A cubic mile of oil is the approximate year consumption of oil and Crane and his co-authors examine the possible replacements with other sources, for example, it would require 32,850 wind turbines or 52 nuclear power plants to replace one cubic mile of oil.
A cubic mile of oil corresponds to a year's worth of usage. Crane and his co-authors consider various alternatives for replacing this amount, including 32,850 wind turbines or 52 nuclear power plants.