Category Archives: Energy

the posts in this category used to be in “Energy in A Nutshell” at my former web site.

Exporting Natural Gas from America

We don’t have the natural gas to export as you can see in Shale Oil and Gas Will Not Save Us. Nonetheless, it looks like we may be exporting it. Matt Simmons, a financier of very large energy projects thinks … Continue reading

Posted in Natural Gas | Comments Off on Exporting Natural Gas from America

California Shale Oil & Gas

US officials cut estimate of recoverable Monterey Shale oil by 96% Sahagun, L. May 21, 2014. Los Angeles Times. Federal energy authorities have slashed by 96% the estimated amount of recoverable oil buried in California’s vast Monterey Shale deposits, deflating … Continue reading

Posted in Oil & Gas Fracked | Comments Off on California Shale Oil & Gas

Natural Gas used in Agriculture

Will Natural Gas Fuel America in the 21st Century? May 2011    Post Carbon Institute Agriculture and Natural Gas by Michael Bomford Michael Bomford is a research scientist and extension specialist at Kentucky State University and an adjunct faculty member in … Continue reading

Posted in Natural Gas | Comments Off on Natural Gas used in Agriculture

Electric Grid Energy Storage

Storing electricity Electricity can’t be stored. It has to be converted to something else.   Nearly all of the electric grid storage (95%) comes from pumping water up to a reservoir so the water can fall again and generate electricity. But … Continue reading

Posted in Batteries, Electric Grid | Comments Off on Electric Grid Energy Storage

Oil Crunch 2015: UK Industry Task force on Peak Oil & Energy Security (ITPOES)

Ahmed, N.  28 Mar 2014. Ex govt adviser: “global market shock” from “oil crash” could hit in 2015. The Guardian. Former oil geologist Dr. Jeremy Leggett, identified 5 “global systemic risks (oil depletion, carbon emissions, carbon assets, shale gas, and … Continue reading

Posted in Flow Rate, Oil, Oil Shocks, Peak Oil | Comments Off on Oil Crunch 2015: UK Industry Task force on Peak Oil & Energy Security (ITPOES)

Electric Grid Overview

[ Our energy, transportation, electric, water and other infrastructures are all heavily dependent on each other, making the U.S. one of the most vulnerable nations on earth.  Although transportation is the most essential of all, especially trucks, which make the … Continue reading

Posted in Electric Grid, Electric Grid & EMP Electromagnetic Pulse, Energy | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Electric Grid Overview

Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth

David J. Murphy and Charles A. S. Hall. 2011. Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth in “Ecological Economics Reviews.” Robert Costanza, Karin Limburg & Ida Kubiszewski, Eds. Annals of the New York Academy of … Continue reading

Posted in Charles A. S. Hall, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, EROEI remaining oil too low, How Much Left, Peak Oil, Scientists | Comments Off on Energy return on investment, peak oil, and the end of economic growth

Oil Sands missed rosy production figures – AGAIN

Commentary: Canadian Oil Sands Misses Unrealistic Projection – Issues Another December 14, 2009 Tom Standing ASPO USA Peak Oil Review Canadian energy authorities have done it again. They missed their last rosy projection of future oil sands production, so they … Continue reading

Posted in Tar Sands (Oil Sands) | Comments Off on Oil Sands missed rosy production figures – AGAIN

Biomass Electricity More Polluting Than Coal and Waste Incinerators

Trees, Trash, and Toxics: How Biomass Energy Has Become the New Coal Mary S. Booth, PhD Partnership for Policy Integrity April 2 , 2014 Executive Summary Highlights Because of a perfect storm of lax regulation and regulatory rollbacks , biomass … Continue reading

Posted in Air, Biomass, Hazardous Waste | Comments Off on Biomass Electricity More Polluting Than Coal and Waste Incinerators

Charles Hall on EROEI

[ For a full understanding of EROI, which Hall invented in 1973 as a way of evaluating which energy resources could best replace fossil fuels, see Hall’s latest book: Hall, Charles A.S. 2017. Energy Return on Investment: A Unifying Principle … Continue reading

Posted in Charles A. S. Hall, EROEI Energy Returned on Energy Invested, EROEI remaining oil too low | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Charles Hall on EROEI