Tag Archives: vaclav smil

Book review of Vaclav Smil’s “Energy Transitions: History, Requirements, Prospects”

Posted on November 13, 2018 by

Preface.  In my extract of the 178 pages in the book below, Smil explains why renewables can’t possibly replace fossil fuels, and appears to be exasperated that people believe this can be done when he writes “Common expectations of energy … Continue reading →

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Vaclav Smil on wood

Posted on January 17, 2018 by

[ I’ve extracted bits about wood from Smil’s book about materials below, read the book for the larger context.  Enormous amounts of wood were used in former civilizations with much smaller populations than today, so it’s clear we can’t go … Continue reading →

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Vaclav Smil: Our transition away from fossil fuels will take decades—if it happens at all.

Posted on June 3, 2015 by

[The rate of world conventional oil production (also known as Peak Oil) happened in 2005 and conventional oil production has been on a plateau since then. Hirsch wrote that we ought to prepare 20 years ahead of time for peak … Continue reading →

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