Welcome to my blog

I am excited to be writing what I hope will be the first of many blog posts.

The blog will be centred around the topic of Energy. There is a chance it will stray into other engineering topics that resonate with me or books, articles or videos that I have personally found inspiring. But in the main this will be ‘Energy’ distilled through my personal viewpoint.

I have worked in the energy industry for more than ten years, have two energy related degrees, but wouldn’t consider myself an expert. I would recommend reading this blog as if it was written by an energy enthusiast. Someone who understands the importance of energy, knows enough to make a living contributing in the energy industry and is eager to learn more and share that learning with you.

I am writing this first blog post at a point in history where millions of people in Britain and Europe are becoming uncomfortably aware of the importance of a reliable and affordable energy supply, which is not dependant on fossil fuels from abroad. It is a great shame that people are having to struggle in order for this realisation to be collectively arrived at. It does however reinforce my belief in the importance of creating a sustainable and affordable energy system. It makes me even more confident that working towards this is a worthwhile way to spend my finite time and energy.

I feel that my contribution through this blog will be best delivered by seeking out and discussing energy technologies, policies and other topics that will make the world a better place to experience in the future. Therefore, I don’t plan on commenting often on current affairs, even though the blog posts may cover important topics from the time. Our global energy systems and markets today are the result of millions of decisions and actions taken over the past 50, or even 100 years. So, we must make effective decisions and actions now so that our future selves and future generations can benefit.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge as well as learning from others. So, if you ever read anything on here that you find useful, insightful or inspiring please let me know. Equally, if you have a unique or more fully formed perspective on one of the topics that I blog about then please get in touch. I’d love to hear and learn from you.

I will write with a bias for optimism for the future. As an engineer it’s easy to focus on the risks that exist and need mitigating but I will endeavour to focus on the benefits yielded when we get it right. I believe in fellow humans finding new and useful ways to harness, convert and use energy. I also believe that sustainable and affordable energy can help us tackle many global challenges that exist now and new ones that will emerge in future.

We will need thousands of dedicated individuals to build real solutions to our energy needs and to combat pollution, energy poverty, climate change and all the many other challenges linked to energy. Maybe you are one of these individuals.

Thanks for taking an interest in energy.

Tom

Hopefully it goes without saying. But, all opinions expressed in the blog are my own (unless expressly stated otherwise) and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of companies or organisations I work for or am affiliated to now, in the past or in the future. My opinions will also change over time. The intention is to add to the conversation, to educate and inform. Therefore, facts and information are provided in good faith and should be checked against other sources if you intend to use them for something you deem important.

Thanks to Sharon Pittaway for the thumbnail image. Unsplash