gert's Blog

EU Democracy might also be worth more alive

gert — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:39:00 GMT

What law makers could do, make new energy laws

gert — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:56:00 GMT

The climate change is developing into a crisis. The main cause, the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere, is still increasing. If this dangerous development reaches certain levels, there may be no way to revert it. It is time to prevent this crisis from becoming irreversible and the only way to do this is to radically change the way we use and produce energy.

When there is a global crisis situation, law makers will have to act. I think the first thing that needs to be done now, is to open source all technology that will be used in a sustainable energy programme. If necessary, governments should buy out patents and licences that hold back wide scale implementation of required renewable energy technologies, specifically Wind, Solar and Geo-thermal. More and well coordinated research in these three areas should be signed into law.

Secondly there should be a world wide coordination of (industry) standards that are used within the programme, to ensure full interoperability. Products should be certified accordingly. All product information in this area should be publicly accessible.

In the area of deployment policy, politicians should always opt for the best possible solution, based on elimination of CO2 emissions. Because this is both technically and economically possible. It may require changes and it may require time, but unsustainable strategies are a complete waste of money. Thanks to the global economic crisis that option may no longer exist. But perhaps there is no time to waste either.

In case politicians need a "interest party" or legitimate reason to get this going, however strange this may sound, but how about consulting the electorate after explaining the risk and the options right now?

--Gert

The Dutch -- we're trying global dimming now. EU: request granted!

gert — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:09:00 GMT

EU geeft uitstel voor fijnstofnorm

Woonhuizen langs de A10, de ring rond Amsterdam (Foto: ANP)

Nederland mag tot 2015 meer fijnstof uitstoten dan gezond is. Volgens Europese normen is de luchtkwaliteit in Nederland ver onder de maat. Nederland heeft aan Brussel uitstel gevraagd en gekregen om de hoeveelheid fijnstof terug te dringen.

Tot 2015 mag Nederland de normen overschrijden onder voorwaarde dat de overheid ook maatregelen neemt om op termijn wel aan de eisen te voldoen.

Jaarlijks overlijden in Nederland 1700 tot 3000 mensen vroegtijdig, door inademing van teveel fijne stofdeeltjes. De stofdeeltjes zitten in de uitlaatgassen van het wegverkeer. Remschijven en koppelingsplaten zorgen onder andere voor schadelijke fijne stofdeeltjes. Maar ook de dieselmotoren van de scheepvaart en houtkachels in woningen zijn veroorzakers van fijnstof.

Nederland heeft bijzonder veel last van fijnstof; zo wordt er fijnstof geïmporteerd vanuit het Duitse Ruhrgebied en uit België. Ondertussen exporteert Nederland nog altijd drie keer zoveel fijnstof als we van buurlanden binnengewaaid krijgen. Fijnstof is daardoor een typisch Europees probleem, dat alleen met Europese maatregelen bestreden kan worden.

Binnen de Europese Unie is afgesproken dat de lidstaten voor 2020 twintig procent minder fijnstof mogen uitstoten. Vanaf 2008 mag er maximaal 40 microgram fijnstof in een kubieke meter lucht zitten. Voor extra klein fijnstof geldt de norm van 25 microgram per kubieke meter.

Lidstaten die niet aan de normen voldoen riskeren boetes en dwangsommen. Nederland krijgt tot 2015 geen boetes voor de slechte luchtkwaliteit, omdat er hier een "Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit" is, waarmee Nederland probeert in 2015 wél aan de voorwaarden van Europa voldoen.

http://www.vrom.nl/pagina.html?id=23046

The purpose of carbon fuel tax

gert — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:46:00 GMT

In my humble opinion, the purpose of carbon fuel tax should be to use that money mainly to improve research on sustainable energy generation, distribution and conservation. There are still too many hurdles here and not enough research is being done. If the efficiency of renewable energy generation is improved to the extent where it reaches net parity, it can compete with conventional methods in the market without subsidy. If we then choose to apply sustainable methods on the largest possible scale, we will reduce our dependence on carbon fuels, causing less demand. This will in turn lead to lower prices, thus compensating for the carbon tax.

