Getting off oil

Amory Lovins argues that the world is entering a transition away from oil driven by the economic superiority of energy efficiency. He highlights the potential for ultralight hybrid vehicles, the role of the U.S. Pentagon in driving material innovation to reduce logistics risks, and estimates that eliminating U.S. oil use by the 2040s would cost $15 per barrel. The text suggests that this shift is already being adopted by companies like Wal-Mart and Boeing.

• The author argues that a transition beyond oil has begun, driven by the fact that saving oil is consistently cheaper than purchasing it. Efficiency investments are described as irreversible 'ratchets' because fuel-frugal infrastructure is not removed even if fuel prices decrease.
• In the automotive sector, 20 new hybrid models were expected to enter the American market in 2007. The author suggests that combining ultralight designs, plug-in hybrid technology, and biofuels could eventually result in petrol efficiency 30 times the current norm.
• The document estimates that eliminating oil use in the United States by the 2040s would cost $15 per barrel, which was one-fifth of the 2006 price. This process would involve halving American barrels burnt per dollar of GDP through efficiency technologies and replacing remaining oil with advanced biofuels and saved natural gas.
• The author posits that the U.S. Pentagon will become a leading driver in the transition off oil to reduce the risk and cost associated with vulnerable fuel convoys and roadside bombs. This military shift is expected to accelerate the development of ultralight materials for civilian use.
• Corporate examples of the transition include Wal-Mart, which aimed for trucks to be twice as efficient by 2015 to save over $300m annually, and Boeing, with the 20%-more-efficient 787 aircraft.

APA

Lovins, A. (2007). Getting off oil. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E06-08_GettingOffOil_World2007.pdf

Chicago

Lovins, Amory. Getting off oil. RMI, 2007. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E06-08_GettingOffOil_World2007.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lovins |first1=Amory |title=Getting off oil |publisher=RMI |date=2007 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E06-08_GettingOffOil_World2007.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lovins2007getting, author = {Lovins, Amory}, title = {{Getting off oil}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2007}, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/05/RMI_Document_Repository_Public-Reprts_E06-08_GettingOffOil_World2007.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }