How much energy can our forests provide? & The possibilities and consequences of large-scale oil cutoffs

March 9, 2011

As oil prices rise, heating our homes with wood becomes more attractive. How much can we substitute wood for other energy sources, particularly oil and propane heating? Steven Hamburg is the Chief Scientist of the Environmental Defense Fund, and he co-authored a recent report on the potential of northeastern forests to meet our energy needs: Forest Biomass and Bioenergy: Opportunities and Constraints in the Northeastern United States

Tom Whipple writes the weekly Peak Oil Review, and his latest edition says, “Collapse would not be too strong a term to apply to the global economy should Saudi oil production of 9 million b/d be halted or severely restricted by domestic unrest.” We talk to him about what he sees that indicates Saudi production may become shut in, and why that’s so important.

Carl Etnier hosts.

Download the audio for this episode here.


Tags: Biomass, Consumption & Demand, Energy Policy, Fossil Fuels, Geopolitics & Military, Media & Communications, Oil, Renewable Energy