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Even BP admits, some existing oil reserves are unburnable

Even BP admits, some existing oil reserves are unburnable thumbnail

The idea of a carbon bubble — the scenario in which fossil fuel-related investments become “stranded assets” as the world moves away from fossil fuels — has been gaining mainstream credence in recent months. From coal communities seeking help to transition from fossil fuels to vastly improved renewables that are competing directly with carbon emitting fuels, there are good reasons to question the idea that fossil fuel demand will continue to grow in the coming decades.

Still, I wasn’t expecting the latest development in the carbon bubble story.

The new economics of oil

As reported over at The Guardian, oil giant BP has just admitted that some existing fossil fuel reserves are unburnable, and that some oil will have to remain in the ground if we are to have any hope of keeping global climate change within “safe” (which, at this point, really just means “less dangerous”) limits. In a speech entitled The New Economics of Oil, the company’s chief economist, Spencer Dale, endorsed the idea that even burning our existing, known reserves of oil, coal and gas would set us on course for catastrophic climate change. And that’s even before we start talking about any new reserves that companies are still uncovering:

“Existing reserves of fossil fuels — i.e. oil, gas and coal — if used in their entirety would generate somewhere in excess of 2.8trn tonnes of CO2, well in excess of the 1trn tonnes or so the scientific community consider is consistent with limiting the rise in global mean temperatures to no more than 2C. And this takes no account of the new discoveries which are being made all the time or of the vast resources of fossil fuels not yet booked as reserves.”

Coal will go first

Dale’s analysis does throw in some important caveats: coal is a more carbon-intensive fuel than oil or gas, so it’s reasonable to assume that coal consumption will be hit hardest first. Dale also speculated that successful development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems could allow us to decouple fossil fuel burning from its associated emissions. Still, says Dale, oil companies (and everyone else) can no longer assume that oil prices will continue to rise as supply runs out.

This is what many observers have been saying for some time. While conventional wisdom said that prices would rise inexorably as we approached peak oil, the reality is looking rather different. At some point — and we may already be seeing this with Saudi Arabia refusing to curtail supply to drive up prices — producers will start competing over remaining market share of a potentially shrinking economic pie. That means lower prices. And lower prices mean some “unconventional” (read “more expensive”) sources of fossil fuels (tar sands, shale, Arctic oil), may never see the kind of price-per-barrel that would justify the investment.

Energy players reposition themselves

As I wrote in a piece for sister site TreeHugger, there’s a shift underway in the traditional dynamics of energy politics. While previously fossil fuel emitters like utilities, coal miners and oil companies were unified in their opposition to reducing carbon emissions, what we are increasingly witnessing is different interests trying to position themselves favorably for the inevitable transition to a low-carbon economy. That means oil companies pointing the finger at coal (see Dale’s comments on coal above) and boosting their investments in natural gas and other energy sources. It means forward-thinking electric utilities embracing renewables and energy efficiency. And it means these same lower carbon utilities becoming increasingly interested in electrified transportation as a means to compete with oil.

Will oil majors invest in renewables?

The CEO of Royal Dutch Shell — a company that recently put its controversial plans to drill for new oil in the Arctic on hold — has just stated that solar will become the backbone of the energy economy. Given that less than a decade ago, the company dropped its investments in solar as unaffordable, it will be interesting to see if it now changes its course. In the meantime, Total Oil just announced plans to invest $500 million in renewables annually.

I have a feeling things are going to change in the energy industry — and fast.

MNN.com



59 Comments on "Even BP admits, some existing oil reserves are unburnable"

  1. makati1 on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 8:27 pm 

    Another unicorn hugging article, full of bullshit.

  2. dissident on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 9:16 pm 

    Exactly, makati1. We are being promised vast quantities of alternative energy real soon now. So where is? Where are those massive wind farms and solar panel arrays? Where are the hydrogen fuel stations? All of these elements would have to be built up on a large scale every year.

    They make it sound like natural gas is an alternative fuel and not the same fossil fuel as coal and oil.

