Bush: U.S. on Verge of Energy Breakthrough

[Judi Lynn]

Bush: U.S. on Verge of Energy Breakthrough
By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

Monday, February 20, 2006
(02-20) 13:44 PST MILWAUKEE (AP) --

Saying the nation is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that would "startle" most Americans, President Bush on Monday outlined his energy proposals to help wean the country off foreign oil.

Less than half the crude oil used by refineries is produced in the United States, while 60 percent comes from foreign nations, Bush said during the first stop on a two-day trip to talk about energy.
(snip)

One of Bush's proposals would expand research into smaller, longer-lasting batteries for electric-gas hybrid cars, including plug-ins. He highlighted that initiative with a visit Monday to the battery center at Milwaukee-based auto-parts supplier Johnson Controls Inc.

During his trip, Bush is also focusing on a proposal to increase investment in development of clean electric power sources, and proposals to speed the development of biofuels such as "cellulosic" ethanol made from wood chips or sawgrass.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/02/20/national/w134416S41.DTL



wood chips, Everglades saw grass

[madaboutharry]

1. What is he talking about?

I am obviously out of the loop.

[saigon68]

4. He is smoking Crack again

Pay no attention to the ass-clown

[madaboutharry]

8. Oh, I know he is an ass clown!

But, thanks for making me laugh!

[JVS]

50. Harness the energy potential of Crack!

[baldguy]

5. You're not out of the loop.

Just another attempt to distract from his numerous failures & crimes.

[rastaman]

29. He is sooooo late to this party...

but honestly, I hope its true.

[Demeter]

39. Must Be New Uses for Hot Air

[ChairmanAgnostic]

51. The code name is "Bourbonator"

It uses descrete glass containers which hold a special colored fluid. When administered properly, energy flow can be incredible. The only side effects involve bike-riding, pretzel chewing and rational thought processes. Luckily, this president needs none of those skills.

[Delphinus]

64. ETs are on their way to save our sorry butts. n/t

[screembloodymurder]

102. I think he's referring to GM's new

hybrid.

[Divine Discontent]

116. TO GEORGIE anything seems amazing --------

"ooh, look at that Laura, they're making bread out of those piles of gooey playdoh stuff.. huh, amazin!"
:freak: :freak: :freak:




www.cafepress.com/deadeyerichard

[radfringe]

120. don't worry

he doesn't mean it literally..... :eyes:

[radfringe]

121. meanwhile....

In Visits to 3 States, Bush Pushes Alternative Energy
By ELISABETH BUMILLER

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/national/21bush.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

--- snip---

As alternatives to oil, Mr. Bush promoted battery-powered cars at the stop in Wisconsin and solar power at a later stop in Michigan. He ended the day in Colorado, where some three dozen workers at the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory were rehired after being laid off soon after Mr. Bush's State of the Union address promoting renewable energy.

A statement released Monday by the Energy Department said that Samuel W. Bodman, the energy secretary, ordered the transfer of $5 million over the weekend to immediately restore the jobs, which had been eliminated because of past budget cuts, thereby avoiding a political embarrassment for the president. Mr. Bush is to visit the laboratory, in Golden, Colo., on Tuesday morning.

----snip---

Mr. Bush proposed in his State of the Union address that the United States replace 75 percent of oil imports from the Middle East with alternative sources of energy by 2025. The next day, Mr. Bodman said that the president should not be taken literally and that the Middle East goal was "merely an example" of what might be done.

[katty]

139. what?! startle?! is he dragging out sci-fi zero point,? alien-tech

rescue remedies?! If he resigned NOW, that would startle me!

[tanyev]

2. Just keep clapping and saying "I believe!" and it will come true.

Really.



:banghead:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

74. on your knees or on your defeat!

right.


how do people clap with one hand holding up their torn, shreaded clothing, ever since the Bushistas stole their belts and shirts?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

95. It's faith based energy policy

Just believe it and it'll come true.

[Stockholm]

134. Good one!

or maybe he has been working on cold fusion during all those vacations?

[MrMonk]

101. Any sufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology

[phantom power]

3. Sure we are. Right after we fund NASA's trip to Mars.

[depakid]

93. Hey wait a minute- I thought we were going back to the moon?

Troublesome thing is, the man's so ignorant and out of touch with reality that he probably believes it.

[phantom power]

130. He seems to think that saying something is the same as doing it...

They certainly say lots of things, and then either do nothing, or do the exact opposite.

[Pharaoh]

6. Huh?

Can I smoke some of that stuff?

[Robb]

7. Smaller, longer-lasting batteries?

Charged by what, burning the methane this group spews? :eyes:

[enid602]

9. secret

Hmmph. Hitler's oft-promised 'secret weapon.' Give the masses some hope.

