Possible Determinants of Peak Oil Demand

Abstract

Peak oil demand has become the hot new topic for oil market analysts but as always, runs the risk of being subject to superficial analysis, just as peak oil supply was. The primary arguments come from climate change activists who believe fossil fuel consumption must drop sharply and from technological optimists who believe that electric vehicles are on the verge of dominating auto sales, depressing oil demand. Others argue that biofuels might become more competitive with petroleum, or that slower economic growth and falling birth rates will cause demand to peak.