April 30, 2012 - 5:01 am
Was this part of the Pickens Plan?
Wind farms can affect weather in their immediate locality, raising night-time temperatures on the ground, researchers working in Texas have shown.
They used satellite data to show that land around newly constructed wind farms warmed more than next-door areas.
—
The change was not identical across all of the wind farms. Having averaged the data, the researchers say the scale of the effect they saw is equivalent to a warming of about 0.72C per decade.
That’s far more warming than global warming, which was supposed to notch us up a degree across centuries, and averaged out to such little warming that they had to re-badge it “climate change” and “climate disruption.”
So we can look forward to a face-off between the warmistas, the renewable-energy promoters, and the Left’s cadre of crony capitalists? Wow! I’d pay to see that!
Since March 2011 to March 2012, 26 enterprises directly or indirectly related to America’s renewable energy iniciatives have or are in the process of filing for bankruptcy. Some 45 coal fired electricity producing plants have been closed(off grid), with another 160 or so scheduled for closing by EPA in the not too distant future. Coupled to this EPA iniciative are some 5 or 6 coal mine closures with another 14 scheduled for closing this year. These numbers have devastated whole communities, increased unemployment and swelled the ranks of government welfare recipients. Nowhere is this, U-3 or U-6, unemployment number reported.
This is a comprehensive list of failed “Green” iniciatives by this administration, unreported, but very real. Cost to taxpayers: $1.1 trillion dollars.
March 2011 to March 2012.
Evergreen Solar, Solyndra, Luminant Energy, Ecotality, Raser Technologies, Nevada Geothermal Power, US Geothermal, Fisker Electronic Car Co., Tesla Electronic Car Co., Ameren Corp., Beacon Power Corp., General Motors, A123, Enerdel, Johnson Controls(Apterra Car Maker), Range Fuels(later bought by Lunatech, New Zealand + $7 million dollars in grants), TARP (bailed out 458 companies), Enerl Ind. And Enerdel, Amonix, Pathstone, First Energy Corp., Energy Conversion Devices (ECD), United Solar Ovonic, Abound Solar, Solar Trust of America, Solar Millinium (Germany).
Renewable “Green” energy source requirements (2010 reports) have increased costs, on average 32%:
1)29 states have adopted new standards including DC and Puerto Rico
2)Residential rate increases = 31.9% higher than in remaining 21 other states
3)Industrial rate increases = 30.7% higher
4)Commercial rate increases = 27.4% higher
Some facts:
1)Wind was 17 times higher than the cost of nuclear power
2)Wind was 5 times higher than the cost of coal power
3)Solar was 31 times higher than the cost of nuclear power
4)Solar was 9 times higher than the cost of coal power
As of 3/29/2011 Nuclear power generated 13.5% of all world electricity and solar a mere 0.6%.
Solar panel production:
China: 2003= 1%….2009= 38%
USA: 2003=14%…2009= 4%
USA Manufacturing Jobs: 1979= 19.4 million…2010=11.5 million
USA service employees: 1979= 64.9 million…2010=112.1 million
Total manufacturing facilities: 2001= 398,887…2010=342,647 million (loss of 56,240) 2010 alone 8,660 factories closed their doors. Or, some 35/month closing their doors. Only service jobs are available in the USA.
Cheap energy + manufacturing is what Made Americans the envy of the world.
This is this administration’s legacy to We The People of the USof A. Wake-up. It will take a generation to restore merely what has been lost. Amen.
Breaking News: Solar Company Gets Loan Guarantee From Taxpayers And Lays Off Workers
(26 Apr 2012) First Solar Inc., the largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S., is laying off 2,000 workers (30%) and closing factories, after receiving $3.1 billion in federal loan guarantees last year. Their stock was $160 a share a year ago and is now $18. (Source: 17 Apr. 2012 The Blaze)
EPA Curtails Burning Of Coal In U.S. — Exports More Than Double In 5 Years
(25 Apr 2012) Coal exports topped 107 million tons worth almost $16 billion in 2011 … more than double the export volume in 2006. The coal will be burned in other countries. (Source: 10 Apr. 2012 Cowboy Byte)
Need more proof? Amen!
To be fair, many of the coal plant closures are also being caused by the sudden drop in price for natural gas. If you are a utility running an older bituminous coal plant, need expensive EPA-mandated pollution controls to keep running and it turns out cheaper to simply build a gas plant instead of upgrade the coal plant what are you gonna do!?
Yes, the EPA moves against coal have been heavy-handed and excessive but I think they have only accelerated (and deepened) a process that was likely going to happen anyways.
Astounding! They never considered this possibility when doing their impact studies for the Wind Farms? Movement of air and heat transport are part and parcel of basic Atmospheric Physics 101, but they forgot?
If ever there were proof these kind of projects are entirely agenda-driven and not carefully considered, here it is.