Pot, Solar Power and Taxi Drivers: Energy Security Austin-styled

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Published:
June 11, 2018

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By Michael E. Webber*

One experience in Austin, Texas revealed to me that energy security means different things to different people. Energy security in the U.S. means reducing imports of oil from the Middle East. In Europe, energy security means reducing imports of natural gas from Russia. But in Austin, it means something else entirely.

As discussed earlier, we use oil for transportation in the form of gasoline and diesel fuels for our cars and trucks. Other than Hawaii and a few diesel generators here and there for backup power, oil is not used for making electricity in the United States. Despite that, it is a common claim by politicians or enthusiasts that they want to install more solar panels or wind turbines to improve our energy security. While wind and solar might displace coal use in the power sector, they don’t displace our oil imports. That means wind and solar don’t improve our energy security situation. This nuanced point isn’t obvious to most observers and is an important part of the classes I teach at UT to some of the world’s smartest graduate students in a semester-long class.

One day, riding in a taxi to the airport in Austin I struck up conversation with the driver, which is a typical habit for me. When I told him I study energy for a living, he was very excited. “I love energy” he said, joyously. “So do I,” I responded, sharing his enthusiasm. He then went on to say that he especially likes solar energy because it improves our energy security situation. With a slight eyeroll to myself in the backseat, I was about to start correcting his mistake by explaining in snotty professor-speak how solar energy does not reduce oil imports and so it doesn’t improve our energy security. Before I could start my lecture, he continued: “Yeah, if we all had solar panels, then we could grow our own marijuana at home, which means we would not have to import it from warlords and violent cartels, and that would improve our national security.”

My jaw dropped. Indeed he was correct. I hadn’t thought of that. Solar energy does improve national security, Austin styled. The professor was schooled: I learn something new every day.

*Michael Webber is the Deputy Director of the Energy Institute, Josey Centennial Fellow in Energy Resources, Co-Director of the Clean Energy Incubator at the Austin Technology Incubator, and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

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