Portland Transport

Category: Peak Oil

  • NY Times Looks at E85 Ethanol

    And it’s not especially pretty. Among other things, it only has 75% of the energy density of gasoline, so you get 3/4 the mpg. Which illustrates one of the big challenges of peak oil. There are few energy sources as cheap or convenient as petroleum-based fuels. I won’t even get into the agricultural and environment…

  • American Energy: Breaking Our Addiction to Oil

    The Worldwatch Institute, Oregon Environmental Council, Illahee, and the Sightline Institute present AMERICAN ENERGY: BREAKING OUR ADDICTION TO OIL Christopher Flavin President, Worldwatch Institute Wednesday, September 27, 2006 7:00-8:00 PM Wine and Dessert Reception 8:00-9:30 PM Speaking Program Multnomah Athletic Club 1849 SW Salmon Street Portland, Oregon 97205 Across America, recognition is growing that dependence…

  • $77/Barrel – Test of Peak Oil Theory?

    With the Prudhoe Bay oil field shut down for weeks or months, the price of crude spiked yesterday. Peak Oil theory suggests that as it gets harder and harder to get oil out of the ground, the oil companies will have to put more and more effort into continuing to ramp production to meet ever…

  • A Glimmer of Hope from Wall Street

    This week’s Business Week has an interesting article suggesting that Wall Street is tripping over itself to invest in alternative energy technologies. But it also says that the results may be a while in coming. It likens this trend to investing in computers in the 1970’s.

  • Inelastic Demand

    This week’s Business Week has an article (“Can’t Stop Guzzling”) that suggests that higher gas prices are NOT reducing driving, except perhaps among lower income drivers. The Oregonian’s Jim Mayer finds the same effect looking at vacation travel in Oregon. One theory I’ve heard before is that changes in driving behavior will only occur if…