"An Inconvenient Truth" wins Oscar

"An Inconvenient Truth," the documentary that turned former vice president Al Gore's power-point presentation on global warming into an engaging and entertaining film, has won an Oscar. The best-documentary win was a triumph for Gore, who has kept a sense of humor about his loss in the 2000 election that was decided in George W. Bush's favor by a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

"I am Al Gore. I used to be the next president of the United States of America," Gore says in the film, repeating a line he has used often. Sunday, Gore used the Oscar win not to further his political career but to boost his campaign to find solutions for global warming and other environmental problems.

"My fellow Americans," Gore said to laughter from the crowd. "People all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It's not a political issue, it's a moral issue. We have everything we need to get started with the possible will to act. That's a renewable resource. Let's renew it."

(2007-03-06 23:18:35 SGT) [Env] Permalink

Qatar launches $18 billion gas project

peakoil.com -> gulf-daily-news.com :

Qatar launched a mega gas-to-liquids (GTL) project in partnership with Royal Dutch/Shell that will cost up to $18 billion, $10bn of which have already been earmarked. "Upstream 1.6bn cubic feet of wellhead gas will be produced, transported and processed per day to produce 120,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day of condensate, liquefied petroleum gas and ethane," a statement said.

Downstream dry gas will be used as feedstock to produce 140,000 barrels per day of clean, high quality GTL fuels and products. The plant "is expected to produce some three billion barrels of oil equivalent wellhead gas over the period of the development and production sharing agreement," it added.

Scotland to commission biggest wave power generator

peakoil.com -> earthtimes.org :

Energy utility Scottish Power is constructing the world's biggest wave power generation plant near the Orkney Islands after the Scottish Executive has given the go ahead and funding for the 13-million-pound project. Scottish Power said it hopes to commission the 3MW wave power plant in 2008. The plant will comprise four wave power generators, to be built at the European Marine Energy Centre on Orkney and developed by the Leith-based Ocean Power Delivery.

Scottish Power's director of renewables Keith Anderson, said the Pelamis device, which is one of the critical components of the plant, has been tested at the European Marine Energy Centre. The device is a 520-feet tube consisting of a buoyancy section and a power conversion module. Each tube produces 750 KW of power, using wave motion to push hydraulic rams into a central generating unit. This hydraulic action pressurizes oil stored in a reservoir, which in turn powers the generator. The power is sent to the shore to be added to the national grid.

Singapore's rainfall in Feb 90% less than average: NEA

channelnewsasia.com :

First, it was record-breaking rainfall three months ago. But now, it is the rising heat that is causing Singaporeans to bring out their umbrellas. Most of Singapore got less than 5 millimetres of rainfall during the first half of February, and that was 90% below average for this time of the year.

Most affected were the central and eastern parts of the island. Things were better in the west, with some moderate rain during the afternoons, but this was still quite below the national average. Heavy rainfall and hot afternoons are expected in March and April.

(2007-03-06 13:45:49 SGT) [Env] Permalink

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