R&D is not the same as energy. So what if GM guy says the future belongs to the EV. Where will you get the juice to create the electricity to power the EV? Coal? Nukes?
As for wind and solar, one needs to include the cost of the energy that went into building the apparatus in the first place. In both cases, it takes years of operation before they begin to actually make energy. And then, said energy is nothing compared to cheap oil.
Same thing with hydrogen. It must be made first - and at a loss of energy.
Peak is most likely now or just around the corner. To have a chance at adapting in time, we should have listened to Carter 30 years ago. Instead we mocked him and turned up the heat. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirsch_report)
JHK's point is that nothing has been done, and thus we are screwed. Our entire infrastructure and culture has been molded by cheap energy, and the sudden rapid depletion will throw everything off balance.
Bob Morris <bob.morris at gmail.com> wrote: > Overall however, it seems like the work of a disgruntled smart ass who wants the suburbia he loathes to be wiped away by the gods.
Yes, it's Old Testament moralizing - you will suffer mightily for your wanton, profligate ways. While his book certainly has some good points, his online essays show him to be a one-trick pony, as he really just says the same thing over and over in different ways.
I think there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful. There are huge amounts of r&d being done now into clean energy and transportation.
The CEO of GM just said peak oil is now and assumes the EV will be the vehicle of the future. There are serious plans to create fuel cell trainsthat run on waste hydrogen or are powered by hydrogen created from wind power. Scientific American just did a huge spread on how solar in the desert areas of the southwest could power much of the country. The Google Foundation plans to invest hundreds of millions a year into creating renewable energy sources that are cheaper than coal.
Kunstler sort of mentions all this, but he really seems to enjoy lecturing us about how we're screwed and the End is Nigh. Ah, no.
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Bob Morris polizeros.com ___________________________________ http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
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