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November 17, 2009

Y2Kyoto: You Heard It Here First

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the 2010 Nobel Prize Winner in Geology.

"The interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees...."

Via WUWT

h/t Larry T.

Posted by Kate at November 17, 2009 7:15 PM
Comments

Watch Gore's body-language. Subconsciously, he knows he's lying.

Posted by: Vitruvius at November 17, 2009 7:47 PM

Saint Al, in all his self anointed glory.

The Prophet of Profits exposed for his investors to see.

Posted by: Fred at November 17, 2009 7:47 PM

It's millions in metric. Isn't it?

Posted by: andycanuck at November 17, 2009 7:50 PM

Millllllions of degrees ...
Call before you dig!

Posted by: rg at November 17, 2009 7:59 PM

He is certifiable....

It's been all downhill for Al since he invented the internet...................

Posted by: DanBC at November 17, 2009 8:00 PM

Al is finally onto something. I have had that idea for a long time.
Just pour water into the deep hole and out comes steam! Think of it, millions of degrees! We can heat the whole continent that way.

Posted by: Herman at November 17, 2009 8:00 PM

For a guy who invented the internet the ar*sehole doesn't even know how to google.It's not millions of degrees,it is democrillions,and we are going to melt in the next 110 days.

Posted by: greyburr at November 17, 2009 8:02 PM

Watch Gore's body-language. Subconsciously, he knows he's lying.

Posted by: Vitruvius at November 17, 2009 7:47 PM


stolt my comment:-))))


and maybe he made an error and meant to say a few billion degrees, fahrenheit of coarse

Posted by: GYM at November 17, 2009 8:02 PM

Did Al say we could get electricity from turbans???

Posted by: pkuster at November 17, 2009 8:03 PM

Gore is an idiot! Millions of degrees...pfffft. Is this the first time he was ever asked how hot the earth's core was??!! Look it up Al. Credibility. Is the word you'll find when you look up the antonym to Al Gore. I am now waiting to see him in an ad campaign with him wearing a white lab coat with a thermometer in his hand. "Yep sure is HOT! Definitly a millions degrees!"
Geo thermal energy is legitimate, Al Gore is not.

Posted by: tigerpants at November 17, 2009 8:05 PM

And the interviewer is just as dumb - and fraudulent !!

Posted by: ron in kelowna at November 17, 2009 8:10 PM

Right Al. One little detail he forgot to mention is that once you've exhausted the earths internal heat resevoirs is whats to stop the planet from seizing up and loosing its rotational spin. Half the world will be in permanent darkness - howz that for millions of degrees Al.

Posted by: Agent Smith at November 17, 2009 8:16 PM

it's not just the temperature he has incorrect...
he states that "here in the USA we have a 35,000 year supply of energy, just from geothermal" so he is implying that it too, is a resource limited by time constraint?

I'm quite certain that the heat energy there is both from geological pressure, and from heat absorbed from the sun, but I'm no expert... at least I'm not trying to make a career from selling fear.

actually, rotating turbans to create electricity is a bit scary... What if one "goes off" ?
Freudian slip perhaps? what's really on your mind there Al?

Posted by: marc in calgary at November 17, 2009 8:21 PM

A million degrees? Well that explains it then, GW is caused by too much heat from the centre of the Earth not the Sun. Its not the CO2 coming from the oil wells and coal mines its the heat coming out of the holes in the ground. Akin to the nonsense coming out of Big Al's yap.

Posted by: Joe at November 17, 2009 8:23 PM

ron in kelowna - hey, Conan's okay. Used to write for the Simpsons. He sure beats Letterman.

re. Vitruvius - maybe, but he's always been very physically awkward and unconfortable. Could be he's just dumb/nuts.

Posted by: Black Mamba at November 17, 2009 8:24 PM

A million degrees? Well that explains it then, GW is caused by too much heat from the centre of the Earth not the Sun. Its not the CO2 coming from the oil wells and coal mines its the heat coming out of the holes in the ground. Akin to the nonsense coming out of Big Al's yap.

