EU Procrastination. Why?

ambrose21

As the USA becomes not only self sufficient in energy, and with the cost of US Gas at on third the cost of gas in the EU, with american giants closing down plants in Belgium, Holland, Spain, the UK due to high energy prices at the same time as $30 billion is being invested in the USA, and many other industry segments are returning to the USA as China's wage's rose 16% in the last year alone. America is starting to grow it's way out of recession.

In the EU, we have spent the last 10 years talking about treaties and tinkering with institutions. There is an almost complete failure to prepare for the energy crunch ahead, with energy prices at all time high's and increasing, and the industrial powerhouse of the EU, Germany, hoping to power its industry with windmills. "It is a religion, not a policy," said one German official privately, warning that his country is already "very near blackouts".

EU dithers and remains in recession, as the USA marches forward and chooses the only viable way out of recession by growing its way our of recession. What's called the Merkel decade has been a wasted time, and seems to show that the EU is incapable of working together in a way which plans for a prosperous future for all its citizens.

Dotsie~tmp

The 'religion not a policy' comment couldn't be more true. It will probably take a crisis to shake people out of this slumber of voting for woolly headed idealists. If Europe becomes energy dependent on countries backsliding to dictatorial systems it will be dominated.

With Germany seemingly happy to shoot themselves in the foot and close all their reactors you have to wonder how far it will go. Europe doesn't have any real reserves left. Not enough for 600+ million wanting to live the modern prosperous life they've become accustomed to. New wars will be fought over this.

Maybe the fusion bet will come off with ITER but that could be a hundred years way.

ambrose21

It was interesting to hear the re-elected president Obama make the claim that in a few short years the USA will be no longer reliant on imported oil. This is largely due to the cheap energy the USA has discovered as a result of fracking.

In Europe, we scratch our heads and decide to kick that ball into the longest of long grass, and so consign ourselves to sticking with expensive energy, where the prices are dictated by foreign corporations and oligarchs whose only goal is to keep the price at the highest level possible.

Ignoring the effects on individuals, the damage to industry in Europe is already beginning to show, with crippling energy and labour prices making most of Europe's heavy industries far too expensive to compete.

Lets hope it is some consolation to those who lose their jobs, and as country after country in Europe becomes bankrupt, that we never attempted to find cheaper energy sources.

The real problem is we are led by donkeys who are afraid of the next opinion polls and focus group results, and who are genuinely no longer able to lead or have the courage of their convictions and lead their countries once more in the spirit which created prosperity.

swimming in a sea

as far as I know fracking is still making a loss, and opinion is divided on what future it has, gas prices have to be really high for it to be profitable.

micosoft

ambrose21 wrote: »

In the EU, we have spent the last 10 years talking about treaties and tinkering with institutions. There is an almost complete failure to prepare for the energy crunch ahead, with energy prices at all time high's and increasing, and the industrial powerhouse of the EU, Germany, hoping to power its industry with windmills. "It is a religion, not a policy," said one German official privately, warning that his country is already "very near blackouts".

The US may become energy independent but as ever they take the cheap and lazy way out whereas the Germans are the world leaders on the manufacture and installation of renewables and energy efficiency. Short term costs but long term shoring up their industrial primacy. What will the States have? Much like the US auto industry who failed to adopt to high energy prices in the seventies and collapsed over the next three decades, American business will put themselves at an economic disadvantage by being wasteful and inefficient again.

In any case the issue with Fracking has little to do with the (EU) and is mostly to do with geographic and local environmental/political considerations. In case you have not noticed Europe is a densely populated continent without the vast open spaces of the US and (aside from Ireland where we are happy to destroy the environment if it suits, but are Nimbys if we don't personally get a cut) a more progressive approach to environmental standards.

Then again given your propensity to blame the EU first I suspect you don't believe in climate change either.... some things just seem to go together. What do you want the EU to do - force countries to frack?