Juggling Dynamite

Unlike most people who share their opinions and biases about energy and climate, Mark Z Jacobson has been an independent environmental and energy engineering expert focused on math-based solutions for the last thirty years. His most recent book “100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything” is my go-to daily reference to refute the misinformation widely circulated in favour of nuclear and fossil fuel expansion. There is also a lot of money to save in this transition. Worth the time to listen, read his book, and take recommended steps without delay.

Mark is a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and director of its Atmosphere/Energy Program. He is also a co-founder of the non-profit, Solutions Project. His most recent book “100% Clean, Renewable Energy and Storage for Everything” is out and available now. Here is a direct video link.

One key stat: existing renewable power and storage technologies will reduce the world’s annual energy use by about 57%. The graphic below summarizes the solutions project’s engineering blueprints for individual countries and cities.

Worthwhile discussion in this segment.

For decades now, nations have been taking on debt far faster than their GDP has grown. They’ve kept the borrowing binge alive by having their central banks conspire to push interest rates ever lower. But that process is unsustainable. It’s a limited-time swindle that ends when the debt service costs become too onerous. And the massive amounts of new debt issued in the wake of the pandemic have rocketed us down much of the remaining limited amount of road the system had left until it reaches its day of reckoning, portfolio manager Michael Lebowitz cautions. Here is a direct video link.

Here’s the CAPE chart since 1900 which Michael references.

There’s also the CEO pay to average worker chart to mull in this discussion, enjoy!

Danielle was a guest with Jim Goddard on Talk Digital Network, talking about recent developments in the world economy and markets. You can listen to an audio clip of the segment here.

Footnote fact correction:  The Euro peaked in Jan 2008 at 1.59 USD, not “nearly 2 to 1” as mis-spoke in this segment.