  3. Boat on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 9:49 pm 

    dissident,
    Who is promising you anything. The world is capitalism. Governments can affect the costs if they want safety or less pollution but each energy stands on it’s own efficiency and costs. The government might give renewable a few cents per watt to encourage growth but as long as nat gas and oil don’t have to pay for their pollution they are still clearly in the drivers seat.

  4. GregT on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 10:02 pm 

    Dissident hits a home run, while Boat scratches his ass in the dugout, and still doesn’t understand why he keeps striking out.

    Maybe you should try tidily winks Boat. More your speed.

  5. Truth Has A Liberal Bias on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 10:48 pm 

    Maybe Boat should try a 12 gauge lollipop. Once the collapse starts he wont last long anyway. Plenty of folks are smarter and fitter than him and once he gets his teeth kicked in and the someone takes off with his movables he won’t have so much of an attitude.

  6. GregT on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 11:53 pm 

    And one giant 12 gauge shotgun blast to the head, for all of mankind.

    A natural gas-dominated electricity system has significant climate risks and does not represent a long-term solution to global warming

    The electric power sector is the largest contributor to U.S. global warming emissions and currently accounts for approximately one-third of the nation’s total emissions. To limit some of the worst consequences of climate change, the U.S. needs to cut power sector carbon emissions 90 percent from current levels by 2050, as recommended by the National Research Council (NRC).

    http://www.ucsusa.org/climate-risks-overreliance-natural-gas-electricity-2013#.ViMlBLxmZug

  7. GregT on Sat, 17th Oct 2015 11:57 pm 

    “Maybe Boat should try a 12 gauge lollipop.”

    Boat is beyond any form of help Truth, up to and including a 12 gauge lobotomy. As they say, “You can’t fix stupid.”

  8. Hawkcreek on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:31 am 

    Looks like the 12 gauge lollipop comment is totally against any reasonable COC.
    Shame on you.

  9. Truth Has A Liberal Bias on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:36 am 

    you mean this pathetic excuse for a click-bait retard party has standards?

  10. GregT on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 1:06 am 

    Hawk,

    You seem like a reasonable person. How would you deal with somebody that constantly refuses to acknowledge any meaningful factual information, belittles those that try to present that same said information, and continually spreads lies and disinformation?

    IMHO, the entire politically correct social enigma needs to be firmly put to rest. I have no problem with healthy debate, but If we can’t be honest with ourselves, we are only causing further degradation to our entire political and social fabric. Standing up for these idiots, is a very big reason why our society has, and will continue to be flushed down the proverbial toilet.

    If you feel a desire to stand up for this mindless idiocy, then please accept my apologies when I say to you; You are not a part of the solution, and a very big part of the problem.

  11. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 4:11 am 

    Makati: I was a little worried about you all in the phillipines. Is your house still standing or are you floating out to seas. At least it seams like you still have power and internet. Please tell

  12. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 5:33 am 

    Dissident: A lot of alternative energi is generated on a small private basis (in contrast to power plants) in the shape of windmills and solar panels.
    This private contribution to the overall production can be very big (as in germany and denmark). But in order to make it work efficiently, you have to be connected to a grid, and there it seems that the US still hasn’t found the proper way to do this. The power(-plants) that be, are fighting to keep total control of their grid, while private small power producers want access to the grid regulated in various ways.
    To make sun and wind work efficiently, you will have to solve the grid regulation problems first, so that the smaler producers know they can sell their surplus production at a fair price.

  13. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 5:44 am 

    When i’m talking about smaler power producers,i am referring to private household production and neighborhood production.

  14. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 5:54 am 

    clanman,
    This type of grid infrastructure is being built out in parts of the US. There are many reasons the US is behind in renewable in comparison to some countries. One is we are not dependent on a country like Russia for nat gas. 2nd is the Republican party did not support renewable like the country has during Obama’s term. GW had the country for 8 years while many countries made great progress.
    Solar and wind prices have dropped. Within a few years I expect both to take off in sales with just a little more tech improvement. Hang on, times are changing. PS The nat gas prolific expansion is part of the renewable infrastructure needed and it is booming.

  15. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:14 am 

    Hawk said “Looks like the 12 gauge lollipop comment is totally against any reasonable COC.
    Shame on you.”

