DirtSimple's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/41831/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/175641-climategate-revolt-of-the-physicists?source=feed#comment-785542 785542 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:21:48 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/148885-coal-vs-natural-gas-which-etf-will-win-the-battle?source=feed#comment-589892 589892
Re VOC's = Volatile Organic Compounds, These are usually understood to be higher order hydrocarbons, and are usually specified as being non-methane and non-ethane compounds. Methane and ethane are the two primary components in natural gas. Higher order complex hydrocarbons that survive the combustion process (C & H molecules that did not oxidize in the combustion process) are exhausted with the other combustion products. This happens in both coal boilers and in gas turbine combustion processes. (Trane250 - It has nothing to do with lube oil. If lube oil is burning off of the bearing surfaces, there is a big equipment problem, and the unit either is about to, or already has, tripped off-line.)

So, after all that ,,,, what is it, coal or gas???

IMHO - 50+% of our generating base using coal isn't going to disappear overnight. Gas fired simple and combined cycle is the only current available solution to meet short term load growth needs, especially if/when the economy picks up. Alternatives will continue to develop, but when the price of alternatives and CAP & TAX are in full swing, the consumer will start to wake up to what's happening when he gets the bill. (BTW - did you know that every MW of wind or any intermittent renewable generation requires a dispatchable back up source for reliability, usually gas fired GT these days?) I don't expect coal to drop long term, and it should see support in the export market as well, if not at home. The opportunity I'm watching for is signs of recovery, then go long gas. And, if GE ever dumps its financial arm, I'm all over that one! Even more if it dumps NBC too.

Disclosure - no positions in either coal or gas at the moment, Retired GE.]]> Wed, 15 Jul 2009 21:32:36 -0400
Re VOC's = Volatile Organic Compounds, These are usually understood to be higher order hydrocarbons, and are usually specified as being non-methane and non-ethane compounds. Methane and ethane are the two primary components in natural gas. Higher order complex hydrocarbons that survive the combustion process (C & H molecules that did not oxidize in the combustion process) are exhausted with the other combustion products. This happens in both coal boilers and in gas turbine combustion processes. (Trane250 - It has nothing to do with lube oil. If lube oil is burning off of the bearing surfaces, there is a big equipment problem, and the unit either is about to, or already has, tripped off-line.)

So, after all that ,,,, what is it, coal or gas???

IMHO - 50+% of our generating base using coal isn't going to disappear overnight. Gas fired simple and combined cycle is the only current available solution to meet short term load growth needs, especially if/when the economy picks up. Alternatives will continue to develop, but when the price of alternatives and CAP & TAX are in full swing, the consumer will start to wake up to what's happening when he gets the bill. (BTW - did you know that every MW of wind or any intermittent renewable generation requires a dispatchable back up source for reliability, usually gas fired GT these days?) I don't expect coal to drop long term, and it should see support in the export market as well, if not at home. The opportunity I'm watching for is signs of recovery, then go long gas. And, if GE ever dumps its financial arm, I'm all over that one! Even more if it dumps NBC too.

Disclosure - no positions in either coal or gas at the moment, Retired GE.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/79668-oil-consumption-how-does-today-compare-to-1980?source=feed#comment-178292 178292
Looks more than a little too hyperbolic for my money. I'd run for the exit on this one if I had any money in it.]]> Mon, 02 Jun 2008 22:08:59 -0400
Looks more than a little too hyperbolic for my money. I'd run for the exit on this one if I had any money in it.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/72889-why-do-oil-prices-keep-rising?source=feed#comment-153220 153220 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 21:03:09 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/65694-time-for-an-oil-change-think-american-alternative-energy?source=feed#comment-117955 117955 Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:58:38 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/64623-do-biofuels-harm-more-than-they-help?source=feed#comment-116400 116400
How can one conclude that returning subterranean fossilized carbon to plant and animal life on the surface by using fossil fuel is harmful? CO2 (product of burning any fossil fuel) is fertilizer for plant life, and plants produce oxygen. Guess what folks -> NEWSFLASH: all that fossil fuel we use today got to be fossil fuel because at one time long ago it WAS carbon in the surface ecosphere as plant and animal life! Yes, right here on this little bitttie eensey weensey desert island floating around in the ocean of the universe, and on which we are stranded! All we are doing is returning that carbon to the light of day on the surface of the island.

By the way, how many of you out there fretting about the harm of global warming can remember the 70's when we were supposedly returning to the ice age? If you don't, check it out. This global warming hysteria is the same thing redux, just in the opposite direction. Actually, I wouldn't mind a little milder weather here in the northeast. I wouldn't have to move south when I retire. Why, I might even have the beach at my front door!! ]]> Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:06:01 -0500
How can one conclude that returning subterranean fossilized carbon to plant and animal life on the surface by using fossil fuel is harmful? CO2 (product of burning any fossil fuel) is fertilizer for plant life, and plants produce oxygen. Guess what folks -> NEWSFLASH: all that fossil fuel we use today got to be fossil fuel because at one time long ago it WAS carbon in the surface ecosphere as plant and animal life! Yes, right here on this little bitttie eensey weensey desert island floating around in the ocean of the universe, and on which we are stranded! All we are doing is returning that carbon to the light of day on the surface of the island.

By the way, how many of you out there fretting about the harm of global warming can remember the 70's when we were supposedly returning to the ice age? If you don't, check it out. This global warming hysteria is the same thing redux, just in the opposite direction. Actually, I wouldn't mind a little milder weather here in the northeast. I wouldn't have to move south when I retire. Why, I might even have the beach at my front door!! ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/52160-saudi-aramco-insider-oil-structural-ceiling-reached?source=feed#comment-100480 100480
I do believe there is a peak to be reached at some point, and have worked for Aramco before it was nationalized by the Saudi's. But, the quote above doesn't compute in my mind ... the greenies and their politicians have long had a major hand in preventing and discouraging domestic exploration! ]]> Wed, 31 Oct 2007 21:10:38 -0400
I do believe there is a peak to be reached at some point, and have worked for Aramco before it was nationalized by the Saudi's. But, the quote above doesn't compute in my mind ... the greenies and their politicians have long had a major hand in preventing and discouraging domestic exploration! ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/47541-the-oil-scam-driving-crude-over-80?source=feed#comment-96424 96424 Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:13:50 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/46372-amtechthinks-ge-should-buy-cree-ge-disagrees?source=feed#comment-95285 95285 Thu, 06 Sep 2007 06:39:45 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/46372-amtechthinks-ge-should-buy-cree-ge-disagrees?source=feed#comment-95243 95243 Wed, 05 Sep 2007 21:39:43 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/25130-oil-feed-the-machine-america-you-have-no-choice?source=feed#comment-80642 80642 Ray Racine]]> Sat, 27 Jan 2007 11:16:24 -0500 Ray Racine]]>