Search Results for: steady state

Ramping Up Renewables Can’t Provide Enough Heat Energy in Winter

Posted on September 20, 2022 by Gail Tverberg

We usually don’t think about the wonderful service fossil fuels provide in terms of being a store of heat energy for winter, the time when there is a greater need for heat energy. Figure 1 shows dramatically how, in the US, the residential usage of heating fuels spikes during the winter months. Solar energy is most abundantly available in the May-June-July period, making it a poor candidate for fixing the problem of the need for winter heat. Continue reading →

Posted in Energy policy | Tagged , , , | 3,845 Comments

Could we be hitting natural gas limits already?

Posted on September 25, 2021 by Gail Tverberg

Many countries have assumed that natural gas imports will be available for balancing electricity produced by intermittent wind and solar, whenever they are needed. The high natural gas import prices recently being encountered in Europe, and especially in the UK, appear to be an indication of an underlying problem. Could the world already be hitting natural gas limits? Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, News Related Post | Tagged , , | 4,770 Comments

The world has a major crude oil problem; expect conflict ahead

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Gail Tverberg

World crude oil production has been falling behind needed levels since 2019. This problem, by itself, encourages the world economy to contract in unexpected ways, including in the form of economic lockdowns and aggression between countries. This crude oil shortfall seems likely to become greater in the years ahead, pushing the world economy toward conflict and the elimination of inefficient players. Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, oil shortages | Tagged , , , | 4,255 Comments

Today’s Energy Predicament – A Look at Some Charts

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Gail Tverberg

Today’s energy predicament is a strange situation that most modelers have never really considered. Let me explain some of the issues I see, using some charts. [1] It is probably not possible to reduce current energy consumption by 80% or … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications, Introductory Post | Tagged , , , | 2,368 Comments

Expect low oil prices in 2020; tendency toward recession

Posted on January 8, 2020 by Gail Tverberg

Energy Forecast for 2020 Overall, I expect that oil and other commodity prices will remain low in 2020. These low oil prices will adversely affect oil production and several other parts of the economy. As a result, a strong tendency … Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , | 1,162 Comments