So far politicians have been complaining about the need for subisidizing renewable energy, while they have been diverting most of the energy research funds elsewhere, so what else could they expect.

Meanwhile the cost of combating climate change starts going up exponentially, because the necessary targets of CO2 emission reductions are not met, and will not be met with the current flawed efforts, whatever year you imagine in the future. If this is considered as yet more tax in the future (based on the most recent trend that tax payers will always bail out irresponsible government policy on unprecedented scales), it would still cost less to jump start subsidized renewable energy right now, than to pay the huge price for the inevitable severe climate crisis later.

European Car Buying Spree

gert — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:22:00 GMT

bbc During the worst global downturn since World War Two, EU Leaders have decided that it is time for buying a brand new car. Up to two million people are allowed to buy a new car in Germany with cash payments from the government's tax revenues, to the amount of 5bn euros. Other European countries have initiated similar "economic stimulus" programmes.

G20 questionnaire

gert — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:39:00 GMT

Perhaps before the World Leaders start their meeting, they
could fill out this form, just to see if there could be any
consensus at all. Otherwise just cancel the meeting.

What do you focus on?

[ 1 ] Destruction of the economy
[ 2 ] Destruction of the climate
[ 3 ] Both 1 and 2
[ 4 ] Saving the economy
[ 5 ] Saving the climate
[ 6 ] Both 4 and 5
[ 7 ] Wait and see

Please choose one of these options:

Thank you.

Energy Evolution coverage

gert — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:18:00 GMT

As of today, the Energy Evolution coverage will continue in a new separate newsfeed. Please point your reader to: http://www.stat1x.nl/RSS/energy_evolution.xml

Battery that 'charges in seconds'

gert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:45:00 GMT

BBC A new manufacturing method for lithium-ion batteries could lead to smaller, lighter batteries that can be charged in just seconds. Professor Ceder believes the new battery material could make it to market within two to three years.

Climate change coverage

gert — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:34:00 GMT

As of today, the climate change coverage will continue in a new separate newsfeed. Please point your reader to: http://www.stat1x.nl/RSS/climate_change.xml

Research Program Should Realign Focus To Both Understand Climate Change And Inform Response Strategies

gert — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:59:00 GMT

Science Daily Another priority should be to help establish a U.S. climate observing system that includes physical, biological, and social observations to ensure that data needed to address climate change are collected or continued.

Wind, Water And Sun Beat Biofuels, Nuclear And Coal For Clean Energy

gert — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 18:27:00 GMT

Science Daily The raw energy sources that Jacobson found to be the most promising are, in order, wind, concentrated solar (the use of mirrors to heat a fluid), geothermal, tidal, solar photovoltaics (rooftop solar panels), wave and hydroelectric.

Ice Declining Faster Than Expected In Both Arctic And Antarctic Glaciers

gert — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 23:43:00 GMT

Science Daily Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level.

NASA to Launch Orbiting Carbon Observatory in February

gert — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 01:41:00 GMT

Techfragments Mission data will be used by the atmospheric and carbon cycle science communities to improve global carbon cycle models, reduce uncertainties in forecasts of how much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere, and make more accurate predictions of global climate change.

Low–cost LEDs May Slash Household Electric Bills

gert — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:35:00 GMT

Science Daily GaN, grown in labs on expensive sapphire wafers since the 1990s, can now be grown on silicon wafers. This lower cost method could mean cheap mass produced LEDs become widely available for lighting homes and offices in the next five years.

Greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2007 increased far more rapidly than expected

gert — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 13:01:00 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7890988.stm Speaking at the American Science conference in Chicago, Prof Field said fresh data showed greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2007 increased far more rapidly than expected.