NL-Outsidethebox [confederation]

H/T: to http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/

Donald Sensing revisits the nuts and bolts of alternate energy sources - solar cells, biofuels, electric cars, hydrogen - from an engineering standpoint, with the help of Stephen Den Beste's posts in 2002. On hydrogen;

...hydrogen is a fuel but not an energy source. Gasoline is both. But there's no substantial natural source of hydrogen which we can tap, so any hydrogen we use can only be created by utilizing energy from some other energy source. Hydrogen is like electricity, a way of moving energy from one place to another. That's why discussion of conversion from internal combustion engines to fuel cells in vehicles may well be important when you're concerned about air pollution or changes in industrial policy but isn't when you're talking about energy sources.

MY Rant.

Wow this guy doesn't hold anything back and obviously has a vast knowledge and reportoire to draw his conclusions from.

So why is Canada so hesitant on getting involved in developing the Lower Churchill. Is it Quebec still?
Well hows about Ottawa give NL a hand up for a change instead of bow beating us with hand outs in one hand and claw backs with the other hand?

Why not Provide the loan guarantees for the Lower Churchill but go one further Look into putting a fixed link and power corridor to the Island of NL and onto the rest of the Atlantic provinces with the Power corridor. Lord knows NS and NB along with PEI need energy.
By putting a power corridor to the island of NFLD and onto NS, NB, and PEI the infrastructure would be in place to permit the bringing ashore all of the NAture gas stranded offshore and convert it into electricity for the already constructed power corridor.

With a power corridor taking the Anglo Saxon route the feasibility of tapping the strong currents running through the Straight Jacket of Belle Isl could become a reality.

By slowing down the worlds oceans it may even impede the slowing of the earths rotation which IMHO is having a more disatrous effect on the planet than anything us little ants could ever do. We give ourselves too much credit IMHO for global warming and rising oceans. There are forces along bigger than us at work here and were to self rightious to realize.

Same thing could be aid about the oceans rising ph levels. Did anyone ever stop to consider the effect of the planets plant growth in the last millenia? I know back home there are forests where there once was bogs now and all of these forests are coniferous trees which drop acidic needles which eventually end up in the ocean. So is it just a sign that our planet is maturing to the point where it self destructs or are we destroying it?

We supposedly got Acid rain under control or did we? We built taller stacks which sent the obnoxious fumes into someones elses back yard namely the North because by the time they got out of the jet stream thats where they were. Where ever the jet stream takes a sharp turn would be wher the particles get thrown out.

So what is the solution if what i'm proposing actually makes any sence?

Clear cut all of the Boreal forest? No strip clear cut the boreal forest hence leaving reseeding and protecting the clear cut areas from the wind as well as proiding shelter for the wildlife.

Let the forests burn whenever and where ever possible. A burnt forest doesn't leave any acidic pine needless on the floor to leach into the rivers and streams and eventually into the Oceans. Burnt forests actually leave carbon/charcoal behind which acts a neutralizer filter for acidic PH pine needless.

It would be an interesting study to see if the fish and salmon populations are higher in rivers that have had a forest fire on it's banks recently?

I seem to vaguely remember their being controlled burns of forests when I was young?
We used to burn of the grass in Alberta when I was there with controlled burns using helicopters dripping a trail of burning fuel to create breaks.

If nothing else you gotta admit it is outside the box thinking LOL.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060706/carbon_oceans_060706/20060706?hub=SciTech
http://www.novan.com/earth.htm
http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/climate/60630_04.html
http://www.gsmfc.org/pubs/SFRP/Guidelines_for_Marine_Artificial_Reef_Materials_January_1997.pdf

http://www.novascotiasalmon.ns.ca/newsandissues/prs_displayDetails.asp?tmpID=159

My comments on his post. Had a bit of an epiphany.

But I think your missing your own point. There is no singular alternative to the Petrochemical conundrum but if all of the different sources and technologies were used the conundrum could be solved. Unfortunately we live in a market driven world and unless the alternate energies become at least as economicaly feasible or more so none of the alternatives will ever be adopted.

We also need to adopt an calculation of equality like you reference in your post of Joules. Energy should be sold by the joule not the gallon or killowatt to make all energy sources equal and hence promote alternative energy development on an equal basis utilizing taxes and tarrifs to create an environment of equality amongst the different energy producing alternatives.

Now we could create a false market driven incentive to make the alternatives feasible by taxing and levies on the oil industry but right now we are actually doing the reverse we are providing incentives to the oil industries to develop which in turn discourages a break through in some other alternative or for that matter utilizing what has already been developed to date because it is cost prohibitive because of the laws of supply and demand.

Personally I think one of the least utilized and forgotten about methods of storing and utilizing energy is Hydraulics. Lets just say we make all of our vehicles hydraulic driven. When the brakes are applied the energy could be stored in the hydraulic tank and be recovered. We had a 30 ton front end loaded Zettlemyer that was hydraulic driven that would do 60 miles per hour or so. Very impressive. Also by utilizing hydraulics at the axles any source of energy engine could be utilized as the power source to drive the hydraulic pump Gas, Diesel, Electric, Fuel cell, etc.