Oil and gas prices are shooting up as war in the Middle East cuts down the supply of fossil fuels available, in what has been described as “the largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets”.

There have been several major upheavals in energy markets since 2020, including the COVID pandemic, Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine, and US President Donald Trump’s trade and tariff war with much of the world.

What now? The closest historical comparison may be to the oil shock of the 1970s, which prompted significant moves by governments around the world to reduce the demand for fossil fuels.

This time around, things are different: relatively cheap, widely available renewable energy technology means not only governments but also companies and individuals can reduce their own reliance on fossil fuels, permanently.

The traditional case for renewables

Compared to what we get from fossil fuels, renewable energy is clean, cheap and reliable.

Solar and wind can provide virtually unlimited energy without greenhouse emissions. They also eliminate smog, strip mining, gas fracking, oil spills and oil-related warfare – not to mention avoiding the radioactive waste, accidents and weapons proliferation that go hand in hand with nuclear power.

Renewables have low requirements for........

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