I’m hoping that readers of my upcoming book on renewables will enjoy my conversation with Matt Simmons, arguably the loudest voice on the issue of peak oil. And, although the subject remains controversial, it’s probably a good deal less so today that it was last week, now that two extremely senior automotive industry executives have come out with statements that support it.
In particular, note the recent comments of GM’s Bob Lutz, global climate change skeptic, who is nonetheless a strong proponent of the Volt and the electrification of the automobile. Lutz argues that continued dependence on oil as demand inevitably increases will simply exacerbate boom and bust economic cycles. He notes that, in 20 years the China auto market will equal the rest of the world combined and adds, “At that point we have to have alternative drive systems, which to me have to be electric.”
And check out the remarks of Jim Lentz, President and COO of Toyota Motor Sales. He apparently stunned his interviewer during a recent Commonwealth Club event, in which he stated unequivocally that Toyota believes that peak oil will occur sometime in the later half of this decade.
Peak oil – just one of the many reasons for the rapid migration to renewable energy.
From what I hear peak oil is for real, and even if it was not, we will be better off with a system that employs electric cars, Why? Lots of reasons such as using Solar at home to charge them, elimination of huge oil shipping across the Oceans and possible spills, elimination of funding from oil revenues to possible bad guys, cutting pollution in the concentrated cities, did you know pollution from cars hangs at 12 feet or down mostly, right were you can breath it, electric cars would help cut Asthma and other respitory ailments. We will be better off without oil, we just need mass production of the green technologies, so we can afford them.