The Final Word by Jim Thompson


I think the “energy crisis” is once again over and people will go back to their old ways, to some extent. With a nearly 50% drop in the price of crude oil and other economic worries on people’s minds, energy will move to the back of the line, as it has as a culmination to every energy crisis thus far. This crisis has, like the ones that preceded it, proved helpful in notching up the technology for alternatives. However, again, like the others, when the price of oil comes down, the rate of return for alternative sources comes down, too. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next 12-24 months—can those seriously concerned about alternatives keep up the momentum or will it fizzle as in the past?