Oil is at a 12-year low

It seems so far, so good as far as integrating renewables into their power grid. So far they're taking a gradual approach to off-lining nuclear power. I don't really see the sense in it either - but given the domestic backlash against nuclear with 74% of the German population against it with the aftermath of Fukushima, CDU not phasing it out would just deliver more votes to SPD/Greens in future elections. Pretty powerful motivator for CDU to get on board to ditch nuclear. Maybe kato could elaborate more on the finer points of Germany energy politics for us.

I'm curious though regarding the plans to double the volume of gas being delivered from Russia to Germany with the Nord Stream expansion in 2019. Is Germany planning to increase the amount electricity produced from natural-gas powered plants and reduce electricity production utilizing domestic coal, or is Germany going to position itself as the 'stable' transit country for re-export of gas to other European countries?

i have to go back to my notes, but if i recall, Germany prefers steady supplies of natural gas from Gasprom as oppose to what Poland is doing which is buying American LNG.

I think German preference with Russian gas goes to some sort of mutual benefit that it derives. Again, i need to double back on my notes to understand the dynamics there.

[Ironduke]

Gunnut, Germany is going that way; they are building giant green installations in the North Sea meant to substitute nuclear power.
Steady supply of energy being replaced by shaky immature power source. Doesn't make much sense.

It seems so far, so good as far as integrating renewables into their power grid. So far they're taking a gradual approach to off-lining nuclear power. I don't really see the sense in it either - but given the domestic backlash against nuclear with 74% of the German population against it with the aftermath of Fukushima, CDU not phasing it out would just deliver more votes to SPD/Greens in future elections. Pretty powerful motivator for CDU to get on board to ditch nuclear. Maybe kato could elaborate more on the finer points of Germany energy politics for us.

I'm curious though regarding the plans to double the volume of gas being delivered from Russia to Germany with the Nord Stream expansion in 2019. Is Germany planning to increase the amount electricity produced from natural-gas powered plants and reduce electricity production utilizing domestic coal, or is Germany going to position itself as the 'stable' transit country for re-export of gas to other European countries?

[Dazed]

Yes but;

A) It leaks like a bitch unless it's transported in a liquid/pressurized state which vastly increases the cost/engineering issues involved in transportation and storage; and
B) While we're getting closer to 'break-even' the economics of hydrogen production still don't stack up because it takes more energy to produce a given amount of hydrogen than you get from the various exothermic & chemical reactions it can be used in to produce electricity/mechanical energy.

So we still have to either come up with a way to produce it cheaply and efficiently on-site or otherwise overcome the production issues.

Not saying it isn't doable, just not yet, so in this case its in the same league as fusion i.e lots of potential but not there yet.

That and the energy density of hydrogen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_density you need a really big fuel tank or alot of fill ups. Lockheed studied the idea of powering a L-1011 with hydrogen. http://www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com/blog/?p=1808

California and MB still supports the idea of a hydrogen highway. I think it is a long ways off

[Ironduke]

There's always Photoshop.

Or I could just fly the DeLorean to 1917, retrofit that 1.21 jiggawatt reactor and the flux capacitor to the HMS Iron Duke, add some wings, before returning back to 2017.

I imagine with some additional weapons retrofits the Iron Duke could quite literally defeat any enemy, anywhere, across the fabric of space and time.

Why settle for photoshop?

[DOR]

I've been quite busy with RL - and have only had time for a few threads....

In keeping with being a man of my word, and putting my money where my mouth is....

I said I'd keep converting homes to LED in response to denialist posts, at my own expense, and I've converted two more homes to LED lighting.

That brings the total to 24 residences converted over.

Much like there is an Ice Bucket Challenge, I've decided to call this the LED/CO2 Challenge. Others are free to join me.

Do you have a family member/friend using incandescents/CFLs yet? See what their needs are in terms of lumens and color temperature, and convert them over if you have the disposable income.

Judging from the posts in this thread, I have about 10 more to do.

Thank you for your efforts.

[citanon]

If only I had Doc Brown's DeLorean. ;-)

There's always Photoshop.

[kato]

Mmm, in Europe we can't even buy incandescents anymore...

[Ironduke]

I'm waiting for your avatar to become retrofitted with solar panels....

If only I had Doc Brown's DeLorean. ;-)

[citanon]

I've been quite busy with RL - and have only had time for a few threads....

In keeping with being a man of my word, and putting my money where my mouth is....

I said I'd keep converting homes to LED in response to denialist posts, at my own expense, and I've converted two more homes to LED lighting.

That brings the total to 24 residences converted over.

Much like there is an Ice Bucket Challenge, I've decided to call this the LED/CO2 Challenge. Others are free to join me.

Do you have a family member/friend using incandescents/CFLs yet? See what their needs are in terms of lumens and color temperature, and convert them over if you have the disposable income.

Judging from the posts in this thread, I have about 10 more to do.

I'm waiting for your avatar to become retrofitted with solar panels....

Good to see you too man. I remember like it was yesterday recruiting you from the AllEmpires forum. :)

It's been what, a decade now?

LOL .. yeap, about a decade.
I am a bit wiser now than perhaps a decade ago ... have been a diligently reading books & books (while staying largely out of fast changing emotionally charged web-based facts/opinions),
That said also am a lot pickier too (at times)

PS: i didn't even remember AllEmpires until you mentioned just now .. hehe
I just checked it out now again, they are still around

[Ironduke]

I've been quite busy with RL - and have only had time for a few threads....

In keeping with being a man of my word, and putting my money where my mouth is....

I said I'd keep converting homes to LED in response to denialist posts, at my own expense, and I've converted two more homes to LED lighting.

That brings the total to 24 residences converted over.

Much like there is an Ice Bucket Challenge, I've decided to call this the LED/CO2 Challenge. Others are free to join me.

Do you have a family member/friend using incandescents/CFLs yet? See what their needs are in terms of lumens and color temperature, and convert them over if you have the disposable income.

Judging from the posts in this thread, I have about 10 more to do.

[Ironduke]

IRON DUKE
A familiar surname from the past (pre-2010 era)
Good to see you back !!

Good to see you too man. I remember like it was yesterday recruiting you from the AllEmpires forum. :)

It's been what, a decade now?

Air, climate, water, and the world itself are all public goods.

IRON DUKE
A familiar surname from the past (pre-2010 era)
Good to see you back !!

[Monash]

An effective bulk energy storage system already exists. It's called hydrogen.

Yes but;

A) It leaks like a bitch unless it's transported in a liquid/pressurized state which vastly increases the cost/engineering issues involved in transportation and storage; and
B) While we're getting closer to 'break-even' the economics of hydrogen production still don't stack up because it takes more energy to produce a given amount of hydrogen than you get from the various exothermic & chemical reactions it can be used in to produce electricity/mechanical energy.

So we still have to either come up with a way to produce it cheaply and efficiently on-site or otherwise overcome the production issues.

Not saying it isn't doable, just not yet, so in this case its in the same league as fusion i.e lots of potential but not there yet.

[Parihaka]

WAB version of a bitch slap

Really? I spent ages throttling it back cause as a moderator I'm supposed to, you know, be nice to people.....