located in the United States. The home does not have to be your main home.

Qualified geothermal heat pump property costs.

Qualified geothermal heat pump property costs are costs for qualified geothermal heat pump property installed on or in connection with your home located in the United States. Qualified geothermal heat pump property is any equipment that uses the ground or ground water as a thermal energy source to heat your home or as a thermal energy sink to cool your home. To qualifiy for the credit, the geothermal heat pump property must meet the requirements of the Energy Star program that are in effect at the time of purchase. The home does not have to be your main home.

Married taxpayers with more than one home. If you or your spouse lived in more than one home, the credit limits would apply to each of you separately. For qualified fuel cell property, the homes must be your main homes. If you are filing separate returns, both of you must complete a separate Form 5695. If you are filing a joint return, figure your nonbusiness energy property credit as follows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e3cR2H38Wo&feature=related So what do you want to be when you grow up little Johnny? Tax payer A or Tax payer B?

1. Complete a separate Form 5695 for each home through line 21.

2. On one of the forms, complete line 22. Then, figure the amount to be entered on line 23 of both forms and enter the combined amount on line 23 of this form.

3. On the dotted line to the left of the entry space for line 23, enter “More than one home”. Then, complete the rest of this form.

4. Attach both forms to your return. Joint occupancy. If you occupied your home jointly, each occupant must complete his or her own Form 5695. To figure the credit, the maximum qualifying costs that can be taken into account by all occupants for figuring the credit is $6,667 for qualified solar electric, solar water heating, or geothermal heat pump property; and $1,667 for each one-half kilowatt of capacity of qualified fuel cell or small wind energy property (not to exceed $13,333 for qualified small

wind energy property). The amount allocable to you is the lesser of:

1. The amount you paid, or

2. The maximum qualifying cost of the property multiplied by a fraction. The numerator is the amount you paid and the denominator is the total amount paid by you and all other occupants.

These rules do not apply to married individuals filing a joint return.

Example. Taxpayer A owns a house with Taxpayer B where they both reside. In 2008, they installed qualified solar water heating property at a cost of $8,000. Taxpayer A paid $6,000 towards the cost of the property and Taxpayer B paid the remaining $2,000. The amount of cost allocable to Taxpayer A is $5,000 ($6,667 X $6,000/$8,000). The amount of cost allocable to Taxpayer B is $1,667 ($6,667 X $2,000/$8,000).

Specific Instructions

Also include on lines 1, 5, 9, 13, or 18, any

labor costs properly allocable to the onsite

preparation, assembly, or original installation

of the property and for piping or wiring to interconnect such property to the home.

Line 1

Enter the amounts you paid for qualified solar electric property. See Qualified solar electric property costs on page 3.

Line 5

Enter the amounts you paid for qualified solar water heating property. See Qualified solar water heating property costs on page 3.

Line 9

Enter the amounts you paid for qualified fuel cell property. See Qualified fuel cell property costs on page 3.

Line 13

Enter the amounts you paid for qualified small wind energy property. See Qualified small wind energy property costs on this page.

Line 18

Enter the amounts you paid for qualified geothermal heat pump property. See Qualified geothermal heat pump property costs on this page.

Line 25

If you are claiming the child tax credit for 2008, include on this line the amount from line 12 of the Line 11 Worksheet in Pub. 972.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8jDc_vu9is

Right about now you are saying I can’t take anymore. Why did I ever think about doing these energy improvements. Get me out of this tax hell. But there is more.

If you are not claiming the child tax credit for 2008, you do not need Pub. 972.

Line 28

If you cannot use all of the credit because of the tax liability limit (line 26 is less than line 23), you can carry the unused portion of the credit to 2009.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. We ask for the information on this form to carry out the Internal Revenue laws of the United States. You are required to give us the information. We need it to ensure that you are complying with these laws and to allow us to figure and collect the right amount of tax.

You are not required to provide the information requested on a form that is subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act unless the form displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a form or its instructions must be retained as long as their contents may become material in the administration of any Internal Revenue law. Generally, tax returns and return information are confidential, as required by section 6103.

The average time and expenses required to complete and file this form will vary depending on individual circumstances. For the estimated averages, see the instructions for your income tax return.

If you have suggestions for making this form simpler, we would be happy to hear from you. See the instructions for your income tax return.

Now all you have to do is make copies for your records, double check that everything is signed, put it all in an envelop with the proper postage and address, mail it off and PRAY…have a nice day.

http://www.rooftopcomedy.com/watch/SouthernObamaSupport

Feds Credits To Trade In An Old Inefficient Car – It’s called the Clunker or the Gas Guzzler Bill

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It is not law yet, but if it will become law and it looks like it will. Waiting to buy a new car until it passes could be well worth it. I say this because it is unclear whether you will be able to take advantage of both the Clunker Bill and the Tax Credit for buying specific cars. In other words if you trade in an old car (getting a government rebate) and buy a Prius (getting a Tax Credit) would both apply? If they would you could get like nearly 10K off the price of the car making Prius or any other hybred car affordable. Since it is a House of Reps. Bill on first read in the Senate I can not tell you what it will say in the end but as I say, first the Proposed Tax Credit.

Not there silly here:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d111:9:./temp/~bdJxBz::|/bss/|

H.R.2751
Title: To accelerate motor fuel savings nationwide and provide incentives to registered owners of high polluting automobiles to replace such automobiles with new fuel efficient and less polluting automobiles.
Sponsor: Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] (introduced 6/8/2009) Cosponsors (59)
Related Bills: H.R.2640
Latest Major Action: 6/11/2009 Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 74.

