Tag Archives: peak oil

What has gone wrong with the economy? Can it be fixed?

I don’t believe that the situation is hopeless. At the end, I discuss where we are now, relative to historical patterns, and some reasons to be optimistic about the future. Continue reading

Posted in Energy policy, Financial Implications, oil shortages | Tagged , , , | 1,621 Comments

Why oil prices don’t rise to consistently high levels

The supply and demand model of economists suggests that oil prices might rise to consistently high levels, but this has not happened yet: In my view, the economists’ model of supply and demand is overly simple; its usefulness is limited … Continue reading

Posted in Energy policy, Financial Implications | Tagged , , | 1,589 Comments

Advanced Economies Are Being Pushed Toward Financial Collapse

The US and many other Advanced Economies are likely heading into a worse and longer lasting financial crisis than the 2008 crisis, starting as soon as this summer. The problem will likely not start out as a full financial collapse. Instead, various leveraged borrowers will encounter difficulties. Gradually, the finances and very structures of many government organizations are likely to be threatened. Continue reading

Posted in Financial Implications, News Related Post, peak oil | Tagged , , , , | 1,987 Comments

Southeast Asia can perhaps avoid the worst impacts of inadequate oil supply

Southeast Asia’s warm, wet climate is helpful, as is its supply of coal, particularly in Indonesia. Many of the people in this part of the world are used to living in cramped quarters–three generations in a large one-room home, for example. Abundant forests provide a renewable source of energy. Religious traditions help provide order. Continue reading

Posted in Planning for the Future | Tagged , | 1,673 Comments

Fossil Fuel Imports Are Already Constrained

The big question for any fuel is, “Can consumers afford to pay a high enough price to cover all the costs involved in getting the fuel from endpoint to endpoint, at the time it is needed?”

Citizens become very unhappy if the cost of winter heat becomes extremely expensive. They demand subsidies and rebates from the government, in order to keep costs down. This is a sign that prices are too high for the consumer.

Both coal and natural gas are also heavily used in manufacturing. Their prices vary greatly from location to location and from time to time. If coal or natural gas prices rise in a particular location, the cost of manufactured goods from that location will also tend to rise. These higher prices will particularly hurt a manufacturing country, such as Germany, because its manufactured goods will become less competitive in the world marketplace. Continue reading

Posted in Energy policy, Financial Implications | Tagged , , | 3,123 Comments