Posted by: Joe at November 17, 2009 8:24 PM

They elected the Zero,and they still are in awe of Hollywood and the twits who host TV.
When are normal Americans going to wake up and take their country back? You get what you deserve.

Posted by: Justthinkin at November 17, 2009 8:27 PM

Dr. Al says that the Earth Has A Fever.

And we are the ones to blame.

And we have only a few days left to save the planet.

(I sure will be glad when the Copenhagen meeting is over)

Posted by: foobert at November 17, 2009 8:29 PM

Quick, someone ask Rosie O'Donnell if that's hot enough to melt steel!

Posted by: Waterhouse at November 17, 2009 8:29 PM

if you can't dazzle them with brilliance...
baffel em with BS.

Probably be the movments new talking points.
The simple minded will accept this as true.

Posted by: orvict at November 17, 2009 8:32 PM

The turban must spin around really fast. I believe that is what he said, while spinning his finger around counter clockwise. Glances at Conan to make sure he is following all this.

Posted by: wuberman at November 17, 2009 8:36 PM

Fat Albert is a certifiable idiot!
Now with "new drill bits that don't melt in that heat....". How stupid does he think the average citizen is? Oh wait..., it wouldn't surprise me that he CAN sell this message. People really are that unthinking and gullible.
To derive viable benefit from geothermal energy, one only has to reach the depth where temperatures are at the 100 to 200 degrees F. Even less is usable, but not as efficient. WhyTF would you expect to be drilling into molten lava?

Reminds me of that fantastic new drill bit invented by JR and Bobby Ewing on Bonanza! Remember the 'Tundra Torque' bit that would give them the huge advantage in drilling in the Alaskan permafrost? Never mind that after 20 or 30 feet you'd be drilling in unfrozen terrain. Oh yeah, and permafrost is much, much more impenitrable than solid rock!

Posted by: Snagglepuss at November 17, 2009 8:37 PM

"It's an evil plan by Lex Luther"
Or the guy that invented the internet.


Posted by: richfisher at November 17, 2009 8:38 PM

Ain't "turbins" something Osama wears on his head.

"Turbines" are what SPC uses to produce electricity, from coal generated steam

Posted by: notasocialist at November 17, 2009 8:44 PM

It sounds plausible,you only have to go a couple of kilometers down to find the really hot rocks,and with those new drill bits they got now that don't melt,not like the ones the dirty oil companies use,well the world is saved. The only real problem is that if you go too far you might disturb Satan,and that is why we are not doing it yet. Tipper is working on the devil problem.

Posted by: wallyj at November 17, 2009 8:59 PM

C'mon, Al. You couldn't even teach a grade one science class. What a pile of BS.

Another scary Dem.

Posted by: batb at November 17, 2009 9:03 PM

Duh. My two-year-old knows this. Remind me why Al Gore is a millionaire again...?

Posted by: Amy P. at November 17, 2009 9:12 PM

Geothermal is new?!? Iceland been utilizing drilled hot water wells for energy for almost 300 years now. Even ground source heat pump systems have been around almost 100 years!

As for the millions of degrees temperature in the earth core, could be! ...but it's the first time I've heard the theory that the earth's core consists of a neutron star.

Posted by: ChrisinMB at November 17, 2009 9:12 PM

Gore is no Carl Sagan science Diva. Thus the millions instead of billions.
No Al Gore is more like Ronald Macdonald. More a hustler than Prophetic.
Kind of a dissipated. Wet brained Igor, with back surgery.
I predict he will be well known in the future as a child's rhyme like Humpty Dumpty. His name will certainly be associated with sardonic mirth.
JMO

Posted by: Revnant Dream at November 17, 2009 9:12 PM

Gore's ass is millions of degrees.

On a related topic whats the temperature of a lying serpents breath?? Similar I'm sure.

Posted by: eastern paul at November 17, 2009 9:22 PM

Snake oil!! Get your snake oil! Only a small quantity left. Guaranteed to cure what ails ya. Get your snake oil!

What an absolute idiot. He makes the zero and Jimmy Carter look like Nobel winners. Uhhh. Never mind. This planet is fooked.