Interpreted in a sick way here:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/bailout-watch-554-cash-for-clunkers-passes-house/

Bailout Watch 554: Cash For Clunkers Passes House

By Edward Niedermeyer
June 10, 2009

The House of Representatives has passed Rep Betty Sutton’s $4 billion scrappage scheme [download full text here], reports CNN Money. The bill now goes to the Senate. Under Sutton’s bill, clunkers with a combined 18 miles per gallon rating or worse would be eligible for a scrappage rebate. Purchasing new vehicle which exceeds its replacement’s rating by four miles per gallon would earn a $3,500 rebate. Improve the combined EPA average by 10 mpg and snag $4,500. Offer good for one year. Or until we tear through $4 billion in a wholesome, American display of redemptive consumption. I’m sorry, I mean “shore up millions of jobs and stimulate local economies . . . improve our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. The [Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save] act demonstrates that we can free ourselves from the false argument of either you are for the environment or you are for jobs. You can do both, you must do both.” As the bill’s author modestly puts it.

CNN Money »

I hate to be pessimistic but anytime you involve the Feds, the House and the Senate in legislation that directly effects, OIL, Gasoline and the Internal Combustion Engine, I think you have troubles ahead my friend. Here is a site that is very optomistic:

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=94525

A ‘Cash for Guzzlers’ website was launched to help keep consumers informed and aware about the pending approval of the Cash for Guzzlers bill. The measure, if approved by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, would offer up to $4,500 in the form of a voucher for consumers who would trade in their old gas guzzler for a more fuel efficient car.

The new bill aims at improving environmental conditions by encouraging consumers driving old cars to trade in their vehicle for a voucher of up to $4,500 that can be used towards the purchase of a more fuel efficient vehicle. If passed, the new bill could lead to the purchase of over 1 million fuel efficient cars, a measure some say could help the US become less dependent on foreign oil. The bill is expected to be passed before Memorial Day weekend.

According to the proposal, consumers would get a $3,500 voucher if they trade in a car that gets less than 18 mpg for a new car with mileage of at least 22 mpg. Vouchers of $4,500 would be awarded if the new car gets at least 10 mpg more than the old.

More information for consumers is available at the recently established website for the Cash for Guzzlers bill, http://www.cashforguzzlers.net/

This one kinda thinks NOT:

http://www.ohio.com/news/nation/44956957.html

Gas-guzzler voucher plan hits roadblock Calif. senator criticizes compromise for failure to boost fuel economy

By Kevin Freking
Associated Press

Published on Thursday, May 14, 2009

WASHINGTON: Legislation that would give car buyers a government voucher up to $4,500 when they trade in gas guzzlers hit a speed bump in the Senate amid concerns that a compromise between the White House and House Democrats doesn’t go far enough to protect the environment.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who authored the ”cash for clunkers” bill in the Senate, said Wednesday that she can’t support the compromise announced last week after House Democrats met with President Barack Obama on global warming.

”Essentially what it means is that perfectly good vehicles would be scrapped, so that vehicles with below average fuel economy could be purchased,” Feinstein said.

Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley Township, introduced the House version in March, reviving an effort that failed in Congress earlier this year.

The program is supposed to serve two purposes: Help the struggling automobile industry and the environment by replacing gas guzzlers with more fuel efficient autos.

Stay tuned. It is going to be a long global warming summer.

Tax Credits For Standard Water Heaters – But who would buy these when you can have Solar

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I am just posting these tax credits so people will know. I question why someone would buy a standard water heater when Solar water heaters are not that much more and are free over the life of the system (like forever).

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c4

Water Heaters	Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heater	Energy Factor >= 0.82 or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.	30% of cost, up to $1,500²	All ENERGY STAR gas tankless water heaters will qualify.There are currently no ENERGY STAR qualified gas storage tank or gas condensing water heaters that qualify.View ENERGY STAR criteria for water heaters.For a partial list of qualifying products go to: Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)
Water Heaters	Electric Heat Pump Water Heater	Same criteria as ENERGY STAR: Energy Factor >= 2.0	30% of cost, up to $1,500²	All ENERGY STAR electric heat pump water heaters qualify for the tax credit.

Of the above I like tankless and electric heat pump water heaters. Tankless I like the best:

http://www.rheemtankless.com/content/tankless/rheem/Residential.shtml

NEW 66 Direct Vent tankless model available
- Temperature range from 85° to 140°
- Great for homes with 2 to 3 bathrooms
- Same great compact design
- Gas inputs ranging from 11,000 to 180,000 BTUH, fully modulating
- Adjustable for optimal use between sea level an 9,840 feet
- 12-Year heat exchanger warranty
- 5-Year limited parts warranty
- 1-Year limited warranty
- click here to learn more
Indoor and Outdoor Models Available (Applies to 53, 66, and 74 units after 7.1.08)
- Available in Natural Gas and LP Models 12-Year Limited Warranty on Heat Exchanger *
- 5-Year Limited Warranty on Parts *
- 1-Year Limited Service Warranty
- Continuous hot water
- Energy saving design
- Compact, space saving design
- Intelligent electronic controls and sensors
- Self diagnostic program
- Digital display shows temperature setting and maintenance codes
- Exclusive sensing burner technology
- Exclusive film wrap overheat limiter
- Built-in electric blower
- Indoor units use Category III stainless steel vent
- Indoor models supplied with a 120 Volt power cord
- Low NOx emissions meet SCAQMD rule 1146 requirements
- A remote control thermostat is included with all models (100 F – 140 F setpoint range) Requires 18 AWG, 2 conductor thermostat wire for remote control connection. Wire not included.
- Optional additional remote controls are available

Or:

http://www.noritz.com/homeowners/products/

NOTE: Noritz America does not offer fuel oil or electric tankless water heaters.

