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Can China's Wind Power Save the Planet?

Posted by Staff, The Nation at 6:44 AM on April 18, 2009.


China's coal dependency has turned the country into the world's largest greenhouse gas producer.

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China's pledge to have 15 percent of its energy to come from renewable sources by 2020 is hampered by the country's coal dependency, a reliance that has succeeded in making it the fastest growing economy and also the largest greenhouse gas producer on the planet (recently surpassing the United States). The latter is a problem China hopes to solve with wind power, Nation contributing editor Christian Parenti elaborates on the growing industry of wind turbines, fans with the potential to increase local productivity, reduce harmful pollution and ultimately wean China off its coal addiction.

Read Christian Parenti's article, "Can China Catch a Cool Breeze?"

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Tagged as: environment, china, renewable energy, coal, wind


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Will the Expanded Electrical Grid create more Brain Tumors?
Posted by: Purple Girl on Apr 20, 2009 4:23 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We need to take a step back before we jump in to yet another Quandry regarding Safe energy sources. We Fucked up bad with Corn as Biofuel, having devastating effects on Food prices and supply, so the Caution is warranted.
We need to review the epidemiological evidence which suggests higher instances of Brain Tumors and cancer in communities surrounding Electrical Plants and Towers.
Granted there may be some benefit to buring these future power sources- but then what will be the effect on Soil and the life forms within? Worms are necessary to sustain othe rforms of life (Birds et al), but also add in soil quality. What would happen if the Worm population was adversely effected by underground electrical systems?
Seems to me the Best forms of Energy will be Solar and Wind. Why can we not recycle the wind created by motion to 'refuel' cars? Why are 'sun Roofs' not soalr panels?
Regardless of the form of energy, We eil never be Energy independent until we are able to generate energy as individual producers of it. When can not the numerous activities I facilitate through my own energy source not able to be captured and redirected- Energy can not be created nor destroyed. so I get energy from food, and use it to carry groceries- Why not also tape that motion of carrying and walking to capture and store energy in a battery?
Just as the Oil Corps jumped at the idea of Corn, we should be leary of their concession regarding Electricity- it stilleaves them in control and we know how little they are concerned about adverse effects when faced with increasing profit margins.
Grnated we will have to incorporate all forms of energy sources, but what ones to we want ONLY as interim sources, and what is the ones we want to dominate the future.
Easy Greenies- these Corps may be leading you down another Primrose path to disaster.

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If the US had a global Marshall Plan of good faith and support
Posted by: DaBear on Apr 20, 2009 11:04 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Back when China was on the rise (energy demand-wise) instead of using China as giant slave labor pool under neo-liberal horseshit stoopid, the US could have been gaining a HUGE market for US produced wind and solar energy plants and combining that with an effort to open and flood that enormous market for on-site/site-specific independent wind/solar/micro-hydro power generation.

Hell we should have been doing that everywhere. But the owning-class didn't want that. At least now some of them are recognizing the gaffe and maybe we can con them into our evil plan to rid the world of centralized energy grids and other 20th century throwback stoopidness in favor of the site/community-specific Green power gen model.

I won't hold my breath, but if I were an owning-classer, that's what I'd spend my time doing instead of trying to collect enough bottles and cans so I can eat tomorrow.

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