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April 17, 2014
National Academy of Sciences: Methane releases from Pennsylvania fracking grossly underestimated.
A significant environmental development appeared in the Los Angeles Times two days ago. The story was apparently missed by mainstream press in western Pennsylvania. See "EPA drastically underestimates methane released at drilling sites", which begins:
Drilling operations at several natural gas wells in southwestern Pennsylvania released methane into the atmosphere at rates that were 100 to 1,000 times greater than federal regulators had estimated, new research shows.
Using a plane that was specially equipped to measure greenhouse gas emissions in the air, scientists found that drilling activities at seven well pads in the booming Marcellus shale formation emitted 34 grams of methane per second, on average. The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that such drilling releases between 0.04 grams and 0.30 grams of methane per second.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to a growing body of research that suggests the EPA is gravely underestimating methane emissions from oil and gas operations. The agency is expected to issue its own analysis of methane emissions from the oil and gas sector as early as Tuesday, which will give outside experts a chance to assess how well regulators understand the problem.
Hat tip: Pittsburgh-based businessman Michael Simms.
Joshua Doubek photo: Halliburton frack site, Bakken Formation, North Dakota
Posted by JD Hull at 11:01 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2014
Sarah Silverman for Congress in 2016, New Hampshire, 1st Congressional District.
And what's not to like? Forty-three now, she's smart, well-educated, articulate, outspoken--and of course funny. She grew up in Manchester, NH. She is very likely a Democrat. Interesting fact: Silverman's mother, Beth Ann, was Sen. George McGovern’s personal campaign photographer during his 1972 presidential bid.
Posted by Holden Oliver (Kitzbühel Desk) at 11:59 PM | Comments (0)
April 15, 2014
Is clean technologies still a fad?
For over three decades, all manner of "alternative energy" products have been pitched as safer, healthier and cheaper ways to energy independence, especially during periods when oil prices are at their highest. Certainly, the idea of cleantech, green technologies and renewable resources is not new. The chronic obstacle for the industries that have formed around the idea? Making non-fossil energy sources affordable to consumers. But some cost-efficiencies are finally being achieved. At the very least, clean technologies these days is more than a recurring new age fad. See "Myths and realities of clean technologies", just out from McKinsey & Company.
Offshore wind farm near Copenhagen
Posted by JD Hull at 01:43 PM | Comments (0)
April 14, 2014
The Economist: "Ukraine, the disappearing country"
Here. For Russia, “this region will not be enough. They want everything. They will take all Ukraine.”
Th Economist
Posted by JD Hull at 05:19 PM | Comments (0)