[MADem]

14. Let's not forget NIXON's SECRET PLAN to END THE WAR!!!

They all pull this shit, I swear. Maybe the sumbitch will resign, and take his shitty cabinet with him, and stop being an ENERGY VAMPIRE who sucks the life and heart out of this once-great nation. Now THAT would be a breakthrough of the best sort!

[corporatemedia]

26. Nixon did have a SECRET plan , the secret was that it would take

six more years! That's why he kept it secret.

[atommom]

10. Why such skepticism? We all know Bush is up on all the latest science.

:spray: Sorry, I couldn't stop myself. I'm sure he has a lot of startling things in store for us, but I'm not sure that energy breakthroughs are really among those things...

[rpannier]

43. You left out the word fiction

Science Fiction. He's up on the latest science fiction. Oh...and let's not forget unintelligeable design. And of course, coal and nukulur energy.

[Canuckistanian]

55. Somebody must have shown him a steam engine

Or a river powered sawmill.

[ixion]

11. faith-based fuel

startling... really. I'm agog, simply agog. :eyes:

[physioex]

17. Is this Before or After our Trip to Mars? EOM

[0007]

35. It's all part of the plan for our trip to Mars.

[autorank]

100. When he found out the Mars thing was a no starter, he decided to believe

that he can fix the energy crisis. He sits in a corner and says, "I can do it! I can do it!"

Then he gets up and does a little dance.

He does this several times a day, a ritual his new energy adviser Benny Hinn said was essential.

Next, he'll put a wishing well in the WH and toss useless money in, again making a wish "I can do it! I can do it!" followed by the dance.

This is a true story about the energy source...cold fusion from Utah.


Pigs Live in Trees

Redwoods Cause Pollution

Bush is Right

[physioex]

114. LMAO....Hilarious......EOM

[jedr]

21. Just pray that you don't run out of gas or heating fuel.......

What????? you have no faith!:evilgrin:

[formercia]

25. Like little loaves and fishes.

The electrons keep coming out when you only put one in........

[Rex]

12. Yeah right

Keep blowing smoke out ya ass, Pinhead. What a whistle-ass!

[VegasWolf]

13. Must be that new salt something grass he is always rambling on

about.

:crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy::crazy:

[happydreams]

15. Bush: "you'll become a little power generator in your home"

This is great propoganda. As usual Bush will do nothing to promote alternatives to the Bush dynasty's mainstay. No one will remember him saying this when no alternatives are forthcoming.


"Roof makers will one day be able to make a solar roof that protects you from the elements and at the same time, powers your house," Bush said. "The vision is this — that technology will become so efficient that you'll become a little power generator in your home, and if you don't use the energy you generate you'll be able to feed it back into the electricity grid."

[central scrutinizer]

18. how, by lighting your farts?

I guess his frat (anagram of fart) days are paying off.

[happydreams]

22. I was going to say it has something to do with "natural gas".

But you put it more succinctly. :hi:

[baldguy]

58. Beans, beans - the Musical Fruit

The more you eat, the more you toot ... or, maybe THAT'S what the saw grass is for?

[jpak]

24. Yo Chimp - that technology already exits and has been used for years

Here's one that was built near Poppy's Spiderhole in 1995...

http://www.solarhouse.com/

Where the hell have you been.

If the US had the same PV incentives as Germany (where they are installing >400 MW of PV per year) we'd be well on the way to a sustainable society.

But wait - that wouldn't put money in your cronies pockets....

Nevermind.

[formercia]

27. A SNAP generator in every basement

good way to store all of the Strontium-90.

[megatherium]

83. Also, in your kitchen you'll have a pico-wave oven, which will cook

your food using gamma waves.

[formercia]

123. nice way to preserve food.

yum.

[FreakinDJ]

48. Yea after republicans Sh#! canned the industry

during the Regan admin now they want to roll it back out and "Hey Lookie what we done...."

"Oh Ma ain't that grnad"

now we are 25 years behind Germany who have continued their research into developing more efficient methods of producing high efficientcy solar panel

"Oh Ma we do have a future..."

Heck it just like a scene out of 1 of the cheap B flicks Ronnie Rayguns himself used to star in

[IndyOp]

54. One day - they can f'ing do it now - the cost of installation has to be

underwritten by gov't funding if it is going to become common. The initial expenditure for having solar panels is too much for most homeowners and the cost of setting up the electric grid so that power can flow from the home back to the electric company is also prohibitive. The costs could be covered tomorrow if they would pull the US troops out of Iraq and close the 700+ military bases in over 130 countries.

:(

[uncle ray]

119. "the cost of setting up the electric grid...

...so that power can flow from the home back to the electric company is also prohibitive."

says who? people have been doing this for years on the sly because of power companies that refuse to cooperate. anybody that can setup a solar system can certainly figure out how dead simple it is to pipe excess juice into the grid and reduce your utility bill even more.

