@ Octavious, that is very interesting on the Severn Barrage, have you a link please?

@fulhamish Nobody except your strawman ever suggested there is such a thing as a quick fix for this.

@ Putin:

Here is an easily read pie chart for you showing the comparative paucity of Algerian oil reserves:
http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/330.htm

Here is a graph showing 2012 discoveries - note Algeria is not named
http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Africa_8/THE-OIL-AND-GAS-WINDFALL.shtml

Here is a written piece on the topic:
http://euanmearns.com/post-peak-algeria/

And another one on the vast potential for renewables in the country:
http://inspiremagazine.anasr.org/feature-renewable-energy-development-in-algeria/

It might be that new major fossil fuel discoveries are around the corner, but for now the above links nicely sum up the position.

Note I will not respond to the personal insult given in your post.

@ MoW your principal link certainly did suggest a quick fix: ''So what the hell are we waiting for? Let’s start getting more solar panels on some rooftops and start chipping away at those boxes!''

Heck the paper did not even refer to roof-top anything, even solar panels. Try sticking this on your roof:

''Solar thermal power plants are systems concentrating the sunlight. The light is
reflected by the surface of a mirror and, in case of a Parabolic Trough or Linear
Fresnel system, directed to a central absorber tube, where synthetic heat-transfer
oil is heated up to 400 °C or steam is directly produced by evaporating water. In
case of oil cooling, the oil is led to a heat exchanger, where the energy can be
transferred to evaporate water. The resulting steam drives a steam turbine, which
in the end generates electric current. ''

A few people I know are using solar power with "central absorber tubes" on their roofs to heat a pool in summer and a garage in winter just by recirculating water. Solar power doesn't have to be electric in northern countries. I don't know the costs but glass tubes aren't that expensive.

As mentioned previously, though, solar systems are most economical in tropical countries. Deserts work great for large scale solar thermal power plants and there are a few less developed nations with limited electric power looking into building a few pilot plants to scale up to larger ones.

@ Theodosius. I thoroughly agree. Please see my previous comment on solar water heating v. pv in a UK context. Thermal panels are around 60 - 70 % efficient v. pv at around 15- 20 % (albeit improving all the time). Putting aside the subsidies it is a no-brainer, but as I said previously nowhere near as sexy.
A good compromise for the individual would be to link up the pv to an immersion heater. Hence, you get the subsidy and use most/all of the electricity generated at peak sunshine yourself.

Although solar during the day and gas at night can be done, it's tough sell economically since two plants are being built and run instead of just one. Once the tech is there, I'm sure it'll be done, but economics won't be the driving force.

Water scarcity is another up-and-coming problem, with many important aquifers around the world being close to running dry from being depleted faster than they can regenerate for decades. A lot of water pipelines have been built lately, some across entire countries. A lot of countries are have also been experiencing 1-in-250 to 1-in-750 year droughts or floods over the last decade or two, which complicates water supply issues.

And why is Theo dragging this issue into this discussion?

Most future power plants require large amounts of water. Nuclear, solar thermal systems, they all require water. And with less available fresh water worldwide, pumping water from farther and farther away or using desalination plants both require lots of power. So what I am trying to say is that, even if the population was not growing, power use would still grow exponentially. Finding cheap and reliable power will become a much bigger issue for the next generation. And for some areas, water.

@fulhamish, I might put in a system like that the next time I replace my water heater. Either that or use it to heat my garage since its furnace is past its best-before date.

It would have a 8-12 year payback, depending on where I guess natural gas prices will go.

Well if you use it to heat your water you will have your own little mini renewable energy storage system .....and no nasty and/or expensive batteries required. Parochial, but effective.

"Here is a graph showing 2012 discoveries - note Algeria is not named
http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/Africa_8/THE-OIL-AND-GAS-WINDFALL.shtml"

http://magharebia.com/en_GB/articles/awi/features/2013/11/14/feature-04

Oh well two year old information should be good enough to make claims, right?

And if what I said was an "insult" then every post you make is an insult. Stop being so thin skinned.

Also so much for not finding oil fields in 2012.

http://www.1derrick.com/pttep-finds-two-oil-fields-in-algeria/2998/

Also if Algeria is running out of oil somebody better tell the oil companies.

http://www.sonatrach.com/en/articles.html

If Algeria were running out of oil, maybe they'd finally get the brilliant idea to turn the Sahara into the world's solar power center.

http://www.theafricareport.com/North-Africa/algerias-new-discoveries-may-double-gas-output-says-minister.html

And isn't it odd that they're doubling production if they're running out soon?

