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Coal to challenge oil's dominance by 2017, says IEA | EurActiv
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 21 Mar '13

21 Mar '13

http://www.euractiv.com/energy/coal-challenge-oils-dominance-20-news-516748…

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CO2 graphics
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 17 Mar '13

17 Mar '13

http://grist.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/information-is-beautiful-co2-graph…

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EPA Green House Gases Mobile Website
by William V. DePaulo, Esq. 14 Mar '13

14 Mar '13

http://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/home-screen.htm

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fyi, new book on energy efficiency (review in E-Magazine)
by Paul Wilson 12 Mar '13

12 Mar '13

MARCH/APRIL 2013 ISSUE Magazine <http://www.emagazine.com/magazine/> : Books<http://www.emagazine.com/article/category/books> - Print - Email <http://www.emagazine.com/includes/email-a-friend/9831> - ShareThis ------------------------------ The Efficiency NightmareA Review of *The Efficiency Trap: Finding a Better Way to Achieve a Sustainable Energy Future* by Steve Hallett March 1, 2013 | Brita Belli<http://www.emagazine.com/author/guest/brita-belli/> | green book <http://www.emagazine.com/topic/green+book> - - - In *The Efficiency Trap: Finding a Better Way to Achieve a Sustainable Energy Future* (Prometheus Books), author*Steve Hallett *challenges the almighty quest for efficiency, asking “What if the virtuous Prius driver consumes more energy than the jerk in the Hummer?” Hallett, an associate professor at Purdue University, calls efficiency “the worst nightmare of the environmental movement.” He starts at the beginning of civilization, tying each efficient step forward in human history to its environmental consequence. Advanced weapons brought the downfall of megafauna; efficient wood harvesting meant forest depletion. >From fossil fuels—on which two-thirds of the world’s energy depends—to fast transportation, to exploding monoculture crops, more efficient production, Hallett argues, comes with devastating environmental consequences. But could the Hummer really be greener than the Prius? Not in terms of emissions, but the total life cycle of each vehicle tells a different story. Drawing on data from CNW Marketing Research, he notes that manufacturing costs for the Prius are high because it uses more advanced materials that are shipped from various parts of the world. What’s more, it relies on a nickel-halide battery, and nickel mining and smelting carries a heavy pollution cost. Battery disposal is also an environmental problem. Hallett doesn’t conclude that the Hummer is a greener vehicle, but that neither vehicle is a real win for the environment. *The Efficiency Trap* successfully shifts the conversation away from efficiency as an end-all-be-all to advocate for more livable cities, hydroelectricity over solar and wind, sustainable farming in place of consolidated mega-farms and a return to mom and pop stores. Hallett concludes that the only solution to unlocking the efficiency trap is to embrace sustainability on all fronts—to mimic the natural world, in other words, and adapt already. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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FW: Obama to Speak at Big-Ticket Democratic Summit
by Beth Little 11 Mar '13

