Our Fragile Energy Economy
The Great Simplification #83 with Doomberg
This week…
Today, I’m joined by Doomberg - the pseudonymous energy/finance analyst team (visually presenting as a talking chicken icon) who uses an energy lens to analyze global economic trends. In this wide ranging discussion, we cover the interactions between geopolitics, debt, climate policy, and - of course - energy. While there were areas of divergence between Doomberg and I, we agreed on a large number of central issues, and this episode resulted in new perspectives I hadn’t previously considered. I.e. it has gotten me thinking.
In May of 2021, Doomberg was started by a team of professionals experienced in heavy industry, private equity, and the hard sciences to highlight the energy fundamentals missing from many economic and policy decisions, and it quickly grew to be one of the most widely read finance newsletters on Substack. Doomberg covers topics from energy, finance, to the economy at large, in an attempt to improve society's thinking and clarity to complex problems.
How have the narratives created around different types of energy - from renewables to nuclear - affected current policy making around the world? Will the increasingly precarious state of the global debt and monetary system shift the geopolitical landscape? How have increasing global tensions combined with a rise in green energy policy affected nations’ desire for energy security - and what does it mean for future policy as we enter a period of decreasing energy availability?
In case you missed it…
This 20+ min reflection breaks down the simple - and important - takeaway that in addition to fighting for lower carbon ways of living, we are going to also have to prepare for lower energy/material throughput, more local/regional, and more (intensely) social futures. Which for the most part we are not. It's time (many) more people link the climate crisis, with the meta-crisis, with the biophysical phase shift of global economies.
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This was a really interesting discussion.
I wonder if we could re-frame the discussion.
In the interest of global stability, once the west have developed a safe, reliable SMR, would it not be in our best interest to gift this technology to developing nations?
In the example mentioned about Thailand increasing coal production by 2040; this would not be needed if they were getting super cheap, clean electricity and process heat from nuclear energy.
Train them to operate it, train them to maintain it. Develop ties between countries based on science education and respect. Surely this is better all round than gifting aid to countries?
Stop giving them fish! Start teaching them to make nets.
If we want to ensure quality of life and continued increasing prosperity, I don’t see an alternative...