    Thank you Hawk for offering some maturity to those who are hypocrites and righteous assholes with agendas.

  16. rockman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:30 am 

    “…oil giant BP has just admitted that some existing fossil fuel reserves are unburnable, and that some oil will have to remain in the ground…” I’ll assume everyone understands this BS hidden behind a truth. Of course there will be ff left in the ground by BP et al. And it will have nothing to do with preventing GHG emissions. BP et al will produce every hydrocarbon they have access which is economical to go after…until there are none less.

    And for my 2 cents the way to deal with a persistent asshole is to either ignore them or playfully tease them. The last thing one should do IMHO is to try to engage them in a serious discussion.

  17. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:32 am 

    Davy,

    I don’t mind. I expect those types of comment. Unfortunately the world is still the wild wild west. It is still kind of a mystery why doomers still seem to have a higher percentage of violent people. Maybe having given up on a future life does something to the mind. I enjoy arguments and discussion but some of these guys just lash out and they don’t even know my arguments. They kinda know that the world is in deep shyt “as I do”. I just enjoy news of people trying to make a difference and want to do something about climate change even if the task seems improbable. That is the human condition. At the end of the day to make big changes there has to be profit in it or it won’t happen. Threatening people and giving up just isn’t in our DNA.

  18. makati1 on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:44 am 

    Claman, Here in Manila, the rain has been gentle and the wind not much more than a normal thunderstorm. No street flooding, power outage, etc. We prepare for such inconveniences. We don’t have to leave our condo for weeks if necessary. Water, food and lots of reading material on hand, not to mention a crank radio to listen to news and to power cell phones. But, the electric has never been off for more than 12 hours and that was when Manila was directly hit by a cat 3.

    As for the farm, the caretaker texted that a few new trees went over as the winds got pretty intense for a while. We also lost a small temporary shed for the chickens, but I guess they found shelter themselves.

    The main storm is traveling through the famous thousand year old rice paddies in the north, where they may get as much as 4 feet, yes feet, of rain in the next 36 hours. I hope it is less, but …

    The Ps gets hit with an average of 15 typhoons per year. They live with it as nothing can be done to change it. We will build to accommodate it, along with the frequent earthquakes here on the Ring of Fire. Not much different than living in tornado alley or the south east US. At least you won’t freeze to death when a blizzard hits and the power goes out like in my native state of PA.

    Thanks for asking.

  19. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:54 am 

    Glad to hear you are allright mak. I think i all sounds pretty frightening, but I guess you are all accustomed to it, and know what to do. Keep smiling.

  20. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 6:59 am 

    Boat, Nicely put.
    And don’t forget what Kennedy said: Don’t ask what societal collapse can do to you – ask what you can do about societal collapse.

  21. makati1 on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 7:21 am 

    Claman, I’m always smiling. I have very good health, and good friends here. I am as secure as you can get these days and am enjoying life. At worse, a typhoon is an inconvenience, not a worry. On the farm it will mean more work to clean up and move on, but that is also part of life. Worry makes you old before your time. Been there. Done that. No more.

  22. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 7:25 am 

    Davy :Very instructive link.
    Deforrestration and destruction of mangrove is the third worlds greatest sins, but they don’t seem to learn. Especialy indonesia. China has learned it’s lesson, but it seems alittle late.

  23. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 7:32 am 

    Boat:”PS The nat gas prolific expansion is part of the renewable infrastructure needed and it is booming.”

    You will have to explain this a little further. How is nat gas helping the renewables ?

  24. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 7:39 am 

    Clam, renewables are variable so NatGas fired on demand power generation can work in tandem to offset some of this variability. It is one reason the cost of renewables that feed the grid is actually higher than the greenies want to admit. The greenies also are loath to admit the amount of grid upgrades needed for renewables to go above the 20% threshold of power generation contribution. The electrical grid load management is highly complex. The mix of power generation sources is critical to load balance.

