Category Archives: Alternatives to Oil

Why Natural Gas isn’t Likely to be the World’s Energy Savior

We keep hearing about the many benefits of natural gas–how burning it releases less CO2 than oil or coal, and how it burns with few impurities, so does not have the pollution problems of coal. We also hear about the … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil | Tagged , , , , | 91 Comments

The Long-Term Tie Between Energy Supply, Population, and the Economy

The tie between energy supply, population, and the economy goes back to the hunter-gatherer period. Hunter-gatherers managed to multiply their population at least 4-fold, and perhaps by as much as 25-fold, by using energy techniques which allowed them to expand … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil, Book draft, Food issues, Introductory Post | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 158 Comments

A Few Insights Regarding Today’s Nuclear Situation

The issue of nuclear electricity is a complex one. In this post, I offer a few insights into the nuclear electric situation based on recent reports and statistical data. Nuclear Electric Production Is Already Declining According to BP’s Statistical Review … Continue reading

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Two Energy Books of Interest

Today, I’d like to write about two fairly different books related to limited energy supply. Both are excellent, but intended for fairly different audiences, and focusing on different aspects of our dilemma. 1. “Power Plays: Energy Options in the Age … Continue reading

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Why US natural gas prices are so low – Are changes needed?

US natural gas prices are at record lows–about where they were in 1976, and at the low points in the 1990s, in today’s dollars (Figure 1). There are several reasons why US natural gas prices are so low: Our pricing … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil, Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , | 67 Comments