3 ms·

It isn't going anywhere in terms of energy production either. The energy density of oil, gas and coal isn't something that the fads ( solar, wind, etc ) can com

It isn't going anywhere in terms of energy production either. The energy density of oil, gas and coal isn't something that the fads ( solar, wind, etc ) can come close to. Most of the world's electricity comes from coal. Most of the world's transportation fuel is oil. Most of the world's heating/cooking/etc is from gas/coal. Unless, the rest of the 3rd world is content with living in 3rd world standard, consumption of oil, gas and coal is going to increase worldwide. Coal may stagnate in the west because of laws, but collectively ( oil/gas/coal ) usage is going to increase in the west and the rest of the world. Unless there is a true economic collapse, increased oil/gas/coal is a fact of physics. And of course, you pointed out that we use petrochemicals and their byproducts in almost every facet of modern life from toothpaste to smartphones to food packaging to fertilizers. It is amazing how a small group of environmentalists and their allies at the "clean" energy industry are able to lie about basic physical facts. The major growth in population and energy use is going to come from africa/south asia/southeast asia/middle east. Do they really expect these people mired in poverty to forgo oil/coal/gas/etc just for environmental reasons? Do they expect these people to live at 1/10th the living standards of the western world just to appease the wealthy environmentalists?

DennisP 9y ago
"The energy density of oil, gas and coal" is far exceeded by the energy density of any form of nuclear. A 1GW coal plant burns a 100-car trainload of coal every three days. A conventional 1GW nuclear plant uses an 18-wheeler truck full of fuel rods every eighteen months. More advanced nuclear is even better. A 1GW fast reactor or thorium reactor would use one ton of fuel, about the size of a beachball, every year. Your lifetime personal energy needs, including transportation, would come from a piece of fuel smaller than a golfball. With fusion, the small amount of deuterium in your morning shower could provide for all of your energy needs for a year.
- eighthnate 9y ago
  > "The energy density of oil, gas and coal" is far exceeded by the energy density of any form of nuclear. I know. That's why I compared oil, gas and coal to "solar, wind, etc". Not nuclear. All things being equal, we should be going for nuclear rather than solar,wind,etc. But nuclear has a publicity problem.

DennisP 9y ago

"The energy density of oil, gas and coal" is far exceeded by the energy density of any form of nuclear. A 1GW coal plant burns a 100-car trainload of coal every three days. A conventional 1GW nuclear plant uses an 18-wheeler truck full of fuel rods every eighteen months. More advanced nuclear is even better. A 1GW fast reactor or thorium reactor would use one ton of fuel, about the size of a beachball, every year. Your lifetime personal energy needs, including transportation, would come from a piece of fuel smaller than a golfball. With fusion, the small amount of deuterium in your morning shower could provide for all of your energy needs for a year.

eighthnate 9y ago
> "The energy density of oil, gas and coal" is far exceeded by the energy density of any form of nuclear. I know. That's why I compared oil, gas and coal to "solar, wind, etc". Not nuclear. All things being equal, we should be going for nuclear rather than solar,wind,etc. But nuclear has a publicity problem.