BP Charting Tool

For all the armchair engineers out there - BP has developed and released an Energy Charting Tool. It's an effective communication tool and helps portray the magnitude of the challenge faced by people intent on reducing global emissions from fossil based energy sources.

(Thanks to NEI for finding this page/link)

I worked to generate a trend of the available fossil fuelled energy sources along with electrical energy demand. Notice the distinct course adjustment around 2001-02. This reflects concerns raised by science / climate monitoring groups that I (and others) mentioned before. One thing's for certain - there is no evidence to suggest conservation efforts are bearing significant fruit (i.e. helping emissions achieve 1990 levels). But conservation and efficiency have most probably helped keep the trends from looking even more dire (i.e. heading north at a faster rate).

Total World Consumption: Orange-Coal, Red-Gas, Blue-Oil
Total World Electricity Consumption - Green line

Clearly - if you are serious about emissions reduction - not enough is being done. I'll say it again - it is not all that productive to insist another country reduce 'their' emissions. The displacement of a large fossil emitter has the same impact on global emissions whether it is in China, India, Brazil, New Zealand or Australia. Since we are each most able to control our own destiny, the easiest place to begin is here at home. And because we are such an emissions outlier - we have an obligation to lead the effort.

Here's the nuclear trend (purple) for the same period - as you would expect in this blog. I've also included Hydro (red). It's the only other no/low carbon emissions energy source significant enough to make the BP web page.

We can do better, but we need large quantities of bulk, reliable no/low emissions power. And for that - there is only nuclear.