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France Passes Law To Ban All Oil, Gas Production By 2040 (cbsnews.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CBS News: France's parliament has approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law that passed a final vote on Tuesday, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted. The French government claims the ban is a world first. However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported. French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the approval of the law on Twitter, saying in part: "Very proud that France has become the first country in the world today to ban any new oil exploration licenses with immediate effect and all oil extraction by 2040."

155 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. what form of government is this? by iggymanz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    making completely symbolic bans that will not provide alternative energy, nor curtail use of fossil fuels in any way....is there a name for government by marketing shitheads?

    1. Re:what form of government is this? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      France is basically the world leader in nuclear power plant design and power production -- no worries there. Not all carbon-free energy has to be wind/solar.

    2. Re: what form of government is this? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Bzzzzzt! Bzzzzzt! Trump troll spotted, 12 o'clock, dead ahead! Awoooogah! Awooooogah!

    3. Re:what form of government is this? by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      oh but France has decided they will reduce nuclear power to providing ony 50% of electricity by 2025, from the current 75%. maybe they better start working on real steps toward that goal instead of symbolic B.S.

    4. Re:what form of government is this? by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

      Doubt it will happen -- they know which power source makes them independent from foreign control. Nuclear for life!

    5. Re:what form of government is this? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Doubt it will happen

      Indeed. They are already backpedaling after the marketing department had a talk with the engineers.

    6. Re: what form of government is this? by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

      Then again donâ(TM)t they depend on Australia and ZaÃre for their uranium?

      Even if they shifted to Thorium they wound still be dependent on foreign nations. India apparently being an important source.

      At this point there is probably more value in creating reactors that can use the waste from other reactors, if they want to reduce foreign dependencies?

      --
      Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    7. Re:what form of government is this? by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      France has decided they will reduce nuclear power to providing ony 50% of electricity by 2025, from the current 75%.

      That was Hollande's policy initiative. Fortunately he is now just a fading purple bruise in the French memory.

    8. Re:what form of government is this? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      making completely symbolic bans that will not provide alternative energy

      It's not up to the government to create market winners. It's up to them to ban the ones that should lose.

      A great many discoveries have been made on the backs of necessity. Unfortunately the current industry doesn't care about climate change (yay capitalism) so other factors need to be brought into play.

    9. Re:what form of government is this? by mjwx · · Score: 1

      making completely symbolic bans that will not provide alternative energy, nor curtail use of fossil fuels in any way....is there a name for government by marketing shitheads?

      They're not banning use, they're banning production... Considering that France produces very little in the way of oil or gas this is like northern Canada banning sunscreen production or Dubai prohibiting the construction of Igloo's.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    10. Re:what form of government is this? by lucasnate1 · · Score: 1

      Average is increasing but variance is also increasing, which leads to temporary colder moments. The name climate change was probably invented because of morons who dont know basic statistics.

    11. Re:what form of government is this? by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the USA from France.

      The Eiffel Tower was a gift to France from the USA.

    12. Re: what form of government is this? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      At this point there is probably more value in creating reactors that can use the waste from other reactors, if they want to reduce foreign dependencies?

      What a good idea! And the country that does the most fuel reprocessing for other nations is... France.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    13. Re:what form of government is this? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the USA from France.

      Amusing gift. After the creators had built two of them in Paris, the mayor told them that they weren't allowed any more.

      The Eiffel Tower was a gift to France from the USA.

      No. Just... no.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    14. Re:what form of government is this? by gillbates · · Score: 1

      Just FYI, 2040 is when the oil companies estimate the world will run out of oil. So, yes, this really is a symbolic ban, because by that time, the only oil extracted will be so expensive that it will be used only for plastics and other materials manufacturing, not as a fuel.

      --
      The society for a thought-free internet welcomes you.
    15. Re:what form of government is this? by doom · · Score: 1

      It's up to them to ban the ones that should lose.

      I would be happy with some form of carbon-pricing bolted on to the market to make the emitters pay for some of the damage that they do.

      Kind of like Obama's "Clean Power Plan", for example, but like everything else of any importance it's all on hold until we get rid of the obstructionists.

      One of my biggest peeves with the "environmentalists" is that they've all but stopped talking about carbon pricing, because it would make nuclear power look good, and you can't have that. They've picked their winners, and they want subsidies for them, and won't hear about anything else.

    16. Re:what form of government is this? by doom · · Score: 1

      2040 is when the oil companies estimate the world will run out of oil.

      And we have another prediction for peak oil.

      You know, when predictions are wrong you're supposed to think about revising your underlying mental model.

      If we "run out of oil" by then, you can take this as a far-sighted committment to dealing with the problem before it's upon us.

    17. Re:what form of government is this? by youngone · · Score: 1

      The Eiffel Tower was a gift to France from the USA.

      I have had a look through the Wikipedia article about the Eiffel Tower, and can see no mention of this at all.
      I don't think it was.

    18. Re:what form of government is this? by dcw3 · · Score: 1

      The Eiffel Tower was a gift to France from the USA.

      Go back to school and ask them for a refund.

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
    19. Re:what form of government is this? by KingBenny · · Score: 1

      yea its called western democracy ... or simply "government" :)
      you took the words out of my mouth there ... passing laws that effect 30 years after your legislation is over and you're probably half dead must feel really good standing on that stage making $10.000 speeches written for the people in the suits paid for with the same money you use to retire early while you vote a law quickly the rest of the country has to work 10 years longer ...
      it must be nearing elections somewhere i suppose
      why, o why do people no longer have confidence in government and police? ... i never knew they had that ... did they ? maybe foolsgold diggers

      --
      Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?
    20. Re:what form of government is this? by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      false, there is shale oil sufficient for over a century. your 1970's propaganda rehash won't pan out. we won't even talk about how much coal there is, global empires rise and fall on that timescale

    21. Re:what form of government is this? by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      no, it is NOT part of that and has no effect on that. it is meaningless stupid symbolism over substance

  2. Poverty, greed, misery, injustice by geekymachoman · · Score: 1

    ... and more! also.. to be banned, by 2120!

