AFTER 'PEAK OIL', 'PEAK GAS' TOO

[4dsc]

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http://www.sfu.ca/~asamsamb/sb.htm

The concept of 'Peak Oil' has finally found its way to the receptive minds of educated public opinion. On the March 18/19 weekend, it even did erupt on TV screens worldwide as CNN aired its documentary "We Were Warned: Tomorrow's Oil Crisis".

However, some energy analysts have found a way to belittle 'Peak Oil' by advancing that in case of an oil production peak, natural gas would simply take over --- in other words, gas would timely fill the energy gap between an oil-driven world and the for-ever supply of bountiful hydrogen...
Both the gas take-over and the hydrogen utopia are fallacies brought forward to try cushion the inevitable 'Peak Oil' shock. Not only are massive hydrogen supplies decades away (if ever!), but worldwide natural gas supplies are about to peak too !!

According to my model simulations 'Peak Oil' should now be occurring (within the 2006-2007 time frame <1>) and 'Peak Gas' will promptly follow suit in either 2008 or 2009 <2>.

[bemildred]

1. Yeah, but we are really past all this.

We have done pissed off Gaea, and she is going to stomp us like bugs if we don't figure out how to calm her down again. Having enough fuel is completely beside the point.

[phantom power]

5. Not completely beside the point. We will need energy to survive it.

[bemildred]

6. I knew someone would point that out.

OTOH, it's hard to see how burning more fuel can be good for the greenhouse problem, you would at least need to be taking a lot more CO2 out than you are putting in that way, which may not be impossible, but it's at least going to be tricky to pull off, given the 2nd law of thermodynamics.

My own opinion is biologic sequestration is the best bet, it scales really well in the right circumstances, but that's just a wild guess.

[phantom power]

7. Yeah, I would want it to be carbon-neutral energy.

[RufusEarl]

2. This country has sit around with it's thumb in it's butt!

President Carter tried to do something about this back in the 70's, i remember he installed solar panels on the WH. It was a symbolic jester at most, but he tried to bring it to the publics awareness.

And as soon as Reagan took office, down came the solar panels. Then it was forgotten, even the big dog let it lie and that surprised me because Bill new this was coming.

[donsu]

3. yes, you are right

solar panel your water heater at least. even in apts. the panel can go out the sunny window or balcony if you don't have a roof.

save some money.

save the planet

[bemildred]

4. Carter tried to lead.

He got shot down for trying, true, but he tried.
Bill - whatever his merits, and they were many - was all about Bill.
Neither one had the nerve to go direct to the people and make their case.