Comments on: Climate Porn http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:36:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: John McCormick http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900&cpage=1#comment-5342 John McCormick Thu, 03 Aug 2006 20:55:38 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3900#comment-5342 Roger, you said: [The report does not go far enough in discussing the complete transformation of the global energy infrastructure needed to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at anything close to today’s levels. Where is the discussion of nuclear energy, vast investments in energy R&D, or even air capture?] Frankly, Roger, nothing I read on blogs or web pages comes close to discussing the [complete transformation of the global energy infrastructure to stabilize greenhouse gas concetnrations]. The ongoing N.A heat wave is being measured by more than tragic deaths attributed to excessive heat or the previous temperature records being broken in the past 10 days. Someting more ominous is being recorded by the electric utility industry in its reporting electric peak demand exceeding demand projected earlier this year. For those who understand the funtion and importance of independent system operator (ISO)s, let me share their performance of late: I derived the data from the ISO-RTO Council at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/enyu9 This week: (mid July) - The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) experienced a new record peak of 46,561 MW on July 17, surpassing the previous record of 45,431 MW set July 20, 2005. (The CAISO service area is part of the Western Interconnection.) - The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) marked a peak of 62,396 MW on July 17, exceeding the previous all-time peak of 60,274 MW set on Aug. 23, 2005. (The ERCOT region is a stand-alone interconnection serving approximately 85% of the load in Texas.) - ISO New England, Inc., (ISO-NE) which operates the bulk power grid serving the six state New England region, reached an all-time preliminary peak demand of 27,395 MW on July 18, 2006, surpassing the previous record of 26,885 MW set on July 27, 2005. - The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO), which manages the power grid for all or parts of 15 states and the Canadian province of Manitoba, successfully met a demand of 132,658 MW within its reliability footprint on July 17, topping the previous peak of 131,434 MW set on Aug. 3, 2005. - The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which serves nearly 20 million people, successfully met a record peak load of 32,624 MW on July 17 without enacting emergency procedures, breaking the record of 32,075 MW set on July 26, 2005. - PJM Interconnection, which operates the power grid for all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, successfully met a peak demand of 139,746 MW on July 17, surpassing PJM's previous record peak demand of 133,763 MW, reached on July 26, 2005. - Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP), which manages the power grid in all or part of seven southwestern states, successfully met the demand for three new peaks: 41,324 MW on Monday, July 17; 41,874 MW on Tuesday, July 18; and 42,227 MW on Wednesday, July 19. The previous peak was 40,081 MW, set in 2005. Each new peak demand record pushes the reserve margin down for each of these ISOs and new generating capacity will have to be added to the inventory of generators able to provide power to the grid next summer and for the next decade. Wind and solar (aside from the selective niche they will serve) are not on the list. It is to our benefit the electic utility industry does not use ice cores or paleo-data to determine next day or next summer's peak demand. They can only reply upon economic growth, new customers, etc. to estimate projected demand in their service territories. At the end of the day, new demand, (to comply with required reserve margins) will translate into additional fossil-fired capacity being added to their mix of capacity and increased carbon emissions being added to our atmosphere (at our request, I must add, because consumers demand power ON DEMAND. Roger, increasing demand for air cooling in a warming world and expanding use of electricity to meet daily needs of communication, transporatation (commerce) will overpower of individualefforts to conserve electricity or politicians to diminish increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. You know that. And I implore you to open your page to discussions of adapting to and geoengineering a warming climate on a trgectory to get warmer. Roger, you said:

[The report does not go far enough in discussing the complete transformation of the global energy infrastructure needed to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at anything close to today’s levels. Where is the discussion of nuclear energy, vast investments in energy R&D, or even air capture?]

Frankly, Roger, nothing I read on blogs or web pages comes close to discussing the [complete transformation of the global energy infrastructure to stabilize greenhouse gas concetnrations].

The ongoing N.A heat wave is being measured by more than tragic deaths attributed to excessive heat or the previous temperature records being broken in the past 10 days.

Someting more ominous is being recorded by the electric utility industry in its reporting electric peak demand exceeding demand projected earlier this year.

For those who understand the funtion and importance of independent system operator (ISO)s,
let me share their performance of late:

I derived the data from the ISO-RTO Council at the following link:

http://tinyurl.com/enyu9

This week: (mid July)

- The California Independent System Operator (CAISO) experienced a new record peak of 46,561 MW on July 17, surpassing the previous record of 45,431 MW set July 20, 2005. (The CAISO service area is part of the Western Interconnection.)

