Speakers

Lectures

Energy sources and energy uses affect everything we do: heating and cooling our buildings, powering our factories and businesses, and running our transportation. Yet most of the national and international discussions on energy policy in recent years have focused solely on climate change, only one component of energy use's impact on society, while ignoring effects on national economies and security. In the US, a battle of words between those who exaggerate the immanence of global warming and those who deny its existence has resulted in paralysis. Yet the US cost of imported oil is nearly equal its balance of trade deficit and energy efficiency can reduce both its trade deficit and its emissions. Windmills and solar cells are not ready to take on a large fraction of electricity generation yet, though natural gas and nuclear power are, with lower or no emissions when compared to our current systems. A broader discussion with a lower level of exaggeration and a higher level of realism about technologies might lead to progress in all three dimensions.

In this presentation, I will begin with a brief overview of climate change discussing what we know, how we know it and what the uncertainties are. I will spend most of my time on energy options, their status today, where they might be tomorrow, and what they can do for all three dimensions; concluding with what I see as the real national and international policy issues.