Peak Oil and Energy Independence: Myth and Reality

Despite the recent uptick in production of natural gas and liquid fuels in the United States, increasing energy resource scarcity and reliance on unconventional fossil fuel sources will make energy independence for the nation very unlikely. Rather, geologists, economists, environmentalists, and resource managers are looking with interest at when the use of fossil fuels is expected to peak—will that occurrence be driven by the market or by supply? What level will emissions reach before this peak is reached?