While European markets panic this Thursday afternoon — Paris and Frankfurt watching oil prices explode before the 5:30 PM CET close — a disturbing truth bursts into the open: our so-called "energy transition" was nothing but a fairy tale for Parisian bourgeois bohemians.
Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered what U.S. Read more: iran handed companies Read more: iran plays fire Energy Secretary Wright calls "the most significant oil supply disruption ever recorded." Translation: we've just discovered that despite fifteen years of massive subsidies to wind turbines and solar panels, our industrial civilization still depends entirely on a 54-kilometer-wide maritime channel controlled by Tehran's mullahs.
The Relentless Arithmetic of Reality
Numbers are stubborn. The Strait of Hormuz sees daily transit of 21% of global liquid petroleum production and 18% of global liquefied natural gas, according to the International Energy Agency. When this tap shuts off, as it has since this morning, the global economy instantly suffocates.
But where have all these "green" investments gone? Where are these famous renewable energies that were supposed to free us from oil dictators? The answer lies in our leaders' portfolios and our multinationals' balance sheets: nowhere that really matters.
Because while our governments distributed billions of euros in subsidies to the wind industry — creating lucrative conflicts of interest between regulators and lobbies along the way — they carefully avoided asking the real question: how do you concretely replace the 100 million barrels of oil humanity consumes daily?
The Lie of "Alternatives"
Take transportation, responsible for 65% of global oil consumption. Our elites sell us electric cars as a miracle solution. Except the electricity powering these vehicles still comes massively from gas plants... importing via the Strait of Hormuz. We've simply shifted our dependence one link up the energy chain.
The chemical industry? Entirely dependent on oil as raw material. Modern agriculture? Impossible without petrochemical fertilizers. Maritime transport carrying 90% of global trade? Powered by heavy fuel oil. No "transition" has even begun tackling these sectors.
Meanwhile, Asian markets, closed since this morning — Tokyo and Shanghai will reopen tomorrow in a climate of panic — are already anticipating cascading repercussions. Because contrary to our ministers' soothing speeches, the global economy remains an integrated system where each link depends on the previous one.
Who Benefits from This Schizophrenia?
This situation isn't accidental. It perfectly serves certain interests. First, the traditional oil industry, which has maintained its dominant positions while giving itself a "responsible" image through some cosmetic investments in offshore wind.
Next, "green" equipment manufacturers, who've received massive subsidies without ever having to prove they actually replace fossil fuels. When Siemens Energy or Vestas publish quarterly results, they count installed megawatts, not oil barrels saved. Big difference.
Finally, our governments themselves, who've been able to do cheap ecological marketing while avoiding truly painful decisions. Ban SUVs in cities? Too unpopular. Ration domestic flights? Too radical. Actually tax kerosene? Too complicated with Brussels.
Iran, Revealer of Our Contradictions
Iran understands this perfectly. By closing Hormuz, Tehran is merely revealing our structural vulnerability. As the New York Times reports, Iranian authorities explicitly declared their intention to "expose Western hypocrisy on energy independence."
And they're right. We've spent hundreds of billions on green subsidies while remaining as dependent as in 1973 on Gulf exporters. Worse: we've created the illusion of a transition that doesn't exist, lulling our public opinions into a false sense of security.
American markets, opening in a few hours with the prospect of soaring energy prices, will brutally remind our leaders of this reality. Wall Street doesn't do ecological sentiment: when oil runs short, stocks collapse.
Breaking Free from the Fraud
This crisis must mark the end of our energy schizophrenia. Either we accept our hydrocarbon dependence and develop real energy diplomacy — even if it means dealing with unsavory regimes. Or we finally engage in a real transition, meaning painful, costly, and radically transforming our lifestyles.
But continuing to tell ourselves stories about our "climate leadership" while importing 60% of our energy condemns us to indefinitely endure the geopolitical whims of those who control the taps.
The Strait of Hormuz just sent us the bill for fifteen years of facade energy policy. It will be steep.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the significance of the Strait of Hormuz in global oil supply?
The Strait of Hormuz is crucial as it sees the daily transit of 21% of global liquid petroleum production and 18% of global liquefied natural gas, according to the International Energy Agency. Its closure can lead to significant disruptions in the global economy.
Q: How has the energy transition been criticized in light of recent events?
Recent events, particularly Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, have exposed the energy transition as ineffective, revealing that despite substantial investments in renewable energy, industrial civilization still heavily relies on oil. Critics argue that the promised alternatives have not materialized in a way that can replace the daily consumption of 100 million barrels of oil.
Q: What role do electric cars play in the current energy debate?
Electric cars are often promoted as a solution to reduce oil dependency, but critics highlight that the electricity needed to power them still relies on fossil fuels. This raises questions about the effectiveness of electric vehicles in achieving true energy independence.