    Woohoo ... we're so proud of being so progressive!1

  3. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 2

    People working in industries that pollute the planet and endanger public health aren't automagically entitled to "jerbs." Bet you'd have said the same about workers who produced DDT pesticides and lead paint.

  4. Re:They will riot anyways and repeal it by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    The French don't need it -- they're the world leaders in nuclear energy production. If their industries and cars can be cut over to electric power in 25-30 years, they'll be fine. In fact, better off than being hostage to the rest of the world for oil and gas.

  5. Re:When the resource wars start by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, the French will be happily reprocessing nuclear fuel and laughing at the schmucks who are still reliant on fossil fools.

  6. Tartuferie by manu0601 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is very symbolic: french does not export much oil, and the law does not curb on oil importations.

    A side note: France does not burn much oil because it uses a lot of nuclear power. However french cars still use fuel for the most of them.

    1. Re:Tartuferie by mentil · · Score: 3, Funny

      So you're saying we need Mr. Fusion?

      --
      Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    2. Re:Tartuferie by kenh · · Score: 1

      France today imports 99% of it's gas and oil needs, this law will cause that number to rise to 100% in 23 years. Whoa.

      --
      Ken
    3. Re:Tartuferie by thinkwaitfast · · Score: 1

      What does France's energy breakdown by use look like? The US only burns oil for transportation and not much else.

    4. Re:Tartuferie by GrumpySteen · · Score: 1

      Nah. We just need to get production started on the Ford Nucleon.

    5. Re:Tartuferie by doom · · Score: 1

      "Mr. Fusion" isn't necessary-- there are multiple things that would work-- but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

      It's easy to be cynical about Fusion these days, but we could still get there. Try listening to Bussard on the subject (from back in 2006)... https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    6. Re:Tartuferie by manu0601 · · Score: 2

      Energy use or oil use? Since most energy produced in France is from nuclear, that makes a huge difference.

    7. Re:Tartuferie by manu0601 · · Score: 1

      What does France's energy breakdown by use look like? The US only burns oil for transportation and not much else.

      From Wikipedia

      • Inudustry:19%
      • Transports: 33.1%
      • Households: 30.2%
      • Service businesses: 14.7%
      • Farming: 3%
    8. Re:Tartuferie by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Headline should read:

      "France Takes Vow of Poverty, returns to era of horse and buggy"

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  7. Re:They will riot anyways and repeal it by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    LOL! They actually have a good safety record because their plants aren't based on 50 year old American or Soviet tech. I'll bet that we'll see another meltdown in the US sooner -- the US is too ignorant to replace its 40-50 year old nuclear plants with newer, safer nukes.

  8. Re:When the resource wars start by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    The digital Maginot network will save France.
    The encrypted bank payment for another ship load of LNG imports will always be accepted.
    France has nuclear weapons to stop any invasion by Germany and the UK.
    The metro is powered by nuclear power stations. Government workers will always get to work.
    New subsidised electric 2CV and H vans for the rest of France.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  9. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 2

    Largely a myth about the 20 million people -- bugs were developing DDT resistance, and DDT is not banned in countries that actually need it. Glad the US stepped up and banned it, though. Humanity without a clean ecosystem and healthy plants/animals is nothing.

  10. Re: When the resource wars start by dbialac · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wait until they find out what plastic is made from.

  11. Re: When the resource wars start by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Perfect excuse to reduce unnecessary use of plastic drastically.

  12. Gas Production by mentil · · Score: 5, Insightful

    In other news, gas produced by political windbags set to hold steady indefinitely.

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
    1. Re:Gas Production by doom · · Score: 1

      But it pales in significance to the energy "renewables" enthusisasts put into writing gosh-wow headlines.

  13. Re: When the resource wars start by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

    Make it all out of steel!

  14. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

    What is a "jerb" and why would anyone want one. Sounds like a parasite if some kind.

  15. Not for long by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 5, Informative

    Only until they realize that there are many non-fuel related uses of oil such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, clothing/fabrics, asphalt etc. Then there is the question about how to power their aircraft.

    1. Re:Not for long by phayes · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hot Air Monsieur! HOT AIR!

      Our politicians here in France have hot air in abundance!

      --
      Democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the issue
    2. Re:Not for long by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Only until they realize that there are many non-fuel related uses of oil such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, clothing/fabrics, asphalt etc.

      Considering oil is a non-renewable source, it's better that we resolve such issues while we still have the luxury of having an abundant amount of oil. What you need to realize is that many things were developed to use oil because it was so abundant. We're making headway with plastics (see bioplastics) and that's really the biggest issue here.

      Then there is the question about how to power their aircraft.

      I've thought about this exact issue and my conclusion was that hydrogen fuel cells is the best alternative based on current technology. It would be more expensive but all you need is water and electricity to make what you need.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    3. Re:Not for long by gravewax · · Score: 1, Insightful

      considering oil is currently a critically used and required resource how about it is fucking better to solve such reliance problems BEFORE banning its production. Not that this matters anyway as this is really just marketing as the timeline combined with the miniscule amount France produces means this will not have any impact on anything.

    4. Re: Not for long by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      That's why they give until 2040 -- to give replacements before the ban

    5. Re:Not for long by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      It is called methane, there is a lot of 'shit' you can do with methane, chemically alter it or even burn it and it takes nothing more than your shit to make. Every city, preserving their methane to make use of it, a worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and when every city does it, to protect, preserve and enhance the living environment, they will probably have a surplus. No need for fossil fuels, they can make their own by consuming and then passing the fuels of life, more than enough, when you work to process it all, none wasted to pollute the environment. Methane and various catalysts and energy and a bunch of molecular engineering and you are done, simple logic. I know you fossil fuelers your butt holes are twitching at the thought of the loss of most of your wealth and all of your power, suck it up mate and good riddance to the many toxic cultures that supply fossil fuels, shut down to nothing primitives again, that we don't have to interact with or tolerate.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    6. Re: Not for long by Midnight+Thunder · · Score: 1

      Then again a lot of innovation has happened in just the last 10 years when it comes to alternative energy sources and source material for plastics. Hopefully this will help drive companies to look further into how to develop products that day by depend on oil.

