Everyone has seen the news about the Deep Horizon oil platform exploding, burning and sinking in the Gulf of Mexico. The large oil spill is very memorable, and the news stories are telling about the people who will be negatively affected by the large oil spill. Very heart wrenching.
In addition British Petroleum is getting ripped in the press as everything from incompetent to evil money makers. BP is responding announcing they are doing everything they can to clean up the problem, and will pay for all the damages. Properly so, I may add.
The real question is what will happen long term? Is this going to be like Three Mile Island accident, where the nuclear industry fell behind the rest of world in developing nuclear energy? Think about it. One accident caused a whole industry to stop in its tracks over 30 years ago. Almost no new plants have been built for three decades.
What is the result? Most of the technology has moved to other countries. Canada and France develop much more nuclear electricity than we do. The other scary side effect is these plants were designed to be replaced after 25 to 30 years and then replaced by modern plants. We have
Will one oil spill stop more drilling and exploration? Will the US be more dependent on imports to provide the gasoline and diesel for our cars and trucks. Most of us drive cars, and all of us buy groceries and goods delivered by trucks. Are we going to stop producing energy we need to complete in a global economy?
There are over 30,000 drilling platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. There are plenty of opportunities for more accidents and oil spills. Are we going to stop driving and eating? No. We can not stop taking reasonable risks.
Our military is trained in taking risks. They professionally get in harms way and fight enemies who would love to kill them. We don't see them hiding in a military base in the US. We see our men and women all over the world in the worst conditions performing admirably. They do it by preparing for the risks and using training to overcome.
The US has to keep drilling for oil as well as developing alternatives. This will take decades to resolve. In the meantime talented men and women will come up with solutions to these problems and improve processes to make them safe. We must continue to develop energy and take risks to succeed.
Meantime our prayers are with the families of the lost and the injured from the accident.
Steve
Showing posts with label Nuclear Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear Power. Show all posts
July 4, 2008
When Will Oil Prices Fall?
The main cause of high oil prices is political. Environment nimby’s have stopped construction of power plants with lawsuits, and punitive taxation stopped investment domestically.
No government has successfully managed an economy like a business. We have been successful letting the market determine winners. The government can sponsor research, but business has to invest. Its simple – higher taxes equal no profits and no oil.
What should we do is promote every energy source. Drill offshore, coal, natural gas, solar, hydrogen, conservation, and nuclear. Government should not pick the winners, but goal has to be energy independence.
When will oil prices fall? When the US has the will to build nuclear power plants.
No government has successfully managed an economy like a business. We have been successful letting the market determine winners. The government can sponsor research, but business has to invest. Its simple – higher taxes equal no profits and no oil.
What should we do is promote every energy source. Drill offshore, coal, natural gas, solar, hydrogen, conservation, and nuclear. Government should not pick the winners, but goal has to be energy independence.
When will oil prices fall? When the US has the will to build nuclear power plants.
May 10, 2008
Energy Independence
President Bush’s energy proposals to Congress include the right solutions to free the US from energy dependence. We need more domestic oil production, natural gas, pipelines, nuclear power, solar, grass based ethanol and to better technology to clean coal for our independence. There will be few jobs in the future without energy infrastructure, and the political risk from oil producing countries cutting our supply is substantial.
Our dollar is falling in value for because of oil imports. Oil imports were 4.9 billion barrels in 2007. Estimate $75 per barrel is $367.5 billion, or 50% of the $711.6 billion US trade deficit. We need to expand drilling off all coasts and domestic refining.
Corn based ethanol is not efficient and is causing food shortages. We need to develop cellulous (grass) base ethanol.
France generates 90% of their electricity with nuclear power. Our nuclear plants are decades old and need to be replaced for safety. Solar power will contribute in the next decade, but we need electricity at night for non polluting electric cars.
We need to balance fiscal, political and environmental responsibility in our energy policies. The US can not surrender our children’s future to imports. We need to meet our own needs domestically.
Our dollar is falling in value for because of oil imports. Oil imports were 4.9 billion barrels in 2007. Estimate $75 per barrel is $367.5 billion, or 50% of the $711.6 billion US trade deficit. We need to expand drilling off all coasts and domestic refining.
Corn based ethanol is not efficient and is causing food shortages. We need to develop cellulous (grass) base ethanol.
France generates 90% of their electricity with nuclear power. Our nuclear plants are decades old and need to be replaced for safety. Solar power will contribute in the next decade, but we need electricity at night for non polluting electric cars.
We need to balance fiscal, political and environmental responsibility in our energy policies. The US can not surrender our children’s future to imports. We need to meet our own needs domestically.