PLEASE CLICK ON HEATER IMAGES FOR MORE DETAILS.

Noritz tankless gas water heaters are designed and manufactured with 3 key factors in mind:

1. Energy savings
Using advanced water heating technology, our on-demand systems are manufactured for high efficiency (83-94%). Noritz energy efficient hot water heaters can cut your current water heating costs up to half and conserve wasted energy spent on heating a traditional tank water heater. Noritz tankless gas hot water heaters are designed to ensure all of your hot water needs are met efficiently.

2. Space Savings & Durability
The space saving design of Noritz tankless gas water heaters allow for installation virtually anywhere, indoor or outdoor. Our compact water heaters conserve space and emit low levels of CO2, providing a cleaner environment for you to live in. Wall-mounted, saving valuable space, these compact water heaters are extremely durable and provide an extended long life capacity.

3. Safety & Assurance
Noritz tankless hot water heaters are always hot, providing endless hot water for all of your needs. We care for your safety and comfort, ensuring a hot water heater that is safe and convenient for everyone to use. The electronic Advanced Q Function control system helps prevent scalding dangers and sudden bursts of cold water, minimizing discomfort. Noritz designs and manufactures each tankless hot water heater with the user in mind, ensuring quality workmanship, parts and service.

AVAILABLE MODEL TYPES

Noritz offers RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL tankless gas (NG & LP) water heaters for 1 – 5 showers. Noritz heaters are also linkable (via Quick-Connect or Multi-System) up to 24 units. We also have the NH series which is specifically designed to heat homes. The NH series can be use for such applications as floor heating, baseboards, radiators and driveways.

INSTALLATION COSTS

Noritz is the manufacturer and therefore do not offer installation services. We rely on our trained installers to offer their professional services and workmanship. Each home is different and unique so the installation price will range depending upon the amount of additional parts and labor involved. Here are some factors that will affect the installation price: Installation location (attic, basement, garage, outdoors, relocation, etc.), Venting pieces (direct vent, vertical, horizontal, etc.), Gas line upgrade (3/4″ gas line from gas meter), and Accessories (service valves, ScaleShield, etc).

Electric Heat Pump Water Heater? Kind of a weird use of technology. I won’t say over kill but it is like a car that can turn into a boat. I f you are going to go geothermal why not go all the way..?

http://www.toolbase.org/Technology-Inventory/Plumbing/heat-pump-water-heaters

Summary

Heat pump water heater. Heat pumps have traditionally been used for space conditioning, but are now also being used for electric water heating. They are usually three times more efficient than electric resistance water heaters–meaning that they can produce the same amount of hot water for one-third the amount of electricity. Stand-alone heat pump water heaters (HPWH), which are described here, are different from heating and cooling heat pump systems that have integrated water-heating capability.

There are four basic types of stand-alone HPWH. The heat pump can be integrated with or separate from the hot water storage tank, and cool exhaust air can be exhausted to the room or to the outdoors (see Figures). Because HPWH take heat from the surrounding room air, they cool and dehumidify a space. This is a benefit during the cooling season and a drawback during the heating season.

An add-on HPWH can be used to convert an electric resistance water heater into a heat pump water heater. The optimum locations would be in a utility room, garage or basement; the unit requires air circulation to work effectively.

A typical residential HPWH can heat 15 gallons of water per hour by 80°F, with a final storage temperature between 120°F and 140°F. At the same time, a HPWH provides some room cooling. During the heating season, this incidental cooling increases space heating needs.

A typical residential HPWH draws less than one-third the power of a standard electric resistance heater. Some HPWH models only require 110v electricity, making them ideal for the “do-it-yourself” home owner.

More tomorrow if I don’t kill myself first

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMD7Ezp3gWc

Hungarian Vulcan Association Combined – Thats right HVAC Fed Tax Credits

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

(and its Jam Band Friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwGL5LDb4u8 )

If you think that I am going to cover all the Energy Efficient HVAC options covered by these credits you would be out of your mind…It would take for ever. Even though it is Jam Band Friday and I could just sit around and listen to Eric Clapton all day. But first the Tax credits:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c3

HVAC	Central A/C	Split Systems: EER >=13 SEER >= 16Package systems: EER >= 12 SEER >= 14	30% of cost, up to $1,500²	For a list of qualified products, read this FAQ.Note — not all ENERGY STAR products will qualify for the tax credit. View ENERGY STAR criteria.
	Air Source Heat Pumps	Split Systems: HSPF >= 8.5 EER >= 12.5 SEER >= 15Package systems: HSPF >= 8 EER >= 12 SEER >= 14	30% of cost, up to $1,500²
	Natural Gas or Propane Furnace	AFUE >= 95	30% of cost, up to $1,500²	For a partial list of qualifying products go to: Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Not all ENERGY STAR products will qualify for the tax credit. View ENERGY STAR criteria for furnaces, boilers.
	Oil Furnace	AFUE >= 90	30% of cost, up to $1,500²
	Gas, Propane, or Oil Hot Water Boiler	AFUE >= 90	30% of cost, up to $1,500²
	Advanced Main Air Circulating Fan	No more than 2% of furnace total energy use. Read this FAQ if the fan qualifies, but the furnace does not.	30% of cost, up to $1,500²

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnz-wd9uMrY )

I can not believe that they are still offering tax credits for home heating oil furnaces. That is so late 1800s. The idea that they would be still supporting boilers for gods sake is so 1940s. Proof That some things never go away. While I much prefer ground based heat pumps Open Air heat pumps are just OK.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98XqT4kBWT4 )

Air Source Heat Pumps Split Systems:
HSPF >= 8.5
EER >= 12.5

SEER >= 15

http://www.qualitysmith.com/heat_pump/?src=got0058515ch001pGoogleAdWordsSearch&refcd=GO550t1257028S_air_source_heat_pumps&tsacr=GO2982392887

Find the Perfect Home Heating System

QualitySmith contractors will help you make the best heating system decision for your home and budget. Our partner contractors will walk you through the benefits and features associated with different system types. Just fill in our simple form to find 3 prescreened, reputable heating system contractors to help you make sure you’re ready for cold weather.

