Changing the Way We Think About Energy
As developing nations experience a boom in the growth of their middle class, with aspirations for a better life, worldwide demand for energy will also surge — a reality that requires a serious look at global energy use, says Dr. Scott Tinker.
“We’ve got to change the way we think about energy and the way we use energy. And that happens with each of us,” said Tinker, a professor in the Jackson School of Geosciences. Tinker’s presentation on Feb. 7, “What’s the Future of Energy?”, was part of the Texas Enterprise Speaker Series.
To get the audience thinking about energy, Tinker provided a balanced look at the available options. In addition, Tinker shared a clip from his upcoming documentary, “Switch,” in which he gets an inside look at the world’s premier energy sites.
Why the global view? According to Tinker, the spike in energy use won’t happen in the U.S.:
- The United States on a per capita basis is starting to consume less energy.
- India and China each has 500 million to 600 million people who are beginning to get access to electricity.
- In two or three decades, the energy demands of India and China are projected to exceed those of the U.S. and all European countries combined.
That’s where the challenges arise. “It’d be great if those three billion people could industrialize without consuming much energy,” Tinker said. “That’s kind of the Holy Grail, if you will. It has never happened in the past — not to say it can’t with efficiency and perhaps new invention — but it’s not as likely.”
Rather than focusing solely on limiting energy consumption, we need to opt for solutions that meet the growing demand — in industry, transportation, residential and commercial uses — while also meeting the criteria of being available, affordable, reliable, and green.
“Energy, the economy, the environment; they are linked. Choices are based largely on cost,” Tinker said.
With those realities in mind, Tinker ran down the list of energy options, including oil, coal, natural gas, geothermal, wind, hydro, and nuclear. After outlining the pros and cons of each option (and providing some impressive images to supplement his explanations, such as a tanker that holds 50 Olympic swimming pools worth of oil, an amount consumed every 13 minutes), Tinker made his own pick.
“If you look at the [energy options] that tend to do the best, it’s nuclear and natural gas. They’re available. Gas is very affordable. Nuclear, some[what affordable]. They’re reliable and they’re reasonably green,” Tinker said.
As we look toward the future, we need to think carefully before committing to one form of energy over another. It’s crucial that we pick wisely, Tinker said. “The consequences of picking a winner incorrectly are really extreme,” he said.
Takeaways
- Energy demand in India and China will surpass that of Europe and the U.S
- Existing options, including oil, coal, natural gas, and nuclear, each have pros and cons
- We need to choose our energy sources very carefully — or suffer the consequences
Writer
Originally from the Northeast, Jeremy earned a B.A. in English from Vassar College and lived in New York City. Since arriving in Austin in late 2005, he has interned in the editorial department at Texas Monthly magazine, freelanced for several local publications and spent a number of years as a writer and columnist for personal finance.