Energy Cost Escalation / Peak Oil Kenneth Dwyer V.P. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Energy Cost Escalation / Peak Oil Kenneth Dwyer V.P. Communications, U of A Energy Club Ph.D. Candidate, Dept. of Computing Science University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB dwyer @ cs.ualberta.ca

International Energy Agency (IEA)  Monitors energy markets for the world's 26 most-advanced economies, including the U.S., Japan and all of Europe.*  It acts as a counterweight in the market to the views of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.* – * Source: Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2008.  EIA's “World Energy Outlook 2008” report to be released on November 12, 2008. – See http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/

IEA World Energy Outlook  The Energy Business Review recently previewed the upcoming report: – “The IEA [report] has highlighted longer term supply side constraints, despite the precipitous correction in world oil prices of late, as current depletion rates outstrip future demand.” – “Conventional production will effectively remain static, rising from 70.4m b/d in 2007 to 75.2m b/d in 2030, as 'new gains' and 'old losses' balance out.” – “[T]he credit crunch could prove to be the calm before the storm as far as pain at the pumps is concerned.”  “IEA report underlines long term supply side challenges for oil markets” Energy Business Review , Nov. 4, 2008.

Peak Oil: Challenges for Edmonton Food security – Our industrialized food system relies heavily on fossil fuel inputs • Most food is transported by large trucks • Conventional farms use fertilizers, as well as tractors and other machinery that requires fuel Heating homes and buildings – Canadian natural gas supplies are in decline • See this interview with geologist David Hughes Transportation – Energy-dense gasoline is difficult to replace – We can't change/upgrade all our car and truck engines overnight, esp. during an oil shortage

Peak Oil Resolutions  On April 11th, 2006, San Francisco became the first major city in North America to pass a resolution about our energy predicament.  The resolution calls for peak oil to be considered a serious issue, a city wide assessment funded by the mayor to be undertaken, and the oil depletion protocol to be endorsed.  Similar measures have since been enacted by: – Austin, TX; Burnaby, BC; Hamilton, ON; Oakland, CA; Portland, OR; and others. – Edmonton should make Peak Oil a priority! – See http://www.postcarboncities.net

Thank you for your time.