Offshore drilling hits record high under Obama

[Schadenfroh]

Electric is the only real current solution

We would need a quantum leap in battery technology (reduced cost and increased range) and the will to implement it. Battery production and disposal is a very nasty business and is loaded with environmental concerns.

There is also the problem of our rare earth supply, mining rare earths causes massive environmental issues. Sadly, many green technologies require them.

The range problem could be solved with swappable battery backs, like with the upcoming Tesla vehicle. But, gas stations would need to have them charged and ready to go. The battery packs are not cheap.

Then, we also have the problem of trains, trucks and ships running on fossil fuels. We could spend crap loads of money and electrify the tracks and replace the locomotives with electric locomotives that draw the power from the tracks, but I am not sure if we could afford that or if it would be practical for freight. Large container ships could be nuclear powered, but we cannot risk those ships falling into the hands of pirates. Not sure how we could power semis with battery power.

Finally, we burn a good but of fossil fuels to generate energy for our homes, with current wind and solar technology, we could not hope to meet our energy demands at a reasonable cost. Just the other week, nuclear was deemed too expensive even with government subsidies:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2150687

That leaves us with fossil fuels (minus special areas where geothermal or hydro might be profitable on its own).

Would be nice to see a world of electric vehicles with it all powered by nuclear plants, but that is a dream, unless we have a massive technological breakthrough.

 

[werepossum]

Some more progress being made this week.

http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/67...pproved-fight-over-offshore-drilling-heats-up

Three more deepwater drilling permits issued this week, sounds like more on the way.

Pressure is building regarding increasing the pace of drilling in already approved areas. They are even considering fining them if they do not drill.


Seems Obama has also stepped up efforts to reduce international demand by helping to make Brazil more energy independent, by giving their state oil companies US loans.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/mar/24/obamas-overseas-oil/

Cool, except - WHY THE FUCK IS A BROKE COUNTRY MAKING LOANS TO GUARANTEE BRAZIL'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE WHEN WE IMPORT SO MUCH OF OURS???

Sheesh!

 

[_GTech]

We would need a quantum leap in battery technology (reduced cost and increased range) and the will to implement it. Battery production and disposal is a very nasty business and is loaded with environmental concerns.

There is also the problem of our rare earth supply, mining rare earths causes massive environmental issues. Sadly, many green technologies require them.

The range problem could be solved with swappable battery backs, like with the upcoming Tesla vehicle. But, gas stations would need to have them charged and ready to go. The battery packs are not cheap.

Then, we also have the problem of trains, trucks and ships running on fossil fuels. We could spend crap loads of money and electrify the tracks and replace the locomotives with electric locomotives that draw the power from the tracks, but I am not sure if we could afford that or if it would be practical for freight. Large container ships could be nuclear powered, but we cannot risk those ships falling into the hands of pirates. Not sure how we could power semis with battery power.

Finally, we burn a good but of fossil fuels to generate energy for our homes, with current wind and solar technology, we could not hope to meet our energy demands at a reasonable cost. Just the other week, nuclear was deemed too expensive even with government subsidies:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2150687

That leaves us with fossil fuels (minus special areas where geothermal or hydro might be profitable on its own).

Would be nice to see a world of electric vehicles with it all powered by nuclear plants, but that is a dream, unless we have a massive technological breakthrough.

Thank you for pointing that out, obviously it's going to be a very long time before we see changes in some departments, like trucking. Yes you make some excellent points, the sad reality is we can only reduce some of the consumption. I guess I bought into the governments desires to go electric, and with many cars which are necessary for millions, electric may be an answer, but toxic waste is a factor I didn't consider.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Electric is the only real current solution, I'll be glad when everyone jumps on that band wagon, really... Car Pooling in an electric car is much more green than oil and definitely underrated.

Even China realizes at their current pace they will be just like America soon enough for consumption of Oil... They are now developing some kind of nuclear salt power plants which are reportedly more efficient and safer than current nuclear plants.

They rolled out this super train & actually built an entire Hotel in just one day, it looks like they are leading the race to go green in a huge way...

==========================

Here is a provocative thought...

What will happen to all those oil rich countries when they have no more bargaining chips with oil because America has gone electric?

Now that's food for thought...

===========================

Till the future is here I won't be skeptical or cynical of my Country, I'm sure they are thinking far into the future, it's clear to me they are creating those reserves for other reasons, like when they pass bills to mandate electric or something to that effect...

Do you think we can just pump electricity out of the ground or something? We have to either burn fuels or manufacture solar/wind/hydro infrastructure to make electricity. And relying on solar/wind/hydro requires mining and refining rare earth minerals, whose process involves putting a lot of the feared greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, plus a host of other by-products. There is no "clean" way to make energy.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Cool, except - WHY THE FUCK IS A BROKE COUNTRY MAKING LOANS TO GUARANTEE BRAZIL'S ENERGY INDEPENDENCE WHEN WE IMPORT SO MUCH OF OURS???

Sheesh!

It is part of being a member of the international community, spreading the wealth around, etc.

 

[JACKHAMMER]

Do you think we can just pump electricity out of the ground or something? We have to either burn fuels or manufacture solar/wind/hydro infrastructure to make electricity. And relying on solar/wind/hydro requires mining and refining rare earth minerals, whose process involves putting a lot of the feared greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, plus a host of other by-products. There is no "clean" way to make energy.

Agreed, there is no clean way to make energy and rare earth mining does produce some nasty byproducts. However, you just pointed out the reason we should be moving to electric. Electrical generators can be driven by just about any type of energy source, allowing us to be much more flexible with our energy plan. Plus, with an improved electrical grid a single generator can be much cleaner than a million smaller ones on the road.

 

[werepossum]

Do you think we can just pump electricity out of the ground or something? We have to either burn fuels or manufacture solar/wind/hydro infrastructure to make electricity. And relying on solar/wind/hydro requires mining and refining rare earth minerals, whose process involves putting a lot of the feared greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, plus a host of other by-products. There is no "clean" way to make energy.

No no no no! Electricity comes out of the same Magic Cupboard that government spending comes from! It's always clean and it never runs out!

In GTech's defense, he did mention nuclear, so he does understand that electricity must be generated.