Section » Commentary
Yergin Is Half-Right About Oil, But Other Half Is What Matters
In “There Will Be Oil” (September 17, WSJ, Page C1), Daniel Yergin concludes that a peak in global oil production is “nowhere in sight.” By focusing on the timing of such a peak, however, he dangerously distracts attention from the monumental challenges facing the oil and gas industry today, and the
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Agenda for the 2011 ASPO-USA Conference
This week, we would like to present our agenda for the 2011 ASPO-USA Conference - Peak Oil, Energy & the Economy to be held November 2-5 (Wednesday - Saturday) in Washington DC. Wednesday is a pre-conference day featuring visits with Congressional offices and Congressional staff. Thursday will focus
Force Multipliers - By Christine Patton
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) Most approaches to “solving” our climate and resource crises focus on technology: replacing fossil fuels with a different technology (solar, wind, ethanol, nuclear), or increasing the efficiency of our current technology. We focus on increasing
When Technical Feasibility Doesn’t Matter
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) One of the hardest concepts for many Americans to absorb is this - that technical feasibility rests on a complex bed of other feasibilities and never stands alone. Thus, simply observing that it is technically possible to, say, create zero impact cities or to run our cars on corn waste does not usefully tell us whether we are
Where would we be today, without the fall of the Soviet Union?
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the country that was the “big growth story” was the Soviet Union. Its oil consumption grew by leaps and bounds. Its space program grew; its military program grew; and it became much more industrialized. But then something happened to stop the amazing growth story. The Soviet Union became
The ELP Plan: Economize; Localize & Produce
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA. This week, a reposting of a classic article from 2007.) April 2, 2007 In this article I will further expound on my reasoning behind the ELP plan, otherwise known as “Cut thy spending and get thee to the non-discretionary side of the economy.” I have been advising anyone who would listen to voluntarily cut back on
Peak Oil Teachers
By Eric Woods and Sharon Astyk We invite you to join us in our discussion on Peak Oil education - email education [at] aspousa.org to participate. Something truly remarkable is happening in a thousand places all over the world. It is happening in classrooms - university graduate classrooms and Montessori kindergartens, in formal learning sites
Failure and Heroism at the IEA
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) On June 23rd, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the US government announced the intention to tap strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) of the US and other countries, with an eye to reducing oil prices. The US was to provide 30 million barrels (mb) and other countries a similar amount, for a total draw of 60 million barrels. The
Dilithium crystals “most likely” to power next generation By Christine Patton
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) In the issues of energy, many Americans pin their hopes on far-away technology solutions that will enable the nation to continue its growth in energy consumption, while sparing the public the challenge of making common-sense changes in our lives for greater community development, energy efficiency, and resource conservation.
A Bold Move, But Our Oil Problems Are Just Beginning - By Art Berman and Jan Mueller
(Note: Commentaries do not necessarily represent the position of ASPO-USA.) The IEA decision to release 60 million barrels from strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) of member nations has been criticized as politically motivated, too small and too late to matter, or, at best, as a desperate attempt to fend off economic woes.
