Tories love the oilsands

[ToadBrother]

It is not hard to calculate the cost of building out the required infrastructure. The cost is astronomical if done over 25 years. Stretch it out over 100 years and it is manageable but only if we continue to invest in and use fossil fuels. Here is one analysis that would put the cost of converting Canada renewables in 20 years at about $200 billion per year! That would consume the entire federal government budget.

That is why I say renewables are a pipe dream and fossil fuels will be necessary for a long time.

It doesn't exactly help when you quote sources like that.

[Hydraboss]

So why is everyone so down on the Alberta oil sands? It consumes the international debate when it only accounts for a tiny amount of the world's CO2.

Climate change

The production of bitumen and synthetic crude oil emits more greenhouse gas (GHG) than the production of conventional crude oil, and has been identified as the largest contributor to GHG emissions growth in Canada, as it accounts for 40 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.[59] Environment Canada claims the oil sands make up 5% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, or 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. It predicts the oil sands will grow to make up 8% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions by 2015.[60] Environmentalists argue that the availability of more oil for the world made possible by oil sands production in itself raises global emissions of CO2.

Oil sands

So by 2015, the oil sands will account for a whopping 8% of Canada's 2% which equals.....0.16% of world CO2 emissions.

Wow. Staggering.

Edited December 19, 2009 by Hydraboss

[Riverwind]

It doesn't exactly help when you quote sources like that.

Do have a specific criticism other than not liking the numbers? Keep in mind that $100 trillion for the basic power generation installations comes from the SciAm article.

[ToadBrother]

Do have a specific criticism other than not liking the numbers? Keep in mind that $100 trillion for the basic power generation installations comes from the SciAm article.

I'll have to check the article out. Have to admit I haven't read SciAm in a while, it's become to thick with ads and to thin with content over the last ten years.

[Jerry J. Fortin]

At some time in the future, we will have far more sources of alternative energy, but for now what we have is abundant "natural resources" that will meet our own internal means and provide immense returns for external sales. It is folly to ignore the reality of our available existing energy supplies. It is folly to allow external pressures to dictate the use and development of those resources.

The federal government can and will do what it wants, yet the ownership of those resources in Alberta will forever be OWNED by the citizens of Alberta, and their right to dispose of the assets under their ownership is protected by the constitution. Alberta can and will do what it wants to the same extent the federal government does.

Only a fool would squander the opportunity that natural resource wealth provides. This province and this nation need to realize that their own interests are paramount.