The Future of Energy

[JohnDBarrow]

There is a finite quantity of fossil fuels and materials to produce nuclear energy on Planet Earth. It's only a question of how long before the world takes renewable energy dead serious. It's not a question of if but of when.

 

Should governments now mandate EV manufacture and use? 

Is EV manufacture and use now mandated in your nation? 

Should energy production, distribution and consumption be driven solely by markets? 

 

In the United States of America, the GOP policy on energy now is "drill, baby, drill". That is extract crude oil and natural gas on American soil to the fullest extent possible and even export these fossil fuels worldwide to strengthen the American economy. The GOP is not too keen now on continuing to push or advance renewable energy. 

 

I sit in my home right now in central Iowa. It is near zero outside this morning in late January of 2025 AD. I'm cozy in my bedroom right now with the electric space heater running. I'm totally grid dependent. I gather the electricity off my meter comes, at least mostly, from fossil fuel sources.  I sit and wonder what folks in central Iowa will do 200, 500 or 1,000 years from now. Will they have renewable energy for home heat? Will it be wood burned in the hearth or wood stove? Will it be electricity from renewable sources? 
 

Edited yesterday at 01:44 PM by JohnDBarrow

[swansont]

!

Moderator Note

Moved to politics. Please post items in the appropriate section

 

[exchemist]

1 hour ago, JohnDBarrow said:

There is a finite quantity of fossil fuels and materials to produce nuclear energy on Planet Earth. It's only a question of how long before the world takes renewable energy dead serious. It's not a question of if but of when.

 

Should governments now mandate EV manufacture and use? 

Is EV manufacture and use now mandated in your nation? 

Should energy production, distribution and consumption be driven solely by markets? 

 

In the United States of America, the GOP policy on energy now is "drill, baby, drill". That is extract crude oil and natural gas on American soil to the fullest extent possible and even export these fossil fuels worldwide to strengthen the American economy. The GOP is not too keen now on continuing to push or advance renewable energy. 

 

I sit in my home right now in central Iowa. It is near zero outside this morning in late January of 2025 AD. I'm cozy in my bedroom right now with the electric space heater running. I'm totally grid dependent. I gather the electricity off my meter comes, at least mostly, from fossil fuel sources.  I sit and wonder what folks in central Iowa will do 200, 500 or 1,000 years from now. Will they have renewable energy for home heat? Will it be wood burned in the hearth or wood stove? Will it be electricity from renewable sources? 
 

Yawn. Haven’t you already done this, Mr. Sealion? 

[Phi for All]

1 hour ago, JohnDBarrow said:

In the United States of America, the GOP policy on energy now is "drill, baby, drill". That is extract crude oil and natural gas on American soil to the fullest extent possible and even export these fossil fuels worldwide to strengthen the American economy. The GOP is not too keen now on continuing to push or advance renewable energy. 

The GOP has worked hard to keep Americans ignorant and uneducated, especially about oil and gas production. Few average citizens understand it and I think the Republicans count on that. Did the price of gas come down when US companies were fracking shale at home? I didn't see it.

Why doesn't it "strengthen the American economy" to refine oil from other countries? Our refineries still get paid, still make a profit. 

I think a lot of the GOP stance on renewable energy is because they never want to admit they did the wrong thing and now have to fix it. Climate change, racism, sexism,  these are all things Republicans don't want to acknowledge as the fault of humanity. 

[JohnDBarrow]

16 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

The GOP has worked hard to keep Americans ignorant and uneducated, especially about oil and gas production. Few average citizens understand it and I think the Republicans count on that. Did the price of gas come down when US companies were fracking shale at home? I didn't see it.

Why doesn't it "strengthen the American economy" to refine oil from other countries? Our refineries still get paid, still make a profit. 

I think a lot of the GOP stance on renewable energy is because they never want to admit they did the wrong thing and now have to fix it. Climate change, racism, sexism,  these are all things Republicans don't want to acknowledge as the fault of humanity. 

President Trump made me believe that "drill, baby, drill" means cheap energy bills and cheap gasoline for me, the American consumer.  Who really benefits from "drill, baby, drill"?  It's probably a lot cheaper to drill than frack. 

Edited 23 hours ago by JohnDBarrow

[exchemist]

6 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

President Trump made me believe that "drill, baby, drill" means cheap energy bills and cheap gasoline for me, the American consumer.  Who really benefits from "drill, baby ,drill" ?

People like you, because it enables you to hop up and down with comical glee that Trump is socking it to the libtard scientists who warn the world about the need for action to arrest climate change.