11 Mar '13

So if we had $50,000, we might get Obama's ear. I'm getting more and more disgusted with our "democracy." From: Newsmax.com [mailto:newsmax@reply.newsmax.com] Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 6:07 PM To: blittle(a)citynet.net Subject: Obama to Speak at Big-Ticket Democratic Summit Image removed by sender. Image removed by sender. Newsmax.com Breaking from Newsmax.com Obama to Speak at Organizing for Action Summit President Barack Obama will speak Wednesday night to donors and Democratic activists who are building support for a nonprofit group formed to promote his agenda. Two people involved in the planning confirmed the president's speech to the founders' summit of Organizing for Action, which was first reported by Politico Monday morning. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the event planned at a Washington hotel has not yet been officially announced. The two-day meeting will include addresses by OFA chairman Jim Messina, a former White House aide who served as campaign manager for Obama's re-election; David Plouffe, a former White House senior adviser and Obama's 2008 campaign manager; and Jon Carson, a former White House official and the group's executive director. Organizing for Action is being run by former Obama advisers who have transformed his re-election campaign into a grassroots machine to support his initiatives. The group is raising millions from donors and generating support among activists for issues such as gun control and an immigration overhaul. A contribution form for the conference said tickets cost $50,000 per person. <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CRaZjBVaE-sK4qpFdHGGuvE3LfxfvAK&http://www.newsm ax.com/Politics/Obama-Outside-Group/2013/03/11/id/494131?s=al&promo_code=12B FD-1> Read More Here Editor's Notes: ObamaCare: <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CR.1lZx9F2g65tyFq1GfuKJxLfxfvAK&https://www.news maxstore.com/nm_mag/obamacare2.cfm?s=al&promo_code=12BFD-1> How You Can Benefit -Best-Selling Book, ONLY $4.95! <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CRa1lZVa2ngK5Kp7SHDGFKExLftJv1K&http://w3.newsma x.com/newsletters/air/awakening_video.cfm?s=al&promo_code=12BFD-1> Professor Loses $1.5 Million in Market - But Bounces Back! (Here's How) <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6Cv.1lBX922gZ5NphSvDGuvJ3LexJIAK&http://www.medix select.tv/bactipro/?src=L1826&s=al&promo_code=12BFD-1> The Benefits of Probiotics: Fact or Fiction? <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CvaZjBaaESaB4qyFSADGFvJtlftJIAK&http://www.newsm ax.com/social?utm_source=FB&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sm_pg> Image removed by sender. Facebook <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CRaZlZxaEnaB5Nd7KvEG2vEDrftfv1K&http://www.newsm ax.com/social?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sm_pg> Image removed by sender. Twitter <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6Cv.1jBX9FSgZ5qo7KHEG2vEtlexfv1K&http://www.newsm ax.com/social?utm_source=YT&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sm_pg> Image removed by sender. YouTube <http://news.newsmax.com/default.aspx?KBCva1jBa92ngBCNo7qvDGuHU3rftfIAK> Image removed by sender. Forward to a Friend This email is never sent unsolicited. You have received this Newsmax email because you subscribed to it or someone forwarded it to you. To opt out, see the links below. _____ TO ADVERTISE _____ For information on advertising, please contact Newsmax Advertising Sales <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6Cv.ZjZagESsZ5to7KvGnuKRxrftfvAK&http://w3.newsma x.com/emailform.cfm?recipient=Ad%20Copy> via email. _____ TO SUBSCRIBE _____ If this email has been forwarded to you and you would like to sign up, please click here <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CR.ZjBVgESXZ5to7KHGGEKUxlftJI1K&http://w3.newsma x.com/emails/nm_signup.cfm> . Remove <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CvaZlBX7EngK5qdFSvDeuvJDlftfI1K&http://w3.newsma x.com/emails/profile/unsubscribe/index.cfm?email_address=blittle(a)citynet.net &esp_job_id=1507508> your email address from our list or modify <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6Cva1jBaaF-gZ5td7SvEeuvEtlftfIAK&http://w3.newsma x.com/emails/profile/index.cfm?email_address=blittle(a)citynet.net&esp_job_id= 1507508> your profile. We respect your right to privacy. View <http://news.newsmax.com/?K6CR.1jZxgF-g64Ko7KvGnEKRxlexfI1K&http://www.newsm ax.com/privacy/> our policy. This email was sent by: Newsmax.com 1501 Northpoint Parkway, Suite 104 West Palm Beach, FL 33407 USA 1507508 12BFD-1 Image removed by sender. _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6164 - Release Date: 03/11/13

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FW: Beyond Mountaintop Removal & Fracking: United for the Future of West Virginia
by Yarnell, Karen 11 Mar '13

