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Liquid fuel really is what matters. That's why the people who are claiming that the Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI) of certain technologies (like ethanol or coal liquefaction) are less than 1 donn't understand what it's all about. Even if it takes more than one unit of non liquid energy to make one unit of liquid energy it is still very likely to be a good idea. 1 kWh of oil is damn more expensive than 1 kWh of coal or electricity. We should really be looking at LROLI (Liquid Return On Liquid Invested).

Anyway, if anyone missed them, there were three really good short articles in the sidebar of that page.

* Peak oil theory takes center stage

* Is the Saudi bonanza peaking?

* The nature of oil



Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid (arvid.hallen at gmail.com) on Sun Jul 30th, 2006 at 08:39:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: sidebar "The Nature of Oil." There is a chap of some fame (can't remember the name) who claims (and makes a good argument) that oil in fact is not a fossil fuel, and that it is a very abundant substance within the earth. I seem to recall him saying that if left alone, "depleted" oil fields will renew themselves.

Even if his theories were proved to be correct, as they have on several other topics, America's lifestyle and use of oil, and the growing use by other countries mimicking the American lifestyle, is insane.  Yet, to blame this predicament on "America" is neither a good place to start or end. It is, after all, a global problem and one of history and human nature, not one of nationality.  

I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell. _ Blood Sweat & Tears

by Gringo (stargazing camel at aoldotcom) on Sun Jul 30th, 2006 at 12:33:52 PM EST
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