End the Petroleum Era

[Jerry]

Last week I rallied my hope in the future. Al Gore announced a plan to make the USA completely self sufficient in energy within ten years.

 

Billionaire oil man Boone Pickens also announced a ten year plan to convert the country to wind energy and other natural energy such as waterfall, geothermal, and tidal sources. He suggested the USA is the Saudi Arabia of wind in our mountain states, and the conversion would boost employment. etc. etc.

 

But, I don't see many people jumping on either band wagon. Hardly a ripple in the media. Wonder why?

[Bazj]

Because Jerry... it is all a load of tosh. Wind power would hardly provide a 10th of the energy needs for most western countries and the windmills have a comparatively short life span. Nuclear is the only way forward I guess.

[asperity]

Gordon Brown is just as bad with his call for us all to drive electric cars. Where does he imagine the electricity is going to come from?

[observer]

Not with you on Nuclear Baz; start up and decomissioning costs are astronomical; and it seems the French are now starting to get leaks. Until we can develope fusion technology, and invest in hydro and tidal; we've got tons of coal beneath our feet, which with carbon capture, can provide us with energy self sufficiency.

[AlisonF]

Funnily enough you can get a lot more out of wind power than you think - at present, over 16% in Denmark, 8% in Spain and 5% in Germany, with the Germans investing heavily to get it up to 25% and that's from a county with far less wind than we have. Personally I think it is one of a range of solutions which should be implemented and just because it doesn't solve all the problems doesn't mean that it shouldn't be used.

[Paul Kennedy]

we've got tons of coal beneath our feet, which with carbon capture, can provide us with energy self sufficiency.

 

Seems the protesters in Kent don't think so

[observer]

The beard and sandals Brigade will probably spend the next 100 years arguing about it, while we are paying through the nose for our energy

[asperity]

Funnily enough you can get a lot more out of wind power than you think - at present, over 16% in Denmark, 8% in Spain and 5% in Germany, with the Germans investing heavily to get it up to 25% and that's from a county with far less wind than we have. Personally I think it is one of a range of solutions which should be implemented and just because it doesn't solve all the problems doesn't mean that it shouldn't be used.

 

You are still ignoring the fact that wind power still requires conventional power stations to be running in case the wind fails (which it does regularly). As far as all the coal beneath our feet is concerned, I believe it will soon become economically viable again and we can reduce our imports. Forget carbon capture. CO2 is not a pollutant, it's an important trace gas without which life on earth would cease.

[Jerry]

Last night a scientist on TV said that the U.S. is also the Saudi Arabia of coal. Coal can be converted to methanol and the energy of one gallon of gasoline could be put into our automobiles for the price of $2.20 rather than the $4.40 we are currently paying for petroleum energy. Just needs to be ordered or paid for.

[observer]

That's true Jezz, I think the Germans used it at the end of WW2. What these eco-freaks need to realise; is that not everyone is falling for the "global warming propaganda" which, even if it were true, our contribution is minute compared to that of a growing Chinese and Indian economies. The primary reason for a reassessment of our energy sources, is more down to earth, it's about security of supply. Therefore we need to look to our own (UK) assetts; which are:- an abundance (still) of coal; lots and lots of water drenching us at regular intervals; and numerous tidal estuaries - thus, the sustainable (low risk) options are:- coal fired power stations (with carbon capture technology, that we can then sell to China and India); Hydro-Electric Dams; Estuary Dams with tidal powered turbines - sorted. Meanwhile, we can pursue development of "fusion power" which is waste free.

[Sparky71]

I was talking to a relative of mine recently who was over here from Canada. It seems that there are vast deposits of sand imprognated with oil over there. With the problems in the traditional oil producing countries, it is becoming more viable to extract this oil from Canada.

 

I believe it is enough to keep the world going for a long time.

[Jerry]

Yes, I worked for OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM in the 1970s and they bought a lot of rights to extract those Canadian tar sands and shale deposits. I guess when Libya runs out of the liquid stuff they'll continue in business with tar sands and shale stuff.

 

The shale we have in Colorodo is a beautiful tan and brown mottled rock. They engineers liked to talk about a settler who used it be build a fireplace for his home and it was gorgeous until the first time he used the fireplace, when the rocks ignited the entire house and home.

[observer]

Land Grab: there's some interesting manoevres by Countries at the moment, trying to extend their territory up to the North Pole and in the case of the UK, to extend their rights out to sea from Ascension Island. Seems it's a grab for oil, and this will no doubt later lead to conflicts all over the place.