The typical scene at any gas station these days is cringing faces of consumers who just don’t understand why gas prices are continuously escalating in price. With millions of Americans behind the wheel every day, the increasingly high gas prices have become a red hot debate, with no shortage of outrage and blame. Just as economists were becoming optimistic about the recession coming to an end, it seems that the latest gas price hike couldn’t have come at a worse time, leading to a very justified question, Will gas prices put the brakes on global growth and send the world economy back into a recession?

There are many differing opinions on the real reason for high gas prices, some blaming OPEC, some blaming speculators, some blaming the government, while many believe it is simple supply and demand economics. Where ever the blame falls, the general public seems to have come to one consensus; the oil companies are taking advantage of them. With outrage and blame soaring over the increase in gas prices, Americans simply want to know why and how it will affect the economy.

Oil Speculation vs. Oil Supply

While many economists blame the spike in gas prices on Wall Street (Oil Speculation/Investors), the underlying motive for the immense increase in the value of oil futures is largely due to fears of a decrease in oil supply because of the unrest in the middle east (Libya). Furthermore, the worldwide demand for crude oil is growing fast, hovering around 90 million barrels per day; while daily production and spare capacity are the tightest they ever been. However, OPEC assures the world that the supply is more than plentiful. While this may be true in the short term, looking out into 2020 the picture is clear, China and India’s thirst for oil will put a strain on the world’s oil supply. With this overwhelming growth in Asia it is obvious that high energy prices will be a common problem in the decades to come.

High Gas prices and effect on the economy?

Although it may seem that gas prices may derail the economy there are a fair amount of optimistic economists who think that the economic growth that is being seen in 2011 will help firm up salaries and production thus making it easier for the American public to absorb the increase in gas prices. However even with economic growth, many economists believe that consumers have a five dollar a gallon threshold that if once hit, could send the country into a double dip recession.

High gas prices are certainly not welcome anywhere in the world but on the bright side they are putting more pressure on our government to move forward with a sustainable clean energy future. The silver lining on the dark cloud that is high gas prices may in fact be the blessing in disguise that the US and the world needed to move us in the direction of Alternative Energy and alleviate us from Our Oil Dependency.

By: Matthew Coyle

Edited By: Stacey Zarnowski

High-Speed rail has two categories Conventional and Magnetic levitation with speed ranges of 124mph to 300 mph. High speed rail has been gaining popularity as energy/fuel costs have risen dramatically in past years. There are now high speed rail services available in many countries around the world.  China & Europe have had projects online for more then 15 years. There are also a handful of active high speed rail services throughout the US with a multitude of new projects being proposed.

For a more serious look at all things High-Speed you can attend the “High Speed Rail Conference” on June 1st-3rd, 2011 in Chicago with general registration starting at $695.

For more information visit:

www.ushsr.com/events/chicago2011.html

Midwest High-Speed Rail Association

The MW HSR Association is advocating for fast, frequent and dependable trains linking the entire midwest. This new system puts 35 million people 3 hours of Chicago with the first demonstrated route completed by 2020.

Prjects by State: Illinois, Iowa-Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan.

For more information visit:

www.midwesthsr.org/

California High-Speed Rail Authority

Coming soon! San Francisco to  LA to  San Diego: 800 Miles up to 24 stations. Top speeds of 220mph. Travel between LA and San Fransisco in under 2 hours 40 minutes.

For more information visit:

www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov

Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor

From Jacksonville Florida to Washington DC. High speed rail in the south east has top speeds of 110 and average speeds of 85-87 mph.

For more information visit:

www.sehsr.org

Want a great place to meet professionals that are in the green industry? Want a great place to meet like minded people, who care about making a difference in the environment? Go to your local Green Drinks meetings, held all of the world. These meetings are a great place to discuss, learn and connect about Sustainability, Environment and Energy.

Summary:

Green Drinks International

Every month people who work in the environmental field meet up at informal sessions known as Green Drinks.

We have a lively mixture of people from NGOs, academia, government and business. Come along and you’ll be made welcome. Just say, “are you green?” and we will look after you and introduce you to whoever is there. It’s a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there’s always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organising network.

These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. It’s a force for the good and we’d like to help it spread to other cities. Contact your local node to get the latest info about coming along.

If there is no Green Drinks near you, you might want to set up a Green Drinks in your City.

You can search for your city by going to:

http://www.greendrinks.org/

New Hybrid Buses!!