Posted by: johnboy at November 17, 2009 9:22 PM

I've been dying for the chance to ask Learjet Al which three peer-reviewed journal articles on anthropogenic global warming best support his viewpoint and to give a synopsis of those articles. Once and for all he would be revealed as a poseur unable to understand much less articulate the science he thinks he supports.

All environmentalists should be required to submit an annual energy balance sheet, emissions statement, and statement of CO2 flow audited by an accounting firm. Let's see how well they could meet the basic disclosure requirements of any firm.

Posted by: POWinCA at November 17, 2009 9:23 PM

'The turban must spin around really fast.'

Wuberman, You have seen the whirling dervishes in action, haven't you? Great untapped source of energy!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJIofU-0jC0 See all those placid speculators err..spectators in the crowd - so 'open' and respectful.

Posted by: Jema54 at November 17, 2009 9:26 PM

Jema54, I was just amused at Ol fluberbut Al giving the science lesson, with the turbans and twirly things and all. Adding to my shock and awe was kate's posting a must have christmas decoration this year, I know its from the last post but, man its given me the erge to put up decorations this year.

Posted by: wuberman at November 17, 2009 9:40 PM

Have people read this article by James Delingpole in The Spectator? It doesn't get into what a creep Gore is until paragraph 7. Really worth reading.

Posted by: Black Mamba at November 17, 2009 9:40 PM

Two kilometers? Creighton Mine in Sudbury Ontario is two kilometers, and I don't recall any miners combusting. That's where they put the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory. The old Creighton #9 was closer to three kilometers deep. And this man claims to have science on his side?

Posted by: Shawn Abigail at November 17, 2009 9:41 PM

http://www.sawfnews.com/health/35272.aspx

Researchers have studied the core-mantle boundary, a region that lies about 1,860 miles (3,000 kilometres) below the planet's surface. The technique allowed them to piece together images based on seismic waves bouncing off materials around the boundary.

The resulting 3-D map of the region revealed minerals and pressure levels that indicated the surrounding temperature of the region of 3,950 Kelvin, plus or minus 200, which roughly translates to a fiery 6,650 degrees Fahrenheit (3,677 degrees Celsius), scientists said of their findings in the journal Science.

I have often felt that Gore is rather "out of this world". Perhaps he was referring to another body?
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1997/GlyniseFinney.shtml

The sun is about 110 times bigger than the earth. It has many layers. The surface of the sun is called the photosphere. Its density is from one-millionth, to one ten millionth as dense as water. The photosphere gives off the sun's energy in forms of heat and light. Most of the sunlight we see is from its pebbly surface. The photosphere is 340 miles thick and it's temperature s range from 5,500 °C to 6,000 °C. It has dark spots called sunspots which are the only solar activity observable by the naked eye.

Above the photosphere the temperature is about 4,000 °C above that, the temperature rises to 27,800 °C. The region consists of hot gases in violent motion and is called the chromosphere. It displays fountains of flaming gases. The next layer below the photosphere is the convection zone. It is 60,000 miles thick and it's temperature can reach 2 million °C. The radiation zone is directly below the convection zone. Energy from the core rebounds for centuries before surfacing, and it is 300,000 miles thick with a temperature at up to 6.5 million °C. The core of the sun is under 200 billion times the pressure of the earth's surface. It is 60,000 miles thick and has a temperature that does not exceed 15 million °C. It's so hot that hydrogen is fused into helium.

Posted by: Brent Weston at November 17, 2009 9:44 PM

POWinCA.. I would also like to see an audit of his carbon credit company to see what projects they are physically doing to "fight glowBULL warming"

Posted by: Rob C at November 17, 2009 9:53 PM

> Duh. My two-year-old knows this. Remind me why Al Gore is a millionaire again...?

