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I could get the USA off foreign oil and almost eliminate pollution.

Beantown

Beantown

Well-Known Member
I believe I could do this all within about 20 years, and I remind you all that this is coming from a Republican.

Step #1- Take away all subsidies and tax breaks from oil companies, put a high tax on foreign oil, harsh penalties on coal companies pollution

This is going to make gas prices and electric rates increase at an enormous rate. This is a must because making dirty energy more expensive than clean energy has to the first step.

Step #2- Invest in Solar energy

There are many states where electric rates are getting so high that solar is now cheaper than peoples utility companies. With just a little more of a push, solar could be easily accessible for every homeowner/business owner in each state to generate clean power on their roofs or properties. Not only that but investing in large solar farms like the ones outside of Vegas.

Step #3- Invest more in plug in electric cars and plug in hybrids

The technology is here. With cars like the Volt and Leaf as well as the plug in Prius's. These cars basically eliminate the need for fuel. The only issue being they are charged from dirty coal. But in this plan it would be eliminated by plugging in your Chevy Volt into your home that was powered by solar on your roof. So with this investment more car makers would be creating more plug in cars and thus making them more affordable.

Step #4-Enjoy cheap energy

-Think of never swiping your debit card ever again at a gas station

-Think of never seeing a 300+ utility bill during the summer when you run your A/C.

-Clean energy, cheaper energy, more money in our pockets.

This plan is super basic and I don't have time to go into every detail. But give me your concerns and questions and I will answer them.


installing-home-solar-panels.jpg


volt7.jpg
 
Beantown said:
I believe I could do this all within about 20 years, and I remind you all that this is coming from a Republican.

Step #1- Take away all subsidies and tax breaks from oil companies, put a high tax on foreign oil, harsh penalties on coal companies pollution

This is going to make gas prices and electric rates increase at an enormous rate. This is a must because making dirty energy more expensive than clean energy has to the first step.

Step #2- Invest in Solar energy

There are many states where electric rates are getting so high that solar is now cheaper than peoples utility companies. With just a little more of a push, solar could be easily accessible for every homeowner/business owner in each state to generate clean power on their roofs or properties. Not only that but investing in large solar farms like the ones outside of Vegas.

Step #3- Invest more in plug in electric cars and plug in hybrids

The technology is here. With cars like the Volt and Leaf as well as the plug in Prius's. These cars basically eliminate the need for fuel. The only issue being they are charged from dirty coal. But in this plan it would be eliminated by plugging in your Chevy Volt into your home that was powered by solar on your roof. So with this investment more car makers would be creating more plug in cars and thus making them more affordable.

Step #4-Enjoy cheap energy

-Think of never swiping your debit card ever again at a gas station

-Think of never seeing a 300+ utility bill during the summer when you run your A/C.

-Clean energy, cheaper energy, more money in our pockets.

This plan is super basic and I don't have time to go into every detail. But give me your concerns and questions and I will answer them.


installing-home-solar-panels.jpg


volt7.jpg
Click to expand...

#1 - Do you want the economy crippled even more right now? Bad move all around.

#2 - Why does govt have to do this? I read somewhere that the Eagles were installing Solar into the Linc. They would be able to store enough energy to run their stadium and sell back to the city. IF this is the case, #2 is taken care of without a cent of govt money being spent. If it works, then the tech is good. If the tech is good, other owners will follow suit. If other owners follow suit, profits go up for the solar company. If profits go up, they can re-invest in their tech to make it better and cheaper. The better and cheaper they make it, the more people that will buy. The more people the buy it, the more profits are made, more jobs created, more cheap energy.

We don't need the govt to invest. We need a quality product for businesses to invest in. The problem is that the product sucks, and the govt keeps pouring money into it. Make something good, the rest will happen.

#3- This drives me insane. WHERE DOES ELECTRICITY COME FROM? FOSSIL FUELS. Electric cars are taking the same problem and renaming it. They are fool's gold. Why should ANYONE pay $40,000 for a $15,00 car so they can still put fossil fuels into it?

#4 - Sounds great. Fix #1, #2, and #3 and you will get there.

This is what I don't get about "green" people. Republicans/conservatives have no problem being green, if it makes sense. I changed my light bulbs over 5 years ago...not because I am some hippie, but because the newer light bulbs used less energy and WOULD COST LESS. It just made sense.

Make a solar panel THAT COSTS LESS than energy, and oil would be forgotten overnight. Until then, quit giving me platters of crap and calling it ice cream.
 
You should rename you plan the "destroy the U.S. economy by giving China an enormous advantage in energy prices." And 20 years from now China will be emitting 5x the pollution the U.S. is currently producing. I didn't really get that 5x figure from anywhere, for what it's worth.
 
Beantown said:
Step #2- Invest in Solar energy

There are many states where electric rates are getting so high that solar is now cheaper than peoples utility companies. With just a little more of a push, solar could be easily accessible for every homeowner/business owner in each state to generate clean power on their roofs or properties. Not only that but investing in large solar farms like the ones outside of Vegas.
Click to expand...

The Obama administration already invested in solar energy firm "Solyndra", and it turned into a bureaucratic fail, and a they filed for bankruptcy.

Beantown said:
Step #3- Invest more in plug in electric cars and plug in hybrids

The technology is here. With cars like the Volt and Leaf as well as the plug in Prius's. These cars basically eliminate the need for fuel. The only issue being they are charged from dirty coal. But in this plan it would be eliminated by plugging in your Chevy Volt into your home that was powered by solar on your roof. So with this investment more car makers would be creating more plug in cars and thus making them more affordable.
Click to expand...