11 Mar '13

This is the day after E Day at the Capitol. ________________________________ From: Mathew Louis-Rosenberg [snollygaster(a)gmail.com] Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 12:13 PM To: ndy"Vivian Stockman"; dianne bady; Dustin White; Maria Gunnoe; Andrew Munn; Bill Price; Chuck Wyrostok; DONNA BRANHAM; Cathy Kunkel; Stacy Gloss; deniseap(a)earthlink.net; Yarnell, Karen; Angie Rosser; Laura Steepleton; debbie jarrell; Vernon Haltom; Kim; Rob Goodwin; Robin Blakeman; Joe Solomon; Junior Walk; cindy rank Subject: Beyond Mountaintop Removal & Fracking: United for the Future of West Virginia Hey folks, Some of us have been talking about responding to the terrible legislative session with a good old fashioned protest. This week is Mountain Justice Spring Break in WV and the Sierra Club's "Mining Week" in their "100 Days of Action" campaign. So we've been spreading the word about meeting up at the Capitol this Friday at 11 am. Below is some text for an Action Alert. If your organizations would be willing to send this out today or tomorrow that would be really helpful, especially to Charleston area residents and folks directly impacted by fracking or strip mining. Thanks so much! Mat Join us this Friday in Charleston for a rally to demand a bright future for West Virginia - not one that caters to the destruction of our mountains and fracking of our waters. Our state is in a critical moment. We have a choice. We can double down on destructive and declining coal industry and another boom and bust energy industry or we can chart a new path to a diverse, healthy, sustainable economy. Instead of embracing calls to create a Citizens Advisory Council on Economic Diversification<http://rampscampaign.org/wv-residents-supporters-attempt-to-deliver-letter-…>, a WV Future Fund<http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2011/12/13/report-w-va-severance-taxe…> or job-creating energy efficiency policies<http://www.eewv.org/why-energy-efficiency-is-critical-for-wv>, our corrupt politicians have been championing corporate interests. From the attempt to rollback selenium standards, the new threats to sue the EPA , and the continued refusal to address the damage hydrofracking is doing across our state, the government of West Virginia has shown us where they stand. They stand side by side with the big money interests and the destructive industries of gas and coal. It's time for us to stand together -- the movements rising to save our communities from the onslaughts on mountain blasting for coal and fracking for gas. We're outraged, and sick and tired of being sick from nasty chemicals in our water and tired of asking for the peoples' voices to matter. It's our time to show the WV government where our interests are: in the health and well-being for all of our communities. It is beyond time we demand that our state government work for the benefit of all West Virginians. Join us this Friday, March 15th at 11 am in the CAPITOL COURTYARD where we will take our demands straight inside to these corrupt politicians. No more fracking, no more strip mining! We want a new economy for our state. One that doesn't trade clean air, clean water, and the health of our people for a handful of jobs that won't last. One that doesn't devastate our communities with boom and bust economic cycles and can provide safe, healthy jobs for generations to come. It has never been more clear that our government is failing us. Join us this Friday outside the statehouse to show your resolve for a future worth fighting for.

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FW: [New post] Corporate Whiners Whine, Herholdt Cowers
by Frank Young 11 Mar '13