But it won’t make your oh-so-important gasol-een prices lower.😁

Edited 23 hours ago by exchemist

[swansont]

1 minute ago, JohnDBarrow said:

President Trump made me believe that "drill, baby, drill" means cheap energy bills and cheap gasoline for me, the American consumer. 

That’s on you. Do you really think prices will drop? Oil companies will export oil if it’s more profitable to do so, limiting any benefit, as long as demand is high. Any steps limiting EV production and bolstering gasoline-powered cars will ensure that.

1 minute ago, JohnDBarrow said:

Who really benefits from "drill, baby ,drill" ?

Oil companies.

[JohnDBarrow]

4 minutes ago, swansont said:

That’s on you. Do you really think prices will drop? Oil companies will export oil if it’s more profitable to do so, limiting any benefit, as long as demand is high. Any steps limiting EV production and bolstering gasoline-powered cars will ensure that.

Oil companies.

Gasoline prices were as low as $1.21/gallon where I was living under Trump's watch in 2020. 

[swansont]

Just now, JohnDBarrow said:

Gasoline prices were as low as $1.21/gallon where I was living under Trump's watch in 2020. 

And what else was going on in 2020, that affected demand?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

[Phi for All]

6 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

Gasoline prices were as low as $1.21/gallon where I was living under Trump's watch in 2020. 

You CAN'T be that obtuse, I refuse to believe anyone can!

"I love the poorly educated!" -- TFG

[JohnDBarrow]

What I need to do is seek out the leading think tank authority on world energy. Do any people here place any credibility as to what think tanks say? 

Who is the number one think tank on energy today? 

[exchemist]

5 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

What I need to do is seek out the leading think tank authority on world energy. Do any people here place any credibility as to what think tanks say? 

Who is the number one think tank on energy today? 

One of the best-informed and most reliable sources is the International Energy Agency (IEA) but it may not be parochial enough for someone like you. 

[JohnDBarrow]

I wonder what energy think tank President Trump subscribes to. 

 

I have just looked at one webinar on YouTube by IEA. It seems like the economy is the main driver in world energy. Consumers will seek the least expensive alternatives for energy regardless how clean, dirty, safe or unsafe the various energy sources are. 

 

I drive a 1995 Toyota Corolla pure-combustible-fuels-powered automobile that is still highly reliable and achieves 30+ on the highway still. This car is running on 10% renewable energy right now: 10% grade Ethanol gasoline with ingredients from Iowa corn. You see pictures of yellow ears of corn right on local gas pumps here and the slogan: Clean energy for Iowa. I paid $2,300 for this car back in 2013. I am disabled and live in a semi-rural community with limited to no bus service. I am highly car dependent. There is no cheaper alternative to this automobile than I can think of. My senior apartment complex, built new in 2022, doesn't even make provisions for plugging in tenants' EV's here anyway. Our central heating system uses heat pump technology. 

Edited 20 hours ago by JohnDBarrow

[TheVat]

1 hour ago, JohnDBarrow said:

I wonder what energy think tank President Trump subscribes to. 

 

LMAO!  Whew.  (wipes eyes, blows nose)

Anyway, I would recommend this think tank:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMI_(energy_organization)

RMI, formerly known as the Rocky Mountain Institute, is a think tank in the United States co-founded by Amory Lovins^[3] dedicated to research, publication, consulting, and lecturing in the field of sustainability, with a focus on profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. The Rocky Mountain Institute was established in 1982^[4] and has grown into a broad-based institution with over 600 staff and an annual budget of $120+ million. RMI's work is independent and non-adversarial, with an emphasis on market-based solutions.

[Phi for All]

1 hour ago, JohnDBarrow said:

I am disabled and live in a semi-rural community with limited to no bus service.

Outside of TFG's energy policy, he plans on cutting Medicaid and disability programs. Project 2025 plans on putting the disabled into institutions, like they did in the 50s. I'm a step ahead of a wheelchair myself, and we'll get no love from this administration. OTOH, you won't be in the community anymore, so they'll take your car away since you won't need it. Energy problem solved!

I do worry what these institutions will be like without the protections of the ACA, should he be able to strip that away from Americans. And of course, students with disabilities are going to suffer too. There are going to be massive cuts to all non-defense programs, really. I sure wish we could have gotten you some bus service in your area. Hopefully, the Biden Infrastructure funding did some good in your part of Iowa.

[JohnDBarrow]

26 minutes ago, Phi for All said:

Outside of TFG's energy policy, he plans on cutting Medicaid and disability programs. Project 2025 plans on putting the disabled into institutions, like they did in the 50s. I'm a step ahead of a wheelchair myself, and we'll get no love from this administration. OTOH, you won't be in the community anymore, so they'll take your car away since you won't need it. Energy problem solved!

