The Final Energy Crisis

This book is a collection of 23 essays, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with all 23 writers. This book "The Final Energy Crisis" is a must read. It's well done and it's not light reading. The book was edited by Andrew McKillop and Mr. McKillop also wrote one of the chapters in this book. Mr. McKillop is one of the smartest men in all of Europe. After you read this book, do a Google search for Andrew McKillop and read his work. This book is not for dummies. Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

This book is a collection of 23 essays on various aspects of the looming world oil production peak and its effect on the world. It begins, naturally enough, with an article which is a fresh look at Hubbert's methods to predict the arc of oil production, and which confirms earlier calculations that oil production will peak during this decade. Next is one of three articles by Colin Campbell, a retired oil geologist, and most ardent advocate of the difficulties ahead in the world running short on oil. The article following is by Edward Goldsmith, the founding editor of The Ecologist, and who was also instrumental in drafting the Blueprint for Survival over thirty years ago. He discussed the need for local agriculture in time when food can no longer be trucked from coast to coast or from south to north. The last article of the first section is on the nature of thermodynamic laws. The second section begins with Campbell's critique of Caspian oil reserves. In essence he says to "follow the money" and asks the reader to think about why many major oil companies have given up on Caspian oil. The second article in this section is by the co-editor Andrew McKillop, (who has nine essays in this volume). Mr. McKillop is an economist, whose concerns in his first article is, why the oil riches of Africa bring meager economic benefit to its population? The next article by the late Mark Jones is in my view best in the volume. Mr. Jones frames the issues of world geopolitics and in particular the posture of the United States given China's ascendancy. The present trends are clearly in China's favor, but the view to future is clouded by the backdrop of oil depletion. The US policy was set in its course many years ago, and entering an arm conflict in Iraq ties US hands further. The national and current account deficits, caused by tax cuts, China trade, and war expenditures do not bode well for the future. The second section ends with a discussion of the French nuclear industry by two members in its opposition. They marshal welcome facts to the argument. Since nuclear power plants must by insured de facto by government and not by private companies tells something about the risks these plants pose. The third section includes an article by Campbell on where the future oil will come. It also includes two article by Mr. McKillop, one on the difficulties of meeting the Kyoto limits and the other on his view of the situation in the world in 2035; time when children born today have entered the most productive period of their adult life. He does not present an encouraging future. The section also includes two articles by Ross McCluney, who works at the Florida Solar Energy Center. It is refreshing to read a sober analysis on the limits of, both solar energy and other renewable fuels, from a person who has been involved in the field for 30 years. In short, renewables cannot compensate for diminishing oil and natural gas, which forces the world to coal and one is forced bac