Tag Archives: wind

Ten Reasons Intermittent Renewables (Wind and Solar PV) are a Problem

Intermittent renewables–wind and solar photovoltaic panels–have been hailed as an answer to all our energy problems. Certainly, politicians need something to provide hope, especially in countries that are obviously losing their supply of oil, such as the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil, Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , , , | 657 Comments

Renewables – Good for some things; not so good for others

Based on the sound of the name renewable, a person might think that using only “renewable” energy is ideal–something we should all strive to use exclusively. But there are lots of energy sources that might be called “renewable,” and lots … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil, Introductory Post | Tagged , , , , , , , | 266 Comments

Can we invest our way out of an energy shortfall?

The world has many ideas for solving our energy shortfall, but they all seem to involve investment: Drill for more oil and gas; Develop alternative energy sources; Build more efficient gas-powered cars or electric cars; Fix homes and offices so … Continue reading

Posted in Financial Implications | Tagged , , , , , , , | 95 Comments

Adjusting Energy Return on Investment (EROI) for Time

Nate Hagens wrote a post at The Oil Drum called Applying Time to Energy Analysis. Under standard EROI analyses, there is no recognition of time – if you cut down a tree, but couldn’t burn it for energy until 50 … Continue reading

Posted in Alternatives to Oil | Tagged , , | 7 Comments