I do worry what these institutions will be like without the protections of the ACA, should he be able to strip that away from Americans. And of course, students with disabilities are going to suffer too. There are going to be massive cuts to all non-defense programs, really. I sure wish we could have gotten you some bus service in your area. Hopefully, the Biden Infrastructure funding did some good in your part of Iowa.

I am an American Veteran, however.  I don't think the GOP will axe Veteran's benefits. I had to vote for Trump/GOP to protect my guns including my Colt Carbine 5.56 (AR-15 clone). 

[Phi for All]

51 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

 I don't think the GOP will axe Veteran's benefits.

According to Project 2025, they'll be diluting the efficiency of those funds by bringing in "private sector input", which simply means middlemen looking to profit from your benefits. They don't need to "axe" them to make them less than they need to be.

[pzkpfw]

2 hours ago, JohnDBarrow said:

I am an American Veteran, however.  I don't think the GOP will axe Veteran's benefits. I had to vote for Trump/GOP to protect my guns including my Colt Carbine 5.56 (AR-15 clone). 

That's because you fell for the trick.

Single issue parties exist all over. In my country we have "legalise cannabis" and "animals first" for example. In the U.S., the republicans have made an art of cobbling together a bunch * of single issues that each are enough to push a block of voters to vote for them, looking the other way on other issues.

Each of those issues held up by lies. The Democrats were never going to come take all the guns away from everyone. Meanwhile, surveys show a larger % of Americans support sensible gun laws than the % (of voters that voted) that voted for Trump.

 

(* edit to add - perhaps slightly joined by a common thread of "oh no! change!")

Edited 15 hours ago by pzkpfw

[swansont]

2 hours ago, JohnDBarrow said:

I am an American Veteran, however.  I don't think the GOP will axe Veteran's benefits.

Too late. He’s already declared a federal hiring freeze, which impacts the VA, though some democrats in the senate are trying to have the VA exempted https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-01-23-Letter-to-POTUS-on-VA-hiring-freeze.pdf

 

2 hours ago, JohnDBarrow said:

I had to vote for Trump/GOP to protect my guns including my Colt Carbine 5.56 (AR-15 clone). 

Because Biden took them away?

[JohnDBarrow]

30 minutes ago, swansont said:

Too late. He’s already declared a federal hiring freeze, which impacts the VA, though some democrats in the senate are trying to have the VA exempted https://www.ossoff.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-01-23-Letter-to-POTUS-on-VA-hiring-freeze.pdf

 

Because Biden took them away?

Harris was a threat to my guns I was told.  Trump is also protecting the southern border against those evil cartels. Those wetbacks have come into America to murder children.  The VA has the MISSION Act so that Vets can choose private healthcare providers in the community to be paid for by the VA. 

Edited 15 hours ago by JohnDBarrow

[swansont]

10 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

Harris was a threat to my guns I was told.  Trump is also protecting the southern border against those evil cartels. Those wetbacks have come into America to murder children.  

I think you can take your racist, ignorant ass elsewhere.

[TheVat]

2 minutes ago, JohnDBarrow said:

Harris was a threat to them I was told. 

Flying squirrels eat children's testicles.  They evolved on the Moon and migrated to Earth during the French Revolution in hermetically sealed coconuts.

Now that you've been told, I'm assuming we in the Moon Squirrel Threat Mitigation Party can count on your future vote.  

[JohnDBarrow]

8 minutes ago, TheVat said:

Flying squirrels eat children's testicles.  They evolved on the Moon and migrated to Earth during the French Revolution in hermetically sealed coconuts.

Now that you've been told, I'm assuming we in the Moon Squirrel Threat Mitigation Party can count on your future vote.  

I was told about Harris' anti-gun policy from Gun Owners of America, Inc, a credible source.  Harris was also for more Red Flag confiscation laws, taking guns way without due process. 

 

VP Kamala Harris Becomes Biden’s ‘Gun Czar’ As War On Second Amendment Goes In Overdrive | GOA

 

I don't believe in "gun violence". Guns are NOT violent. 

 

 

[Sensei]

10 hours ago, JohnDBarrow said:

Those wetbacks have come into America to murder children.

Your in-coherency is astonishing..

American children are mainly murdered by other American children with the weapons you demand be freely available to everybody as a federal right. You can have a pistol or a machine gun, and you can't buy beer - what nonsense!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mass_shootings_in_the_United_States_in_2024

Edited 5 hours ago by Sensei