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- Escape to Mars after we’ve trashed the Earth?
- Spermageddon: Sperm is declining around the world
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- Who Killed the Electric Car & more importantly, the Electric Truck?
- President Carter’s energy solutions 1977
- Peak Menhaden
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- Building a national super grid in America
Category Archives: Energy
Sand mines used to frack oil & gas are destroying the best topsoil in the Midwest
Preface. Frac sand is a high-purity quartz sand that is injected into wells to blast and hold open cracks in the shale rock layer during the fracking process. In the United States, frac sand is being mined intensively from sandstone … Continue reading
Peak coal 2013-2045 — most likely 2025-2030
Preface. The amount of coal reserves is far less than what the IPCC has assumed in their models, where they used RESOURCES, which is coal that can’t be economically and/or technologically obtained. Typical economists, they assume humans are so smart … Continue reading
Why Nuclear Power can’t replace fossil fuels
Last updated August 2022. Preface. Economic reasons are the main hurdle to new nuclear plants now, with capital costs so high it’s almost impossible to get a loan, especially when natural gas is so much cheaper and less risky. But … Continue reading
Posted in Alternative Energy, Energy, Nuclear Power Energy, Renewable Integration
Tagged breeder, nuclear
14 Comments
EROI of Canadian Natural Gas. A peak was reached despite enormous investment
[ Although I’ve extracted much of this paper, it is not complete—there are missing equations, figures, tables, and text– so see the paper for details (it is available online). I’ve rearranged the order of the paper. The conclusion is just … Continue reading
Posted in EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, Natural Gas, Peak Natural Gas
Tagged EROI, natural gas
4 Comments
Electric Cars and Biofuels switch dependence from foreign oil to domestic water and weather risks
Figure 1. Energy/Water Nexus Amy Hardberger, Matthew E. Mantell, Michael Webber, Carey W. King, Karl Fennessey [ This Senate hearing covers a lot of ground. I found the most interesting testimony to be the intersection of water and energy, … Continue reading
Posted in Drought, Energy Production, Hydropower, Transportation, Water Infrastructure
Tagged hydropower, peak oil, peak water, water dependence
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How Much Oil is Left?
The Power of Exponential Growth: Every 10 years we have burned more oil than all previous decades Preface. There is a lot of oil left. The problem is, most of the remaining oil is unconventional, which needs a lot more … Continue reading
Posted in How Much Left, Oil, Peak Oil
Tagged conventional, fracked oil, how much oil left, oil, peak oil, Russia, tar sands, tight oil, unconventional
1 Comment
The dangers and costs of importing Liquefied natural gas (LNG). U.S. Senate Hearing 2005.
[ Before fracked (tight) natural gas came along, natural gas prices spiked sky-high and the U.S. Congress began looking at how new LNG import terminal construction could be expedited, … Continue reading
Posted in LNG Liquified Natural Gas, U.S. Congress Energy Policy
Tagged import, LNG, natural gas
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House hearing on Canadian oil sands
House 112-128. March 20, 2012. The American Energy Initiative Part 17: A focus on the future of energy technology with an emphasis on Canadian oil sands. U.S. House of Representatives. [ Excerpts from the 203 page transcript ] President Obama … Continue reading
Posted in Tar Sands (Oil Sands), U.S. Congress Energy Policy
Tagged Canada, oil sands, tar sands
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Electrifying freight trains in the U.S. is a really bad idea
Preface. Diesel-electric locomotives are ALREADY electric, and more energy efficient than electric freight trains. Diesel-electric freight is very efficient and moves 4 times more tons per mile than trucks because they hardly ever accelerate, stop, start, or travel over 40 … Continue reading
Posted in Electric Grid, Electrification, Railroads
Tagged electrification, electrify, electrify rail, rail, train, train electrification
Comments Off on Electrifying freight trains in the U.S. is a really bad idea