Tag Archives: Constraints

Graphic of the Week: What’s the required build rate for a sustainable energy system?

Posted on January 23, 2014 by

One aspect of energy system that’s largely ignored is the ultimate sustainable capacity that can be achieved with a given rate of installation. Accustomed as we are to news about renewables breaking new installation records, we may overlook the fact … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecomodernism, Infographics, Simulations | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Graphic of the Week: The hidden “fuels” of renewable energy

Posted on November 29, 2013 by

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 , , , , | 39 Comments

On the relationship between regulation, technological change and competitiveness

Posted on August 21, 2013 by

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 →

Posted in History of technology, Innovation, Scarcities and constraints | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Crises are “come as you are” events, not springboards, simulations say

Posted on August 15, 2011 by

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 , , , | Leave a comment