Getting off oil

The text posits that energy efficiency investments are irreversible and more cost-effective than purchasing oil. It highlights the potential for ultralight materials, plug-in hybrids, and biofuels to drastically reduce oil consumption, suggesting that the US could eliminate its oil use by the 2040s at a cost of $15 per barrel. The author emphasizes the role of corporate strategy (e.g., Wal-Mart, Boeing, Ford) and the US Pentagon in driving these technological leaps to enhance economic profitability and national security.

• The author claims that the United States could eliminate its oil use by the 2040s at a cost of $15 per barrel, which was one-fifth of the oil price in 2006.
• Energy efficiency is presented as a superior financial choice because it is always cheaper to save oil than to buy it, and these investments provide irreversible benefits that continue even if fuel prices drop.
• Technological advancements in transportation, such as ultralight petrol-hybrid SUVs and plug-in hybrids, could significantly reduce oil demand; specifically, certain designs in America could save 8 million barrels of oil per day.
• The US Pentagon is identified as a key driver for the transition off oil due to the security risks and costs associated with fuel convoys in conflict zones, which will accelerate the development of ultralight materials and efficient platforms.
• The transition away from oil is expected to abate 42% of global carbon-dioxide emissions and is being driven by profit-motivated business strategies, such as those at Wal-Mart and Boeing.

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} }