      The first countries that develop oil free technologies may actually have the competitive edge in the coming years. On the other hand countries trying to support ailing energy types, such as coal, may be playing catch up.

      --
      Jumpstart the tartan drive.
    7. Re:Not for long by DarthVain · · Score: 1

      Well they banned it much like Germany "banned" Nuclear power. They will just import it from other countries.

    8. Re:Not for long by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      So if we literally start hoarding our shit and collecting our farts, your energy utopia will become possible.

      I know you fossil fuelers your butt holes are twitching at the thought of the loss of most of your wealth and all of your power, suck it up mate and good riddance to the many toxic cultures that supply fossil fuels, shut down to nothing primitives again, that we don't have to interact with or tolerate.

      Wow, that last 'sentence' is a doozy.

    9. Re:Not for long by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      Considering oil is a non-renewable source.

      STOP RIGHT THERE. We can turn CO2 into gasoline. Given that MANY applications (such as airplanes) simply aren't viable without the extreme energy density of fossil fuels relative to batteries, trying to eliminate all fossil fuel use seems like folly. Given that we can actually make gasoline and kerosene from CO2, why isn't there more effort put into that?

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    10. Re:Not for long by Socguy · · Score: 1

      By 2040 manned aircraft may be a relic of history. Considering the rate of solar/battery improvement Unmanned drones may work fine with electricity. More likely, man made synthetic fuels will be available by then which will cover most of your list.

    11. Re:Not for long by Socguy · · Score: 1

      Hydrogen always looks like it's going to fill a need, then improvements in other areas (hello batteries) keep surpassing it. Hydrogen is saddled with inefficiencies that pure electrics just don't have. The energy lost through the generation, transportation, handling and storage of H2 is substantial. The technical challenges of handling the stuff are a nightmare on the large scale.

      Finally, for niche applications: why would we go to all the work of generating/storing/handling H2 when, given the choice we could just use the energy to begin to synthesize hydrocarbon fuel from atmospheric carbon (hello biofuels) and use existing technology to utilize the stuff?

    12. Re: Not for long by wyHunter · · Score: 1

      I'm sorry we didn't let the Germans keep France.

    13. Re:Not for long by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I believe there is a company in the UK which sets up methane producing digesters for communities. They offer this as an alternative to fracking.
      http://www.biogas-info.co.uk/

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    14. Re: Not for long by gravewax · · Score: 1

      I didn't miss it at all, in fact I explicitly pointed it out.

    15. Re:Not for long by Eunuchswear · · Score: 1

      If you turn CO2 into gasoline it's not a fossil fuel.

      --
      Watch this Heartland Institute video
  16. Re:When the resource wars start by msauve · · Score: 1

    "the French will be happily reprocessing nuclear fuel and laughing at the schmucks who are still reliant on fossil fools."

    Wait, France has nuclear powered aircraft and ocean freighters? They've been keeping that a secret.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  17. Re:When the resource wars start by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

    You can also say that if/when the consensus becomes "we *need* that fossil fuel, and fuck the climate" they can repeal this law and will have more resources left than others who burned everything as quickly as possible.

  18. Re:When the resource wars start by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 2

    Hydrogen will work for aircraft.

    Ocean freighters could be nuclear-powered. See also the Otto Hahn and NS Savannah.

  19. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    Colloquial for a job. No one is entitled to a job in an industry that will soon be consigned to the toilet of history.

    Same goes for all those former coalies in West Virginie. Trump might provide a temporary boost, but their jobs are dead as Marley in 5-10 years. They might as well get used to it.

  20. Re:When the resource wars start by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wait, France has nuclear powered aircraft and ocean freighters?

    France does have nuclear powered submarines. If so motivated, the same nuclear marine reactors for freight. In fact I wish this would happen. The shipping industry is perhaps one of the most polluting users of oil on the planet. The downside of course is nuclear proliferation concerns, can't imagine why the North Korean Navy might want to seize one of these. This is why we can't have nice things. :(

  21. Re:When the resource wars start by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1, Informative

    Electrolysis. Powered by ... nuclear reactors. Or even renewables.

    I never said it was an energy SOURCE, just a good way to store energy.

    How to store it? Engineering problem that's been solved in multiple ways. Read about hydrogen-powered aircraft before yipping and yapping sarcastically.

  22. Re: When the resource wars start by PoopJuggler · · Score: 1

    You're wasting your breath. These old fools are stuck in the past. Anything modern is just tomfoolery.

  23. wow brave. by gravewax · · Score: 5, Funny

    That is the equivalent of Australia banning Polar Bear hunting or the US banning all Koala skin exports, very brave move

    1. Re:wow brave. by lorinc · · Score: 1

      Well, France has a lot of overseas territories which might or might not contain oil. There are even known deposits in the Mozambique channel where France have very large territorial waters.

      In fact, the move is more signalling that France will not exploit those resources in the future than stopping current exploitation.

    2. Re:wow brave. by gravewax · · Score: 1

      when nothing is on the line for them it signals nothing but grandstanding. If they wanted to make a commitment that showed something then they should have said they are going to ban all fossil fuel imports to the country by 2040.

  24. Sum total effect of this by kenh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption. The rest is imported.

    The sum total effect of this is that France will go from importing 99% of it's oil and gas needs to 100%, big deal.

    --
    Ken
    1. Re:Sum total effect of this by aod7br7932 · · Score: 1

      That's what the Libyan job was for.

    2. Re:Sum total effect of this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It's more ridiculous than that, because oil production has declined from over 60000 barrels/day in the 1990s to an even smaller 16000 barrels/day now, versus over 1.7 million barrels/day of consumption. In another 23 years it would be surprising if there was any production at all.

      Basically they've announced their intention to something by 2040 that they probably won't have to bother doing because it will already be done.