For a much broader discussion of this plus everything else under the sun:

http://www.century-ac.com/consumer_tax_incentives.htm

What are the efficiency requirements to qualify for the credits?

Manufacturers and retailers should be able to help you tell whether a specific product qualifies.

The qualification specifications are:

Furnaces and Boilers: Natural gas & propane furnaces must meet an Annual Fuel Use Efficiency (AFUE) 95 or higher, oil furnaces and gas, oil and propane boilers must meet an AFUE of 90 or better.
Central Air Conditioning Units:
- Central air conditioning units and air-source heat pumps must meet the highest tier standards set by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) as of February 17, 2009, which in most cases requires a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) of 16. SEER measures performance throughout the cooling season. More information on the CEE specification.
Biomass Stoves: Stoves must have a thermal efficiency of 75% as measured using a lower heating value, and be used to heat a dwelling unit or heat water for use in the same. The law defines biomass fuel as anything from agricultural crops, trees, wood wastes & residues to pellets, plants, grasses and fibers.
Fans for heating and cooling systems: fan uses no more than 2% of total heating system energy use, as defined by DOE test procedure. For more information, see the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association web site. It is still unclear how the 2009 Stimulus legislation has impacted this incentive – it seems reasonable to assume that the cost basis will be the reasonable cost of the fan, not the entire furnace. IRS has yet to issue specific guidance on this issue.
Water Heaters:
- Gas or propane water heaters—Energy Factor of at least 0.82, or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.
- Heat pump water heaters—Energy Factor of at least 2.0

Where must the equipment be used?

Under guidance issued by the IRS, equipment is eligible if installed in a home occupied by a taxpayer as their principal residence at the time the equipment is installed. This implies that equipment in new homes is generally not eligible since in new homes equipment is generally installed prior to occupancy. However, efficient equipment in new homes can help that home qualify for the new home tax credit.

(There was so much more then Layla from Derek and the Dominos –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxAKPBrjvqI )

If you are interested in the State Tax Incentives for Energy Efficient HVAC equipment here is an excellent site.

http://energytaxincentives.org/general/incentives.php

State and Utility Incentives

In addition to the federal tax incentives, complementary incentives may be available from your state or local utility. For information on many of these programs, see these links:

ACEEE’s State Energy Efficiency Policy Database
The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE)
Energy Star’s Appliance Rebate Locator (by zip code)
California: The Flex your Power Briefing Room provides easy access to California energy efficiency outreach materials, press & media resources and campaign information for our partners, affiliates, media, journalists, and stakeholders.
Kentucky Incentives
New York: NYSERDA’s resource for clean, energy-efficient products and solutions.
Vermont: Efficiency Vermont
Wisconsin: Focus on Energy
State Energy Efficiency Index created by the Alliance to Save Energy
Programs and Incentives Information from the Edison Electric Institute
National Association of State Energy Officials

When in doubt you can always shop at SEARS

http://www.searshomeimprovements.com/ProductOffer1.aspx?OVMTC=Broad&site=&creative=2768202091&OVKEY=heat+pumps&gclid=CNHe7pK-85oCFQ3yDAodtlirdw&o=2&t=102&primary=true

Your choice in a home improvement company is a big decision. Choose a company you can trust for reliable products, service, installation and peace of mind on one of your biggest investments – your home. Choose Sears!

Reduce Energy Costs and get up to a $1500 Tax Credit from the 2009 Stimulus Package with a new Heating & Cooling System

As your heating & cooling system ages, it can lose its ability to heat or cool your home. Enjoy comfort year round with a new Heating & Cooling System for Sears.
:}

Gosh just like mom and pops

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AscPOozwYA8 )

Metal Roofing And Reflective Roofing – I told you I would get to Chu’s call

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

If you are reading this please click on our gooogle ads…CES is a nonprofit agency and we need all the money we can raise..THANKS

I used to say that the quickest way to green was WHITE. Simply painting your roof white with a durable white paint and backing that with a radiant barrier could cut cooling cost in the summer. People would say, “You don’t want to block heat in the winter.” Yah BUT that is a different issue. I always ask people to stay on topic because energy consumption is a complex issue and we must save energy where ever we can when ever we can.

First the Tax Code:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c7

Roofing

Metal Roofs,
Asphalt Roofs

All ENERGY STAR qualified metal and reflective asphalt shingles

30% of cost, up to $1,500²

View our FAQ on roofs that qualify for the tax credit

Then the rationale:

http://www.alternet.org/environment/140287/obama%27s_climate_guru:_paint_your_roof_white!/

Some people believe that nuclear power is the answer to climate change, others have proposed green technologies such as wind or solar power, but Barack Obama’s top man on global warming has suggested something far simpler — painting your roof white.

Steven Chu, the US Secretary of Energy and a Nobel prize-winning scientist, said yesterday that making roofs and pavements white or light-coloured would help to reduce global warming by both conserving energy and reflecting sunlight back into space. It would, he said, be the equivalent of taking all the cars in the world off the road for 11 years.

