Whats the Solution to High Energy Prices?

[LouC]

While oil is a big F deal in our economy, we need an all of the above approach.

-use less energy
-more oil
-more solar
-more wind
-more geo
-more hydro
-more nuclear
-more innovation
-less taxes and regulation

We also need to recognize that electric cars are made of oil. Electric cars are charged by oil. Simply going electric doesnt change anything. Most of our electricity comes from natural gas (oil byproduct) and oil.

Stop consuming.

Why wasn't that an option?

 

[Ishm]

Look around the world a bit. Why do other wealthy nations mostly drive smaller, less oil consuming vehicles? They tax fuel and emissions to clean up after themselves, or their best guess at what that cost would be. Drive down global consumption and supply issues ease, thus easing price pressure when supply is squeezed. Invest more in energy efficient public transport etc instead on continuing on an ever less sustainsble car per person type model
..

Why are many other countries storming ahead (comp to pop/gdp) of the US on investment in renewable energy production? The US is one of the few wealthy countries left who haven't substantially pushed the cost of cleaning up the pollutants from fossil fuels directly into the cost at the pump etc.

The only major govt intervention required is to tax fossil fuels at their true cost, including the post use clean up. Do that, stand back, and watch private industry switch the country to cheaper renewables. Private industry will take care of fixing the distribution problem as well, because there is money to be made. You want it to happen faster, the govt can invest in core power distribution to later sell down ownership as private industry investment catches up.

I regularly watch the news from a country I have lived in and still have a strong connection to. Seems there is a new privately funded grid scale solar or wind project announced every few weeks now. Seems the numbers are stacking up fine there without needing govt subsidies. Why would anywhere else with a little sun or wind be substantially different?

 

[rickc]

But America's Republicans fight it at every step.

Once again Republicans exist to protect/increase the wealth of the wealthy. The oil industry has deep pockets.

380 million a year on lobbiest.

How the oil industry has spent billions to control the climate change conversation​

 

[WillyPete]

I vote thorium reactors. When I get my time machine from eBay I'm going to go back to 1945 and convincing those dopes to build and operate reactors all over the world instead of doling out weapons.

 

[Deuce]

No, govt exists to protect life an liberty. Says so right in our founding docs.

It also says "provide for the general welfare." Not that you ever cared what the documents actually say.

 

[Deuce]

Eletric cars are mainly charged buy oil.

Natural gas is the largest single source of electrical power in the US. Globally, it's coal.

Its true most of the time. More electric cars would only mean more electric cars being charged by oil.

Are you aware that it's possible to create more nuclear, solar, and wind power generation capacity?

Less regulation didnt get us texas power failires.

Weird claim because you follow it up two sentences later with:

Saying nuh uh, isnt an argument.

Just do everything is an argument.

No, it's not, because you're making zero effort to analyze the effectiveness, cost, or timeline of anything. It's not a solution, it's a wish list.

 

[Deuce]

Natural gas is a fossil fuel and byproduct of oil. Oil is refined into all sort of things, from the materials used to build things that use electricity, to the millions of small gas generators. Coal is used as much as oil.

And I dont know thats its more efficient to produce centrally once you figure in transmission, batteries, etc. But thats not the point anyway. Point is more elctric demand means more fossil fuel demand.,

I mean if you want to make this claim I can just say literally all energy is a byproduct of either nuclear energy or gravitational.

 

[Phys251]

While oil is a big F deal in our economy, we need an all of the above approach.

-use less energy
-more oil
-more solar
-more wind
-more geo
-more hydro
-more nuclear
-more innovation
-less taxes and regulation

We also need to recognize that electric cars are made of oil. Electric cars are charged by oil. Simply going electric doesnt change anything. Most of our electricity comes from natural gas (oil byproduct) and oil.

The solution cannot come from the supply side alone. We need to conserve energy.

 

[The Mark]

While oil is a big F deal in our economy, we need an all of the above approach.

