Imagine If — ‘The Great Turning’ meets ‘Community Rights’

Community rights educator Paul Cienfuegos reads his inspiring short declaration inspired by Joanna Macy’s notion of “The Great Turning,” a total change in how we govern ourselves. Paul writes, “The Community Rights movement has been spreading across the United States — one city, town and county at a time. Since 1999, 200 communities have passed […]

How Agriculture Uses Energy

When we think of ways to reduce emissions of toxic gas contributing to global warming, the suggestions brought up first are usually buying a car that has better gas mileage, recycling and composting, or buying energy-efficient appliances. All of these are excellent ways to help reduce energy consumption. Agriculture in America, however, is responsible for […]

Is the age of oil about to end? This oilman thinks so

There’s a new “Peak Oil” prediction out, and this one is worth taking seriously if for no other reason than its source. Peak Oil, you may recall, refers to a theory propounded by the late geologist M. King Hubbert, who predicted that world oil production would ultimately reach a maximum and then go into a […]

A Glimpse Into the Future of Technologically Mature Electric Cars

Highlights The introduction of affordable 200+ mile electric cars under existing incentive programs offers a valuable glimpse into the future. In the US, incentives will cover the entire battery pack cost of the Chevy Bolt. In Norway, very large incentives will yield effective battery costs of negative $314/kWh – a massive bargain. Current market shares of […]

Opec predicts Paris agreement will mean 2029 peak oil

Opec has argued oil demand would peak in 2029 if countries meet their obligations under the Paris climate agreement. In its annual global oil market report, the 14-member cartel, responsible for over a third of the world’s oil production, says its base case is that countries do meet the Paris targets despite trying to curb […]

Election Chaos Fears Have Preppers Stockpiling Survival Food

In case of an election night Doomsday, preppers are running up sales of emergency survival food. While sales for “long term food” typically see an increase around natural disasters and elections, “this is more intense than what we saw in 2012,” said Keith Bansemer, VP of marketing for My Patriot Supply, a manufacturer and seller […]

Could oil demand peak before oil supplies?

According to some industry analysts, “peak oil” could actually be just around the corner. Not peak oil as it has been predicts for decades – a steadily increasing demand and a dwindling supply – but just the opposite. Royal Dutch Shell now believes that abundant supplies will outpace demand. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, the world’s […]

Shell Warns ‘Peak Oil Demand’ Could Be Reached In 2021

A senior executive for Royal Dutch Shell claimed demand could reach its peak as early as 2021, which is much sooner than anticipated by other analysts. “We’ve long been of the opinion that demand will peak before supply,” said Shell Chief Financial Officer Simon Henry, in a Tuesday conference call.   “And that peak may […]

OPEC Is Now Irrelevant – This Oil Price Plunge Is Different

OPEC Price Band Not very long ago, oil prices traded at well below $20/b and OPEC anxiously came up with a mechanism which it termed as “OPEC Price Band’ $22-$28/b”. The rationale for this price band, was that OPEC members would find it sufficient for the growth of their oil and gas industry while the […]

Here’s the catch-22 for the oil market

Oil prices could be heading lower as OPEC dithers, the election raises fears and traders stand on the sidelines. OPEC will dictate where oil prices head for the remainder of the year and into 2017 and the organization’s failure to come to an agreement at its recent Vienna meeting is telling – the major sticking […]

The Last Gasp of the American Dream

Just at the moment, many of my readers—and of course a great many others as well—are paying close attention to which of the two most detested people in American public life will put a hand on a Bible in January, and preside thereafter over the next four years of this nation’s accelerating decline and fall. […]

‘Peak auto’ is a zombie idea that has taken over the US auto market

Morgan Stanley lead auto analysts Adam Jonas published a research note on Wednesday in which he argued that “peak auto” — the idea that the US car sales market has plateaued — is a “stigma” that the industry can’t shake. “An 18.3-million light-vehicle sales pace for October beat consensus estimates of 17.7 million,” he wrote, citing sales […]

How Researchers Could Miss the Real Energy Story

I have been telling a fairly different energy story from most energy researchers. How could I possibly be correct? What have other researchers been missing? The ‘standard’ approach is to start from the amount of resources that we have of a particular type, for example, oil in the ground, and see how far these resources […]

Batteries upend Peak Oil debate

If “peak oil” conjures up thoughts of when oil output will reach its maximum then you’re way behind the times. Now it’s all about demand. And rather than a debate about the geology, it’s about technology, and when batteries will force consumption of oil – or at least oil used for transport fuels – into […]

GDP – A Grossly Defective Product

GDP – The Problem Paul Wallace recently penned for Reuters an interesting article entitled: “GDP Is A Grossly Defective Product.” In the article he states: “Yet despite its theoretical appeal, GDP is, in practice, a fallible measure – and increasingly becoming one that could be described as a grossly defective product.   For one thing, the […]

How Researchers Could Miss the Real Energy Story

I have been telling a fairly different energy story from most energy researchers. How could I possibly be correct? What have other researchers been missing? The “standard” approach is to start from the amount of resources that we have of a particular type, for example, oil in the ground, and see how far these resources will […]

Is the collapse of productivity in the developed world really so close at hand?