  25. Re:Oil and Gas Production by kenh · · Score: 1

    It's not like they are going to stop using gas and oil, they will just stop producing it - big whoop.

    --
    Ken
  26. Re:United States by kenh · · Score: 2

    A decision to keep using oil and gas, but just stop producing it would accomplish what, exactly? Do you imagine importing oil and gas somehow lowers greenhouse gasses?

    --
    Ken
  27. Re:They will riot anyways and repeal it by kenh · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What are you talking about, they said they'd stop producing oil and gas, they never said they'd stop using oil and gas.

    --
    Ken
  28. Not really it is about OIL production not FUEL by aepervius · · Score: 1

    France has a few oil well, but they are producing next to nothing. So they can happily state they will produce no more *OIL*, while happily importing crude and refining it to FUEL (or Plastic whatever). As said, it is symbolic.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
    1. Re:Not really it is about OIL production not FUEL by vtcodger · · Score: 1

      A bit like China promising to cut back on CO2 emissions when they start to run out of coal to burn?

      --
      You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
  29. I'll be more impressed when by magzteel · · Score: 1
    I'll be more impressed when they ban all use of oil and gas for any purpose.

    Fortunately this dumb stunt will not affect the French Air Force too much, as over half their aircraft are unfit to fly anyway: https://www.express.co.uk/news...

    The other half are being protected from the elements by white flags.

  30. Re:They will riot anyways and repeal it by DivineKnight · · Score: 1

    Prior to the World Wars? One of their own tried to take over Europe.

    From a military standpoint, the French have only 'recently' had issues with the Germans. Before that, they had their own empire, and liked to screw with Spain, Britain, etc. for fun.

  31. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  32. Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 2

    I've thought about this exact issue and my conclusion was that hydrogen fuel cells is the best alternative based on current technology.

    The problem with this is that fuel cells generate electricity so you are now limiting yourself to a propeller aircraft which will be a lot slower than current jet technology. Even if you develop a hydrogen jet engine storing the fuel it needs is currently something we do not have the technology for since high pressure tanks are extremely heavy since they are metal and carbon fibre ones have far lower pressures.

    It's certainly possible that there could be technological solutions to these problems before 2040 but isn't the sensible thing to develop the technology first and THEN motivate the switch to it by passing laws. Picking some arbitrary timescale and enshrining it in law is just daft when meeting the deadline depends on something over which you have no control.

    1. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Even if you develop a hydrogen jet engine storing the fuel it needs is currently something we do not have the technology for since high pressure tanks are extremely heavy since they are metal and carbon fibre ones have far lower pressures

      And yet...the Saturn V managed to store LH2 just fine. As did the Space Shuttle. And both of them flew....

      --

      "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
    2. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 2

      It's certainly possible that there could be technological solutions to these problems before 2040 but isn't the sensible thing to develop the technology first and THEN motivate the switch to it by passing laws.

      Necessity is the mother of invention.

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    3. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 3, Informative

      ...at a terrible cost of keeping it liquified, for a short period of time, and with a density of only 70 kg per cubic meter. At an energy density one fourth that of jet fuel. And without any concern for fuel price (tens of dollars per kilogram).

      Neither of those vehicles you mention made it into orbit without non-hydrogen propulsion. S-V needed a lot of kerosene, and the STS effectively burned a lot of rubber to get into orbit. And the reason why hydrogen was even used was the impact of Isp in the rocket equation on the efficiency of upper stages, with Isp for a rocket being effectively the exhaust velocity, which is much higher if your fuel is hydrogen rich, and there's nothing richer in hydrogen than hydrogen. Jets, however, face a completely different problem since the exhaust velocity is immaterial; they're heating lots of air with comparatively little fuel, and here's where the 25% energy density of hydrogen bites you in the ass: even at massive Isps allowed for by pushing lots of mildly hot air around, the constant drag means that you need a lot of fuel for long-distance flights. Now multiply the tank volume by four. And, oh, add insulation for a 250 K temperature differential between the airplane skin and the tank...

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    4. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      Even if you develop a hydrogen jet engine storing the fuel it needs is currently something we do not have the technology for since high pressure tanks are extremely heavy since they are metal and carbon fibre ones have far lower pressures

      And yet...the Saturn V managed to store LH2 just fine. As did the Space Shuttle. And both of them flew....

      Just fine is relative, as is "flew". The Saturn V had kerosene as the first stage propellant due to the low energy density of hydrogen. It produced the thrust necessary to get the damn heavy thing off the the ground, something LH2 was not capable of. LH2 only came into play at the second stage as it is far more efficient fuel to burn once moving.

      While we're at it have you seen a crosssection of the LH2 storage tank? The thickness of insulation needed to keep the LH2 in liquid form at suitable pressures was wider than most fuel tanks are round. You can overcome a whole lot of hurdles when you have lots of space for your storage tank.

      Car makers have been playing with hydrogen fuel for a while no. So far no one has come up with a method of doing it without bonding the hydrogen to some other material. Hydrogen storage is not a solved problem.

    5. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by jblues · · Score: 1

      Fair points, but history shows that regulating first has been shown to drive innovation in the desired direction.

      Case in point Southern California. It hat an electric, mass transit public transport system. When these were privatised, General Motors Corporation bought in, and started to steadily reduce the service, like a frog in hot water. At the same time emotive advertising that implored people to write to their commissioner and demand more roads "for the children". A solid strategy to sell more motor vehicles.

      Los Angeles became one of the smoggiest cities in the world. The government set vehicle emission regulations, to be met by a set date. As these were met they became steadily more stringent. (Of course at one point the test was fudged rather than actual innovation, but that's another story)

      --
      If it acquires resources on instantiation like a duck, then its a shared_ptr<Duck>
    6. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      It is possible, just not practical.
      The Soviets have built a Tu-154 version that had one of its engines running on hydrogen. They have switched to natural gas later because hydrogen storage is complicated.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    7. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by edtice1559 · · Score: 1

      There is an easy solution to this problem. You simply combine the hydrogen with a long carbon chain. Then you can get whatever physical properties you want and substitute it for existing fossil fuel applications. Since France gets electricity for free with no environmental impact (read:nuclear), it doesn't even matter if the process is efficient.