Speaking in London prior to a meeting of some of the world’s best minds on how to combat climate change, Dr Chu said the simple act of painting roofs white could have a dramatic impact on the amount of energy used to keep buildings comfortable, as well as directly offsetting global warming by increasing the reflectivity of the Earth.

“If that building is air-conditioned, it’s going to be a lot cooler, it can use 10 or 15 per cent less electricity,” he said. “You also do something in that you change the albedo of the Earth — you make it more reflective. So the sunlight comes down and it actually goes back up – there is no greenhouse effect,” Dr Chu said.

Why backed by a radiant barrier? Because light is made up of different lengths of waves. Loosely stated there are short wave lengths of light and long wave lengths of light. The short wave lengths bounce off the white but the long wave lengths keep on trucking.

So if you are putting a new roof on your first consideration is a metal roof:

http://www.metalroofing.com/

Appreciate Your Home with Quality Metal Roofing

If you’ve been considering upgrading your home and increasing its resale value, you should know that beautiful and enduring metal roofing is highly valued as one of the top renovation-friendly building materials for rehabbers and new home builders alike.

With resale values of up to 139% (Miami, FL), you can enjoy quality metal roofing on your home at virtually no cost!

As reported by Sal Alfano of Remodeling Magazine, homes renovated with standing-seam metal roofing show a rate of 85.9% cost recouped in the national average with up to 95.5% for homes in the Eastern states, a full 1 and 6% resale value gain over homes roofed with asphalt. And with all the added safety and longevity associated with quality metal roofing matching installation job costs that reach only one half of that of cosmetic room remodeling averages or even one eighth of that of a master suite addition, you hardly deny the sense in upgrading.

Find the Average Metal Roof Value in Your Area:

The following table shows average values associated with a typical roof renovation of 30 squares of standing seam metal, formed on-site into16-inch panels using factory-enameled roll steel (all seams double-locked) with brake-bent flashing from same material for drip edge and all flashing at roof-wall intersections, a 5-square hip roof with custom flashing at two average-sized skylights, a custom cap treatment, all applied over a new felt underlayment with rubberized asphalt membranes at eaves, valleys and all penetrations.

Market

Job Cost

Resale Value

Cost Recouped

Too pricey for your blood? Well then try reflective shingles.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_March_2/ai_n11838044/

Elk and 3M Pioneer the First Reflective, Colored Asphalt Shingle

Business Wire , March 2, 2005

DALLAS — ElkCorp’s (NYSE:ELK) subsidiary, Elk Premium Building Products, Inc., (Elk) in a joint effort with 3M (NYSE:MMM) Industrial Mineral Products Division, introduced today the innovative Elk Cool Color Series shingle. Elk has created the first reflective, colored asphalt shingle, featuring 3M(TM) Cool Roofing Granules, that meets the initial performance levels of the ENERGY STAR(R) Program.

In the past, asphalt shingles meeting these reflectivity requirements were only available in white. Elk’s Cool Color Series shingle marks the first of its kind to offer homeowners energy efficient asphalt shingles in a choice of earth-toned colors.

The Day After Memorial Day – In all fairness to the Energy Conglomerates

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

The US Military is the largest single user of carbon based energy in the World. When you toss in the other worlds militaries, if we just cut the militaries of the world to patrolling borders global warming would backup by decades. Not only that but the Energy Companies are pushed around by the military big time. No military and the pirates take tankers…No Iraq war no Iraqui oil…No defense against China they suck all the world’s resources up like a vacuum cleaner…Do I feel sorry for the Energy Companies or the Military? No they deserve each other I just don’t think we deserve them. GO AWAY.

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/29925

I am not going to reprint the total article here…this guy did a lot of work on graphs and charts and things but it is interesting and he is not the only person to report on this. It is important to note that the Energy Bulletin has been adopted by the Post Carbon Institute (http://www.postcarbon.org/). Wonder when that happened?

Published May 20 2007 by Energy Bulletin
Archived May 21 2007

US military energy consumption- facts and figures

by Sohbet Karbuz

As the saying goes, facts are many but the truth is one. The truth is that the U.S. military is the single largest consumer of energy in the world. But as a wise man once said, don’t confuse facts with reality. The reality is that even U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) does not know precisely where and how much energy it consumes. This is my Fact Zero.

Below I give some facts and figures on U.S. military oil consumption based mostly on official statistics.[1] If you want to reproduce them make sure you read every footnote even if you need to put on your glasses. Also read the footnotes in this article.

FACT 1: The DoD’s total primary energy consumption in Fiscal Year 2006 was 1100 trillion Btu. It corresponds to only 1% of total energy consumption in USA. For those of you who think that this is not much then read the next sentence.

Nigeria, with a population of more than 140 million, consumes as much energy as the U.S. military.

The DoD per capita[2] energy consumption (524 trillion Btu) is 10 times more than per capita energy consumption in China, or 30 times more than that of Africa.

Total final energy consumption (called site delivered energy by DoD) of the DoD was 844 trillion Btu in FY2006FACT 2: Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) sold $13 billion of energy to DoD services in FY2006. More than half of it was to Air Force.

FACT 3: Oil accounts for more than three-fourths of DoD’s total site delivered energy consumption. Oil is followed by electricity (slightly more than 10%) and natural gas (nearly 10%). In terms of fuel types, jet fuel (JP-8)[3] accounts for more than 50% of total DoD energy consumption, and nearly 60% of its mobility[4] fuel.

FACT 4: Nearly three quarters of DoD site delivered energy is consumed by vehicles (or for mobility if you like). Only one quarter is consumed in buildings and facilities.[5]FACT 5: DoD consumed 97 million gasoline gallon equivalent in its non-tactical vehicles and for that it spent 238 million dollars.

