What will happen if tomorrow someone comes up with an energy alternative for oil that will replace it all together? How will the world and politics change?
I know there is no break through in the line, even if someone does find a miracle oil alternative, it will probably take decades before the oil industry will phase out.
But the question is, how will the world change if you take oil out of the equation?
Re: World after oil
The oil reserves will last for another 80 to 90 years
so its not my problem :):)
Re: World after oil
The oil reserves will last for another 80 to 90 years
so its not my problem :):)
it will be your kids' and grandkids' problem though.....are you still not worried? :p
Re: World after oil
The world will be somewhat more peaceful, as there will be less reliance on a limited and rare resource...
A whole new economy will be built on the back of alternative fuel sources, and if this source is more readily available, more of the worlds population can benefit from it.
Thats the optimistic view...
The opposite could occur, some countries that can afford alternate sources of fuel will weather things, or they may start exploiting the developing world even further...
Developing countries will suffer as they wont be able to afford alternatives.
Re: World after oil
What will happen if tomorrow someone comes up with an energy alternative for oil that will replace it all together? How will the world and politics change?
I know there is no break through in the line, even if someone does find a miracle oil alternative, it will probably take decades before the oil industry will phase out.
But the question is, how will the world change if you take oil out of the equation?
depends on the energy source, are we talking fission, wide spread renewable energy e.g. solar, wond, wave, or something diff liek hydrogen, or stickign with bio fuels?
bio fuels could be a tricky one, u need an agroindustrial complex teh size of which no one has seen anythign else like before. ther eare some reports out on it, interestign reading on what the impact can be environmentally, or for smaller farmers, or for other crops that would be considered less profitable.
Re: World after oil
Obviously oil will not be out of the picture before a cheaper, mass usage energy alternative arrives on the scene. It looks though transportation is moving towards using fuel cells(hydrogen energy) which is renewable and clean source of energy.
For electricity production, solar can appear a viable alternative, but right now it is pretty costly and thus can not be mass produced. But researchers are working on photovoltaic cell technology to make them cheaper and more efficient which could make them a source of mass energy. There are indications future solar cells can be miniaturized so that small photovoltaic cells can be embedded in walls and roofs of houses and thus making the homes self sufficient in energy. This would save the cost of laying electric grid lines to transport electricity all along the country and could bring electrification in far flung rural areas.
Once you have a viable new source(s) of energy, oil price shall crash below 10 dollars a barrel and profit margin will become minimum as it will become a buyers market. This will dent the Russian economy but could result in crashing the middle eastern economies and unless they have some viable source of income they could go back to exporting fish and dates to the rest of the world and relying on religious tourism for income. The West most likely would also do a U-turn on their cosy relations with the Middle Eastern states.
Re: World after oil
the world before oil wasnt devoid of geopolitical tussles and wars. oil is just the modern rationale, not the cause.
im guessing arabia will go back to being a sandbox with a few exceptions, and with a very elite upper class. developing countries will be screwed and will need to rely on whatever proprietary technology the west comes up with (all indications so far are that they will be ones driving that technology). Baqi business as usual.
Re: World after oil
Sometimes I wonder if oil prices are as high as they are due really or solely to the economics of supply and demand, or due, at least in part, merely to keep the dollar afloat. Remember, the higher the price of oil, the more the dollars needed to buy it.
Re: World after oil
I would like to add two points
People that say oil lasts 80 odd more years so it's not my problem...well i'm afraid it is..if oil will only last 80 more years you can bet the price will sky rocket in YOUR life time, YOU can bet people/countries will start wars as we are seeing trying to control the limited oil we have....so ofcourse it affects us
If an alternative is found, depending on what it is we could see the more developed countries trying to control the NEW source of energy if they can, trying to stop it getting to third world countries in order to stop their economic development...If this new source of energy is located in SOME areas of the globe, then you can bet that those areas will become unstable, wars will break out and the whole cycle of politics, self interest will be repeated but with the new source of energy in mind...
Re: World after oil
You have to understand that OPEC production quotas are set in proportion to each member state's oil reserves, so many OPEC nations have exaggerated their "proven" oil reserves just to sell more oil.
Dubai is expected to run out of oil in another 9 years. Saudis are injecting pressurized water or gas into their oil wells to get oil out of wells that once didn't even require a pump. UK was once exporting gas but now it's all being consumed domestically. Existing oil fields are tired and wore out. It's time for nuclear power plants. Dump the radioactive waste on moon until it starts glowing green 24/7.
Re: World after oil
I was watching CNN investigative report on "Oil". Brazil has done a lot with flex fuel vehicle. World needs to follow the same league. Most of them are being held hostage by Big Oil.
World will change in sense that Middle East will not be centre of world politics. United States will stay away from it. China will replace it.
Leaderships will remain the same. Terrorists won't be affected by it.