    8. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Since France gets electricity for free with no environmental impact (read:nuclear)

      It's not exactly free, but there definitely are viable sources of surplus energy for, say, electrolytic hydrogen generation for synthetic fuel production, sources that constantly decrease in price. Just place a lot of solar panels in southern Europe and you're set. Especially if you place them in, say, the 2030s when the prices will be half again of what they're now.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    9. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

      Los Angeles smog is due to geographic peculiarities.

    10. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 1

      The Saturn V did have 13 successful launches - and one that blew up. The Space Shuttle had 135 flights, only 133 were successful without deaths. I dunno, but I think modern jet airplanes manage a little better than 2-8% of all flights failing... Were these accidents caused by the use of LH2? The Saturn V may have been - but the others were worsened by the fact they were strapped to a huge tank of LH2 and LO2...

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
    11. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 1

      Yes with an enormous budget and an entire ground control room staffed with engineers to monitor everything to stop things exploding. Even with this two of 833 Space shuttle launches ended in disaster although only one is attributable to a rocket failure. However even one failure in 833 launches would mean huge numbers of plane crashes every single day. Liquid hydrogen fuelled rockets are not in anyway a viable alternative to the modern jet engine.

    12. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 1

      Sorry - that should be 135 shuttle missions - I used the number of crew instead of the number of missions. This makes the statistics even worse at about a 1% failure rate. Would you get on a plane if it had a 1% chance of blowing up due to engine failure?

    13. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by nojayuk · · Score: 1

      The heaviest lifter in the US inventory (and the world too) at the moment is a pure H2/O2 cryogenic booster, the Delta 4 Heavy (28 tonnes to LEO). It doesn't get used a lot for various reasons, typically one flight a year for NROL missions.

      H2/O2 has the best out-of-the-box Isp figure of all regular fuel combos but it suffers from low mass exhaust and at high atmospheric pressures close to the ground this results in reduced thrust due to back pressure. That's the reason the Shuttle, Ariane V, H-2 and other lifters have used it as a core stage fuel/oxidiser combo with strap-on solids to get it into a near-vacuum regime where its excellent Isp can earn its living. Even the venerable Saturn V's second and subsequent stages were H2/O2 for that reason. A number of other modern launchers use H2/O2 second and final stages, such as the GSLV MkIII.

    14. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      The heaviest lifter in the US inventory (and the world too) at the moment is a pure H2/O2 cryogenic booster, the Delta 4 Heavy

      And because of its extensive use of LH2, it costs about $400M to launch, about two to five times as much as the second next most powerful vehicle (depending on which one currently holds the crown, since it seems that the Falcon 9, the Ariane 5, and the Proton M+ are racing in a pack when it comes to maximum LEO payload). And regarding jetliners, even if hydrogen tankage had exactly the same price tag and overall lack of technical issues as jet fuel tankage of comparable size, there would still be issues with fuel price and volume. (Since we're talking about airplanes, the use of hydrogen in rockets is really irrelevant here.)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    15. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by nojayuk · · Score: 1

      the Falcon 9, the Ariane 5, and the Proton M+ are racing in a pack when it comes to maximum LEO payload

      Ariane V ES can, and has put about 20 tonnes into LEO orbit to supply the ISS with ESA's ATV missions. Falcon 9 missions to the ISS run to about 10-12 tonnes docked at the ISS, the Full-Thrust launches have been crippled by the recoverable features added as deadweight to the booster and thus have not yet reached the 20-tonne-to-LEO target expected. I've got no numbers on Proton M series launcher performance with actual LEO payloads. The Wikipedia article on the Proton claims 23 tonnes to LEO maxed out but nothing delivered to the ISS orbit to give a fair comparison, and no details of any actual heavy-lift missions to LEO at all.

      Hydrogen as a storeable fuel on Earth is pretty pointless, its use as a fuel in launchers is well-proven but usually with caveats and workarounds but there are reasons it was used in the past and will continue to be used in the future. Several space engineering operations are developing new H2/O2 motors such as ESA's Vinci, a restartable replacement for the existing H2/O2 upper-stage HM7B motor used on Ariane V.

    16. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Ariane V ES can, and has put about 20 tonnes into LEO orbit to supply the ISS with ESA's ATV missions. Falcon 9 missions to the ISS run to about 10-12 tonnes docked at the ISS, the Full-Thrust launches have been crippled by the recoverable features added as deadweight to the booster and thus have not yet reached the 20-tonne-to-LEO target expected.

      The "recoverable features" are optional and therefore don't "cripple" F9's expendable payload capability in any way. Just don't install them and you're fine. And by this reasoning, the Delta IV Heavy also hasn't gotten anywhere near the advertised 28 tonne payload either.

      I've got no numbers on Proton M series launcher performance with actual LEO payloads. The Wikipedia article on the Proton claims 23 tonnes to LEO maxed out but nothing delivered to the ISS orbit to give a fair comparison, and no details of any actual heavy-lift missions to LEO at all.

      Seriously? You *do* realize that the Zarya and Zvezda modules of the ISS were lauched by Protons, and the Nauka module will be, too? These don't exist to you?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    17. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by nojayuk · · Score: 1

      The "recoverable features" are optional and therefore don't "cripple" F9's expendable payload capability in any way. Just don't install them and you're fine. And by this reasoning, the Delta IV Heavy also hasn't gotten anywhere near the advertised 28 tonne payload either.

      Several of the NROL payloads for the D4 Heavy have been in the 23-24 tonne range (mostly in-orbit manoeuvering fuel at a guess). I don't know the what heaviest SpaceX payload into LEO has been. The Full Thrust launches, the most powerful version of the F9 flying today have been much smaller than 20 tonnes into orbit in part because there are few 20-tonne launches required these days (we've got very good at putting smaller bits together in orbit) and in part because of the landing legs, guidance fins and required fuel and oxidiser reserve for recovery that have always been flown on F9 FT launches up till now.

