Here are a few some very interesting links to December articles from the online version of Scientific American magazine on the future of energy in America concerning:
Obama's future energy policies, the viability of nuclear power, so called 'green collar jobs', and future energy technologies :
1. Obama's First 100 Days
The new president must take bold steps, right away, to tackle the nation's energy challenge
By Shirley Ann Jackson
2. Can Nuclear Power Compete?
Newly approved reactor designs could reduce global warming and fossil-fuel dependence, but utilities are grappling with whether better nukes make market sense
By Matthew L. Wald
3. Green-Collar Jobs--The Future of the Global Workplace
Investing now in clean energy technology will create millions of jobs and lifelong careers
By Jerome Ringo
4. The U.S. Needs to Lead in Clean Tech
Steve Mirsky talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Thomas L. Friedman on how green technology can save the world economy
By Steve Mirsky and Thomas L. Friedman
Our nation is in a scary state of affairs. There seems to be no end in site. Every day there is more news of thousands upon thousands more workers being laid off. Of those who still have their job most have seen their hours cut back due to budget issues. Those who still own their small business have let to let most if not all of their employees go and run it solo. The high cost of fuel and it's trickle down effect trickle on. The higher cost of production and shipping has been passed on to us in higher costs at the check out. Let me ask you something, have you seen the price of groceries come back down since gas did?...NO! Our elec. company raised our rates 16% ...ouch, on top of everything else. Now they announce a 4% reduction..what happened to the other 12%? I am surrounded by a sea of people losing their homes in my area of the country, (S FL) It just amazes me how little credit media has given the high cost of gas this past year to the sorry state of our economy. Freddie and Fannie have taken the blame for the whole economy. As soon as gas is under 2.00 a gallon it becomes a non issue. News casters seem baffled as to why holiday travel is way down even though it was expected to be bustling due to lower gas prices. Hellooooo. We are still broke from last year.
ReplyDeleteWhile we allow ourselves to be lulled into a false sense of security OPEC is planning their next round of production cuts to raise the price per barrel back up to 80.00. We spent 168 BILLION on the last economic stimulus package, it did NOTHING to simulate our economy. Why not use some of these bailout billions on getting some alternative energy projects up and going. I just read a fascinating book called The Manhattan Project of 2009 by Jeff Wilson. http://www.themanhattnaprojectof2009.com If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drivetrains, the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.WE must move forward with energy independence. We have the knowledge, we have the technology, what America lacks is a plan. He walks you through every aspect of oil, what it is used for besides gas, our depletion of it. The worlds increased need i.e. 3rd world countries becoming more modernized and consuming more. He explains alternative energy sources and what role they can play to replace oil. His research is backed up with hard data and even includes a time frame and proposed legislative agendas to wean America off oil.
Let me recommend Nobel Prize winner, George Olah's book ( G. Olah, A. Goeppert, and G. Prakash, (2006) Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy, Wiley-VCH Verlang, Weinheim, Germany)
ReplyDeleteIts just an excellent resource for any discussion of nuclear, renewable, and fossil fuel economies.