Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
Leading academics from an interdisciplinary Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) panel issued a report today that examines how the world can continue to use coal, an abundant and inexpensive fuel, in a way that mitigates, instead of worsens, the global warming crisis.
As someone who is familiar with the literature and follows the peak oil story on a daily basis, I can report that the folks on the Portland Peak Oil Task Force have produced a succinct, outstanding report that should be read by every local official everywhere.
Letter published in Nature from co-founder of Beyond Oil South Australia, responding to recent Thats Oil Folks article.
Ethanol-driven feed costs cut U.S. meat output
Thailand studies ethanol to biodiesel
State taxes local couple’s vegetable oil car
U.S. seen short of Bush’s ethanol plan
Biodiesel from palm oil not be as ‘green’ as hoped
Growing costs ‘put Shetland oilfield plans in jeopardy’
The new Seven Sisters
UK in ‘murky Iraq oil deal’
Halliburton to move to Dubai
Kuwait determined to reach 4mil.b/d
West Aus. operators dodge more cyclones
The thrust of the article is what we have come to expect from a lot of the mainstream media. I hope the article stimulates a high-level conversation that is not just a short-term critical shot, much as that is easy and warranted.
The examples the New York Times article provides correspond to isolated incidences where advanced technology can get some “reasonably” large amount of extra oil out of an old field.
The New York Times article is an example of how specific data, cited as “proof” for a particular theory could in fact be evidence for the complete opposite conclusion if the entire data set was examined.
The peak oil community takes issue with the article in the March 5 New York Times: “Oil Innovations Pump New Life Into Old Wells.”
Much of the public has up until recently unreflectively embraced the idea that all emergencies will be met with unparalleled heroism that leads to the right solution–no matter how hastily and tardily conceived
I see no plausible scenario in which a liquid fuels crisis arising within about 5 years can be averted on the supply side. This is too little time in which to compensate for declines by producing large quantities of liquids-from-coal or biofuels, if that is even possible. And that in turn means that demand-reduction strategies will be required in order to balance the available supply with requirements for transport fuels. The sooner such strategies are identified and implemented, the better the prognosis for societal adaptation.
Gradually Greening: Empowerment through Laziness
US moves up Daylight Saving Time
Fashioning a future
Landless Take Over Rio Bank
