Wind Power – it’s all about trying to extract energy from Free Air.

Wind turbines try to catch the kinetic energy in the moving cylinder of air that is sliced by the turbine blade. Because air is so light, and wind has a generally low speed (compared to a jet engine thrust, say) there is a limited amount of energy to be collected.

And turbines can only catch a limited amount of this energy – to collect it all would require the turbine to catch all of that air and bring it to a dead stop. Naturally this never occurs and wind leaves the turbine will significant speed and energy. For an ideal turbine in an ideal wind speed the power co-efficient may only be in the 30-40% range.

Conversion of the energy collected by the blade to electrical energy is achieved in an electric generator, where more energy is lost. The generator is designed for the optimal blade speed. If the wind blows harder than expected, the excess energy cannot be caught by the generator and electricity generation levels out, until at about 25 m/s wind speed, the turbine cuts out to prevent damage in high winds. A standard power factor is about 35%.

Unfortunately generators are designed to run at high speed but turbines turn at low speeds. Therefore they need huge gearboxes which develop massive forces for which no effective lubricant is available. At high winds, gearboxes may overheat and catch fire.

For specific information of these and many other factors affecting the efficiency and costs of wind power see this document: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/wind-power-hayden.pdf [PDF, 2 MB]

Flood plains are for floods and the banks of the Bremer and Brisbane Rivers are no exception. Nor is the big flood of 2011 a record in river level, duration or damage.

The grand-daddy for water levels was 1841, but the year that takes the prize as the worst flood in the Brisbane/Bremer Rivers must surely be the four floods of 1893.

See: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/brisbane-floods-of-1893.pdf [PDF, 108KB]

What do you know about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Every day we hear about the dangers of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But most people spreading the scares do not know or do not tell how significant this gas is in the atmosphere.

Here is a 6 question quiz. Take the quiz and see how well you compare to sampling carried out by Gregg Thompson.

Those who do not know the answers to these questions should not be voicing opinions on the role of carbon dioxide in affecting earth’s temperature.

Get informed, and then inform others.

The questions are here: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/co2-information.pdf [PDF, 73 KB]

This year will see the climax of the Climate War in Australia. Once the new Senators take their seats Gillard and the Greens will try to legislate their carbon dioxide tax followed by the carbon rationing scheme.

We can expect no help from the big end of town – they are too busy designing exemptions or benefits for themselves. All stops will be pulled out with the government media, the research mercenaries, the climate change industry and paid spruikers like Garnaut and Flannery all firing broadsides.

Opposing them are a few independent scientists, a few sceptical journalists, a growing band of bloggists and thousands of concerned consumers and tax payers.

Politics is a numbers game, so we need help from every member and supporter. Please pass on these messages to friends and associates, write letters to the media, swamp the politicians with questions and opposition, swell the numbers at rallies and protests, ask awkward questions of politicians in public, and recruit new supporters.

The taxaholics will fail in the end, but the longer this scam continues the greater the cost and harm done to our economy, our cost of living and our environment.

No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Please play a part in this great battle of our times.

More, including:

• Green Peasants of the Pacific
• Politicians Produce Pollution
• Closing Down Australia
• The Lord Monckton Tour
• Lights on for Earth Hour
• The Ron Kitching Letter Contest
• Green Ghouls Chase Catastrophes
• Goofy Green Gas Policies
• The Carbon Dioxide Tax
• Can You Help?
• The Carbon Dioxide Tax Revolt

in the PDF here: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/battle-of-our-times.pdf [PDF, 238 KB]

By Ross McKitrick.

In 2009 I was asked by a journalist for my thoughts on the importance of Earth Hour. Here is my response.

I abhor Earth Hour. Abundant, cheap electricity has been the greatest source of human liberation in the 20th century. Every material social advance in the 20th century depended on the proliferation of inexpensive and reliable electricity.

Giving women the freedom to work outside the home depended on the availability of electrical appliances that free up time from domestic chores. Getting children out of menial labour and into schools depended on the same thing, as well as the ability to provide safe indoor lighting for reading.
(more…)

Dr David Evans’ address to the Anti-Carbon-Tax rally, Perth Australia, 23 March 2011

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen.

