Atmospheric carbon dioxide and base-load electricity

Introduction

It is widely believed that the increase in atmospheric CO₂ in the last 250 years (about 200 ppm) is mainly attributable to the burning of fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution and the evidence is very convincing, especially with carbon isotope data. Whether this increase (0.02% absolute) is causing "global warming" of an amount leading to a catastrophe for humanity in the near future is far more questionable.

"Global warming" (the planet's core is very hot) is probably a politicized term for "surface warming", the latter being a more accurate description. Based solely on this unproven hypothesis that a catastrophe is nigh, the rich developed world, say 10% of the world's population, has decided to abandon the use of fossil fuels without having a proven substitute available with similar cost and reliability characteristics, except for nuclear.

This is risky if nuclear is not considered, it could be costly for these countries, because many other, especially poorer countries, will continue as at present and be more competitive economically, not to mention China.

One the one hand we do not want a global catastrophe nor disrupt natural processes and equilibria, on the other, abandoning cost-effective and reliable sources of energy without it being imminently necessary when there is no equivalent substitute available would be somewhat suicidal behaviour. Determining whether or not CO₂ contributes to significantly and rapidly raising the temperature of the atmosphere is a vital consideration in this context.

Scope

The scope of this paper is to use publically available data and classical physics to review how much anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions are being contained in, and affecting the atmosphere of the Earth and some of its implications related to the realities of energy generation and consumption issues, divorced from politics, in the real world. The author has no affiliation with the fossil fuel and nuclear industries, the green movement nor any political party and is funded by superannuation.

Distribution of Anthropogenic CO2

Calculated annual increase in anthropogenic atmospheric CO₂ is 36x10⁹/5.2x10¹⁵ = 6.9 ppm which is not accord with the measured increase which presently is approximately 2.5 ppm per year. This would suggest that either the estimate for mass of CO2 in the atmosphere is too low, the estimate of annual anthropogenic emissions is too high or, more likely, the CO₂ is being removed from the atmosphere by processes such as photosynthesis, increasing atmospheric O₂ content, and dissolution in the oceans, reducing pH and creating carbonaceous sediments or some combinations of these. Approximately 40% (2.5/6.9) of annual anthropogenic emissions are being retained in the atmosphere at present.

Annual Production of Heat by Anthropogenic CO₂ Combustion

Annual anthropogenic heat produced = 36x10¹⁵ x393.5 kJ/44=322x10¹⁵ kJ

Annual equivalent atmospheric temperature rise = 322x10¹⁵/0.70x5.2x10¹⁸ = 88x10^-3 = 0.088 or approximately 0.1 Celsius or Kelvin degrees.