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Category Archives: Financial Implications
Energy Is the Economy; Shrinkage in Energy Supply Leads to Conflict
It takes energy to accomplish any of the activities that we associate with GDP. It takes energy to grow food: human energy, solar energy, and–in today’s world–the many types of energy used to build and power tractors, transport food to … Continue reading
Fossil Fuel Production Is Reaching Limits in a Strange Way
Strangely enough, the limit we seem to be reaching with respect to fossil fuel extraction comes from low prices. At low prices, the extraction of oil, coal, and natural gas becomes unprofitable. Producers go bankrupt, or they voluntarily cut back production in an attempt to force prices higher. As the result of these forces, production tends to fall. This limit comes long before the limit that many people imagine: the amount of fossil fuels in the ground that seems to be available with current extraction techniques. Continue reading
Posted in Financial Implications
2,885 Comments
Reaching the End of Early Stimulus – What’s Ahead?
Many people thought that COVID-19 would be gone with a short shutdown. They also thought that the world’s economic problems could be cured with a six month “dose” of stimulus. It is increasingly clear that neither of these assumptions is … Continue reading
Posted in Financial Implications
Tagged collapse, Covid-19, limits to growth, low oil prices, overshoot
2,450 Comments
Today’s Energy Predicament – A Look at Some Charts
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 energy demand, low oil price, oil price, peak oil
2,368 Comments
We Need to Change Our COVID-19 Strategy
We would like to think that we can eliminate COVID-19, but doing so is far from certain. The medical system has not been successful in eliminating HIV/AIDS or influenza; the situation with COVID-19 may be similar. We are discovering that … Continue reading
Posted in Financial Implications
Tagged population growth, shutdowns, vaccines, Vitamin D
2,353 Comments
