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What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

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1–10 of 38 posts

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#2
They could always try to revisit synthetic fuel methodology as there’s a long history of that in Europe. Can try novel technology, conservation or throwing money at the marketplace. Europe rebuilt from devastation a few times over the last century. I suspect they can deal with energy cost.

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#4
The problem with "electric heaters" is that electricity for ANYTHING can NEVER be better that 50% efficient and often is worse. Natural gas heating can EASILY attain 70%-80% efficiency in heating.

Green Energy is generally contrary to the laws of physics in this sense. It's one step forward and three-to-five steps backward.

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#6
post #2

They could always try to revisit synthetic fuel methodology as there’s a long history of that in Europe. Can try novel technology, conservation or throwing money at the marketplace. Europe rebuilt from devastation a few times over the last century. I suspect they can deal with energy cost.

It takes a lot of energy to create synthetic fuels. You need a source of that energy.

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#7
post #4

The problem with "electric heaters" is that electricity for ANYTHING can NEVER be better that 50% efficient and often is worse. Natural gas heating can EASILY attain 70%-80% efficiency in heating. Green Energy is generally contrary to the laws of physics in this sense. It's one step forward and three-to-five steps backward.

Electric heat pumps can be over 100% efficient as they are using ambient heat to warm the house.

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#8
post #7
post #4

The problem with "electric heaters" is that electricity for ANYTHING can NEVER be better that 50% efficient and often is worse. Natural gas heating can EASILY attain 70%-80% efficiency in heating. Green Energy is generally contrary to the laws of physics in this sense. It's one step forward and three-to-five steps backward.

Electric heat pumps can be over 100% efficient as they are using ambient heat to warm the house.

Indeed. A recent Technology Connections video was on this topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFEHFsO-XSI

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#9
post #6
post #2

They could always try to revisit synthetic fuel methodology as there’s a long history of that in Europe. Can try novel technology, conservation or throwing money at the marketplace. Europe rebuilt from devastation a few times over the last century. I suspect they can deal with energy cost.

It takes a lot of energy to create synthetic fuels. You need a source of that energy.

Liquid fuel from coal is commercially viable. I guess the same would be true for gas.

Re: What If Europe Loses Russian Natural Gas?

#10
post #6
post #2

They could always try to revisit synthetic fuel methodology as there’s a long history of that in Europe. Can try novel technology, conservation or throwing money at the marketplace. Europe rebuilt from devastation a few times over the last century. I suspect they can deal with energy cost.

It takes a lot of energy to create synthetic fuels. You need a source of that energy.

It might be a good way to get a transportable form of solar - use it w/o transmission (or distant transmission) to process solid -> liquid/gas and transport that. Processing the coal might be able to reduce some of the worst environmental effects (sulfur?).

They took what looked like an easy solution that would help integrate Russian into the European economy. Not every decision pans out.

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