      Thanks for the info about the Protons, I don't track them much and there's no convenient info a.k.a. specific Wiki articles about Proton launches, or at least I couldn't find any.

    18. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Several of the NROL payloads for the D4 Heavy have been in the 23-24 tonne range

      Which ones? I'm only aware of the fact that recent KH-11s are supposed to be in the 19 tonne range. The HST, which is rather similar to them in dimensions and optical capability (modulo focus), only weighs about 11 tonnes. It seems strange that the KH-11s would weight twice as much despite being roughly the same size.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    19. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by nojayuk · · Score: 1

      Manoeuvering fuel is essential for spy satellites for them to change their orbits. Once the fuel is exhausted or close to it the satellite's orbit is predictable and can't be altered to deal with new observing tasks so NROL spy birds, radio and radar monitoring satellites and such fly with as much fuel on board as the launcher can safely handle and get the payload into its desired primary orbit.

      The Hubble is just going around in circles so it didn't need ten tonnes of fuel and oxidiser on board to change its orbit during its lifespan. Not so for a spy bird.

    20. Re:Need hydrogen jet, not fuel cell by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      I know that spy sats need manoeuvering propellant. But even that doesn't push the mass by extra ten tonnes in upgrades. The old versions of KH-11 apparently had several tonnes of propellant in already fairly large tanks. Exactly how do you squeeze +150% extra into the same bus?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  33. Oh SUCH a great loss! by Chas · · Score: 1

    Of the 98 oil producing nations on Earth, they're roughly #71. It equates out to about 0.02% of total, worldwide production.
    Basically, any of the top 15 countries in the world could increase production 1% and totally negate any losses from France and its territories.

    --


    Chas - The one, the only.
    THANK GOD!!!
  34. Re:When the resource wars start by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    And how do you store and transport the hydrogen

    In a big bag on top of the aircraft. What could possibly go wrong?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  35. Re: When the resource wars start by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    It even has aircraft on it!

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  36. Wrong approach by bluegutang · · Score: 1

    Even with totally renewable transportation and energy, oil is still needed to manufacture many products such as plastics.

    What they should really do is prohibit imports of oil from OTHER countries that are undemocratic or have lower environmental standards. That would actually make a difference for the environment, and at the same time help their security (most major oil producers are nasty/hostile dictatorships like Saudi, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela).

    1. Re:Wrong approach by aslagle · · Score: 1

      It's staggering to me how many people don't realize just how much comes out of oil. We do to oil what the native Americans used to do with the Buffalo.

      We take the oil and put it in a big pipe, heat the crap out of it, and then pull out different things based on how high up in the pipe it condenses (a crude simplification, but close enough for government work).

      • At the top is the gasses such as LPG and butanes. Sulfur too, from H2S. Heavy Naphtha.
      • Then a ton of products, some of which get reblended into Gasoline: jet fuel, kerosine, diesel oil, fuel oil, stuff like butanes and pentanes.
      • Lower down, we get the heavy fuel oils, waxes, lubricating oils (don't underestimate the need for that stuff).
      • And finally, at the bottom, Asphalt.

      Most of that stuff we'll need, even if every car today was electrically powered.

  37. Re: When the resource wars start by luvirini · · Score: 1

    yes, unlike the English carriers that do not have planes..

  38. Re:When the resource wars start by Mashiki · · Score: 1

    No, the French will be happily reprocessing nuclear fuel and laughing at the schmucks who are still reliant on fossil fools.

    French reactors have a problem handing reprocessed nuclear fuel and require very specific mixes in order to operate properly. It's a well known design problem even with their current generations of reactors, which are why the current and future CANDU designs are being picked by more countries as a nuclear power solution. CANDU can use any fuel source, at any stage of it's life whether enriched uranium, highly enriched uranium, plutonium, all byproduct waste from highly radioactive to low radioactive and various types of MOX fuels.

    On top of that nearly all of the uranium that France uses in it's nuclear program comes directly from Canada, and the various reprocessing facilities we have here. One of the reasons S.Korea went with CANDU designs was to directly get away from the problem of "long hauling" radioactive material.

    --
    Om, nomnomnom...
  39. On a related note ... by gordguide · · Score: 1

    On a related note, Canada has banned all production of Champagne starting in 2039.

    1. Re:On a related note ... by coofercat · · Score: 1

      That's okay - the best sparkling wines now come from the UK - climate change means the best place to grow it is moving north. The way things are going, by 2039, the best will probably be Scottish, or maybe Icelandic ;-)

    2. Re:On a related note ... by Baron_Yam · · Score: 1

      By 2039, maybe they'll be growing grape cells in a vat and skipping the whole field part of the process.

  40. Re:When the resource wars start by wisnoskij · · Score: 1

    Reprocessing nuclear fuel to power cars and make into plastics/roads/cloth?

    --
    Troll is not a replacement for I disagree.
  41. Bullshit gesture, is bullshit. by geekmux · · Score: 1

    "...it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1 percent of domestic consumption."

    So, France has essentially made a promise to fulfill almost two decades from now that changes damn near nothing, and they're expecting praise?

    This is like watching the United States hold a 3-day celebration after announcing a ban on asbestos in new home construction.

    1. Re:Bullshit gesture, is bullshit. by geekmux · · Score: 1

      The kneejerk America bashing gets so tiresome. Asbestos was originally banned in the US in 1989. Your joke is 28 years out of date. Get some new material.

      No shit it was banned long ago. Clearly you failed to get the fucking joke that a 3-day celebration is about as relevant as France's 1-percent-impact announcement.

  42. Re:When the resource wars start by msauve · · Score: 1

    "Hydrogen will work for aircraft."

