maniclion

I envision triple range solar homes that will use UV, visible and IR light in various ways. They have found a thin film nano-carbon pv substrate mixed with titanium oxide(white paint pigment) that can get power from the UV spectrum, a winter home could be painted with this and sunlight directly hitting it and indirectly bouncing off the snow would be turned into energy, then what little visible light could be used and any ir light could also be captured using cells made for that. Also any thermal energy lost could be recaptured and heat pipes running through the floor of the home could help heat it. There are so many awesome things coming out right now I have faith that it will all work out....

danzik17

Well even though I'm not out of college, I'm planning all of this crazy shit to do when I buy a house. It's not that I'm an off the grid nut, I just think doing projects like that is freaking awesome.

I'm also going to build an automated self-watering garden

Ron Paul 2008

Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

DaMayor

Oil .

Big Smoothy

It's not enough. Not enough at all.

The US imports 60% of its oil.

Worldwide demand for oil has increased, in large part because of China, India, and other foreign nations' economic growth. Demand has also increased because of America's economic growth.

At the same time, oil output - production - barrels produced - has actually decreased.


The recent finds in the Canadian Oil Sands, and the Shale Oil in the Dakotas will not have an impact. It's too expensive to extract.

Where I am from, the average price of a gallon of gasoline is around $3.50.

We will see $4.00 per gallon gas within the next couple of years, at the most.

$5 dollars per gallon will also happen.

dg806

I paid 3.49 this past weekend. $4 will hit before summer.
With ever increasing demand and limited production capability, I think WWIII has already started and we just haven't realized it yet.

www.sbmuscle.com

Big Smoothy

Yeah, dg806, $4 per gallon is coming soon.

On you belief in WWIII starting, how do you mean?

Economic war? Military?

There may possibly be intense competition for the oil between nations, as production output continues to decline, worldwide.

danzik17

No WWIII is not starting right now. I can foresee a conflict arising between Russia, USA, and Canada over territory rights in the Arctic though.

Ron Paul 2008

Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

Big Smoothy

There will be a dispute over the gas and minerals there, I agree with that.

As for Peak Oil, the people in the industry, and governmental leaders have known about this for a while. Now, the public is becoming aware, and feeling the effects.

Rising diesel fuel costs, cause increases in price on everything from foodstuffs, to cosmetics, to pharmaceuticals, to....you name it.

What is happening now, is not a short term anomaly, but will be the norm for years to come, IMO.

dg806

Well, it will be a war of economics yes. Why are we in Iraq? Oil. We want to secure the oil so we can continue our current lifestyle. As soon as we cannot continue our lifestyle and other countries cannot have theirs or continue to grow, what do you think will happen? We will be fighting to control these oil countries for their oil so we can live. Basically what is going on now. We won't be out of Iraq for a long time, I believe never. And it will only get worse as time goes on. Conflicts will continue to rise and grow over oil and the whole world will be fighting over it.

www.sbmuscle.com

Big Smoothy

Good points, dg806,

I've been reading a lot about peak oil theory from the industry analysts and the geologists, lately. Not environmentalists. But scientists, geologist, and life-long oil industry folks. Even the executives of the Super 6 Oil Companies.

A good site for articles, forum, vids, research and posts area at:

The Oil Drum | Discussions about Energy and Our Future

and many other sites.


K.M. Hubbert

Matthew Simmons,

and other industry people.

What surprises me (well, not really) is that the US government and other governments have kept the concept of Peak Oil in Saudi, and the world, quiet.


But the word is getting out.....

maniclion

When I'm sitting here quoting guys 1 to 2.5 million dollar solar electric systems and they aren't even flinching, you know things must be crazy....

And when the oil companies are paying hundreds of mill. to fund more and more these off shore oil rigs you know it's getting desperate, plus the shortage of drilling equipment causes prices to rise....

Round and round we go when it'll stop nobody knows but we best be getting ready for it or we'll be dead in the water without a paddle.....

maniclion

You know I was thinking of all the little bitty wastes of energy we have everyday. When you flush a toilet that flow of water could run a small hydro-turbine and make some offset of electricity as well as the drainage of water down showers, sink and raingutters. After you cook in the oven it just sits there with all the heat just dissipating into your Air-Conned home during the warm month's why not run some water pipes within and have a valve that cycles water through once you're done cooking so you can offset the hot water used to wash the dishes? All the people in gyms burning off calories could run on stair climbers or peddle those cycles and use it to put electricity into the grid or offset what the tread-mill people are using. I could probably think of another hundred little ways that could add up......