February 13, 2008
Solving the Energy Problem
Why do we want to solve the energy problem? Look at the risks of doing nothing. How much of our trade imbalance is based on oil? Oil is a significant threat to our economy and world peace.
Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has threatened to cut off oil to the US? Vladimir Putin and Russia has the power for using natural gas and oil over Europe. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is using oil wealth to threaten destroying Israel and potentially starting a world war against the West?
Think about the war in Iraq? The fight between the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is over religion, power and oil wealth. Iran, Syria and the terrorists are all interested in Iraq’s power and wealth.
How about a potential overthrow of the pro US government in Saudi Arabia? Al Qaeda was spawned under the House of Saud, and a large number of their citizens hate their government. What happens if they lose power?
Why should we continue to give money, political power, and an economic weapon to people who hate us? The current risk of supply problems is significant, and would damage our economy.
How much of our trade deficit is based on oil? The 12 months through November 2007 the US imported 3,647,889 barrels. Assuming the average price over 2007 was approximately $75 (Current prices are in the low $90’s), oil imported was approximately $273.5 billion in 2007. Our trade deficit in 2007 was $711.6 billion, making oil imports about 38% of the deficit.
To solve the oil problem, we need plans for the long term as well as the short term. This is a series of solvable projects that needs a long term vision to happen.
Short term actions:
Drill more domestic oil off all the coasts and in Alaska to cover the next decade. Everyone points to the potential for pollution. Oil drilling and transportation processes have improved dramatically over the last 50 years. The rare accidents are cleaned up quickly. Oil will always be needed for premium energy, plastics and products. The US needs to increase production.
Locate more natural gas reserves and develop pipelines to heat buildings and homes. Our infrastructure is reaching its limits, and needs expansion.
Find better ways to clean pollution from coal emissions, and require the whole world to use the technology (including China, India, Russia and developing countries) for a level playing field. China and India are causing three to ten times the pollution than the US. Why should we be held to higher unfair standards like the Kyoto protocol than the rest of the world?
About global warming:
Human caused global warming is not scientifically proved beyond a doubt. Global warming is a natural cycle with a little human contribution since the industrial revolution.
Why is a 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.5 degree Celsius) increase over 100 years traumatic? History shows a normal range of variation around 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius) in the last 2,000 years. Go back millions of years and the natural temperature variation is larger. The biggest factor related to global warming is the natural variation in the output from the Sun.
The fanatics are talking CO2 will destroy the world. People and animal exhale CO2. Are we talking about people and animals breathing CO2 being the main cause of a pending future natural disaster? I don’t think the world is that fragile.
If human kind is contributing less than 1% to 5% maximum of global warming, why are some panicking? Most of the research is based on computer models that are simpler than reality. These models do not work well when compared with current data. Look at the hurricane predictions from 2006 & 2007. The results missed reality going the wrong way from the faulty models. Most global warming models are based on faulty logic. The lack of good science is why I do not take global warming seriously as a panic.
Long term actions:
Generate more electricity using solar and nuclear. Solar electrical generation is finally becoming efficient enough to be cost effective. It could generate 10% of future needs as well as being pollution free. Tax incentives and private industries should be the source of solar products.
Nuclear energy is the choice of many countries including Canada, Britain, Spain and France. France generates 90% of their electricity from nuclear power. The plants in the US are aging, and need to be replaced with new, safer designs that are also more energy efficient soon. The older nuclear plants need to be retired for safety. Legal battles with environmental extremist have prevented new nuclear energy plants. We need to make nuclear power politically possible and economically feasible.
Convert hybrid cars to plug in hybrids to use less oil. This requires more electric generation from solar, coal and nuclear. Hybrids work because of the expanded range for practical transportation. Pure electric cars are too limited in distance for average commuting, and public transportation takes too much time for busy Americans to use. Most of us do not live near transportation that goes near our offices without doubling our commuting time. Time is our most valuable resource. This is why less than 3% ride public transit to work.
Create fuel cells to replace the gas engine generating electricity for hybrids. Fuel cells are getting close to being more economical for gasoline and alternative fuels like ethanol, natural gas and hydrogen.
Grow and develop grass based ethanol since corn based ethanol is too energy inefficient. Grass based ethanol generates much more energy than corn at a lower cost. We also need a pipeline system that carries ethanol. Transporting ethanol in trucks is too expensive and unreliable for extensive use.
The Results of Energy Independence Program:
A ten year program for energy independence will bring world oil back to $30 - $50 per barrel when the US stops importing oil. Dictators will have loss their income and a threat to use against the West. The possibility of war would be reduced. The American economy would improve with less trade imbalance.
The technology is there for everything proposed here. It takes a leader, political commitment, private and governmental investment, and the will to get it done. We are ready for the leadership to step up.
