Week 15: Combined Heat and Power (and field trip!)

Hello all,

This week we are going to be discussing combined heat and power which is a useful method of re-using 'waste' heat from electricity generation facilities to heat buildings.  This works really well on college campuses which are interconnected networks of building requiring lots of both heat and electricity.

IN FACT, our school CU has a facility on campus!  All the information you could want can be found here.  We will talk more about other examples on Friday, but this article covers the basics very well.

Same as always, ECCR150 frmo 12-1pm on Friday with half fast subs!

Rudy

Rebuttal to Week 12 discussion...

If you are interested, the WSJ just published the response to the rebuttal arguments.  So the chronology:

1) Original argument we talked about during week 12. (posted on week 12)

2) Other scientists object en masse. (also posted on week 12)

3) Original scientists answer these objections.

Week 14: Public Rail Transportation (case study Boulder)

Hey Everyone,

This coming friday we are going to be discussing public rail services and their impact on commuting and energy conservation.  Many big cities have public rail services such as the metro in DC or the subway in New York, but there is increasing interest in public rail for transportation between these centers.

In 2004 the greater Denver area including Boulder and Longmont voted for RTD to build a FasTracks program which would put a rail line between Boulder and Denver for increased public transportation along this route.  Now, the cost has increased dramatically from initial estimates leaving the public to question whether it is still worth it. 

This week we will talk about public transportation in the US and the general inefficiency of Amtrak and compare it to other countries such as China which has built an extensive high speed rail network reducing both their energy consumption and carbon emissions. 

As always we will be in ECCR150 from 12-1pm with free half fast subs for lunch! Hope to see you all there,

Rudy

Week 13: Same as last weeks...

Hello all,

Since we missed last week on account of the snow day, we will be discussing last weeks topic this week.  Just take a look back at the topic listed--the debate over global warming.  Hope to see you all there,

Rudy

Week 12: Climate Change Politics

Hey Everyone,

It has been a while since the last energy talks back in December, but we are up and running again starting this Friday.  I dont usually like to step too far from energy topics but I think the issue of global warming ties in strongly with the long term future of energy.

A friend brought this article to my attention and I think it is worth discussing.  There are numerous perspectives from which this article can be analyzed including the arguments over basic science and those of societal motivation.  But in my opinion, one of the most important ideas that we can discuss on Friday is the general intervention of politics into science and vice versa. As any scientist should tell you, facts are only as good as the evidence that supports them, and as soon as new evidence is found, a faulty hypothesis should be discarded--this is the scientific method. In politics, it is called 'flip flopping' and is derided as being inept. This can only lead to bad science and bad politics.

This point aside, here are some of the more typical rebuttal arguments that recently came out in response.

Hope to see you all FRIDAY FROM 12-1pm IN ECCR150. As usual there will be free half fast subs and entertaining videos and discussion.  Bring friends.

Rudy