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Category Archives: Scarcities and constraints
Book review: McAfee (2019), More from Less
This is an interesting book which could be a good book if its key message – that technology and capitalism will decouple economic growth from resource use in time to prevent serious ecological disruption – were supported by research. This, … Continue reading
Posted in Ecomodernism, Economy and the Environment, Scarcities and constraints
Tagged Book review, Capitalism, Decoupling, Economics
3 Comments
Post-scarcity: a research review (in progress!)
I’ve been slowly going through research literature on post-scarcity and so-called scarcity, abundance and sufficiency (SAS) school of thought. TL;DR version: post-scarcity economy, where the economic problem of production has for all intents and purposes been solved and all the basic … Continue reading
Necessity is the mother of inventors: my PhD lecture
The following is the traditional Lectio praecursoria a doctoral candidate in Finland gives to the audience before his/her PhD defence. This one is mine, delivered on 12th December 2017. Esteemed custos, esteemed opponent, ladies and gentlemen! You all are probably … Continue reading
Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints
Tagged Essays, Innovation, PhD, Research
6 Comments
100% renewables and 100% nuclear are both practically impossible
I’ve been following with interest how some nuclear power advocates are suggesting that building anything else than nuclear power is sidetracking us from the climate goals. These advocates claim that variable, non-dispatchable renewables will not be ultimately capable of delivering … Continue reading
Graphic of the Week: The hidden “fuels” of renewable energy
It is well known that there is no such thing as a free lunch. However, it is somewhat less known that there is no such thing as free energy, either. Despite all the hoopla about new renewable energy sources being … Continue reading
Posted in Ecomodernism, Infographics, Scarcities and constraints
Tagged Constraints, Energy, Graphic of the week, Nuclear, Renewables
41 Comments
On the relationship between regulation, technological change and competitiveness
Translation of my presentation in the 38th Ilmansuojelupäivät in Lappeenranta, Finland, 20.8.2013 If we deconstruct the topic of the panel, “is environmental protection a threat or an opportunity to a country’s competitiveness,” sooner or later we will end up considering … Continue reading
What the necessity mothers: energy shortage and the development of copper smelting furnaces, 1900-1980
An old adage tells us that necessity is the mother of invention. But if necessity were the prime mover of invention, why, then, there are so many really nifty technologies – say, antigravity – that would be obviously useful, yet … Continue reading
Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints
Tagged Copper, History of technology, PhD
1 Comment
Crises are “come as you are” events, not springboards, simulations say
My PhD research topic deals with resource constraints and, by implication, resource shocks such as the oil crisis of 1973 – and the current slow-mo energy crisis. What I’m trying to do is to sort out whether sudden constraints, such … Continue reading
Posted in Notes in process, Scarcities and constraints, Simulations
Tagged Constraints, Innovation, Research, Simulations
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