Comment on McCain, Obama and energy

A misperception that has been promulgated is that using clean fuels for electric generation reduces dependence on foreign oil. Petroleum only accounts for 3.5% of US electricity production; about the same as renewables. 98% of US petroleum is used for transportation. We have to convert transportation to other fuels if we want to become energy independent. Conversion to electric cars will be expensive and is not commercially viable today. Converting transportation to natural gas, a domestic fuel, provides a clean road to energy independence in less than 10 years.

Michael McCall @ 6:02 AM PDT, Oct 16, 2008

Its funny to notice how Americans call themselves leaders of the world but in 2008 all they can propose for energy policy is more dirty energy and the continuous destruction of our planet. Wake up from middle ages you live in , and look at Portugal, one of the tiniest countries in Europe and who in 2007 achieved 40% of its electrical needs to be provided by solar, wind and wave turbine technology. Not seiing this is just a reflection of the retarded people you voted for... safe nuclear, clean coal? yeah right! You can only fool yourselves.

Andre @ 4:41 AM PDT, Oct 16, 2008

Today nuclear energy is the most effective, large scale energy source we have developed that does not emit carbon. 30 years ago wild claims were being made about how renewables would take care of all of our energy needs today. Renewable energy advocates have over-promised and under-delivered consistently for three decades. Most commonly, they imply that some vast right wing conspiracy is responsible for this poor performance, rather than fundamentally high costs due to the huge amounts of concrete and steel needed to build systems that harvest very dilute energy sources.

Sam @ 9:16 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

"Crumbling nuclear power plants"??? Where are you coming from?Obviously you have never been in one, and where I happen to be right now. You should visit one and get your facts correct. Radioactive waste and reprocessing are not technological problems, just political ones. The political challenges are due to the reflexive anti-nuclear stance of of organizations and individulas like the editorial board. If you really care about global warming, then there is only one practical solution in existance today. That is the conclusion of rational people.

Dave Moore @ 7:12 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

I'm dumbfouded at the massive ignorance that exists about enerrgy prices and safety. Actually nuclear waste will exist with or without nuclear power plants. Nor does modern nuclear waste present any significant problem - the depleted uranium is so low in energy, anyone who has fears is simply trying to invent dangers. The Europeans already have permanent dump in operation in Scandanavia and elsewhere and have no problem handling the waste. Except in the minds of those who have blocked nuclear power for the past 35 years and caused global warming as a consequence.

Kerry Bradshaw @ 4:36 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

Dear Doctor Kugler. I have a 2.7Kw solar system on the roof of my home in the Palm Springs are. It cost $40,000.00, half paid by Edison. With my power savings my 20K should be paid off in 15 years. Woopee!

RLR @ 3:25 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

No one is talking about the biofuel which can be made from Hemp. They knew it back in the 1930's. Along witht he paper, plastics and cloths we can produce from Hemp, it is evident the good it would do for this Land and Beautiful Planet.

Number 9 @ 2:53 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

I know for a fact that either clean coal or nuclear could work for a hundred years - with the latest technology to reuse and get rid of spent nuclear fuel and have no radiation. But, I'd prefer NG as a bridge to wind, wave and solar. Storage of electrical energy should not be in batteries or heat reserves, but hydrogen. Hydrogen stores energy with no loss and can be used in its native form for fuel without converting back to electric. It's sad that a back room scientist like myself knows more than the experts

Jeff Dunham @ 2:45 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

A. Siegel that is due to the many eruption we have had.Mt Saint Helens spewed out as much CO2 as the entire human existance has in just one small eruption.So blame Volcanoes not man.

Jesse T. @ 2:34 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

What is wrong with getting energy from what we have not from other parts of the world?The refinement of oil is ther Middle East is just as bad for the world as if it is done here.America needs to use every energy source it can and Obamam's plan to tax the 2 major forms of electric generation will only hurt the consumer who those taxes will be passed to.(Basic Business)So I say the More Neuclear the better.One plant can run for many years on a single feul load unlike other type plants that need much feul many times a day.

Jesse T. @ 2:32 PM PDT, Oct 15, 2008

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