Prince

I used to think it was about oil, but I don't think so anymore, because based on the amount of money the war is going to end up costing us (about $1 Trillion) all of Iraq's oil on a free platter would not equate to that....so I am not sure anymore what it's about.

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DOMS

Maybe Bush was dumb enough to think that he could create some great legacy of himself by bringing democracy to the Arabs?

danzik17

"We've been trying for 2000 years but hell, I'm the one that can do it. No problem!"

Ron Paul 2008

Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

brogers

Should have brought more B-52s instead (over Mecca).

maniclion

It's not just Iraq's oil, it's a secure route for pipelines rather than through Syria, Jordan. Iran, Etc.....from the Caspian sources bypassing Russia as well why do you think we went after Afghanistan too....both great routes to more friendly areas....

"The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that Uzbekistan sits on large oil and natural gas reserves but faces challenges in getting those reserves to world markets. Uzbekistan is reluctant to export its resources through Russian-controlled pipelines, and so must seek to obtain capital and political support for pipelines either through Iran or through Turkey........"

lnvanry

its not just about control who buys the rights to the oil and where its distributed....another factor that is equally as important is the fact that Iraqi oil will traded in petrodollars instead of what Saddam had planned to do, trade in petroeuros.

This increases the demand for the USD, therefore, increasing the price of the USD...which allows for my gov't spending. It also requires countries to keep larger USD currency reserves. There is a large monetary aspect that gets overlooked in most discussions.

dg806

I see your point, but I don't think money is the issue here. We don't have enough oil right now and will have to secure it somewhere at any cost to continue our lifestyle. Without Oil, right now our country's economy will crumble.

www.sbmuscle.com

Big Smoothy

Here's a quote from Wolfowitz:

Whether he truly believed this, or was using it as a selling point, or both, we don't know.

Lawrence Lindsey, a senior GWB economic adviser, was the "oil point man" before the invasion. He gave many speeches on a speaking tour, noting the oil could pay for the cost.

Cheney gave a speech in 1999 noting the decline in production output of oil. It can be found via google.

But, back to peak oil: Iraq won't make a difference, if and when Iraq can ever gets it's oil output up to its capacity.

The demand is too great, and increasing substantially, worldwide.

maniclion

$113 a bbl and rising....

danzik17

Need to start on renewable energy or it will be too late in a few years.

Ron Paul 2008

Journal: Boom goes the dynamite

maniclion

My gf just went to the bank yesterday to see about getting a loan for $100,000 to recondition our home for energy efficiency, get a solar water heating system, a solar electric system and a Hybrid SUV....

If the feds don't extend the soon to expire renewables tax credit of 30% w/ $2000 cap before the end of this year they will kill the renewables market in all but California and Hawaii. A lot of companies will go under and then trying to get companies to sign on after that will be very hard because they will see the how risky it is to run a business on unstable tax credits. It'll take a decade or longer until the foul taste of the 2009 renewables bust has been diluted and by then it'll be way too late.....
Email, phone, stalk your senators and reps, tell them that renewable energy is not only for the good of the environment but also national security and the economy......

NeilPearson

Solar energy has been growing on an exponential scale decades:

Eco-Economy Indicators: World Sales of Solar Cells Jump 31 Percent - Data

The Mega watts generated from solar took from 1970 to 1998 to get from 0 to 153. Then in only 2 years it was at 288. Then another doubling 2 years later. It still isn't a lot but if you understand exponential growth, you can see how this could easily overtake fossil fuels.

Fast Solar Energy Industry Facts

"Solar Energy demand has grown at about 25% per annum over the past 15 years (hydrocarbon energy demand typically grows between 0-2% per annum)."

If you do the math at the conservative rate of 25%, solar overtakes all other energy sources combined in 2046. At 35% which is what we are seeing over the last 8 or so years, it overtakes it in 2034. That is just at todays rates though. Since other enabling technologies are making the rate quicker... I think 2028-2034 is probably a better prediction.