Global Warming - Tories plan to "de-carbonise" Britain

[VectraMan]

It was government policy in the 80s that forced cars to produce Co2. Cars used to produce carbon monoxide and there was a choice of either developing lean burn engines or the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter is the most inefficient method and it turns carbon monoxide into Co2

Carbon monoxide is a bigger greenhouse gas than CO2 IIRC. Not that that matters because everybody's forgotten about the greenhouse gas bit and become obsessed with CO2. In fact everybody's largely forgotten about the O2 part and become obsessed with carbon, meaning that they should really be taxing pencils and diamonds rather than motorists.

But you're right: all cars would be more effficient if you threw away the catalytic converters. They'd produce more nasty stuff in general, give more children lung disease, make cities worse places to live, cause acid rain, AND contribute more to global warming*, but as long as you're reducing your carbon footprint you get 5 green stars.


*Assuming that it's true, which it isn't. Possibly.

[meridian]

In a well designed, energy efficient home, it will produce a surplus of energy...

Agreed - but the cost of designing and building such homes (and not just monetary cost but cost in time for retraining in new methods) tend to be outweighed by the builders' desire to make as much money as possible by banging up a row of concrete boxes.

(Sure, there are a few exceptions amongst builders, but these merely prove the rule)

[RichardCranium]

Currently the EU pays farmers to not to produce crops on about 10% of their Land (set aside) . Why not pay farmers to grow bio fuel plants on the offset land instead?

Because then it would not be set aside?

[Paddy]

Imagine how much tax revenue will be lost if we convert from burning hydrocarbons in engines to electrically powered cars. Where would the tax revenue come from?

It was government policy in the 80s that forced cars to produce Co2. Cars used to produce carbon monoxide and there was a choice of either developing lean burn engines or the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter is the most inefficient method and it turns carbon monoxide into Co

Next point. Currently the EU pays farmers to not to produce crops on about 10% of their Land (set aside) . Why not pay farmers to grow bio fuel plants on the offset land instead?

[RichardCranium]

Do you have any idea of how much power a couple of 50" plasma Tv's consume?

None when you're out shopping.

I should have said "some of the time".

[Spacecadet]

In a well designed, energy efficient home, it will produce a surplus of energy. Multiply that by a couple of million, and between them they can be contributing a lot.

Do you have any idea of how much power a couple of 50" plasma Tv's consume?

[RichardCranium]

According to figures I've seen, micro-generation is way more expensive than macro generation, i.e. a thumping great wind turbine serving many houses versus a piddly little expensive windmill on your roof.

That's an over-simplification to the point whereby it is invalid.

In a well designed, energy efficient home, it will produce a surplus of energy. Multiply that by a couple of million, and between them they can be contributing a lot.

Also, in small remote communities, micro-generation is the most practicable solution.

[threaded]

According to figures I've seen, micro-generation is way more expensive than macro generation, i.e. a thumping great wind turbine serving many houses versus a piddly little expensive windmill on your roof.

Yeah yeah, same argument about monster power stations. Big money twisting the statistics.

Although reality is that a combined heat and power generator locally, i.e. your shed, is way more efficient.

[TimberWolf]

Create a decentralised energy revolution by introducing a system of feed-in tariffs to encourage micro-generation of electricity;

According to figures I've seen, micro-generation is way more expensive than macro generation, i.e. a thumping great wind turbine serving many houses versus a piddly little expensive windmill on your roof.

[Ardesco]

surely the best way to de-carbonise Britain is to burn all the filthy hydrocarbons so that they no longer exists, then we can move onto the people...

[BlackenedBiker]

You can download their policy document for a "Low Carbon" economy from here:

http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/...nd_Energy.aspx

So you see, you knuckle-dragging, brain-washed, climate change denialist cretins: one way or another you'll be dragged into reality.

Eeeekkkk I agree with you.

Stop that this instant

[TimberWolf]

Imagine how much tax revenue will be lost if we convert from burning hydrocarbons in engines to electrically powered cars. Where would the tax revenue come from?

[shaunbhoy]

one way or another you'll be dragged into paying ridiculous amounts of extra tax on the back of flawed science whilst mindless numbskulls like me continue giggling inanely

FTFY sg

[EternalOptimist]

You can download their policy document for a "Low Carbon" economy from here:

http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/...nd_Energy.aspx

So you see, you knuckle-dragging, brain-washed, climate change denialist cretins: one way or another you'll be dragged into reality.

Funny enough, Nick Griffin is a lucid and coherant AGW denier
maybe we should be worried

[sasguru]

You can download their policy document for a "Low Carbon" economy from here:

http://www.conservatives.com/Policy/...nd_Energy.aspx

So you see, you knuckle-dragging, brain-washed, climate change denialist cretins: one way or another you'll be dragged into reality.