[IndyOp]

141. How does it reduce your bill if you are bootlegging...?

...if you are doing it yourself without the knowledge of the electric company.

:shrug:

And while I admire your ingenuity, this is nothing I would do myself.

[central scrutinizer]

16. He'll claim credit for the "breakthrough"

despite cutting funding for education and research, despite harassing scientists and researchers who oppose his political agenda, despite firing whistle-blowers, despite the critical five years we have lost in the race to curtail global warming.

[VegasWolf]

20. "Bush invented the energy breakthrough!" nt

[NYC]

19. Everglades saw grass? Sounds like protected

wildlife to me. Is anyone currently allowed to remove saw grass from the Everglades?

Re "plug ins" -- sounds like electricity usage to me. If it is, how does that help us?

[wordpix2]

131. I caught that too--is this BushCo's way of exploring for oil in Everglades

[pinniped]

23. As usual he is FOS.

Someone told him of hydroelectric power and we will all be driving around with miniature dams and turbines on our cars.

We will have solar panels on our cars.

We will have wind powered turbines on our car roofs.

We will have miniature nuclear reactors under our car hoods.

We will drive with our cars connected to overhead wires like the zero emissions MUNI buses.

We will bring back the steam powered cars.

We will harness the internal heat of the Earth and power our cars with geothermal energy.

[Lisa]

67. "miniature dams and turbines on our cars"

That is the funniest thing I've read this year! Beautiful!

The way in which he explains technology, I can imagine him coming up with something just like that ... like he did when he tried to describe a heat pump.

"But even more efficient, however, is the transference of heat and cool as a result of circulating water below the -- it's called thermal heating and cooling -- okay."
http://www.dubyaspeak.com/energy.phtml

[pinniped]

118. * says it works something like this:

When you step hard on the brakes, uh, the water shoots forward and recycles to the back of the dam via gravity and reverse thrusters.

Thanks for the funny link.

[pokercat999]

70. Compressed air engines...........opps actually they do exist

IN SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!!

Some taxi's are using them I don't know how "fuel" efficient they are as you must compress the air to fill their tank.

[corporatemedia]

28. It's right around the corner! eom

[screembloodymurder]

99. Right, we have the technology.

They just have to figure out how to charge us for the free energy.

[hatrack]

30. Sounds like he's been hanging out with Michael Crichton again

"We're going to have energy & technology developments which will violate known physical laws - you'll be amazed!!"

And we have two more days of this bullshit to put up with.

Oh, and you did hear about NREL, didn't you? Budget cuts forced the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to fire 31 scientists and engineers in solar, biomass and basic research. Funny thing, though, just today, one day before the Littlest President comes to visit, they've all be RE-HIRED! It's AMAZING!!!

[NJmaverick]

36. damn you beat me to it

I was going to use that line.

[hatrack]

37. Well, great minds think alike and all that . . .

:toast:

[Lisa]

68. I didn't know about the NREL cutbacks...

Probaby the only reason why it escaped being shut down altogether was that he pays so little attention to his own government, he didn't even realize it was there?!

[punpirate]

31. Hmm, they could just as easily said...

... "Milwaukee-based defense contractor Johnson Controls. They probably make more off defense and security contracts than batteries.

And his brand-new technology for clean energy? Gas-cooled pebble-bed nuclear reactors. No breakthroughs there.

Funny thing is that Bush is setting us on a path to maintain the same level of energy consumption that got us to the point we're at now. Sure, a nuclear electric/electric car system doesn't emit CO2, but it adds heat to the system, and that doesn't help when the CO2 levels are already high. And, if they want to use that electricity to produce hydrogen, our system certainly won't be able to handle the effects of that. The first time a couple of hydrogen-powered cars explode in a collision at an intersection, toasting everyone in and near those cars, insurance rates will go so high no one will be able to afford them, or the laws will be amended to protect insurers and manufacturers from tortious action. Then, you're really taking your life in your hands going out on the road.

And not any of this will do a bit of good in the near term--only conservation will help with that. This is all about keeping energy distribution in the hands of the major players, not about new breakthroughs.

So Bush had a five-minute chat with his science advisor and thinks everything's coming up roses. Reagan had a five-minute chat with Edward Teller and we got Star Wars. Neither Bush nor Reagan would know a hydrogen atom from a teakettle.

[populistdriven]

32. W has been reading Laura's copy of Popular Science

[Burried News]

33. The Unitary Executive repeals the Laws of Thermodynamics ... kewl

[hatrack]

40. Buh-dah-BOOM!!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Nostradammit]

98. ChaChing!!!

Ha-Cha!

Perfect ~

Glorius Leader does it again.

[niallmac]

34. I knew it. "Dilithium Crystals" They are very popular among presidents

who should be taking straight lithium.

