Superpower Squared

[Mono-plane]

It appears the USA is poised to become the energy superpower of the world.

http://thediplomat.com/2013/01/23/am...ew-petrostate/

[charliehunt]

Exactly. These reports have been circulating for many weeks. Whilst we huff and puff and flinch at the slightest suggestion that shale might be dangerous the US gets on with it.

Our shale reserves will never have the same effect if they were exploited but we are in desperate need of a realistic energy policy. And ludicrous commitments to CO2 emissions and thousands of windmills is not the answer.

[Matt-100]

Well, for starters it's far easier to find unoccupied land to shale in the US, Charlie. Here in the UK you never seem to be more than a couple of miles from a settlement.

Although I agree windmills are not the answer. MW for MW, wind turbines are tens of times more expensive to produce than nuclear power stations. And they blight the landscape.

[charliehunt]

I accept that reservation Matt, but where the exploitation is near to habitation in the US the same concerns have been expressed and objections mollified.

And you could not have put the second pint more clearly. It both appals me sand exasperates me that our excuse for a government seems so utterley oblivious to the fact that unless they do something pretty damn quick we will be importing most of our energy from places we would rather not in a very few years time.