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Tag Archives: fossil fuels
How Energy Transition Models Go Wrong
I have written many posts relating to the fact that we live in a finite world. At some point, our ability to extract resources becomes constrained. At the same time, population keeps increasing. The usual outcome when population is too high for resources is “overshoot and collapse.” But this is not a topic that the politicians or central bankers or oligarchs who attend the World Economic Forum dare to talk about.
Instead, world leaders find a different problem, namely climate change, to emphasize above other problems. Conveniently, climate change seems to have some of the same solutions as “running out of fossil fuels.” So, a person might think that an energy transition designed to try to fix climate change would work equally well to try to fix running out of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, this isn’t really the way it works.
Posted in Energy policy
Tagged fossil fuels, low oil prices, solar energy, wind energy
3,781 Comments
Scientific Models and Myths: What Is the Difference?
Most people seem to think, “The difference between models and myths is that models are scientific, and myths are the conjectures of primitive people who do not have access to scientific thinking and computers. With scientific models, we have moved … Continue reading
Posted in Financial Implications
Tagged collapse, fossil fuels, religion, renewable energy, renewables, research grants
1,598 Comments
Recession Ahead: An Overview of Our Predicament
Many people have the impression that recessions come from financial missteps, such as the US subprime loan fiasco. If energy is involved at all, the problem comes from high oil prices as supply becomes inadequate to meet demand. The real … Continue reading
Posted in Financial Implications
Tagged collapse, economic growth, fossil fuels, how economy works, protests, riots
638 Comments
Rethinking Renewable Mandates
Powering the world’s economy with wind, water and solar, and perhaps a little wood sounds like a good idea until a person looks at the details. The economy can use small amounts of wind, water and solar, but adding these types … Continue reading
Posted in Energy policy
Tagged EROEI, EROI, fossil fuels, renewable energy, renewable subsidies
1,461 Comments
Supplemental energy puts humans in charge
Energy is a subject that is greatly misunderstood. Its role in our lives is truly amazing. We humans are able to live and move because of the energy that we get from food. We count this energy in calories. Green … Continue reading
