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To: thackney

It’s interconnected.
Nuclear created electricity can displace some petroleum for transportation, but I agree with you, not a lot at this point. That could change depending on the cost to obtain petroleum. Mostly it would probably affect demand.

We are talking present levels of supply and demand.
If petroleum or other sources of energy go down or become too expensive to obtain then we will have to make up the differece (or do without). The other way of looking at it, if an overall greater percentage of energy is captured by other means, then there is that much more petroleum to be used for things it is best suited.


54 posted on 03/16/2012 12:47:14 PM PDT by Lorianne (fedgov, taxporkmoney)
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To: Lorianne
It’s interconnected.

No, it is not.

Nuclear created electricity can displace some petroleum for transportation

Only if you make a meaningful battery and greatly increase the number of electric vehicles while taking traditional vehicles off the road.

If you are talking about present electric vehicles, those are not running on petroleum. They are primarily fueled by coal and natural gas.

We are talking present levels of supply and demand.

Yes, if you want to reduce current oil imports, then you need to talk about changes from where we are now.

If petroleum or other sources of energy go down or become too expensive to obtain then we will have to make up the differece (or do without).

Yes, but if you mean switching from gasoline/diesel cars to electric, coal and natural gas are both cheaper means of making the electricity, plus we have a far more abundant supply of the fuel.

The other way of looking at it, if an overall greater percentage of energy is captured by other means, then there is that much more petroleum to be used for things it is best suited.

Yes, but you have to make far greater changes than just make more electricity by nuclear power. You need to invent a cost effective means of storing electrical energy in larger quantities in vehicles. That doesn't exist yet at a practical level.

What you suggest is at the same level as a baker who makes a thousand cakes a week. The price of sugar is rising, so to offset it, he buys more flower instead of sugar. But without making something beside the original cakes, you don't save sugar.

You have to start at the demand side, not the energy supply side. We are far more likely to use natural gas for vehicles, than nuclear power.

55 posted on 03/16/2012 1:11:55 PM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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