Energy Policy

Other Energy Headlines – June 27

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Nuclear plants ‘to cost UK billions’ /
Coal rush? Power project signals boom, debate /
US power plants could run short of coal /
More Indonesia power plants may shut – fuel shortage /
Natural gas cliff /
Natural gas fuels a boom in Fort Worth /
Hard to have land with oil or gas in BC /
Court allows less-stringent refinery rule /
Nuclear confusion – peak uranium? /
Chavez tells petro companies to meet local demand first /
Latin America: poverty, indigenous peoples and energy reserves /
‘Iran’s oil policy to be reviewed’

Lost Energy

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At some point — maybe 10 years from now, maybe 20 — the energy bill currently wending its way through the Senate will be seen as an enormously significant lost opportunity…any politicians who care about the future economic, environmental and political stability of this country should right now be seeking to end the de facto subsidies for the oil and gas industries, aggressively promote research into new forms of ethanol and biofuel, limit automobile fuel consumption, and tax or cap the carbon emissions created by the burning of fossil fuels, which most scientists believe to be an important cause of global warming.

Exponential Enrons Ahead

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There has been a lot of media focus on the $18 billion in tax incentives contained in the Senate energy bill, but almost nothing about PUHCA repeal, even though the latter is by far the greatest prize: according to Lynn Hargis the value of all regulated utilities exceeds one trillion dollars. [PUHCA = Public Utilities Holding Company Act, a cornerstone New Deal financial reform]

Smoothing over Russian Subsoil

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Article depicts the situation of Russian oilfields being auctioned off to the oil companies and coming online. It explains why Russian goverments keeps the size of its petroleum reserves secret, why the Eastern Siberia oilfields will not save the world from the lack of oil, and why the Eastern Pipeline being built to supply the countries of East Asia with Russian oil will never be filled.

There’s no fuel like an old fuel

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Strongly reasoned case put for biofuels as the solution to decline of fossil oil supply. Dr Chia (cardiologist) calmly lays out the Hubbert/depletionists case, dismisses any central role for nuclear energy, and goes on to advocate bioengineered phyto-fuels (for biodiesel etc) and the development of artificial photosynthesis.

The next 50 years: Four European energy futures

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Report considering European energy transition scenarios, four story lines connecting plausible global developments in world energy markets and climate change policies consistently with European energy regime changes and related national innovation pressures. It includes explicit consideration of anti-globalisation arguments and climate change scenario’s, setting a new standard for integrated analysis.

Search for solutions must start now to avoid another energy crisis

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If the Earth were a car, its gas gauge would be approaching E. Some argue that we have miles to go before we hit the empty mark. Others say we’re running on fumes.

But nobody disputes that the world’s oil supply is finite and that some day the wells will run dry.

What we do between now and then will determine the quality of life for generations. Do nothing – or do something lethargically – and the consequences are catastrophic

Yale poll reveals overwhelming public desire for new energy policy direction

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A new Yale University research survey of 1,000 adults nationwide reveals that while Americans are deeply divided on many issues, they overwhelmingly believe that the United States is too dependent on imported oil.

The survey shows a vast majority of the public also wants to see government action to develop new “clean” energy sources, including solar and wind power as well as hydrogen cars.