"Nobody ever lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American people." -- H. L. Mencken

Posted by: Darrell at November 17, 2009 9:53 PM

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/PhillipChan.shtml

Heath Earth Science. Heath, 1994: 22. "The inner core is probably no hotter than 7000 degrees Celsius." 7300 K

The Worldbook Encyclopedia. Chicago: Worldbook, 1999: 20-21. "The temperature at the core maybe as high as 7000 degrees Celsius." 7300 K

De Bremaecker, Jean-Claude. "Temperature in the core." Geophysics of the Earth's Interior. Canada, 1985: 296-297. "The temperature at the inner core boundary is probably between 3400 and 5700 degrees Celsius." 3700–6000 K

Beiser, Arthur. The Earth. US: Time Life, 1969: 36. "It's temperature is somewhere between 2000 and 4500 degrees Celsius." 2300–4800 K

Kubala, Bizy & Mahan Rao. Earth's Core Temperature. Byrdand Black, 1996. "Earth's core temperature is estimated at around 5000 to 7000 degrees Celsius." 5300–7300 K

New drill bits that don't melt at several million degrees!!

Yeah, oh wise Goracle please tell us the manufacturer of millions of degrees proof drill bits!!

This guy is a media piker extrodinaire, likely to lie the blue out of the sky.

When things get a few million degrees it is likely that the atmosphere has stripped all the electrons off the pathway of a lightning bolt aimed straight at the Goracle's brain thus resulting in a bright plasma of the blinding light variety.

And where exactly did the Goracle get his degree in physics and geology?

Ah yes piling it higher and deeper, will result in a PhD.


Cheers


Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North"

Posted by: Hans Rupprecht at November 17, 2009 9:58 PM

These are some of the funniest comments I have ever read in my life. I mean seriously, is Gore insane? Easily pathological. Why is he on TV?

Posted by: Brad at November 17, 2009 10:14 PM

Yes, just why, WHY does the media give this flake free air time ??

Posted by: ron in kelowna at November 17, 2009 10:40 PM

onset of senility? how can we tell? the dumfuk didn't even correct himself. that's a sign of, well, can't be good . . .

perhaps he's referring to several million degrees of *separation* from, you know, what used to be called common sense but ain't very common now.

so let's list the biggies:

- apollo 11 was faked,
- fire cannot melt steel, aaaaaaaand
the earth's core temperature approaches that of a star. wow.

'most intelligent species'. pffffttTTT !!!! HA HA HA !!!!

Posted by: curious_george at November 17, 2009 10:41 PM

several millions of degrees. Plasma

and steel bits that dont melt. wasnt it declared by the left that fire doesnt melt steel (post 9-11conspriracy theory)

what goes on?

Posted by: cal2 at November 17, 2009 10:41 PM

Tungsten is the highest-melting of the metals, at 3,410 °C. Tantalum carbide is described in Wikipedia as the highest-melting compound, at 3880°C.
As was noted above, at several million degrees everything is plasma. No more molecules, just electrons and ions with perhaps only a few inner electrons still hanging on.

Posted by: John Lewis at November 17, 2009 11:13 PM

Please, you guys...
Everyone knows that Gore is talking through his hat for the purpose of furthering his cause.

"Geothermal" heating is really just an application of a physical principle and takes advantage of the fact that the temperature just below the surface of the earth is a lot less cool or hot than the surface temperature at any given time.
Conventional heat exchange equipment is used in conjunction with this relatively stable temperature to produce heating or cooling in the home.
There are some energy savings,but the main thing to look at here is the marketing.

Have a look here for some insight into what the term "geothermal heat" means.
http://www.geotility.ca/how_systems_work.html

Posted by: Mark at November 17, 2009 11:15 PM

Al Gore is all that stands between us and lucidity.

Posted by: Peter O'Donnell at November 17, 2009 11:18 PM

The comments here about Al's statement on the temperature of the earth's core is clearly unfair and reflects on the ignorance of global warming deniers.

If you watch the video he followed up the "several million degrees" statement with another that mentioned the energy was a 35,000 year supply. Now if we conservatively estimate that several million can be defined as about 5 million and divide this by the 35,000 year supply we get approximately 143 degrees per year. However Al also stated that it was a 35,000 year supply in the USA only. Now the USA has a surface area of about 9.4 million square kilometres. However, the surface area of the whole earth is about 510 million square kilometres. So the USA's surface area is only about 1.8% (9.4/510) of the whole earth. So the 143 degrees is only 1.8% of the earth's core temperature. So the real temperature of the earth's core is equal to 143*100/1.8 or 7944 degrees kelvin. This temperature is within scientists's ballpark estimate of the earth's core temperature and (as I have shown) is totally in line with Al Gore's comments.

