American Energy Independence Is A Complete Myth

BusinessInsider.Com ^ | 05/07/2013 | Rob Wile

[DannyTN]

Lots of people think American energy independence is within reach thanks to our shale boom.

...

It's been a long time since producing all your own oil actually made you independent. We spent 40 years transforming global markets so they were integrated and flexible, to give us protection from the vagaries of global oil production, and one of the side effects is we're now part of that, even if we produce all our own oil. ...

[thackney]

Is it possible you are confusing the capacity factor efficiency of nuclear power plants with energy efficiency?

One thing that nuclear power plant excel at is once running, they can normally keep running at or near full power for a long time. That power output versus maximum output is measured as efficiency, but it is not the same as energy conversion efficiency. They are not even related.

Operating at 98% Efficiency, U.S. Nuclear Plants Play Vital Role in Beating Sweltering Heat Wave
http://www.nei.org/newsandevents/newsreleases/operatingat/

Helping Americans to cope during the summer’s most sweltering heat, the nation’s nuclear power plants posted an average daily capacity factor of more than 98 percent during the first two weeks of August.

Capacity factor is a measure of power plant efficiency, measuring the amount of electricity the plant generates compared to the amount it could have produced at continuous full power operation during the same period.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Excellent analysis Bert, and I would only add one little tiny quibble: which is that countries don’t compete as “one entity” on the world stage: individuals and companies compete, so a country’s competitiveness is very elusive to define. So not only is the whole world involved, but billions of entities are involved, not merely dozens or maybe hundreds.

This just makes it way too complicated for anyone to “manage” by way of central planning, and excessive taxation, be it tariffs or dometsic taxation, is a centrally planned way of picking winners and losers.

[bert]

Ha, Ha...... you are of course precisely correct.

I find some humor in the irony that one of my core beliefs is “Companies don’t do business. People do business”

[Pan_Yan]

The site license alone would require 10's of millions of dollars, although future ones would get cheaper.

Once again the only thing preventing this from being feasible is government.

[thackney]

That isn’t the only thing, just the first thing.

Total installed cost for the substation that connects the power plant to local grid might run $2 million.

[DannyTN]

Well I grant you that tariffing exports has a fairness factor to be considered in that applying a new export tariff reduces the value of assets held by American citizens. Though I would argue that total taxes on exports should be at least equivalent to total taxes on domestic sales.

However, I don't think that consideration applies when tariffing imports. Import tariffs should be at least equivalent to the taxes that would have been collected had the product been made in America.

[C. Edmund Wright]

However, I don't think that consideration applies when tariffing imports. Import tariffs should be at least equivalent to the taxes that would have been collected had the product been made in America

Why? That's trying to make an equivalency where one cannot possibly exist. And besides, who will pay that tax? THE AMERICAN CONSUMER.

[DannyTN]

I understand both competition, free trade, comparative advantage and probably any other economic term you want to throw at me.

I understand that there is competition for trade with the rest of the world. I also understand that allowing China free access to our markets have destroyed many industries and made us much less competitive.

We need to protect our markets and put Americans back to work. And rebuild our industries. And then and only then am I concerned about competing on the world market.

At 23% unemployment and buying military goods from China, I'm simply not concerned about world competition.

[DannyTN]

I have owned a business that had generated yearly revenues of $1 million.

I was also corporate finance director for one that had over $300 million in revenues and moved over $1 trillion of money a year.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Then why are you an economic lefty in total disagreement with the undisputed great conservative eocnomists of all time?

[expat_panama]

...don’t tell me we can’t figure out how to get homes off the current utility grids.

Sure we can, and the reason you and I don't is because we got better things to do. 

For a couple years I got my electricity out of a micro hydro plant I built on the creek along my property line, and I was so happy to finally get a hookup with the power company.  Some people's goal is to prove a point, and my goal was electricity with the least cost & bother.

[C. Edmund Wright]

Danny, WHO THE FK IS WE? AND how do we put Americans back to work if we don’t compete in the world market?

[dalereed]

Eliminate the subsidies and wind, solar, and electric tinkertoys will disappear!!!

[central_va]

Pure stupidity. Those dams are an invaluable resource, someone got paid off.

[DannyTN]

"Danny, WHO THE FK IS WE? AND how do we put Americans back to work if we don’t compete in the world market?"

I'm not saying we don't compete. I'm saying we worry about our own market first. 23% Unemployment is unacceptable. We need to protect our market first to the extent that our own people are back to work and key industries are restored. And then we worry about competition.

It makes no sense to compete with china's $0.17/hour wages when we have the largest consumer market. And they tax their consumer market out of existence.

[DannyTN]

"Danny, WHO THE FK IS WE? AND how do we put Americans back to work if we don’t compete in the world market?"

I'm not saying we don't compete. I'm saying we worry about our own market first. 23% Unemployment is unacceptable. We need to protect our market first to the extent that our own people are back to work and key industries are restored. And then we worry about competition.

It makes no sense to compete with china's $0.17/hour wages when we have the largest consumer market. And they tax their consumer market out of existence.

[C. Edmund Wright]

WHO
IS
WE?
AND
WHO
MAKES
THE
DECISIONS
FOR
ALL
OF
WE?????????????????????????????

[C. Edmund Wright]

WHO
DETERMIMES
WHEN
OUR
INDUSTRY
IS
RESTORED?

[central_va]

Danny believes in the republic and America. You are a gloBULList, with no allegiance to anything except more profit at the expense of your countrymen instead of at their benefit. I spit in your face.

Corporations hate the republic and are ALWAYS in favor of the Federal over the States and globalism over the Federal. One world order types can KMA.

[C. Edmund Wright]

WHO
DETERMINES
WHICH
INDUSTRIES
GET
RESTORED?
WILL
YOU
RESTORE
THE
BUGGY
WHIP
INDUSTRY?
THE
EDSEL?
THE
8
TRAC?