The debate over the future of America’s energy future is raging unabated. Issues such as catastrophic climate change are tearing at the unity of the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit in a manner that is simply unprecedented. Meanwhile, the public seems to believe that far too little is being done to secure a safe, cost effective, and inexhaustible supply of energy. The future is in our hands, and we await with anxiety a resolution to this seemingly interminable conflict.
Expert Opinions on the Future of American Energy
Expert opinions, such as those uttered by Daniel Yergin, the author of such authoritative texts as The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, have weighed in on the matter and made known to the public the existence of several possible solutions. For example, the recent discovery of vast sources of unconventional oil reserves has provided a promising clue to the eventual solution of this century old quandary.
A Hopeful Trend That May Yield Great Results
The opinions of Yergin, among many other leading experts in the energy industry, have pointed to the need for the discovery and utilization of alternative sources of energy that will not only sustain the American economy but also secure our place on the international stage. The discovery of vast natural reserves of shale has definitely been a factor in the newfound optimism of the American energy industry. Hopefully, this incoming trend will prove to be a long lasting reality in the future.
Helping to Sustain the Future
The uncovering of these vast reserves of oil have already caused a major upswing in domestic oil production, to the tune of some 25 percent. This massive increase has been a contributing factor to the recent lowering of gas prices all across the nation. Of course, this last development has come in conjunction with other causes of international origin. While the discovery of unconventional types of oil has certainly given a shot in the arm to the American economy, the search for sustainable sources of energy continues apace.
Energy Consumption Is Increasing World Wide
The need for new sources of energy is becoming ever more acute. As the United States struggles to provide more energy to its own citizens, other nations, especially India and China, are simultaneously developing an all-devouring need for sustainable energy. While the discovery of shale reserves may have given America a much-needed shot in the arm, it remains true that this source of energy is still very much in the developmental stage.
Could Nontraditional Oil Be The Ultimate Solution?
As noted above, the discovery of massive reserves of nontraditional oil, as extracted from shale, could be the solution that keeps American energy demand fully satisfied for the near future. Meanwhile, energy experts in Canada are likewise making similar claims for source of energy that they have recently uncovered. The Canadian emphasis on the exploitation of coal based and biomass-based liquids may well lead to a future dominance of nontraditional oil production techniques on the North American continent.
Perhaps the greatest boon that these newfound sources of nontraditional oil could bestow upon the American public is the creation of some three million jobs. This prediction is currently expected to be realized by the year 2020. The future of the American energy industry seems to be in no danger of losing its luster.
