Category Archives: Clean Energy

Twilight in the Desert: Well-Documented Warning on Peak Saudi Oil

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy is Matthew Simmons’ thoroughly researched and well-documented account of Saudi Arabia’s aging oil fields and what it means for the global economy. In the book, Simmons argues that Saudi … Continue reading →

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Posted in Book Reviews, Business, Clean Energy, Defense, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Media, Middle East, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Predictions | Tagged Book review, Fossil fuels, Middle East, Oil exploration, Oil production, Oil shock, Peak oil, Saudi Arabia, Spare capacity | 59 Comments

Fracking Actors Whine about Fracking

Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Whenever the Hollywood/Broadway “elite” band together and make a public service announcement, I instinctively want to oppose it. They could be offering immortality and I would completely miss it. The bottom line is that people who make their living by pretending to … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Energy Security, Media, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics | Tagged Amy Ryan, Ethan Hawke, Fracking, Mark Ruffalo, Oil, Shale Oil, Zoe Saldana | 15 Comments

What Is Fracking?

Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

There’s been plenty of media hype and hysteria about a process known as hydraulic fracturing, which is more popularly known as fracking. Hydraulic fracturing is a process in which drilling rigs drill vertical wells 3,000 to 8,000 feet underground and then … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, International Security, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics | Tagged Daniel Yergin, Fracking, Hydraulic Fracturing, Hydrofracking, Steven Hayward, The New York Times | 4 Comments

Who Won the Republican Primary Debate?

Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Because I live on the West Coast and I work modern American hours, I missed the Republican Primary debate by about two hours. I mean, who the heck other than government employees gets home from work before 5 pm? So … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Central Asia, China, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Crime, Defense, Education, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Food Security, General, Healthcare, International Security, Media, Middle East, Nuclear Power, Nuclear proliferation, Peak Oil, Policy, Politics, Predictions, Science, Social Security, Taxes, Terrorism, Unions, War | Tagged Decision 2012, Herman Cain, Michelle Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Tim Pawlenty | 8 Comments

Why the Right Needs a Dog in the Clean Energy Fight

Posted on Saturday, June 11, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

The problem with the current energy debate is that on the one hand, the right’s solutions will keep the economy humming for the next twenty years after which there will be a massive energy crisis.

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Posted in Business, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Media, Peak Oil, Policy | Tagged Democrats, Fossil fuels, Meet the Press, Nancy Pelosi, Natural gas, Republicans, Tom Brokaw | 8 Comments

Obama’s National Mileage Tax Is a Bad Idea

Posted on Monday, May 9, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

The Obama Administration has recently floated the idea of a national mileage tax. The government would install electronic tracking equipment in vehicles to determine how many miles drivers traveled, and drivers would pay the tax electronically at gas stations. The President … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Policy, Politics, Predictions, Taxes | Tagged Congestion charge, Mileage tax, President Obama, Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatves Office | 21 Comments

Should I Buy a Hybrid or an Electric Vehicle? (Part VII): Carbon Analysis

Posted on Tuesday, May 3, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Yesterday I relaxed my $0.40 per kWh electricity price constraint to see if the two EVs and one PHEV would be more attractive at a lower cost of electricity. It turned out that the Nissan Leaf did become a more attractive option provided … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, California, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Investing, Policy, Politics, Predictions, Taxes | Tagged California, carbon emissions, carbon tax, Chevy Volt, Corolla, EV, Gasoline prices, HEV, ICE, Leaf, Nissan, PHEV, Prius, Roadster, Tesla, Toyota | 6 Comments

Should I Buy a Hybrid or an Electric Vehicle? (Part VI): Fuel and Electricity Sensitivity Analysis

Posted on Monday, May 2, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Yesterday I concluded that purchasing a Toyota Prius might make sense if gasoline prices remained at or above $4.00 per gallon, and if I used the vehicle for 20,000 or more miles annually. A critical assumption underlying this analysis was … Continue reading →

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Posted in Business, California, Clean Energy, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Energy Security, Finance and Economics, Investing, Predictions, Taxes | Tagged California, Chevy Volt, Corolla, EV, Gasoline prices, HEV, ICE, Leaf, Nissan, PHEV, Prius, Roadster, Tesla, Toyota | 10 Comments

Should I Buy a Hybrid or an Electric Vehicle? (Part V): Mileage and Fuel Sensitivity Analysis

Posted on Sunday, May 1, 2011 by Sean Patrick Hazlett

Yesterday I concluded that purchasing a Toyota Corolla was the most economically efficient decision given my circumstances. However, I also suggested that it still might make sense to purchase a Prius under certain conditions.