Rob Hopkins: The Transition Away from Fossil Fuels

13 Comments on "Rob Hopkins: The Transition Away from Fossil Fuels"

TIKIMAN on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 1:42 pm 



The transition away from fossil fuels alone will burn up every fossil fuel in the earth.

Arthur on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 2:02 pm 



Indeed, we are possibly/probably too late for a smooth transition on a global level. In that case the best you can do is run for the hills individually, if your society is too dumb, indolent, poor, arrogant, ignorant, to organize it on a collective level.

eugene on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 2:06 pm 



Fantasy and always was. Desperate dreams of frightened people.

poaecdotcom on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 2:45 pm 



Excellent.

A positive message amidst a whole lot of grey.

Following your hopes and dreams, no-matter the odds of success, is the most productive state of mind there is.

Kenz300 on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 2:52 pm 



The transition to safer, cleaner and cheaper alternative energy sources is growing around the world.

Wind, solar, wave energy, geothermal and second generation biofuels made from algae, cellulose and waste are the future.

The Koch brothers and the fossil fuel industry keep flooding the air waves with their propaganda. As the price of alternative continue to fall more and more people, companies and communities are turning to alternative energy sources.

rockman on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 4:42 pm 



“As the price of alternative continue to fall more and more people, companies and communities are turning to alternative energy sources.” Which is great news at those local levels. Unfortunately globally oil, natural gas and coal are being produced at the highest levels since the beginning of the fossil fuel age. The consumption of ff is still growing despite increases in the alts. Of course, better to have the alts than not but they are not changing our global consumption pattern and appear to have little chance of doing so in the foreseeable future.

peakyeast on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 4:55 pm 



The positive in this story will be seen after the transition. The likelyhood that these people get to keep their property during the transition is quiet remote.

poaecdotcom on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 5:41 pm 



What is the alternative peaky?

I maintain that there is plenty of joy in the JOURNEY of transition. Right now.

Of course, that which is coming may well wipe out 5 out of 6 people on earth.

Don’t knock those that wish to be part of the 1 out of 6 that make it. Join them or come up with something better.

Go LOCAL

sunweb on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 6:35 pm 



There is a dream that natural flows of solar and wind energy can replace and transition from fossil fuels – transition to an equivalent lifestyle. A dream so strong, it is as a religion for some – a dream that hits the wall of reality.

If a source of energy costs as much energy to produce as we get from it, it is a dead end. This is called “energy return on energy invested” (ERoEI). ERoEI is one important measure. Solar hot air, photovoltaics and ethanol are all marginal or even negative. They hardly replace the energy they take to manufacture, transport and maintain the equipment. Wind is a better option using this measure.

A second piece of the hard wall of reality is that all the devices needed to capture the wind or sun are extensions of the fossil fuel supply system. It takes an industrial infrastructure to mine, refine, process, manufacture, transport, install, maintain and replace the devices needed to capture the sun or wind.

These devices do not make enough energy to reproduce themselves. In essence these devices are not renewable. Even if they could squeak out enough energy to reproduce themselves, they couldn’t go on to reproduce the goods needed by society.

The hard wall of truth is that the fossil fuel/industrial infrastructure is simply not green so considering this approach green is an illusion. The whole system, from the mining to the various toxic chemicals to transportation, is simply “business as usual.” And it is critical that the process be considered as a system and not the isolated component on the wall or roof.

Unfortunately, this is a 20th century dream in the hard financial and environmental reality of the 21st century.

GregT on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 7:25 pm 



sunweb,

Precisely.

There is still time for those that hope to transition to a ‘sustainable’ future, and although alternate energy sources might help ease the difficulties faced during transition, they are not the future.

Any societies that are planning on a low carbon future, that rely on electric power generation with infrastructure derived from fossil fuel energy are in for a major wake up call.

Move away from densly populated areas, get involved in small local communities, and learn how to produce your own food. Time is running out.

poaecdotcom on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 8:05 pm 



Agreed GregT

But coming full circle, I still maintain that Hopkins and his ilk be given credit for nudging masses into moving beyond business as usual.

My impression of the transition initiative is preparing for 19th century living not a photovoltaic “20th century dream”.

GregT on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 9:27 pm 



poaecdotcom,

I completely agree.

J-Gav on Thu, 10th Oct 2013 10:06 pm 



Well yeah, peace and justice would be cool. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like that’s what we’re in for.

For all that, I’m not one to dump on Hopkins at all, he’s doing some good work, but re-read Rockman’s little comment …

GregT and Poaec – We might even have a little edge or two over the 19th century: ‘lectricity for one, a few decent germ killers and some tools they didn’t have which might be maintainable what with all the scrap we’re leaving behind …