Ask HN: How about small technological solutions to bring oil prices back down?

1 pointby paulnpace2 hours ago1 comment

toomuchtodoan hour ago
More refineries or electrify, those are the options. No one will pay for the former, everyone is doing the latter as quickly as possible. This simply speeds up electrifying the entire global economy. ~40% of all ship cargoes are oil, coal, and gas.
Citations:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49740630
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49658793
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49288393
- paulnpacean hour ago
  This position basically advocates that a substantial part of civilization becomes impoverished. There is not enough capital available to replace everything powered by diesel, let alone all of the other petroleum products.
  - toomuchtodoan hour ago
    On the contrary, the energy is free from the sun once the panels are up. There is sufficient capital, please prove your assertion that there isn't with citations.
    The world is on an energy sovereignty trajectory. You will not be beholden to petrostates, you will be beholden to the great fusion reactor in the sky.
    Solar panel prices have fallen by around 20% every time global capacity doubled - https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/solar-panel-prices-...
    Solar panel costs have plummeted from $6 per watt in 2000 to just 12 cents today - https://www.techspot.com/news/113860-solar-panel-costs-have-...
    paulnpacean hour ago
    You seem to be among those who enjoy replacing old technologies by violently removing them, including impoverishment of those who rely on them.
    toomuchtodoan hour ago
    You see what you want to see. I am sharing objective facts and data. Low carbon energy economics are better, oil is dead, these are facts, it is what it is. If you think you can make oil cheap again, go for it, let us know how it goes. No one is going to make it cheap for you, it is economically irrational to do so.
    'Offensively cheap': solar power is looking up - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49695304 - September 2026
    The solarisation of Pakistan’s energy economy - https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/the-solarisation-of... - June 25th, 2026 ("Pakistan deployed 27GW of distributed solar deployed in just two years, the same as all the operating coal, gas and oil plants built in Pakistan ever.")
    paulnpacean hour ago
    > oil is dead
    It is you who sees what you want to see. I am pointing the reality of impoverishing a significant amount of civilization as a result of removing a critical part of the world's infrastructure.
    My observation is your opinion is one from people who are completely isolated from the rest of civilization.
    toomuchtodoan hour ago
    Please point to who is being impoverished. Provide citations. I have provided many, you have provided zero.
    paulnpacean hour ago
    This is childish thinking, because as adults we have the ability to reason.
    Those living near impoverishment and experience large increases in price or complete unavailability of critical infrastructure will then become impoverished.
    Oil, notably diesel, is critical infrastructure for everyone not living in a pure state of nature or off the grid.
    AnimalMuppetan hour ago
    Sure. But we would need solar powered trucks, in quantity. (Or electric, same effect.) That takes capital beyond the solar panels.
    Electric trains are a thing. Stringing catenary over all the mainlines in the US is not cheap.
    Electric airplanes? Large capital outlay.
    Electric ships. Electric river barges. Electric farm tractors.
    There is far more than just putting up solar panels to generate electricity. The electricity may be free once the panels are up. That doesn't mean that we no longer need diesel - not until much more changes.
    paulnpace42 minutes ago
    I don't think that user understands what capital is.