11 Mar '13

"This is not bringing in the other energy sources," Herholdt said. "We're not <co >incentivizing renewables with this portfolio." And "We're the only state that has an alternative portfolio standard that would be met with 100 percent coal," Herholdt said. http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cowe rs/ _____ From: The Power Line [mailto:comment-reply@wordpress.com] Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 9:22 AM To: fyoung(a)mountain.net Subject: [New post] Corporate Whiners Whine, Herholdt Cowers Bill posted: "Last week, at the coal industry whine fest, WV Division of Energy director Jeff Herholdt seems to have spent his time cringing among the corporate alpha males, ever faithful to their every whim. In Ken Ward's Gazette story, Herholdt finally comes clean" Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on The Power Line <http://s.wordpress.com/i/emails/blavatar-default.png> <http://calhounpowerline.com/author/ourlinksblog/> <http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cow ers/> Corporate Whiners Whine, Herholdt Cowers by <http://calhounpowerline.com/author/ourlinksblog/> Bill Last week, at the coal industry whine fest, WV Division of Energy director Jeff Herholdt seems to have spent his time cringing among the corporate alpha males, ever faithful to their every whim. In Ken Ward's Gazette story, Herholdt finally comes clean about the purpose of the WV Alternative and Renewable Portfolio Standard: Herholdt assured coal industry officials that the state's "alternative energy portfolio" requirement would have very little impact on coal production or use. "This is not bringing in the other energy sources," Herholdt said. "We're not <co >incentivizing renewables with this portfolio." Herholdt said that many other states are saying they won't want coal-fired power, and having an "alternative portfolio" standard on the books is as much as public relations effort by the state as anything else. and "We're the only state that has an alternative portfolio standard that would be met with 100 percent coal," Herholdt said. Gosh. Ya think? Finally, a WV government official drops the "all of the above" BS that Manchin has blathered since he introduced his ARPS bill in the 2009 legislative session. <http://forreliablepower.com/1/post/2011/12/manchinwv-legislature-fraud-now- here-for-all-to-see.html> And I have been saying exactly what Herholdt revealed for years now. In <http://www.statejournal.com/story/16212389/power-to-come-from-existing-plan ts-despite-a-call-for-greater-use-of-renewables> a 2011 story over at Grounded, Pam Kasey came to the same conclusion: If anyone thought having a renewable energy portfolio standard in West Virginia would mean more wind or hydroelectric or solar generation facilities in the state, they were wrong. As the last of six utility plans for compliance with the 2009 Alternative and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard are under review for approval by the Public Service Commission, the results are basically in. The major utilities will meet the state's requirements through 2025 with no new generation. So when a politician tries to tell you that the ARPS is "WV's cap and trade" (as did many Republicans in the 2012 election) or that the ARPS will lead to a renewable renaissance in WV (as did many Democrats) just remember Mr. Herholdt bragging about how WV can meet all of its ARPS targets "with 100 percent coal." <http://calhounpowerline.com/author/ourlinksblog/> Bill | March 11, 2013 at 8:22 am | Tags: <http://calhounpowerline.com/?tag=wv-legislature> WV Legislature, <http://calhounpowerline.com/?tag=wv-psc> WV PSC | Categories: <http://calhounpowerline.com/?cat=1> Uncategorized | URL: <http://wp.me/piwFb-1La> http://wp.me/piwFb-1La <http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cow ers/#respond> Comment <http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cow ers/#comments> See all comments Unsubscribe or change your email settings at <https://subscribe.wordpress.com/?key=973223b16743effc39ef5047389b30e8&email =fyoung%40mountain.net> Manage Subscriptions. Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: <http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cow ers/> http://calhounpowerline.com/2013/03/11/corporate-whiners-whine-herholdt-cowe rs/ <http://wordpress.com> Thanks for flying with WordPress.com <http://stats.wordpress.com/b.gif?host=calhounpowerline.wordpress.com&blog=4 415465&post=6768&subd=calhounpowerline&ref=&email=1&email_o=wpcom>

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Fwd: WVNS story: "Wave" of Bills at Legislature Would Weaken State Water Quality
by Paul Wilson 11 Mar '13

11 Mar '13

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Public News Service <wvns(a)newsservice.org> Date: Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 5:17 AM Subject: WVNS story: "Wave" of Bills at Legislature Would Weaken State Water Quality To: PaulWilson <pjgrunt(a)gmail.com> "Wave" of Bills at Legislature Would Weaken State Water Quality Dan Heyman, Public News Service-WV http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/31281-1 Join the discussion: facebook.com/PublicNewsService<http://www.facebook.com/PublicNewsService> Twitter: @pns_news <http://twitter.com/#!/pns_news> @pns_WV<http://twitter.com/#!/pns_WV> Google+: plus.to/publicnewsservice <http://plus.google.com/106260479325451709866> (03/11/13) CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Water quality advocates and environmentalists are concerned about a wave of proposals the legislature is considering that would weaken state clean water protections. Don Garvin, legislative coordinator, West Virginia Environmental Council, pointed to bills to allow more selenium, aluminum and beryllium in West Virginia's water, and said there are separate proposals to loosen the rules on treating run-off, especially from abandoned surface mines and mountaintop removal sites. Allies of the mining industry won a lot of seats in the last election, Garvin noted. "The legislature this session is a different legislature," he said. "There's a lot more pressure being put on, by the coal industry in particular, because they have the votes." State selenium limits helped force Patriot Coal to give up mountaintop removal last fall, Garvin said, so it is no coincidence some lawmakers now want to loosen those regulations. The state Department of Environmental Protection is also asking to change aluminum and beryllium limits without going through the normal rulemaking process. Garvin said it's a fake emergency. "The only emergency in the DEP's proposed emergency rule appears to be that our water is too clean," he charged. According to Garvin, none of the bills even try to deal with a basic truth about the future of the industry: The easy-to-reach coal has been mined out. He said coal mining has entered a long, slow decline in central Appalachia, but few are willing to face that reality. "The reality is that the cheap coal is gone," he said, "and it's long past time to be talking about a post-coal economy." The industry has argued it needs to be able to pollute more in order to stay profitable and maintain employment levels. Garvin noted that even if the state's water rules are loosened, they will still have to meet federal health and environmental standards. Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/31281-1<http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/31281-1> --- To be removed from this list please send an e-mail to remove(a)publicnewsservice.org <remove(a)publicnewsservice.org?subject=remove>and put the word "remove" in the subject line. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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Help needed (was: [WVaPATH] IRP and EERS bills in WV legislature
by James Kotcon 07 Mar '13

07 Mar '13

These energy efficiency bills are high priorities for the WV Chapter, and we need to get our members calling their delegates, especially on House Judiciary and Gov. Org. This is direct lobbying, so would anyone want to take a try at preparing a Convio alert on this? See details form Bill Howley below, that could be most of the alert! Jim Kotcon >>> Bill Howley <billhowley(a)hughes.net> 3/7/2013 7:57 AM >>> Well, my last email focused only on the new Integrated Resource Planning bill, HB 2803, but I'm going to add another bill in this email. Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV) is the main organization pushing these two bills. EEWV is using a two pronged attack with these two bills at this point. It would be great if we could pass both the IRP bill and the EERS (more on that in a minute) bill, but if we got either one through this year, it would be a significant victory and a real benefit to our state's energy situation. So, the Energy Efficiency Resource Standard bill, HB 2210, was introduced by Delegates Mike Manypenny, Barbara Fleischauer and Nancy Guthrie. The bill would establish specific targets that WV power companies would have to meet for reducing overall electricity demand in the coming years. The EERS bill would have to potential to have a bigger impact on reducing demand than the IRP bill would, because the EERS bill sets specific targets. We had thought that the IRP bill had more chance of passing this year, but it now looks as though we might get a workable agreement, if only with AEP, on very good compromise wording on the EERS bill. That's why I am including the EERS bill in this action request. The EERS bill, HB 2210, is now in the House Judiciary Committee. Del. Tim Miley, the committee chair, strongly supports the bill and is actively working to move it forward. His email address is tim.miley(a)wvhouse.gov, and his office phone number is (304) 340-3252. Please contact him and ask him to put HB2210 on his committee's agenda for a vote. As I noted in my last email, HB 2803, the IRP bill is in House Government Organization. Del. Jim Morgan is chair of Gov Org. Please contact Del. Morgan and tell him you want him to put HB 2803 on his committee's agenda for a vote. His email address is delegatejim(a)aol.com, and his phone number is (304) 340-3192. EEWV has done a great job putting simple and clear information about both bills on their Web site. Each bill has its own page with links to the current bill text, videos from a legislative hearing last year in which the speakers do a great job of explaining both IRP and EERS, as well as concise fact sheets with facts that you might want to use in your contacts with legislators. Here's the link to the page on HB 2803, the IRP bill. Here's the link to the page on HB 2210, the EERS bill. EEWV has already generated quite a bit of email to legislators, so let's send a second wave of PATH fighters. I have a phone conference this morning with Cathy and Stacy and the other EEWV people, and I hope to be able to get you the contact lists for all the Gov Org and Judiciary members within a day or so. But start today by contacting Del. Miley about HB 2210 and Del. Morgan about HB 2803 -- Bill Howley Research -- PO Box 3 -- Chloe, WV 25235 -- 304-655-8255 __._,_.___Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use • Send us Feedback . __,_._,___

