Engineering news
Even if climate change is not being caused by human activity, we should develop low-carbon technologies in the interests of energy security, an independent science and technology adviser to President Barack Obama has said.
Dr Shirley Ann Jackson, who is in Britain this week to deliver a speech at the Royal Academy of Engineering, said efforts to diversify energy supply should continue whether or not one believed in anthropogenic climate change.
In an exclusive interview with PE, she said: “Yes, we should continue to do that, and look at what energy technologies we can develop even as we continue to use some traditional fossil fuel sources.
“We can mitigate what is the probable cause of climate change. If you believe in the effects of climate change it is salutary – if you don't believe, it means you're not dependent on fossil fuel energy, and energy security requires a portfolio of approaches.
“Why not do it, because it kills two birds with one stone.”
Jackson said there was no “silver bullet” that could ensure security of supply, and that the term “energy independent” was redundant. A range of approaches to energy security was needed, including more energy efficiency in transport and the built environment and the willingness to develop conventional and unconventional sources of power, such as shale gas and shale oil.
Engineers could work to develop shale gas resources safely in the US and Britain, she said. “I would say at this point that for the most part the way in which shale gas and oil has been accessed hasn't been as bad as some might think.” She said that the booming industry in the States had created employment and driven down the cost of energy, in tandem with the slowdown in the economy and greater energy efficiency.
Lower costs had the potential to bring high-value manufacturing back to the US. “That has a salutary effect in terms of hopefully rebuilding the industrial base and creating more employment.”
Jackson said the example of the Fukushima nuclear disaster demonstrated how infrastructure needed to be made resilient to natural events. “Whether or not you believe the effects of climate change are man-made, it is necessary to adapt to it.
“That has implications not only in terms of behavioural changes to moderate and mitigate effects, but also to think about the resiliency of infrastructure and the implications of weather-related events.”
She said Fukushima had unfortunately damaged the reputation of nuclear power at a time when it was needed. “When I was chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, we sometimes said that 'a nuclear accident anywhere is a nuclear accident everywhere,' because of propagating levels of concern.
“We need to think about the intersection of vulnerabilities demonstrated by Fukushima; how nature can provide a trigger with cascading consequences.”
The UK needed to develop a diversity of energy resources with redundancy built in in case one or more of those sources was threatened. “In terms of evolving technologies you need to look at which ones are likely to get to the finish line first – which ones we can realistically see on the horizon.
“And energy efficiency is critical – but that's something that the government can drive.”