Comments on: The Future of Renewable Energy – Ain’t Oil Grand? http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/ personal finance tips, tricks, and commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:51:28 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: philip http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116860 philip Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:32:44 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116860 @Ron Very interesting point, I had never before considered the impact on everything outside of power generation and gasoline/diesel coming from the oil. I know all that stuff is made from it as I have started working in the petrochemical industry. That really is throwing a big problem into cutting our use. Can you imagine not having anything that is made of plastic! I wonder if the oil could be used to produce more of the plastic products and less of gasoline if that is what is desired in the future. @Ron
Very interesting point, I had never before considered the impact on everything outside of power generation and gasoline/diesel coming from the oil. I know all that stuff is made from it as I have started working in the petrochemical industry. That really is throwing a big problem into cutting our use. Can you imagine not having anything that is made of plastic! I wonder if the oil could be used to produce more of the plastic products and less of gasoline if that is what is desired in the future.

]]> By: MITBeta @ Don't Feed The Alligators http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116697 MITBeta @ Don't Feed The Alligators Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:11:00 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116697 It's worth noting that there are a number of conservation, if not renewable, technologies that are starting to look interesting. For example, my company makes Micro-Combined Heat and Power systems for the home. These systems run on natural gas, and provide 80% of the benefits of solar power at about 20% the cost. Also, nuclear power can be renewable, or nearly so, if managed properly. We use only a very small fraction of the fuel that is available in a traditional cycle, but breeder reactors and the like can actually make more fuel than they use. This is accomplished through the transmutation of non-fissile uranium to fissile plutonium. This is a resource that if managed properly could go far to reduce our dependence on oil. It’s worth noting that there are a number of conservation, if not renewable, technologies that are starting to look interesting. For example, my company makes Micro-Combined Heat and Power systems for the home. These systems run on natural gas, and provide 80% of the benefits of solar power at about 20% the cost.

Also, nuclear power can be renewable, or nearly so, if managed properly. We use only a very small fraction of the fuel that is available in a traditional cycle, but breeder reactors and the like can actually make more fuel than they use. This is accomplished through the transmutation of non-fissile uranium to fissile plutonium. This is a resource that if managed properly could go far to reduce our dependence on oil.

]]> By: Ron@TheWisdomJournal http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116691 Ron@TheWisdomJournal Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:31:30 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116691 Great article Nickel. Another thing to consider is that so many PRODUCTS come from oil, not just energy. Nylon, PVC pipe, plastics, adhesives, coatings, the list goes on and on. Great article Nickel. Another thing to consider is that so many PRODUCTS come from oil, not just energy. Nylon, PVC pipe, plastics, adhesives, coatings, the list goes on and on.

]]> By: Richard http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116682 Richard Sat, 26 Apr 2008 03:11:47 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116682 This sort of stuff just serves to get renewable enrgy a bad name. There is so much confusion of units (why use cubic miles of oil when everythting else is metric) and Megawatts per year is a meaningless unit that the whole article is cast into doubt. This sort of stuff just serves to get renewable enrgy a bad name. There is so much confusion of units (why use cubic miles of oil when everythting else is metric) and Megawatts per year is a meaningless unit that the whole article is cast into doubt.

]]> By: jo http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116675 jo Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:21:35 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116675 This is so overwhelming when you look at the ultimate big picture! Some cities are trying their darnedest to go solar (e.g., San Francisco) and I think CA, as a state, is also contemplating/has installed solar panels in spots like the Mohave Desert. If we worked together as a country, and shared resources, imagine how much energy we could generate in our desert regions, the [windy] great plains, the great bays/lakes with their tidal currents... One of the grandest sights for those coming into the Bay Area is coming over the Altamont Pass and seeing all those huge windmills. Awesome. So, though we, personally, are generating all our own electricity through solar panels, we also recognize that's really not the best plan of the future. What you describe is really what has to happen: a commitment to changing the big picture. This is so overwhelming when you look at the ultimate big picture!
Some cities are trying their darnedest to go solar (e.g., San Francisco) and I think CA, as a state, is also contemplating/has installed solar panels in spots like the Mohave Desert. If we worked together as a country, and shared resources, imagine how much energy we could generate in our desert regions, the [windy] great plains, the great bays/lakes with their tidal currents…
One of the grandest sights for those coming into the Bay Area is coming over the Altamont Pass and seeing all those huge windmills. Awesome.
So, though we, personally, are generating all our own electricity through solar panels, we also recognize that’s really not the best plan of the future. What you describe is really what has to happen: a commitment to changing the big picture.

]]> By: Experts on Credit http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116672 Experts on Credit Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:02:43 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116672 I'm a chronic recycler, but I know I should do more. Thanks for this post. I’m a chronic recycler, but I know I should do more. Thanks for this post.

]]> By: My Dollar Plan http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116668 My Dollar Plan Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:22:57 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116668 We've considered putting up solar panels on the house, but it's a pretty expensive upfront cost. We did build a green-built home, though, so hopefully we're chipping in somewhat. We’ve considered putting up solar panels on the house, but it’s a pretty expensive upfront cost. We did build a green-built home, though, so hopefully we’re chipping in somewhat.

]]> By: Ben @ Trees Full of Money http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116667 Ben @ Trees Full of Money Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:41:41 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116667 You've put the worlds addiction to oil in great perspective here! I work for a major oil company and I've never heard the expression CMO but it is a good unit! Paul Roberts has a great book called the End of Oil. One interesting section talks about how the transition from gas to hydrogen technology could be completed for about $150 billion. A small fraction of what we already have "invested" in the Iraq war. (not being political, just another perspective). You’ve put the worlds addiction to oil in great perspective here!

I work for a major oil company and I’ve never heard the expression CMO but it is a good unit!

Paul Roberts has a great book called the End of Oil. One interesting section talks about how the transition from gas to hydrogen technology could be completed for about $150 billion. A small fraction of what we already have “invested” in the Iraq war. (not being political, just another perspective).

]]> By: Frugal Dad http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/comment-page-1/#comment-116666 Frugal Dad Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:09:06 +0000 http://www.fivecentnickel.com/2008/04/25/the-future-of-renewable-energy/#comment-116666 We've done our part, or tried to, by replacing all bulbs with CFLs and trying to conserve wherever possible. I wish some of these other techologies were more cost-effective (solar paneling, etc. can be quite expensive). I imagine over time the technology will become cheaper and available to more and more people. Perhaps then we can begin to make a dent in that largest slice of the pie. We’ve done our part, or tried to, by replacing all bulbs with CFLs and trying to conserve wherever possible. I wish some of these other techologies were more cost-effective (solar paneling, etc. can be quite expensive). I imagine over time the technology will become cheaper and available to more and more people. Perhaps then we can begin to make a dent in that largest slice of the pie.

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