NationStates Jolt Archive

Description: Permit alternative energy production in international waters. This proposal has the potential to completely eliminate all fossil fuel burning power plants world wide.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS

1) Permit those nations which dismantle all fossil fuel burning power plants to construct windmill farms and hydroelectric turbines in International Waters.

2) Set restrictions to protect the natural beauty of the environment and aquatic wild life.
A) Height of windmills placed in International Waters shall be no higher than 30 meters above mean sea level from the bottom of the mounting platform to the tip of the blade when vertical. They must also be placed at least 50km from any shoreline, 20km from established water trade routes, and not be visible from any shoreline. Windmills will be painted sea green to camouflage and prevent any possible bird kill.
B) Hydroelectric turbines must be of a submersible type which utilize ocean currents to generate electricity. The turbine must me completely submerged at all times except when needing dry docked for maintenance and/or repair. The intake pipe must be sufficiently screened to prevent aquatic plants & animals from entering the turbine.
C) Power lines exiting the facilities and going to the mainland must be waterproof and submerged to a depth of at least 100 meters.

3) Land locked nations wishing to construct said facilities must be given right away by sea side nations at a fair price.

4) Nations or nations in a common Region may jointly construct said facilities to use collectively as a group.

5) Areas of dispute in International Waters will we decided by the United Nations.

Description: Permit alternative energy production in international waters. This proposal has the potential to completely eliminate all fossil fuel burning power plants world wide.

This part of a proposal is called a preamble. This is where you state all the arguments for why this proposal should pass. As is, you only offer one reason for why this should pass, and that is a maybe reason. You need to provide evidence, like saving the planet and asthma concerns.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS

1) Permit those nations which dismantle all fossil fuel burning power plants to construct windmill farms and hydroelectric turbines in International Waters.

Optionality violation. A resolution either applies to all nations, or it applies to none.

2) Set restrictions to protect the natural beauty of the environment and aquatic wild life.
A) Height of windmills placed in International Waters shall be no higher than 30 meters above mean sea level from the bottom of the mounting platform to the tip of the blade when vertical. They must also be placed at least 50km from any shoreline, 20km from established water trade routes, and not be visible from any shoreline. Windmills will be painted sea green to camouflage and prevent any possible bird kill.

If the mindmill is camouflaged, how will it prevent possible bird killings? If we are not suppose to be able to see the windmills, then how will the birds see it?

B) Hydroelectric turbines must be of a submersible type which utilize ocean currents to generate electricity. The turbine must me completely submerged at all times except when needing dry docked for maintenance and/or repair. The intake pipe must be sufficiently screened to prevent aquatic plants & animals from entering the turbine.

Typo on the bolded word.

C) Power lines exiting the facilities and going to the mainland must be waterproof and submerged to a depth of at least 100 meters.

3) Land locked nations wishing to construct said facilities must be given right away by sea side nations at a fair price.

What is a fair price? Who will determine if it is a fair price?

4) Nations or nations in a common Region may jointly construct said facilities to use collectively as a group.

5) Areas of dispute in International Waters will we decided by the United Nations.

I still think you need a preamble for this proposal. You have some good ideas for action, but nothing to back it up. I hope to see an updated copy of this proposal soon.

The government of Telidia will regrettably not be able to offer our support and commend the honourable member from West Ararat Island in attempting to offer solutions to the world’s environmental concerns. Without doing a line-by-line analysis of the proposal we would like the West Ararat Island delegation to consider that should this proposal be passed it will apply to all member states, including land locked nations and will only serve to increase the burden on their taxpayers for no benefit at all.

Respectfully
Lydia Cornwall, UN Ambassador
Office of UN Relations, Dept for Foreign Affairs
HM Government of Telidia

Description: Permit alternative energy production in international waters. This proposal has the potential to completely eliminate all fossil fuel burning power plants world wide.

Unfortunately, no, it doesn't.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY PRODUCTION IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS

1) Permit those nations which dismantle all fossil fuel burning power plants to construct windmill farms and hydroelectric turbines in International Waters.

Wind farms and hydro-electric plants don't lend themselves very well to being placed in International waters... mainly because it's on water. Deep, often very turbulent, salt water.

