A User’s Guide to the Crisis of Civilization: And How to Save it – A Review of Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed’s Latest Book
Rescuing Suburbia
Biodiesel, Biochar & Biodiversity in Costa Rica — An Example of Small-Scale, Locally-Appropriate Action
Afghan Minerals — Cure, Curse, or Hype?
The Promise of Decentralization, Localization, and Scale-Free Self-Sufficiency
Many, if not most of our current economic and political structures developed in an environment of expanding, readily available, comparatively inexpensive, and high-quality energy supplies. While there is certainly debate on this point, it seems likely that these same economic and political structures will fare poorly in an environment of continually contracting, more expensive,...
The Renewables Gap: The Political Challenge of Affecting a Societal Transition to Renewable Sources of Energy
Below is a summary of my presentation, The Renewables Gap, from the ASPO 2009 conference. The intent of my presentation was to highlight the political challenge of affecting a societal transition to renewable sources of energy. In particular, I focus on wind and solar, though it seems to me that the problem will...
Renewables Transition 3: The Precautionary Principle
In the first two posts in this series (1 and 2), I discussed the requirements and challenges of transitioning our global economy to renewable sources of energy. My interim conclusion was that there are serious doubts about our ability to affect any significant transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Much...
Renewable Transition 2: EROEI Uncertainty
In the first part of this series, I discussed the practicality of a future transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources—specifically renewable sources of electricity such as solar and wind power. One little-discussed hurdle is the fact that, because we must invest energy in renewables up front, a rapid transition threatens...
Eight Principles for Successful Rainwater Harvesting
Renewable Transition 1: Targets & Troubles
In this series I will again approach the issue of energy return on energy invested (EROEI), or net energy. Rather than a detailed analysis of the EROEI value of specific types of renewable energy technology, however, my goal is to consider systemic implications and the role of uncertainty in the ability of our civilization...
