About three years ago, I wrote an article in BIC Magazine describing my interactions with students at a measurement school during a class on alternative energy sources.
Hydrogen blending in natural gas was a new topic, and about 35 students attended a lively class with many exchanges. Last month, I was asked to teach the same class at the same event, which has grown since the last time I presented the material. Only three students chose to attend. I realize a lot has changed in the energy industry since 2023, but I didn’t expect such a dramatic shift in interest, especially within a relatively young group of energy professionals. I asked a lot of questions to the people who attended and later to those who did not. Most of them have a few years of experience working in the energy industry and all have an interest to learn or they would not attend the event.
As it relates to hydrogen, the single most popular theme was a general disbelief in hydrogen as a viable form of energy, or at least in the foreseeable future. Safety concerns topped the list of reasons and general confusion on implementation was second. It has always been clear that hydrogen poses significantly more safety challenges than natural gas, and possibly three years ago, those issues were not as well defined as they are today. It’s also possible that educating people about the challenges, which was a large part of the message three years ago, has resulted in a feeling that hydrogen simply isn’t worth pursuing. The general confusion on implementation could have a similar origin.
Three years ago, the industry was being pressured at a very high level to implement zero-carbon solutions as quickly as possible but that position was abruptly reversed in 2025. Today, the rhetoric is a drive for global energy dominance through natural gas production and carbon-neutrality has almost completely disappeared. I have to believe the younger professionals in our industry are far more easily confused by the policy changes than those of us who have experienced similar government meandering since the late 70s.
The second recurring theme I heard was about time, or lack thereof, in the workplace. Without question, energy workers are busier than they were three years ago. Projects are being pulled forward in schedules to meet growing demand. Worker training and the general scarcity of qualified individuals still exist, compounding the issue. I noticed many of the classes that focused on fundamentals and practical training of existing technology were full, and many had waiting lists. Students are often directed by their supervisors to attend specific classes to fill gaps in their skills, so attendance may also reflect their desires for information. Job performance in their current roles may be more valued than broader subjects on the future of energy.
The last common theme that was echoed from the opening session until the end of the event was that net-zero is simply dead, and as an industry, it is no longer important. Offshore wind failures and a general reversal in the demand for natural gas, along with the increases in the cost and availability of oil, have definitely fueled this belief locally. From a global viewpoint, energy demand projections through 2050 are growing so rapidly that all major energy sources, including all fossil fuels (including coal), are expected to grow from a 2025 baseline. Progress in atmospheric carbon reduction (globally) will have to be accomplished with a large contribution from carbon capture, since likely energy sources will not adequately emerge in the next twenty years to meet demand. Compared to three years ago, it appeared to me that the younger energy professionals are locked into their roles in the natural gas industry and have grown increasingly comfortable in those positions.
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