Author Archives: energyskeptic

Can Geothermal power replace declining fossil fuels?

Posted on February 27, 2025 by

Preface. Today the electric grid stays up because of months of backup power from natural gas, coal, and uranium.  Most of all natural gas because it can quickly balance wind and solar as they suddenly appear or die out. Natural … Continue reading →

Posted in Geothermal | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Can Geothermal power replace declining fossil fuels?

Telling others about peak oil and limits to growth

Posted on February 20, 2025 by

Preface. Obviously the planet is finite.  World crude oil production peaked in 2018, and been on a plateau since 2008.  Other resources, such as food, are peaking while the polycrisis depletes fisheries, forests, groundwater and more. Yet this reality is … Continue reading →

Posted in Critical Thinking, Limits To Growth, Peak Oil | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Why coal was only created once

Posted on February 13, 2025 by

Preface.  Coal only formed once on Earth over hundreds of millions of years because they had lignin and cellulose that microbes hadn’t yet evolved to consume. Eventually they did, and today termites, cows and other creatures are able to digest … Continue reading →

Posted in Biofuels, Coal | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Failed Nations

Posted on February 6, 2025 by

Preface.  This is the Fund for Peace Fragile States Index. The “Download data in excel” column has years 2006 to 2023. In 2007, there were 17 nations, of 180, more stable than the USA, in 2023, 38 states more stable.

Posted in Collapsed & collapsing nations | Tagged , | Comments Off on Failed Nations

We have a date for the zenith of civilization: 2025-2026

Posted on January 30, 2025 by

Source:  Chart made by Gail Tverberg here showing the general pattern of secular cycles based on information given in the book Secular Cycles by Peter Turchin & Sergey Nefedov, Princeton University Press, 2009. Preface. I have no idea who wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in By People | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Escape to Mars after we’ve trashed the Earth?

Posted on January 23, 2025 by

Preface. The idea that we can go to Mars is touted by NASA, Elon Musk, and so many others that this dream seems just around the corner.  If we destroy our planet with climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, soil erosion, … Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Extinction, Far Out, Hopium, Human Nature, Planetary Boundaries, Where to Be or Not to Be | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Spermageddon: Sperm is declining around the world

Posted on January 16, 2025 by

The rate sperm concentration is falling globally from samples collected from 1972 to 2000 (orange) and since 2000 (red) Source: Davies 2022 Preface. I’ve been seeing this issue in science news for years now. Scientific data has accumulated long enough … Continue reading →

Posted in Extinction, Limits To Growth | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Spermageddon: Sperm is declining around the world

Thorium nuclear bombs and reactors have too many challenges

Posted on January 8, 2025 by

Preface. The energyskeptic website and my books explain why we can’t run transportation, mining, agriculture, concrete, blast furnace steel and other essential sectors that are highly dependent on fossil fuels with electricity, biofuels, hydrogen, coal-to-liquids or anything else. So a … Continue reading →

Posted in Thorium | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Thorium nuclear bombs and reactors have too many challenges

Who Killed the Electric Car & more importantly, the Electric Truck?

Posted on January 1, 2025 by

Preface. Who cares about electric cars? Civilization ends when trucks stop running. Trucks can’t run on batteries because they’re too heavy, with 63 times less energy density than diesel. If all U.S. transportation were to be electrified, the existing electric … Continue reading →

Posted in Automobiles, Batteries, Critical Thinking, Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Electrification, Transportation, Transportation Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who Killed the Electric Car & more importantly, the Electric Truck?

President Carter’s energy solutions 1977

Posted on December 31, 2024 by

Preface. The speech below is one of the reasons Carter was not reelected. Reagan’s “Morning in America” was far more appealing. Another reason he wasn’t reelected was because the Reagan administration prevented the hostage crisis in Iran from being resolved … Continue reading →

Posted in Energy Policy & Politicians, Expert Advice, President Jimmy Carter | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment