Oil will run out 90 years before alternatives are widely available, UC Davis study says | Technology | Los Angeles Times

The global oil supply is set to run dry 90 years before replacements such as renewable energy are ready to satisfy the same amount of demand, according to UC Davis researchers.

Current policies that set targets for batteries, hydrogen, biofuel and other alternative energy sources  won't be enough, a study published Monday says.

Deb Niemeir, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, and postdoctoral researcher Nataliya Malyshkina examined existing public companies dealing in non-oil fuels such as BlueFire Ethanol Inc. of Irvine and Enova Systems Inc. of Torrance.

The technologies in the market "may not be able to occupy a sufficient enough niche in the market by the time we need them to," Niemeir said in an e-mail.