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The Destiny of Civilization
The Destiny of Civilization From the cave to the stars…? Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash We live in dangerous times. Everything seems to be out of normal: stagnating economies, inflation, wars and an unfolding ecological and climate disaster. This is clearly not how things ought to be… While many just wave a hand and say, we will […]
Peak oil and the low-carbon energy transition: A net-energy perspective
Peak oil and the low-carbon energy transition: A net-energy perspective Highlights Global gross and net-energy of oil liquids production is determined from 1950 to 2050. Energy required for production is estimated to be 15.5% of the actual gross energy. Oil liquids become a limit to a rapid and global low-carbon energy transition. The peak supply […]
German Minister admits ruinous home heating ordinances were merely a “test” to determine “how far society is prepared to go in terms of climate protection”
German Minister admits ruinous home heating ordinances were merely a “test” to determine “how far society is prepared to go in terms of climate protection” We are governed by crazy lunatics, Part 2436502345. The Greens really are every inch as crazy as they seem to be. Climate policies have long been a source of annoyance […]
The Holy Trinity
The Holy Trinity Getting a grip on energy, materials and civilisation I like trying to get to the internal organs of the matter. Not just the heart, but also the brain, the kidneys, the stomach, the lungs, the skeleton. My conversation with Tim Garrett last week did just that, centring the matter of the universe alongside energy […]
The Thermodynamics of Degrowth | Tim Garrett
The Thermodynamics of Degrowth | Tim Garrett Collapse and Recovery What’s the relationship between our energy consumption, our material footprint and our economies? Tim Garrett and I come to refer to these as “the holy trinity”. Tim is a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah, and over two years ago, he joined me […]
The Renewables Farce
The Renewables Farce The renewals transition is a lie. Here’s why. Photo by CHUTTERSNAP / Unsplash Let me say this loud for the people in the back: RENEWABLES ARE NOT A PANACEA FOR CLIMATE CHANGE Sure, wind, solar or geothermal energy might reduce carbon intensity per unit of output. Indeed, an EV, for example, emits less […]
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CLXXIX–Archaeology of Overshoot and Collapse
Today’s Contemplation: Collapse Cometh CLXXIX–Archaeology of Overshoot and Collapse It’s been a few months since I last posted a Contemplation. There are a variety of reasons for this. I’ve been ‘distracted’ by the preparations in my gardens for the upcoming growing season. The unseasonably warm weather here north of Toronto allowed me to get outside […]
Titillating Tidbits
Titillating Tidbits Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash It’s a slow-news day today in terms of any one big story, so I don’t have much to comment on, other than a few news tidbits of interest: Fed Governor Waller adds to the weight of statements by other Fedheads who have spoken since the FOMC meeting, saying he will need […]
Insane Footage Shows Tornado Destroying Wind Farm In Iowa
Insane Footage Shows Tornado Destroying Wind Farm In Iowa Shocking footage from Iowa this evening shows multiple tornadoes wreaking havoc on massive wind turbines. This is yet another reminder that wind is not a reliable power source. Here’s the aftermath. Two months ago, a solar farm in Texas with hundreds of acres of ground-based panels was destroyed by a hail […]
The Role of Energy in Production
The Role of Energy in Production Chapter 13 from my forthcoming book Rebuilding Economics from the Top Down Human society is energy blind. Like a fish in water, it takes for granted the existence of that without which it could not survive. This is Chapter 13 from my forthcoming book Rebuilding Economics from the Top Down, […]
Reaching the end of offshored industrialization
Reaching the end of offshored industrialization Moving industrialization offshore can look like a good idea at first. But as fossil fuel energy supplies deplete, this strategy works less well. Countries doing the mining and manufacturing may be less interested in trading. Also, the broken supply lines of 2020 and 2021 showed that transferring major industries […]
Hoot of the Day: No One Wants Green Energy if It’s Too Cheap
Hoot of the Day: No One Wants Green Energy if It’s Too Cheap Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wants the EU to hike tariffs on China just as the US did. Curbs on Cheap Chinese Exports The Guardian reports Janet Yellen urges EU to join US in curbs on cheap Chinese exports Janet Yellen, the US treasury […]
The surveillance state will be a power hog
The surveillance state will be a power hog The amount of power required for the data centers that underpin the control grid and AI is overwhelming. From ChatGPT to autonomous vehicles, the ever-expanding demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and data storage is sending power consumption in the US through the roof. Power consumption for data […]
The Biggest Risks of This Decade
The Biggest Risks of This Decade Since the 2020 pandemic, many things have changed, but nothing more than geopolitics. Wars and clashes that used to be largely national have given way to more regional conflicts that threaten to upend the current world order. The Ukraine War and Israel-Iran conflicts have the potential to lead to […]
Musings on the Nature of Technology
Musings on the Nature of Technology A picture taken during the trip (own photo) Recently I have been on a four-day hiking trip, completing another 80 km (~50 mile) stretch of the 1171 km National Blue Trail running across my tiny country. This gave me plenty of time to tune into and ponder on the many […]