FACT 6: In 2006, its oil consumption was down to 117 million barrels (or 320 thousand barrels per day),[10] despite increasing activity in Iraq and Afghanistan.

FACT 7: In 2006, for example, DESC reports in its Factbook that it sold 131 million barrels of oil (or 358 kbd) to DoD but DoD Federal Energy Management Report states that DoD consumed 117 million barrels (or 320 kbd).[12]

FACT 8: According to 2007 CIA World Fact Book there are only 35 countries in the world consuming more oil than DoD.

FACT 9: There exist no official estimates. Let me know if you see or hear one. According to my most pessimist estimates it is about 150 thousand barrels per day FACT 10: Whatever the true figure oil consumed by the U.S. military does not show up in world oil demand. See for more explanation under item #425 in October 2004 issue of ASPO Newsletter.

For more of this incredibly insightful and well written article please go to the above website and see it..Even the Military is aware that it is seen as a BIG FAT energy PIG, but it is also aware that NO OIL = NO WAR

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/addressing-the-militarys-energy-efficiency/

Addressing the Military’s Energy Inefficiency

By John Lorinc

Report

The folks who gave the world the Hummer, the poster child of fuel inefficiency, want to spawn a new generation of eco-friendly military equipment with cross-over potential in the “civilian sector,” say a group of retired American military officers who released a sharply worded report on Monday calling on the Department of Defense to reduce its “carbon bootprint.”

“The American military gave you the Humvee, and now we’re taking it back,” said retired Adm. John Nathman, the former vice chief of naval operations and an adviser to President Obama, in a conference call on Monday. “You’re going to see some fairly dramatic movement by the Department of Defense in terms of public visibility.”

The report, “Powering America’s Defense,” was published by CNA Analysis and Solutions, a research group based in Alexandria, Va., that issued a previous study on defense and energy security in 2007.

In the new study’s preface, 12 retired military officers lay out the case for weaning the military — and the country — off oil:

Many of our overseas deployments were de?ned, in part, by the strategic decision to ensure the free ?ow of oil, to the U.S. and to our allies. Many of the troops we commanded were aided by air cover from high-thrust delivery systems that only an energy-intense society can provide. Many of these same troops were often burdened and imperiled by battle?eld systems that were energy-inef?cient. Some of the attacks on our troops and on American civilians have been supported by funds from the sale of oil. Our nation’s energy choices have saved lives; they have also cost lives.

As we consider America’s current energy posture, we do so from a singular perspective: We gauge our energy choices solely by their impact on America’s national security. Our dependence on foreign oil reduces our international leverage, places our troops in dangerous global regions, funds nations and individuals who wish us harm, and weakens our economy; our dependency and inef?cient use of oil also puts our troops at risk.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking minority member ~~chairman~~ Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, told The Associated Press that he strongly agreed “with the stark conclusions” of the report, whose authors point out that fluctuating oil prices, dependence on foreign resources and an ailing electricity grid imperil national security both at home and abroad.

“Climate change is a threat multiplier,” said Vice Adm. Dennis V. McGinn, a retired officer and former commander of the Third Fleet.

Defense officials have previously described the American military as likely the world’s largest consumer of petroleum products, with an annual outlay in excess of $13 billion.

Each $1 per barrel increase in oil prices translates into $130 million of extra cost.

Calls for the military to address its environmental performance are not new. But in the past year or so, energy efficiency seems have become more of a priority, from a new solar wall installation at Fort Drum to the purchase of a large electric vehicle fleet for military bases.

After all is said and done, are we safer with all this energy consumption? I think not:

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/05/19-9

Published on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 by Agence France Presse

US Energy Use a National Security Threat: Study

WASHINGTON – US dependence on fossil fuels and a vulnerable electric grid pose a perilous threat to the country’s national security, retired military officers warned Monday in a report.

The threat requires urgent action and the Defense Department should lead the way in transforming America’s energy use by aggressively pursuing efficiency measures and renewable sources, said the report by CNA, a nonprofit research group.

“Our dependence on foreign oil reduces our international leverage, places our troops in dangerous global regions, funds nations and individuals who wish us harm, and weakens our economy,” it said.

“The market for fossil fuels will be shaped by finite supplies and increasing demand. Continuing our heavy reliance on these fuels is a security risk,” said the report titled “Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security.”

The authors, top ranked retired officers from the US Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, also point to the strained domestic electricity network as a possible hazard for US military bases.

“Our domestic electrical system is also a current and significant risk to our national security: many of our large military installations rely on power from a fragile electrical grid that is vulnerable to malicious attacks or interruptions caused by natural disasters,” it said.

Memorial Day – How do the gasoline refiners celibrate our Veterans?

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

They raise prices. Yup that is right. If you want to go see the Wall or other war memorials on the DC Mall or even go to Arlington Cemetary…you are going to pay more at the pump. They do it every year and no one makes the connection. Soldiers die in energy wars like Iraq and WWII and then they charge loved ones for the honor of visiting their graves…Of course they do the same thing to Labor in the fall. They are equal opportunity thieves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090522/pl_usnw/consumers_will_suffer_memorial_day_energy_price_hangover__says_consumer_watchdog

Consumers Will Suffer Memorial Day Energy-Price Hangover, Says Consumer Watchdog

To: NATIONAL EDITORS

Contact: Judy Dugan, +1-213-280-0175 (cell), Jamie Court, +1-310-392-0522 ext. 327, or Carmen Balber, +1-202-629-3043, all of Consumer Watchdog

‘Optimism’ Is Driving Energy Prices and Oil, Gas Prices Rise Steeply for Holiday, Despite Oversupply and Low Demand

WASHINGTON, May 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The price of regular gasoline at the pump has shot up 30 cents a gallon nationally in the last month and crude oil has nearly doubled, to $60 a barrel, since its low point in December, according to data from AAA and the federal Energy Information Administration. Steeply rising prices are tough on everyone except energy traders, said Consumer Watchdog.

