Comments on: Remember When Gas Was Cheap? http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/ A Future Look at Today Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:38:37 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Future of Energy - The Short and Long Term Price of Oil | Evolution Shift - David Houle, Futurist, Disintermediation, Future Trends, Future of Energy http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/comment-page-1/#comment-64628 Future of Energy - The Short and Long Term Price of Oil | Evolution Shift - David Houle, Futurist, Disintermediation, Future Trends, Future of Energy Sat, 09 Aug 2008 03:53:25 +0000 http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/#comment-64628 [...] years ago in this blog, I wrote a futuristic column from April 20, 2009. The title of the column was “Remember When Gas Was Cheap?” At that time I [...] [...] years ago in this blog, I wrote a futuristic column from April 20, 2009. The title of the column was “Remember When Gas Was Cheap?” At that time I [...]

]]> By: valerie http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/comment-page-1/#comment-36 valerie Wed, 03 May 2006 22:46:02 +0000 http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/#comment-36 what about the energy policy act of 2005? it's not great but at least it does have lots of incentives for alternative fuel vehicles and hybrids as well as conservation and energy efficiency. Also a surprsiing 4.3 billion tax break for nuclear power, which may be considered an option again, even though we still haven't figured out how to handle the wastes. Maybe people don't see it as 'a clear energy policy' because there are so many pieces to the act? Overall I strongly agree with your scenario that petroleum prices are finally rising to the point where we will seriously purse alternatives. what about the energy policy act of 2005? it’s not great but at least it does have lots of incentives for alternative fuel vehicles and hybrids as well as conservation and energy efficiency. Also a surprsiing 4.3 billion tax break for nuclear power, which may be considered an option again, even though we still haven’t figured out how to handle the wastes.

Maybe people don’t see it as ‘a clear energy policy’ because there are so many pieces to the act?

Overall I strongly agree with your scenario that petroleum prices are finally rising to the point where we will seriously purse alternatives.

]]> By: david http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/comment-page-1/#comment-31 david Sun, 30 Apr 2006 15:46:35 +0000 http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/#comment-31 you may be right on the gas tax, but I think you will be surprised about how 'green' the 2008 presidential campaign will be. you may be right on the gas tax, but I think you will be surprised about how ‘green’ the 2008 presidential campaign will be.

]]> By: Steve Garrison http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/comment-page-1/#comment-30 Steve Garrison Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:48:08 +0000 http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/#comment-30 I think your scenario seems plausible, though I'd differ on a few points. First, I think that any gas tax would be the first thing to go as gas prices begin to escalate. Politicians would be worried that they'd be seen as "making a bad situation worse" by "forcing the poor to pay even more for their gas" or something of that nature. If anything, it might even be subsidized in part (for certain people) by the government seeking to curb everyone's gas worries. Second, the notion of presidents "out-greening" each other sounds great, but implausible. There are surely going to be other issues besides rising energy prices that politicians will be concerned with, and they will also try to put a spin on it that has nothing to do with green-ness. For example, they may say we have to redouble our efforts to drill in previously noncost-effective oil fields, or they may say we need to strike back at OPEC in some fashion. I think your scenario seems plausible, though I’d differ on a few points. First, I think that any gas tax would be the first thing to go as gas prices begin to escalate. Politicians would be worried that they’d be seen as “making a bad situation worse” by “forcing the poor to pay even more for their gas” or something of that nature. If anything, it might even be subsidized in part (for certain people) by the government seeking to curb everyone’s gas worries. Second, the notion of presidents “out-greening” each other sounds great, but implausible. There are surely going to be other issues besides rising energy prices that politicians will be concerned with, and they will also try to put a spin on it that has nothing to do with green-ness. For example, they may say we have to redouble our efforts to drill in previously noncost-effective oil fields, or they may say we need to strike back at OPEC in some fashion.

]]> By: david http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/comment-page-1/#comment-24 david Thu, 27 Apr 2006 22:32:36 +0000 http://www.evolutionshift.com/blog/2006/04/20/remember-when-gas-was-cheap/#comment-24 George - You certainly could be right. However, keep in mind the influence of panic and bad news on gas prices. Where might good news be coming from in the next couple of months? Also, the lead time for an automotive company to retool is years. The good news is that the higher the price of gas, the greater economic incentive for other types of energy and the greater the urge to alter behavior. George – You certainly could be right. However, keep in mind the influence of panic and bad news on gas prices. Where might good news be coming from in the next couple of months? Also, the lead time for an automotive company to retool is years. The good news is that the higher the price of gas, the greater economic incentive for other types of energy and the greater the urge to alter behavior.

]]>