This Day In History

[mrjarrell]

Way back in 1973 OPEC grabbed the US by the 'nads and squeezed. Predictably, we flinched and learned nothing from that period. Some folks, especially politicians, have extremely short memories. At a time when the sane response would have been to enact a new "Manhattan Project" where energy was concerned the US did nothing. Today oil is over $80/bbl and OPEC still controls our supply and the government actually gets in the way of energy innovations that could free us from their grip.

OPEC states declare oil embargo History.com This Day in History 10/17/1973

 

[CombatVet]

It is more profitable for those who "matter" for us to be dependent on oil than it is for us to research and use alternate means. China is set up to run everything on solar energy in like five to ten years from what I've read (no I don't have quotes). This includes vehicles. They've designated one department to do nothing, but research and design more effective solar panels so that the panels will be more efficient than gasoline/coal/oil driven machines that every one in the world depends on today.

 

[Leadeye]

I am at a loss to understand an energy policy that focuses reduction of coal rather than oil. We don't import much coal but do import a lot of oil. Not much oil is used for electrical generation but a lot of coal is. The focus on making electricity more expensive through technology that eliminates coal generation seems absurd as it is an abundant local resource, read that american jobs and industry.

Our local OCREMC studied existing windmills and found that the payback at current electrical rates was over 90 years on equipment with a service life of less that 20 years. No win here unless electric rates are raised dramatically.

Coal into oil? Been around since WW2 and the product was expensive. You don't hear much about this though.

Energy policy in this country seems deranged, pulled between special interests and eco fantasy politics.

A large portion of americans are going to be introduced to third world living standards by the time our leadership is through.

 

[pudly]

The U.S. Department of Energy was created by the Carter administration in 1977 after the OPEC oil embargo with the goal of lowering our dependence on foreign oil. It has grown to a bureaucracy of 16,000 people with an annual budget of $24 billion/year and America's dependence on foreign oil has only grown.

With restrictions coming from multiple directions (EPA, Congress, Executive orders, etc), on U.S. oil shale development, off-shore resources, Alaskan oil, and coal resources, and an emphasis on inefficient "green" energy solutions (which always seem to have unanticipated downsides), this agency should be pushing back in order to better achieve energy independence. Instead, they have become the implementer of these restrictive policies. The DOE has become yet another massive, expensive, government fail.