Oil Analyst Says Renewables Get Competitive

Investments in solar/wind will accelerate oil, natural gas, and coal depletion. Think about ALL of the energy inputs in making solar/wind panels, turbines and structures. It is not only mining the ore, transporting, processing, making the panels/turbines/structures, heating the buildings where this stuff is made and sold, but it is all of the parts (like rail cars) that go into supporting all that makes this possible -- all of the machinery. Then add to that all of the salaries of the workers, sales people, miners, etc. and corporate profits mean the more oil will be consumed by all of these folks in transportation and all of their expenditures will mean more money/profits for others. It's a multiplier effect....and it all consumes/wastes more oil. Finally, electric power from solar/wind is useless for what is needed: oil for tractors, trucks, and heating. Natural gas is needed for heating and fertilizer. Without oil and natural gas, the U.S. population will starve and freeze to dead. In sum, the solar/wind option means wasting much precious oil to get some useless electric power. See the report which reviews the scientific and government studies on this topic: http://www.peakoilassociates.com/POAnalysis.html

Clifford J. Wirth of NH 7:11PM March 06, 2008