Weirdness incarnate. The Army Corps of Engineers - the agency whose corporate ideology was once described as "build a dam on anything wet" - has put together a report (PDF) on the energy security of the United States. And it's good. And I don't mean "good, considering it's written by the Army Corps of Engineers." No, I mean it's good.
On oil: "The oil market will remain fairly stable in the very near term, but with steadily increasing prices as world production approaches its peak. The doubling of oil prices from 2003-2005 is not an anomaly, but a picture of the future. Oil production is approaching its peak; low growth in availability can be expected for the next 5 to 10 years."
On nuclear: "Assuming an annual usage of about 150 million pounds per year, this equates to about a 33 to 43 year supply at current consumption rates. Here again, since uranium is a non-renewable natural resource, it supply will eventually reach a peak and trend downward."
On renewables: "Renewables have significant potential in the United State to contribute energy in a more environmental friendly format, close to where it is needed. The economics of renewables will change over time as they begin to receive some of the subsidies that have been the largess of the more traditional power sectors. Also, their costs will continue to drop as deployment increases and economies of production scale and standardization can take effect. Most are significantly more environmentally friendly than the fossil fuel or nuclear alternatives. Clean energy technologies will impact faster and to a greater amount than current projections."
Oh, Army Corps of Engineers, you had me at "Hello."
(Link via Past Peak.)
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