  25. Kenz300 on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:04 am 

    Climate Change is real….. we will all be impacted by it……

    Exxon’s Climate Change Cover-Up Is ‘Unparalleled Evil,’ Says Activist

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/exxon-evil-bill-mckibben_561e7362e4b028dd7ea5f45f?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green&section=green
    ———–

    Oil and Gas Companies Make Statement in Support of U.N. Climate Goals – The New York Times

    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/17/business/energy-environment/oil-companies-climate-change-un.html?&moduleDetail=section-news-2&action=click&contentCollection=International%20Business&region=Footer&module=MoreInSection&version=WhatsNext&contentID=WhatsNext&pgtype=article

  26. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:07 am 

    At the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price of the near-month (November 2014) futures contract rose from $2.474/MMBtu last Wednesday to $2.518/MMBtu yesterday.
    Working natural gas in storage increased by 100 billion cubic feet (Bcf), rising to 3,733 Bcf as of Friday, October 9. The net injection into storage resulted in storage levels 14% above a year ago and 5% above the five-year average for this week.
    The total rig count declined by 14 units to 795 as of Friday, October 9, according to data from Baker Hughes Incorporated. This is 1,135 units below the level at the same time last year. Oil rigs declined by 9 units to 605 (1,004 below last year’s level), and natural gas rigs fell by 6 to 189 (131 below last year’s level).

    Imagine that, only 189 drilling rigs are fueling slight over production in an ever expanding nat gas market. Just a few years ago it took over 1600 drilling rigs to produce considerably less. Nobody saw this coming.

    I would like to be called a greenie but this transition to gas and renewables will take decades. Davy I don’t know why you assume people don’t have a clear idea of what is happening. The facts are out there.
    Wind and solar are in it’s infancy and more efficiency will have to be squeezed out before they explode. But finally renewables are competitive enough and the market big enough a lot more money is going into R&D and infrastructure in Texas and the wind corridor is growing relatively fast. California just passed legislation that targets 50% renewables by 2030. Hawaii wants 100% by 2040 I think. The trend is definitely there.
    To your point, the grid update will have to go hand in hand along with nat gas for peak power. This will still be cheaper than coal and it’s dangers down the road.

  27. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:11 am 

    I might be a little slow here.
    But if you mean that the nat gas GRID paves the way to a future transition to a biogas grid, I can agree.

    “The electrical grid load management is highly complex. The mix of power generation sources is critical to load balance.”
    Sure enough. We have been working on those problems for decades, and there a still glitches, but in general it works fine.
    You might even consider a management system that is adaptable to technological, societal and climate changes as they come. And they will come.

  28. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:21 am 

    AltE is a capital intensive energy solution that will have a short “half-life” because of resource limits and financial descent issues. Boat your examples of state initiatives are just talk and will likely never be realized. Green is good but it is not a solution to a global descent that is multi-faceted and systematic Saying AltE and or fossil fuels are our solutions is proving to be not true by science and the results of years of lackluster results.

  29. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:27 am 

    Clam said “You might even consider a management system that is adaptable to technological, societal and climate changes as they come. And they will come.” Clam you are new here and that statement will put you in the cornucopian crowd who thinks we have a future based on technology, development, and markets. This is precisely what got us to the hole we are in.

    Doomers will tell you this is a false narrative that is wasting time and precious resources that could be used to prepare and lower our climate change footprint. We must mitigate and adapt to something that will be very dangerous with a world with an order of magnitude too many people and a global earth ecosystem in decline and localized failure.

  30. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:28 am 

    clanman,
    If you go to the Siemans and GE website they already have nat gas turbines ran by software that can start and shutdown much quicker. They can also vary their load on demand and are very responsive. But these things take a lot of time and money. The next election will decide if these advancements will stay on the fast track. But yea, the expansion of nat gas and the grid is critical to expansion of renewables.

  31. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:37 am 

    Davy we all know that massive population reduction will be required to prevent climate change. That ain’t gonna happen. It will take climate change to reduce human population. My argument is society will go on even in times of massive death. I also we have a much longer timeline than doomers think before the oceans die and storms wipe out infrastructure in a massive.
    way.