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Fwd: [Coal Volunteers List] Fwd: Natural Gas Bombshell: Switching From Coal to Gas Increases Warming for Decades, Has Minimal Benefit Even in 2100
by Paul Wilson 04 Mar '13

04 Mar '13

fyi, paul ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ivy Main <ivymain(a)cox.net> Date: Mon, Mar 4, 2013 at 12:34 PM Subject: [Coal Volunteers List] Fwd: Natural Gas Bombshell: Switching From Coal to Gas Increases Warming for Decades, Has Minimal Benefit Even in 2100 To: #Coal <coal-list(a)sierraclub.org>, coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.org More evidence that we must keep up the pressure for efficiency, wind and solar and not settle for utilities switching from coal to gas. **** http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/09/09/315845/natural-gas-switching-fr… **** **** **** *Natural Gas Bombshell: Switching From Coal to Gas Increases Warming for Decades, Has Minimal Benefit Even in 2100<http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/09/09/315845/natural-gas-switching-fr…> ***** **** By Joe Romm <http://thinkprogress.org/author/joe/> on Sep 9, 2011 at 5:01 pm **** **** *A BRIDGE FUEL TO NOWHERE***** **** A stunning new study by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) concludes:**** **** In summary, our results show that the substitution of gas for coal as an energy source results in increased rather than decreased global warming for many decades….**** **** [image: http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/coal-v-methane.jpg]<http://www2.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/news/2011/coal-v-methane.jpg> **** **** Coal, natural gas, and climate: Shifting from coal to natural gas would have limited impacts on climate, new research indicates. If methane leaks from natural gas operations could be kept to 2.5% or less, the increase in global temperatures would be reduced by about 0.1 degree Celsius by 2100. Note this is a figure of temperature change relative to baseline warming of roughly 3°C (5.4°F) in 2100. Click to Enlarge.**** **** The fact that natural gas is a bridge fuel to nowhere was first shown by the International Energy Agency in its big June report on gas — see I<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/07/238578/iea-golden-age-of-natural-g…>EA’s “Golden Age of Gas Scenario” Leads to More Than 6°F Warming and Out-of-Control Climate Change<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/07/238578/iea-golden-age-of-natural-g…>. That study — which had both coal and oil consumption peaking in 2020 — made abundantly clear that if we want to avoid catastrophic warming, we need to start getting off of all fossil fuels.**** **** But what NCAR’s new study adds is more detailed modeling of all contributors to climate change from fossil fuel combustion — positive and negative. The study is here<http://www.springerlink.com/content/b430681263425q64/> [they just eliminated the subscription requirement], the news release is here.<http://www2.ucar.edu/news/5292/switching-coal-natural-gas-would-do-little-g…> It’s by senior research associate Tom Wigley, one of the country’s leading experts on climate modeling.**** **** “Relying more on natural gas would reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, but it would do little to help solve the climate problem,” says Wigley, who is also an adjunct professor at the University of Adelaide in Australia. “It would be many decades before it would slow down global warming at all, and even then it would just be making a difference around the edges.”**** **** Wigley’s analysis is the first to include all of the relevant climate factors:**** **** We consider a scenario where a fraction of coal usage is replaced by natural gas (i.e., methane, CH4) over a given time period, and where a percentage of the gas production is assumed to leak into the atmosphere. The additional CH4 from leakage adds to the radiative forcing of the climate system, offsetting the reduction in CO2 forcing that accompanies the transition from coal to gas. We also consider the effects of methane leakage from coal mining; changes in radiative forcing due to changes in the emissions of sulfur dioxide and carbonaceous aerosols; and differences in the efficiency of electricity production between coal- and gas-fired power generation. On balance, these factors more than offset the reduction in warming due to reduced CO2 emissions.