    Key word: "will," and that's just an unsupported supposition. France is stopping oil exploration now, and oil pumping by 2040. Where are France's current hydrogen powered aircraft, and where is their nuclear powered freighter design and construction occurring so they're operational and commercially feasible by 2040, and not just some government subsidized research project?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  43. Re:Virtue signalling bullshit by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    Why do you think that wind and solar will be "unreliable and expensive" by 2040? That's 23 years from now. Judging from the progress of solar and wind technology since 1994, which was 23 years ago, until today, there's no reason to assume that these won't be the preferred energy sources by then, at least for electricity generation.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  44. Re:2019 : France discovers massive oil field by Godwin+O'Hitler · · Score: 1

    Nah they've been drilling for oil since 1889 on the Champs de Mars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... and are still no closer.

    --
    No, your children are not the special ones. Nor are your pets.
  45. cui bono by aod7br7932 · · Score: 1

    Please check the voter's and Macron's movements on the future commodities markets

  46. Re:Let's be somewhat realistic by EvilAlphonso · · Score: 1

    If I'm not mistaken... the oil production was literally a once-off event that happened before bacteria started processing the dead matter. Once that once-off stockpile is gone, it's not coming back.

  47. Re:When the resource wars start by vtcodger · · Score: 1

    "Where does the hydrogen come from?"

    The Hydrogen will be provided by the Hydrogen fairies who live in people's flower beds and consume rose petals and dandelion greens.

    --
    You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
  48. So, they're shutting off oil production in Gabon? by SEE · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Oh, wait, I forgot, we're all supposed to pretend Gabon's independent.

    Sure, French relations with Gabon are still managed out of the old colonial office rather than from the ministry of foreign affairs, and France's treasury backs their currency, and there are a bunch of French troops permanently stationed in the country, and (now deceased) Gabonese president Omar Bongo said "Gabon without France is like a car with no driver. France without Gabon is like a car with no fuel." But Gabon is an independent country, you bet.

  49. Re: Virtue signalling bullshit by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    That makes very little sense. As the penetration of these sources will increase, the sum of the periods in which their output won't cover our basic electrical needs will necessarily decrease. Along with that, the opportunity to store the surpluses (which will constitute an ever-increasing proportion of the generated electricity), either virtually using hydro dam regulation or physically using batteries or electrolyzers, will increase to the point that even with the round-trip inefficiencies, it will be still be economical to cover the remaining intervals of insufficient generation with the accumulated stored energy. It doesn't matter if storage doubles your costs if your input is at two euro cents per kWh. It's still cheaper than the alternatives at that point.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  50. Re:When the resource wars start by vivian · · Score: 1

    You could probably make a nice impermeable bag from canvas, if you impregnated it with a mix of aluminium and iron oxides to protect it from UV and used nitrocellulose to bind it to the canvas.

  51. Possibly Jumping the Gun Here a Bit by Ferretman · · Score: 1

    But hey, they can always change their mind later I reckon.

    Ferret

    --
    Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc
  52. "Considering oil is a non-renewable source" by arfonrg · · Score: 1

    "Considering oil is a non-renewable source" - You do know that millions of gallons of oil is currently being created in the ground right now as you type that. Oil creation is ALWAYS happening. It will continue to be created even after we stop using it.

    --
    Your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
    1. Re:"Considering oil is a non-renewable source" by mspohr · · Score: 1

      I know that there is a lot of oil in the ground. I thought it was made millions of years ago after the carboniferous period where plants and animals were buried under pressure deep in the earth.
      So... what is your source for oil being formed today? The carboniferous period is long gone and it takes eons to bury stuff to get the required temperature and pressure.

      --
      I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
    2. Re:"Considering oil is a non-renewable source" by Eunuchswear · · Score: 1

      He's an abiotic oil loon.

      --
      Watch this Heartland Institute video
  53. And yet...the Saturn V managed to store LH2 just f by arfonrg · · Score: 1

    You do realise that the first stage (the heavy lifter) used [gasp] kerosene[gasp] because there's far more energy in 'fossil fuels' than in hydrogen.

    And the space shuttle REQUIRED two solid boosters to lift it and that huge tank of hydrogen (again because there's not much energy in hydrogen).

    --
    Your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
  54. Re:When the resource wars start by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    France doesn't produce any oil. This is the sort of virtue posturing one could expect from a nation who just elected their own version of Donald Trump, just of the opposite polarity.

  55. Re:When the resource wars start by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    It runs on whatever chemicals the French have a great surplus of as a result of not producing or consuming any soap.

  56. Re: When the resource wars start by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    300 millihertz? That's kinda fast. Better slow it down a bit and be safe.

  57. Re:When the resource wars start by jellomizer · · Score: 1

    I think France is putting the Cart before the horse. France needs to get its dependence from fossil fuel off the plate, before it stops its production and exportation.
    With France leaving the production game, with demand still present it is opening itself to keep its dependence on producers such as the Middle East, Russia and America. Who at the moment aren't really nice nations to deal with. As an American I would like to think we are a good nation to trade with. But for the past year or so our relations with other countries have sucked.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  58. Re: When the resource wars start by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    We would just have to stay in the older parts of our house, where the wires are silk wound with cloth insulation, and routed with knob and tube wiring

  59. Re: Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    The ACA is dead without the IRS penalizing people for not buying a 'health care plan' (which isn't something you buy, it's something you do). Nobody will be penalized, the whole thing will die because nobody is throwing their money away on 'plans' they don't need.

    Particularly younger people will benefit from the recent changes. Healthy 20 year olds won't be paying for hip replacement surgery for 84 year olds with six month life expectancy.

  60. Re:Virtue signalling bullshit by blindseer · · Score: 1

    Why do I think wind and solar will be unreliable by 2040? Because they rely on the wind blowing and the sun shining.

    Why do I think that wind and solar will be expensive by 2040? You assumed too much. I don't know what wind and solar will cost in 20 years, and neither do these policymakers. Given that it's more expensive than nuclear now then there's a good chance that with technological development in wind, solar, and nuclear, in the next 20 years that the swiftest horse is the best bet. Maybe wind and solar will win, but right now nuclear is ahead. So build some nuclear now, and see which one is ahead in 20 years.

