Adjusting the economy to the new energy realities of the second half of the age of oil

David J. Murphy and Charles A.S. Hall

Ecological Modelling, 2011, vol. 223, issue 1, 67-71

Abstract: Our research indicates that, due to the depletion of conventional, and hence cheap, crude oil supplies (i.e. peak oil), increasing the supply of oil in the future would require exploiting lower quality resources (i.e. expensive), and thus will most likely occur only at high prices. This situation creates a system of feedbacks where economic growth, which requires more oil, would require high oil prices that will undermine that economic growth. We conclude that the economic growth of the past 40 years is unlikely to continue unless there is some remarkable change in how we manage our economy.

Keywords: Peak oil; EROI; Economic growth; Energy; Prices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:223:y:2011:i:1:p:67-71

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.06.022

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