Comments on: Francophile Newt wants to build a few hundred nukes too — and shut down every coal plant! http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/ The Latest on Climate Science, Solutions, and Politics Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:23:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Eli Rabett http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12142 Eli Rabett Tue, 06 May 2008 21:00:35 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12142 You GAVE UP FRENCH FRIES??? That fails the intelligence test, but cheese? Life ain't worth living without cheese. Wallace You GAVE UP FRENCH FRIES??? That fails the intelligence test, but cheese? Life ain’t worth living without cheese.

Wallace

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12148 Kirk Sorensen Tue, 06 May 2008 21:42:58 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12148 I'd vote for Newt Gingrich on that political platform alone--1400 new gigawatt-class nuclear powerplants by 2050, and no coal or oil or natural gas. Just electric cars. Forget Kyoto--this would drive US CO2 emission down to a tiny fraction of what Kyoto demands. We could do this--not with light-water reactors, but with liquid-fluoride thorium reactors. I’d vote for Newt Gingrich on that political platform alone–1400 new gigawatt-class nuclear powerplants by 2050, and no coal or oil or natural gas. Just electric cars.

Forget Kyoto–this would drive US CO2 emission down to a tiny fraction of what Kyoto demands.

We could do this–not with light-water reactors, but with liquid-fluoride thorium reactors.

]]> By: David B. Benson http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12150 David B. Benson Tue, 06 May 2008 22:16:18 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12150 Kirk Sorensen --- Electricity wqon't work for everything. Ocean vessels and other ships Large trucks and constructiion equipment Airplanes Kirk Sorensen — Electricity wqon’t work for everything.

Ocean vessels and other ships
Large trucks and constructiion equipment
Airplanes

]]> By: Shannon http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12155 Shannon Tue, 06 May 2008 22:59:32 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12155 My fear is that we have given comfort to the enemy in having those We ads come out. The upside is obviously the message that Republican icons are not arguing against the existence of global warming. But we are giving them a pulpit on which to preach subsidies for nuclear power and coal carbon sequestration, which stinks. Can't we just have them debate and delay us some more while we put the low-carbon economy in place? We don't need them to get a leg up just before elections. My fear is that we have given comfort to the enemy in having those We ads come out. The upside is obviously the message that Republican icons are not arguing against the existence of global warming. But we are giving them a pulpit on which to preach subsidies for nuclear power and coal carbon sequestration, which stinks. Can’t we just have them debate and delay us some more while we put the low-carbon economy in place? We don’t need them to get a leg up just before elections.

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12159 Kirk Sorensen Wed, 07 May 2008 00:03:08 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12159 <i>Kirk Sorensen — Electricity won’t work for everything. Ocean vessels and other ships</i> LFTR reactors on ships. <i>Large trucks and construction equipment</i> Methanol from hydrogen from high-temp LFTRs and CO2 capture. <i>Airplanes</i> That's a toughy. Again, I'd probably say methanol from the same process as above. Kirk Sorensen — Electricity won’t work for everything.

Ocean vessels and other ships

LFTR reactors on ships.

Large trucks and construction equipment

Methanol from hydrogen from high-temp LFTRs and CO2 capture.

Airplanes

That’s a toughy. Again, I’d probably say methanol from the same process as above.

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12160 Kirk Sorensen Wed, 07 May 2008 00:04:51 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12160 1400 gigawatts of nuclear power from LFTRs would consume about 1400 metric tonnes of thorium a year. Consider that 3200 metric tonnes is buried in Nevada, a single mine site in Idaho can produce 5000 tonnes a year from a pit the size of a football field, and that we mine 65000 tonnes of uranium now to produce 100 gigawatts of nuclear power from light-water reactors, and the resources requirements of 1400 GWe of thorium power are pretty modest. 1400 gigawatts of nuclear power from LFTRs would consume about 1400 metric tonnes of thorium a year. Consider that 3200 metric tonnes is buried in Nevada, a single mine site in Idaho can produce 5000 tonnes a year from a pit the size of a football field, and that we mine 65000 tonnes of uranium now to produce 100 gigawatts of nuclear power from light-water reactors, and the resources requirements of 1400 GWe of thorium power are pretty modest.

]]> By: Paul K http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12161 Paul K Wed, 07 May 2008 00:10:22 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12161 Mon dieu! Votre rhetorique est sophisme. Viva la Francais. Vive energie nucleaire. Eli Rabbett made a fine rebuttal to this ridiculous partisan spin on the other McCain nuke thread. How about we build one nuclear plant. It has been a long time since the last one was built. Mon dieu! Votre rhetorique est sophisme. Viva la Francais. Vive energie nucleaire.

Eli Rabbett made a fine rebuttal to this ridiculous partisan spin on the other McCain nuke thread. How about we build one nuclear plant. It has been a long time since the last one was built.

