Is the US ahead or behind in energy?

[Felya]

Hoping this doesn't derail the thread completely, but I don't think you'd enjoy living under the regime in China no matter how cheaply they produce solar cells.

Nope, I would not. But, it has little to do with their energy issues.

P.S. China is one of the world's most prolific users of fossil fuels.

Prolific isn't the right word for it, but they will have an easier time switching than we do, because they are communist and their energy production is state owned. When China's manufacturing had an over abundance of solar cells, largely in part due to US and EU cells being more efficient, they subsidized the shit out of it. Which lead to prices so low, that they were beating EU and U.S. in sales.

You don't even have to believe me. Go check Trump's magic plan on his site to end subsidies of a communist nation.

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the most expensive thing about running a nuke plant, is the cost of fuel. With thorium based plants we could cut fuel costs by significant margins.

I don't know about that. I have a cousin that suffers major health issues to this day and my hands/feet still peel every year, because we were so close to Chernobyl blowing up. It is still a fun anecdote to tell people that our shoes and jackets were confiscated on Moscow border, because they were so radio active.

Also, nuclear plants turn a car filled with fertilizer, into a WMD in the hands of terrorists. We are lucky they have not tried thus far...

[Theinquisition]

Nope, I would not. But, it has little to do with their energy issues.



Prolific isn't the right word for it, but they will have an easier time switching than we do, because they are communist and their energy production is state owned. When China's manufacturing had an over abundance of solar cells, largely in part due to US and EU cells being more efficient, they subsidized the shit out of it. Which lead to prices so low, that they were beating EU and U.S. in sales.

You don't even have to believe me. Go check Trump's magic plan on his site to end subsidies of a communist nation.

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I don't know about that. I have a cousin that suffers major health issues to this day and my hands/feet still peel every year, because we were so close to Chernobyl blowing up. It is still a fun anecdote to tell people that our shoes and jackets were confiscated on Moscow border, because they were so radio active.

Also, nuclear plants turn a car filled with fertilizer, into a WMD in the hands of terrorists. We are lucky they have not tried thus far...

hmmph, maybe im mistaken, I could of swore I read something that talked about how expensive nuclear fuel is.

[Tyrianth]

hmmph, maybe im mistaken, I could of swore I read something that talked about how expensive nuclear fuel is.

The fuel itself is expensive. The article I linked breaks down the costs of it. The grand total for only one kilogram of useable uranium is $1880 USD. But that kilo of uranium provides 360,000 kWh at 0.52 ¢/kWh.

[Felya]

hmmph, maybe im mistaken, I could of swore I read something that talked about how expensive nuclear fuel is.

Yeah, I'm saying the results of meltdown and being a terrorist target, outweighs the expanse of fuel.

[PACOX]

The US isn't behind, the US just wants to make sure it gets the most out of all its oil money. I wonder why countries not rich in oil/coal don't push alt fuels more though.

[Waniou]

Hydro wreaks havoc on the river's ecosystem.

This is true of hydro dams, but you can also stick a turbine in the run of the river to generate electricity.

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Necessity is the mother of invention. If fuel prices go up to where they were in 2008/2009, im sure solar will take off. right now it's just not cost efficient. Germany, If I remember correctly, is also looking to start rolling back some of the subsidies that they used to prop solar up to begin with.

This seems likely. New Zealand has a bunch of potential wind plants waiting to be built (As in, they've been granted resource consent, the planning is complete, all that's left to do is to actually go and build them) but the generation companies are waiting for the cost of power to rise up enough that it's financially worth it for them to build them.

[Logwyn]

I think that particular case is pending more to the fact that his home has jury rigged electrical wiring that could go up in smoke at any time.

also....would it be a good idea to erect gigantic solar farms in Hurricane country?

As much as out in the mid west in tornado country and out in California in earth quake country.

[Scottyjscizzle]

Varies by state, Michigan is falling behind its demand, But this is america we will wait til its a full blown problem before trying to do anything.

[Nadiru]

You guys can't be this incapable of googling even the most basic "Am I a retard?" questions for your positions on energy.

