Readers Write: No practical solutions to replace fossil fuel use

The Island Now

Let us assume that global warming and climate change are real. 

Thus, the requirement to eventually eliminate coal, oil and gas from our lives.

However,we need power  every second of  every day.  My questions are:  How long will  it take for solar, wind, ocean waves, etc. to provide the necessary daily requirements of our nations  energy  needs?   

Where will the wind turbines be located  in our country?

How many solar panels will be needed and how much area will be needed on roofs of homes, on top of buildings, in open space, etc. 

Who will build the machinery, how long will it take to develop and then be put in the oceans to generate electricity?  And how will each of the sources of energy be linked to our existing grid? 

Will micro grids take up some of the slack of substituting for the elimination of fossil fuels? Will the number of jobs being created in these new energy sources exceed the number of jobs being lost in the fossil fuel arena?

While the angst continues here in America, the Europeans are delighted that we have an excess of gas. 

Why, you ask? A little international intrigue is taking place.

This headline in The Wall Street Journal on 2/16/16: “Europe’s energy escape valve: U.S. gas,” Gulf Coast exports are expected to loose Russia’s grip on the market.”

Wow! While we argue here in the U.S., the article stated: “An American company left a Louisiana port this week with the first major exports of U.S. liquefied natural gas, or LNG. 

Like shale, gas was a game-changer in the U.S.,American gas exports could be a game changer for Europe. 

Many in Europe see U.S. entry into the market as part of a broader effort to challenge Russian domination of energy supplies and prices in this part of the world. 

Moscow has for year used its giant energy reserves as a strategic tool to influence former satellite countries…”

Wow! America is taking on Putin on his own turf. Russia is hurting economically due to the decrease in energy prices and this LNG effort isn’t going to help this dictator. 

Check this out. 

Russia supplies about a third of Europe’s gas via pipeline. Not anymore, Putin: “Deutsche Bank estimates the U.S could catch up with Russia as Europe’s biggest gas supplier within a decade, with each nation controlling around a fifth of the market.” 

More jobs saved in America.

However, all the news is not good. The Wall Street Journal on 2/25/16 : “Energy companies have cut more than 300,000 jobs worldwide since mid-2014…at least 48

 North American oil and gas producers have filed for bankruptcy protection since the beginning of 2015 imperiling more than $17 billion in debt.” And “Saudi Arabia’s refusal to cut output could bankrupt as many as half of all shale producers.” 

This worldwide energy chess game is not for the faint of heart. We are messing with the Russians and the Saudis are doing the same to us. Stay tuned.

I have to put in a word for our engineers who are attempting to take advantage of the “free” energy from our sun. Did you know that the sun, in a single week produces 1,000 times the energy of oil, natural gas and coal does in a full year combined?

A solar company that they claims it has perfected a method of capturing the sun rays in windows producing 50 times greater energy than rooftop panels and even works in the shade. 

I bet there are many engineers and entrepreneurs doing similar activities  in sun, oil, gas and nuclear areas and some will fail and some will be successful. 

That’s  capitalism.

Going back to climate change and global warming. I bet this subject will be around during my grandchildren’s lifetimes. 

There will be naysayers who will point to the ice ages and those who rely on computer models with an infinite amount of data assumptions that “prove” their points.

Me, I believe Mother Nature [with a God?] will do Earth just fine in the billions of years left in the energy in our sun.

John Messina

East Williston

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