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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 4:23:53 GMT
Doug: 15mm of rain isn't much. Have you had times in the past when the summer/fall has been similar?
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Post by douglavers on Mar 2, 2014 4:47:35 GMT
Sigurdur
When I first came to Melbourne ca 1983? there was an awful drought. Basically it did not rain for 9 months. The town almost ran out of water.
That's when a dam called the Thomson was built. It was supposed to drought-proof us for a long time. However, the local water board found it was quite profitable to run the hydro-power plant whenever the dam reached half-full. [Why not 90%full?!!].
Of course, the inevitable happened. It became very dry. Five years ago, one of our State governments panicked, and spent $6 billion on a desalination plant. Apart from being absurdly expensive, it was moth-balled the moment it was completed. It had rained rather enthusiastically.
No-one had told them about the Pacific Decadal Oscillation - 30 years dry, 30 years wet etc. The plant was built at the end of the dry cycle.
There is no defense against stupidity
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 5:16:20 GMT
The only thing I can say......is......
"I am glad the US doesn't seem to have the corner on "Stupid" locked in."
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 5:17:57 GMT
$6 Billion buys a LOT of water. And now there are solar water collectors, which would probably work very well in the Melbourne area. Offffta...$6 Billion would buy a lotttttt of those.
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 6:06:38 GMT
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 8:08:49 GMT
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Post by karlox on Mar 2, 2014 9:45:27 GMT
That´s great news if they would let it freely grow! The way it is depicted it could be used to alter for good large parts of desertic areas... Could we imagine what a green Sahara -at least western part- would mean and imply?: - It could perhaps feed entire Africa and more to export... - Probably would also bring wetter weather to northern Africa... - Less hunger and prosperity less conflicts and terrorism and massive migrations like the endless waves of boats and assaults to border fences we are suffering nowadays in Europe, especially in Spain and Italy... But notice in text: "At the end of the day, it seems that big oil corporations will do whatever they can to prevent change from happening, but the power of the people is greater. All we have to do is come together, create, and cooperate" Agreed!
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 2, 2014 9:55:24 GMT
Karlos: This is a great concept. I think the ending statement is the obligation by writers anymore in case the concept doesn't pan out. Then they can blame the oil co's for the actual failure of the concept. Kinda like how elec cars are being held back. Of course, the real reason is better technology in regards to batteries hasn't been figured out yet.
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Post by nautonnier on Mar 2, 2014 13:51:20 GMT
It is unclear where this water 'magically' comes from, unless the unspoken way is that it requires a source of water and they can use sea water that has been desalinated. The desalination uses some power but the by product is fresh water. This also means that the array must be close to water that needs desalinaton - normally the ocean. So putting it in the middle of the Sahara, or at Alice Springs will not produce water out of thin air.
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Post by karlox on Mar 2, 2014 17:05:03 GMT
It is unclear where this water 'magically' comes from, unless the unspoken way is that it requires a source of water and they can use sea water that has been desalinated. The desalination uses some power but the by product is fresh water. This also means that the array must be close to water that needs desalinaton - normally the ocean. So putting it in the middle of the Sahara, or at Alice Springs will not produce water out of thin air. I´ve somehow undestood it needs water that can be desalinated (or not?) by the plant itself and yet produce extra energy supply. So desertic land nearby oceans can get fresh water... once installations cost are affordable that would be a revolution, though it looks very experimental yet but who knos, since this age next ten years are always definitive...
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Post by trbixler on Mar 3, 2014 0:31:08 GMT
"Great Lakes Approaching 100% Ice Cover – For The First Time On Record" link
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Post by sigurdur on Mar 3, 2014 0:37:30 GMT
The last bit of ice is going to have to overcome warm discharges. But the way it is going.....might very well be able to do so.
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Post by magellan on Mar 3, 2014 2:45:37 GMT
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Post by karlox on Mar 3, 2014 12:16:45 GMT
Take a look at displaced polar vortex in company of our North Pacific High which is currently sort of a Polar High?: link
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Post by trbixler on Mar 3, 2014 14:15:56 GMT
"Massive Arctic cold wave descends into southern USA" link
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