David Hughes, a respected geoscientist and authority on North American and world fossil-fuel reserves, will speak on Canadian and global energy sustainability at Vancouver Island University Wednesday (Jan. 25) at 7 p.m.
Hughes says we face an energy sustainability dilemma, which will profoundly impact future generations unless our non-renewable resources are managed for long term sustainability.
In all likelihood, says Hughes, we have passed the peak of global conventional crude oil production and are nearing the peak of all liquid fuels (including non-conventional oil, biofuels and natural gas liquids).
The concept that renewable forms of energy, such as wind, solar, geothermal and tidal can replace fossil fuels at the current levels of energy use is highly unlikely, given the low energy density and intermittent nature of these sources.
A sustainable energy future will require a rethink of the way we use energy and the paradigm of continuous growth that has served us over the past couple of centuries.
The lecture will be in Room 109, Building 356 at VIU’s Nanaimo campus, 900 Fifth Street. Everyone is welcome.
For more information, please contact Steven Earle at the Earth Science Department at VIU (250-753-3245, ext. 2756). The lecture is part of the VIU Science and Technology Spring Lecture Series.