A team of US climate scientists using computer models has determined that there is no flexibility in how much greenhouse gas emissions we can continue to emit if we want to stop warming. The only viable goal is zero emissions. The value of this is that it gives us an unsullied goal, one that is easy to measure but very difficult to achieve. In fact I suspect the target we really have to shoot for is a negative emissions goal, one in which sequestration is an equally important part of the total number. This will be necessary to offset the growing demand for and use of energy worldwide by a rapidly growing global population. Those of us in the Western world have a responsibility to go beyond zero in our carbon emissions.

Apparently it’s not rocket science to do this but it would require a lot of power so they are proposing creating a nuclear-powered gasoline generation plant that would convert carbon dioxide into gas.

Just one more technology solution to throw into the mix. This one becomes viable when gas at the pump hits $4.60/gallon. The national average cost a year ago was $2.26, today its around $3.20 but oil closed above $100/barrel yesterday for the first time so that $4+ number could happen this year.

The economics of alternative energy sources get a lot more compelling as prices rise, just as do those of public transportation.

I’ve been waiting for this one since it has always seemed to that the potential of kinetic energy generated by humans has been ignored. With nanotech, scientists have discovered how to make fabric that generates electricity from the movement of the wearer. As usual, they offer up the ability to charge a phone while moving around. But what if the charge was used to warm or cool the wearer? When working hard you’d either generate heat when it was cold out or cool yourself when it was hot. Clothing technology could have big affects on energy use…

Could we finally stop the insanity over biofuels? They are nothing more than a gimmick created by the purveyors of corn seeds. Dirty, unstable, costly, increases the prices of thousands of other products and extremely dangerous from a carbon cost perspective. Great stuff.

Not.