The Truth About Farm Subsidies

[javaguru]

The US doesn't have enough coal for energy production in any regard. Most of the coal people quote as "enough for blah blah blah years" is only useful for metallurgic purposes, which is why we import so much already.

No there is no other form of energy as dense as oil, no there are no viable alternatives which provide for our current lifestyles. Fertilizer comes largely from natural gas inputs.

Basically, if hydrocarbons didn't exist we would have had to invent them to create the current boom in technology and lifestyle....I'm a Star Trek science nerd hoping for a better future but I've also taken enough science and math classes to understand that our current lifestyle can't be salvaged by 15th century windmill technology or solar...To quote Scotty, "You cannot change the laws of physics" and hydrocarbons are cheap and energy rich compared to the alternatives.

 

[javaguru]

The deisel engine was invented to run on vegetable oil. No reason high HP farm equipment can't run that way, even if it's not the most efficient option. I'm just saying our power is going to come from coal and cars will be electric. We have the technology to do it today and the cost will come down with mass production.

There are other options for fertilizer besides oil as well, just going to cost more. No need to convert coal to oil.

You cannot change the laws of physics...

Hydrocarbons are the most cost effective form of energy. Research has shown that ethanol and other plant based fuels aren't cost effective and produce more CO2 emissions with their production than they save as a fuel additive.

 

[nydj66]

You cannot change the laws of physics...

Hydrocarbons are the most cost effective form of energy. Research has shown that ethanol and other plant based fuels aren't cost effective and produce more CO2 emissions with their production than they save as a fuel additive.

I have said that using those other forms of energy would be less efficient which implies that it would cost more and reduce our standard of living.

However, I still maintain that's the direction we will go in. Also, there will be an efficiency gain when all the 10% efficiency internal combustion engines are off the roads and energy is generated via steam turbines. That will reduce CO2 emissions.

 

[javaguru]

I have said that using those other forms of energy would be less efficient which implies that it would cost more and reduce our standard of living.

However, I still maintain that's the direction we will go in. Also, there will be an efficiency gain when all the 10% efficiency internal combustion engines are off the roads and energy is generated via steam turbines. That will reduce CO2 emissions.

Whatever source of energy we use should be determined by the market and not the Feds...I know Barry points to China as the future leader in clean energy, a PR stunt, but they bring a dirty coal plant online every week to fuel the consumerism of the west...lol.

 

[mrplunkey]

Whatever source of energy we use should be determined by the market and not the Feds...I know Barry points to China as the future leader in clean energy, a PR stunt, but they bring a dirty coal plant online every week to fuel the consumerism of the west...lol.

China's not leading clean energy anywhere. There are fossil-fueled plants going up everywhere. I'm pretty sure power plants (complete with cooling towers) with 3-5 very high smokestacks aren't solar farms.