Other energy – Feb 5

Nature: Reprocessing nuclear fuel – laying the idea to rest /
Nuclear costs underestimated and renewables overlooked /
Russia needs another 40 nuclear reactors /
Brazil fills up on ethanol, weans off energy imports /
Dept of Energy says biomass is feasible

Peak oil – Feb 4

What if calamity were predictable? /
Natural gas debate among experts /
The peak oil crisis: global warming /
Interview with William R. Clark (“Petrodollar Warfare”) /
Shell: We’re not running out of oil /
Shell president forced to address ‘peak oil’ /
Indian oil production declines accelerate /
Rep. Udall: What peak oil means to every American /
Peak Oil Netherlands – 1st newsletter

Politics & economics – Feb 4

Bush’s goals on energy quickly find obstacles /
Feeding the oil addiction /
UK oil contract threatens US energy prices -senator /
OPEC has consensus to cut output in March /
Montana’s Helmore: the green governor

Oil reserves and peak oil

A reduction in 5% of world oil reserves, even if it is only a bookkeeping entry, dramatically changes the planning assumptions for world energy use into the medium and long terms.

State of the Union on energy – Feb 3

Administration backs off vow to reduce Mideast oil imports /
Much talk, mostly low key, about energy independence /
Bush hits the road to take a green message to his nation of oil addicts /
US ex-energy chief Richardson cool to Bush ideas /
US energy secy outlines plan /
“He’s done more to raise the exposure of energy in one hour than all the peak blogs” /
Bush’s energy plan: ambitious enough?

Solutions & sustainability – Feb 3

Wendell Berry: We went to the mountaintop but it wasn’t there /
Trading our birthright for a wide selection of bathmats /
Reflections on energy and our future /
Ian Lowe: Stealing from the future (or how to destroy the planet in seven easy steps)

Environment – Feb 2

Seattle mayor touts 200-city consensus on greenhouse gas reductions /
Blair issues blunt warning on climate change /
Clinton: Climate change is the world’s biggest worry /
Stark warning in UK over climate change /
Global warming: how fast should you boil a frog? /
Mexico plans to halve fuel emissions

The 75% solution

In his State of the Union speech, President Bush said “America is addicted to oil” and set a goal of replacing 75 percent of the nation’s Mideast oil imports by 2025 with ethanol and other energy sources. This is not a “goal,” it is a prophesy. There is no way that the US will be importing as much oil from the Mideast in 2025 as it imports today. And there is no way that the nations of the Mideast will be exporting as much oil in 2025 as they are exporting today.

State of the Union on energy – Feb 2

White House: the advanced energy initiative /
In call for less foreign oil, Bush sounds familiar note /
The state of energy: hooked on petroleum /
Numbers and the State of the Union Energy segment /
Layoffs in store at National Renewable Energy Laboratory