-use less energy
-more oil
-more solar
-more wind
-more geo
-more hydro
-more nuclear
-more innovation
-less taxes and regulation

We also need to recognize that electric cars are made of oil. Electric cars are charged by oil. Simply going electric doesnt change anything. Most of our electricity comes from natural gas (oil byproduct) and oil.

IMO we need to push for more solar, wind,, geothermal, and even a few wave power sources?
Any innovations in those areas would be a good thing as well.
Hydrodynamic is an option, but it also requires more changes to the terrain and environment, so it's more limited in possible locations. I think?
Innovation also good in this area.
Nuclear is further down the list, but still better than the various fossil fuels. As I understand it there are plenty of innovations in that area which could be applied if we subsidized the startup cost of building a nuclear plant, since permit and construction costs are some of the big hurdles preventing it. My main concern is safe handling of the waste from these, accident isn't a big concern with sufficient safeguards and redundancy.

We should try to completely eliminate all fossil fuel plants from our power grid. And I include natural gas in that.
I actually think there aren't enough or strict enough regulations on that industry. And they get subsidized too, so taxes aren't really a limiting factor.

 

[Moi621]

In most of Canada and the US mass transit sucks for any trips across the city.

San Francisco has comfortable mass transit.
But, it has a small area for a city.


Moi

If Not Now, When?
If Not Us, Who?​

 

[coyote505]

If $130 will not increase production, I don't know what will.

I heard an oil exec saying that what it will take to get the industry in gear to up production is more regulatory certainty (of the minmum kind). While he is certainly not a disinterested observer, I think there is some validity to this. The oil business is very capital intensive. Would YOU be interested in making a multi-billion dollar investment to increase production, under an administration where Al Gore and John Kerry could change the rules and put you out of business at any time?

 

[jonny5]

Stop consuming.

Why wasn't that an option?

Use less was an option. You think its possible to stop consuming energy? How would we cook food?

 

[jonny5]

It also says "provide for the general welfare." Not that you ever cared what the documents actually say.

Ok

 

[jonny5]

IMO we need to push for more solar, wind,, geothermal, and even a few wave power sources?
Any innovations in those areas would be a good thing as well.
Hydrodynamic is an option, but it also requires more changes to the terrain and environment, so it's more limited in possible locations. I think?
Innovation also good in this area.
Nuclear is further down the list, but still better than the various fossil fuels. As I understand it there are plenty of innovations in that area which could be applied if we subsidized the startup cost of building a nuclear plant, since permit and construction costs are some of the big hurdles preventing it. My main concern is safe handling of the waste from these, accident isn't a big concern with sufficient safeguards and redundancy.

We should try to completely eliminate all fossil fuel plants from our power grid. And I include natural gas in that.
I actually think there aren't enough or strict enough regulations on that industry. And they get subsidized too, so taxes aren't really a limiting factor.

They dont get subsidized, they get tax credits, same as any business. They dont get actual subsidies like solar does, but im all for doing away with both on both.

Renewables wont replace our energy demand though. Im not sure there is even enough precious metals in the world to build enough batteries. We need always on high density production like nuclear. Not sometimes on low production wind farms.

 

[LouC]

Use less was an option. You think its possible to stop consuming energy? How would we cook food?

Charcoal.

Wood.

Used tires.

Eat food that doesn't need to be cooked.

I have an app that tracks my travels each month and I am happy to say I am doing my part to consume less gasoline.

I am pleased to report I drove a total of only 29 miles in the month of February!

Woo Hoo!

That is also one of the reasons I get such a good discount on my auto insurance.

Granted most folks are not as able to make such an adjustment to driving less like I have but I am absolutely certain if truth be known EVERYONE could drastically reduce their driving and gas consumption if they limited it to only absolutely necessary driving, thus reaping huge gasoline savings.

Finally before I go I wish to apologize that I missed that "Use Less" OPTION in the Poll.

I am only human and old and decrepit and do make such mistakes.

It drives me crazy!

 

[BlueTex]

They dont get subsidized, they get tax credits, same as any business. They dont get actual subsidies like solar does, but im all for doing away with both on both.

