Past, Present and Future of Wind -- presentation proposal

[Peter Duval]

Yes, your hair should be standing on end when you think about the climate crisis. The climate crisis is more of an all-hands on deck emergency than a time for policy pivots. There are aspects of the one-off, uncontrolled giant experiment that are completely un-modeled. That’s important because models are really a reflection of our imagination. We can’t imagine all of processes that are at play, therefore we can’t model them all, but our models become the limiting framework for our imagination and so the low end estimates become the focus of imagination. Mostly, modelers can put a lower bound on the outcome of global warming, while the top-end is unknown.

That’s why looking back in time — dinosaurs and palm trees in the Arctic and all of the rest — has become an important alternative to forward modeling. The Holocene was a good time. Really, we want to return to the Holocene because that is the only climate regime that we know works for sure. When it comes to policy response, I think *wind* provides a good historical angle and access to the past. Some might like to talk about fire, but raw fire only takes you so far. Wind has been with humans from the beginning and, even in the most modern uses, it is still used in its raw form.

I think that there is wind arc from early to contemporary to future. In the presentation, I will talk about early applications of wind, wind in electricity generation, it’s continuing use in transportation, advances in shipping, sport as a repository of ancient knowledge and innovation. The future of wind looks a lot like the past. It is a good analogue for the future of civilization.

Here is a taste:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2092934-blowing-hot-air-are-wind-farms-really-bad-for-your-health
https://youtu.be/sqClSPWVnNE?list=PLktHyNXoG-JB3bsCwvwTA643T2iOPCUgY
https://youtu.be/MLKMSJTtypU?list=PLktHyNXoG-JDxXF7BZ41VBRVzFxMYrIVU
https://youtu.be/rpNH5BWWVB0?list=PLktHyNXoG-JDxXF7BZ41VBRVzFxMYrIVU

-Peter



Peter Duval
pkd...@gmail.com
+1 (802) 899 1132

25 Pine Ridge Rd
Underhill, VT 05489