The developed world may be facing another Malthusian moment. The first came at the end of the 18th century, when Thomas Malthus predicted dire consequences for humanity if population trends continued on their trajectory. But along came something no one predicted: technology that helped humans use resources more efficiently and get more from the land […]

Revisiting Peak Oil

When I started writing this column years ago, it was intended to be a voice for the Transition Vashon group.  We were espousing the need to plan for decreasing energy use due to the dangers of CO2 concentration and consequent global warming, and the arrival of peak oil.  Peak oil is the point at which […]

How Automated Garbage Segregation Can Increase Generation Of Refuse-Derived Fuel

Creating public awareness about the need to sort trash into recyclables and non-recyclables can be a never-ending process. For one, our cities are getting increasingly globalized and there is a constant influx of people from outside who may not be aware of the local sorting processes. More importantly, any policy that requires collaboration among thousands […]

World oil demand to drop by 7% by 2035

Oil consumption will stand at 87 million barrels per day by 2035, or 7 percent less than the current figures in the baseline scenario, according to the study conducted by Moscow-based VYGON Consulting company. VYGON Consulting said that the total world oil demand will reach its peak by 2023, as it will increase by 3.3 […]

Six Things To Consider About Inflation

As an economic term, “inflation” is shorthand for “inflation of the money supply.” The general public, however, usually takes it to mean “rising prices” which is not surprising since one of the common effects of an increase in the money supply is higher prices. However, supporters of government policy often say, “If quantitative easing (QE) […]

Gail Tverberg: Why There’s No Economically Sustainable Price For Oil Anymore

Actuary Gail Tverberg returns to provide an update on where we are in the global energy story. Her outlook is not rosy: she doesn’t not see a path for society to transition to an affordable, plentiful substitute to petroleum as a transportation fuel. The physics as well as the funding do not pencil out, at […]

Thermodynamic Oil Collapse: Why The Global Economy Will Disintegrate Rapidly

The world is heading towards a rapid disintegration of its economic and financial system due to a “Thermodynamic oil collapse.”  I spoke with Dr. Louis Arnoux of nGeni, about the details of the thermodynamics of oil depletion and its impact on the global economy. Unfortunately, the world is completely in the dark about this energy […]

Transition in Cities

It is widely assumed that the ongoing migration of rural peoples to mega-cities all over the world will help reduce humanity’s per-capita energy footprint, while giving people a higher standard of living and accelerating energy transition. But the world is full of old, inefficient cities in desperate need of an eco-makeover, and of experts who […]

Why Oil Could Head Back To $90 Sooner Than Thought

I don’t know much about fashion, but I have heard that blue is the new black. And I know that by the time I buy blue, everyone else will be wearing green. In the oil business, modish pundits are now pronouncing, “60 is the new 90,” championing the thesis that productivity gains, cost improvements and […]

Hidden Fragility – What Happens When The Electricity Is Off For Three Days?

what happens when an electricity dependent society and economy has an extended loss of electrical grid and communications? One of the hidden realities of modern life is its fragility. For example, few people are aware of the precariousness of the supply chain that refills gasoline/petrol stations around the world every few days. A new book, When Trucks […]

Peak Oil Demand Could Hit In 2030. Or Sometime Between 2040 And 2050

The past two years have been tough for energy companies and resource-dependent economies. The price of oil has plummeted from about $100 per barrel to around $30, and only recovered to $50 in recent weeks amid news that OPEC would cap production. An oil price recovery was welcome news for the oil industry, as analysts […]

Peak Oil & System Justification: Avoidance

  The researchers found that being intolerant of ambiguity is associated with such conservative characteristics as unwavering certainty and strong loyalty to particular people and positions. Conservatives don’t feel the need to jump through complex, intellectual hoops in order to understand or justify some of their positions. They are more comfortable seeing and stating things […]

The Local Food Revolution: How Humanity Will Feed Itself In Uncertain Times

We are being ranched,” says Michael Brownlee, and what is more, most of us are living in one kind of food desert or another. In this book, author Michael Brownlee is inciting a local food revolution, and this revolution is far more expansive, far more radical, and far more life-altering than creating a few farmers […]

Winners of the oil bust: How much oil did China store?

It’s not surprising that in recent years China has been taking advantage of the low crude prices to stockpile strategic and commercial oil reserves. It’s not surprising that official data – if and when authorities decide to make it available – understates said reserves. This lack of information has left oil traders, investors and the […]

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