[Darwinist]

Good to see that "my people" seem to be getting their collective shit together. I would like to add that the 70% number on my own country seems to overlook the fishing fleet, which runs on diesel oil, but might be convertable to hydrogen or something else. Scandinavia has a definitive edge in implementing workable solutions to combat fossil fuel scarcity, our countries are homogenous, people in general care about the enviroment and the socialist models of government mean that the public is far more receptive to large-scale government-initiated programs to transform the energy industry than more privatized nations.

Also a good point is that at this point in time high oil prices are neccesary to provide the impetus for change - the worst thing possible right now would be government price caps or other stopgap measures to keep increased oil consumption viable.

There are workable solutions out there, see this articlefor instance, but those solutions must be initiated now, not when the market responds. Then it might be too late.

Twenty years after Sweden alerted the world to the meltdown at Chernobyl, it aims to phase out nuclear power and end dependency on fossil fuels, putting the country in the vanguard of green energy policy.

With soaring oil prices, rising demand, uncertain supply and the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, energy is in focus and the European Union is calling for coordinated policy.

But the Nordic region -- united by history, a shared concern for the environment and a harsh climate which puts heavy demand on power -- is divided on energy, not least nuclear power.

When a reactor at a nuclear plant in the Ukrainian town of Chernobyl exploded in 1986 and spewed radioactivity across Europe, the Nordic region was on the front-line: its pristine lakes and forests were polluted and Arctic reindeer meat and lichen contaminated.

Long before radiation on a Swedish power worker's shoes alerted the world to history's worst nuclear accident, Sweden had voted to get rid of atomic energy, in a 1980 referendum.

It now aims to break with fossil fuels by 2020, when it also wants greenhouse gas emissions, blamed by many for global warming, cut by 25 percent against 1990 levels.

"We have to transform into a non-oil economy," said Stefan Edman, who heads the Swedish government's oil dependency panel. "We have very high ambitions, although I don't think it is realistic that not a drop of oil will be used in 2020."

Sweden has already cut oil use in home heating by 70 percent in the last 20 years and has kept consumption flat in industry since 1994, despite a 70 percent increase in production.

The big challenge will be to do something about oil used in the transport sector, where it accounts for 98 percent of energy used, said Professor Christian Azar at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, also on the oil panel.

"If we could achieve a 50 percent reduction, that would be an enormous achievement."

While worries about oil prices and supply and climate change are major drivers, the government also hopes that environmental technology will be a money-spinner for Swedish companies.

"Sweden has a chance to be an international model and a successful actor in export markets for alternative solutions," said Mona Sahlin, minister for sustainable development.

"The aim is to break dependence on fossil fuels by 2020. By then, no home will need oil for heating. By then, no motorist will be obliged to use petrol as the sole option available. By then, there will be better alternatives to oil."

Sweden produces around 35 percent of its energy from oil and with nuclear power on the way out, finding alternative power sources is a priority.

DIFFERENT STROKES

In Finland, however, nuclear power is seen as part of the future and its fifth atomic power plant -- the first built in Europe for more than a decade -- is due to come online in 2009.

"The main reason was increasing demand for energy," said Anneli Nikula, spokesman for private power generation firm Teollisuuden Voima, which owns the new power plant.

Finland does not want to rely on neighbors Russia, Sweden and Norway for power and has many old fossil fuel plants which have to be replaced in order to meet climate change goals.

"Cutting down carbon dioxide emissions has sparked debate on nuclear energy in many European countries," said Nikula. "The second coming of nuclear energy is true."

In Norway and Denmark, atomic power has never been an option.

In the 1970s, when other Western nations were building nuclear plants, Norway started developing the vast oil and gas reserves that make it the world's third biggest oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia and Russia.

But the fact that hydropower dams still generate almost all the nation's electricity has dampened environmental concerns.

Controversy surrounds opening up new areas of the Arctic for oil exploration, and using natural gas to supplement hydropower to meet growing demand. But opposition to nuclear power is so entrenched that the center-left government did not even mention it when outlining its policies on taking office in October.

"Nuclear power is not an option for Norway," Oil and Energy Minister Odd Roger Enoksen told Reuters.

