Igorsky

ETF Update: Alternative Energy and the Power Grid

pondee. Traditionally, the utiities invested in the power grid they need to disrtribute the power they produce. In this case, the power to be distributed is across States and the companies that will do this has yet to be formed. It is a formidable challenge considering the myriad of regulations that have to be overcome.

The problem alone posed by environmentalist, naturalist, beautiful scenery specialists makes venture capitalist not even want to think about this area.

Only a crisis - in the same magnitude as the oil embargo of the early 70's - will get us moving to solve this problem. Sad but true.

If McCain gets elected, he could push this together with his oil drilling plan especially if he appoints Mitt Romney as his Energy Secretary.

All of the Motor-Fuel Alternatives to Conventional Crude Oil Stink

You lumped all nuclear as one. Wrong, very wrong.

One type that just needs a short time to develop and bit of funding (Jimmy Carter cut it off, Reagan revived it, Clinton cut it out again) are fast breeder reactors. This is what we need and when we have it, it will give limitless (almost) electric power. This will give us power for our electric cars, electric trains and home and industry electric power day and night, for low cost. Fuel is reused so there is little waste. And no C02 produced.

Ten Insights on Carbon Policy

It takes only 2 years to build a conventional nuke but 6-8 yrs to license which is insane since we have 100 of them runing in the US alone with combined safe, reliable operating experience of more than 2800 years. We need to start building them in the US now since we can control its safety and security. We need a new President who is intellectually capable (one with a vision), whose is devoted to the US and the world, and not a professional politician.

On population growth, China is way ahead of everyone else and does not even get credit for it....until a few years fro now.

Ten Insights on Carbon Policy

Easily, this is the best article I have read on energy/global warming subject. It is wide ranging and insightful. I would like to add my view to these insights.

Insight #11. Nuclear Power Staions is the 2000# Gorilla

Shifting to totally electric powered cars/light trucks (for short trips of 100mi or less), appliances, tools, factories, etc., (offices are aready there and residences have to follow) is the direction we are beginning to go. Nukes' lower cost electricity and 24/7 availability regardless of weather conditions, is it's hugh unparalleled advantage, especially in the long term. Objections to nuclear waste handling and security are very solvable problems that just needs effort and investment in the scale of the Lunar Moon Landing or the Manhattan Project. Fuel reprocessing and pebble bed reactors just need more engineering and research effort to make them effective. Fuel reprocessing will stretch our nuclear fuel by several hundreds if not thousands of years. Fast breeder reactors will stretch it to infinity.

Human kind can, and will have to switch to electricity in perhaps 75% of it's activities to stop and slightly reverse Global Warming and it is doable. (25% such as planes and long distance travel will still need hydrocarbo fuels.) Further into the future and ultimately, the human population with it's inherent need for power and heat to live, albeit from hydrocarbon or electric sources, have to slow down and eventually reduce it's growth. As has now become apparent, 6 billion people is more than the Earth can support.