Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for March 2011

Australia to Become ‘Saudi Arabia’ of Biorefining: Media Release

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Norwegian Bio-refining specialist, ENEnergy, has announced that it has identified an ideal Australian location for an ethanol bio-refinery which could be producing the equivalent of 7500 barrels of fuel per day within 4 years.

The site, located in Western Australia’s West Canning Basin, is just one of many massive areas of land across Australia’s northern regions that ENEnergy has identified as well-suited for large-scale bio-refining projects that can turn low value crops into valuable fuel and livestock feed.

If all of these areas were ramped into full production for bio-refining, it could generate exports or import replacements worth $AU410 billion per year to become Australia’s largest industry.

It could also make Australia’s entire coal-fired energy sector carbon-neutral and make the country the first carbon negative economy in the world.
ENEnergy is currently in discussions with potential investors to secure funding to complete the pre-construction and finance feasibility phase for the West Canning project prior to seeking full-development financing.

[Read more…] about Australia to Become ‘Saudi Arabia’ of Biorefining: Media Release

What to Listen to, Read, and Action This Week

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Consider this an open thread.  Let other readers of this blog know what you are watching, listening to, and reading, this week by way of a comment.

I was pleased to receive the March 2011 newsletter, Climate4You, with meteorological information from Ole Humlum* just yesterday.   It seems global warming continues to stall. 😉

The document is available at
http://www.climate4you.com/Text/Climate4you_February_2011.pdf

All temperatures are shown in degrees Celsius.

Previous issues of the newsletter, diagrams and supplementary material are available on http://www.climate4you.com/

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* Ole Humlum, Professor of Physical Geography  Department of Physical Geography, Institute of Geosciences  University of Oslo, Box 1042 Blindern

Temperatures of Void Space and Microstates: A Note from Nasif S. Nahle

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Introduction

The general belief on the conditions of the deep space, beyond the terrestrial exosphere, is about a completely empty place without temperature.

However, highly accurate measurements made by satellites, like the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) [2], have corroborated that the deep space has a temperature and, additionally, that it is not an absolutely empty space.

WMAP has revealed a deep space temperature of 2.7251 K and a density of 1 particle/cm^3 (density based on protons in the outer space) [3].

The theoretical temperature was confirmed by WMAP measurements. The theoretical basis related to the temperature of the deep space is given by the correlation between the temperature and the kinetic energy of the particle. On this case, the root mean square (rms) speed vrms of protons in deep space is 260 m/s.

The purpose of this essay is to know the amount of energy emitted by the Earth towards the outer space and the concept of microstates.

[Read more…] about Temperatures of Void Space and Microstates: A Note from Nasif S. Nahle

Garnaut’s Second Update, Sceptics are the White Swans: A Note from David Stockwell and Cohenite

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THE Australian government relies on various science experts to argue its case in favour of anthropogenic global warming [AGW]; people like Will Steffen, David Karoly and the ubiquitous Tim Flannery supply the scientific credentials for the government’s belief in AGW.

The economic gravitas to the government’s proposed economics measures to solve AGW are provided by their go-to man, Professor Ross Garnaut. Garnaut does come with some impressive economic academic credentials from ANU and the University of Melbourne. Garnaut also has considerable experience in private industry and is chairman of Lihir Gold, the New Guinea based gold-mining company.

In 2008 former PM Rudd engaged Garnaut to prepare an Interim Report to support the then Rudd government’s intention to introduce an ETS to solve AGW. With Rudd no longer PM, the current government under PM Gillard has commissioned Garnaut to provide updates to his 2008 Interim Report to justify the Gillard government’s intention to introduce a carbon tax to solve AGW; make of that what you will.

This article looks at Garnaut’s second update [there is a link to a critique of Garnaut’s first update below]. Garnaut’s second update looks at the science supporting AGW. This science shows warming over the recent period. That much can be agreed with, but just about everything else Garnaut’s science says, how much warming and particularly what has caused that warming, is problematic and subject to strong contrary scientific evidence. So, when Garnaut boasts in the press “I was right about climate change” that is a hollow boast.

[Read more…] about Garnaut’s Second Update, Sceptics are the White Swans: A Note from David Stockwell and Cohenite

Tsunami Not Earthquake Wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

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ACCORDING to US nuclear expert, Mark Mervine, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant withstood the earthquake but the tsunami destroyed its backup power which is necessary for cooling the reactor.   The situation is critical.    Furthermore, there are another five reactors at that site that were in commercial operation.

Following is an extract from an interview recorded by Mr Mervine’s daughter, Eveyln.   

[Read more…] about Tsunami Not Earthquake Wrecked Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

What to Listen to, Read, and Action This Week

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1.  Travelling along the Murray River 

Arrived at the Lower Lakes late yesterday, the Goolwa barrage is still there. 

This morning I went for a walk over the Richard Peninsula sand dunes to Goolwa Beach.  Photographs here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=92134&id=1615313209

And lots more of the trip at my Facebook, for example, images of a boat trip along Gunbower Creek…  Note the black water coming out of the Gunbower Creek merging with the brown waters of the Murray. 

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=91780&id=1615313209&l=8664cbb9bf

2. ‘Goodbye Kyoto’ by Fred Singer at American Thinker http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/03/good_bye_kyoto.html

3.  Some great articles at Quadrant Online  http://www.quadrant.org.au/

4.  Protests are being organised against the Carbon Tax  

From http://jamesboard.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/no-carbon-tax-rally/#more-5958

“The rally was an enjoyable success. A crowd of around 600 gathered at Julia Gillard’s electoral office in Werribee to protest against Julia Gillard’s Carbon Dioxide Tax. Media from ABC/SBS TV and Radio were in attendance to record the scenes of the angry crowd, fired up but very well behaved. Police directed traffic on the old Princess Hwy but smiled a lot and talked amongst the crowd. The masses listened to Rally organisers speak on behalf of the people. Senator’s and MP’s made speeches condemning Gillard as a liar and marked the occasion as, “Only the Beginning”, of the Australian peoples uprising against the Government, on the introduction of a Carbon Tax.

“Most notable was a great speech by protest organiser Tony Hooper and Senator Mitch Fifield who stirred the crowd into a roar, chanting “Gillard and her Tax must go!”

For more information on rallies…

Stop Gillard’s carbon tax page  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_113660108709587#!/pages/Stop-Gillards-Carbon-Tax/197122506973202

Revolt against the carbon tax page http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_113660108709587

Petition against the carbon tax page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Gillards-Carbon-Tax/197122506973202?sk=app_4949752878

4.  Consider this an open thread.  Let other readers of this blog know what you are watching, listening to, and reading, this week by way of a comment.

5.  And consider donating to the continued operation of this blog.   There is an orange button at the top right hand corner of this page.   Much thanks to those who have made a donation recently.  This blog is about community, and access to information.  Information that is not politically correct or even fashionable…  But hopefully well considered.