Legitimacy of Solar Energy
A friend writes: Hi Craig, Is this piece on solar energy a real argument or a conservative pipe dream?
I respond:
The latter, as one might infer from the other content on the site.
It is true that in some cases, natural gas is used to deal with the intermittence of solar. But natural gas is far cleaner than the coal that is displaced in the process, as it emits less greenhouse gases, no heavy metals like cadmium, selenium, mercury and arsenic, and no radioactive isotopes.
In many cases, the intermittence of solar is addressed by long-distance power transmission (bringing in power from places where the sun is shining), and by storage, predominantly pumped hydro, but increasingly batteries.
Regrettably, the coal industry is far from dead here in the U.S, as it has an extremely powerful lobbying group that is working effectively with the current (deeply corrupt) Department of Energy and the EPA. Fortunately, the costs of operating coal plants has risen dramatically vis-a-vis natural gas and renewables, and is thus losing ground, regardless of what anyone in government or the fossil fuel industry may wish.
The real issue is Asia, where China and especially India are making little progress. As I’m fond of saying, we either solve this problem for the whole world, or we may as well do nothing at all. The good news is that solutions (renewables and advanced nuclear) are very much within our grasp. We’ll get there eventually.
How much long-term environmental damage will we have done in the process? No one knows.
Craig,
The article in the federalist was written by Donald van der Vaart.
A chemical engineer and lawyer who served as Secretary of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Dr Van Der Vaart holds a Doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Cambridge(England).
Dr van der Haart also has law degrees from North Carolina Central University, a master’s degree in physics from North Carolina State University and numerous other scientific, economics, business and administrative qualifications.
Professor van der Haart, has served as the Deputy Secretary and Energy Policy Advisor for NC Department of Environment & Natural Resources.
Prior to that appointment he was the longtime manager of the department and has a distinguished record of public service.
He writes from the perspective of a lifetime of extensive involvement in energy, environmental and regulatory policy and research in academia, state government and the private sector.
Professor of engineering at N.C. State University, where he also teaches environmental policy and law,Dr van der Haart also overseas scientific research at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and at Research Triangle Institute (now RTI International). He has published numerous technical and legal articles and holds two patents of his own.
There can be no doubt Professor van der Haart is a considerable scientist, administrator and academic.
On what basis would you dismiss his opinion as a mere “conservative pipe dream” ?!!
Again you continue to print inaccurate, out of date information, about modern clean coal technology, for which which you can’t produce any evidence.
You claim the coal industry and EPA etc are “corrupt”. Okay, show me the evidence? Of course you retreat when challenged into silence.
You claim, “Natural gas produces less greenhouse gases, no heavy metals like cadmium, selenium, mercury and arsenic, and no radioactive isotopes”.
Yet this contradicts your own statements about Natural Gas fracking technology!
In fact, the manufacture and disposal of Solar Panels produces an abundance of cadmium, selenium, mercury and arsenic, and radioactive isotopes” , a fact you choose to ignore and refuse to discuss.
As you have been repeatedly informed, modern Clean Coal technology no only doesn’t produce any cadmium, selenium, mercury and arsenic, or radioactive isotopes, but actually reduces carbon emissions in other high polluting industries.
But, like an old cart horse wearing Blinkers you continue down the same of path of lies and myths.
Unlike Dr van der Haart, you have long ago forsaken scientific inquiry and principles in favour of preaching a fixed ideological dogma based on “belief” and adherence to a political agenda.