The debate about global warming has reached ridiculous proportions and is full of micro thin half-truths and misunderstandings.

I am a scientist who was on the carbon gravy train, I understand the evidence, I was once an alarmist, but I am now a sceptic.

Watching this issue unfold has been amusing but, lately, worrying.

This issue is tearing society apart, making fools and liars out of our politicians.

Let’s set a few things straight.
(more…)

By Paul Driessen 30 Apr 2011

We are constantly bombarded with information – much of it inaccurate, misleading, even deliberately so.

We are frequently told we must reduce carbon emissions, support “carbon disclosure” and invest in “carbon trusts” – to prevent catastrophic global warming, global climate change or global climate “disruption.” News stories, advocacy and lobbying activities, and corporate “ethics” promotions frequently use “carbon” and “carbon dioxide” almost interchangeably; some occasionally talk about “dangerous carbon monoxide emissions.”

Torn by misplaced hydrocarbon guilt, wanting to do right ecologically, and often scientifically challenged, people are naturally confused. Because so much is at stake – for our energy supplies and prices, jobs, economies, living standards, budget deficits and environment – clearing up that confusion is a high priority.
(more…)

“Having said that – one thing is pretty certain, wherever you live, don’t vote ‘Green’ because the Green Party does not any longer deserve its name, which implies a love of the natural environment. Let us hope that they do not pick up too many protest votes in council elections, mainly from people who do not realise this.”

Posted by Artists Against Wind Farms:
http://artistsagainstwindfarms.blogspot.com/2011/05/pressure-on-politicians.html

From: Dr Guy LeBlanc Smith
To: Professor Flannery, The Australian Climate Commission

I would like to submit the following questions to the Climate Commission Ipswich Public Forum on April 7th:

As a retired Principal Research Scientist with CSIRO with a doctorate in sedimentary geology and ancient environmental reconstructions that show climate has always varied naturally – I would like to know the following:

(1) Why has Professor Garnaut not honoured his first term of reference of his review – to show human causation in climate change – he has not yet differentiated human from natural, why?

(2) By how much will global temperature change if Australian human carbon dioxide generation were to totally cease and how much would that cost us? – this is designed to show a base line calibration.

(3) Will you publish graphs of annual global temperature reduction delivered from the proposed Australian carbon tax amount by years – for example say for the next 100 years?

Thanks in anticipation of a focused and evidence backed response.

From: DCCEE – ClimateCommision Secretariat [mailto:secretariat@climatecommission.gov.au]
Sent: Monday, 18 April 2011 10:12 AM
To: Dr Guy LeBlanc Smith
Cc: DCCEE – ClimateCommision Secretariat
Subject: RE: A comment from Dr Guy LeBlanc Smith [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]Dear Guy

Thank you for your email of 2 April to the Climate Commission. The Climate Commission have asked me to respond on their behalf.The Climate Commission was established by the Australian Government to provide all Australians with an independent and reliable source of information about the science of climate change, the international action being taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the economics of a carbon price. The Commission is independent of Ministerial direction and does not comment on policy or provide policy advice.

You have raised a number of questions relating to the science of climate change. The Commission appreciates your desire to understand the science of climate change. Because the Commission receives a large number of queries about climate change science, many of which are variants on a limited number of topics, it has been decided to post responses to its website (www.climatecommission.gov.au). The Commission is developing these responses and your questions will be addressed on the Commission website in the near future.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to the Commission.

Yours sincerely,
John Higgins
Director
Climate Commission

PDF version: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/waiting-climate-commission.pdf [PDF, 52 KB]

The Carbon Sense Coalition today claimed there is more justification for a tax on the emissions of steam from a kettle on the stove than a tax on the emissions of carbon dioxide from the gas stove beneath the kettle.

The Chairman of “Carbon Sense”, Mr Viv Forbes, said that neither steam nor carbon dioxide is a harmful pollutant, both are essential to life, both are emitted by burning hydrocarbon fuels and both have some effects on weather and climate.

“We expect the government media claque and research mercenaries to parrot the prevailing political propaganda, but surely it’s time for the independent media to start promoting accurate language and real science in the global warming debate.

It’s time to “speak truth to power”.

More: http://carbon-sense.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/a-tax-on-water.pdf [PDF, 416 KB]