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you know it's bad if they are already trying to get out in front of the numbers with propagandized slogans to shift blame the real irony is people saying this

you know it's bad if they are already trying to get out in front of the numbers with propagandized slogans to shift blame the real irony is people saying this is evidence we need to shift to "green energy", when almost all the key components for that come from China rather than Russia. Even if we make the shift, the end result will be the same in 20 years where China has huge leverage due to countries being reliant on them for energy

naravara 5y ago
With renewables it's more fixed capital instead of a direct supply of literal energy in the form of fuel. That's less of an immediate dependency than it is with oil. Capital does depreciate over time, but ebbs and flows of international prices offer more room for short-term elasticity in demand (people can delay upgrading or replacing equipment). It's also got lower barriers to entry so dependency can be a policy choice (reversible in the medium term) rather than a simple fact of geology the way fossil fuel dependency is.
inetknght 5y ago
Fortunately, depending on your perspective, 20 years is plenty of time to not only switch to renewable energy but also to bring back the manufacturing jobs that make the components for renewable energy. But good luck (literally) selling that to American companies who have to pay those factory salaries.
sbierwagen 5y ago
Solar panels aren't burned for power. If the US manages to transition to 100% solar, but then China cuts off exports, then we're still at 100% solar. It will just be more expensive to add more capacity or replace damaged panels. Annoying, but not oil-embargo level bad.
- 20after4 5y ago
  Solar panels have a very limited life span. Damage isn't the only concern by far. Their output drops proportional to their age.
  - sbierwagen 5y ago
    Sure, PV solar panels lose 0.5% of capacity a year. Coal plants also require regular maintenance and replacement of bearings, boilers and turbines. Not to mention landfilling the ash produced by digging up rocks and burning them. Nobody has figured out a source of perpetual electricity that does not produce solid waste. If that happens, it would be real exciting. If China was the sole-source of steam turbines and enacted a export ban we would also be in trouble. But China isn't the sole source of coal plants, turbines, or PV solar panels.

naravara 5y ago

With renewables it's more fixed capital instead of a direct supply of literal energy in the form of fuel. That's less of an immediate dependency than it is with oil. Capital does depreciate over time, but ebbs and flows of international prices offer more room for short-term elasticity in demand (people can delay upgrading or replacing equipment). It's also got lower barriers to entry so dependency can be a policy choice (reversible in the medium term) rather than a simple fact of geology the way fossil fuel dependency is.

inetknght 5y ago

Fortunately, depending on your perspective, 20 years is plenty of time to not only switch to renewable energy but also to bring back the manufacturing jobs that make the components for renewable energy. But good luck (literally) selling that to American companies who have to pay those factory salaries.

sbierwagen 5y ago

Solar panels aren't burned for power. If the US manages to transition to 100% solar, but then China cuts off exports, then we're still at 100% solar. It will just be more expensive to add more capacity or replace damaged panels. Annoying, but not oil-embargo level bad.

20after4 5y ago
Solar panels have a very limited life span. Damage isn't the only concern by far. Their output drops proportional to their age.
- sbierwagen 5y ago
  Sure, PV solar panels lose 0.5% of capacity a year. Coal plants also require regular maintenance and replacement of bearings, boilers and turbines. Not to mention landfilling the ash produced by digging up rocks and burning them. Nobody has figured out a source of perpetual electricity that does not produce solid waste. If that happens, it would be real exciting. If China was the sole-source of steam turbines and enacted a export ban we would also be in trouble. But China isn't the sole source of coal plants, turbines, or PV solar panels.