Of late I have been reading a number of articles and papers on the internet that deal with the world’s consumption of oil. Many of these works are by some very well known and respected experts. One of the most respected, Dr. M. King Hubbert, as early as 1949 stated that the fossil fuel era would be of very short duration. Much of what these people say is incredibly frightening, forecasting that the oil peak (the point that oil production can no longer increase and starts to decline) is either here or is just around the corner.
Lately on the news there has been much coverage of the increased cost of fuel which has been related to a number of factors such as the saber rattling of Iran over its nuclear program; production problems in Nigeria as a result of civil unrest; and, production problems in the States as a result of hurricane Katerina.
I cannot help but think that great change is about to occur. Alternative renewable sources of energy such as solar or wind power are not anywhere near a stage of development that will be able to supply an alternative to fossil fuels. We in the west, heavily dependant on fossil fuels for virtually everything that makes our lives so comfortable, will not be able to maintain our current standard of living. And that might be putting it very mildly. This all might happen very suddenly or may take a number of years, but I think it will happen in my lifetime (and I will be 60 next year).
All of this is to say that I am not one who is entirely upset that the cost of fuel is increasing. I read somewhere that in order for the entire population of the earth to live at the Canadian standard, it would take the resources of four globes to support the consumption. I think it is about time that we started to pay and to start immediately on the development of alternative renewable sources of energy.
1 comment:
Actually, from what I learned in my Renewable Resources class I took at school... we actually DO have the means to replace fossil fuels completely. Wave energy, tidal energy, wind, solar... it's all there, and all fairly optimized.
But because of the economics of fossil fules, despite record prices, it's still more cost effective to use them. And they're also a more efficient source of energy. (ie: burning fossil fuels is about 90% efficient, and electrical solar panels are 13% efficent)
It will take a lot higher increases in crude oil and natural gas before society and business both deem the infastructure of renewable resources "economically feasible".
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