“The price spike at the pump amounts to a holiday frat party for energy traders and oil companies, with drivers paying for the kegger,” said Judy Dugan, research director at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Consumer Watchdog. “A one-month pump price increase of 15% can only undercut the rest of an economy struggling to show any sign of long-term recovery.”

Analysts cite optimism that U.S. motorists will drive a little more this Memorial Day weekend, expectations that the economic slump has hit bottom and, harking back to mid-2008, the possibility that Nigerian violence will cut oil output. There is very little hard evidence of increased demand, said Consumer Watchdog.

The record spike in oil and gasoline prices in late 2007 and the first half of 2008 helped send the U.S. and world economies over a cliff, said Consumer Watchdog. Even a smaller spike at this low point of job loss and financial fragility will hurt consumers, curbing more economically productive spending. Food prices are also rising in tandem with oil, though at a slower pace.

Find out more at

www.oilwatchdog.org

www.consumerwatchdog.org

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

There is not much you can do about it but some people are trying to fight back:

http://ase.org/content/news/detail/5597

Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Travelers Can Cut Gasoline Costs in Tough Economy with Drive $marter Challenge Interactive Website, Money-Saving Tips, Resources

For Further Information
Jessica Lin (202) 530-4346; jlin@ase.org
Rozanne Weissman (202) 530-2217; rweissman@ase.org

http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/default.aspx

Washington, D.C., May 2009 – With the Memorial Day holiday weekend and heavier summer driving season approaching, and with gasoline prices nowhere near last summer’s record highs, thoughts turn to weekend and vacation road trips as a great escape from economic reality.

The Alliance to Save Energy’s interactive Drive $marter Challenge fuel efficiency website provides vacationers and everyday drivers with hundreds of dollars of money-saving gas tips, resources, and myth busters that respond to the call of frugal drivers: Why pay more for gasoline than you have to, particularly in this economy?

Whether you are headed to the big city or the great outdoors or staying closer to home, you can start saving money on gas even before you are on the road with a little advance planning, basic maintenance, and your driving and other choices:

Planning your vacation:

Get a customized vacation map with low gas prices along the route. Getting lost while driving in unfamiliar areas could lead to an expensive waste of gas. Resources on the Drive $marter Challenge website (http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/money-saving-tips/fuel-efficient-resources.aspx) can help your family print a customized vacation map that highlights low-cost gas stations along your route. Choose the right vehicle. If your family has more than one vehicle, drive the car that gets better gas mileage if possible.
Rise and shine! When possible, drive during off-peak hours to reduce gas costs and stress by avoiding stop-and-go or bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions.
Investigate other travel options. Consider trains, buses, or public transportation to your vacation destination when possible.
Explore new ways to get around at your destination. Find information on biking, public transportation routes, car sharing, walking, and renting hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicles on the Drive $marter Challenge websiteresources page at http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/money-saving-tips/fuel-efficient-resources.aspx .

Before you leave: maintenance tips

Inflate your tires. Keeping your tires properly inflated improves gas mileage by around 3%.
Select the right oil. Using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil improves gas mileage by 1 to 2%. Motor oil that says “Energy Conserving” on the API performance symbol contains friction-reducing additives. Change your oil as recommended to extend the life of your vehicle.
Tune up. Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4%.

On the road: driving tips

Decrease your speed. Gas mileage usually decreases rapidly above 60 mph. Each five miles per hour over 60 mph is like paying an additional 20 cents or more per gallon for gas.
Drive sensibly. Speeding, rapid acceleration (jackrabbit starts), and rapid braking can lower gas mileage by 33% at highway speeds.
Use cruise control and overdrive gear. Cruise control cuts fuel consumption by maintaining a steady speed during highway driving. Overdrive gear, when appropriate, reduces engine speed, saves gas, and reduces engine wear.
It’s a “drag.” Avoid carrying items on your vehicle’s roof. A loaded roof rack or carrier increases weight and aerodynamic drag, which can cut mileage by 5%. Place items inside the trunk when possible to improve fuel economy.
Turn down the air. Operating the air conditioner on “Max” can reduce mpg by 5-25% compared to not using it.
Avoid idling, which gets 0 mpg. Cars with larger engines typically waste even more gas while idling than cars with smaller engines.
Navigate with a GPS system. GPS systems can help you find your way and, increasingly, GPS programs can search for low-priced gas at nearby stations.
Fill up before returning rental. Rental car companies charge higher gas prices if you don’t fill up the tank before returning the vehicle. Keep your gas receipts in case the company requires receipts to remove a gas surcharge.

The Drive $marter Challenge website, www.drivesmarterchallenge.org, has been updated with 2009 vehicle models and current campaign partners. The website calculator and all tips will be further updated May 19 with new projected gas prices for the yearThe Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental, and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy, and national security.

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant And Earthquakes – Shake, Rattle and Roll

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

(it’s jam band friday – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20Feq_Nt3nM )

This maybe the longest list of Qualifiers I have ever published and I have to start by eating crow to boot. I made a missssstaaake yesterday. The piece that I was quoting yesterday was actually a piece on seismic activity, but I thought what it said was more applicable to Volcanic eruptions. I said that the Natib Caldera had erupted 3,000 years ago, but the actual article said that a major fault shift had occurred every 2,000 years. The last major fault shift was 3,000 years ago so a major Earth Quake was overdue. The caldera last blew 14 to 18,000 years ago and not enough is known about its activity to say what its periocity is. Whew, I feel so much better…A major earthquake in the area is overdue.

