Sustainable Energy, An Oil Man’s Perspective

Oil and Gas Executive, Ivan Lasater gives us his perspective and insight into sustainable and alternative energy resources.

Introduction

My name is Ivan Lasater and I’m an Executive Operations Manager for the Petroleum Industry. I am a Production Recovery Enhancement Specialist and I engineer systems that recover up to 99% of the oil vapors found in oil storage tanks. I am also an environmentally conscious individual who lives in Moab, Utah and loves the outdoors.

Observation

For over a century now, Fossil Fuels have been the backbone of energy resources in the United States and around the world. Alternative energy supplies are being sought out and developed at alarming rates at the behest of environmentally conscious consumers bent on wiping fossil fuels from the grid. The only problem is the development and efficiency of these alternative resources are still in their infancy and though technology and research into sustainable energy resources has been growing, the cost of implementing alternative energy coupled with the environmental impact are still lending fossil fuels relevance in today’s energy market.

Renewable Energy

By renewable energy, I mean resources like hydroelectric dams, wind turbines, and solar power. These are referred to as renewable energy because we are using the Earth’s natural resources to create energy and they have very little environmental waist as a result. Also, renewable energy doesn’t deplete the resource from which it is derived, (i.e.) sun, water, and wind. But just because something doesn’t necessarily produce a significant amount of waste doesn’t mean it has an insignificant impact on the environment.  

A Shining Example

Let’s take solar energy for example. Harnessing the power of the sun is a great idea. There are normally two ways in which we do this. They involve storing the sun’s energy in cells that will produce electricity and harnessing the sun’s energy to heat water. This can have many useful applications on a small-scale level like individual homes and tracks of land. However, in order for it to be efficient on a large scale it would require vast expanses of land which would have an adverse effect on animal habitats. A great many consumers aren’t aware of the negative impacts that renewable energy resources could have on animal habitats and their pocket book at this point in their stage of development. This leaves fossil fuels as the industry leader in energy, simply by default. To condemn fossil fuels and their development now would be the equivalent of cutting off our nose despite our face. Here are a list of pros and cons concerning renewable and sustainable energy resources.

Pros

·         Renewable energy has proven to have a less harmful impact on the environment than fossil energy

·         Renewable energy is sustainable and doesn’t deplete it source

·         Organic garbage can be employed as biomass to create sustainable energy

·         Solar and wind energy can potentially create much more energy than fossil fuels to meet the worlds demands

·         Green energy could potentially create jobs and boost the economy

Cons

·         Large tracks of land required for solar and wind energy

·         Toxic heat transfer fluids required

·         Toxic chemicals used in the manufacture of technology and batteries

·         Erosion caused by wind farms

·         Roads and facilities built on public lands to access solar and wind farms

·         The building of dams for hydroelectric power disrupts natural habitats and migration patterns

·         Dams flood rich farm land and displace inhabitants

·         Damns change the chemical and biological makeup of water downstream

·         Alternative energy is expensive to install and maintain

·         Consumers won’t see a cost return on their renewable energy for an average of 20 years

·         Alternative sources to renewable energy may be required for winter months and unpredictable weather patterns

Summary

Now this is just one man’s observation. I have nothing against renewable and sustainable energy. I believe that with the proper amount of research and development we can harness several alternatives to fossil fuels and make them environmentally safe as well as cost effective. I also believe that the jobs we can create in this area will strengthen the economy and provide opportunity for education in cutting edge technology.  But I don’t think we’re there quite yet. In the meantime, investing money into the technological development and environmental impact of fossil fuels may prove to be the most inexpensive and practical way of providing energy to the nation as a whole.