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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080>I recently offered to
give a Peak Oil talk to the secretary of our local (Captains Flat)
Community Association. As background I had pointed to the Senate Inquiry, and to
the ACT Peak Oil submission.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080>For interest, here's
the ensuing correspondence. Some more quasi-original words for the archives.
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080>BTW, if you missed it,
the link at the bottom is a Richard Heinberg article that appeared today in
Energy Bulletin.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080>--</FONT> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006> </SPAN><BR></FONT><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080><SPAN class=487025304-22032006>Hi Peter</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2>Thanks <SPAN class=782543900-23032006>again for
the comments. Putting a response together has helped be get some ideas together
and find some key links. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN class=241565105-23032006>You wrote
(below):</SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN class=241565105-23032006> </SPAN>><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But I personally don’t
subscribe to apocalyptic views of anything, as it’s the nature of humans that we
adapt. Of course, we often do so at the cost of other species and the
environment generally, but that means humanity will survive even if the rest of
the planet doesn’t!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>Certainly. I s'pose it's a question of population
numbers and lifestyles. Ecologists estimate that the H. sapiens carrying
capacity of the planet, without fossil fuels (or a fuel source of equivalent
energy density and quality) is about 2-2.5 billion, as against the ~6.5 billion
we currently have. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>This is largely because the use of cheap, high
density fuels have allowed large increases in agricultural capacity, through
farm mechanisation, oil or natural gas based fertilisers and pesticides, and the
freeing up of land that used to be used to graze dra<SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000080>f</FONT></SPAN>t animals and
horses. Modern agriculture has been described as 'the use of land to turn oil
into food'. Human population increase has almost exactly tracked the rate and
timing of fossil fuel use.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>><FONT face=Arial>The advantage of peak oil of
course is an end to the Greenhouse
Effect!</FONT> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>Peak Oil and Greenhouse, as issues, are sometimes
called the 'hydrocarbon twins'. They certainly should be treated and
modelled as a combined issue, as they interrelate in complex ways. Brian Fleay's
submission (#74) to the Senate Inquiry, for example, stresses the need for
this, and is worth a read. There is some research that suggests that climate
change models may overestimate the amount of fossil fuels available to be
burned, which is good news. There are caveats,
however. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>Examples: Increased coal consumption (to, say, power
electric vehicles or light rail) will increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if
not done cleanly. Similarly, coal-to-liquids technologies to synthesize
transport fuels may generate increased GHGs; increased use of timber as a fuel
for cooking and heating (after depletion of oil and natural gas sets in) will
increase GHGs.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006><FONT color=#000000>Energy by definition provides
the 'ability' to do work, this includes GHG abatement measures and timely
development of technologies. Close-to-home example: rising temperatures and
increased wind strengths due to climate change mean increased incidence and
severity of forest fires. Diesel fuel shortages and/or high cost would mean less
ability to fight fires. Forest destruction involves big release of GHGs and
significant loss of carbon sinks. Positive feedback
loops.</FONT> </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000080><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000080><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000>><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I’m surprised to see no
mention in your document of
bio-fuels.</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000080><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2><FONT color=#000080><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT color=#000000>You
make good points here. We expected that there would be more detailed submissions
on bio-fuels from organisations with more expertise, so we intentionally
took the approach of reminding the committee of the factors which should
be kept in mind when assessing all proposed alternative transport fuels and
energy sources, particularly the concept of EROEI or energy profit
ratios. None of us are 'against' them, used wisely. I've done lots of
personal research on biodiesel, with a view to converting some of our proposed
olive and soy production to biodiesel, to power the Hi-Lux ute and other
farm equipment. (I'd prefer to do it all electrically, but 1.05 kW of solar
panels only goes so far). Bio-fuels will certainly form part of the energy
mix in the future.</FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=782543900-23032006><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></SPAN><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000>Some key factors are:
</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<UL dir=ltr>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000>Energy Return on
Energy Invested (particularly with the large amounts of fossil-fuel,
fertilisers and pesticides used in current production
methods) </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000>Problems of scale
(<FONT face=Verdana><FONT size=2><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
lang=EN-US style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US">Ethanol:</SPAN></B><SPAN
lang=EN-US style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"> If we turned all Australian
sugarcane into ethanol we’d get only 5 litres ethanol a week per car. The
current 350 megalitres target for 2010 is just 1.4 % of present fuel needs.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><FONT face=Verdana
size=2>Bio-diesel</FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><FONT face=Verdana size=2>: All Australian
oil seed converted to bio-diesel would be the equivalent of just 6% of</FONT>
</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2>our current diesel consumption.