[Demeter]

42. ROFLMAO!

[doublethink]

38. Okay either .......

1. Bush just discovered The Sun ......
2. Or 'Global Warming' will someday heat your home. :crazy:
Because by his administrations actions, huge tax cuts in purchasing gas guzzling SUV's ..... and cutting funding for alternative fuel research IE from the above story ... 'While Bush is highlighting his budget proposals to help wean America from foreign oil, the lab he visited is meeting a $28 million shortfall by cutting its staff by 32 people, including eight researchers.' -snip- well I somehow take him at his word on this one, what else could one think? sigh .....

[Az_lefty]

72. "Global Warming will heat your home..."

Good one.

[rpannier]

41. Yeah. We know. He outlined it last year

Nuclear and Coal.

[JanusAscending]

44. Sure are!!!.....

When all those Arctic Icebergs melt, and come flowing down to the "lower 48" we can use the extra water power to make electricity!! Ya know, WATER WHEELS??? I swear, he's too dumb to be a CHIMP!!! Chimps are intelligent beings, even they learn from their mistakes !!:spank: Can't someone knock some sense into him ??????

[deminks]

45. Energy breakthrough? Yeah, it's called Iran.

He really is insane, you know.

[Coastie for Truth]

46. Major Break Throughs

(which are almost "old news" if you read "Chemical and Engineering New" or "Chemical Engineering Progress" or "Spectrum" or "Official Gazette of the US Patent and Trademark Office") - practically anything with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen (sewage, farm waste, meat packing waste, paper making waste, grass clippings, etc -- anything - ANYTHING with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen -- can be converted into liquid fuels - with the RIGHT bacteria, yeast, enzymes.

A couple of us were trying to list them in "real time" in - they're flying out of university and chemical company and government labs too fast to keep up.

There is not enough of any one of them to satisfy all of our needs. But - with a smart "flex fuel" fuel system - you can "mix'n'match". All of the "Big Three" and the Europeans and the Asians all have smart "flex fuel" fuel systems in advanced stages of development.

About twenty years ago I was at a seminar in Ann Arbor - and a "Fellow" at one of the "Big Three" (a "Fellow" is a super scientist or super engineer who is paid to think, create, and mentor) said "The next big break through is that cars will be a "Local Area Network" with four wheels."

Take "flex fuel" and "hybrids" and "continuously variable transmissions" - we're almost there - at the prototype stage. That's the "evolutionary" change.

[markam]

71. You mean like the

The chicken waste to oil plant in Missouri that was shut down because it didn't work and stunk like a rendering plant? Or the proposal to use CO2 from power plants to grown algae and that would require thousands of miles of plastic tubing and an entirely new power plant that could handle the massive pressure drop required in the exhaust gas?

Any biological approach to replacing oil is beyond a pipedream. And if you think that renewable fuels will supply even 10% of our energy needs, you are smoking switchgrass.

[Coastie for Truth]

79. Back in Grant's Administration

the then incumbent Commissioner of Patents said that they should close the Patent Office because everything worth inventin had been invented.

[Gregorian]

47. I'll believe it when he reverses his war plans.

Until then, he's lying as usual.

[wordpix2]

132. & raises fuel efficiency standards & ends subsidies for luxury SUVs

[Clara T]

49. Decoded Means- Reprocessing nuclear fuel program

Bush: Work globally to re-energize nuclear energy

Critics fear reprocessing nuclear fuel program may spread nukes

Saturday, February 18, 2006 Posted: 1816 GMT (0216 HKT)


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- President Bush said Saturday he hoped to promote greater use of nuclear power both at home and abroad, and said he saw promise in new technology aimed at reducing nuclear waste.

Bush has asked Congress for $250 million to fund research to restart a controversial program that would reprocess spent nuclear fuel.

The initiative would also involve working with other countries like Russia, France, Japan and Britain to establish an infrastructure to supply nuclear fuel to other nations."Together, we will develop and deploy innovative, advanced reactors and new methods to recycle spent nuclear fuel," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

"This will allow us to produce more energy, while dramatically reducing the amount of nuclear waste and eliminating the nuclear byproducts that unstable regimes or terrorists could use to make weapons," he added.
Reprocessing, which separates uranium and plutonium from spent fuel so the elements could be used further, was abandoned by the United States in the 1970s because of concerns it could spread nuclear weapons.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/02/18/bush.radio.reut/index.html

[meisje]

52. Lookie over here 'merica... Shiny ... Pretty

[f-bush]

53. Bush is full of shit, he can't even spell energy!

[jseankil]

56. Hydrogen? Where it at? /nm

nm

[AndyA]

57. Do not adjust your television, just more

rhetoric from the grand master of bullshoot.

He's probably figured out a way to start fire by striking a match on a matchbook cover! :eyes:

[drgoodword]

59. They're Laying The Foundation For The Official Propaganda Re Peak Oil

When demand hits the production wall and America is thrown overnight into gas rationing and $5/gal prices, this will be the official response. It'll be a "temporary" situation while we transition to these "startling" new energy technologies. Don't panic. Just form in line according to the rationing schedule and be patient. This so-called "energy crisis" will be over before you know it.