]]> By: Mark Shapiro http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12172 Mark Shapiro Wed, 07 May 2008 05:28:58 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12172 Re electrically powered aircraft - A fascinating idea that has actually been tried - powered by microwaves, with a receiver on the craft to convert the microwaves to electricity. Canadians flew something they called SHARP - a drone for communications that could stay aloft indefinitely. No fuel on board means no fire or smoke risk. Nice! Re electrically powered aircraft -

A fascinating idea that has actually been tried - powered by microwaves, with a receiver on the craft to convert the microwaves to electricity. Canadians flew something they called SHARP - a drone for communications that could stay aloft indefinitely. No fuel on board means no fire or smoke risk. Nice!

]]> By: Mark Shapiro http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12173 Mark Shapiro Wed, 07 May 2008 05:36:26 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12173 And, about half the takeoff weight of a 747 is fuel (400,000 of 850,000 pounds). Leave the fuel on the ground! Of course, that does leave the question of the best way to beam the power to the plane . . . Microwaves? lasers? ordinary light? And, about half the takeoff weight of a 747 is fuel (400,000 of 850,000 pounds).

Leave the fuel on the ground! Of course, that does leave the question of the best way to beam the power to the plane . . . Microwaves? lasers? ordinary light?

]]> By: jorma lehmijoki http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12176 jorma lehmijoki Wed, 07 May 2008 06:39:58 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12176 10 million TWh from the Greenland ice mass potential energy, fresh water for whole the world. For a century. 100 million TWh from the Antarctica. For one thousand years. Forget all other energy sources. Electricity and hydrogen energy from ice, that is all we need. No climate catastrophe any more. 10 million TWh from the Greenland ice mass potential energy, fresh water for whole the world. For a century.

100 million TWh from the Antarctica. For one thousand years.

Forget all other energy sources. Electricity and hydrogen energy from ice, that is all we need. No climate catastrophe any more.

]]> By: Harold Pierce Jr http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12177 Harold Pierce Jr Wed, 07 May 2008 08:58:03 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12177 Hello Mark! Google "P&O Ventura" . This new cruise ship was just launched, and is one of the biggest vessel of this class every built. Can you imagine how much fuel is required to top off the tanks! The A380A AirBus tanks hold ca 84,000 US Gal of jet fuel. And the company has booked orders for over 200 aircraft. Hello Kirk! Methanex (Vanciuver, BC) sells anhyd methanol for $US 1.50/ per gallon, and it has been used as a fuel for trucking in S. Cal and in racing cars for decades. It would probably be very easy to adapt FlexFuel cars to run on wood alcohol! Buy stock in this company before Howe Street (Vancouver's Wall Sreet) start hyping wood alcohol as "The Fuel of Future" promoting jthe clever engineers in companies Hello Mark!

Google “P&O Ventura” . This new cruise ship was just launched, and is one of the biggest vessel of this class every built. Can you imagine how much fuel is required to top off the tanks!

The A380A AirBus tanks hold ca 84,000 US Gal of jet fuel. And the company has booked orders for over 200 aircraft.

Hello Kirk!

Methanex (Vanciuver, BC) sells anhyd methanol for $US 1.50/ per gallon, and it has been used as a fuel for trucking in S. Cal and in racing cars for decades. It would probably be very easy to adapt FlexFuel cars to run on wood alcohol!

Buy stock in this company before Howe Street (Vancouver’s Wall Sreet) start hyping wood alcohol as “The Fuel of Future” promoting jthe clever engineers in companies

]]> By: Harold Pierce Jr http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12178 Harold Pierce Jr Wed, 07 May 2008 09:53:31 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12178 Darn It! Hey Joe! Why can't we have a "Preview Comment Button"? Or have the "Submit Comment Button" moved flush left and away from the scroll bar? Text should read: "..."The Fuel of Future" as they did for hydrogen and the stock of fuel cell-maker Ballard Power Systems and other companies suchas Planktos. Planktos is classic Howe Street promotion, which trades on the OTC pink sheets, and is tauted as a company whose ocean fertilization programs will stimulate and sustain so much alga growth that gazillion tons of CO2 will be sucked from the atmosphere and the Earth will be easily saved from destruction by runaway global warming. Unfortunately, according to the company's recent press announcements the first pilot program was cancelled due to lack of sufficient capital on account of unanticipated costs. Translation: The stock promoters and company principals are pocketing the greedy but clueless inverstors' cash and are getting rich for this typical Howe Street "pump and dump" scheme. fu Darn It! Hey Joe! Why can’t we have a “Preview Comment Button”? Or have the “Submit Comment Button” moved flush left and away from the scroll bar?

Text should read: “…”The Fuel of Future” as they did for hydrogen and the stock of fuel cell-maker Ballard Power Systems and other companies suchas Planktos.

