Energy and our profligate
use of it is the essence of the difficulties that have compounded to become
climate change.
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Richard heinbeg's new
book, "Snake Oil". |
Suddenly, those who capitalize on that want, have uncovered
new technologies that have allowed them to drill horizontally into earth rock
structures and then unleash gas and oil hidden there for millennia using
hydraulic fracturing.
These developments have resulted in a new “rush” as those
who see the potential scurry to raise the needed cash assemble the needed
equipment and extract this newfound energy.
Writing at the beginning of his new book, Heinberg writes:
“Finally, and probably most importantly, this book is
directed toward anyone who cares about the fate of our planet. The only
realistic to avert catastrophic climate change is to dramatically and quickly
reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. That project will pose economic and technical
challenges. But politics may present the biggest obstacle of all.”
Heinberg slices through the hype and glib statements of
those who believe in a promote fracking, illustrating, through undeniable
facts, that the promises are really simply too good to believe.
He explains how the promised increases are little more than
that and give us nothing more than temporarily increased production and
ultimately do nought to ease our energy limitations.
Delving into the complexities of Energy Returned on Energy
Investment (EROEI) and Heinberg ask his readers to consider the two equally true
statements:
Hydrocarbons are so abundant that, if we
burn a substantial portion of them, we risk a climate catastrophe beyond imagining.
There aren’t enough economically accessible,
high-quality hydrocarbons to maintain economic growth for much longer.
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| Richard Heinberg. |
He writes: “Here is a public relations nightmare: how to
convey these seemingly contradictory messages to people without confusing he
bejesus out of them. How can concepts like ‘energy return on energy invested’
to an audience that barely understands what energy is? How can millions of half-somnolent television
addicts be guided in understanding ‘fugitive methane emissions,’ ‘energy density’
and a dozen other essential terms and concepts?”
Heiberg says the answer lies in what he describes as “literally
humanity’s project of the century.”
“It is an enormous challenge, but it is not optional.”
“We either break the addiction, or we suffer the
consequences – which would impact not just on ourselves, but future generations
as well,” he writes.
We face a choice, he says, jobs and economic growth on one
hand, or climate protection on the other.
Heinberg’s book - “Snake Oil: How fracking’s false promise
of plenty imperils our future” is worth reading.