- The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) marked a peak of 62,396 MW on July 17, exceeding the previous all-time peak of 60,274 MW set on Aug. 23, 2005. (The ERCOT region is a stand-alone interconnection serving approximately 85% of the load in Texas.)

- ISO New England, Inc., (ISO-NE) which operates the bulk power grid serving the six state New England region, reached an all-time preliminary peak demand of 27,395 MW on July 18, 2006, surpassing the previous record of 26,885 MW set on July 27, 2005.

- The Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO), which manages the power grid for all or parts of 15 states and the Canadian province of Manitoba, successfully met a demand of 132,658 MW within its reliability footprint on July 17, topping the previous peak of 131,434 MW set on Aug. 3, 2005.

- The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), which serves nearly 20 million people, successfully met a record peak load of 32,624 MW on July 17 without enacting emergency procedures, breaking the record of 32,075 MW set on July 26, 2005.

- PJM Interconnection, which operates the power grid for all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, successfully met a peak demand of 139,746 MW on July 17, surpassing PJM’s previous record peak demand
of 133,763 MW, reached on July 26, 2005.

- Southwest Power Pool, Inc. (SPP), which manages the power grid in all or part of seven southwestern states, successfully met the demand for three new peaks: 41,324 MW on Monday, July 17; 41,874 MW on Tuesday, July 18; and 42,227 MW on Wednesday, July 19. The previous peak was 40,081 MW, set in 2005.

Each new peak demand record pushes the reserve margin down for each of these ISOs and new generating capacity will have to be added to the inventory of generators able to provide power to the grid next summer and for the next decade. Wind and solar (aside from the selective niche they will serve) are not on the list.

It is to our benefit the electic utility industry does not use ice cores or paleo-data to determine next day or next summer’s peak demand. They can only reply upon economic growth, new customers, etc. to estimate projected demand in their service territories.

At the end of the day, new demand, (to comply with required reserve margins) will translate into additional fossil-fired capacity being added to their mix of capacity and increased carbon emissions being added to our atmosphere (at our request, I must add, because consumers demand power ON DEMAND.

Roger, increasing demand for air cooling in a warming world and expanding use of electricity to meet daily needs of communication, transporatation (commerce) will overpower of individualefforts to conserve electricity or politicians to diminish increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. You know that. And I implore you to open your page to discussions of adapting to and geoengineering a warming climate on a trgectory to get warmer.

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By: Roger Pielke, Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900&cpage=1#comment-5341 Roger Pielke, Jr. Thu, 03 Aug 2006 17:06:59 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3900#comment-5341 Mark- They said "reading" not "buying" ;-) Mark- They said “reading” not “buying” ;-)

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By: Mark Bahner http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900&cpage=1#comment-5340 Mark Bahner Thu, 03 Aug 2006 16:57:20 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3900#comment-5340 "If our readers thought we put climate change on our front pages for the same reason that porn mags put naked women on their front pages, they would stop reading us." Sort of like readers have stopped buying Sports Illustrated's "Swimsuit" edition? “If our readers thought we put climate change on our front pages for the same reason that porn mags put naked women on their front pages, they would stop reading us.”

Sort of like readers have stopped buying Sports Illustrated’s “Swimsuit” edition?

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By: Roger Pielke, Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900&cpage=1#comment-5339 Roger Pielke, Jr. Thu, 03 Aug 2006 15:16:06 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3900#comment-5339 Bob Herbert's column today in the NYT is "climate porn": http://select.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/opinion/03herbert.html "As I’m writing this, the lights have been dimmed in much of The New York Times Building . . ." His solution? Elect Al Gore. Al Gore was on a Boulder radio station yesterday, asked what people can do about global warming, he replied, "See my movie, buy my book . . ." OK, then what? Bob Herbert’s column today in the NYT is “climate porn”:

http://select.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/opinion/03herbert.html

“As I’m writing this, the lights have been dimmed in much of The New York Times Building . . .”

His solution? Elect Al Gore.

Al Gore was on a Boulder radio station yesterday, asked what people can do about global warming, he replied, “See my movie, buy my book . . .”

OK, then what?

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By: Roger Pielke, Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3900&cpage=1#comment-5338 Roger Pielke, Jr. Thu, 03 Aug 2006 14:13:24 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3900#comment-5338 Forgot link to full text: http://www.ippr.org.uk/ecomm/files/warm_words.pdf Forgot link to full text:

http://www.ippr.org.uk/ecomm/files/warm_words.pdf

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