Hugo Chavez in Venezuela has threatened to cut off oil to the US? Vladimir Putin and Russia has the power for using natural gas and oil over Europe. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is using oil wealth to threaten destroying Israel and potentially starting a world war against the West?
Think about the war in Iraq? The fight between the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds is over religion, power and oil wealth. Iran, Syria and the terrorists are all interested in Iraq’s power and wealth.
How about a potential overthrow of the pro US government in Saudi Arabia? Al Qaeda was spawned under the House of Saud, and a large number of their citizens hate their government. What happens if they lose power?
Why should we continue to give money, political power, and an economic weapon to people who hate us? The current risk of supply problems is significant, and would damage our economy.
How much of our trade deficit is based on oil? The 12 months through November 2007 the US imported 3,647,889 barrels. Assuming the average price over 2007 was approximately $75 (Current prices are in the low $90’s), oil imported was approximately $273.5 billion in 2007. Our trade deficit in 2007 was $711.6 billion, making oil imports about 38% of the deficit.
To solve the oil problem, we need plans for the long term as well as the short term. This is a series of solvable projects that needs a long term vision to happen.
Short term actions:
Drill more domestic oil off all the coasts and in Alaska to cover the next decade. Everyone points to the potential for pollution. Oil drilling and transportation processes have improved dramatically over the last 50 years. The rare accidents are cleaned up quickly. Oil will always be needed for premium energy, plastics and products. The US needs to increase production.
Locate more natural gas reserves and develop pipelines to heat buildings and homes. Our infrastructure is reaching its limits, and needs expansion.
Find better ways to clean pollution from coal emissions, and require the whole world to use the technology (including China, India, Russia and developing countries) for a level playing field. China and India are causing three to ten times the pollution than the US. Why should we be held to higher unfair standards like the Kyoto protocol than the rest of the world?
About global warming:
Human caused global warming is not scientifically proved beyond a doubt. Global warming is a natural cycle with a little human contribution since the industrial revolution.
Why is a 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.5 degree Celsius) increase over 100 years traumatic? History shows a normal range of variation around 3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.7 degrees Celsius) in the last 2,000 years. Go back millions of years and the natural temperature variation is larger. The biggest factor related to global warming is the natural variation in the output from the Sun.
The fanatics are talking CO2 will destroy the world. People and animal exhale CO2. Are we talking about people and animals breathing CO2 being the main cause of a pending future natural disaster? I don’t think the world is that fragile.
If human kind is contributing less than 1% to 5% maximum of global warming, why are some panicking? Most of the research is based on computer models that are simpler than reality. These models do not work well when compared with current data. Look at the hurricane predictions from 2006 & 2007. The results missed reality going the wrong way from the faulty models. Most global warming models are based on faulty logic. The lack of good science is why I do not take global warming seriously as a panic.
Long term actions:
Generate more electricity using solar and nuclear. Solar electrical generation is finally becoming efficient enough to be cost effective. It could generate 10% of future needs as well as being pollution free. Tax incentives and private industries should be the source of solar products.
Nuclear energy is the choice of many countries including Canada, Britain, Spain and France. France generates 90% of their electricity from nuclear power. The plants in the US are aging, and need to be replaced with new, safer designs that are also more energy efficient soon. The older nuclear plants need to be retired for safety. Legal battles with environmental extremist have prevented new nuclear energy plants. We need to make nuclear power politically possible and economically feasible.
Convert hybrid cars to plug in hybrids to use less oil. This requires more electric generation from solar, coal and nuclear. Hybrids work because of the expanded range for practical transportation. Pure electric cars are too limited in distance for average commuting, and public transportation takes too much time for busy Americans to use. Most of us do not live near transportation that goes near our offices without doubling our commuting time. Time is our most valuable resource. This is why less than 3% ride public transit to work.
Create fuel cells to replace the gas engine generating electricity for hybrids. Fuel cells are getting close to being more economical for gasoline and alternative fuels like ethanol, natural gas and hydrogen.
Grow and develop grass based ethanol since corn based ethanol is too energy inefficient. Grass based ethanol generates much more energy than corn at a lower cost. We also need a pipeline system that carries ethanol. Transporting ethanol in trucks is too expensive and unreliable for extensive use.
The Results of Energy Independence Program:
A ten year program for energy independence will bring world oil back to $30 - $50 per barrel when the US stops importing oil. Dictators will have loss their income and a threat to use against the West. The possibility of war would be reduced. The American economy would improve with less trade imbalance.
The technology is there for everything proposed here. It takes a leader, political commitment, private and governmental investment, and the will to get it done. We are ready for the leadership to step up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
3:15 am attack on Bourbon Street, New Orleans this morning. This tragic attack killed 10 and injured ~35 including 2 police officers. Most...
