[p2p-research] Fwd: [Open Manufacturing] Fwd: there is no energy crisis

[marc fawzi]

Tere meant to reply to all, so here it is.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tere Vadén <tere.vaden at uta.fi>
Date: Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 1:29 AM
Subject: Re: [p2p-research] [Open Manufacturing] Fwd: there is no energy	crisis
To: marc fawzi <marc.fawzi at gmail.com>


Dear all,

in my mind the crucial issue is not the absolute availability of
scarce resources but the large-scale EROEI (energy return on energy
investment) of a given mode of energy production. The problem is that
oil has a wonderful EROEI (see attached picture), while all other
forms of large-scale energy production fall a lot lower (see also the
discussion in: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3910). So the question
becomes how much energy (infra, work, raw materials, etc.) does it
take to produce the amount of alternative energy that would equal the
amount of energy we get from oil. Unfortunaltely, that energy
investment is, even in very conservative estimates, huge.

T:T

marc fawzi wrote:
>
> Dear Michel,
>
> We know that oil is running out. But the oil companies are funding
> fusion research and all types of other alternatives, including solar.
>
> So "energy sources" will not run out. Oil will run out. The sun won't
> run out, not any time soon.
>
> My point is that it's funny to say that the solar industry is screwed
> because it relies on rare substance. If there is money to be made
> there will be a variety of alternatives.
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