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5 dollar gas...are we ready?

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Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

walrus said:
Do the math, how much gasoline do we use, convert to watts.I've heard Dick Hill talk about this many times
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Well, I had a nice long post composed, but you're in luck - my wireless connection died and I lost it. The gist was that I worked it out that to provide enough energy to drive the number of miles that we drive each year in electric cars that get 100 MPGe, and to supply that energy between 9 pm and 6am each night, we'd need about 290 GW of capacity. Current capacity is 1,100 GW, so it would take 1/3 of existing capacity just to charge everyone's car overnight. I'm guessing there's not quite that much slack in the system, so we would have to expand overall generation capability, especially since half of people in the US have more than a 32-mile round trip commute - there will be people that definitely need to charge during the day (as well as at night). Also, having the generation capacity is only half of the answer - right now there's slack overnight primarily because businesses are shut down at night and are consuming less power. To divert that power out to where cars need to charge (residential garages) would take a pretty big upgrade to the residential power distribution infrastructure (cables, transformers, etc). If you add a vehicle charging station in your garage, no big deal - but if all 100 houses on your street get one, something's going to get overloaded.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

LynahFan said:
Definitely both. We've known how to kick off *uncontrolled* fusion reactions since the 1950s - most US nuclear weapons today are fusion types. Getting enough power to start the reaction is achieved by a fission reaction in a nuclear weapon, which is itself "uncontrolled." There are probably "controlled" ways to kick off an "uncontrolled" fusion reaction, but nobody had bothered since the fusion was going to be uncontrolled anyway... Developing a fusion plant requires developing both a controlled kick and a controlled reaction.
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In my opinion, it would be prudent for the USA to pursue other courses of action. One would be to recycle and use spent fuel rather than squander it. I couldn't tell you how to process the fuel and make the transuranic's useful, but I am sure that they would produce energy - more than green energy sources for sure. The next would be to continue researching thorium breeder reactors. Its a different style when compared to most of our enriched Uranium reactors ( but just so long as its not a graphite moderated reactor with 200+ control rods, we should be all set). From what I understand, you need another fissile material such as U or Plutonium to start the reaction, but it is sustainable with thorium. I still believe that nuclear power is a key to the future, and while not perfect, it solves many of the problems we now face. The level of responsibility a nation must exhibit to use it is obviously great. Fukashima proved this in spades and has set back the industry greatly. While the US Navy ( the ones who really brought it to the public) is the stalwart example of how to operate accident free, their ways are not conducive to enterprises whom seek profit.

On a side note, I am shocked to see this thread is still kicking. 5 dollar gas never came, even though it seemed like it was right around the corner. Well I put my money where my mouth was and dumped a ton of cash into National Oilwell Varco's stock (NOV) - they deal with oil/gas industry and are a global player in that game. If oil isn't going anywhere, than I stand to do well with this investment.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

unh_hockey said:
In my opinion, it would be prudent for the USA to pursue other courses of action. One would be to recycle and use spent fuel rather than squander it. I couldn't tell you how to process the fuel and make the transuranic's useful, but I am sure that they would produce energy - more than green energy sources for sure. The next would be to continue researching thorium breeder reactors. Its a different style when compared to most of our enriched Uranium reactors ( but just so long as its not a graphite moderated reactor with 200+ control rods, we should be all set). From what I understand, you need another fissile material such as U or Plutonium to start the reaction, but it is sustainable with thorium. I still believe that nuclear power is a key to the future, and while not perfect, it solves many of the problems we now face. The level of responsibility a nation must exhibit to use it is obviously great. Fukashima proved this in spades and has set back the industry greatly. While the US Navy ( the ones who really brought it to the public) is the stalwart example of how to operate accident free, their ways are not conducive to enterprises whom seek profit.

On a side note, I am shocked to see this thread is still kicking. 5 dollar gas never came, even though it seemed like it was right around the corner. Well I put my money where my mouth was and dumped a ton of cash into National Oilwell Varco's stock (NOV) - they deal with oil/gas industry and are a global player in that game. If oil isn't going anywhere, than I stand to do well with this investment.
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Actually, in some places, it did for a couple months. I know that I predicted prices to shoot up in April, but I suppose not. Looks as if we've pretty much stabilized.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

Hmm...politics can be really strange sometimes.

So Mary Landrieu (D-LA) suddenly wants the Senate to vote on the Keystone pipeline. Some might suggest that she is trying desperately to hold onto her Senate seat in advance of the pending runoff election, as the pipeline has lots of support in Louisiana.

and so the House immediately put forward a bill for a vote to approve the pipeline. The bill's sponsor: Rep Bill Cassidy (R-LA)....her opponent in that election.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

Wasn't gas supposed to be like $13 by now because of the Black Communist Muslin?
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

Kepler said:
Wasn't gas supposed to be like $13 by now because of the Black Communist Muslin?
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Yes. AND my favorite part of the whole thing is he's the first President in history NOT to benefit from low gas prices. It's amazing.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

ScoobyDoo said:
Yes. AND my favorite part of the whole thing is he's the first President in history NOT to benefit from low gas prices. It's amazing.
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would it because each of his policies, if enacted, would have lead to higher prices? Thank god for hydraulic fracturing?

I was told that $13 gas was morally right... is it? or not?
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

Patman said:
would it because each of his policies, if enacted, would have lead to higher prices? Thank god for hydraulic fracturing?

I was told that $13 gas was morally right... is it? or not?
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You guys have a top to spin on every subject don't you? I should know that from watching Cheney being interviewed.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

Kepler said:
Wasn't gas supposed to be like $13 by now because of the Black Communist Muslin?
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I thought Pat Robertson said $300 oil. He did get the other two right, though: $1900/oz gold happened, and this country is becoming a socialist wasteland.
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

In 2012 the Tories warned us: if you want to see a drop to 6% unemployment and $2.50 gas, vote for Romney. Mm-hmm
 
Re: 5 dollar gas...are we ready?

FlagDUDE08 said:
I thought Pat Robertson said $300 oil. He did get the other two right, though: $1900/oz gold happened, and this country is becoming a socialist wasteland.
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you moron, the US is a capitalist dream. Why do you think the 1% is doing so well?
 
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