Posted on 06/15/2008 8:12:08 AM PDT by kellynla
France derives over 75% of its electricity from nuclear energy. This is due to a long-standing policy based on energy security.
France is the world's largest net exporter of electricity due to its very low cost of generation, and gains over EUR 3 billion per year from this.
France has been very active in developing nuclear technology. Reactors and fuel products and services are a major export.
France has 59 nuclear reactors operated by Electricité de France (EdF) with total capacity of over 63 GWe, supplying over 430 billion kWh per year of electricity, 78% of the total generated there. In 2005 French electricity generation was 549 billion kWh net and consumption 482 billion kWh - 7700 kWh per person. Over the last decade France has exported 60-70 billion kWh net each year and EdF expects exports to continue at 65-70 TWh/yr.
The present situation is due to the French government deciding in 1974, just after the first oil shock, to expand rapidly the country's nuclear power capacity. This decision was taken in the context of France having substantial heavy engineering expertise but few indigenous energy resources. Nuclear energy, with the fuel cost being a relatively small part of the overall cost, made good sense in minimising imports and achieving greater energy security.
As a result of the 1974 decision, France now claims a substantial level of energy independence and almost the lowest cost electricity in Europe. It also has an extremely low level of CO2 emissions per capita from electricity generation, since over 90% of its electricity is nuclear or hydro.
Economics 101.
If the government continues to regulate and interfere
with the production and marketing of energy commodities the
supply will farther decrease causing shortages and the
price will go up even more.
Economics 102
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_psup_dc_nus_mbbl_m.htm
“I cannot understand why Obama, Reid, and Pelosi are in any position of power. Are we insane?”
When you have half the population in America dependent on some kind of government assistance; it’s not difficult to “understand” how the “mommy” party continues to rule.
Who says communism is dead.
“Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink.”
P.J. O’Rourke
Drill. Nukes. Coal. Shale. Capacity.
There's the proper energy policy for the US for the next hundred years, in just 5 words.
There is an ocean of oil. There is oil to fill a six mile cube. A six mile cube is apparently an ocean.
They are also unaware that it takes 1.25 gallons of gasoline to produce one gallon of ethanol.
Actually, it's cheaper than regular gas, not to mention cleaner. And if people would tune their engines right, would find it provides more power which makes consumption about equal to regular gas. If E85 was readily available, it would enable engines to be built developing much more power and much better fuel efficiency. We will see hybrids using E85 in the very near future.
You are the one peddling ignorance here.
Pure B.S.
Plus there is the problem of refining capacity, which IS near peak capacity.
Demand is moving no faster than population growth world-wide, and peak argument are hopelessly wrong. Proven reserves are rising faster than demand or use, enough so that known reserves as 10% higher than they were 10 years ago, despite all the use in the meantime. 20% higher with newly recoverable forms, economic at current prices (or even well below them).
I think you’re arguing semantics here. Or perhaps grammar.
“its current price” is referring to oil that is being sold now. Not oil in the ground.
He’s not commenting on the (potential) price of untapped oil. He referring to what would happen to the current market price of oil if more of the untapped (but available) oil was being accessed & produced.
btt
That said, my old trading motto applies: when the public start yammering about ''the price of X is too high (or too low)'', it's time to start looking about for careful ways of fading their 'opinion'. The public -- one way or another, and sooner than later -- are always wrong, and can be (and have been) wrong for quite enormous lengths of time, which of course makes fading them a very useful tactic.
FReegards!
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