[Anjorni]

Here's an unsettling question for you... why are we depending on the 'Oil Companies' to make investments into renewables?

On the surface, it makes sense, but if you look at it - they're OIL companies - not ENERGY companies. The main purpose of the company is to find, drill, ship, process and sell OIL/derivitives. When oil/dirivitive prices go through the roof, why should they be investing in other businesses? (After all - it IS a business, and it's business is to find and process that black gooey stuff; not build wind-turbines, Dams, Solar panels, etc.) They make boatloads of money off our dependance of their product, why would they want that to change?

Now as a helpless bystander who is going to be one of the rest of humanity being affected by this problem of expensive energy, I truly hope they do invest in other sources of energy - but if you look at it as a business, they have no incentive to switch... Just pump till you get bought out (or claim bankruptcy), and then sit on your laurels and enjoy the proceeds of the sale (or bankruptcy court - as the case may be).

That being said, to whom should/can we turn? Government? Energy Companies (ala Enron)? Venture Capital? If these are our only sources of hope, I think I'm going to cry!

Besides building your own personal wind turbine, or micro-hydro plant (energy source which is repairable/mechanical), I feel as if we're going to be up $h%t Creek without a paddle when the downslope of production transpires - be it 2 years or 50 years from now...

Thoughts? (Hopefully more encouraging than this one!)

[rogerhb]

BP is now Beyond Petroleum.

[Starvid]

We are not relying on oil companies to make investments into renewables. The only reason they invest in renewables is to improve their pr.

But anyone can build a wind farm or whatever. Just get started!

The reason nobody does invest in renewables (except hydroelectric) is that they just aren't competitive, and nobody want to buy expensive electricity when cheap electricity is available.

[rogerhb]

But anyone can build a wind farm or whatever. Just get started!

.... if they can get the resource consent, the planning permission, get past the nimbys, the bananas, the red-tape.

[Starvid]

Of course, but that applies to everyone.

Wind power is heavily subsidized in Sweden, but new build is held back by the extremely complex environmental regulations.

It seems the greenies shot themselves in the foot! Even though it's a bad thing there is no new build, I can't help but smile.

[aahala]

Here's the new wind capacity installed in the US by year:

2001 1,697MW
2002 410MW
2003 1,687MW
2004 358MW

Now here's the quiz, if you dare. Which two years was the federal wind
subsidy in effect and which two years was it allowed to expire?

Bonus question: The Wind trade group is predicting between 2,000 and
2,500MW will be completed this year. Was there a subsidy this year.

[rogerhb]

Ahh, subsidies.

[orz]

I like to keep a little faith in the oil companies, because they don't want to see society collapse either.

[Anjorni]

Yeah, I could build a wind-generator, but then I'll have my neighbors clamoring at my door telling me to a) move it because it blocks their view, b) have the local officals knocking on my door looking for permits (cuz the neighbors complained) c) stand out like a sore thumb after the power outages start rolling in, and d) worry about turbulance because I cant put it 100' (or whatever's reccommended) above the next closest tree.

But beyond just me, this city will go to hell in a handbasket quite quickly - Los Angeles isnt known for it's flowery citizens...

In any case - If anyone was thinking of maintaining the status quo for another few decades, and leave it to the Gov/OilCo's/Venture Capital - I'm not confident that they can pull it off. (but boy do I hope i'm wrong!)