<EM>Source:</EM> Matt Mushalik, quoting the Australian Government energy white
paper, 2004 p
123)</FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000><SPAN lang=EN-US
style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US"><FONT face=Verdana><FONT
size=2>Other environmental, political and social impacts (<EM>see
this hard-hitting George Monbiot article:</EM> <A
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/11525.html">http://www.energybulletin.net/11525.html</A>)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></LI></UL>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006><FONT color=#000000>A good overview of EROEI and other
matters is
at: </FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006><A
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/14120.html">http://www.energybulletin.net/14120.html</A> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000
size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000
size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>><FONT face=Arial color=#000080>Power
Down would otherwise mean the concentration of all population in large towns and
cities where public transport is viable – smaller towns, villages and rural
living (other than for agriculture) would presumably all come to an
end.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006>While 'new urbanism' style designs may offer some good
ideas, big cities are still likely to have problems with their 'metabolism'
- food inputs and waste outputs. There are currently many 're-localisation'
projects for local and rural communities happening around the world.
Many of these make good templates. A small
sample: </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<UL dir=ltr>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
color=#000000 size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>Kinsale, Ireland: <A
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/9230.html">http://www.energybulletin.net/9230.html</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000 size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></A></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
color=#000000 size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>Tompkins County, USA east
coast: <A
href="http://ibiblio.org/tcrp/doc/project.htm">http://ibiblio.org/tcrp/doc/project.htm</A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
color=#000000 size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>Willits, California: <A
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/13259.html">http://www.energybulletin.net/13259.html</A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT
color=#000000 size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>...for a less positive
view, see also: <A
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/12984.html">http://www.energybulletin.net/12984.html</A></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></LI></UL>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000
size=2><SPAN class=782543900-23032006>Lastly, this lead article from Energy
Bulletin today (on the US Administration's response) is notable for its
up-to-the-minute information and mention of many of the most important
high-level commentators and reports, government and private:
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=2><SPAN
class=629392523-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080><SPAN class=629392523-22032006><A
title=http://www.energybulletin.net/14102.html
href="http://www.energybulletin.net/14102.html"><FONT
title=http://www.energybulletin.net/14102.html face=Verdana
size=2>http://www.energybulletin.net/14102.html</FONT></A><FONT
face=Verdana><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=383373823-22032006> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000
size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=487025304-22032006><FONT
size=+0><FONT size=+0><FONT face=Verdana><FONT color=#000080><FONT color=#000000
size=2><SPAN
class=782543900-23032006></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
class=487025304-22032006>Regards</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=594123104-17112004><FONT face=Verdana color=#000000
size=2><FONT size=2>
<P><FONT face=Verdana size=2>Sandy</FONT><FONT face=Verdana
size=2> </FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT
face=Verdana> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT face=Verdana>Peter wrote, <FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN class=241565105-23032006>(Following my offer to give the
talk)</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006></SPAN><SPAN class=241565105-23032006><FONT
face=Verdana> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006><FONT
face=Verdana> </FONT></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006> </SPAN>Hi Sandy<FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
class=241565105-23032006> </SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">It would be
interesting.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">But I personally don’t
subscribe to apocalyptic views of anything, as it’s the nature of humans that we
adapt. Of course, we often do so at the cost of other species and the
environment generally, but that means humanity will survive even if the rest of
the planet doesn’t! The advantage of peak oil of course is an end to the
Greenhouse Effect! (I find peak oil and odd phrase, as I’m sure there’s a petrol
retailer called Peak Oil).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I’m surprised to see no
mention in your document of bio-fuels. Did you watch SBS Dateline the other
night, half of which was about ethanol in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country-region></st1:place>?
Contrary to the views put about by some who presumably hold shares in the fossil
fuel industry, ethanol and biodiesel are clean and green, and even if their
production isn’t, they CAN BE. The environmentalist interviewed even agreed
(though landclearing for sugar is an issue in Brazil as it is here, and burning
the sugar cane stubble is an issue there too for global warming and general
pollution – they didn’t explain why they continue to do this, as I thought the
stubble could also be used for making ethanol.)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I guess alternative
fuels (forget hydrogen as it must be created using vast amounts of electricity,
probably from nuclear power or fossil fuels) fall somewhere between the Power
Down and Magic Elixir solutions. (I rather like the idea of ethanol being a
Magic Elixir! But I think biodiesel is probably the better option.) Power Down
would otherwise mean the concentration of all population in large towns and
cities where public transport is viable – smaller towns, villages and rural
living (other than for agriculture) would presumably all come to an
end.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Peter<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">p.s. if Peak Oil
results in a Mad Max society where everyone’s prowling around looking for
petrol, it could be kinda fun…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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