inflection point

The theory, of course, is that eventually an inflection point in renewable production *might* be achievable, after which point total gobal energy consumption would decline. The fact, unfortunately, is that we're nowhere near achieving such an inflection point, as Tad Patzek carefully points out: The rate of energy use and carbon dioxide emissions are virtually identical and have grown exponentially over the last 40 years. The impact of large dams and nuclear power plants has been barely visible, and disappeared by 2007. The renewable energy sources, wind turbines, biomass cogeneration, and…