Tag Archives: History of technology

Energy transitions: is everything different this time?

Posted on June 23, 2016 by

The debate about whether transition to low-carbon energy would be faster or slower than previous energy transitions somewhat misses the point. The real problem is whether this time everything is different and whether the low-carbon energy revolution will be complete … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecomodernism, Energy, History of technology | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

What the necessity mothers: energy shortage and the development of copper smelting furnaces, 1900-1980

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

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 , , | 1 Comment