New Hybrid School buses are being introduced in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin at Oconomowoc Transport. The new fleet of 11 hybrid school buses is planned to integrate with its current fleet of 50 buses. Each hybrid bus is projected to reduce diesel fuel consumption by 50%. The Hybrid Electic bus batteries will be charged partially by solar panels located at the facilities bus terminal. As battery technology advances and costs go down,  it is only a matter of time before more transportation facilities join this trend. This is definitely a step in the right direction and is an awe inspiring to us here at OOD.

For more pictures and information visit: jsonline.com

2010 Peak Oil Conference: The Future of Oil, Energy & the Economy

Date: October 7-9, 2010

Location: Washington, D.C.

Summary from ASPO Website:

This years conference will honor its traditional core focus with a full agenda and world-class speakers who understand the global peak oil energy crisis and its complex socioeconomic and geopolitical impacts.

Confirmed speakers include Jeff Rubin (Former CIBC Chief Economist), Rear Admiral Lawrence Rice (on the military’s Peak Oil Report), Matt Simmons, Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, Dr. Bob Hirsch, Dr. Roger Bezdek, Dr. Tad Patzek, Chris Skrebowski, Charlie Maxwell, Jeffrey Brown, and other prominent energy analysts.

In the wake of deepwater disasters, fear of fraccing and coal mine catastrophes, the whole world is focused on oil and energy. This environment provides Peak Oil watchers with some unique opportunities during this year’s conference in Washington.

With a critical mass of some 500 peak oil experts at the Capitol Hill Hyatt, just a short walk from the U.S. Capitol itself, we have decided to launch a collateral campaign to take the conference to the elected officials down the street. Right now we’re calling this effort “Conference Plus.”

We are planning to organize a Senate Briefing, a Congressional Briefing, a major News Conference at the National Press Club, and a number of other activities designed to make our presence, and our message, impossible to ignore. To assist in this effort, we have consulted with some well-respected non-profit groups who know their way around The Hill, and are experts at getting government to do what it is not inclined to do (think seat belts, consumer product safety, and maybe gasoline rationing?).

So register today to take advantage of early registration fees; and join ASPO-USA to gain additional Membership Benefits.

As we continue ever forward into the 21st century it has become abundantly clear that there exists great potential for change in the way we use our energy resources. Forward thinking individuals the world over are hard at work developing new and exciting ways to ensure a sustainable energy future. In recognition of these efforts in the blossoming arena of “Green” energy, Ouroildependency.org is proud to offer a look at 10 of the world’s most impressive green projects.

1. World’s Largest Wind Turbine

Emden, Germany

Developed by the German based Enercron Company, this enormous turbine has the ability to generate well over 6 Mega Watts of electricity. In practical terms, that is enough to power nearly 1,800 single family homes. Since being founded by Aloys Wobben in 1984, Enercron has emerged as one of the true leaders in the field of wind turbine technology. Through their use of gearless energy production, these particular turbines have proven to be some of the most efficient and maintenance free in the world. Known as the Enercon E-126, this turbine has an eye-popping rotor diameter of 413 feet and stands as a sky-scraping testament to a greener energy future.

2. Progressive Automotive X-Prize

Revolution Through Competition.

The X-Prize foundation’s stated goal is to “To inspire a new generation of viable, super-efficient vehicles that help break our addiction to oil and stem the effects of climate change.” Created by Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, The X-Prize foundation aims to use a lucrative global competition to inspire new creations for the betterment of our world. By offering millions of dollars in prize money, Dr. Diamandis challenges our brightest minds to develop and create the latest innovations in Green automotives. The foundations latest challenge? 10 million dollars to the team who engineers the most reliable and fuel efficient car of the future.

3. Solar Tower

Madrid, Spain

Also known as an updraft tower, this gigantic construction uses the convection of hot and cold air to turn an energy producing turbine. The science behind these enormous structures is based on the simple truism that “hot air rises”. SInce the air at the enclosed green house on the bottom of the tower is a higher temperature then the air at the top of the tower, the hot air from the bottom rushes towards the top of the tower and by doing so turns an energy creating turbine. In 1982 an experimental, non-energy producing prototype was built in Madrid, however efforts are currently underway to create working structures. In mid 2008 the government of Nambia approved a proprosal to construct a truly gargantuan solar tower, standing nine tenths of a mile in height and capable of producing 400MW of power.

See: Cloete, R (2008-07-25). “Solar tower sheds light on little-used technology”. Engineering News Online. http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article.php?a_id=137580.

