Energyphile

07/04/2021

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01/04/2021

When we think spring break, we picture sandy beaches, rolling waves and … oil derricks? Up until the 1970s, they were a common site on California’s shores. Messy Nessy Chic offers a cheeky look at the state’s history “built on oil.”

It looks like a scene out of a dystopian horror movie foreshadowing our planet's bleak future. But not very long ago, this was California, the (black) golden state. I guess I never really understood…

26/03/2021

“The automobile, with its internal combustion engine, was far more complicated than a horse and buggy.

As more and more cars rolled off assembly lines in the early 20th century, an entire ecosystem of parts companies followed. The spark plug featured this week may look simple, but it was a vital engine component around which many companies sprung.

Electric vehicles have far fewer moving parts — mostly a motor, drivetrain and wheels. Much of the componentry now is electronics and software. Not surprisingly, these technology companies are forming their own rapidly growing ecosystem.” ~Peter Tertzakian

For more on the emergence of specialty auto parts manufacturers, visit philespace.energyphile.org/V0062.

25/03/2021

Introducing Disruption, a new CBC Calgary podcast exploring the profound challenges of sudden energy transition, cohosted by Peter Tertzakian and Tony Seskus. Each episode will feature an object from our Energyphile collection.

Learn more at energyphile.org/blog-disruption1/.

19/03/2021

“EV companies are proliferating, but only a few of them will make the cut. Not because of bad product, but because they may not have access to the full supply chain of raw materials.

As demand for EV batteries increases, access to upstream components — raw minerals like graphite, nickel and lithium — may get more limited, and more expensive. To help mitigate that risk, EV companies will need closely integrated manufacturing processes, starting back at the source.

The fragmentation of the automotive industry into independent parts suppliers is a late-20th-century phenomenon. When it began, operations were fully integrated. As this week’s vignette of Ford’s Rouge Plant shows, the automaker had the in-house capability to go from iron ore to ready-to-drive automobile.

Over the next decade at least, the EV makers with fully independent supply chains will hold a distinct advantage.” ~Peter Tertzakian

For more on Ford’s “world-famous” Rouge Plant — and why it was once considered a top tourist attraction — visit https://philespace.energyphile.org/V0015.

17/03/2021

A 1947 postcard inspired “When Stoke Stokes,” a story about images that reflect and influence our energy beliefs. While today’s focus is on ESG performance, just 70 years ago, smoky emissions were something to brag about.

Read the story at energyphile.org/when-stoke-stokes/ or listen to it on the Energyphile podcast.

In 1947 England, a man sends his daughter a postcard featuring smoke-belching factories. Why was such an image glorified? The answer is how we define prosperity.

12/03/2021

“Oil prices have percolated back above US$65 per barrel again — a price that seemed inconceivable a few months ago.

Will oil and gas companies start drilling again? For answers, I look at this century-old photo, which was the inspiration for my story ‘The Investor Visit.’ In it, a hardened investor makes a site visit, realizing the company is using last-generation technology and exercising poor environmental practices. He’s not impressed.

Today, investors in Western, free-market oil and gas companies similarly expect producers to use the latest technologies for reducing costs and mitigating emissions. They’re also hardening demands for more stringent ESG performance. Their priorities are having a significant effect on the industry.

So, while leading companies will drill again at these higher oil prices, investors will set the rules on how much they produce and the processes they use — much as they always have.” ~Peter Tertzakian

For more on the photograph that inspired “The Investor Visit,” visit philespace.energyphile.org/V0038.

11/03/2021

The transition from horse and buggy to automobiles was met with skepticism. Horses were seen as reliable and less expensive. Elon Musk recently joked they are also “self-driving.” But automakers were quick to highlight the disadvantages of the “old” mode of transport, like in this comic from a 1914 Ford Times magazine, which depicts a slow, rickety and uncomfortable ride.

Read more about the Ford Times in the Model T era at philespace.energyphile.org/V0016 .