News from May 2009

On CH4, Poverty and CO2

At a meeting on population and resources early this year at the University of California in Berkeley, one session focused on global energy trends. Richard Nehring, a consultant tracking fossil fuels, noted that Africa (below and above the Sahara) has vast deposits of natural gas (CH4), many of which are suitable for extracting butane and [...]

'Earth 2100': the Final Century of Civilization?

Planet at Risk: Experts Warn Population Growth, Resource Depletion, Climate Change Could Bring Catastrophe in Next Century It’s an idea that most of us would rather not face — that within the next century, life as we know it could come to an end. Our civilization could crumble, leaving only traces of modern human existence [...]

How Obama Made Energy Platform 'Pop'

President Has Gained Support by Framing Issues in Terms of Jobs, Security After a long day of campaigning on July 8, candidate Barack Obama arrived at his Chicago headquarters for a three-hour brainstorming session about a suddenly hot issue: energy and climate change. He had summoned a cross section of experts, including top executives from [...]

Deffeyes Update: May 29th, 2009

…I’m reading and enjoying Paul Ormerod’s book Butterfly Economics. The “butterfly” is a reference to atmospheric general-circulation computer models that are very sensitive to the initial conditions. Ormerod gives a clear explanation of positive feedback. When I finish reading it, I’m going to put it on my bookshelf next to Bert Malkiel’s A Random Walk [...]

How To Send Energy Across a Continent

But nowadays, using less energy is a key strategy in the fight against climate change Newsweek

New presentation by Matt Simmons

Two Energy Oxymorons: 1. Energy Independence 2. Energy Security (Given at the Oklahoma State University Energy Symposium, May 19, 2009)Simmons & Co. International (PDF)

Boeing exec: Plant-derived fuels could be certified for flights within a year

Jet fuels derived from algae, camelina and jatropha — plants that pack an energy punch, are not eaten as food and do not displace food crops — could be approved and replacing petroleum fuels in commercial flights as early as next year, a Boeing executive said yesterday. Bill Glover, managing director of environmental strategy for [...]

High prices at pump to climb further

Gallon of gas may top $3 mid-summer, experts say San Diego – After rising slowly for much of the year, San Diego gas prices have jumped 36 cents in the last month and yesterday hit $2.71 a gallon for regular, the Auto Club reported The increases come just as oil prices have seen their largest [...]

OPEC oil price push may threaten world recovery

WASHINGTON, May 28 (UPI) — Oil prices are rising — and OPEC is pleased. But it’s not clear whether the rebound comes from a recovering global economy or worries about the future — or even both. With the global economy expected to ease and bring an increase in demand for fuel, the Organization of the [...]

The Ethanol Lobby: Profits vs. Food

If the ethanol lobby really believes in the biofuel, why are there so few E85 pumps in corn-growing states? If you had two customers for the same product and one paid more than the other, which customer would you choose? That’s the situation in which ethanol producers in the U.S. find themselves. They could grow [...]