We have almost reached a hit or miss time in human evolution. First we learned how to make tools and fire with the gifts nature has given us, then we learned how to make electricity, and now we are going to use up our last supply of oil….or are we? After talking to a number of representatives and experts on both sides of the fence, it appears that our oil reserves are slightly larger than most of the mainstream media believes. In fact, just the pockets we are mining today, are enough to satisfy the world’s addictions for at least fifty years. In addition, there must be more pockets of oil and gas that are still undiscovered. Does this mean the whole push towards renewable energy is a bit premature?
Not necessarily. you see; We must remember that old and gas don’t just sit idle underground. While it seems by our current understanding that it has no real use, nature tends to make very few mistakes, so perhaps we are overlooking something. Either way, there’s been a huge debate around renewable energy for some time, so we’ll take a quick look at the arguments. Many campaigners believe that oil and gas drilling should stop immediately, but as you will see throughout this article, it could have serious repercussions for economies around the world, and it is very likely that many industries will come to a halt.
To make it easier to understand, let’s consider all the benefits of both energy solutions before discussing how a sudden shutdown of oil production can drastically affect thousands of companies…
Benefits of oil and natural gas:
- Abundance – As you have just learned, oil and natural gas are still very abundant throughout the world. This means the actual cost of production is very low, and the drilling company has the potential to earn significant revenue from its sale. Still, this isn’t going to be the case forever, so those environmental campaigners may have a point.
- The infrastructure already exists – If we switch to renewable energy sources, a whole new infrastructure needs to be built to produce and distribute this kind of power. That would cost hundreds of billions of pounds, which is money most companies don’t need to invest.
- It can be used to light almost anything – While you could use renewable energy like wind or solar to power your car, it really wouldn’t be very efficient, and that means your vehicle will have to travel a lot slower when driving on the highway. Gasoline and diesel made from oil and natural gas can power almost anything, because most of the technology we have today was originally designed with these types of fuels in mind.
Benefits of renewable energy sources:
- Less pollution – While development wind turbine and the solar panel will cause a small amount of pollution, once it works properly, it will stop immediately. With oil and gas, you have the problems caused by ocean spills, the harmful chemicals we add to the atmosphere with combustion engines, and so much more. So, if our only ambition is to save the planet, this is the way to go.
- Availability – As we have discussed, we will run out of oil and natural gas at some point in the next century, so it should be seen as a positive thing that renewable energy sources will never run out. As long as the world rotates, and the sun is a safe distance from the earth, we will always have enough wind and light to move anything we want.
- Price – Once a device such as a solar panel is purchased, it doesn’t cost a penny to take advantage of renewable energy. This is probably one of the reasons why the oil and gas industry is trying to delay the move for as long as possible. Once every household was able to produce their own labor, there would be no business left for the companies to take up.
So, as you can probably see from all that information, there are logical and rational benefits to both power and fuel sources. However, if we just switch tomorrow, many different companies from many different countries will collapse, and this will obviously put millions of people out of work.
For example, companies like Ausenco specializing in the design and construction of pipelines for the industry were able to find a significant number of their most valued clients out of business. Thousands of rig workers need to find alternative work, and even your local gas repair shop will be closing in a matter of weeks.
With that in mind, we need to find ways to combat this and make the transition a little more bearable for everyone involved. This is best done through a move many call a “tip-toe.” Basically, the transition needs to happen over a number of years starting with one oil application and moving on to the next until renewables take over.
So, first of all, it is better to limit non-renewable electricity for private homes. This can be done without ill effects if solar panels and all other necessary equipment are provided to the homeowner free of charge. Then, we have to limit the number of gasoline and diesel vehicles produced to encourage people to buy new hybrid models. While this still runs on electricity, there’s nothing stopping us from building this on a wind farm. You get the picture, right?
I believe the correct term is “gentle, slow, catch monkey” which basically translates as “he who takes his time wins the race”.
Now that you know a little more about the reality of the situation, we hope you’re not too convinced by the arguments put forward by environmental activists. Yes, we do need to move away from non-renewable energy, but if we do it too soon, the global economy will collapse.
Thanks for reading!
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