Denmark -- home to Vestas, the world's largest wind turbine maker -- hopes use of sustainable sources such as wind and biofuels will reach 36 percent by 2025, from 25 percent in 2003.

It also uses oil and gas from its North Sea fields and the government's 20-year energy plan emphasises keeping that industry competitive.

Iceland also aims to become the world's first oil-free nation, setting its sights on 2050, by shifting cars, buses, trucks and ships over to non-polluting hydrogen.

By then, in theory, the only oil used on the volcanic North Atlantic island would be in planes. About 70 percent of energy needs are already met by geothermal or hydropower -- only the transport sector is still hooked on oil.

For all these countries, the speed of change will depend on the price of oil. As Azar at Chalmers University put it: "The political momentum will drop as fast as the oil price."

[Depth]

Good for Sweden, they should push forward even harder with this.

Russia recently got a strangle hold on Europe's natural gas, so the sooner alternative fuels are developed the better for that region.

[Darwinist]

No doubt energy independance is going to be a huge issue in Europe in the two to three election cycles, especally if Russia flexes it´s gas muscle again.

It´s not so much that they recently acquired it, they´ve had the potential to damage Europe by turning off the gas since the early 80s, but they haven´t had the political will to use it for leverage until very recently.

They have most of the continent by the balls, it´s amazing that France, Germany and the UK allowed this to happen in the first place.

[Deadboy]

I hope the US can start getting on the ball with all this. I hope gas hits 7 bucks or something so some change can really start here.

[Darwinist]

Originally Posted by Deadboy

I hope the US can start getting on the ball with all this. I hope gas hits 7 bucks or something so some change can really start here.

Did you check out the co-generation plant in the article I linked? The fact that that operation might leave the US altogether in favour of better developmental grants and subsidies in Europe should make any red-blooded american interested in energy independance and enviromental issues angry. Using geothermal, nuclear or hydoelectric power to create oil and fertilizer? Sounds like a good plan to me, even if it were at a net energy loss! If their device works they can change anything from chicken guts to worn caprets to old tires into oil.....imagine turning all of the garbage in the US into oil. That´s real recycling!

[rajuman]

I wonder who USA would attack after oil is gone..

[Falero]

Originally Posted by Darwinist

Did you check out the co-generation plant in the article I linked? The fact that that operation might leave the US altogether in favour of better developmental grants and subsidies in Europe should make any red-blooded american interested in energy independance and enviromental issues angry. Using geothermal, nuclear or hydoelectric power to create oil and fertilizer? Sounds like a good plan to me, even if it were at a net energy loss! If their device works they can change anything from chicken guts to worn caprets to old tires into oil.....imagine turning all of the garbage in the US into oil. That´s real recycling!

Have we found a way to avoid the end of the fertilizer doomsday scenario discussed earlier?

[Darwinist]

Originally Posted by Falero

Have we found a way to avoid the end of the fertilizer doomsday scenario discussed earlier?

Cogeneration won´t be able to totally offset the decline in fertilizer production when NG begins to peak, it´s a byproduct of thermal polymerization.....but it´s really GOOD fertilizer, totally 100% organic and gives top results.

But mass-wise....no. it won´t. Not given the current agricultural paradigm.

[ShaolinSubz]

Originally Posted by Deadboy

I hope the US can start getting on the ball with all this. I hope gas hits 7 bucks or something so some change can really start here.

Unfortunalty (I banged on about this in another thread) the Federal Bank relies totally on foreign countries adopting Dollars for thier Oil standards and is willing to take drastic action to ensure this. Iran is threatening to do the same as Iraq and change thier standard to Euros and that is why more then most things they face nuclear offensive action and regime change. Because of this the US is not interested in renewable energy and has activly stifled efforts to find alternatives (Including hold back scientific breakthroughs). I guess some people may thin this is justifable as America would break down economically so War is a valid option. WRONG. By unprivatising the Federal bank (Thats right it aint Federal at all) and adopting a money backed by real gold and silver etc as opposed to paper (Prinitng billions when ever it suits the Admin)the US could change things round almost immediatly IMHO

[KingSnake]

Originally Posted by Darwinist

No doubt energy independance is going to be a huge issue in Europe in the two to three election cycles, especally if Russia flexes it´s gas muscle again.

haha, watch out I heard they've been doing anal kegels.