Re Paul C's [6030]: Previously I wrote: > > Coal is not a substitute for oil. > > E.g. oil-heated factories and homes can not converted to coal unless there > > are new furnaces and exhaust systems; cars, trucks, boats, and ships powered > > by gasoline or diesel oil can not be powered with coal; kerosene lamps and > > stoves, etc. can not be powered by coal; plastic and fiberglass products, > > which are oil-derivatives, can not be derived from > > coal; etc. Paul C replied: > Coal is a potential substitute for oil in electricity generation, Yes, that's true -- just as horse-driven buggies are a potential substitute for automobiles. Similarly, whale oil is a potential substitute for kerosene. Of course, these are not perfect analogies. Yet, in making them I want to emphasize that coal technology for electrical generation is an older and less 'eficicient' technology than that of oil. Solar, wind, and water generation are also potential substitutes for oil in terms of electrical generation. And all three are more efficient _from an environmental perspective_ (which leads to the question: are environmental consequences of alternative technologies an issue from the standpoint of establishing a *definition* of efficiency? Which leads to another question: is a trans-historical definition of efficiency different from a definition appropriate for the CMP? ). Yet, the price of these potential substitutes has not governed the price of oil on world markets. A major reason for this -- a point I emphasized before (see above) -- is that the use-value for oil is not limited to its potential use-value in terms of electrical generation. > and in cases > where oil is in short supply it acts as a feedstock for gasoline and plastics > production - see germany in the 40s or South Africa in the 70s. I am reminded of a slogan during WW2 in the US developed by the Coal Miner's Union (who were at the time threatening to strike and were responding to a threat from Roosevelt to use federal troops to mine coal): "You can't mine coal with bayonets!". Similarly, you can't run gasoline engines with coal; you can't produce fiberglass with coal; etc. Moreover, oil-derived energies can not even be used necessarily as substitutes (if you don't believe this, try putting gasoline in a diesel-powered engine). Moreover, even if technically feasible the cost to switch to alternative technologies could be prohibitively high and result in the 'premature' scrapping of existing constant capital. In solidarity, Jerry
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