Richard Branson - Today's Letter In The Financial Times

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 18 Jan 2010, 06:20

See: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/53d59b84-03d2 ... abdc0.html

Article Copyrighted by The Financial Times Limited

ziggy12345 · Post by **ziggy12345** » 18 Jan 2010, 08:43

I cant read any of the FT articles. Some popup just keeps coming up

Cheers

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 18 Jan 2010, 08:45

You can get that if you have already read 'too many' FT articles in the last N hours/days.

ziggy12345 · Post by **ziggy12345** » 18 Jan 2010, 08:56

... Just what I've always wanted, my own personal censor!

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 18 Jan 2010, 09:26

The letter isn't from Branson though, it's from ITPOES. Virgin are members and Branson's name happens to be first on the list.

http://peakoiltaskforce.net/

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 18 Jan 2010, 09:29

To paraphrase, the gas crunch is going to be nothing compared to peak oil.

There is a new report out from Industry Task Force on Peak Oil and Energy Security on Feb 10th.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 18 Jan 2010, 09:57

Ted wrote:The letter isn't from Branson though, it's from ITPOES. Virgin are members and Branson's name happens to be first on the list.

http://peakoiltaskforce.net/

Yeah, but who's heard of ITPOES?

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » 18 Jan 2010, 10:48

Gas crunch that will prove a wake-up call for consumers

From Sir Richard Branson and others.

Sir, Your report “Ofgem foresees looming threat to gas supplies” (January 13) raises some serious concerns over national energy security.

The “gas crunch” identified in your report is probably going to be matched, or exceeded, in its effect on the UK economy by a similar “oil crunch”. This prospect was first identified by the Industry Task Force on Peak Oil and Energy Security (ITPOES) in its report dated October 2008. Oil supply has very similar characteristics to gas, except that the run-down in indigenous production is more advanced and the availability of oil is more limited with respect to future demand. (The ability to extract “tight” gas from shale, at economic prices, has transformed the near-term international prospects for future gas supply.)

A second report from ITPOES, updating and reinforcing the case, will be published by us on February 10. For those interested in the future security of UK energy supplies, it should be essential reading. From businesses to consumers, it is a wake-up call to every one of us about the future implications for our daily lives.

Richard Branson,
Founder, Virgin Group
Philip Dilley,
Chairman, Arup
Jeremy Leggett,
Chairman, SolarCentury
Ian Marchant,
Chief Executive, Scottish and Southern Energy
Brian Souter, Chief Executive, Stagecoach Group

As an 'open letter', it is not subject to FT' copyright

Joel P · Post by **Joel P** » 18 Jan 2010, 14:31

You've gotta love Branson. On the ITPOES website video clip he urges the government to, "plan for a future when our dependence on oil will be tested and our reserves limited."

At the same time you can see him on www.virgingalactic.com saying, "It's up to us at Virgin Galactic to over time drive the costs down so literally thousands of people will be able to experience space travel. Everybody should be able to have the chance to experience space travel one day."

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 18 Jan 2010, 14:40

Just another small quantum of the cognitive disonnance through which we all have to navigate daily. No wonder so many people turn to drink and drugs

!

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 18 Jan 2010, 15:18

Joel P wrote:You've gotta love Branson. On the ITPOES website video clip he urges the government to, "plan for a future when our dependence on oil will be tested and our reserves limited."

At the same time you can see him on www.virgingalactic.com saying, "It's up to us at Virgin Galactic to over time drive the costs down so literally thousands of people will be able to experience space travel. Everybody should be able to have the chance to experience space travel one day."

People can have different views in different aspects of their lives.

I can imagine someone living in an eco house and yet working as a development engineer on a space project.

There is more to the human race than animal-like survival - we can have aspirations of all sorts too.

Would you rather live in the world of the Eloi or the word of the Morlocks?
Think carefully before answering!

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 18 Jan 2010, 16:35

There are space projects and there are space projects. Space based science informs us of our relationship with the Universe. Branson just wants money from the stupidly rich, never mind the environmental damage.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 18 Jan 2010, 16:45

biffvernon wrote:There are space projects and there are space projects. Space based science informs us of our relationship with the Universe. Branson just wants money from the stupidly rich, never mind the environmental damage.

I'm not so sure.

If his glitzy toys actually can do more per kg of fuel than the shuttles etc then maybe he is doing us all a favour?

The rich tourists will be funding the whole thing.

If he can economically get objects into orbit - however low - then maybe the effort will be worth it.

However if this thing can only make sub orbital hops then, I agree, it will be a waste of time.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 18 Jan 2010, 21:44

That's nonsense. Those rockets waste a lot of energy to no good purpose. The rich don't have to be tourists. They can spend their money on something less destructive. String quartets or some such.

jcw · Post by **jcw** » 18 Jan 2010, 23:13

Joel P wrote:You've gotta love Branson. On the ITPOES website video clip he urges the government to, "plan for a future when our dependence on oil will be tested and our reserves limited."

At the same time you can see him on www.virgingalactic.com saying, "It's up to us at Virgin Galactic to over time drive the costs down so literally thousands of people will be able to experience space travel. Everybody should be able to have the chance to experience space travel one day."

Branson in a right pickle.