Iran recently announced they were testing blocking the Straits of Hormuz as a Militiary excercise.
In the event of what looks like a most certain war betteen the US,Europe and Iran ;Iran will end up blocking the Straits of Hormuz which carry more than 30% of all crude Oil exported globally.
What will that do to Crude OIl prices???Especially for Energy deficent regions like Europe???
Social Spending and various subsidies will be the first victims here.
Finding alternative energy will become even more of an issue when we start having oil shortages. I don't think it is a good choice for countries to stop using nuclear energy. They should just be sure that the processes in place are safe.
Right, Bolaji, that's the million dollar question. How do keep producing the same volume of energy you need when shut down a quarter of your domestic supply? The alternatives - solar and wind and renewable energy - comes with huge upfront expenditures and cash-strapped governments and tax-weary citizens are not able to support those measures. Similarly, you can't really goal back to coal either. Shale natural gas seems to come now and again in conversation, but I don't know much about that. will be interesting to see how countries keep pace with their own demand.
FlyingScot - Good on your company for allowing telecommuting.... every little bit helps, in theory, but it only scratches the surface for reducing energy needs, doesn't it?
The dilemma is how to take small steps - or other steps - that produce big results.
In my modest opinion, main point is the fact a common and shared plan, across the globe or at least across named "G20" coutries, is still not outlined. As consequence, each country is trying to moving ahead in alternative energy implementation, not to say alone, but it looks like that, at the end. Is it only a matter of time or there are political interests in delaying a real and global plan?
I still believe this hastily move to remove decommission nuclear power plants is fear based and will eventually bite these countries in the rear. So now these countries not only face billions of dollars in cost, they also have no new plans for energy. These plans will most likely cost even more money to implement. What will eventually happen is there will be grand plans to go with a safe green energy source that is very expensive at first, then when cost becomes an issue they will scrap the green ideas and continue to pollute with no end in sight.
To be able to find a real alternative to today's oil and coal dependent energy generation, and also do away with that disaster prone nuclear energy, the global leaders will have to unite and blow whistle and have a program to shift to alternate green energy sources come what may. Such global forced shift to alternate energy only, can bring some economies of scale in the currently expensive techniques , thereby bringing the costs down and make them competitive with the comventional sources.
Such independence will also change the global political balance which is currently heavily tilted towrads the oil producing nations.
Here I see the example of Israel to solve the water crisis. They had shortage of water for farmimg. They developed new techniques of farming and new techniques for pottable water generation from sea water. Today India is learning the Israel way of farming!
So I support the bold decision taken by Germany to shut down their nuclear plants bythe end of next decade.
When your normal road is closed you automatically find an alternate route to your detination.
Jennifer, What are the alternatives to nuclear energy and how viable are these on a large scale? All the nations that are dumping nuclear energy have good reasons but many of them also depend heavily on energy generated by nuclear facilities. How do they plan to replace these? Are they not possibly playing to the gallery because of current sentiments in Europe following the Japan disaster in March?
It will take government policy to make us go green. As an extreme example if it cost me > $10 for a gallon of fuel for my car I would take the bus or cycle or walk or simply not go. Hang on it does cost me > $10 a gallon........yikes.
One thing our company is doing is allowing people to telecommute. This is a small thing as we are not a large CO2 producer but at least we are doing something.
“Germany has been vocal in wanting to shut down its 17 nuclear power plants in the wake of the Japanese disaster”
Jennifer I don’t think they will shut down any of their nuclear reactors in near future. Instead of that they may incorporate more security measures in order to make it safer. Also, they may deploy some disaster management systems in order to make sure that, nothing wont happens in unfortunate event. Recently I read that Germany is planning to buy nuclear energy from other EU countries.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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