EROI

End of the Oilocene – The Gathering Storm

"Properly understood, money acts simply as a ‘claim’ on the output of the energy economy and driving up the aggregate of monetary claims only increases the scope for their elimination in a process of value destruction," warns Tim Clarke. He goes on to argue that Ireland is in a particularly vulnerable financial position, which is likely to lead to severe problems in the near future.

Propaganda for renewables: a critique of a report by Oil Change International

While agreeing with Oil Change International's arguments concerning the unfeasibility of natural gas as a 'bridge' in the energy transition, Brian Davey is concerned about their apparent ignorance of the scarcity of resources required for generating and storing renewable energy, and their (related) failure to mention any need for degrowth in the transition to renewables.

End of the Oilocene: the roar of the oil-fizzle dragon king

"Ireland’s policymakers exist in an insulated bubble; congratulating themselves on reducing the debt-GDP ratio and high employment due to the sleight of hand of low corporate tax rates, " writes Tim Clarke. He argues that Ireland is hugely vulnerable to a global financial crash triggered by net energy decline, coupled with rapidly rising extreme global debts and many other factors: "Talk of a 'Celtic Phoenix' excites dull short memories, and another property bubble is in the making."

Fracking good or fracking bad?

At the Feasta climate weekend in Wales last month David Knight gave a presentation on 'fracking': the use of unconventional methods for extracting natural gas. Fracking has become the subject of much controversy on both sides of the Atlantic as the energy industry lobbies for its widespread adoption. Knight discussed its viability in terms of energy return on investment, its potential as a pollutant and its effect on climate change. You can download his powerpoint slides from this site now, along with the script he used while giving the presentation.