This type of geopolitical conspiracy would be easy to dismiss from any other source, but speculation of an imminent de-dollarization by some of the world’s largest oil consumers is even more chilling when it’s penned by one of Britain’s most celebrated international journalists…

As Canadians flock to the polls later this month, quietly supplying 22% of America’s oil and 13% of its natural gas, its neighbours to the south have barely noticed. Cross-border oil flows are inevitable – given that America controls of a mere 2% of the world’s reserves and consumes almost 25% of supply – and securing its long-term petroleum assumes the full participation of Alberta’s carbon-rich tar sands and the off-shore bounty at Hibernia. Even Governor Palin’s Wildlife Reserve is virtually useless without passage by pipe across Canada’s Western provinces. Given the importance of “Securing America’s Energy Future” during a twin election year, it’s surprising that talk hasn’t returned to NAFTA, cleaner energy, or agricultural subsidies. Then again, maybe it isn’t…

…

Assuming that the United States decides to impose a $25 per barrel tariff on all imported oil (crude and product) – and Canada and Mexico were not exempt — let’s explore how this might affect:

a. The volume of oil imported into the United States?

Volume responses to a $25 tariff would vary over time. In the near-term, there would only be a negligible decrease in the volume of oil imported (given a low short-run elasticity of energy demand) as industries, supply chains, and consumers remain highly dependent on existing petroleum infrastructure. The redistribution of the tariff (with tax reductions) would partially offset the incremental cost to businesses and consumers, but the policy is unlikely to completely offset the macroeconomic effects of a…

An excerpt from the mid-term “problem set” in ENR-302…

3. The country of Xanadu is dependent of the use of domestically produced methanol for 100% of its energy needs. The price of methanol is set by a competitive market and the fuel is priced at $2.50 per gallon. Two large companies supply 80% of the market and each has costs of $1.50 per gallon. The opposition party and most of the national labor unions argue that these two companies are making obscene profits. They demand that the President place a mandatory price cap of $2.00 on the price of methanol to prevent “this abuse of market power.”

Assume that the elasticity of demand is 0.4 and the elasticity of supply is 0.8.…

The Economist has a knack for understanding leading indicators, be they economic, financial or political. This time, Russia falls under the looking glass, and the rise of the siloviki present yet another cause for Western concern. With allied hands tied in the Middle East chasing volatile natural resources and battling a crisis of confidence here at home, Putin & Co. apparently don’t need an invitation to continue consolidating their grip on one of the world’s largest and most important geopolitical economies…

As politicians and investors cast their enthusiastic support behind the legislation and technology necessary to christen the “New Age of Ethanol”, consensus among the world’s leading scientists is still critical at best. From hungry Mexicans to enraged environmentalists to ruffled foreign dignitaries, the real cost of ethanol has become increasingly obvious to all but the most cynical energy hucksters. Fueled by agricultural protectionism and the pressing drive for “energy independence”, the Ethanol Lobby is now humming on all cylinders, and if Runge and Senauer are right, that might spell disaster far beyond the pumps…

A Nationalist Manifesto

There are too many elephants in the room. During our teens it was understandable, but this country is almost 140 years old. It’s time to stop ignoring the obvious. The 21st century might be filled with promise, but not if we don’t change course.

As it stands, we are far too dependant on natural resources, and they’re far too dependant on us. Our Prime Minister, under a majority mandate, is essentially a dictator. Our immigrants are both our biggest asset and our biggest liability. China is real. So is Afghanistan. We spend nearly $150 billion a year on a crippled healthcare system and throwing more money at the problem will not make it work. Our best and brightest are quick to jump ship. Canada’s GDP…

How to Prevent a Blackout
A Beginners’ Guide

On August 14, 2003, my lawnmower died. It was 4:10 pm and the perfect weather for gardening. Suspecting a simple neighbourhood brownout, I resigned myself to reading in the afternoon sun. Power failure wasn’t uncommon during the steamy, air-conditioned months of summer, but as I discovered hours later, this outage was anything but common. At its height, the blackout of 2003 plunged nearly fifty million people into darkness, and it would be days before power returned to the furthest reaches of the grid. Subways and office towers were evacuated, streetlights pulsed hypnotically as pedestrians guided traffic, hospitals and prisons switched to backup diesel generators, and beer and melting ice cream were shared with eager…