Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said at an energy conference in Norway on Monday that the world needs more oil and gas to address the energy constraints it is now experiencing, according to Bloomberg.
The statement may seem odd coming from someone who markets solar roofing, electric vehicles, and battery packs. Elon Musk has said something similar before, though, so it’s not a new occurrence.
Supporter of fossil fuels, Elon Musk?
Musk had posted something along these lines earlier this year, at the start of Russian intervention in Ukraine, while also acknowledging that such a move is probably not in Tesla’s best interests.
“I hate to say it, but we need to boost oil and gas production right away. Extraordinary circumstances necessitate extraordinary action.”
Elon Musk is a pragmatic man, as his sizable fan base would attest, therefore his remarks must be viewed in the context in which they were made. Musk was aware of the leverage that oil and gas exports offered Russia at the start of the conflict in Ukraine, and his remarks were intended to counteract this.
Musk is repeating his earlier statements since the situation on the ground hasn’t changed and he is also aware that oil and gas exploration and extraction cannot be completed quickly. Europe is actually going through its worst energy crisis in decades.
European leaders have put aside 280 billion euros ($278 billion) to help firms and families this year despite the rising cost of energy. However, Bloomberg stated in its report that the funds are probably not enough considering the size of the issue.
Elon Musk’s actual words
Musk stated during the event on Monday that he was not one to condemn fossil fuels and that the world now required more oil and gas, not fewer. While Musk and Tesla are committed to “accelerating sustainability,” a significant amount of EV sector growth was required to replace the energy produced by fossil fuels.
In the short run, Musk continued, the globe must utilize more gas and oil because otherwise “civilization would implode.”
Musk’s support extends beyond the energy sector. In addition to stating at the conference that well-designed nuclear power stations shouldn’t be shut down, the techno king has long been a supporter of nuclear fuel as a source of emission-free energy.
The majority of the remark appears to be addressed at Germany, which has been deliberately closing down its nuclear units. The government currently intends to close its three remaining nuclear power facilities by the end of the year, which will exacerbate the already-existing energy shortfall brought on by Russia’s slashing of oil and gas supply and outages at French nuclear power plants.
Musk also emphasized the “huge untapped potential” of ocean breezes and encouraged that the transition to a sustainable economy take place “as quickly as possible” and that the world have a clear route to a sustainable energy future.
With incentives and policies promoting electric transportation, Norway, the conference’s host country, is setting the pace for the transition to a sustainable future. It’s interesting that the money it’s using to finance this shift has come from the sale of its oil, according to Bloomberg.