If the president himself is already laying this propaganda groundwork, we must be very close to the peak indeed (or at least close to the first major peak bump).

[bvar22]

60. NO...Its TRUE.

There is a new reactor that uses di-lithium crystals.........AND it can power a Warp drive!!!!!!

It was on TV, so it must be true!

[The Backlash Cometh]

61. I know what they're going to do to the batteries. Better have a geiger

counter on your list for next year's Christmas shopping.

There is carbon residue or some kind of by-product from nuclear plants. They're going to "clean it" and reuse it for the batteries. An entrepreneur shark told me this back in the late 90s. In his private business he use to bid on close-out items or merchandise from bankruptcies and would find buyers for the items he won. He had a good relationship with the military-industrial corporatist. He said once he found nuclear detonators at one of these auctions and called the Energy Department and handed it over to them. They immediately blamed Clinton for the mistake, saying that Clinton was at fault for those kinds of hurried sell-offs. The guy was given an award and told me that they had confided in him that Energizer was working with them regarding those batteries I mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph. I bet that's the surprise energy he's talking about. Good bye Teflon, hello radiation.

[killbotfactory]

62. "No thanks to me, though..."

[babylonsister]

63. And which companies are getting all the tax-free bucks to

power this up-and-coming research and all the breakthroughs?
I googled for this info earlier and didn't find it, but thought I
hear dimson say it before I had to turn him off due to potential for
projectile vomiting.

[Betty]

65. I think he meant "breakdown"

but since he can barely speak English, one can't expect too much.

[goforit]

66. Plug-ins???.The only one I know of is a golf cart. Right up his ally!

[threadkillaz]

69. What, he's gonna legalize Hemp?

http://www.fuelandfiber.com/Hemp4NRG/Hemp4NRG.htm

[The2ndWheel]

73. I'm guessing babies

Ban abortion, then what else would be done with the extra kids?

[DBoon]

82. didn't they make a movie about this?

I think it was called "The Matrix"

[Drum]

89. ROFL!

5-star reply, DBoon!

[TheModernTerrorist]

75. I'm sure it's gonna be something like

the meat grinder in Pink Floyd's "The Wall", except instead of meat, it's energy.



also...
"IT'S PEOPLE!! THE FUEL RUNNING MY CAR AND HOUSE IS MADE OUT OF PEOPLE!!!!"

[Warren Stupidity]

76. Since there is no problem and there is plenty of oil and

no global warming, what the fuck is this asshat talking about? So we are going to have a huge breakthrough for problems that don't exist?

Got it.

[Initech]

77. Yeah, coming from the guy who's promoting nuclear power!

:nuke:

[gristy]

78. Where are these folks speaking?

As a complement to Bush's travels, six Cabinet officials are crisscrossing the nation this week, appearing at more than two dozen energy events in more than a dozen states.

I'd like to attend one of these. I got a few, um, questions.

[gordianot]

80. Maybe he got into Tesla's files.

I doubt it they probably burned them.

[DBoon]

81. He is harnessing the spinning of George Orwell in his grave

Having convinced Tony Blair to export all the power generated by the abundant source of energy.

[Odin2005]

84. He's gonna get oil from Titan?

[Lorien]

85. Wood chips and sawgrass; there goes what remains of the Everglades

and our National parks. Meanwhile, S. Africa is builder cheap, powerful new solar panels....

[area51]

86. startle citizens.

"Saying the nation is on the verge of technological breakthroughs that would `startle' most Americans, President Bush on Monday outlined his energy proposals to help wean the country off foreign oil."

I'll tell you what would "startle" me.

If Bush knew WTF he was talking about!

[KAZ]

87. Kamen's Stirling and his water purifier.

Or something similar. Watch for it. I tend to be a believer in some wonderful technologies changing the world dynamic. Color me optimistic.

[JanusAscending]

115. Many, many, many years ago, I saw an episode of NOVA

They discussed in great detail the potential for deriving fuel from "water hyacinths" If anyone has a fish pond and has purchased a couple of these little beauties, they will understand what I'm talking about. they can multiply faster than rabbits. Many ponds have been overtaken by them. They, in addition to being able to multiply quickly, will thrive year round in warm climates. There is a source of fuel in the bulbous tops that turn into flowers. It's been so long, that I can't remember the name of the element, but they said if harvested they could fuel all of the United states. Could it have been "methane gas"? Does anyone out there have any knowledge of this?