Renewables wont replace our energy demand though. Im not sure there is even enough precious metals in the world to build enough batteries. We need always on high density production like nuclear. Not sometimes on low production wind farms.

They get tax credits and then sell the oil produced to the highest bidder globally since 2015. We need to reinstate the ban on exporting crude oil.

 

[PeacefulWarrior]

All of the above...but get the ****ing government out of it.

Nah, thats a dumb idea IMO Mycroft.
Without "government" (ie: we the people) involved, the oil companies just roll right over us.
Not good.

 

[jonny5]

Charcoal.

Wood.

Used tires.

Eat food that doesn't need to be cooked.

I have an app that tracks my travels each month and I am happy to say I am doing my part to consume less gasoline.

I am pleased to report I drove a total of only 29 miles in the month of February!

Woo Hoo!

That is also one of the reasons I get such a good discount on my auto insurance.

Granted most folks are not as able to make such an adjustment to driving less like I have but I am absolutely certain if truth be known EVERYONE could drastically reduce their driving and gas consumption if they limited it to only absolutely necessary driving, thus reaping huge gasoline savings.

Finally before I go I wish to apologize that I missed that "Use Less" OPTION in the Poll.

I am only human and old and decrepit and do make such mistakes.

It drives me crazy!

Charcoal, wood, used tires are forms of energy production. You said stop consuming. Did you mean just stop consuming certain types?

 

[LouC]

All of the above...but get the ****ing government out of it.

No subsidies, no artificially increased costs, no regulations favoring one approach over any other approach...no god damned government thumb on the scale for one side or the other.

Glad to know you are so adamant to prohibit any permitted drilling or mining on the approximately 700 million acres of government held lands!

Good for you!

 

[The AntiDonald]

All of the above...but get the ****ing government out of it.

No subsidies, no artificially increased costs, no regulations favoring one approach over any other approach...no god damned government thumb on the scale for one side or the other.

With that way of thinking, you're leaving the rule making up to the wealthiest bidder. In this case, the oil and gas industry. No way in hell will they go for anything but more oil, coal and gas.

They've been influencing the policies for decades now. What makes you think anything will change? Proper government regulations are the only thing that will reign in these greedy corporate bastards.

 

[LouC]

Charcoal, wood, used tires are forms of energy production. You said stop consuming. Did you mean just stop consuming certain types?

Charcoal and wood are infinitely renewable whereas fossil fuels are finite. Used tires are extremely abundant and would not be produced to burn but be reclaimed after they had already served one purpose. Mind you this does not exclude developments of other alternative energy sources.

Yes. I am well aware it is impossible to live without energy but it is not at all impossible to live without unbridled consumption of energy from non renewable sources.

 

[The AntiDonald]

Use less was an option. You think its possible to stop consuming energy? How would we cook food?

Can you explain how we allow auto manufactures to produce passenger cars that produce 710 HP? To be driven by normal people on US roads. It's a small example, but no one needs to consume fuel like that to get from point A to point B. There are so many ways we could cut our use of fossil fuels. The problem is the well off people who just don't care. They want their outrageous comforts. And until something reigns them in, we will continue to waste and pollute.

 

[Antiwar]

Too late, instead of sucking oil and gas dick and let the greedy destroy the planet for thier insane wealth, we should have pushed green technology decades ago

The same whiners about gas prices also whine about electric cars, solar, windmills, that's how you get away from being dependent. Oh, and they also drive gas guzzlers

'Real Americans' preferred a daddy figure TV star president over one who had put his peanut farm in a blind trust.

 

[Antiwar]

Yes. I am well aware it is impossible to live without energy

Don't they say that all energy on Earth comes from the Sun?

 

[jpevans]

Too late, instead of sucking oil and gas dick and let the greedy destroy the planet for thier insane wealth, we should have pushed green technology decades ago

The same whiners about gas prices also whine about electric cars, solar, windmills, that's how you get away from being dependent. Oh, and they also drive gas guzzlers

Remember President Carter pushed for a move away from oil, Saint Reagan had removed the solar panels from the White House & pushed oil dependency.