My Editorial, "A Substantial Failure" In Energy Education

Check out my article, featured exclusively on The Energy Collective. It addresses what Michael Spence, a Nobel Laureate, referred to when he mentioned “A substantial failure” in education about America’s energy situation. Hopefully the US can start moving towards energy reality, and soberly determine the best path forward.

It is a curious thing when a mindset develops. Thoughts, data interpretation, reactions, and behaviors become solidified into expectations about what is normal and what is to come as that sense of normal changes. It’s an important process of human development, and it is a particularly interesting thing to look at on a national scale — and when it comes to American perspectives on energy, attempting to sort out the present situation requires looking at what ‘we’, the collective USA, have been telling ourselves.

Earlier this week, Michale Spence exclaimed:

A substantial failure of education about non-renewable natural resources lies in the background of current public sentiment. And now, having underinvested in energy efficiency and security when the costs of doing so were lower, America is poorly positioned to face the prospect of rising real prices. - “The Energy Deficit” by Michael Spence | Project Syndicate

I agree on both counts; the failure in education and the allusion to difficulties because of a lack of foresight about energy.

Continue Reading at The Energy Collective

Bberg: Oil Profits Slide Fastest Since Lehman Collapse on Gas: Energy

The ever-changing fuel situation continues to develop in curious ways….

Also, note how Albany is specifically mentioned -I’m going to assume, since the link doesn’t specify otherwise, they mean Albany, NY…. specifically New York’s current deliberation about how to best allow Hydrofracking in New York.

‘Hurt Themselves’

Chevron Corp. (CVX) and ConocoPhillips, the second- and third- largest U.S. energy companies by market value, also are expected to post their largest full-year profit declines in 2012 since 2009, when worldwide fuel markets were reeling from the collapse of demand in the wake of the financial crisis.

“In a sense, they’ve hurt themselves,” Leonard Coburn, president of Washington-based Coburn International Energy Consultants LLC and a former director of Russian and Eurasian affairs at the Energy Department. “But that’s why we’re seeing them shifting away from gas toward more oil.”

Shale formations will account for 49 percent of total U.S. gas production by 2035, up from 23 percent in 2010, the Energy Department said in a Feb. 14 report. When other geologic formations such as tight sands that require the same intensive drilling techniques are added in, unconventional fields will pump 77 percent of domestic supply by 2035, the department said.

The supply bonanza of gas and oil made possible with fracking means the U.S. will become increasingly independent of foreign energy producers at the same time as burgeoning economic powers such as China grow more reliant on overseas supplies, said Jonathan Chanis, managing member of New Tide Asset Management LLC in Torrington, Connecticut. That outlook assumes lawmakers and regulators at the federal and state levels won’t place expensive restrictions on drillers, he said.

“With the right policy decisions in Washington and places like Harrisburg and Albany, the United States will be in an extremely positive position,” Chanis said.

UAE’s future energy plans - Energy Education

A great perspective from across the world (for US readers) about how other countries are looking to recalibrate energy in the education systems.

There is also an imperative need for programmes on non-renewable energy to focus on oil, gas, coal, nuclear energy, future needs, reserves, and conservation measures. I further believe that the curriculum must encompass global energy trends and the Middle East energy resources. Other subjects that are vital include conventional and non-conventional sources, natural gas, coal and oil production, consumption and future trends. Insight into the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), its activities and policies since its establishment in 1960 must also be offered to the students as part of the study programme.

In order to communicate a clear understanding on the various types of energy resources in terms of production, consumption and future trends based on global demand, it is crucial for academic programmes to offer a perspective of the value chain in energy management. This can be achieved through providing an analysis on the efficiency and interaction of energy systems with the environment. Moreover, such programmes need to offer adequate know-how on the setting up of viable business models for energy associated projects to ensure their successful implementation.

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Statistical analysis is also considered as one of the key areas that should be embedded into energy programmes. This is to allow students to collect, analyse data, and forecast energy demand, supply, and availability of energy resources to capably make suggestions on appropriate energy policy. Energy forecasting is additionally regarded a core focus area when it comes to setting up short and long term objectives and, consequently, strategic planning.

Looking ahead, embedding energy conservation and management aspects in architectural design and architecture programmes is an important subject that is being considered by many academic institutions in the country. Concepts such as natural lighting, green buildings or even LEED or Estidama certifications have already been introduced in the education sector. Building materials as well as the design of cooling systems and water heating, among other areas, can be explored to promote the concept of reduced energy consumption in buildings.

Some schools have already adopted programmes that correspond to this area such as the British University in Dubai that offers programmes in Energy and Sustainability including a Masters in Science in Sustainable Design of the Built Environment as well as a Masters in Science in Intelligent Buildings Design and Automation.

Dr Ayoub Kazim is the Managing Director of Education Cluster-TECOM Investments, a member of Dubai Holding. He is responsible for strategically steering the education and human resource development clusters, Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Village and further consolidating their status as the region’s leading centres of excellence for learning and human capital. Dr. Kazim, has worked for over 15 years on various renewable and hydrogen energy research projects and has published numerous articles and technical papers on renewable energy, hydrogen energy, fuel cells, environment and water resources, as well as energy policy and economics