[populistdriven]

88. The only breakthrough near term is oil shale

Shell proved it could be done for less than 40 per barrel last year

The reserves are huge

[Strelnikov_]

91. Does Not Add Up To Much Of An Energy Source

At 300 kWh/bbl electric for in-situ heating, 5.2x106 BTU/bbl net from refined product, we have to invest 1 unit of electric energy to obtain 5.1 units of refined product. Of course, this does not include drilling 25 holes/acre, an ice containment wall, infrastructure and clean up.

Considering that internal combustion engines are about 30% efficient, whereas electric is 63% (70% storage battery/pumpback hydro/compressed air, 90% motor), we are down to about 2.5 units of equivalent useable energy for every unit of electric energy used, again not including drilling 25 holes/acre, an ice containment wall, infrastructure and clean up.

Sounds like we never have to worry about running out of petroleum as a chemical feedstock. As an energy source, though, this seems like a lot of environmental damage (both local and atmospheric) for little additional (if any) energy gain.

Can't we just get 120 mpg PHEV's developed, and use the electricity (and cogeneration) as a process energy input to utilize ethanol and biodiesel as a liquid fuel energy carrier?

Oil Shale Development In The United States
2005

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG414.pdf

In Shell's approach (Figure 3.2), a volume of shale is heated by electric heaters placed in vertical holes drilled through the entire thickness (more than a thousand feet) of a section of oil shale. To obtain even heating over a reasonable time frame, between 15 and 25 heating holes will be drilled per acre. After heating for two to three years, the targeted volume of the deposit will reach a temperature of between 650 and 700 degrees F. This very slow heating to a relatively low temperature (compared with the plus-900 degrees F temperatures common in surface retorting) is sufficient to cause the chemical and physical changes required to release oil from the shale. On an energy basis, about two-thirds of the released product is liquid and onethird is a gas similar in composition to natural gas. The released product is gathered in collection wells positioned within the heated zone.

. . .

How down-hole heating is supplied affects costs. As currently configured, the Shell in-situ retorting process uses electric power as the source for down-hole heating. About 250 to 300 kilowatt-hours(1) are required for down-hole heating per barrel of extracted product. Assuming electricity at $0.05 per kilowatt-hour, power costs for heating amount to between $12 and $15 per barrel (crude oil equivalent). An operation producing 100,000 barrels per day requires approximately 1.2 gigawatts of dedicated electric generating capacity.

(1)(RAND calculation, assuming specific heat of oil shale is 0.5 and average deposit richness of 25 gallons per ton.)

Sources for electric power include coal, natural gas (produced from the oil shale), nuclear power, and wind energy (listed in presumed order of increasing costs in the general area of the Green River Formation). With abundant supplies nearby, coal can be used for power generation. While coal is the least expensive choice, its use will result in a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions compared with conventional petroleum production or surface retorting. If natural gas were to be selected, roughly all the natural gas coproduced with the shale oil would be consumed in power generation.19 In the future, however, the value of natural gas may preclude its use in stationary power generation, leaving coal or nuclear as nearer-term choices and wind as a longer-term option. Requirements to sequester carbon dioxide produced by power plants could result in power cost increases of 30 percent (Buchanan, Schoff, and White, 2002), but the net impact on shale-derived oil costs would likely be less than 15 percent. An alternative to electrical heating is to heat the shale by down-hole natural gas burning. Compared with using electric power produced by natural gas, this approach halves natural gas use. Implementing down-hole gas burning requires the development of appropriate combustion technology. Presently, the net impact on shale oil production costs is uncertain.

I found the following humerous in how it prominently featured peak oil as a reason for oil shale development. Seems the Government is more than willing to discuss peak oil when it supports their agenda.

Strategic Significance of America America's Oil Shale Resources
April 12, 2005
http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/conf/pdf/dammer.pdf

[Strelnikov_]

92. Oil Shale: Energy Source, Or 2 For The Price Of 1 Global Warming Machine?

As the following article cites, we would use 3.0 Mbtu coal energy input for 5.8 Mbtu crude energy output for Shell's in-situ method of extraction, or an EROEI of 2.0+/-. Factoring in the energy expended for site development, drilling heating shafts, manufacturing and placing heating elements, building and maintaining a perimeter ice dam, and site remediation, we probably are getting no net energy out of oil shale.

We will simply be burning coal in order to extract oil to burn. The more oil required, the more coal burned. And on and on . . .



Oil Shale May Be Fool's Gold
12/18/2005

http://www.energybulletin.net/11779.html

Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy published a new report on oil shale. It claimed that the nation could wring "200,000 barrels a day from oil shale by 2011, 2 million barrels a day by 2020, and ultimately 10 million barrels a day" from fields in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. These predictions - both the production targets and their timing - are preposterous, as some industry experts admit.

. . .

The primary explanation is that oil shale is a lousy fuel. Compared to the coal that launched the Industrial Revolution or the oil that sustains the world today, oil shale is the dregs. Coal seams a few feet thick are worth mining because coal contains lots of energy. If coal is good, oil is even better. And oil shale? Per pound, it contains one-tenth the energy of crude oil, one-sixth that of coal.

