Many vested interests with short-term perspectives are fighting to maintain US dependence on fossil fuels. The long-term national interest, however, requires that the US makes a speedy transition to a clean energy society, writes energy expert Allan Hoffman. According to Hoffman, the shale revolution is only a temporary phenomenon. A continued reliance on oil and gas will imperil the nation’s future. … [Read more...]
Why the US has not made more progress in moving to a renewable energy future – a personal view
In 1978 a monumental multi-departmental study was submitted to President Carter concluding that “solar energy could make a significant contribution to U.S. energy supply by the end of this century”. The study, backed by 30 federal departments, stated that “even with today’s subsidized energy prices, many solar technologies are already economic.” Yet no action was taken and solar power and other renewable energies stagnated for over 30 years. … [Read more...]
Nuclear Power: the Faustian Bargain
There are good reasons to be in favor of nuclear power – for now. There are even better reasons to want to replace nuclear power by renewable energy – in the not too distant future, writes Allan Hoffman, former energy expert at the US Department of Energy. This is the second of two articles in which Hoffman, who runs the blog Thoughts of a Lapsed Physicist, reflects on a sensitive energy topic. In his first article he weighed the pros and cons of … [Read more...]
Fracking? It will happen – so let’s at least do it very, very carefully
To frack or not to frack? That is the question being asked now in many European countries. The US has over a decade of experience with fracking. Allan Hoffman, long-time energy expert at the US Department of Energy who started his own blog upon his retirement last year, has mixed feelings about the blessings of shale gas and shale oil. Weighing the pros and cons, he concludes that fracking is probably too lucrative to be stopped, but at least it … [Read more...]