Politics has paralyzed the energy debate by ideologizing it. Where to begin with the divides? Conservationist versus productionist. East versus West. Left versus Right. As long as the debate remains mired in these categories, there probably won’t be a very good answer to the problems which face the world.

One key insight that can help is this simple truth – there are huge environmental benefits to cheap, clean energy. If you look at the earth from outer space the single biggest evidence of human pollution is a cloud over south Asia caused by people burning (ineptly) coal, wood, tires, animal dung, etc. If all of that combustion were replaced by combustion of clean burning petroleum products the world would be a better place. If any of it is replaced by alternatives to petroleum like nukes or solar or wind even better.