Warming Fact: The Rise In Atmospheric Concentration Of Carbon Dioxide Accelerates In 2012

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing and, to make matters worse, the rise in the concentration is accelerating. The World Meteorological Organization has no good news:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/06/environment-greenhouse-idUSL5N0IR2EK20131106.

The WMO reports: "The amount of the gas in the atmosphere grew by 2.2 ppm, higher [than] the average of 2.02 ppm over the past 10 years."  Atmospheric concentrations are now over 400 ppm.

In addition to an acceleration in the rate of rise in atmospheric concentrations, the volume of heat trapping gas released to the atmosphere in 2012 hit record levels. As I said, the WMO report on 2012 has no good news.

Tea Party Has A Terrible Night, Losing Three Big Races

The big message of election 2013 is that the Tea Party is waning, for it had a terrible night.

Its darling in Virginia, Ken Cuccinelli, lost the Governor's race, making this the first time since 1973 that Virginia elected a Governor from the party who holds the White House.

Governor Christie who blasted the government shutdown and preaches bi-partisan cooperation won New Jersey. Christie's approach to government rebukes Tea Party refusal to compromise.

In an Alabama GOP Congressional Primary, the Chamber of Commerce Republicans, who think defaulting the Government is dangerous lunacy, beat 52%-48% Tea Party adherents who supported a candidate who outright stated President Obama was born in Kenya.

One bad night does not end the Tea Party, and its losses last night were narrow.  But election night showed that the country, and perhaps the GOP, is leaving the Tea Party.

Key Fact: GOP Establishment Beats Tea Party In Alabama Congressional Primary

The GOP establishment may be tired enough of losing primaries to Tea Party insurgents to start winning. Indeed, the GOP business establishment struck back against the Tea Party last night in an Alabama Congressional primary.

A flood of corporate money carried Bradley Byrne to a narrow 52-48 victory over Tea Party firebrand Young.  Time will tell if this victory for the US Chamber of Commerce GOP is an isolated event or the start of a major reversal of fortune for the Tea Party within the Republican Party.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/byrne-beats-young-in-alabama-special-election-runoff.

Updated: Voters Favoring Fracking Moratoriums/Bans In 3 Of 4 Communities

Voters may be passing fracking moratoriums or bans in 3 communities and narrowly defeating it one town, according to an article up in the Denver Post. The results are not final.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_24460947/900-000-spent-four-colorado-anti-fracking-measures.

I just looked (7:10am) at the Denver Post website and here is the link to most current vote totals:
http://www.denverpost.com/election2013/ci_24459348/colorado-election-results-2013.

Voters supported by significant margins a moratorium in 3 communities. The vote totals in Broomfield are very close, with a slim lead for those opposed to a moratorium. The Broomfield count is so close that I am not sure it is final.

Stunning Fact: Wind Provides 60.5% Of Colorado Utility's Total Electricity For One Hour, Setting New Record

The record for the portion of total electric supply provided by wind keeps rising. We are now just learning that wind provided 60.5% of the electricity consumed for a one-hour period by the customers of a Colorado utility--XCEL.  It happened on May 24, 2013 from 1 to 2 a.m, and the lights stayed on!
http://aweablog.org/blog/post/xcel-colorado-sets-us-record-with-over-60-wind.

Wind penetration records are set by a combination of strong winds and low-system demand. Spring and Fall seasons are when the conditions are most likely for the setting of wind penetration records.

Finally, as the wind penetration record set by XCEL shows, grid systems can reliably operate with large percentages and quantities of wind.

Plug-In Prius Sales Almost Double In October, As Volt And Leaf Sales Increase Modestly

October was a very good month for the Plug-In Prius. Its sales soared from 1,152 to 2,095 cars.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1088113_plug-in-electric-car-sales-for-oct-volt-leaf-hold-steady.

The Plug-In Prius becomes the third electric vehicle to sell 2,000 or more cars in a month, joining the Volt and the all-electric Leaf.  Tesla does not report monthly sales but will disclose this week its sales for July-to-September quarter.

October sales of electric vehicles probably were between 8,000 to 9,000. If so, electric vehicles in the US are selling at an annual rate of approximately 100,000--an important milestone for the industry.

EIA Data Suggests US Shale Oil Production Peaks In 2015 Without Major New Investment

Tom Whipple of OilPrice.com, using EIA data, has a solid analysis of US shale oil production, suggesting it will peak by 2015, without an investment surge in drilling rigs. Here is the link:
http://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/When-will-the-Shale-Bubble-Burst.html.

Oil production in the US has jumped by 2.5 million barrels per day since 2007 and is still growing. But Oil Price's analysis shows that the growth is slowing. Currently, the net increase from new oil wells drilled minus decline from existing oil wells in the Bakken and Eagle Ford oil shales is 50,000 barrels per day. That net increase, however, is likely to go to zero by 2015.  There is, however, one caveat.

The trend toward no further growth in oil production by 2015 would continue, unless investment in more drilling rigs happens. Is that likely to happen?

The price of oil globally will likely determine whether more capital flows into shale oil production. It is widely accepted that shale oil production in the US requires a market price of $80 per barrel. Recent declines in oil prices, if they continue, would make more investment in shale oil drilling less likely.

And so, current facts suggest that the growth in US oil production will stop around 2015. Yet, current facts may not be future facts. A significant degree of uncertainty exists.