News from January 2007

The Peak Oil Crisis: The Age of the Electric Car

It is time for some good news. In recent weeks there has been a spate of announcements about plans to develop electric cars and much better batteries to power them. Although few new models will be ready for sale in a couple of years, by the end of 2007 there should be many technology-proving prototypes [...]

Oil May Fall as Production Rises, Demand Growth Slows, RBS Says

Oil, which has dropped 27 percent from the record reached in July, may fall to $45 a barrel by 2011 as output increases and demand growth slows, said Royal Bank of Scotland Plc, the U.K’s second-largest lender. bloomberg

Little-known Russian company reportedly discovers massive Siberian gas field

An enormous new gas field has been discovered in the Siberian region of Irkutsk by a small, little-known Russian energy company called OOO Petromir, Russian newspaper Vedomosti reports Wednesday citing the state subsoil agency Rosnedra. marketwatch

Time To Buy Oil?

If you want to invest in oil, I would argue it is fairly priced now. We have had a very mild winter, the Iran issue has subsided, the reserve is filled and hurricane season is six months away. We are in a lull in the “fear factor” for oil. The price has cooperated and fallen [...]

The President’s New Military Strategy in Iraq

The President’s revised strategy in Iraq is comprised of three central prongs: military, political, and economic. Many are asking what is different about the military mission in Iraq after the President announced an additional 21,000 U.S. soldiers and Marines were needed in Baghdad. This new strategy is a move away from what Senator McCain has [...]

Exxon, Shell, BP May Say Profit Fell as Gas, Oil Rally Ended

Exxon Mobil Corp., Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc may report fourth-quarter earnings fell, the first time the world’s three largest oil companies all reported a decline since mid-2002. bloomberg

Canadians Support Higher Fuel Economy Standards as Top Measure to Counter Global

Globe and Mail. A Strategic Counsel survey for Canada greencarcongress

10 First Steps for a Transition Town Initiative

The Transition Town concept, as championed by Rob Hopkins, has been celebrated in recent days at the Soil Association conference in Cardiff. Transition Town initiatives engage community in peak oil and climate change awareness, planning and action, building on the influencial Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan concept. The following headlines link to full articles on [...]

Building America

Jeff Christian directs the Buildings Technology Center at the Oak Ridge National Labs. Over the last four years he has conducted research on five prototype houses that cost between 60 cents and one dollar a day in energy costs to operate. Jeff Christian works with Building America, a program that focuses on the building site, [...]

European fuel cell bus trials ’successful’

European trials of fuel cell-powered buses, currently taking place in nine European cities including London, have been hailed a success by the project’s operators. “The question is no longer whether this technology works, but when will it be competitive.” fuelcelltoday