The urgency of finding more sustainable ways of doing business was made very apparent today as the Financial Times and Daily Telegraph report that the International Energy Agency has predicted an oil crisis in five years time.
The IEA said that supply was falling faster than expected in mature areas, such as the North Sea and Mexico, while projects in new provinces such as the Russian Far East, faced long delays. Meanwhile consumption is accelerating on strong economic growth in emerging countries. The head of the IEA’s oil market arm, Lawrence Eagles said: “If we get to the point were there is insufficient supply, the only way to balance the market will be through higher prices and a drop in demand.”
4 responses so far ↓
Big Blue Rob // July 10, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Absolutely and with other far eastern countries building coal fired power stations at the rate of one a week it wont be long before that is an issue too, nevermind the effects on the greenhouse gasses.
Luckily my conscience is clear as we have just ordered a portable solar panel kit which will run our small office at home, or our TV and sound etc in the front room or the laptop and lights when we run our car boot stall or the pump that pumps the water round the black hosepipe on the roof to heat our plunge pool in the garden all for £500 from the same guys who have just installed a much bigger system at the Watsons apparently.
If we all do our bit we can make a difference. Unfortunately as the results are not immediate it is difficult to persuade people that it is a good thing
Jay Vee // July 10, 2007 at 10:35 pm
I agree that we could all help by using alternative powers such as wind or solar, but currently the cost is prohibitive. If the Government were to enable the cost to fall, we could all introduce such useful methods.
I am doubtful that the portable kit mentioned above will prove effective over a reasonable period of time.
Big Blue Rob // July 11, 2007 at 10:04 am
I see no reason why it wont be effective. They provide these kits for people to use at festivals and shows. Their customers run lights and laptops and all sorts at the shows. With only a little bit of fiddling around I will no longer need to pay for my home office or my home entertainment systems which are two of our biggest consumers of power and also allow us to guilt free use our plunge pool which I have built from recycled materials and new hosepipes.
The makers give it a good guarantee and I have full confidence in their goods. They also quoted £6000 to take our electricity and heating to alternative power as well. Maybe thats a lot of money but it would save the environment as well as cutting our regular monthly bills. It would pay for itself over a number of years. At least it will feel like I am doing something whilst still enjoying many parts of modern life which I enjoy so much
Of course if the government enabled the cost to fall by subsidising it or using grants more people would be able to do it but everyone would have to pay the government for the privilige in some way and to be honest governments are experts at wasting money.
I would much prefer it if there was an independant body offering grants and getting their money from the guilty consciences of either the environment wasting big companies or the uber-wealthy.
Garsington Litter Lady // July 19, 2007 at 7:18 am
Any possibility of supplying details of the portable solar panel kit - or would that be considered to be advertising?
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