The Oil Drum

56 comments on The future of mining machines

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peakoilBob on January 31, 2008 - 7:36pm

I have only researched UK electricity production to date. Within 3-5 years I suspect we here in the UK will not be watching TV due to the lack of electricity.

The UK is importing all it's Uranium, approx 3/4 of its Coal and by 2016 North Sea Oil and Gas will have collapsed to a fraction of its peak level in 1999, also by then coal production will be 5-8% of current consumption.

As for the US its importing 70-75% of its Crude oil consumption + importing refined products add the energy in imported manufactured products and out sourced services and that's a lot to loose when the imports dry up (export land model).

People will be happy because after labouring all day with their hands on the land they will be too tired to watch TV or worry or notice the hunger in their bellies ;)

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noutram on February 1, 2008 - 6:17am

Yup, your having one of those days... ;o)

On the brighter side we will may new Gas pipelines from Norway and Russia, a major expansion of LNG (although noted we will be competing for this resource with every other rich Nation not on the end of a local gas pipe).

Our new nukes won't come onstream till late/early 20s -most likely scenario is that the existing capacity will be eaked out till the very last second- by which time uncertain Gas and YellowCake at $1000/pound will have quadrupeled the electricity price (if anyone has some projections on this I would be interested in seeing them).

There will be windmills everywhere and a fair amount of solar heaters and solar PV on everyones house by then too which should take some of the strain off the grid. Bush is giving $1000 dollar checks out at the mo -how much NanaSolar type PV will that buy in 10 years?

Oil at $200/barrel would be ~£1.60/litre here in the UK -tough but its now £1.05 so it is at least thinkable...

Nick.