Friday, October 31, 2008

Annual Energy Review Graphs

The EIA annual Energy Review has a whole bunch of neat graphs. If they are too small to read, click on them and they grow.


Natural gas in America hasn't peaked in the same way that oil production has. Because there are so many different unconventional sources, it is hard to say if it ever will. This graph though does make our situation look a bit rough though.



This graph of crude oil production, consumption, and imports is mostly just scary because it points out that not only are we more dependent on foreign oil ever, but really the only president that managed to do anything like what he claimed he would was Carter.



You can see why I am taking a wind power course. We doubled the amount of Wind Power we are getting between 2006, and 2008. In the last couple months we passed Germany to be the country that produces the most electricity from wind turbines. Oh, and look at how pathetic solar is next to wind and geothermal. You can't even hardly see it!



So much for us cutting back on our coal use. Our information technology is still being powered with the same energy source that powered the Industrial revolution. Since it is growing much faster than the petroleum curve, and more reasonable alternatives exist, that is where any global warming efforts need to be focused. You wouldn't even notice a change in your life if America stopped using Coal in the next thirty years. There is no easy route to doing the same with oil.

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