( I know that Shake Rattle and Roll isn’t really a jam song but what the heck it’s Friday)

As was noted in one of the comments in the seismic piece, the Philippines is not alone in either being on the Ring Of Fire nor is it the only Earth Quake prone zone in the world. Japan and America are both very sophisticated places technologically and also have extensive infrastructures to handle disasters in general. The Philippines is neither. Plus where are you going to evacuate too? It is an island. Not only that but the Japanese and the Americans have released a lot of radiation over the years. Look the big deal is Bataan is not fueled. Once it is fueld you might as well run it because everything is radioactive anyway. Drago in the US is just as much a threat. I bitched about it for years while it was being built and submitted written protest to the Nuclear Regulatory Agency in DC when it was Licensed.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpT8Sd9wRlQ&feature=related )

So having said all that, the Philippines really shakes:

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=7.8686,126.8434(M5.7+-+Mindanao,+Philippines+-+2009+May+21+05%3A53%3A59+UTC)&t=h&z=7

Everyday. Why because the Philippines sits on the edge of a Techtonic Plate. So really BIG things can happen:

( Elvis shake those hips http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCBT7PfAEgc&feature=related )

http://www.drj.com/drworld/content/w1_116.htm

Earthquake Devastates Philippines

By Cathy Clark and Jim Taylor

On July 16, 1990 at 4:26 p.m. local time, a severe earthquake registering 7.7 on the Richter scale struck the northern Philippines. The earthquake caused damage over a region of about 7700 square miles, extending northwest from Manila through the densely populated Central Plains of Luzon and into the mountains of the Cordillera Central.
Over 5,000 people were reported dead or injured, and in excess of 2300 infrastructures were either destroyed or seriously damaged. While the quake was devastating, it was not an unusual occurrence in the Philippines; since 1950 alone there have been six major earthquakes at various locations in the archipelago, having magnitudes ranging from 7.3 to 8.3.

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE

Buildings were decimated by ground shaking, soil failure and liquefication (causing them to settle into the ground), and landslides.
Nearly all multistory buildings in the Philippines are constructed of reinforced concrete frames, supporting slab floors. Short-column failure was evident in many buildings observed to have the classic diagonal cracking where the column was acting as a short shear wall and could not carry the loads. Many unreinforced masonry infilled walls separated from the concrete frames and collapsed.
In the heavily shaken regions, two general types of disastrous failure to multistory, larger reinforced concrete buildings were observed–failed first stories and total building collapse.

First-story (or Soft-story) Failures

The ground floor of a building is frequently the weakest part of the structure. It is seldom enclosed on all four sides by walls capable of resisting shear forces, and it is also generally taller than upper floors. Ground floor shops, stores, lobbies, or garages normally allot most of their front wall area to doors or plate glass, leaving one side of the building with no shear resistance. Bending and shear forces induced by strong ground shaking are therefore concentrated in the ground-floor columns. As a result, the building may fail by collapse of only its first story, with the stronger upper section of the building remaining intact.

Multistory Failures

Many multistory building failures or “pancake” collapses (typically with structures of six to ten stories) were observed in the city of Baguio. One such collapse included a nine-story hotel which killed over a dozen occupants on the ground floor. This type of damage has been observed repeatedly in numerous earthquakes throughout the world where design and construction deficiencies exist.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_SOmE5tfNo&feature=related )

Not only that but it appears to happen about once every 20 years or so:

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/1968_Casiguran_earthquake

The 1968 Casiguran earthquake occurred on August 2, 1968 at a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale. The earthquake’s epicenter was located in Casiguran
Casiguran is a 3rd class Philippine municipality in the northern part of the Philippine province of Aurora province, Philippines. It is located 121 km from Baler, Aurora, the provincial capital…. Quezon

Quezon is a Provinces of the Philippines of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON Regions of the Philippines in Luzon. The province was named after Manuel L….(now part of Aurora province).The city of Manila, or simply ‘Manila’, is the Capital of the Philippines and one of the 17 cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila…. was the hardest hit with 268 people were killed and 261 more were injured. Many structures that suffered severe damage were built near the mouth of the Pasig River

The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines and connects Laguna de Bay into Manila Bay. It stretches for and divides Metro Manila into two….on huge alluvial deposits. A number of buildings were damaged beyond repair while others only suffered cosmetic damage. Two hundred and sixty people died during the collapse of the 6-story Ruby Tower, located in the district of Binondo. The entire building, save for a portion of the first and second floors at its northern end, was destroyed. Allegations of poor design and construction, as well as use of low-quality building materials, arose. In the District of Santa Ana is a district of the City of Manila in the Philippines, located at the southeast banks of the Pasig River, bounded on the northeast by Mandaluyong City, Makati City to the east, southwest is the Manila district of Paco, Manila, and to the west, Pandacan, Manila…. one person was injured by debris from a damaged apartment building.
Two more people from Aurora sub province and Pampanga is a Provinces of the Philippines of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga….
died as a direct result of the quake. Around the town of Casiguran, there were several reports of landslides, the most destructive one at Casiguran Bay.

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t61oJT-d900&feature=related )

So let’s put our thinking caps on here. The Luzon Earth Quake happened in 1990 and Pinatubo happened in 1991. What if the Luzon earthquake had hit Manila like the Casiguran. I don’t think I would have wanted to have had to worry about a Nuclear Reactor popping off. Guess what it has been about 20 years…

Community Energy Systems

Censys.org

Category Archives: stretching a concept