Tag: Renewable Energy

Measures Against Climate Change

On By Norbert HauptIn Climate ChangeLeave a comment

Where does this notion come from that if we take measures against anthropogenic climate change we are destroying the U.S. economy? How exactly is this going to happen?

We’re going to have more fuel-efficient vehicles. We’re going to have cleaner air. Our fossil fuels, which will eventually run out (it’s just a matter of time) will stretch and last longer. We’re going to have lots of new jobs in wind and solar energy production. Batteries are going to become cheaper for everything we use them for. A side-effect will be that we’re going to be able to power our homes off the grid. Where are we destroying the economy?

Just like we destroyed the economy for horses when we started using automobiles? Or like we destroyed the post office when we started using the Internet to pay our bills? Or like we destroyed bayonet companies when we started using rifles? Or like we destroyed tank companies when we started using smart bombs and drones?

Companies that don’t adapt to a new environment and situation eventually die.

  • Why is there Instagram? Kodak should be king of digital photography.
  • Why is there Uber? Yellow Cab should have that business.
  • Why is there Amazon? Sears should be the online retailer.
  • Why is there Amazon? Borders should be the online book store.
  • Why is there Google? Yahoo was the leading search engine.
  • Why is there Apple? Nokia made all the cell phones.
  • Why is there Apple? DEC and IBM made computers.
  • Why is there Microsoft? IBM wrote all the code.

The oil and coal companies are not happy that their heyday is in the past. Is that what we’re destroying with the economy? The oil and coal companies?

Universe of Oil

On By Norbert HauptIn Energy, SustainabilityLeave a comment

Have you seen those ads by oil companies touting that they are investing billions of dollars into research of renewable energy sources. They do. But it requires putting the numbers into perspective.

Sierra Magazine of July/August 2012, published this informative chart which puts into perspective what is really going on with oil companies and research into renewable energy.

As you can see, the $4 billion of investment into renewable fuel is a tiny moon in a solar system where the sun represents a 500 times larger investment of capital expenditures. Note also the Jupiter-sized planet of taxpayer subsidies. I don’t understand why in the world we taxpayers subsidize oil companies.