Do the math before you criticize.

Posted by: Daryl at November 17, 2009 11:19 PM

The physical units of your calculation do
not balance, Daryl, therefore it is wrong.

Posted by: Vitruvius at November 17, 2009 11:27 PM

Daryl you are just kidding right?

Posted by: ChrisinMB at November 17, 2009 11:28 PM

I think that when Big Lyin' Al was saying 1 mil/degrees, he was actually thinking dollars, as in how many dollars he would be making after this interview from all the people throwing money into his company to try and tap into all that "geothermal energy lifetime heat source stuff"!!!

Just like Bugs Bunny used to say! "What a gull-a-bull, what a marooooon!!!!!"

Posted by: glacierman at November 17, 2009 11:42 PM

Who's 'Daryl'?
Are you guys all nuts?

Posted by: Mark at November 17, 2009 11:44 PM

Daryl - Can you express that in bunny bioenergy units?

Posted by: ∞² at November 17, 2009 11:46 PM

OK physicist Daryl answer me this riddle.

If you took a millilitre of water with a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius and a litre of water with a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius and to each quantity of water add 10 calories. What is the final temperature of the millilitre and the litre? Please use that insight when defending Al's lies.

Posted by: Joe at November 17, 2009 11:54 PM

And I understand that the drill bits are being made from leftover WTC steel. Haven't figured out yet how they're forging it...

Posted by: Daryl at November 17, 2009 11:55 PM

OMG my real name is Daryl and I may have to change it because the Daryl that posted here has chosen to make the name Daryl synonymous with friggin tool...

That was sarcasm right Daryl? No Really it was because what you said is probably the most ridiculous logic contortion I have ever seen posted anywhere.

IF it is a joke it was not funny, if it was not it is just really sad...either way you are heading for the "friggin tool" shed.

Posted by: Illiquid Assets at November 18, 2009 12:06 AM

Daryl: "Haven't figured out yet how they're forging it..."

I gave you a hint - BBUs.

Posted by: ∞² at November 18, 2009 12:09 AM

"Daryl: "Haven't figured out yet how they're forging it..."

I gave you a hint - BBUs."

I'm thinking Thor wielding his hammer Mjolnir could do it, or a single Chuck Norris Karate Chop. Other than that we would have to learn how to harness the power of those mini blackholes they're making with the Hadron Collider.

Posted by: ChrisinMB at November 18, 2009 12:37 AM

No doubt Daryl recommends the use of Marvin the Martian's

Illudium PU-36 Explosive Space Modulator or

ACME Disintegration Pistol

to forge the WTC steel...

Thanks for the laughs, but you just blew your posting to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory section known as NIF.

National Ignition Facility & Photon Science
Bringing Star Power to Earth

Cheers


Hans-Christian Georg Rupprecht, Commander in Chief

1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North"

Posted by: Hans Rupprecht at November 18, 2009 12:41 AM

ChrisinMB - that's batshit crazy talk. Everyone knows that Chuck Norris would just have to look at the WTC steel and it would forge its self ... or else.

Posted by: ∞² at November 18, 2009 12:49 AM

Thought you all knew...the earth actually gets its core temp from Chuck Norris, but has to cool down a bit before reaching the center of the earth.

Posted by: glacierman at November 18, 2009 1:13 AM

Typical estimates of the Earth's core temperature range from 3500 to 7500 Kelvins. The highest plausible estimate is about 15,000 Kelvins.

What you numbskulls don't understand is that Al has invented a new temperature scale... the Gore Scale, where one Gore is equal to 1/1000th kelvin or 1/555.55 degrees Fahrenheit.

1 K = 1 °C = 1.8 °F = 1.8 R = 1000 G

So a core temperature of 4000 Kelvins is equal to 4,000,000 Gores. And you were so quick to judge him, you ignorant fools!

