If peak oil had a modern-hero, Matt Simmons would certainly be on the list of candidates.
Recently, he predicted BP’s bankruptcy by the end of July and proposed to Bloomberg that we nuke the Gulf of Mexico seabed back to the stone age.
Although he is more often recognized for his outlandish oil price predictions (no, we haven’t hit $300 per barrel… yet), and author of a book you should have read by now – Twilight in the Desert, Simmons is shifting gears once again.
This time, he’s got his sights set on Ammonia. As you can see in the image above, ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. Simmons’ plan is to utilize offshore wind energy to produce ammonia, which can be used as a fuel.
The goal is to replace oil.
It’s a long shot, and perhaps decades away from becoming a reality.
According to Simmons, “Imagine a series of 50-megawatt power plants from Washington County to Casco Bay that are sending electricity to barges with desalinization plants on board.”
Personally, I’m not holding my breath, but it’s refreshing to see new ideas take shape. I’ll keep a close eye on this one, and if you have any thoughts, please feel free to send in your comments.
Keith Kohl
Editor, Energy and Capital