You're forgetting where the power comes from to "plug in" your little electric car.
Power is still mostly coal produced, and their isn't a cheaper way to produce power at this point.
I'm not saying the technology doesn't exist, but it's obvious the government doesn't care enough to look into it further.

This is coming from an Independent/Libertarian.
 
"Step #1- Take away all subsidies and tax breaks from oil companies, put a high tax on foreign oil, harsh penalties on coal companies pollution"

More than half of Congress has pledged NO NEW TAXES. Taking away tax breaks and subsidies would most DEFINITELY qualify as a tax increase. Those in the south, especially Texas, who have taken this oath would rather die than see their tax breaks and subsidies go away.
 
The Thriller said:
"Step #1- Take away all subsidies and tax breaks from oil companies, put a high tax on foreign oil, harsh penalties on coal companies pollution"

More than half of Congress has pledged NO NEW TAXES. Taking away tax breaks and subsidies would most DEFINITELY qualify as a tax increase. Those in the south, especially Texas, who have taken this oath would rather die than see their tax breaks and subsidies go away.
Click to expand...

The right lambasts government handouts/entitlement benefitting the poor--it weakens their character or some BS like that--while pushing for every sort of government goody handed out to corporations.

All this talk about the wondrous 'free market' and how it should be allowed to determine the fate of economies, society, and individuals, yet those same champions of capitalism are, behind the scenes, grubbing for every government handout they can and taking any opportunity available to use government forces to restrain competition or bend the competitive rules in their favor.

I'm as strong a free market advocate as anyone, but I tire of this particular noisy hypocrisy/double standard from the right.
 
TheSilencer1313 said:
You're forgetting where the power comes from to "plug in" your little electric car.
Power is still mostly coal produced, and their isn't a cheaper way to produce power at this point.
I'm not saying the technology doesn't exist, but it's obvious the government doesn't care enough to look into it further.
Click to expand...


If you plug your car into your home that's running off SOLAR then it's charging from clean energy from the SUN...
 
green said:
#1 - Do you want the economy crippled even more right now? Bad move all around.


#3- This drives me insane. WHERE DOES ELECTRICITY COME FROM? FOSSIL FUELS. Electric cars are taking the same problem and renaming it. They are fool's gold. Why should ANYONE pay $40,000 for a $15,00 car so they can still put fossil fuels into it.
Click to expand...


If you plug your car into your home that's running off SOLAR then it's charging from clean energy from the SUN...
 
Beantown said:
If you plug your car into your home that's running off SOLAR then it's charging from clean energy from the SUN...
Click to expand...

That would be wonderful, if solar was affordable.
Granted.... it is getting more affordable over time.

I would love to be completely solar myself, if I could afford it.
 
As a geologist with a lot of friends that work for major oil and gas companies, the consensus I hear from them is pretty straightforward. The shale gas revolution is going to be our energy plan for the next 50 years. Many industry and academic experts are starting to quietly suggest that there may be more natural gas energy in the Eagle Ford Shale of Texas than there is oil in the Middle East. It is also $2.50 a cubic foot which has effectively destroyed any serious market for renewables (sadly) but at the same time provides a cleaner energy source than oil or coal (less greenhouse gases, less heavy metals).
 
TheSilencer1313 said:
The Obama administration already invested in solar energy firm "Solyndra", and it turned into a bureaucratic fail, and a they filed for bankruptcy.
Click to expand...

They "invested" (an odd gterm for a guaranteed loan) in several solar energy companies, and one went bankrupt. Since when is every investment supposed to pay off?
 
green said:
#2 - Why does govt have to do this?
Click to expand...

To stay competitive. Countries like Germany and Chnina are supplementing their solar industry, reducing the pricing they charge. If we don't, our companies are at a disadvantage.

Played anything interesting lately? I played Lords of waterdeep for the first time last month.
 
TheSilencer1313 said:
That would be wonderful, if solar was affordable.
Granted.... it is getting more affordable over time.

I would love to be completely solar myself, if I could afford it.
Click to expand...

Get yourself a bottle of Coppertone, a lawn chair, a cheap pair of sunglasses, and solar yourself to your heart's content.
 
Progress takes sacrifice. We are too scared, and stubborn to accept that change is coming. No one is willing to pay for anything.
Our addiction to cheaper products killed the middle class. Now we are scared to get off mothers oily *** for fear that we'll fail without it.

This nation has become completely all about pleasing yourself. We are all a bunch of individuals who put up with each other. The greater good is too hard, so let's just keep holding on hoping for the best. If we give the corporations more tax breaks maybe they'll magically fix the nation.
 
We wired a couple houses that used solar panels. The home owners got a gov't grant that paid for "most" of the upfront costs. The company installing the solar paneling said that it would take about five years for the homeowners to recover their out of pocket expenses from their lowered power bills. At about that same time, the homeowners could expect to have to replace their solar panels.
 
bigb said:
We wired a couple houses that used solar panels. The home owners got a gov't grant that paid for "most" of the upfront costs. The company installing the solar paneling said that it would take about five years for the homeowners to recover their out of pocket expenses from their lowered power bills. At about that same time, the homeowners could expect to have to replace their solar panels.
Click to expand...

Replace their solar panels at 5 years?!......most all solar panels have a 25 year warranty.
 
I'm sure solar panels have improved over time. How long ago was 5-year replacement statement made?
 
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