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Tag Archives: Euan Mearns
Can Renewable Portfolio Standards make RE Work?
Can Renewable Portfolio Standards make RE Work? Guest post by Geo who is a geologist working in Alaska People want energy to be cleaner (i.e. emit less carbon dioxide). One way to do this is to use regulations to force either greater efficiency, or a switch to cleaner fuels. A good example would be Corporate […]
Attenborough and the deluded elites of Katowice
Attenborough and the deluded elites of Katowice Transcript of the speech by Sir David Attenborough COP24, Katowice, Poland 3rd December 2018. Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. ‘We the peoples of the United Nations’. These are the opening words of the UN Charter. A charter that puts people at the centre. A pledge to give every person in the […]
Scotland’s wind exports to England and the myth of a 100% renewable Scotland
Scotland’s wind exports to England and the myth of a 100% renewable Scotland Well over half of Scotland’s wind generation between January 12, 2018 and the present was exported to England and not consumed in Scotland. Euan Mearns reached substantially the same conclusion in his review of January and February 2016 data. Scotland’s government nevertheless […]
Every Big Bit Helps
Every Big Bit Helps The post describes how new supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle turbines may revolutionise the efficiency of electricty generation. Background image, existing Rankine Cycle steam turbine. Foreground, Brayton Cycle turbine with same power rating. Let’s say you and I need to move 1 million tons of sand. You show up to the site […]
Who Killed the Small Modular Reactor Programme?
Who Killed the Small Modular Reactor Programme? Posted on September 17, 2018 byGuest post by Andy Dawson. “Who Killed the Small Modular Reactor Program?” is an abridged version of a Global warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) briefing paper. In his Autumn Statement of 2015, the then Chancellor, George Osborne made an announcement that surprised and enthused many; […]
Oil Production Vital Statistics September 2018
Oil Production Vital Statistics September 2018 Four months have passed since the last update in May 2018 and it is time to take a fresh look at the global oil market, especially in light of the unique OPEC+Russia+others deal coming to an effective end in July. This led to a predictable fall in the oil […]
Energy and Man part 2
Energy and Man part 2 Part 1 of the essay is here. Origins of Usable Energy on Earth All to often it is erroneously assumed that all of the energy on Earth is derived from the Sun. In fact, a significant portion is derived from the supernova precursor to our solar system. All of the […]
The Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm
The Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm After about 15 years in planning, the long awaited and largely hated Aberdeen Bay wind farm has taken shape in recent weeks. I seem to recall early reports saying that the turbines, located on the horizon, would be barely visible from shore. Well that was a lie. The huge […]
The Geological Society of London’s Statement on Climate Change
The Geological Society of London’s Statement on Climate Change A group of geologists have drawn my attention to the 2010/2013 Geological Society of London‘s statement on climate change and asked if I could arrange an on-line discussion about it. The lead author of the statements is Dr Colin Summerhayes who has participated as guest blogger […]
The efficiency of US shale oil drilling and production
The efficiency of US shale oil drilling and production Posted on May 14, 2018 by Euan Mearns In my recent Oil Production Vital Statistics post, commenter rjsigmund posted a link to this EIA update on shale oil production efficiency which in my opinion contains some astonishing data on how the industry has drilled better and […]
Oil Production Vital Statistics April 2018
Oil Production Vital Statistics April 2018 On the World stage, momentous events are unfolding. The USA, UK and France have bombed Syria risking confrontation with Russia. The Israelis are more than a little concerned about Iranian involvement in Syria. And on the Korean peninsula, peace between N and S is on the cards spreading prosperity […]
The seawater pumped hydro potential of the world
The seawater pumped hydro potential of the world As discussed in numerous previous posts the world will need immense amounts of energy storage to transition to 100% renewables, or anywhere close to it, and the only technology that offers any chance of obtaining it is sea water pumped hydro (SWPH) storage. Here I consider the […]
Energy Externalities Day 13: Tidal Stream Power
Energy Externalities Day 13: Tidal Stream Power An introduction to tidal stream power was given on Monday in this post: “The MeyGen Tidal Stream Power Station: Pentland Firth, Scotland”. The simplest way to imagine tidal stream power of the MeyGen variety is an underwater wind turbine deployed in an area of high tidal flow. Two ebb […]
Energy Externalities Day 11: Geothermal Electricity
Energy Externalities Day 11: Geothermal Electricity Geothermal energy extraction involves drilling wells into hot rocks that lie close to the Earth’s surface. Given the right geology, i.e. permeable rocks that contain very hot water, the hot water or steam flows to the surface under its own steam (to coin a phrase). Temperatures are typically in […]
Energy Externalities Day 10: Tidal Lagoon Power + a roundup of results
Energy Externalities Day 10: Tidal Lagoon Power + a roundup of results It’s day 10 of 13 on the Energy Externalities game and its become clear that player fatigue is setting in (or maybe its Easter Holidays). “I don’t want to play any more, scoring technology already proven to not work”. To all players, please […]
