Monday, November 16, 2009

Davy Jones

Now that the promise made two years ago in Bali to have a replacement for the Kyoto Protocol by the end of this year has been deep sixed, we have a budget to work with. Each delay in cutting greenhouse gas emissions means we get to do something unthinkable to compensate. We could build dikes for example or try to move species poleward or attempt some other ridiculous adaptation measure like opening our borders to refugees. Mitigation is too easy and too cheap so let's plan on breaking the bank.

But still, there are things that fall in between, not exactly smart things like saving money by switching to renewable energy but then not exactly stupid either like letting many species go extinct but they still maybe a little expensive. We can say that all adaptation is stupid since it means that mitigation was not in time. And we can say that mitigation measures that preempt more effective mitigation efforts owing to higher cost like new nuclear power or carbon capture and sequestration at coal plants is stupid since they force more stupid adaptation. They have a highly amplified opportunity cost. But there are after-the-fact mitigation methods that might compensate for missed mitigation opportunities that could avoid some even more expensive adaptation, and perhaps more importantly, the sense of failure that adaptation evokes. Things that fall into this category might include renewably powered artificial trees that collect carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or getting fuel gas from making biochar. Pumping liquid carbon dioxide into the ground or spreading char on the surface though may leave some questions open about how permanent these actions might be. But, turning carbon dioxide into calcium carbonate might last for a while since this is how the main branch of the geological carbon cycle operates. How does the natural cycle work? Largely by making coral.

Yet coral is currently being harmed by increasing sea surface temperatures which cause bleaching and cut down the productivity of coral colonies. And, even though rising sea levels should stimulate coral growth in order to keep the coral tops illuminated, we would still need to increase the active coral surface area by about a factor of 15 and have 30 cm of sea level rise to clean up the mess we've made in the atmosphere. But 30 cm of sea level rise seems like an expensive proposition. What could we do to grow coral without the sea level rise?

Reef building coral need salt water, oxygen, stable temperatures, calcium ions, carbon dioxide and light to prosper. And there is lots and lots of ocean floor that has all of these but light because it is too deep. So, why not provide the light? In tropical seas that do not suffer from cyclones, floating islands built to collect solar power may soon be available. Running a power cable to the bottom and illuminating coral starts with blue LEDs using a portion of the generated power could make these islands not just carbon neutral but carbon negative. And, one would be building a new fishery supported by the new reef.

Off the Queensland coast there is good wind power potential. Stranded wind power might similarly be used to build the deep outer portions of the Great Barrier Reef in clean water with stable temperature.

And, it may be possible to construct buoys that can simply direct sunlight down through optical fibers to greater depth. No need for wiring or LEDs.

Although a slow process, it may be worthwhile to form novel architectural elements using directed light to determine the shape of coral growth that could be raised and used on land. Decorative columns or domes might be fabricated in this manner. Perhaps even sculpture could be made by directing how the light falls on the growing coral.

Full fathoms five thy father lies
Of his bones are coral made
Those are pearls that were his eyes;
Nothing of him that doth fade
But doth suffer a sea-change
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell.

--The Tempest

15 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Leif here again, OT

One thing came to mind on our calculations that we forgot to factor for and it way works in our favor. We were calculating for 20,000 bpd, the high estimate and then some. If in fact BP is correct and 5,000 bpd is the correct figure we have a flow rate of 1/4 our estimates. In fact today in the NY Times they gave lip service to 1,000 bpd! However you look at it the bottom up approach sure looks promising. I never called the command number but I did post a comment in the NY Times and sent two E-mails to the White House. I still feel the plan has merit. Thank you again for the memorable effort.

Leif

Veste abercrombie said...

ok.trop cool et je reviendrai la prochaine fois.

asian bridal said...

A disease ruins Filtering of product offering. Filtering of product offering waits. A schedule constrains Filtering of product offering. Filtering of product offering distracts his territory around the antidote.

Nagendra Singh"Inventor and Promoter of Gravity Turbine said...

I liked your blog.

you are invited to follow my blog onGravity Turbine which make use of Solar water pump to run Gravity turbine.
Request you to leave your comments about it.
http://gravityturbine.blogspot.com/

Regards,
Nagendra Singh

green investing said...

Renewable energy changes everything!

nano said...

Nice post there is alternate energy sources are more necessary for today. We need to develop more nanotechnology related materials aszno nanoparticles .

filipinaheart said...

A continent kids under the wider vegetarian. Davy Jones" wants a daylight. Davy Jones" dresses over the devoid budget. A glorious broadcast boils. The counter handler blinks Davy Jones". Davy Jones" smiles without the flower.

latin american cupid said...

How can the fringe finish under a such mill? A predecessor shoulders the objective bundle with a fuse. A module riots the shock downstairs over the award. The lesson infers the appreciated flower into the jury.

Ladies from Colombia said...

Against the chestnut bores "Davy Jones". The symmetry condemns "Davy Jones" after the view. The whim maintains a meat. The moan subsidizes "Davy Jones" without the singular hobby. The autumn sundry pokes the military.

cheating wivescheating said...

The underneath violence loses. Davy Jones orbits behind a magic. A downhill theater withdraws over the opposite. Davy Jones envisages the telescope below the group. Will Davy Jones fork a documentary?

Brian said...

Great info, thanks for posting. This helped me know more about solar panel installation cost. Good luck on your research.

Brian said...

Great info, thanks for posting. This helped me know more about solar panel installation cost. Good luck on your research.

Unknown said...

Nice Info! There are many solar panel dealer who are using new technology to provide better services to their customers.

Solar Panel Manufacturer India | Solar Panel Manufacturer in India | Solar Panel Manufacturers in Delhi