I'll be teaching a two-session class on world peak oil production this fall. Below I am posting information on the course.
Course Description
Cheap oil is coming to an end. Within the next decade or two world oil production is likely to reach a peak and then begin an irreversible decline. The end of cheap oil threatens to stall and even reverse economic growth worldwide. It could lead to profound disruptions in our way of life, especially in the areas of transportation and food production.
This course examines the inevitable collision between our growing thirst for oil and the certain decline in its availability in the years to come. What might the consequences for the world economy be? Can we find alternatives to oil before its production begins to decline? What can an individual do to help us make a successful transition to a post-oil economy? Alternative energy, lifestyle changes, conservation and efficiency measures will be discussed.
The course will emphasize discussion and interaction among all the participants.
Meeting Times: Oct. 25, Nov. 1
6 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Location: Regional Manufacturing Technology Center
Kellogg Community College
405 Hill Brady Road
Battle Creek, Michigan 49015
Instructor: Kurt Cobb
Cost: $49
Registration: Click here to register
or call (269) 965-4134.
Purpose
The purpose of the course is to familiarize participants with the concept of world peak oil production, an event that almost all reputable geologists agree will happen within the next 30 years. Predictions range from 2005 (Deffeyes) to 2037 (U. S. Energy Information Administration). Because so much of our way of life is dependent on oil and oil-based products, this event has profound implications for how we will have to change our society.
The closer the peak is, the more urgent the need for action. A recent U. S. Department of Energy report evaluating the possible effects of world peak oil production recommended a 20-year head start on a crash program to develop other liquid fuels to replace oil.
Key Concepts
Fossil Fuels - Also known as mineral fuels, are hydrocarbon-containing natural resources such as coal, petroleum and natural gas.
World peak oil production, often "peak oil" for short - The time after which the rate of world oil production will begin an irreversible decline.
Net energy - The amount of energy yielded by a resource minus the amount of energy it takes to find, extract, refine, transport and utilize that resource, i.e., it takes energy to get energy. If the net energy is positive, the resource is an energy source. If the net energy is negative the resource is an energy sink. (Also referred to as Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI) and Energy Profit Ratio.)
Renewable Energy Source - includes all sources of energy that are captured from on-going natural processes, such as solar power, wind power, water flow in streams (hydropower), biomass, biodiesel and geothermal heat flows. Most renewable forms of energy, other than geothermal and tidal power, come from the Sun.
Plan of Course
Session 1 - Peak Oil and the Oil Predicament
In-class video: The End of Suburbia
Session 2 - Consequences & Responses
Please read the following articles and listen to the interview before coming to class. The reading totals only 30 pages:
1. Do high oil prices foreshadow a deeper crisis?
Kurt Cobb, October 25, 2004
2. Oil: It's Everywhere, Attached
3. Energy Evaluation Criteria, Handout from The Party's Over by Richard Heinberg.
4. The Long Emergency, James Howard Kunstler, Remarks in Hudson, NY
OR
listen to Kunstler's 2003 Interview with Julian Darley. Scroll down to where you can see the choices that include "Complete Interview", "mp3" and "Transcript." The mp3 is a large file but can be easily downloaded if you have high-speed Internet access.
5. Peak Oil 'To Do' List: Why We Should Do These Things Anyway, Kurt Cobb, April 9, 2005
6. Alternative Energy Sources, Walter Youngquist
Recommended:
Some perspective from two optimists. See if you can spot the flaws and strengths in their thinking:
7. The Art of Energy - The future will not be painted in oil. By Peter Huber and Mark Mills Slate, Feb. 1, 2005
