Demand will lead to electricity dilemma (March 3)
By Chuck Doud
The Madera Tribune
The law of unintended consequences is always at work.
It turns out the projected demand in the next decade for new electronic devices, such as giant TV sets, video games, computers and other such toys and tools is expected to create another big demand — for electricity.
More than 700 coal and nuclear power plants will be needed worldwide, say power experts. That assumes, of course, that all-electric cars don’t hit the road any time soon. If that happens, it will be Katy bar the door when it comes to electricity demand.
All-electric, or even plug-in-hybrid, cars always sound like a good idea, and they are if you are interested in saving petroleum and cutting down on engine emissions, too.
Those savings, however, will come at a price.
The laws of physics haven’t been repealed. Energy is energy, whether is comes from burning gasoline or a plug in the wall.
The only way to cut back on all this energy demand would be to stay home, turn off the computers and televisions, and walk to where you work, shop or go to school.
Don’t expect that to happen any time soon. Expect the opposite. And expect great angst among people who consider themselves “green.”
Greens oppose coal-fired power plants for two reasons — the mining of coal creates environmental damage and the burning of it creates carbon dioxide, which is considered by many to be a greenhouse gas, which has been blamed for global warming.
Yet, coal-burning is so far the cheapest way we have for generating electricty in much of the world, including the U.S.
Greens also oppose nuclear power, although for fuzzier reasons. They oppose it for what they fear might happen if a plant malfunctions. This is even though the vast majority of nuke plants run safely and dependably.
We have seen in the past decade what happens when the price of electricity heads for the sky. Don’t be surprised to see it again.
