AMERICA'S ENERGY FUTURE - DR. WINSTON PORTER

Dr. Porter is a chemical engineer (University of Texas and U.C. Berkeley) whose early experience included management of Bechtel Corporation’s environmental department, and later the master plan for the $30 billion Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia.  He later served as an assistant administrator of the EPA with national responsibility for Superfund and other waste management programs.  Currently, he is an independent consultant specializing in the energy and environmental sectors.  He is based in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. J. Winston Porter summarized the current U. S. energy situation, including oil, gas, coal and nuclear energy, as well as renewables such as wind, solar, and biomass. He then described the very rapid increase in shale gas and oil production by “fracking.” Finally, he outlined “America’s energy future,” based on key technical and policy factors.  American Energy Usage is: 40% Electric power, 28% Transportation, 21% Industrial and 11% Residential and Commercial.  From the 1970s to today, our demand is leveling out.  The US demand is not growing exponentially like it once was.  We are doing things to lessen the amount of energy we need.  China and India are rising, similar to the U.S pre 1970s as they industrialize a bit more.  The good news for U.S Energy is that we lead the world in oil and gas production, thanks mainly to hydraulic fracturing, prices for energy are dropping, air emissions are decreasing and renewables are increasing.  The key to U.S. Energy issues are the future of renewable energy, rapid shale gas and oil increases, proposed clean power plan and oil and gasoline price reductions.  A positive thing about wind and solar energy are they are renewable and the costs and technology are improving.  The negative things are they need large amounts of land and require back-up power.  As far as the Clean Power Plan, thanks to shale gas, reduction is already 15%.  Each state has a target emission level and Wisconsin is 34%.  To improve America’s Energy Future we need to increase global market for U.S. energy, renewables need advanced batteries, we need to develop cleaner coal, steadily improve energy efficiencies and we need to use all our energy tools.