The War of the Posers?

There are a lot of climate change and alternate energy blogs. Few really show both sides of the War of the Posers. I call it posers because with so much uncertainty, posed solutions to posed problems, pose more problems. Dr. Judith Curry's Climate Etc. blog turns into a free for all with posers of different levels of understanding fighting over tidbits.

Changing to a Utopian world is not going to happen. Everyone can't be right nor get their way. Something has to give. Her latest post, Long Death (?) of Environmentalism is developing into an excellent example of the problem.

The speech she references is a pretty pragmatic summation of the situation. It has both sides disagreeing which means it is right on point. There will be no warm and fuzzy solution to the problems real or perceived. If a solution is reached, it will be the greatest compromise of all time. I honestly believe that.

I have been promoting alternate energies in a way I feel is pragmatic. The authors of the speech seem to share my thoughts. A good many rational people share these thoughts to varying degrees as well. A blend of technologies, reasonable expansion of mass transit and and economically sound policy.

Whether you understand the real debate and can filter out the nonsense or not, as a voting member of the human race you should accept that change has to be made. Some of that change you will agree with and some you will not.

If you are a fan of wind energy, you have to realize that wind cannot replace coal totally. It has current limits and future limits that vary depending on policy decisions. Solar power has greater current limits and varying future limits. Some day solar could be a major player, but it is far from a perfect solution. Nuclear power has fewer current limits and varying future limits. Natural gas, coal, hydroelectric, electric cars and biomass all have limits.

To meet the needs of a coming 9 billion world population, change will be coming, hopefully changes that doesn't make everyone extremely unhappy, but undoubtedly changes that will not make everyone happy. The best we can hope for is equally dissatisfied. The great compromise.

That is not going to stop me from pushing hydrogen. Hydrogen and fuel cells make sense. It is less likely that hydrogen will be big anytime soon, since natural gas and gasification of coal, shale and other things are more acceptable to society as a whole, but hydrogen production is virtually unavoidable. It will be used, but not necessarily where I feel it makes the biggest bang for the buck, as a transportation fuel. I can dream though.

Anyway, try to set aside your personal bias for a moment and read the Curry post and the comments.