Insight and inspiration in turbulent times.
A rising chorus of experts … offer[s] a dramatic solution for America’s energy woes. By boosting the efficiency of cars, homes, and offices, the United States could dramatically cut its reliance on foreign oil and forgo building many new power plants. The solution would not only be easier than drilling for more energy, it would be cheaper, these experts say.
I’m glad to see the surge of interest in the coming peak of world oil production, even though the prospect is grim. Once again, people are willing to think about non-renewable resources and the consequences of an economy based on them. ….Most of the new information stems from the work of two little-known scientists, both deceased: petroleum geologist M. King Hubbert and systems ecologist Howard Odum.
With oil prices hitting new highs, proponents of so-called “peak oil” argue that the world may be approaching the point where production can’t keep up with demand. And innovations, like 3D, are at the center of a debate over whether technology can help replace the world’s known oil supplies before they are depleted.
Booming China, with its voracious appetite for oil and urgent need for oil security, is considering a China-Myanmar oil pipeline and one through Thailand. These are among 10 recent proposals on alternative strategies to secure China’s energy supplies.
For 15 years, retired geologist Colin Campbell has warned of the approaching end of the age of oil and the dire consequences for the world should that happen. Although experts hotly debate the issue, it has drawn little attention from the average consumer.
The United States’ Current Account deficit is now $60 million AN HOUR! This unprecedented trade imbalance has created extraordinary disequilibrium in the global economy.
Andrew McKillop argues that up to a point, high oil prices can stimulate economies. However, ways must be found to rapidly decrease oil demand as leaving it to the market will necessarily lead to a new ‘Great Depression’.
Russian leaders are acutely aware of the need to maintain a delicate balance between the looming giant that is China, and the pesky neighbor that is Japan.
Proved reserves of natural gas increased for the fifth year in a row, according to “Advance Summary: U.S. Crude Oil, Natural Gas, and Natural Gas Liquids Reserves 2003 Annual Report” released today by the Energy Information Administration. U.S. natural gas reserves increased by 1 percent in 2003.
OIL giant Royal Dutch/Shell has announced plans to invest £8 billion a year over the next two years to boost its reserves and production, as it tries to move on from the reserves scandal that rocked the company earlier this year
Testifying before a House Small Business subcommittee on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Missouri farmer Hal Swaney said increased energy costs over the 2003 through 2004 growing season have cost farmers more than $6 billion in added expenses to produce the food and fiber for this country.
Almost anytime is a good time for Alan Greenspan and other presidents or directors of central banks in Europe and Japan to remind the faithful that “extreme oil prices” act as a kind of energy tax, and in official central banker mythology ‘can only reduce economic growth,’ and of course raise inflation.
