Category Archives: Energy

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

Peak Coal already happened or likely soon, so worst IPCC scenarios may never happen

[ The good news is that The IPCC has greatly exaggerated the amount of coal reserves we actually have The scientists below find that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has greatly exaggerated coal reserves, so the IPCC scenario … Continue reading

Posted in But not from climate change: Peak Fossil Fuels, Climate Change, CO2 and Methane, Coal, Global Warming, Peak Coal, Planetary Boundaries, Runaway Greenhouse | Tagged | Comments Off on Peak Coal already happened or likely soon, so worst IPCC scenarios may never happen

Up to 9% of Methane lost in leaks erodes green credentials of natural gas

Jeff Tollefson. 2 Jan 2013. Methane leaks erode green credentials of natural gas.  Losses of up to 9% show need for broader data on US gas industry’s environmental impact. Nature, volume 493 Scientists are once again reporting alarmingly high methane … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Natural Gas | Comments Off on Up to 9% of Methane lost in leaks erodes green credentials of natural gas

Professor Tad Patzek on Oil in the Arctic

[Shell spent 10 years and $7 billion before withdrawing from exploring the arctic because the oil and gas reserves they found were too meager.  The company needed “a multi-billion barrel discovery” to “justify going ahead,” Shell chief executive Ben van … Continue reading

Posted in Arctic | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Professor Tad Patzek on Oil in the Arctic

ASPO 2012 Conference: What I found Interesting

A picture is worth a thousand words — you may want to scroll through these presentations yourself. ASPO 2012 slide presentations Robert L. Hirsch. Peak Oil. Some Knowns & Unknowns. Slide 6: Peak oil isn’t yet impacting oil prices — … Continue reading

Posted in Energy | Comments Off on ASPO 2012 Conference: What I found Interesting

Wind and Solar Power Require MORE Fossil Fuels

Ralph Vartabedian. 9 Dec 2012.  Rise in renewable energy will require more use of fossil fuels. Los Angeles Times. As California attempts to reach the goal of producing one-third of its electricity from wind and solar sources by 2020, more … Continue reading

Posted in Solar, Wind | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Wind and Solar Power Require MORE Fossil Fuels

GAO 2012 Spent Nuclear Fuel

[ If we don’t clean up nuclear waste while there is still the energy and a functioning financial system to make it happen, it won’t.  Yet another nightmare for future generations.  Shameful.  Disgusting.  Alice Friedemann   www.energyskeptic.com  author of “When Trucks … Continue reading

Posted in Nuclear Waste | Tagged | Comments Off on GAO 2012 Spent Nuclear Fuel

Summary of Hirsch & Bezdek 2005 DOE Peak Oil study

A summary of: Hirsch, R. L., et al. February 2005. Peaking of World Oil Production: Impacts, mitigation, & risk management. Department of Energy. The peaking of world oil production presents the U.S. and the world with an unprecedented risk management problem. … Continue reading

Posted in Advice, An Overview, By People, Energy, Government study predictions, How Much Left, Robert Hirsch | Comments Off on Summary of Hirsch & Bezdek 2005 DOE Peak Oil study

Germany National Academy of Sciences report: Don’t use biofuels

Preface. This German study explains why biomass doesn’t scale up to make biofuels, whether from algae, cellulose, or plants, as well as why trying to do so would harm the environment. Alice Friedemann  www.energyskeptic.com Women in ecology  author of 2021 … Continue reading

Posted in Algae, Biofuels, Biomass, Biomass EROI, Wood | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Germany National Academy of Sciences report: Don’t use biofuels

Natural Gas — How Much is Left in the USA?

Although there’s been a fracking boom for shale gas in America, many are skeptical.   We need local gas since it’s very expensive to import from overseas sources like Qatar, and we’re competing with other nations for delivery, which drives the … Continue reading

Posted in Energy, Liebig's Law, Natural Gas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Natural Gas — How Much is Left in the USA?

Don’t worry, be happy, there’s plenty of oil, natural gas, & coal left

These posts and links rebut the studies of cornucopians like Magueri and Daniel Yergin at CERA, who say there’s lots of oil left. Richard Kerr. 10 Aug 2012. Are World Oil’s Prospects Not Declining All That Fast? Science vol 337 … Continue reading

Posted in How Much Left | Comments Off on Don’t worry, be happy, there’s plenty of oil, natural gas, & coal left