To repeat a chart which you ignored

http://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/data_graphs/330.htm
Given the portion at 12 billion how much larger proportionately will that discovery make Algeria's share of the pie? Negligible I am afraid

Note: it is highly likely that the other countries given in the data have also made similar, if not higher discoveries in the interim. For example, in no particular order
http://www.repsol.com/es_en/corporacion/prensa/notas-de-prensa/ultimas-notas/21102013-repsol-realiza-libia-descubrimiento-petroleo-gran-calidad.aspx
http://en.mercopress.com/2013/07/27/six-key-oil-gas-discoveries-of-2013-who-s-worth-owning
http://www.cges.co.uk/news/1011-four-recent-oil-and-gas-discoveries-in-2013
You will note from these references, and there are plenty more where they came from, that the Algerian discovery you give is small beer.

And of course there is the issue of rising Algerian domestic consumption.

https://estore.enerdata.net/algeria-energy.html

And I think that I have already given this one, but it bears repetition:

http://euanmearns.com/post-peak-algeria/

Again no insults from me just objective facts.

Goalposts and moving?

''Where does this notion that Algeria's oil is running out come from? Or are certain people allowed to make stuff up? They are discovering oilfields left and right.''

Oilfields last night and gas tonight?

So you're argument is because other countries have more oil, Algeria is running out of oil.

Sorry your "objective facts" are nothing but your own interpretations. Algeria is increasing production and discovery new oil fields in unexplored regions. It'd have more oil but the crisis has decreased the money in it. You ignored the fact that Algeria is set to double production. Naturally.

No insults here either. Never were before either.

What goalposts? Explain why Algeria is set to double production and the oil companies don't seem to share your opinion on the matter.

Yes I agree bo sox. And here is a reference I gave earlier which understandably got ignored :

http://inspiremagazine.anasr.org/feature-renewable-energy-development-in-algeria/

This is all you need to see:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Fullneed.jpg/800px-Fullneed.jpg

''Algeria is set to double (oil) production.''

Reference please.

@ bo we went over that map earlier in the thread.

I provided you the reference. Keep ignoring.

http://www.pipelineme.com/news/regional-news/2014/01/algeria-looks-to-double-oil-and-gas-output/

Sorry by 50%.

The minister said that Algeria’s current gas reserves were between 25 to 30 trillion cubic feet and that in 2013, as a result of drilling 32 new oil wells, 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent had been discovered – this is thought to be three times the number discovered in 2012.

The newswire quoted the minister as saying that Algeria would increase oil production by 50 per cent from the current 1.2 million bpd in the next 10 years.

So why are they increasing oil production by 50% if they're running out?

Did you? Well then I guess we're on the same page.

Once again crickets.

Not long now to England v India. Hopefully a home 5 test series will see something of a revival for England. The new blood is showing genuine promise.

I suggest, very politely that you reread your reference and get back to us. It mentioned the new 1 billion barrel oil field which you have already given us and I have commented on. However, the headline of your reference should help give you a clue what the thrust of the piece is. Here it is:
''Algeria's new discoveries may double gas output, says minister''

Note the key word - gas.

OK so the claim is now a further 4 billion barrels. Again look at that pie chart and decide how significant such an amount is. Particularly as shale discoveries are made and come on tap throughout the world. Algeria is a small time player dwarfed by the big boys who can barely keep up with their discovery rate, even using new technology. Their economy totally relies on oil and gas to maintain their domestic standard of living and they are using it up at a rapid rate. Their domestic consumption too is rising inexorably (please do read the references I gave) and they are just about the weakest member of OPEC. The boom will stop soon and then without a plan, such as suggested by Bo, the train will well and truly hit the buffers.

Post-peak Algeria?
Posted on March 21, 2014 by Euan Mearns

• Algerian exports of oil and gas, mainly to Europe, peaked in 2005 and have since fallen by 24% / 628,000 barrels oil equivalent per day [1]. Those countries thinking of switching supplies from Russia had best not look to Algeria, N Africa’s biggest gas producer and exporter.
• The Algerian economy is dominated by oil and gas production and exports. The country is a member of OPEC and is one of the more stable countries in N Africa.
• The country’s population has grown from 15 million in 1970 to 39 million today [2]. Per capita energy consumption has not changed significantly since the early 80s but population growth has driven gross domestic energy consumption up. Sharply rising electricity consumption [1] must surely bear witness to rising living standards.
• From 1965 to 2005 Algeria witnessed an immense rise in oil and gas production from 27 to 166 million tonnes oil equivalent per annum in 2005 (0.54 to 3.32 million barrels oil equivalent per day). But since 2005 oil production has declined and gas production has been static / in slow decline. This combined with rising domestic consumption has given rise to a steep drop in exports of both oil and gas [1]. This is one marker for the squeeze on global energy supplies since 2005.

http://euanmearns.com/post-peak-algeria/