. . .

Although Shell's method avoids the need to mine shale, it requires a mind-boggling amount of electricity. To produce 100,000 barrels per day, the company would need to construct the largest power plant in Colorado history. Costing about $3 billion, it would consume 5 million tons of coal each year, producing 10 million tons of greenhouse gases. (The company's annual electric bill would be about $500 million.) To double production, you'd need two power plants. One million barrels a day would require 10 new power plants, five new coal mines. And 10 million barrels a day, as proposed by some, would necessitate 100 power plants.

. . .

What contribution can oil shale make to energy security? Producing 100,000 barrels per day of shale oil does not violate the laws of physics. But the nation currently consumes that much oil every seven minutes. Improving the efficiency of our automobiles by 2 miles per gallon would save 10 times as much fuel, saving consumers $100 billion at the pump. The National Academy of Sciences has stated that cars, trucks and SUVs that get 30, 40 or 50 miles per gallon are doable. An aggressive national commitment to fuel efficiency is not optional, it's inevitable. In time, a more efficient fleet could save 20 times as much petroleum as oil shale is likely to ever provide.

[depakid]

94. Really?

Do you know what shale "oil" is?

Hint: it's not oil....

[Warren Stupidity]

110. Yeah but after you pump a whole lot of energy into it

you get about 1/2 back. Quite the deal, if you are selling mining futures to idiots.

[depakid]

122. Pretty much

It's this waxy stuff called kerogen. You can make oil from it, but you have to extract and crush the rock and heat it to high temperatures. And it takes tons of water. Even if you had the water- and were willing to pollute with it, the stuff still has a negative EROEI. Takes more energy to get it that you get back.

It's a boondoggle that makes the tar sands look really attractive by contrast.

The only reason they named the stuff "oil" is to attract idiots (as you mentioned) to invest in it.

That said, it still might be a decent source of petrochemicals, which one day may be valuable enough to return the energy investment.

[wordpix2]

133. "reserves are huge," yeah, if you want to destroy all of Alberta

[stepnw1f]

90. Lol...Oh My God

is this SNL? Shit their script has been written for this Saturday.

[Vogon_Glory]

96. Any Time This Administration Claims Energy breakthroughs...

Any time this administration claims energy breakthroughs, I get skeptical. Is it something that will benefit the corporate status quo? Will this energy breakthrough really do even half of the things claimed for it? Will it be properly funded, or will it get quietly snuffed by Team Shrub's Banana Republican Congressional allies?

This mal-administration is so closely tied to the oil business it makes Warren G. Harding's Teapot Dome crowd look like independents.

[rodeodance]

97. "that I think will startle the American people,"--shows he has been out of

the loop!!!! Geesh!

"Our nation is on the threshold of new energy technology that I think will startle the American people," Bush said. "We're on the edge of some amazing breakthroughs — breakthroughs all aimed at enhancing our national security and our economic security and the quality of life of the folks who live here in the United States."

[rodeodance]

103. Bush has a vision:--!!!! looky here.

"Roof makers will one day be able to make a solar roof that protects you from the elements and at the same time, powers your house," Bush said. "The vision is this — that technology will become so efficient that you'll become a little power generator in your home, and if you don't use the energy you generate you'll be able to feed it back into the electricity grid."

[hatrack]

107. Uh, yeah, no shit, Captain Obvious

BP has been building integrated solar roofing tiles for, what, about five years now?

What next - are you going to tell us us about the exciting new hybrid cars that have both gasoline engines AND electric motors?

:eyes:

[rodeodance]

104. nominated

[rodeodance]

105. "This single tax subsidy dwarfs anything being done for hybrid batteries,"

.....Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., questioned Bush's energy policies Monday, saying the administration also supports subsidies for luxury SUVs.

"This single tax subsidy dwarfs anything being done for hybrid batteries," Markey said in a news release.

As a complement to Bush's travels, six Cabinet officials are crisscrossing the nation this week, appearing at more than two dozen energy events in more than a dozen states.

[humus]

106. Aretha sings: Cheyn,, Cheyn,,, Cheynnnn ... Cheyney's, got fuel

shotgun pellets......

[Tight_rope]

108. BULLSHIT!........

If they had anything worth saving their asses they would reveal it right now. I call this "BULLSHIT"

[twaddler01]

111. We all seem to agree here at DU

And I as well....

[GoddessOfGuinness]

109. WOW!!!

I'm so glad our pretzeldent is so fucking brilliant. :eyes:

[daleo]

112. This is standard oil company talk

Ignore the upcoming hydrocarbon shortages, and talk vaguely about the hydrogen future. The book "The End of Oil" gives a good explanation of the ruse.