    For this view I am threatened, cussed at, insulted etc. But it’s ok. I have met normal and I don’t come to this site for that. Lol

  32. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:42 am 

    Davy , when i wrote that, i was thinking about the water management systems in california and the mississisippi water shed, that often has to deal with over a hundred years old water rights that can’t be changed.

  33. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:52 am 

    Boat, you fail to understand the systematic implications of widespread death. Society will not go on as we have now. Society we have now is very fragile to disruptive change. You can clearly see that will all the financial problems we have today. Just a small change in the rate of growth with growth is causing huge financial global problems.

    Who knows the timeline with climate change and who know what kind of climate issues will unfold. We can see abrupt climate change now and it is just getting started. I imagine once it turns fully on the cost will be exponential and the changes nonlinear. These climate changes will be icing on the cake of collapse. We are close to the straw that breaks the camels back

    You are threatened, cussed at, and insulted because you act like an ugly American on an ugly anti-American site. What can you expect? Take it like a man and quit being such a large target for criticism. Better yet just ignore it. I enjoy the fight. The anti-Americans are a rabid dog pack. I feel honored to have such adversaries. It is good preparation for a future of strife and turmoil

  34. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:54 am 

    Davy: you americans are turning every thing into black OR white. I live comfortably with black AND white, allthough it sometimes tend to make decissions hard to make.
    In my hopes I am a cornucopian – in my fears i’m a doomer. A little wishy-washy maybe, but when you see catastrophy looming, and you don’t want to run. then what do you do ?

  35. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 8:55 am 

    Alright Clam, I am just warning you of the political and economic camps people fall under here. You say the wrong thing and people will pounce on you. I am glad you are here and I hope I can help you in any way. I specialize in doom and prep so please if you have any question just ask.

  36. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:11 am 

    I know you have this system corn/doom. But honestly, sometimes you seem to be pretty stuck in your own trenches.

  37. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:20 am 

    Davy, I’m accustomed to be under fire from all sides. I don’t mind it a bit. I even find it a little exciting.
    Except of course for the moments when I break down and cry like a baby. But things like that, you’ll have to take as a man.
    I hope you are not too confused about where i stand 🙂

  38. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:28 am 

    Clam, I welcome the cornucopian point of view when it is realistic and educational. As a doomer I want to be accurate with my doom timeline and degree and duration of the descent. I am not into pain, suffering, and or gloom. I am into truth and reality. I attack excessive optimism when it is just more of the same old failed social narrative that has culminated in what we are facing today. You must admit it is those who preach and promote the status quo that are responsible for our current existential predicament. They are responsible for it because we got here on their watch. They are preaching more of the same to get us out of the problems we are in. I might add problems that they are loath to admit to in the first place but when they do they offer more of the same for solutions.

  39. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:37 am 

    There is such a thing as pragmatism, and that is what you choose, when neither black or white seems attractive.
    I’m not corn nor doom, I’m a “prag”.

  40. claman on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:46 am 

    I’ll admit that the debate climat in the US is very much different from over here, and that the fight between the political sides in US can’t be compared to our relatively friendly debates.
    We can make our small and big decissions without anybody really noticing, while your decisions on the other hand actually changes the world. I’m not blind for that.

  41. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 9:52 am 

    Davy,
    You don’t get off that easy. Your carbon foot print is bigger than mine. This status quo is exactly you as you burn up carbon in your prep. I liked that as you said their watch like you are not part of the problem. Quit being a hypocrite. Your goats alone fart and belch more than an average size family I bet. Lol You got 20 of them?

    PS I show links of what humans are doing that are positive but I am no scientist. You call that optimsn I guess the rest of the doomers think so to. But in fact I just show links of what I think are progress. But do I think they will solve climate change? No. Do I think my links will take out 5 billion people? No You and the doomers have got your narrative down to a T so much ya’ll cant even comprehend what I write. That’s why I call you a cult. Not much thinking going on.

  42. Davy on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 10:14 am 

    Boat one of your biggest issues with me is putting things in people’s mouths. My footprint has historically been greater than many here. I am an ex 1%er who worked and was an owner in a large company in the energy intensive field of heavy equipment.

    I now live close to the land in a stoic, Spartan and spiritual naturalness. This is relative to what I could be. I have one foot in and one foot out of a away. I am using BAU to get out of BAU.

