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Energy crises in perspective

DEC 01, 1973
Estimates of US energy resources and projections of future energy consumption show that the country has enough fossil fuel to last 500 years and enough nuclear fuel to last for a million years.
John C. Fisher

How real and long lasting is the current energy crisis? There is reason to believe that domestic fossil fuels will continue to be available, at slowly declining prices (in constant dollars), in adequate amounts to support total anticipated energy consumption of the US and the world for many centuries. There is also every reason to believe that domestic nuclear fuels will continue to be available, at slowly declining prices (in constant dollars), in adequate amounts to support total anticipated energy consumption for many millenia. If nuclear fuels or other energy sources take an increased proportion of the load, the fossil fuels will last correspondingly longer. Thus, the current energy crisis, although very real, should be viewed as a transient perturbation of the long‐term trajectory of our energy economy.

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References

  1. 1. P. K. Theobald, S. P. Schweinfurth, D.C. Duncan, Energy Resources of the United States, Geological Survey Circular 650, US (Geological Survey, Washington, D.C. (1972).

  2. 2. A. B. Cambel, et al., Energy R&D and National Progress: Finding and Conclusions US Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. (1966).

More about the authors

John C. Fisher, General Electric Company Power Generation Business Group, New York City.

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This Content Appeared In
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Volume 26, Number 12

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