[Mind_your_head]

113. Is this breakthrough gonna happen before or after we 'Go to Mars'?

:eyes:

<snip>
Bush unveils Moon and Mars plans

It is more than 30 years since Americans landed on the moon
The United States will send astronauts back to the Moon by 2020, President George W Bush has announced.
Humans will live and work on the Moon to prepare for exploration further afield such as on Mars, he said.

An extra $1bn will be spent over five years on plans which include reviving, then replacing, the space shuttle.

Critics say it is an expensive election year gimmick but US officials say all Americans will benefit and the scheme will not "bust" the federal budget.
<snip>

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3395165.stm

[Divine Discontent]

117. everything to him is "amazing"

the man scares the hell out of me.. he's so dumb, and yet, 40% of 'Merica supports his corruption, ignorance, and stupidity (two intelligence rips back to back because he's so dumb).




www.cafepress.com/deadeyerichard

[wordpix2]

124. 35 yrs. too late as BushCo and his BigOil darlings have always dissed

alternatives.

Wonder how long it'll take before Bush's Big Oil handlers in US and Saudi A. convince him energy alternatives won't work and he comes out again saying he's not speaking "literally."

[4dsc]

125. Just in time for Peak oil too

The timing of this announcement and the coming energy crisis is ungodly. Coincidence??

To bad its all to late for the big dance..

[spanone]

126. He's so full of shit, it's pathetic.

n/t

[nolabels]

127. For those stupid enough to listen, MIND FLICK

Hey Georgie! How about them internets :rofl:

[Boxturtle]

128. The only thing that would "startle" me is if it were announced that

there was a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion. As an environmentalist that would excite me, but as an engineer I believe that is well over 100 years in the future. There are some rapid advances being made with hydrogen fuel cells. The first fuel cell powered vehicle is supposed to be made available to the public in the middle of 2007. It is a motorcycle:

http://www.intelligent-energy.com/index_article.asp?SecID=12&secondlevel=869

Due to lack of a hydrogen infrastructure, the company is selling a generator for converting fuel to hydrogen. The fuel can be gasoline, ethanol, ammonia, biodiesel, refined diesel, kerosene, LPG, or natural gas.

[wordpix2]

129. "admin. also supports subsidies for luxury SUVs:" BushCo is a joke on this

snip:

Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., questioned Bush's energy policies Monday, saying the administration also supports subsidies for luxury SUVs.


"This single tax subsidy dwarfs anything being done for hybrid batteries," Markey said in a news release.

[godai]

135. Harnessing Hastert's farts (eom)

[wordpix2]

140. & all the bad gas coming from the repukes

[Javaman]

136. Wow, just like hitler* and his secret weapons that will win the war...

anyday now anyday.

What I'm "startled" at, is he's* still pResident*.

hey moron*, fuck you! here is a startling revelation for you*, stop sucking the arabs dick!

[Marie26]

137. This is a good thing

Even if it's complete PR crap, he's admitting that we need to find alternative fuel sources. And he's actually highlighting some of these new technologies. Today, Bush visited a factory to show the importance of solar power! :wow: Never thought I'd see it. It's a good thing that Bush is doing this, & maybe it'll even help spur new inventions. This may be the first time I've agreed w/Bush in four years!

[pinniped]

138. Crap is what the POS was talking about:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/21/MNGUIHBUPP1.DTL&hw=pet&sn=001&sc=1000

POWERED BY POOCHES
Rather than let pet dung go to waste, experts explore its energy potential

Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

In the future, we might be heating our houses with dog poop.

As San Francisco, Oakland and other Bay Area cities strive to reach self-imposed goals of keeping every bit of trash out of landfills by 2020, even animal waste is being scrutinized to see how it might be reused or recycled.

And so San Francisco has become the first city in the country to consider turning Fido's droppings into methane, which can heat homes, cook meals and generate electricity.

"Poop power? Yes, it's possible to produce electricity, natural gas and even fuel from Rover's poop and other waste material," said Robert Reed, a spokesman for Norcal Waste, which carts away the waste San Francisco, San Jose and a dozen other Northern California cities generate. "There are a lot of bugs to work out, steps to figure out, costs to be considered, but we are beginning to talk to the city about it and look into this area more actively."
----
more:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/21/MNGUIHBUPP1.DTL&hw=pet&sn=001&sc=1000

[Jose Diablo]

142. Yes, the whales are beginning to re-emerge in numbers

In a short 50-60 years there should be enough of them to fill our lamps with oil, those of us that survive for 50-60 years that is.

[pinniped]

143. I guess there's nothing new.

Like the idiot's mission to Mars, you'll probably never hear of this again.

This is what happens when you show the puke Marvin Martian cartoons.

:kick:

[Megahurtz]

144. What? Did he find a new high???

:rofl:

[stepnw1f]

145. We Could Utilize the Methane Seeping from Bush's Mouth

Was that the "Breakthrough" he was suggesting?