02-01 Climate Change

When you see steam and hot water spouting out of the earth, you know there is a partial solution to climate change deep underground. The photo is from an area near Roturua, in Northern New Zealand. It was a stop during a tour in 2008.
It is called geothermal energy and is one of the many alternative renewable energy sources that will reduce fossil fuel consumption. The big players are Iceland, New Zealand and Kenya.
Geothermal energy, which is about bringing hot steam and water from below the earth to power generators, is being developed in another 25 to 30 nations, mostly in Africa.
The big issue that I have grappled with over my lifetime has been the role of engineering technology vs. politics in accommodating change. I have been both an engineer and involved in politics, so I have real opinions.
Real long-term change will come from engineers finding economic alternatives to fossil fuels. Solar energy becoming cheaper than coal and natural gas. Lithium battery technology cheaper than internal combustion engines. Bringing steam rather than natural gas from below the surface of the earth. That kind of thing.
It is too early to expect effective political leadership on climate change. Not enough people feel properly threated at the present time. Especially in the United States. But hurricanes hitting US coastal communities are helping.
In the meantime, we all need to perceive that something is being done. That is what is called “feel good” politics. But there will not be major advances in dealing with climate change unless major restructuring is taking place in the economies of the US, China, India, Japan and Germany. Australia and NZ are minor players, just like Canada.
Politicians of the left in New Zealand and Australia have been against nuclear power as a source of energy. Not so in North America and most of Europe. On this technology debate it is politics over engineering.
What is changing in New Zealand is evidence that Pacific Island countries are already dealing with rising sea levels. And what is changing in Australia is coastal damage as a result of storms. Something like 85% of Aussies live close to their coasts.
The big challenge for Australia is its reliance on coal as an energy source. More so actually than any other nation in the world. Lots of carbon and other nasties going into the air.
Going green for Aussies is a huge challenge. But look to Australia to replace coal with geothermal energy for the generation of electrical power over the next twenty years.
The big challenge for New Zealand is 40 million sheep farting methane into the atmosphere. Now if we could breed sheep that could pass ordinary “wind”, we would have another answer to climate change. Can’t imagine an engineer figuring that one out.