Trigger five
Problem
Demand and supply of oil
Learning objectives
Why is the demand of oil still growing?
How to reduce oil consumption?
Alternatives to oil, Why aren´t they used?
Keywords
Oil
Consumers and population
Renewable
Sustainable
Demand + supply + price
Peak
Why is the demand of oil still growing?
"Demand might peak within 15 years if the Paris agreement were fully
implemented and alternative fuels displaced petroleum in cars." Oil demand will grow for decades, says IEA
"Whether oil prices rise or fall, demand continues to mount in a staggeringly similar manner,
that's because oil demand is far more related to the general constants
of rising economic growth and personal income than it is to price." Global Oil Demand Can Only Increase
"In addition, relatively low oil prices for more than 2 years have supported growth."
"To be a viable alternative for petroleum, a biofuel should provide a
net energy gain, offer clear environmental and economic benefits, and
not reduce food supplies and/or increase their costs.
Biodiesel demand increases the price of soybeans,
and this has a tremendous trickling down effect because soybeans have
literally hundreds of uses in industrial products from engine oil to
crayons to food products and animal feeds. Over 98% of U.S. soy meal
goes to feed pigs, chickens and cows. Today, beef, pork, poultry, eggs,
and milk have had the most dramatic price increases, augmented by
drought, a virus outbreak, and growing exports." Why Biofuels Can't Replace Oil
How to reduce oil consumption?
”Change your vehicle use
patterns.
Use your car
a lot less or not
at all. Walk, bike, use public transportation. If it’s necessary to use a
car, be sure to have a fuel-efficient vehicle or car pool.
Buy products that are
produced locally, instead of one’s that require transportation from a
distance. In the same vein, buy vegetables and fruits in season instead
of one’s that are imported from another country.
Buy used products instead of new ones, which will
reduce oil use both in production and transportation.
Buy used products instead of new ones, which will
reduce oil use both in production and transportation.
Buy natural fiber clothing instead of polyester, nylon, and
other forms of synthetic, petroleum derived clothing.
Turn down the heat.”
Alternatives to oil, why aren’t they used?
" Oil as an energy source is not only
practical, it has an entire infrastructure built around its use.
By far the biggest hurdle to
alternative energy innovation is that oil wins as a simple matter of cost.
In short, low oil prices have
enabled people to direct their focus elsewhere.
"For some applications like
transportation, nothing comes close to it,” Gately adds. “We’ve already done
the easy switching already in many applications — electricity generation, space
heating, water heating — but I’m not optimistic we’ll ever get away from oil in
transportation.”
Alternative sources are not as
competitive. Nuclear reactors are politically difficult, and storage of spent
fuel rods remains an intractable problem. Coal is very important for the U.S.
and China, but less abundant in many parts of the world. Clean energy, such as
solar, wind, and water power are difficult to scale and present environmental problems
of their own, such as through the creation of dams.
Still, anything is possible. If
something were inexpensive enough, people would switch. If some alternative
were better for the environment (and close in cost), people and governments
would switch.
The energy sector has always been a complex mix between politics and business. Local utility companies, regional regulations and oversight, it just is a
very complex system that is hard to change. But I don’t want to say
that it is politics that got in the way [of innovation]. In democratic
countries, politicians quickly adjust to what is popular among the
people.”
Sources :
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