Renewable energy - Thoughts?

[viper37]

Carbon taxes are problematic for a couple of reasons:

1) Unless you live in a jurisdiction that has hydro power (like the paradise which is British Columbia) you will probably always need to rely on some form of carbon based generation.  The problem is that the power needs to be generated when it is required.  If you have a wind farm that generates power in off peak periods that is not going to help you very much.  As a result a carbon tax will simply make energy more expensive without solving the problem.

easy.  You import electricity from places wich produces clean energy.  BC would make millions.  Quebec would see millions in the streets protesting about neo-liberalism and destruction of our rivers.

2)  Because of the lack of certainty of supply associated with many alternative energy sources they need to be subsidized in some manner in order to make them economically feasible.  I have heard carbon tax advocates argue that the money generated by the tax should pay for such a subsidy which of course raises the concern JR wants to avoid by just putting the revenue into general revenue.  But then who is going to invest in an uncertain power supply?

the problem of many renewable energy sources is that they are misused.  Wind mills (sorry, turbines )are a good example.  They are great as a complementary energy source, bas as main source of power.  Green lobby pushes for wind turbines, so we build wind turbines as main source and sell electricity at loss.

But, if you build wind turbines as complementary to a river dam, you'll reduce the cost of your projects.  Without subsidies.

[merithyn]

But, if you build wind turbines as complementary to a river dam, you'll reduce the cost of your projects.  Without subsidies.

I was thinking that a 30/30/30/10 wind/solar/nuclear/fossil fuels split would work well.

[Admiral Yi]

Agree with Joan.

[Eddie Teach]

Renewable energy - Thoughts?

I'm in favor. 

[derspiess]

Agree with Joan.

How do you calculate an appropriate carbon tax?

[Admiral Yi]

How do you calculate an appropriate carbon tax?

You could either hire some egghead from MIT to model electricity supply and demand or you could ask Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to do it.

[derspiess]

How do you calculate an appropriate carbon tax?

You could either hire some egghead from MIT to model electricity supply and demand or you could ask Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to do it.

Okay.

[Valmy]

Most of this solar panel and "bio mass" () BS has just been a great way to corrupt away a lot of government money. The ROI rate on them is shitty enough even with subsidies, AFAIK

Solar is great for certain applications....but mostly for off-grid needs.  Sure beats storing tons of Deisel fuel or whatever.

I like natural gas supplemented by wind and hydro to be the mainstay of our energy use in the short term along with energy efficiency.  Fuel is a huge yoke the economy has to bear so continuing to try to get electricity to supplement fuel use is good as well.

So I guess for the Feds we are talking about incentives for hydro and wind farms when reasonably applicable and regulations and incentives for fuel efficient transportation.  Also  R&D money for alternative fuels and energy and so forth.

Solar should be left to local communities and States to supplement and develop as it stands now...except for applications where the Feds actually are using it themselves like for the military or whatever.

[Phillip V]

Drill for more natural gas and oil. Build the pipelines. Allow the exportation of American liquefied natural gas. Build nuclear power plants again.

Remove tariffs on Chinese wind and solar products.

[Valmy]

Remove tariffs on Chinese wind and solar products.

Do we even have a good industry for these?  It seemed like the Germans, Japanese, and Chinese dominate in these products.

[derspiess]

Drill for more natural gas and oil. Build the pipelines. Allow the exportation of American liquefied natural gas. Build nuclear power plants again.

Remove tariffs on Chinese wind and solar products.

Now we're talking.

[Valmy]

Now we're talking.

Yeah natural gas is the key.  I think Nukes are dead though, at least for awhile.

[Phillip V]

Now we're talking.

Yeah natural gas is the key.  I think Nukes are dead though, at least for awhile.

Sexy ad campaign, positive speeches from leaders, and ban on nuclear shit-talking from schoolteachers.

[merithyn]

Drill for more natural gas and oil. Build the pipelines. Allow the exportation of American liquefied natural gas. Build nuclear power plants again.

Remove tariffs on Chinese wind and solar products.

None of that is actually renewable. 

[Admiral Yi]

Do we even have a good industry for these?  It seemed like the Germans, Japanese, and Chinese dominate in these products.

Seems to me wind turbines get built in the US by subsidiaries of foreign companies.  One up the road from me is Spanish owned.

I imagine it's cost-prohibitive to ship wind turbines because the parts are so fucking gigantor.