4. World’s Largest Solar Farm

Arnstein, Germany

This enormous collection of solar panels came into being through the efforts of the Silicon Valley based compay SunPower. Operating with “Mover” technology, the panels tilt and adjust during the day to ensure that they are facing the sun at all times. By doing so, the panels are able to ensure optimum energy production throughout the day, generating enough juice to power thousands of customers a year.

5. Wave Farms

Pelamis Wave Power

Founded in 1998 by Dr Richard Yemm, Dr Dave Pizer and Dr Chris Retzler, Pelamis Wave power is on the forefront of the renewable energy revolution. Of their many projects, perhaps the most impresive are the Pelamis Wave Energy Converters. These structures use the natural movement of the ocean tide to operate hydraulic rams which in turn pump high pressure fluid into hydraulic motors which are able to drive electrical generators. Each wave module can create up to 750 KW of electricity, enough to provide sufficient power for 500 homes annually. The demand for this technology is growing at a rapid rate with future projects planned to be as large as 40 units covering a 1/2 square mile of ocean, generating over 30 MW of energy. Learn more about this astounding company at www.pelamiswave.com

6. Canada’s Largest Green Roof

6-Acre- Rooftop Garden

Designed by a company based in Seattle named LMN Architects, with the help of Vancouver firms MCM and DA, this green roof one of the largest of its kind in the world. The building, which was built as the new Vancoucer Concention Center, is anticipating a LEED Gold Certification for its green-energy efficient design strategies. The green roof, according to noted author Julia Levitt (”World Changing”), is a habitat for 400,000 native plants and grasses, as well as many other birds and insects (including a hive for for 60,000 bees.) Green roofs combat one of the most common problems found in cities, the Heat Island Effect. The green roof helps to prevent the build up of stored radiant energy from the sun, which often times raises the summer temperature more then 10°F above the surrounding suburban areas. The Vancouver convention center is a prime example of how 20th century design strategies are quickly fading into the past; and how the green-design strategies of the future are here to stay.

7. US Green Building Council

LEED Ratings System

The USGBC (United States Green Building Council) has created a universal rating system for green buildings. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™, was designed to rate buildings based on their energy efficiency. Through this rating system, the USGBC hopes to encourage the embracement of green buidling and devlopment practices throughout the globe.

8. High Speed Trains

Japan, China, Spain, France… and soon the US.

Imagine hopping on a train that takes you from 0 to 200 miles per hour in less then two minutes. Magnetic Levitation and high speed rail trains are in wide use around the world. Already a proven commodity in China, Japan and Europe, the idea of traveling quickly on a train is now becoming an American priority as well. With traffic congestion, peak oil and global warming all becoming widely recognized issues, Americans are starting to demand a more efficient national train system. The United States already has a few high speed rail and mag lev projects planned for the coming years. For example, Illinois, part of the midwest high speed rail association, has vowed to implement a high speed rail sytem that connects the state by 2015. The idea is also being looked at by the California High Speed Rail Authority, who are planning a statewide high speed network. The oppurtunity to build to build an efficient and state-of-the-art high speed train network is within our reach. See the “New Deal National Rail Plan 2009″ as proposed by NewUrbanism.org for more information on the steps needed to help move our transportation system into the 21st century.

9. The Electric Car

Tesla Motors, Costco, Suburu, GM, Ford, Toyota….all jumping on borad

You need look no further than the Tesla Roadster to find the latest in sleek, energy-efficient electric automobiles. Take a visit to one of Tesla Motors two California showrooms and you will find the electric car that the world has been waiting for. This dynamic machine goes from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, offers 248 horsepower with a rev limit at 14,000, and can deliver 244 miles per charge while operating 100% off of electricity. You can visit Teslamotors.com to learn more about their brand, but know that Tesla is not the only car company aiming for an electric vehicle revolution, as America’s “Big Three” are finally planning to ride the wave of the future, releasing their own electric models in the next three years.

10. The Suzlon Wind Farm

India

Scheduled to be completed by 2010, this windfarm will become the world’s largest of its kind. Windfarms are becoming more and more recognized as viable, green energy options, but this project is not your typical windfarm. The enormous project (built by the Indian energy company Suzlon) will be able to produce 1,000 megawatts of power. Thankfully, India is not the sole benefactor of this company’s innovation. Suzlon has been supplying, operating and maintaining windfarms in the United States. Their most recent contract being the creation of a new wind farm in Wyoming, scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

To find out the latest in Alternative Energy news. view daily articles on our homepage or visit the articles archive.

