Author Archives: energyskeptic

Giant Oil Field Decline Rates

Summary of article 1, Cobb’s “Aging Giant Oil Fields” 2013 The world’s 507 giant oil fields comprise a little over 1% of all oil fields, but produce 60% of current world supply Of the 331 largest fields, 261, or 79%, … Continue reading

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Gail Tverberg: 8 pitfalls in evaluating green energy solutions

Eight Pitfalls in Evaluating Green Energy Solutions November 18, 2014 by Gail Tverberg Does the recent climate accord between US and China mean that many countries will now forge ahead with renewables and other green solutions? I think that there are … Continue reading

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Why You Should Love Trains

Why You Should Love Trains by Alice Friedemann    November 13, 2014 Trains rock! Trains are over 4 times more fuel efficient than trucks. On average it takes just 1 gallon to move a ton 473 miles, using just 2% of … Continue reading

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Looking for a good book to read?

Here are eight book lists with recommendations from 45 years of non-fiction reading Booklist: Natural history & Science, Evolution, Critical thinking, Health, Resource allocation, Climate change, Fire Booklist: Travel, Psychology, World history, Food, Anthropology, (Auto)biography, Religion Booklist: American History, Politics, … Continue reading

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Statistics: USA Rail, Truck, and Water Transportation

Average Miles of track, # of Rail Tonnage Length road, or Carloads 2010 in tons of haul navigable water Class 1 Rail 29,200,000 1,851,000,000 914 95,700 Class II & III Rail 7,800,000 600,000,000 32 43,000 Truck 8,778,000,000 4,016,000 Inland water … Continue reading

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PNAS: Human population reduction is not a quick fix

Human population reduction is not a quick fix for environmental problems by Corey J. A. Bradshaw and Barry W. Brook Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Edited by Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University, and approved September 15, 2014 … Continue reading

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Naomi Oreskes on “The Collapse of Western Civilization”

A Chronicler of Warnings Denied: Naomi Oreskes Imagines the Future History of Climate Change By Claudia Dreifus, Oct 27, 2014, New York Times “I get from the scientific community a feeling that things are going from bad to worse. I … Continue reading

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Trains Rock! Trucks suck: 4x less efficient. Shift freight from truck to rail

A proposed National System of Interstate and Defense RAILROADS, as an infrastructure project for the next fifty years by J. William Vigrass To the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, USDOT Bldg., L’Enfant Plaza, 400 7th St. N.W. … Continue reading

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Gail Tverberg: Eight Pieces of Our Oil Price Predicament

Eight Pieces of Our Oil Price Predicament October 22, 2014, by Gail Tverberg A person might think that oil prices would be fairly stable. Prices would set themselves at a level that would be high enough for the majority of … Continue reading

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Large agribusiness gets corporate welfare via illegal ethanol subsidies

What more proof is needed that the Energy Returned on Energy Invested of ethanol is negative?  They’re losing money and getting corporate welfare to keep the scam going, meanwhile destroying prime topsoil, poisoning the land with pesticides, and eutrophying the … Continue reading

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