    My family is still 1%er. I could be filthy rich now. I am rich now by being close to nature with a wonderful wife and kids. My current foot print is still low. I am a farmer so I use diesel. I burn with wood and eat locally however I can. I do practice permaculture grazing for cattle and goats. I have a solar system and plan on more.

    I don’t play the stupid high energy games of leisure. My enjoyment is working the land. I am obsessive about efficiency and being frugal. I avoid trips to town until I can make them as a coordinated effort to maximize efficiency. I still buy stuff but it has a long term purpose of doom and prep.

    So boat you can bash me all you like but I am satisfied with my self and my life enough to preach about it as an option to your failed cornucopian life. I call your life a failure because the American Dream is a failure and that dream is killing the planet. It is you that boasts about your life and the American Dream. I am boasting about mine life and my opposition to the American Dream failed lifestyle. Is that fair enough. Time will tell but your life looks dated and mine appears to have a future.

  43. joe on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 10:29 am 

    As peak easy oil passed in around 05 we saw a spike in prices, then a fall, then the bubble created for 25 years by globalisation burst, this caused prices to spike as low demand meant lower supply but that made tight oil profitable so it came on line and it caused prices to fall due to over production, which leaves us with today’s problem that we are supplied with oil we don’t want because the globalisation supercycle has not peaked again and thus prices are down.
    Crapitalisms answer is to spread globalisation with ‘TAP’ and ‘TTIP’ and oversupply Asia with credit and create demand in even more emerging markets. Obviously these markets won’t be using solar energy to develop their cities so the idea of not burning oil is stupid. The west is not even carbon neutral yet we think we can save the earth AND crapitalism!

  44. Boat on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 10:50 am 

    joe,
    In 2003 was also the start of the Iraq war. That was when oil started to rise. Geopolitics was the cause of high prices and then the war of course and Iraq production dropping.

  45. GregT on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:05 pm 

    WTI was $16.42/bbl in Dec of 1998 and rose to $47.16/bbl by Nov of 2000. Dec of 2001 the price pulled back to $26.52 when it began its relentless climb to 146.12 in June of 2008.

    The conflict in Iraq was not a war, it was an invasion that was sold to the American public on false pretences. Iraq was invaded in March of 2003. 4 1/2 years after oil began to rise in price.

    http://www.macrotrends.net/1369/crude-oil-price-history-chart

  46. GregT on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:18 pm 

    In 1998 Iraqi oil production was 2.15M bb/d. By 2000 Iraqi oil production had increased to 2.571M bb/d. In 2003 production dropped to 1.3M bb/d and rose back up to 2,62M bb/d in 2010. In 2010 WTI was still over $110/bbl.

    http://www.indexmundi.com/energy.aspx?country=iq&product=oil&graph=production

  47. GregT on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:21 pm 

    “In 2003 was also the start of the Iraq war. That was when oil started to rise.”

    This is what I am referring to when I say disinformation. Facts are easily checked by anybody with an internet connection. If you aren’t going to be truthful Boat, and you are going to continue to spread lies, don’t bother posting.

  48. GregT on Sun, 18th Oct 2015 12:42 pm 

    In so far as using natural Gas for generating electricity. You guys are all missing the point. We already have more than enough coal to generate electricity with. We are moving away from coal because of greenhouse gas emissions. Natural gas also generates greenhouse gasses. Many recent reports have identified natural gas production as being a larger producer of greenhouse gasses due to leakage of methane, which is a far greater contributor to Climate Change than CO2. Greenhouse gasses also accumulate in the environment. Natural gas is not the answer. It is more of the same, and quite possibly worse due to the masking effect of particulates associated with burning coal.

    Above all else, generating electricity in no way even begins to solve the real problems associated with a liquid fuels crisis. The problems being food production, chemical feedstock and energy for the industrial process, and transportation. All of which we must completely stop, if we hope to mitigate the effects of Climate Change and Global Warming.

    Nice to pretend to come up with solutions guys, unfortunately your “solutions” only create further problems, and don’t address our original predicament at all.

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