Stupid Saudis

[auditor0007]

Top Oil-Producing Country Intends to Focus '100 Percent' On Renewable Energy

Saudi Arabia is the world's top producer of oil, extracting approximately 11.6 million barrels every day. The oil takes care of approximately two-thirds of the kingdom's own energy needs and is the lynchpin of the country's lucrative exports.

So how is the oil-rich country planning for its energy needs in the future? By focusing on renewable energy.

Earlier this week, Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud, a top spokesperson for Saudi Arabia, said that Saudi Arabia intends to generate 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as nuclear, solar, and low-carbon energies.

"Oil is more precious for us underground than as a fuel source," said the prince, whose country holds approximately 20 percent of the world's oil reserves, according to the International Energy Agency. "If we can get to the point where we can replace fossil fuels and use oil to produce other products that are useful, that would be very good for the world."

Top Oil-Producing Country Intends to Focus '100 Percent' On Renewable Energy

What a stupid idea. Drill baby drill.

 

[Katzndogz]

The Saudis want to say things they believe other people want to hear.

 

[Sunni Man]

Really, it's a very smart plan by the Saudi's to implement for their nations future.

While the U.S stupidly has NO plan.

 

[Mr. H.]

I think they can afford to do whatever they want.

 

[whitehall]

It makes sense to try to create alternate energy sources while continuing to drill for oil. Why don't we try it?

 

[TruthSeeker56]

Really, it's a very smart plan by the Saudi's to implement for their nations future.

While the U.S stupidly has NO plan.

I thought the Obama administration plan was to throw hundreds of billions of dollars at "green energy" companies and watch them go bankrupt.

 

[flacaltenn]

Did anyone read this CAREFULLY????

said that Saudi Arabia intends to generate 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as nuclear, solar, and low-carbon energies.

Now there's a definition that'll make the eco-nauts heads spin.....

 

[jillian]

The Saudis want to say things they believe other people want to hear.

for what purpose?

do you ever think before you type? or do you just make up whatever you feel like?

don't bother answering. the question was rhetorical.

 

[Franticfrank]

Stupid? Absolutely not. If they focus on renewable energy, they'll save more money and have more oil to export. Plus, the oil will run out someday and it makes sense to have alternative forms of energy.

 

[idb]

Really, it's a very smart plan by the Saudi's to implement for their nations future.

While the U.S stupidly has NO plan.

I thought the Obama administration plan was to throw hundreds of billions of dollars at "green energy" companies and watch them go bankrupt.

Yeah, well, stupid them.
That program has been an overwhelming success.
Most of the "green energy" companies that they've supported are going great.
Stupid Obama, can't do anything right!

 

[Saigon]

It sounds like a sensible plan to me.

It's just another country that is investing in new technology that they will buy from Korea, the UK, Germany or Denmark and countries that really want those jobs.

This could extend Saudi Arabia's exports of oil by another century.

 

[Saigon]

Did anyone read this CAREFULLY????

said that Saudi Arabia intends to generate 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as nuclear, solar, and low-carbon energies.

Now there's a definition that'll make the eco-nauts heads spin.....

I do agree that nuclear is not renewable, not by any definition, but it is clean and it will lower their climate change emissions; maybe that is what they mean.

It's only sensible that they do so.

 

[flacaltenn]

Did anyone read this CAREFULLY????

said that Saudi Arabia intends to generate 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, such as nuclear, solar, and low-carbon energies.

Now there's a definition that'll make the eco-nauts heads spin.....

I do agree that nuclear is not renewable, not by any definition, but it is clean and it will lower their climate change emissions; maybe that is what they mean.

It's only sensible that they do so.

What's sensible is that if they have a couple nuclear plants, they don't NEED any green toys. Not for climate change, not for cost. Only for PR purposes. It's not that big of a country.

The statement really is a commitment to build out nuclear. And the rest of the verbage therein is really fluff to bury the lead of the story...

 

[Saigon]

Flac -

So you do not think solar energy might be useful in the middle of a desert?

 

[flacaltenn]

Flac -

So you do not think solar energy might be useful in the middle of a desert?

Not as primary source of energy on a grid... If it's there to run specific REMOTE projects OFF GRID and use liquid/natgas fuel to get them the night and sand storms -- it's fine. But it's not in the decision loop for what the PRIMARY power source of the country will be.

 

[Saigon]

Flac -

I agree that it might not be the primary source of energy, but I do think Saudi Arabia could use massive amounts of solar for water heating, and potentially have a couple of gigantic solar arrays out in the desert that could produce a decent supply of eletricity from photo-voltaic cells.

I think the issue for many countries is not wanting to rely on any single source of electricity, but using a mix. For the Saudi's, I'd have thought a mix of nuclear and solar would be ideal.

Smaller countries like Malta and Cyprus (and increasingly Spain, Israel and Turkey) have solar panels on up to 90% of homes. It saves consumers massive amounts of money in water heating, and to me it's a win-win situation for sunny countries.

 

[flacaltenn]

Flac -

I agree that it might not be the primary source of energy, but I do think Saudi Arabia could use massive amounts of solar for water heating, and potentially have a couple of gigantic solar arrays out in the desert that could produce a decent supply of eletricity from photo-voltaic cells.

I think the issue for many countries is not wanting to rely on any single source of electricity, but using a mix. For the Saudi's, I'd have thought a mix of nuclear and solar would be ideal.

Smaller countries like Malta and Cyprus (and increasingly Spain, Israel and Turkey) have solar panels on up to 90% of homes. It saves consumers massive amounts of money in water heating, and to me it's a win-win situation for sunny countries.

Youre mixed up about what "a mix of energies" really is.. Solar produces for 6 or 7 hours a day and NOT everyday. That's NOT a mix because for every solar installation, there has to be a DEPENDABLE FULL CAPACITY plant of some other kind backing it up and kicking on every day at full capacity..

A MIX would be if you had a source that DIDN'T REQUIRE a full scale reliable backup sitting idle.. The rhetoric really sucks when it comes to logic and engineering...

And don't confuse "solar thermal" with "solar Photovoltaic".. Heating water with the sun is a GREAT idea, because that heat is largely stored for all day use.. It's hard for folks to look at a rooftop and tell the diff between solar PV and solar thermal..

 

[Saigon]

No, I'm not confused - I just disagree with you. I also understand the difference between water heating and PV - if I didn't know the difference it's unlikely I'd have mentioned them.

Solar technologies are still developing, but currently are not close to replacing nuclear. But that does not mean they can not make a major contribution to an economy, particularly when installed on houeholds and on factories, shops etc in which they may mean less reliance on the national grid at all.

 

[Katzndogz]

Saudi Arabia finds a benefit in saying what American liberals want to hear. Of course they aren't going to have solar panels out in the desert. Some warlord from across the dune will find them unislamic and smash them all. See, the Saudis are already smarter and superior to Americans! They want renewable energy! They want nuclear, even as nuclear power plants are being closed around the world.

 

[Old Rocks]

What does Saudi Arabia have a massive shortage of? What do they have in abundance? And what are they surrounded by? Solar could run desalinization plants, and make the peninsula much more independent for food.