Richard Heinberg just published another up to date summary of the argument that alternative energy sources will not replace a large part of current fossil fuel consumption. It incorporates work by energy specialist Charles Hall of Syracuse University to develop a broader and deeper approach to EROEI analysis of energy sources. EROEI stands for Energy Return on Energy Invested. http://www.postcarbon.org/new-site-files/Reports/Searching_for_a_Miracle_ web10nov09.pdf
For example, one of the common flaws of promotion of alternative energy sources is a failure to realize that the apparent promise of a source like wind power is that present windpower construction and maintenance still benefits from a cheap oil industrial base and infrastructure, which the world is slowly losing. Another common flaw is the failure to explore the implications and challenges of scaling up an alternative energy source to where it replaces a significant chunk of present fossil fuel consumption. Too many environmentalists think that because the solar panel on their roof gets them off the grid, that sort of thing can be simply scaled up. Besides, as I have said here before, it is the level of energy use that is the underlying problem, for it is behind the most serious problems we face: rapid resource depletion, ecological damage, and an economic system addicted to growth. A policy of energy replacement on any major scale only perpetuates and in the long run worsens these problems. Karl On Tue, 5 Jan 2010 09:00:42 -0800 (PST) Eric Banford <[email protected]> writes: > Reading this 3 part series by John Michael Greer made me think of the > snippet below and the idea that "current consumption levels can be > replaced by renewable fuels". JMG makes a good argument against this > whole mentality, as does Karl. > > "The question that has to be asked is whether a modern industrial > society can exist at all without vast and rising inputs of > essentially > free energy, of the sort only available on this planet from fossil > fuels, and the answer is no. Once that�s grasped, other useful > questions come to mind � for example, how much of the useful > legacy of > the last three centuries can be saved, and how � but until you get > past > the wrong question, you�re stuck chasing the mirage of a > replacement > for oil that didn�t take a hundred million years or so to come > into > being." > > http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2009/12/human-ecology-of-collapse. html > http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2009/12/political-ecology-of-colla pse.html > http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2009/12/political-ecology-of-colla pse-part.html > > > Thanks, > Eric > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Tue, December 15, 2009 10:58:56 PM > > Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] The morality question > > > > Another typical response is to talk about "switching to > renewables", as > > if replacing fossil energy on any significant scale were a good > thing, in > > the sense of getting to the heart of the problem. Ultimately our > present > > type of civilization, the production it requires, the resources it > > depletes, and the resultant damage to the planet, all requires a > high > > level of energy to keep going. Industrial civilization does not > care what > > kind of energy we feed it. It will keep on chewing up the planet > just as > > effectively on renewables as on fossil fuels. It is not the type of > > energy that is the biggest problem, it is how much we use. > > > > "What is the action that George or Karl would support? If everyone > waits > > until they've converted to renewables to protest the drilling, it > will be > > too late." > > > > As a farmer I know the importance of water quality to the whole > upstate > > rural economy. I gritted my teeth in self-disgust and supported > the > > petitions to the governor and other actions of the anti-fracking > > movement. But I would have more self-respect, and would be a lot > more > > hopeful about the long term results for our communities of this > campaign > > if the movement were to mobilize equally strongly around local > policies > > to effectively power down our communities. > > > > Karl North > > Northland Sheep Dairy, Freetown, New York USA > > www.geocities.com/northsheep/ > > "Pueblo que canta no morira" - Cuban saying > > "They only call it class warfare when we fight back" - Anon. > > > > _______________________________________________ > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County > area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > Questions about the list? ask > [email protected] > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > ____________________________________________________________ Love Spell Click here to light up your life with a love spell! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/c?cp=Z6NKRXTJLDSbdTT4rDynUwAAJ1B3xrWZQZfhuPn7Zx_iV2uNAAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARwAAAAA=
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