Planktos is classic Howe Street promotion, which trades on the OTC pink sheets, and is tauted as a company whose ocean fertilization programs will stimulate and sustain so much alga growth that gazillion tons of CO2 will be sucked from the atmosphere and the Earth will be easily saved from destruction by runaway global warming.

Unfortunately, according to the company’s recent press announcements the first pilot program was cancelled due to lack of sufficient capital on account of unanticipated costs. Translation: The stock promoters and company principals are pocketing the greedy but clueless inverstors’ cash and are getting rich for this typical Howe Street “pump and dump” scheme.

fu

]]> By: Harold Pierce Jr http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12179 Harold Pierce Jr Wed, 07 May 2008 10:01:34 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12179 Hello Eli! How could you forget the wines from The Island of Doubt and from Osooyos? Hello Eli!

How could you forget the wines from The Island of Doubt and from Osooyos?

]]> By: Eric Sutherland http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12214 Eric Sutherland Thu, 08 May 2008 02:40:47 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12214 Cornucopianism This tactic is being used by bread crumb droppers like Gingrich as well as the pseustainability crowd. Gingrich’s genius lies in crafting a series of talking points that leads the unthinking into the galley were they can be enslaved to propel the ship of state into peril. All to benefit his paymasters. Unfortunately, he is only co-opting the success that the high priests of carbon neutrality have enjoyed by parading ineffectual solutions shrouded in the complex veil of tecnhology across the altar. The unknowing masses gasp in awe and delight at the promise of solutions delivered by the masters of science and policy. All that false prophets need is the spectre of an omnipotent, smothering evil and a flashy, contrived sales pitch that demonstrates their reslove and character in the face of adversity. Last time around the evil was the unstoppable advancement of government intrusion and Newt’s most inspiring attribute was his willingness to gut even the most effective program in the name of conservatism. This time, the horde on our heels is real. Real solutions are available, but it is not surprising that Gingrich cherry picks only those that threaten pain for Hugo Chavez and no one else. It is also not surprising that he is able to entrain a few self-serving neoenvironmentalists in his entourage at the same time. Your words Newt- Real change requires real change. Fort Collins, CO Cornucopianism

This tactic is being used by bread crumb droppers like Gingrich as well as the pseustainability crowd.

Gingrich’s genius lies in crafting a series of talking points that leads the unthinking into the galley were they can be enslaved to propel the ship of state into peril. All to benefit his paymasters.

Unfortunately, he is only co-opting the success that the high priests of carbon neutrality have enjoyed by parading ineffectual solutions shrouded in the complex veil of tecnhology across the altar. The unknowing masses gasp in awe and delight at the promise of solutions delivered by the masters of science and policy.

All that false prophets need is the spectre of an omnipotent, smothering evil and a flashy, contrived sales pitch that demonstrates their reslove and character in the face of adversity. Last time around the evil was the unstoppable advancement of government intrusion and Newt’s most inspiring attribute was his willingness to gut even the most effective program in the name of conservatism.

This time, the horde on our heels is real. Real solutions are available, but it is not surprising that Gingrich cherry picks only those that threaten pain for Hugo Chavez and no one else. It is also not surprising that he is able to entrain a few self-serving neoenvironmentalists in his entourage at the same time.

Your words Newt- Real change requires real change.

Fort Collins, CO

]]> By: Dwight http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12217 Dwight Thu, 08 May 2008 04:59:24 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12217 Another "minor" technical point to point out is that there is no mention of where we get all the water to cool all of these new reactors. Under current regualtions nukes generate steam power at lower temperatures (power) than the newest gas (and probably coal) plants in use. A less efficient heat engine means more waste heat per watt delivered. And more wate heat means more cooling water. So by swapping out our gas and coal plants for nukes we also would significantly increase the already large water consumption from electrical power generation. Another “minor” technical point to point out is that there is no mention of where we get all the water to cool all of these new reactors. Under current regualtions nukes generate steam power at lower temperatures (power) than the newest gas (and probably coal) plants in use. A less efficient heat engine means more waste heat per watt delivered. And more wate heat means more cooling water. So by swapping out our gas and coal plants for nukes we also would significantly increase the already large water consumption from electrical power generation.

]]> By: Kirk Sorensen http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12223 Kirk Sorensen Thu, 08 May 2008 12:00:07 +0000 http://climateprogress.org/2008/05/06/francophile-gingrich-wants-to-build-700-nukes-too-and-shut-down-every-us-coal-plant/#comment-12223 Dwight, high-temperature reactors use less water per megawatt generated, and some of them could even use air-cooling. Lack of cooling water isn't going to inhibit the next generation of nuclear power. Dwight, high-temperature reactors use less water per megawatt generated, and some of them could even use air-cooling. Lack of cooling water isn’t going to inhibit the next generation of nuclear power.

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