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gb
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gb
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 Sat Nov 22, 2014 8:15 pm |
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Jake Neiffer
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Joined: 07 Dec 2011
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Location: Lexington, OR |
Quickly glancing, it looks like the ones in green are the states that are the most broke.
Sorry, I've been posting online for only about a month and I'm already terrible. I'll try to read it tomorrow and add something of more value to the conversation.
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Chico
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Joined: 30 Nov 2012
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Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:33 pm |
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| Quote: | | Arizona ranks 2nd in the nation in installed solar capacity. |
Just why is that? And guess what. California of course is 1st for solar. Amazing.
| Quote: | | While Washington leads the nation in electricity generation from clean energy, the state's major energy source is hydropower, which negatively impacts aquatic ecosystems and endangered species. |
So what else is new?
| Quote: | | WHAT'S WRONG WITH HYDROPOWER? In addition, we haven't included hydropower as a preferred renewable resource. Conventional hydropower is one of the oldest and most well-established among a growing number of technologies that provide low-emissions alternatives to fossil fuel energy. However, dams also cause considerable harm to rivers, as well as to local communities. Dams have depleted fisheries, degraded river ecosystems, and diminished recreational and economic opportunities on rivers across the nation. Irrigation, dredging, and hydropower operations have made some rivers virtually uninhabitable for many species. |
Regarding the "Irrigation, dredging, and hydropower operations have made some rivers virtually uninhabitable for many species." part, I don't see that as much of a problem here as it might be in other states. We don't suck the water out of rivers until there is nothing left like the Colorado or Los Angeles Rivers. We dredge river mouths but I am unaware of much dredging activities upstream.
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MadCapLaughs
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| Chico wrote: | | I don't see that as much of a problem here |
I bet the salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon have a different opinion.
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Jake Neiffer
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Location: Lexington, OR |
When the dams where originally put in I think we were far more reliant on flood irrigation. Now days not so much, although we still have large canals that aren't used for flood irrigation but rather where pumps grab water out and disperse usually with center pivot irrigation. Smaller scale hydro seems to have some really cool possibilities from my current viewpoint. Is it at all possible to start replacing the current dams on the Columbia with smaller scale stuff that doesn't back up the entire river? Just thinking out loud, don't know what the issues would present themselves here.
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Chico
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Chico
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Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:40 pm |
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| Jake Neiffer wrote: | | I think we were far more reliant on flood irrigation. |
That plus ignorant.
Smaller scale dams? We certainly have better technology these days. Generate the same output with less water perhaps. Might take some additional forward thinking though.
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Chico
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Chico
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Sat Nov 22, 2014 11:54 pm |
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| MadCapLaughs wrote: | | I bet the salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon have a different opinion. |
Steelhead counts at Bonneville/Lower Granite are up substantially from 2013. And so far as the salmon, my guess is the sea lions are more of a hazard right now. Sturgeon - no real current data although a study was done done at the Dalles back in 2008.
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Jake Neiffer
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Joined: 07 Dec 2011
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Location: Lexington, OR |
Chico
I'm not thinking smaller dams. But rather some larger versions of what these guys do: http://www.canyonhydro.com/projects/gallery.html
Still purely speculative on my part, no idea if its practical. But the argument we have to have dams for irrigation doesn't hold as much water as it once did.
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gb
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gb
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Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:49 am |
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| Jake Neiffer wrote: | | Chico
I'm not thinking smaller dams. But rather some larger versions of what these guys do: http://www.canyonhydro.com/projects/gallery.html
Still purely speculative on my part, no idea if its practical. But the argument we have to have dams for irrigation doesn't hold as much water as it once did. |
Obviously, it would be great to have salmon bypass on the Columbia (beyond manually) but I'm sure we can't afford the infrastructure costs. Humans just have a big impact.
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Jake Neiffer
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Location: Lexington, OR |
Probably true gb. Put what if we quit wind and solar and started exploring options like this that don't need the backup?
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MtnGoat
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MtnGoat
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Sun Nov 23, 2014 10:54 am |
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Nukes.
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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Parked Out
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Joined: 18 Sep 2011
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Location: Port Angeles, WA |
An excellent resource for anyone interested in the energy problem is David MacKay's "Sustainable Energy - without the hot air" a free online book that is specific to the UK but the gist is applicable to the US and most other countries. MacKay converts consumption & potential production into common units to enable a comprehensible comparison. The short version is available as a 10-pg pdf.
http://www.withouthotair.com/
Also, if you haven't seen the 2013 film 'Pandora's Promise' about some high-profile environmentalists having a change of heart on nuclear energy, you really should. The full version is available on Netflix, Amazon and Youtube (pay-per-view) or else you can watch about 30 minutes of it free on Youtube:
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contour5
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contour5
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Sun Nov 23, 2014 11:15 am |
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Parked Out
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Joined: 18 Sep 2011
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Location: Port Angeles, WA |
I'd say that's a more generalized problem with old poorly-regulated mining practices. Next-generation nuclear is looking at thorium as a fuel, much of which could be rendered from existing mine tailings. And again we need perspective: nuclear is second only to wind power in terms of safety on a life per kWh basis. Safer than solar because the manufacturing of solar panels is a highly toxic process, and much, much safer than coal which kills 13,000 people every year in the US, not counting accidents.
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MtnGoat
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MtnGoat
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Sun Nov 23, 2014 11:34 am |
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Contour don't you think we can do nukes right without the mistakes of the gung ho cold war era? I do
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. - Will Rogers
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