Solar capacity is up, up, up. Nuclear's not going anywhere. Nor is it dangerous. Improving the fuel of nuclear reactors will increase their power generation without having to build new plants.

[Hooked]

We have plenty of oil, gas, coal and trees, we don't need solar at all.

[RaoBurning]

We have plenty of oil, gas, coal and trees, we don't need solar at all.

Uh huh. And when we run out of those things, then what? You and I will probably be long dead by the time that comes around, but I like to think about the future just a bit sometimes. To say nothing of the emissions issues involved in fossil fuels. Also, the human costs. Holy crap, coal. Keep that death toll coming.

[Hooked]

Uh huh. And when we run out of those things, then what? You and I will probably be long dead by the time that comes around, but I like to think about the future just a bit sometimes. To say nothing of the emissions issues involved in fossil fuels.

Has anyone ever "run out" ?. Thorry fowks we have wun out of gwas.

[RaoBurning]

Has anyone ever "run out" ?. Thorry fowks we have wun out of gwas.

Non-renewables, by definition, do not renew. Oil, coal, and natural gas are finite resources. Like I said, you and I might be long dead by the time that happens, but that doesn't make it any less of a concern.

[Hooked]

Non-renewables, by definition, do not renew. Oil, coal, and natural gas are finite resources. Like I said, you and I might be long dead by the time that happens, but that doesn't make it any less of a concern.

Has anyone ever run out?. It may be like ants trying to eat a mountain of sugar.

[Stacyrect]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...-away-for-free

So i was reading this article today, and if the technology exists why arent we using it more. Obviously the energy demands of Chile are very different from the US's. The US is the best at manufacturing oil, but as a long term strategy if solar is viable shouldn't it be used? Are there any areas of the US that have solar power grids?

Complex subject but to basically sum it up. We don't have the battery capacity to deal with a complete solar grid. Yes, all of the southwest. Instead of paying the electric company, the electric company will usually send you a check for money for the power you provide to the grid.

[RaoBurning]

Has anyone ever run out?. It may be like ants trying to eat a mountain of sugar.

"has anyone run out yet" is the most vacuous possible response to the scenario at hand. We will run out someday. It's a question of when, not if; and then "the fuck do we do now?" I'd rather not wait until the last minute to figure out that answer.

It might take those ants a decade or a century to eat a literal mountain of sugar, but they absolutely will get through it.

[Hooked]

"has anyone run out yet" is the most vacuous possible response to the scenario at hand. We will run out someday. It's a question of when, not if; and then "the fuck do we do now?" I'd rather not wait until the last minute to figure out that answer.

It might take those ants a decade or a century to eat a literal mountain of sugar, but they absolutely will get through it.

What day is that?, we will run out. How do you know we will run out, the earth is a giant planet and we are nothing more than insects on its surface. How do you know new oil isn't being created faster than we can use it?. The answer is you don't know anything and neither does anyone else.

[RaoBurning]

What day is that?, we will run out. How do you know we will run out, the earth is a giant planet and we are nothing more than insects on its surface. How do you know new oil isn't being created faster than we can use it?. The answer is you don't know anything and neither does anyone else.

I thought it was Elementary/Junior High level science that oil and natural gas take millions of years to form, but I seem to have been mistaken. Coal isn't any better. I guess technically they're all renewable if you don't mind an epoc or two back in the pre-Industrial Age.

To the question of "what day is that," both of those links give an estimation between 50 and 100 years.

[Flutterguy]

Chile only has 17mil people. To put it into perspective... The metro area of Los Angeles is 13mil. The scale is just not the same.

[Hooked]

I thought it was Elementary/Junior High level science that oil and natural gas take millions of years to form, but I seem to have been mistaken. Coal isn't any better. I guess technically they're all renewable if you don't mind an epoc or two back in the pre-Industrial Age.

To the question of "what day is that," both of those links give an estimation between 50 and 100 years.

Every day a new million year milemarker has taken place. Do you think a million years starts right now?. There are billions of years worth of oil in the ground.