http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2014/10/10/OPEC-US-oil-imports-at-historic-low/3141412947525/
If we can continue to produce our own it will change the world as we know it.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/periodicals/rand-review/issues/fall2005/energy2.html
solar or other alternate would be better still. DK and DE are going to eat our lunch one day if they keep gaining on alt energy.
improved US auto fuel economy has helped, too. Louise get 38-40mpg out of that Honda Fit.
Are the US shales going to keep going though? I keep hearing about the production drop off and how you have to keep drilling to keep it up. (no pun intended)
> going to keep going though
Everything I read points to 'yes' for any kind of oil/gas production. They're even talking offshore drilling here on the Mid-Atlantic, which has been off-limits before. I'm not up on how much shale oil has come into play here, or how much Canadian production from the pits has affected us. Most news here has been regarding fracking which is for natural gas, I think.
>>> fracking
Thats in shale. I think Gas or oil.
Fear of it here is huge:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/oilandgas/11126668/Ineos-offers-2.5bn-to-communities-disrupted-by-shale-gas.html
Our gas shale is 10x deeper than the US Marcellus shale, but no one is allowed to even look at what gas they can extract. There is a load of carp about it, but it certainly causes disruption. But what doesnt?
Our south of has the shale oil they believe, but the Bankers live there.
we have solar, as does Gurtie. Its fantastic with the grant we get, on its own its a waste of time in the UK. Installation cost is huge. I guess it would work better where you are. Do you get solar farms?
>DK and DE are going to eat our lunch one day if they keep gaining on alt energy.
The problem with the current alternative sources wind and solar is that they are not producing 24/7
There is a new kid on the block. Not sure what the technology is called but the principle is simple:
1: Use oil-tech to drill down to where it gets hot and put in pipes
2: pump water in one of the pipes and steam comes out of the other.
Once you have that working you have renewable energy 24/7. The problem is that the drilling technology is not quite there yet.
QuoteThere is a new kid on the block.
sounds like geothermal. they did it in Cornwall 20 or 30 years ago.As you say I think The tech at the time meant the cost was high for drilling for the returns.
Googling it, it seems there is a revival there as the geothermal gradients are favourable. I know that for Shale gas they can be drilling up to 16.000 feet in the UK, and for Geothermal you have to go deeper. (Ah 2.4 km in Cornwall so deeper in other parts of the UK). I really no little about it, but cannot help thinking it will cool as it comes up if it is too deep, hence the need for warmth near the surface.
Ah 1973 :) 40 years ago.... thats gone by fast...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geothermal_power_in_the_United_Kingdom
perhaps the tech has improved and the prices moved enough to make it Viable. I guess they do it in Iceland, what the Geology like for it round you then Torben ?
Checking some facts I found that Denmark actually has 3 geothermal power stations. In Denmark you have to drill to 3,5-4 kilometers depth and there needs to sandstone so water can flow between the two pipes. They tried to make a fourth power station but apparently the project was abandoned due to complications with the drilling.
>DK and DE are going to eat our lunch one day if they keep gaining on alt energy.
For the last 7 years I have watched huge wind turbine blades and other parts being trucked inland from the International seaport on Lake Michigan for a big wind farm south of here and they are all made in Denmark. I keep wondering why we can't make those here in the US.
Rising wind power output pushes Nordic prices down. Low power prices cut gas, coal power profitability.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/15/nordicpower-windfarm-idUSL6N0S530M20141015
Interesting. Its worth noting though They do have a lot of hills, a lot of water, and not many people.
QuoteDenmark and Finland have about 11,000 MW of coal,
What's that, about 20 average power stations? I struggle with bbig numbers :)
Denmark and Norway according to Google are about 5 million each, Netherlands are not big.
>about 20
Good question. I don't know. Here in the US, they range all over in size. "The four-unit, 2,422-MW coal-fired Roxboro Steam Plant in in Semora, N.C., is one of the largest power plants in the United States."
http://www.rtoinsider.com/ncempa-sell-generation-duke/
>5 million
My state, North Carolina, is approx 6 million and the 10th most-populous state. Up until the last year or so, large-scale alternate energy projects just didn't seem to materialize here though our rural geography and strong sun & winds would seem to make it a natural.
QuoteUp until the last year or so, large-scale alternate energy projects just didn't seem to materialize
wow that is big.
Oil is too cheap :) why bother? Whats the price now RC?
Now they are building a new waste treatment plant in the center of Copenhagen that will produce power and central heating. The building is designed so it can be used as a ski slope: http://www.dac.dk/en/dac-life/copenhagen-x-gallery/cases/amager-slope/
> Whats the price now RC?
NC is one of the higher gasoline-tax states and we're currently as low as $2.95 per gallon here for 87 octane. $3.60-3.70 is the usual, I'd say.
I mentioned more efficient cars above. On last weekend's trip, all on our interstate highway system, the prevalence of smaller vehicle sizes was noticeable. You had to be conscious of it, but if you looked past the commercial vehicles passenger cars have definitely downsized. It's not like EU, but we've cut back on the monster SUVs.
>ski slope
Saw mention of that on the news feeds.
>DK
I like the wind farms off Copenhagen's shoreline but we seem to be slicing up a lot of birds and bats with turbines here.
I still think wind is hot air, and the cost are too high. The only reason we get them in the UK is because of the grants I am lead to believe.
still, nuclear is the same "they" tell us. Expensive decommissioning A shale gas is not as cheap as normally extracted natural gas.
I feel the need to get on an aeroplane while I still can. ;)
NPR is claiming that sustained lower gas prices will boost the economy.
http://www.npr.org/2014/10/17/356869594/sustained-lower-gas-prices-could-drive-economic-growth
http://www.northcarolinagasprices.com/
>we've cut back on the monster SUVs.
"buyers emboldened by falling gasoline prices flocked to sport-utility vehicles"
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-03/ford-chrysler-sales-exceed-estimates-in-october-on-suv-demand
*sigh*
economic amnesia is so predictable.