Thanks and have a Happy Earth Day!

Author/Graphics: Matthew Coyle
Co-Author/Editor: Chris Fisher

Many of America’s most prominent corporate chains have company policies that are completely lacking in environmental responsibility. Massive chain retailers such as these have the opportunity every day to do their part to stem the tide of our environmental deterioration, and yet choose to be part of the problem rather than the solution. How is it that in this day and age some corporations seem to completely ignore the negative impact their policies have on the earth? For instance, Starbucks has a policy that requires their water tap to be left on throughout the entire day. This practice wastes over 6 million gallons of water daily. Yet, even with enormous pressure on their company from environmentalist groups, they remain reluctant to change their ways. This leads me to my gripe of the day:

As I sometimes do, I stopped at Dunkin’ Donuts this morning to pick up bagels and doughnuts for some co-workers. I noticed months ago that almost all DDs give me a seperate paper bag for each item I order. I understand certain items need to be separated, however 9 out 10 times I end up with 2 unnecessary bags. This morning was no exception. I ordered 2 bagels & 1 doughnut and I was given three bags. If this is the policy of all Dunkin’ Donuts imagine the paper waste generated by this on a daily basis. It seems simple enough to fix, but Dunkin’ Donuts is clearly not doing anything to stop their wasteful habits. Below is a response to my complaint regarding their irresponsible business practices. The first step to a greener America has to begin with the corporations!

Here is the response that Dunkin’ Donuts sent me:

It seemed that this day would never come. The IEA, a respected and authoritative international energy agency, in so many words admitted that a global peak in oil production will occur before 2030. The agency, which advises energy policies for 28 member countries, states this in the opening paragraph of their new Energy Outlook :

“The world’s energy system is at a crossroads. Current global trends in energy supply and consumption are patently unsustainable - environmentally, economically, socially. But that can - and must - be altered; there’s still time to change the road we’re on.[1] It is not an exaggeration to claim that the future of human prosperity depends on how successfully we tackle the two central energy challenges facing us today: securing the supply of reliable and affordable energy; and effecting a rapid transformation to a low-carbon, efficient and environmentally benign system of energy supply. What is needed is nothing short of an energy revolution.”-IEA World Energy Outlook

This seems to be very important news, headline even. However, as I write this I know that this report will be as far from the front page of the Chicago Tribune as the Cubs are from winning a World Series. Do we collectively avoid important headlines, if they possibly undermine the future of this great society? Or is the media baby feeding us with what they think we want to hear? Today I was granted with, and am grateful for, the knowledge of the IEA’s World Energy Outlook for the next three decades. The abundant energy supply I have enjoyed for a quarter century is under harsh scrutiny by many very respected energy analyst, including the IEA. If a revolution is what we need, then it starts with informing all of the blissfully ignorant, energy un-aware people of the world.

Enlightened,

Matthew Coyle

oildependency.org

There is a lot of talk about alternative energy these days. According to WorldPublicOpinion.org,
alternatives are on the minds of at least 70% of the people on this planet [1]. World Public Opinion, a global research organization, revealed there is a global census that we are reaching the limits to our oil extraction
(approx 1,000 barrels per second). However, another study conducted
in America last year revealed that 72% of the American public are unaware that
things like conventional plastic are made from petroleum products,
primarily oil [2]. This disconnection from the true gravity of our oil dependence and
the things that oil does for our society can be seen clearly when
observing discussions about alternative technologies. When discussing alternative technologies
Americans tend to defend and support alternatives that in many casesare futile attempts at distinguishing our oil dependence. Most of these newly acclaimed solutions to oil dependence come with a heavy
price tag, not only financially, but environmentally. This is where the phrase Energy Returned on Energy Invested (EROEI) plays a pivotal role[3]. Any exploitable energy source requires energy to bring it to the market. This ratio of energy in & energy out is often not discussed amongst the mainstream media, let alone the public. It is very important to understand what it takes to create these alternatives, and what effect this has on us financially and environmentally. Many solutions that are currently accepted as plausible replacements for oil end up amplifying other problems that we are already experiencing. Energy returned on energy invested can also be thought in terms of environmental return on environment
invested. Whereas many alternative technologies have negative environmental returns on environment invested.

For example, Ethanol, a bio-fuel distilled from Corn has been under harsh scrutiny for it’s role in
many devastating domino effects throughout the world. Firstly, this year the US will divert nearly 30% of corn crops to the production of ethanol [4].