Not coincidentally, that mathematical relationship also measures the relative contributions to science of William Thomson, the first Lord of Kelvin and Al Gore, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize (which has also been won by terrorists, dictators, warmongers, fictional characters, and (recently) someone who has done absolutely nothing)

Posted by: POWinCA at November 18, 2009 2:12 AM

BTW, this completely supports Daryl's calculations too, which were almost on the money!

Posted by: POWinCA at November 18, 2009 2:19 AM

Please Kate; you are computer savy, put some big rat whiskers on this Gorey bastard and show the world what he really is. I am not good enough on the computer to do it or I would, I'm as good on a computer, as New is to the English language, get my drift.

Posted by: bartinsky at November 18, 2009 2:40 AM

Duh-ryl , your kidding right?


The comments here about Al's statement on the temperature of the earth's core is clearly unfair and reflects on the ignorance of global warming deniers.

If you watch the video he followed up the "several million degrees" statement with another that mentioned the energy was a 35,000 year supply. Now if we conservatively estimate that several million can be defined as about 5 million and divide this by the 35,000 year supply we get approximately 143 degrees per year. However Al also stated that it was a 35,000 year supply in the USA only. Now the USA has a surface area of about 9.4 million square kilometres. However, the surface area of the whole earth is about 510 million square kilometres. So the USA's surface area is only about 1.8% (9.4/510) of the whole earth. So the 143 degrees is only 1.8% of the earth's core temperature. So the real temperature of the earth's core is equal to 143*100/1.8 or 7944 degrees kelvin. This temperature is within scientists's ballpark estimate of the earth's core temperature and (as I have shown) is totally in line with Al Gore's comments.

Do the math before you criticize

since the core temperature is about 6000 degrees and your estimate is 5000,000 , what size ballpark are you thinking.

Posted by: cal2 at November 18, 2009 7:27 AM

Big Al really should STFU. Spewing all that BS is contributing to global warming.

Posted by: Liz J at November 18, 2009 8:29 AM

... And the weather forecast here in Toronto calls for a high of 15,360(G)ore around 2 in the afternoon and a low of around 5,027(G). Currently it is 8,763(G).

Posted by: rgraham4444 at November 18, 2009 9:01 AM

What Vit said. That was the most horrible attempt to justify something mathematically I have seen in a long time. Temperature is not a unit of energy. And you took a temperature, divided it by time, multiplied by a unitless fraction and called the end result the absolute temperature of earths core. And you are arguing that the center of the earth has millions of degrees of energy when it measures thousands of degrees. That really made my brain hurt.

Has Al Gore considered that the millions of degrees of temperature stored in the earth might be causing global warming? :)

Posted by: gearman at November 18, 2009 9:26 AM

guys......


Daryl makes with teh satire.

(read the comment at 11:55, 'kay?)

Posted by: Black Mamba at November 18, 2009 10:10 AM

I know that ChristinMB is hep; I think infinitysquared is hep; I hope that Vitruvius is hep because otherwise I need to find a new smart person to look up to.

As for the rest of you...

(I stand by the word "hep")

And I am not Daryl.

Unless this is an epic Kubrick movie about heroic misunderstood comedians. I which case, I am Daryl.

Yeesh.

Posted by: Black Mamba at November 18, 2009 10:24 AM

Al Gore says, "Drill, baby, drill!"

Now if there just happens to be oil where they drill, why, that would just be accidental.

Question: Would drilling for geothermal energy have less environmental impact than drilling for petroleum?

Posted by: Oz at November 18, 2009 10:24 AM

Grade 10 psychology teaches when you look down and to the left your LYING. I did not bother to count how many times gore did this but it was at least 3 times.

Posted by: FREE at November 18, 2009 11:01 AM

And to think this utter moron is considered to be a God in the Religion of Climate Change.

If he had to depend on right minded people to make a living from, he would be flat as pee on a plate broke.

But there are plenty of gullible lefties out there to continually fall for his bs hook, line, and sinker and keep him rolling in riches.

I find the man to be totally disgusting and can't wait for the day to come when he is exposed to be the fraud and charlatan that he is.