**** **** In the main scenario in the paper, natural gas use soars and coal use drops from 2010 to 2050 before rising again slowly. In the “Supplementary Material,” Wigley runs a sensitivity analysis where natural gas actually replaces coal entirely by 2050. The results are virtually identical — there’s extra warming through 2050 and by 2100 the total reduction in warming is slightly under 0.1°C.**** **** Wigley’s warming in 2100 is “only” 3°C (though it just keeps warming and hits 4°C a few decades later). Other models show 2100 warming closer to 4°C or 5°C (see M<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2009/05/20/204131/mit-doubles-global-warming-…>.I.T. doubles its 2095 warming projection to 10°F — with 866 ppm and Arctic warming of 20°F<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2009/05/20/204131/mit-doubles-global-warming-…>). Either way, the switch to gas accomplishes little or nothing.**** **** A key finding of the NCAR study is:**** **** In summary, our results show that the substitution of gas for coal as an energy source results in increased rather than decreased global warming for many decades — out to the mid 22nd century for the 10% leakage case. This is in accord with Hayhoe et al. (2002) and with the less well established claims of Howarth et al. (2011) who base their analysis on Global Warming Potentials rather than direct modeling of the climate….**** **** The most important result, however, in accord with the above authors, is that, unless leakage rates for new methane can be kept below 2%, substituting gas for coal is not an effective means for reducing the magnitude of future climate change.**** **** What is the leakage rate for methane? Well, as I’ve written, we don’t know exactly because the gas companies won’t release all of their data. We do know that total life-cycle leakage and fugitive emissions from extraction, production, transport, and consumption is higher for shale gas than conventional gas.**** **** The controversial — but peer-reviewed — paper by Cornell’s Robert Howarth, which I wrote about here<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/04/12/207875/shal-gas-bridge-fuel/>, seeks to quantify the impact of the leakage from the best available data. It concluded:**** **** Natural gas is composed largely of methane, and 3.6% to 7.9% of the methane from shale-gas production escapes to the atmosphere in venting and leaks over the life-time of a well. These methane emissions are at least 30% more than and perhaps more than twice as great as those from conventional gas. The higher emissions from shale gas occur at the time wells are hydraulically fractured — as methane escapes from flow-back return fluids — and during drill out following the fracturing. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential that is far greater than that of carbon dioxide, particularly over the time horizon of the first few decades following emission.**** **** I wrote about the “response” by the National Energy Technology Laboratory, the DOE’s premier fossil fuel lab, here<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/05/25/208173/is-natural-gas-cleaner-than…>. NETL throws dozens of numbers at the reader — and averages in shale gas with conventional gas — to obfuscate the issue. But even NETL concedes that fugitive emissions comprise 1.7% of all natural gas extracted — and point source losses (vented or flared) comprised 2.4% of gas extracted. Shale gas, in their analysis, appears to have 30% higher global warming potential for extraction and delivery, so clearly total losses are higher — much higher than 2%.**** **** I would note that legitimate claims are being made now that the lifetimes of many new shale gas wells have been overstated considerably — see “Analysis: U.S. Shale Gas Industry Reserves Are Over Stated at Least 100 Percent<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/08/05/289389/stunning-analysis-u-s-shale…>.” If so, this would again suggest that total life-cycle emissions relative to total production may be higher than people have suspected for unconventional gas.**** **** ClimateWire <http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2011/09/09/>(subs. req’d) quotes Howarth, who is a professor of ecology and environmental biology, that the switch from coal to gas has been “overhyped”:**** **** It’s time to move on truly green energy technologies — solar, wind — and to place a much greater emphasis on energy efficiency.**** **** Can’t argue with that.**** **** Reid Detchon, executive director of the Energy Future Coalition is quoted saying:**** **** Certainly the carbon benefit was a major consideration in wanting to consider a switch from coal to gas. The Wigley analysis makes it clear that simply switching from coal to gas is not going to get the job done.”