End User Energy a Coming Trend, Says Ebinger

We met and heard Dr. Charles Ebinger today at the Fort Worth Club, World Affairs meeting. He is a well informed expert with an impressive grasp of facts of the energy world. The audience consisted of oil, gas, and wind executives, and was most receptive to his message.

Dr. Charles Ebinger says

"End user installations of Wind Turbines and Solar Panels will power many buildings of the future."

He is considered an expert and advisor to Presidents, on energy issues.

Charles Ebinger, director of the Energy Security Initiative and senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, examined how the international energy card is played. In his role at The Brookings Institution, Charles Ebinger specializes in international and domestic energy markets (oil, gas, coal and nuclear), the geopolitics of energy and nuclear non-proliferation, with a particular focus on the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. He has served as an energy policy advisor to more than 50 governments, and he has conducted numerous projects with the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank and USAID. Ebinger is also an adjunct professor at The Johns Hopkins University in the Energy, Resources, and Environment Program.

A few facts he shared for consideration:

• By 2030 global energy consumption will have increased by 60%
• India, China and othersare rushing all over the world to make deals and future contracts for access to oil
• OPEC is now asking for "Demand Assurance" if the USA and other nations convert to renewable energy
• Coal produces 50% of electricity in the USA, 70% of electricity is produced by coal in China, 75% of electricity in India is produced by coal
• There is enough coal in the USA to last for 200 years
• Indonesia is the world's largest exporter of coal, along with S.Africa and Poland
• "The USA should take a lead in clean coal"
• China has 19 new nuclear plants under construction
• India and Japan have numerous new plants
• The USA hasn't built a new nuclear power plant in 30 years and at a cost of $9 billion per plant, is not likely to build many in the future
• Russia, China, Brazil and Iraq are the only nations that expect an increase in oil production, all others are projecting declines
• The USA spends 370 Billion Dollars a year on foreign oil per year
• The US is now in a position to export LNG, and natural gas is an important bridge to renewable energy
• Wind energy grew 39% in the USA last year, and provides 7% of total electricity
• The solution to energy issues is to use a "matrix" of many solutions, including Wind,Solar, Nuclear, Clean Coal, renewable powered vehicles, natural gas and attack the issue in a broad way.

Dr. Charles Ebinger said: "End user electric production, with individual wind turbines on buildings, hospitals, universities, shopping centers, throughout the world, using the grid system as a backbone, will be the key to a diversified mix, to supply future energy needs. Wind turbines, solar, and other forms of end user applications at individual locations, buildings, and power users will be a major transition for the future."