Author Archives: energyskeptic

Few net-zero trucks from ports to inland redistribution

Posted on November 5, 2025 by

Preface. In my first book “When Trucks Stop Running” I made the case that our civilization, across all sectors, depended on diesel heavy-duty trucks, and explored the ways they might run on Something Else, since if that problem were not … Continue reading →

Posted in Ships and Barges, Trucks | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Few net-zero trucks from ports to inland redistribution

Environmental effects of nuclear winter

Posted on October 29, 2025 by

Preface.  This post is a summary of what I thought interesting and important from this 2025 National Academy of Sciences report “Potential environmental effects of nuclear war.” Unlike other nuclear winter papers reviewed in energyskeptic, the National Academy does not … Continue reading →

Posted in Nuclear Power Energy, Nuclear Winter, War Books | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Environmental effects of nuclear winter

Book review “Women, armies, & warfare in early modern Europe”

Posted on October 22, 2025 by

Preface. Ever since I read that women were the pack mules in Alexander the Greats army, carrying all the food and camp gear while their men only carried a sword, I’ve wondered about the role of women in armies. Very little has … Continue reading →

Posted in Jobs and Skills, Military, guns, War Books | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Book review “Women, armies, & warfare in early modern Europe”

Taking the Red Pill: How right-wing meme wars are ending Democracy

Posted on October 15, 2025 by

Preface. Trump was elected not only by the Christian evangelicals, but also by a large number of Hate Groups, who briefly came together at a “Unite the Right” (UTR) rally. Many are one or more of racist, white nationalist, misogynist, … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Books, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Taking the Red Pill: How right-wing meme wars are ending Democracy

The growth of incarceration in the U.S. Causes and consequences. National Research Council 2014

Posted on October 8, 2025 by

Preface. This National Research Council 465-page report may be the most comprehensive study of the U.S. prison system there is.  It will make you cry. I’ve excerpted about one-sixth of it below.  It is shocking that the “U.S. penal population … Continue reading →

Posted in Advice, Drug wars and the prison system, Energy Policy & Politicians, Politics | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The growth of incarceration in the U.S. Causes and consequences. National Research Council 2014

Eat, Poop, Die. How animals affect the world

Posted on October 1, 2025 by

Preface.  Here are some excerpts from “Eat, Poop, Die” about how animals affect the world. Whales, salmon, hippos, bison, wildebeest, birds and more play key roles. Whales and other sea creatures play a key role in carbon capture and sequestration. … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Eat, Poop, Die. How animals affect the world

Enough minerals for a solar, wind, & battery transition from fossil fuels?

Posted on September 23, 2025 by

Preface.  The transition could require as much as $173 trillion in energy supply and infrastructure investment over the next three decades. One HELL of a lot of metals needed – questionable if possible in in three decades, especially with China … Continue reading →

Posted in Mining | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Enough minerals for a solar, wind, & battery transition from fossil fuels?

Natural Gas & Coal essential for energy storage

Posted on September 16, 2025 by

Preface.  The U.S. Department of energy has stated a renewable grid is not possible without long-duration energy storage (Colthorpe 2022). Another report  explains why around-the-clock renewables and decarbonization will not be possible without it (McKinsey 2022).  This post explains why … Continue reading →

Posted in Blackouts, Energy Storage, Natural Gas, Natural Gas Energy Storage | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

When will gold production peak?

Posted on September 9, 2025 by

Figure 1. Mine production of gold worldwide from 2010 to 2024 (in metric tons). Source: USGS – Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025, page 83 Preface.  Ores are decreasing in gold concentrations, and found in deeper and more remote places, requiring more … Continue reading →

Posted in Metals | Tagged | Comments Off on When will gold production peak?

Palm Oil biofuels destroy rain forests

Posted on September 2, 2025 by

Preface. This is a book review of “Planet Palm: How Palm Oil Ended Up in Everything-and Endangered the World.”  I am mainly interested in the use of palm oil for biofuels, but it also harms health, which much of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Biofuels, CO2 and Methane | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Palm Oil biofuels destroy rain forests