Ten energy myths, and a little argument with some of them

[nancylebov]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/27/renewableenergy-energy

The idea of using solar to heat liquid to drive turbines makes me happy. It seems so much easier than drastic advances in material science.

Afaik, French nuclear power is the gold standard. Discussions of the cost of nuclear power should start there, not with some Cheops Law (everything takes longer and costs more) plant in Scandinavia.

Anyone have numbers about the efficiency of organic agriculture? I thought the big cost was added labor rather than more land, but this is only an impression.

Biochar (making agricultural waste into charcoal, and burying it) sounds really interesting.

Link thanks to andrewducker, who reads digg so I don't have to.

Comments

[robtrooper.livejournal.com]

Biochar does sound interesting but i wonder what happens to that waste anyway and what about the energy to turn the waste into carbon in the first place. I suppose it's a case of weighing the benefits with the costs.
Before the advent of pesticides they did use more labor and using smoke to repel insects, indeed they still do in some parts of the world.

Biochar Technology

[(Anonymous)]

Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages… SIMULTANEOUSLY!

Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too.
Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration, Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.

Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage.
I think Biochar has climbed the pinnacle, the Combined English and other language circulation of NGM is nearly nine million monthly with more than fifty million readers monthly!
We need to encourage more coverage now, to ride Mann's coattails to public critical mass.

Please put this (soil) bug in your colleague's ears. These issues need to gain traction among all the various disciplines who have an iron in this fire.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text

I love the "MEGO" factor theme Mann built the story around. Lord... how I KNOW that reaction.

I like his characterization concerning the pot shards found in Terra Preta soils;

so filled with pottery - "It was as if the river's first inhabitants had
thrown a huge, rowdy frat party, smashing every plate in sight, then
buried the evidence."


Biochar data base;
http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node

I also have been trying to convince Michael Pollan ( NYT Food Columnist, Author ) to do a follow up story, with pleading emails to him

Since the NGM cover reads "WHERE FOOD BEGINS" , I thought this would be right down his alley and focus more attention on Mann's work.

I've admiried his ability since "Botany of Desire" to over come the "MEGO" factor (My Eyes Glaze Over) and make food & agriculture into page turners.

It's what Mann hasn't covered that I thought should interest any writer as a follow up article and your transition team

The Biochar provisions by Sen.Ken Salazar in the 07 & 08 farm bill,
http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html

NASA's Dr. James Hansen Global warming solutions paper and letter to the G-8 conference, placing Biochar / Land management the central technology for carbon negative energy systems.
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

The many new university programs & field studies, in temperate soils; Cornell, ISU, U of H, U of GA, Virginia Tech, New Zealand and Australia.

Glomalin's role in soil tilth, fertility & basis for the soil food web in Terra Preta soils.

The International Biochar Initiative Conference Sept 8 in New Castle;
http://www.biochar-international.org/ibi2008conference/aboutibi2008conference.html

Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all?

This is a Nano technology for the soil that represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability.


Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.

Michael Pollan is well briefed about Biochar technology, but did not include it in his "Farmer & Chief" article, but I'm sure Biochar will be his 8001th woRD..

Erich
540 289 9750

[(Anonymous)]

It's just as wrong to cherry-pick France as Finland. France's neighbors should buy electricity from France, but that's not an option for Finland. Distant countries should try to learn how France makes it work, but that's a hard task. Maybe French companies could build nukes elsewhere, but it's not clear that they can expand while keeping up the quality.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Interesting points, though I suspect you're too pessimistic. Could building good nuclear power plants really be that institutionally specific?

Also, are you anyone I know? If you're likely to keep commenting here, please at least use a nickname>