Posted on 03/25/2008 12:37:21 AM PDT by kingattax
Gordon Brown is preparing for a battle with the European Union over biofuels after one of the government's leading scientists warned they could exacerbate climate change rather than combat it.
In an outspoken attack on a policy which comes into force next week, Professor Bob Watson, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said it would be wrong to introduce compulsory quotas for the use of biofuels in petrol and diesel before their effects had been properly assessed.
"If one started to use biofuels ... and in reality that policy led to an increase in greenhouse gases rather than a decrease, that would obviously be insane," Watson said. "It would certainly be a perverse outcome."
Under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, all petrol and diesel must contain 2.5% of biofuels from April 1. This is designed to ensure that Britain complies with a 2003 EU directive that 5.75% of petrol and diesel come from renewable sources by 2010.
But scientists have increasingly questioned the sustainability of biofuels, warning that by increasing deforestation the energy source may be contributing to global warming.
Watson's warning was echoed last night by Professor Sir David King, who recently retired as the government's chief scientific adviser. He said biofuel quotas should be put on hold until the results were known of a review which has been commissioned by ministers.
"What is absolutely desperately needed within government are people of integrity who will state what the science advice is under whatever political pressure or circumstances," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
What I want to see is a farmer making money producing biofuels when he is only using biofuels for the whole process.
I feel you will be “wanting to see” for a very long time!
Copper, lead and gold prices have also doubled. The fact is that the value of corn has remained stable vis-a-vis the value of other commodities. that the value of the Dollar has gone down the drain is not the fault of American farmers.
What I’m saying is that increased insulation is your best energy buy. It’s an old saw but still true : if you want to change the world in a positive way, start doing it at home.
As to GW, it is going on, it’s measureable, but by overly sensitive chicken-little-the-sky-is-falling types who have a control freak mentality; it isn’t all that bad YET. The ancient reducing/anaerobic bacteria O2-excreted themselves out of business, from 3.6 B to .6 B, and into septic tanks. We could just as easily put ourselves out of business as O2 breathers with WASTE HEAT, paving the way for still another kind of organism on the earth-stage.
spacedaily.com
‘Chaos’ as snowstorm sweeps Finland
Transport links by air, land and sea were seriously disrupted Wednesday as a snowstorm battered the country, leaving one person dead in a road accident.
The fatality occurred when a car collided with a bus near Turku, in the south west, officials said.
Flight delays and cancellations were reported at Helsinki’s Vantaa airport, while ferries between Helsinki and the Estonian capital Tallin stopped running due to high winds at sea.
“It’s chaos in the capital,” said Helsinki police spokesman Jussi Pohjonen.
Finland’s meteorological service advised motorists to be careful as it forecast up to 30 centimetres (12 inches) of snow to fall across the southern third of the country overnight into Thursday.
Finland had been enjoying one of its mildest winters on record, with temperatures between four and six degrees Celsius (39 to 42 degrees degrees Fahrenheit) above average.
Yes, the devil is in the details, differing climates mean differing responses. Here in MT we have 15 hour long winter nights, still longer up north, it makes economic sense to have insulated, automatic window shutters. The problem is the cost/benefit ratio, that’s where the gov’t could help with a 90% matching funds program, as a mechanics lien to be paid back over many years.
Good for you, you’re not a waster wih a 1950s $3/bbl oil mentality. The operable, insulated, automatic-on-photocell window shutters available now are just too expensive, the cost/benefit ratio doesn’t work for the average homeowner on his own dime. And yet here is an opportunity for some major insulation manufacturer to develop mass produced units backed by public financial support, to cover vast numbers of energy-robbing window-holes in homes. Plus you can add insulation panels to walls, like thick, new siding; and “quilts” over roofs. Hey, it’s your own money you’re heating the cold night air with, why?
No, just drunken, power hungry lawyer who fool people into placing them into legislatures. ............... uh ............. hold on a moment ...................... On second thought your right.
I think, if you check on it, many cities, states and the Fed Gov. offer low interest loans or rebates for home improvment and *Green* solutions.
We got back $1500 on our heatpump.
Every little bit($1500 rebate)helps. What should happen though is a vast national effort to insulate homes/buildings. Cats, dogs, mammals are born with insulating fur, as are birds with insulating feathers; why are so-called genius humans so far behind nature’s way of handling heat loss?
Cause we live inside now.
So you’re saying GW is caused bt CO2?
Yes, we do live inside our boxes, however, w/o a full “fur coat” we’re akin to a short hair dog in an alaskan dog sled team : doesn’t last long in the arctic climate.
It’s more complicated than that as you well know. If CO2 was the only culprit every scientist would agree on that as the source of GW. Obviously there are many factors in atmospheric chemistry and dynamics, where we should draw the line is where the liberal control freaks try to justify themselves as KINGS OF THE WORLD, algore being their poster boy. Really though, just adding insulation to existing houses would make a lot of this energy nonsense go away. Think of mammals and their fur-insulation, they are naturally smarter than homo sap pouring energy-money out into the cold winter night through windows/poorly insulated walls.
Everytime you walk in or out the front door you get air exchange and heat loss. There’s no such thing as “NONE”. Not to mention exhaust fans in bathrooms and range hoods.
As for your theoretical example, the best way to conserve heating costs is to make people live in huge apartment buildings. These building typically are running the A/C until christmas. The larger the building, the lower the surface area to volume ratio. And if they are covered in glass, the solar gain is considerable.
You are correct about the insulation reducing the energy consumption.
Only market forces will drive that train though. Until it becomes cost effective it will never happen. I know that it is really cost effective now in the long run but the advantages have to be seen up front to make the jump. I don’t think they will ever get to the insulation level that you are talking about though. We just don’t build things anymore that are that farsighted.
It’s going to require much more than just putting the insulation in the home. The house will have to be constructed differently to negate the weep problems. Just a vapor barrier won’t do it. I used to build houses and I know what kind of problems insulation can cause even in dry climates. Wood frames have real; issues here so it would almost have to be some kind of masonry/concrete and solid insulation composite construction. That’s a pretty expensive way to go right now.
True, fat people don’t need heavy coats, volume to surface ratio. But tell that to deer, bears living outside thru the winter. They wouldn’t survive if not for those insulating fur coats. Massive apt buildings have their own problems, most people like to live in their own home on their own land, the castle/turf instinct.
Thus exterior window shutters : operable, insulating, automatic-on-photocells at a decent price would save oodles of heat=money pouring out of those windows during the long winter nights. Then too, in hot climates they could close on the south side to prevent too much solar gain(less AC required). They might also be solar cell powered as you only need the motor for a few seconds twice a day. And too, there are batteries being developed now that are as thin as paper.
Maybe then some insulation manufacturer out there is listening...
Well, the loft insulation is 6” thick already. I find after the double-glazing I just don’t need the gas central heating on as much or at such a high level.
I have toyed with the idea of cavity wall insulation. I’ve done it before, but I’ve heard bad things since about it restricting air flow. Any comments?
I’m told that “blown” wallpaper is quite a good insulator - considering you have to put the stuff on anyway you might as well.
Anything that adds insulation is helpful. I’ve also heard of vacuum beads(like tiny thermos bottles)that can be added to paint. It seems to be a local vs global problem. An insulation project at $3000 is too much for the local homeowner to handle financially and yet states have weatherization programs already in place, what’s lacking is political leadership by pols in big oil’s pocket(vested interests).
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