*** * **** Detchon calls for developing carbon capture mechanisms for natural gas, which should be a priority for the industry, but don’t hold your breath.**** **** BOTTOM LINE: If you want to have a serious chance at averting catastrophic global warming, then we need to start phasing out all fossil fuels as soon as possible. Natural gas isn’t a bridge fuel from a climate perspective. Carbon-free power is the bridge fuel until we can figure out how to go carbon negative on a large scale in the second half of the century.**** **** Since this is an NCAR study, let me end by pointing out that last year NCAR published a complete literature review of “Drought under global warming” (see here<http://climateprogress.org/2010/10/20/ncar-daidrought-under-global-warming-…>). That study makes clear that Dust-Bowlification may be the impact of human-caused climate change that hits the most people by mid-century, as the figure below suggests (click to enlarge, “a reading of -4 or below is considered extreme drought”):**** [image: drought map 3 2060-2069]<http://www2.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/news/2010/2060-2069wOceanLabels.jpg> **** **** The PDSI [Palmer Drought Severity Index] in the Great Plains during the Dust Bowl apparently spiked very briefly to -6, but otherwise rarely exceeded -3 for the decade (see here<http://www.atmos.umd.edu/%7Ealfredo/bguan_final.pdf> ).**** **** The large-scale pattern shown in Figure 11<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wcc.81/full#fig11> [of which the figure above is part] appears to be a robust response to increased GHGs. This is very alarming because if the drying is anything resembling Figure 11<http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/wcc.81/full#fig11>, a very large population will be severely affected in the coming decades over the whole United States, southern Europe, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Chile, Australia, and most of Africa.**** **** The National Center for Atmospheric Research notes “By the end of the century, many populated areas, including parts of the United States, could face readings in the range of -8 to -10, and much of the Mediterranean could fall to -15 to -20. Such readings would be almost unprecedented.”**** **** Texas is currently at a PDSI of -7.75, close to its record of -7.8 in September 1956 – see Hell and High Water Stoke Texas Blaze: “No One on the Face of This Earth has Ever Fought Fires in These Extreme Conditions”<http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/09/06/312811/hell-and-high-water-fires-e…> **** For the record, the NCAR study merely models the IPCC’s “moderate” A1B scenario — atmospheric concentrations of CO2 around 520 ppm in 2050 and 700 in 2100, which looks close to what Wigley modeled. If this is the Golden Age of Gas, then it must be describing the color of the dust.**** **** ** ** ** ** **** __._,_.___**** **** Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional Change settings via the Web<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zerowastesa/join;_ylc=X3oDMTJnbTZrbTczBF9TAzk…> (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest<zerowastesa-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email%20Delivery:%20Digest> | Switch to Fully Featured<zerowastesa-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change%20Delivery%20Format:%20Fully%20Featured> Visit Your Group <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zerowastesa;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbXZlaWd1BF9TAzk3NDc2…> | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>| Unsubscribe <zerowastesa-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe>*** * **** __,_._,___**** -- --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ZWTeamLdrs" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to zwteamldrs+unsubscribe(a)googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. **** -- To access the Beyond Coal Campaign Resource Portal, go to: https://sites.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/beyond-coal-resource-portal/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "#Coal-Volunteers" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to coal-volunteers-list+unsubscribe(a)sierraclub.org. To post to this group, send email to coal-volunteers-list(a)sierraclub.org. -- Paul Wilson Sierra Club 504 Jefferson Ave Charles Town, WV 25414-1130 Phone: 304-725-4360 Cell: 304-279-1361 "There is no forward until you have gone back" ~Buddha "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous" ~ Aristotle

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