Energy for the Future
Energy For The Future
John Hosking
We live in a world where technology has outgrown us, and where we have outgrown our world. Beyond our dependence on the earth’s resources for simple necessities we have grown dependent on it for energy. Since we developed our need for energy the quest to find it has been perpetual. Over the last 200 years that need has been mainly supplied by fossil fuels, predominately coal. Recently, interest in the development for more sustainable energy options has surfaced. Options such as hydro power, wind power, nuclear power, and geothermal power have all been developed and put into active production. However we as a society continue to depend upon oil to survive, and the development of the industry will only help us. The investment in offshore oil drilling coupled with new technology and stricter regulations will alleviate environmental woes while the industry itself will continue to help our economy prosper. Many different stakeholders from first nations to environmentalists to politicians criticize the legitimacy of this industry in a changing world. This paper will discuss many issues regarding the practicality of offshore oil while also addressing the environmental and economical affects the industry has.
It is important to recognize the economical impact the oil industry has on both the Canadian community and the global community. The offshore oil industry coupled with oil being produced in the Alberta Oil Sands is the most consumed energy in Canada. Oil accounts for approximately 32% of all energy resource use in Canada; very similar to the 32% found worldwide (Figure 1). Over the last three decades there has been a 20% increase in energy consumption; as our economy and country has grown so has the emphasis of the importance for Canada to be a local producer of oil . This unwavering trend of increased energy consumption has been noted around the world, emphasizing the importance of the oil industry both domestically
John Hosking
We live in a world where technology has outgrown us, and where we have outgrown our world. Beyond our dependence on the earth’s resources for simple necessities we have grown dependent on it for energy. Since we developed our need for energy the quest to find it has been perpetual. Over the last 200 years that need has been mainly supplied by fossil fuels, predominately coal. Recently, interest in the development for more sustainable energy options has surfaced. Options such as hydro power, wind power, nuclear power, and geothermal power have all been developed and put into active production. However we as a society continue to depend upon oil to survive, and the development of the industry will only help us. The investment in offshore oil drilling coupled with new technology and stricter regulations will alleviate environmental woes while the industry itself will continue to help our economy prosper. Many different stakeholders from first nations to environmentalists to politicians criticize the legitimacy of this industry in a changing world. This paper will discuss many issues regarding the practicality of offshore oil while also addressing the environmental and economical affects the industry has.
It is important to recognize the economical impact the oil industry has on both the Canadian community and the global community. The offshore oil industry coupled with oil being produced in the Alberta Oil Sands is the most consumed energy in Canada. Oil accounts for approximately 32% of all energy resource use in Canada; very similar to the 32% found worldwide (Figure 1). Over the last three decades there has been a 20% increase in energy consumption; as our economy and country has grown so has the emphasis of the importance for Canada to be a local producer of oil . This unwavering trend of increased energy consumption has been noted around the world, emphasizing the importance of the oil industry both domestically
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