Category Archives: Net Energy Cliff

It takes energy to get energy, so much on the other side of peak oil production that societies must divert more and more energy to getting energy rather than building infrastructure, making things, etc.

Net Energy Cliff Will Lead to Collapse of Civilization

Posted on December 11, 2019 by

The remaining oil is poor quality, and the energy to get this often remote oil so great that more and more energy (blue) goes into oil production itself, leaving far less — the grey area — available to fuel the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2) Collapse, 3) Fast Crash, An Overview, By People, Energy, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Net Energy Cliff, Stages of | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Transportation: How long can we adapt before we fall off the Net Energy Cliff?

Posted on August 27, 2017 by

[ I first published this in 2014. After re-reading it when damnthematrix republished it recently, I saw corrections and updates that needed to be made, so here is the improved version. Keep in mind that  I am wildly speculating, there … Continue reading →

Posted in Cascading Failure, Electric Grid, Energy, Exponential Growth, Exports decline to ZERO, Infrastructure, Infrastructure, Net Energy Cliff, Transportation, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Gail Tverberg: 2017 The year the world economy starts coming apart

Posted on February 9, 2017 by

[ Note: In a 2016 post “Overly Simple Energy-Economy Models Give Misleading Answers” Tverberg points out that: “The common lay interpretation of simple models is that running out of energy supplies can be expected to be our overwhelming problem in … Continue reading →

Posted in Limits To Growth, Net Energy Cliff | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Book review of Failing states, collapsing systems biophysical triggers of political violence by Nafeez Ahmed

Posted on January 31, 2017 by

[ In this post I summarize the sections of Nafeez’s book about the biophysical factors that bring nations down (i.e. climate change drought & water scarcity, declining revenues after peak oil, etc.) The Media tend to focus exclusively on economic … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Cascading Failure, Caused by Scarce Resources, Collapse of Civilizations, Collapsing, Drought, Drought, Exports decline to ZERO, Interdependencies, Limits To Growth, Middle East, Net Energy Cliff, Other Experts, Over Oil, Overpopulation, Peak Oil, Violence, War & Violence | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

How much net energy return is needed to prevent collapse?

Posted on May 15, 2016 by

[ Charles Hall, one of the founders of EROI methodology, initially thought an EROI of 3 was enough to run modern civilization, which is like investing $1 and getting $3 back. But after decades of research, Hall concluded an EROI … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles A. S. Hall, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Net Energy Cliff | Tagged | Comments Off on How much net energy return is needed to prevent collapse?

Implications of declining EROI on oil production 2013 by David J. Murphy

Posted on June 20, 2015 by

[ To “see” declining EROI and the end of cheap energy, check out these photos of The Tallest structure ever moved by Mankind, a Norwegian natural gas offshore platform ] Murphy, David J. December 2, 2013. The implications of the … Continue reading →

Posted in EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Net Energy Cliff, Other Experts | 1 Comment

Conservation? Maybe not: Jevon’s Paradox & the Rebound Effect

Posted on October 7, 2014 by

Conservation? Maybe not: Jevon’s Paradox & the Rebound Effect by Alice Friedemann, October 7, 2014 The rebound effect makes it much more difficult to solve our energy problems, because the full energy savings aren’t realized, and the energy savings can … Continue reading →

Posted in Conserve Energy, Dependence on Oil, Net Energy Cliff | Comments Off on Conservation? Maybe not: Jevon’s Paradox & the Rebound Effect

Energy Watch Group: Worldwide Peak Coal & Natural Gas 2020, Peak Oil 2012

Posted on May 13, 2014 by

SUMMARY: Based on data from all over the world, the Energy Watch Group concludes that 2005 Peak Crude Oil 2012 Peak Crude oil plus unconventional liquids 2019 Peak Natural Gas worldwide 2020 Peak coal 40% decline in oil production by … Continue reading →

Posted in ! PEAK EVERYTHING, Net Energy Cliff, Peak Coal, Peak Natural Gas, Peak Oil | Comments Off on Energy Watch Group: Worldwide Peak Coal & Natural Gas 2020, Peak Oil 2012

David Fridley, LBNL scientist, on why alternative energy won’t save us

Posted on March 10, 2014 by

My summary of LBNL scientist David Fridley’s 9-page Alternative Energy Challenges. The showstopper is that the entire supply chain for alternative energy resources depend on fossil fuels, from mining basic (rare) metal ores, to fabrication, delivery, maintenance, and spare parts. … Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Energy, An Overview, David Fridley, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Net Energy Cliff | Comments Off on David Fridley, LBNL scientist, on why alternative energy won’t save us

A financial crash would stop new oil production, sending us over the net energy cliff with a 10% decline rate per year

Posted on March 5, 2014 by

Gail Tverberg’s March 4, 2014 “Reasons for our Energy Predicament – an overview” gave me this sudden insight: There is the potential for a sudden drop of 10 to 30% in oil production.  That magnitude of world-wide oil shocks would … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Markets, Flow Rate, Net Energy Cliff, Oil Shocks, Threats to oil supply | Comments Off on A financial crash would stop new oil production, sending us over the net energy cliff with a 10% decline rate per year