Fueling the Dragon & Feeding the Tiger

December 8, 2017
ME Lecture Hall
1300

Dr. Fred Beach

Associate Director for Energy & Technology Policy at the Energy Institute, University of Texas

Abstract

The economies of China and India are both growing at an annual rate of roughly 7% and sustaining these growth rates requires equivalent, or even greater growth rates in the energy use that enable them. Raising standards of living, growing economies, and growing populations in the world’s two most populous countries paint a very sobering future for global energy demand in the decades to come. China’s explosive growth over the last two decades was fueled primarily by domestic coal. However, its current and future growth is heavily dependent on energy imports, primarily oil and natural gas. Similarly, India, which is already dependent on imports for 40% of its energy needs will depend heavily on more of the same for future growth. Based on economic and population growth estimates, by 2050 India and China will have a combined population of 3 Billion and be responsible for half of global energy demand.

Biography

Dr. Beach is the Associate Director for Energy & Technology Policy at the Energy Institute. He is responsible for supervising and conducting research and studies related to the interplay between the development of Energy Policy, Environmental Policy, and Technology Policy. Dr. Beach also teaches Energy Technology Policy and International Energy Policy in the Cockrell School of Engineering, the McCombs Business School, and the LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Prior to joining The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Beach served for twenty-five years in the United States Navy where he was a qualified Submariner, Naval Aviator, Surface Warfare Officer, and Acquisition Professional. Since retiring in 2003 he has also served as a consultant on defense-related topics for the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group, MITRE, Naval Research Advisory Committee, Naval Research Laboratory, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Defense Science Board.

POC

Dr. Daniel A. Nussbaum
Naval Postgraduate School 
Principal, Energy Academic Group
Monterey CA 93943
Phone: 831-656-2387
Mobile: 831-324-3228
Email: dnussbaum@nps.edu