A) Height of windmills placed in International Waters shall be no higher than 30 meters above mean sea level from the bottom of the mounting platform to the tip of the blade when vertical. They must also be placed at least 50km from any shoreline, 20km from established water trade routes, and not be visible from any shoreline. Windmills will be painted sea green to camouflage and prevent any possible bird kill.

It would have to be anchored strongly enough that it couldn't be blown around sideways, or tipped over by stiff breeze... and then the first gale force storm, hurricane or typhoon that hits one will rip it to peices. Projected life expectency of any such installation... not long enough to justify the cost expenditure of emplacing it.

B) Hydroelectric turbines must be of a submersible type which utilize ocean currents to generate electricity.

They would have to actually be anchored to the ocean floor to work, which at the depths we're talking about that far our into International waters would be hideously expensive to accomplish and still be able to constantly maintain the turbines... and turbines do require constant maintenance.

The Government of West Ararat Island is very thankful for for everyone's help. We ask you to be understanding with us as we are new to the United Nations. We did submit our proposal for consideration. However, we now know that we should place a draft here first for peer review. In the event our proposal as is fails we will place an up dated draft here first.

Honorable Delegate from Reformentia, your concerns are well noted. We do hope we can put your mind at ease. The proposal does have the potential to eliminate use of fossil fuels completely if every nation eventually does it. This may take some time, but it is obtainable. We do have some questions that may be of help to our proposal. Has the depths of our oceans been determined by Nation States' scientists? Has the distance from sea shore to International Waters been determined by the United Nations? We have been unable to find this information.

Turbulent seas is exactly what you want to turn the hydroelectric turbines. If the oceans were calm the turbines wouldn't function. Electric generating windmills need wind and the stronger the wind the more power generated. Windmills are constructed to move in the direction of the wind. Thus they are always moving around in the direction of the wind.

Technology exists to mount both windmills and hydroelectric facilities in open ocean.

OOC: Currently there are a few nations that have electric windmills in open ocean, and the US has oil drilling platforms in open ocean. There are also areas using hydroelectric turbines which utilize tidal forces. Thus what is proposed is feasable if located on the contential shelfs or on ocean ridges.

If the mindmill is camouflaged, how will it prevent possible bird killings? If we are not suppose to be able to see the windmills, then how will the birds see it?

Honorable Delegate From Holyboy and the 666s,

That is an excellent question. In existing non-camouflaged windmill installations birds are killed because they attempt to land on the structure. This is avoided if it is camouflauged. Painting the structure to be clearly visible would only invite birds to visit.


Optionality violation. A resolution either applies to all nations, or it applies to none.

Thank you for pointing that out. I think a little re-wording would work. How would this wording work.

'If a nation dismantles all fossil fuel burning power plants construction of windmill farms and hydroelectric turbines in International Waters is permitted'

This would then apply to all nations and would have similar wording as UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION #23 that applies to all individuals only if they cut down a tree.

What is a fair price? Who will determine if it is a fair price?

Another excellent question. We felt it was best to leave this open ended. We have found many resolutions with open ended language. These instances are too numerous to list at this time.

Honorable Delegate From Telidia,

We understand and respect your decision. We felt the proposal addressed the needs of land locked nations. Those nations not blessed with ocean access have the option to ask for a right of way through a sea side nation and they also have the option to jointly construct facilities with a sea side nation.

Again we wish to than the Honorable Delegates for their help and feedback.

King Binyamin I
Sinai Palace Office Complex
Sinai Cove, West Ararat Island

That is an excellent question. In existing non-camouflaged windmill installations birds are killed because they attempt to land on the structure. This is avoided if it is camouflauged. Painting the structure to be clearly visible would only invite birds to visit.And what about those birds that are flying towards one not knowing that it's there and get whacked by a blade as they pass through it?



Thank you for pointing that out. I think a little re-wording would work. How would this wording work.

'If a nation dismantles all fossil fuel burning power plants construction of windmill farms and hydroelectric turbines in International Waters is permitted'

This would then apply to all nations and would have similar wording as UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION #23 that applies to all individuals only if they cut down a tree. I wouldn't be trying to use that resolution as a template for getting around the optionality rule as I believe that particular resolution was passed before the rule was in place. Of course since "Promotion of Solar Panels" passed we can't use fossil fuel based power plants in 10 years anyway, all UN nations fill fall into the category of having dismantled their fossil fuel power plants anyway, so it's kind of a moot point.

Bob Flibble
UN Representative