    Most importantly is that unless we see a replacement for oil in the next 20 years this ban on oil will not stand. I suppose they might be stubborn and hold the oil ban as the lights go out, planes are grounded, and people generally freeze and starve to death. If there is a replacement we'll likely see a transition in full swing in 20 years. It's not likely that oil can be replaced that quickly. It took a century for steam to completely replace sail in commercial shipping.

    --
    I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
  61. Re: When the resource wars start by PoopJuggler · · Score: 1

    I guess you're the fool since you failed to comprehend the mention of BIOplastics.

  62. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

    Ah. And who does the consigning? The philosopher-kings?

  63. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by b0s0z0ku · · Score: 1

    The government. The market. Whoever.

    If something is too environmentally dirty to be allowed to survive, it should be killed off. If something doesn't pay (like coal -- natural gas is much easier to handle and maintain equipment), it should be allowed to die.

    No support for obsolete, dirty industries.

  64. Re: Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by Bing+Tsher+E · · Score: 1

    The Toxic candidate in Alabama nearly won.

    Most Republicans thought he was repugnant, but weren't going to elect a Democrat to spite reality.

  65. Re: When the resource wars start by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

    Plastic is made from hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen. All of these are abundant elements. When you get them in the polymers found in crude oil, the energy cost of separating them out into ones that don't need much energy to turn into plastic is fairly low. When you start with plan oils and have to polymerise or crack them to get the right lengths, the energy costs can be higher.

    Creating plastic is a problem of energy, not of raw materials. We don't use oil for them because it's the only option, we use it because it's the cheapest (especially when most of your energy comes from oil).

    --
    I am TheRaven on Soylent News
  66. Convenient by lfp98 · · Score: 1

    France touts an end to its insignificant oil production. Meanwhile, Norway gloats about its aggressive renewable energy subsidies and emissions mandates, which are only made possible by the revenues from all the oil it produces for export.

  67. Re:When the resource wars start by Talderas · · Score: 1

    In a big bag on top of the aircraft. What could possibly go wrong?

    36 people die and the technology becomes a boogeyman and shunned.

    --
    "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
  68. Re:When the resource wars start by Socguy · · Score: 1

    Correct. Using H2 as a battery is terribly inefficient and dangerous. Pumped hydo is currently the most efficient, however, simply using BATTERIES is a far superior mechanism to store energy.

  69. Re: Virtue signalling bullshit by doom · · Score: 1

    The central trouble is that wind and solar are relatively diffuse energy sources, so there isn't a lot of margin to spend on tricks like storage devices or superconducting networks or what not. This is not to say that it can't be done, but it's all going to take some finese. I wish them well-- sincerely, we need all the clean power we can get-- but what I expect is that the "renewables" enthusiasts will continue to be quietly accepting of burning natural gas in "peakers" to fill in the gaps.

  70. Re:When the resource wars start by doom · · Score: 1

    The "nuclear proliferation" concern doesn't really seem to be a problem with nuclear energy-- there aren't any examples of countries pursuing nuclear power as a blind for weapons development, and preventing them from using nuclear power doesn't stop them from developing weapons if they really want to.

    If you're envisioning that a nefarious player could hi-jack a nuclear freighter and use the material for bombs, that's not really an issue because the fuel suitable for power is only like 5% enriched, vs the 95% or so you need for bomb grade material. Starting from ore wouldn't be that much harder.

    (On the other hand, you could hi-jack a nuclear freighter and use it as a power plant-- I half-way expect that's what we're going to end up doing with the US Nuclear Navy... we've got a fleet of reliable, transportable electric power plants that can steam into any harbor and begin supplying power...)

  71. Re:Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 1

    That's a pretty wide range there. Everything from letting buggy-whips go the way of the buggy to people who think they know best deciding who and what is allowed to survive. Best to pin yourself down to a position lest you be accused of not having an intellectual grounding. Here you are cheering on the demise of fossil fuels in one post, then saying natural gas is a superior technology (which I happen to agree with, but see no reason to have government pick it as the winner), but all in a story about France banning natural gas extraction right along with everything else.

  72. Re: When the resource wars start by mspohr · · Score: 1
    --
    I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
  73. Re: They will riot anyways and repeal it by kaatochacha · · Score: 1

    Um, Marshall Plan....

  74. Re:When the resource wars start by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    Naval nuclear reactors are expensive. The USN dropped nuclear propulsion for surface combatants a long time ago. Cargo ships live by being economical, and nuclear-powered cargo ships aren't going to compete with other power systems.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  75. Re: Makes me happy i'm not a French Citizen by david_thornley · · Score: 1

    And lots of people will be dead. The only way to have affordable insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions is to make the insured pool larger. That's one reason health care is cheaper in places that have universal care, and which often have better outcomes than we do.

    Also, you don't need a health plan until you do. At that time, you tend to need it, and you then have a pre-existing condition, so without the ACA you can't get one.

    --
    "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
  76. Bolder Goals by wolfheart111 · · Score: 1

    I have a feeling that Musk has somthing to do with all this. Setting lofty goals that are tough to reach... its inspirational and motivating. Were having a glimpse of the future. (reusable rockets, fucking self driving cars,).... born in 69 here and I tell ya... fucking amazing. We choose to go to the moon... not because its easy.... but because HARD.

    --
    [($)]
  77. What Alternative? by dcw3 · · Score: 1

    So, when they can no longer use KY, what lube will they switch to?

    --
    Just another day in Paradise
  78. Wow by Zorton · · Score: 1

    What an amazing idea! Let's just ban an entire industry that literately is the foundation to modern society and rely totally on imports to cover our needs. I'm sure with all the bunny rabbits dancing and the sunflowers singing the chorus all will work out just fine.

    Idiots.

  79. Re:When the resource wars start by Eunuchswear · · Score: 1

    Hydrogen will work for aircraft.

    Nah, methane and ammonia. Hydrogen is too difficult to store.

    --
    Watch this Heartland Institute video