Must Read: Winning the Oil Endgame
The folks at RMI, the Rocky Mountain Institute, have published a timely and definitive treatise plotting how to get from where we are to where we need to be. The book, entitled Winning the Oil Endgame is available online as an executive summary or a full electronic book in PDF form.
Once again the unholy trinity of old power demons raise their ugly heads as drivers for change: (1) economic impact (of high and volatile oil prices); (2) geopolitical risk of the enormously vulnerable oil and gas supply chain; and (3) climate and health impacts.
More interesting, is the prescription for how the U.S. can radically diminish its dependency on foreign oil sources. The authors, including Amory Lovins (Natural Capitalism) begin by saying we could/should save half of the oil we currently use and replace the other half with "cheaper alternatives". This is achieved through technological efficiency improvements and real conservation efforts on a broad scale. Think about it. Is that doable or possible? Are most Americans going to do that when they still mock Jimmy Carter for promoting wearing sweaters and turning the heat down during a real squeeze? Anyway, I'll assume the positive long enough to hear them out as they build their case: the four initiatives that get us there are as follows:
- Double the efficiency of using oil
- Apply creative business models and public policies
- Provide another one-fourth of US oil needs via domestic biofuels
- Save half of the projected use of natural gas
I'll take on each of these four pillars in later posts, but you have to admit it a pretty ballsy claim. Will it hold up as science ... maybe. Will it hold up as politically possible in our country in our time ... doubtful. But still, you can't make something great without first imagining it. Check it out.
posted by Andy Bochman at 9:43 PM
 
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