Posted by: clair voyant at November 18, 2009 11:47 AM

Maybe al forgot to subtract 32 before he did his conversion. Did anyone think of that? You are all so quick to condemn. I think Al would know because he probably looked it up on "his" internet.

Posted by: trevor at November 18, 2009 12:45 PM

Facts, logic, science, and history have no relevance to OBOZO, Gore, SUZUKSTER or their followers.
We shall wait in vain for Gore or SUZUKSTER ever debating Lord Moncton. They are not stupid enough to take a knife to a gun fight.

Posted by: sasquatch at November 18, 2009 1:02 PM

Geothermal energy is an interesting topic. I gather that power production within the Earth from radioactive decay is about twice total human power use.
The practical limitations (except for those living in volcanically active regions) have to do with the rate of inflow of heat to the heat extractor compared
with the rate at which it is extracted. Subsidence, increased seismic activity etc. could also be issues.
Probably the only "new" factor in all of this would be the improvements in drilling technology which the oil patch has made in the past ten years.

Sweet light crude remains the best of all power sources. Even better than nuclear, when capital formation is factored in.

Posted by: John Lewis at November 18, 2009 1:07 PM

If they only made ... er ... stuff out of that ... er ... stuff that can drill into several million degree ... er ... stuff, we'd have it made, eh? Al's looking pretty ... er ... stuffed, come to think of it.

Posted by: Thomas_L..... at November 18, 2009 1:36 PM

Drilling deep holes into the earth to access hot rock is quite within current technology. A few hundred degrees is quite sufficient temperature differential to generate power. But difficulty arises when one contemplates the relatively poor heat conductivity of rock. After you've pumped cold water into the rock for a few weeks or months, you've cooled the nearby rock so much that steam won't generate any more. The well will recover if you wait awhile, but that's hardly conducive to continuous power generation. Add to that the tendency of rock under pressure to creep, thus slowly closing the hole, rendering it useless. Thirdly, at extremely high temperatures and pressures, groundwater dissolves far more minerals than it does at surface. So when that water finds its way upwards, cooling and depressurizing, the minerals deposit on the equipment (such as rapidly spinning turbine blades) and the system finds itself constantly having to stop for maintenance.

If you've ever hung out near an active volcano, you've noticed the strong smell of sulfur in the air. Sulfur plus oxygen laden water plus high heat results in sulphuric acid, resulting in heartbreaking corrosion problems.


All of the problems can be overcome or controlled through the use of exotic materials or frequent maintenance, etc - Iceland is a good example of a place that has utilized geothermal heat for a considerable time. Of course, they don't have to drill very deep, which is a huge advantage. They sell electricity for about 10 cents per kilowatt-hour, pretty close to what we pay in BC for hydro generated power (plus Campbell's markup)

But massive conversion to geothermal power ain't cheap my people, which is where Uncle Al comes in - he smells money here. If he can get carbon taxes diverted to geothermal projects, then he can skim the cash flow without ever actually improving anything other than the Gore family's bottom line.

Finally, at the end of the day, increasing the flow of heat from far underground to the surface is going to warm the atmosphere. I thought we didn't want to do that.

Posted by: kakola at November 18, 2009 2:07 PM

7000 ºC = 12632 ºF

Posted by: Jon at November 18, 2009 2:38 PM

Did anyone see Soros hanging around the 'Green Room' before the show coaching Gore.

"Now, get out there an lie to the young people you gassy fat bastard!"

Posted by: Rob at November 18, 2009 2:42 PM

What is werong with you people? The drill bits will be made of unobtainium! Sheesh didn't you guys watch the movie?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7ljBKqJdw&feature=related

Posted by: haha at November 18, 2009 2:57 PM

oopsie! werong=wrong

Posted by: haha at November 18, 2009 2:58 PM

CBC radio invites you to post a question in the comments section for Al Gore or David Suzuki. For some reason, mine didn't get added to the comments....


http://www.cbc.ca/q/blog/2009/11/ask_al_gore_and_david_suzuki.html#comments

Posted by: G's Friend at November 18, 2009 3:18 PM

"Maybe al forgot to subtract 32 before he did his conversion. Did anyone think of that? You are all so quick to condemn. I think Al would know because he probably looked it up on "his" internet. "

He might have multiplied by 9/5 instead of 5/9 as well :^)))

Posted by: jcl at November 18, 2009 3:52 PM

"Nobel Prize Winner in Geology" eh...like Obama, must have wished for it.