Furthermore, due to the high demand for corn, many farmers are opting to grow corn instead of other much needed food crops in an effort to capitalize on the increased margins gained from selling corn to ethanol refineries. This directly affects the price of every commodity on the market, due to scarcity of products previously grown where corn is now grown. In turn this has given many farmers in South America the incentive to grow crops that are now scarce in the global market. According to John Lee of Time Magazine this is accelerating the rate of deforestation to epic numbers, who states,
“This destructive biofuel dynamic is on vivid display in Brazil, where a Rhode Island–size
chunk of the Amazon was deforested in the second half of 2007 and even more was degraded by fire.”[5].
These are the environmental & social drawbacks of ethanol, but there is certainly more to the story. The EROEI of ethanol is revered by many to be negative, meaning it requires more energy input then is given in the final product of ethanol. The energy inputs include: cultivation, irrigation, fertilization & pesticides, harvesting, transportation and distilling/refining, and final distribution. The ratio of energy returned on energy invested of ethanol is currently being argued by many scientist around the globe. However, when weighing in the devastating effects that ethanol is having on hunger and deforestation it is obvious to conclude that ethanol is not the answer to our oil dependency. (ie. The corn it takes to produce enough ethanol to fill an SUV will feed a person for a year [6])

Another example is the environmental/energy investment of a hydrogen powered economy, which can boast very negative environmental returns depending where the energy is derived to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen is generally produced from natural gas, or coal (electricity), which are both near 100% production capacity. This limited capacity makes it difficult to justify a hydrogen economy. The environmental impact of a hydrogen economy would be devastating if we began expandingour electricity production with the use of more coal. However, if we considered the environmental benefit of producing hydrogen from
solar power, the environmental return would be well on the positive side.

All energy sources have this ratio, for example conventional crude oil has a Hour=”13″ Minute=”23″>1:23 energy return ratio, meaning that you invest one unit of energy and receive 23 units [Ibid, 3]. This is by far the most abundant energy dense substance on the planet, and is the main reason why many alternatives simply cannot compete. Moreover, other alternatives like Hybrid vehicles also have a requisite for
petroleum inputs. For example, a hybrid vehicle requires an investment of 60-100 barrels of oil to manufacture [7]. The same need for petroleum input goes for all technologies including wind power, solar, hydrogen etc. Although all of these alternatives will play an important role in the future of America,
it is important to understand that it takes a substantial fossil fuel investment to manufacture any of these products. Moreover, investment costs are rising exponentially, with the price of oil reaching nearly $135 per barrel in May. Many energy investors and experts have predicted $200/barrel for 2009, which will make it even more difficult to fund these much needed alternative energy projects [8].

There are many options available to distinguish our addiction to oil, but many require long term investment. These investment opportunities will most certainly need to be mandated by our government. The Energy returned on energy invested is quite possibly the most important thing to understand about how we use energy. The future of our oil driven civilization depends on developing a clean energy supply that boasts both a positive energy return on energy invested and a positive environmental return on environment invested. Until we calculate the costs and impacts of any proposed alternative, we should remain skeptical of their “claimed benefits”.

Ask questions about suspect alternatives,
it’s easy: Is this safe? What is the EROEI? What is the overall impact
to global environmental systems? What are the investment costs? Who
will benefit, who will not?

What
are the alternatives to the alternatives?

1. www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/peak-oil-47042102
2.www.treehugger.com/files/2007/04/70_of_americans.php
3.www.erori.com
4.www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080502.IBFOOD02/TPStory/Business
5.www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1725975-1,00.html
6. www.thestalwart.com/the_stalwart/2006/09/1_tank_of_ethan.html
7.www.endofsuburbia.com
8.http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-04-28-voa36.cfm

In 5 years energy costs have more then quadrupled, and are set to keep rising for the foreseeable future. Mainstream media, government officials & energy experts from around the world are all pointing to stagnant supply & rampant demand as cause for the surge in prices. Although many people believe speculators have played a large role in inflating the price of oil. However, it has been admitted by many energy insiders that global conventional oil production reached a peak in the last half of 2005 . With voracious oil appetites from emerging industrial nations like India and China, it is obvious that the current oil extraction rates (950 barrels/second), coupled with the current oil depletion rates, that global demand for oil is exceeding available supply. With that being said, how is it that the much of the American public still remains unaware of this national security risk? Do people of America only have two modes, complacency and panic?