Analyzing peak oil and energy independence

What do Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran, Vladimir Putin in Russia and Umaru Yar’Adua in Nigeria all have in common? They dictate, tyrannize, browbeat, domineer and otherwise rule over regions that supply the world with an uncomfortably large percentage of energy. Add to that list the rulers of countries that could turn against America tomorrow morning. Here we might include King Abdullah of the Saudi royal house, Felipe Calderon of Mexico and Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria.



These rulers are either openly hostile or are (in some measure) unsympathetic to America. Oil production in the world hovers around 80 million barrels per day. The few individuals named above control close to half that amount. America must become energy independent. If more incentive is required, there is Peak oil. In a nutshell, Peak oil contends that oil production peaked some years ago. Major oil fields are declining, and there have been no new “elephant” discoveries. This falling supply comes at a time when world demand is dramatically increasing. The International Energy Agency describes China as “the major driver of global demand growth.” In 2003, China overtook Japan to become the world’s second-largest consumer of oil.

The quest for alternative sources of energy will occupy us for decades. It is already apparent that ethanol and biodiesel are short-term “solutions.” These sources of energy and the world food supply arise from the same well. Already there are tortilla riots in Mexico and pasta protests in Italy. Ethanol will be a dead letter within 20 years. Some think that hydrogen is the fuel of the future. They forget the Hindenburg. The problems of producing, delivering and safely transmitting the energy in hydrogen to the wheels of a locomotive will delay hydrogen as a source of energy for perhaps centuries.

Lahontan Valley News (Nevada)