Posted by: Orlin Bowman at November 18, 2009 4:05 PM

"Did Al say we could get electricity from turbans???" Now I know what those Muslims are up to!

Posted by: Orlin Bowman at November 18, 2009 4:07 PM

Man oh man I am sick of that dipsh*t.

Posted by: Soccermom at November 18, 2009 4:12 PM

hey Daryl , no need for calculations.we can use this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upsidaisium

Posted by: cal2 at November 18, 2009 4:13 PM

pewrsonally I think mr daryl's humour is the best kind.

kinda like how the late Andy Kaufman *ALWAYS* had them scratching their heads.

you SDAers need to loosen up. jeezuz. you're so wound up you cant even spot folksy satire.

the other aspect of the JOKE is how the fast and loose usage of 'statistics' and numbers can be contorted into any proof required.

Posted by: curious_george at November 18, 2009 4:44 PM

Here are my questions for Gore and Suzuki. Don't think they will be asked.

Mr. Gore watched you on Conan and your ignorance of basic science is incredible. We have a mine in Sudbury below 2km and the gold mines in SA are at 3.4kms and the rock temps are about 60c. The earth's core is around 7,000c not millions of degrees. You must be mixing it up with the sun that you missed as the main reason for climate change. Geothermal heating i.e. Iceland, has been around for 300 years so sorry to inform you it is not new technology. When will you be debating Lord Monckton on AGW?


Dr. Suzuki, you say the science of AGW is settled when it is based on computer models that, according to Ian Plimer, do not include the thousands of variables in our climate. How can you as a scientist ever say this, science is never settled.

Posted by: Dave at November 18, 2009 5:29 PM

Dave ! Your questions are up. Great ones !

I am sure most of the other idiot questions are just from some flake having fun under different names.

But those at the CBC are too thick to clue in. Good thing the CBers are turning out this junk on their own dime. Oh wait !!

Posted by: ron in kelowna ∴ at November 18, 2009 7:03 PM

Just noticed - it is the Ceeb's Arts, Culture and Entertainment section.

That explains it !

[Ask Al Gore and David Suzuki...

As you may have heard, on Wednesday (Nov. 25) Q has the privilege hosting two of the most prominent environmental activists and spokespeople in the world: former U.S. vice-president Al Gore and scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki. They will be here together in Studio Q.

And we'd like you to get in on this unique conversation.

If you have a question for Al Gore and David Suzuki, we'd love to hear it. If you had a chance to address these two, what's the single most pressing question that you would you ask them?

Post it here .

" .. two of the most prominent environmental activists and spokespeople in the world "

Baaaaarrrrf

Posted by: ron in kelowna ∴ at November 18, 2009 7:28 PM

Ron, I hope they ask questions like mine but I somehow doubt. Here is one that also should be asked of these two clowns.

"Mr. Gore, you've recently purchased a 100 ft long diesel-powered house boat. At what point does a house boat create an excessive carbon footprint -- one hundred and fifty feet in length or when it exceeds the length of a fleet aircraft carrier such as the USS Ronald Reagan?

Mr. Suzuki, you've stated that you own several homes. I only own one. I'd like to buy several more but not exceed the number set by your stirling example of environmental stewardship. How many homes is too many? What is the total square footage you own? And how much is compatible with need?

Posted by: Dr. David Fermor "

Posted by: Dave at November 19, 2009 2:22 PM


Only one small problem with Geo-Thermal Energy.

Take a can of Del-Monte Golden Cream-Style Corn. Heat it without opening the can then try to open the can. Not only will you get burned, but all the contents in the can are gona come out, like immediately.

Kiddies,,,, do not try this at home.


Posted by: Ratt at November 19, 2009 3:59 PM
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