The fourth session of the nanotechnological theme has just ended, and I want to do some short interviews with the speakers on hydrogen as a future energy carrier. However, after attempts to ask them if they have a minute for a few comments, they ask me to join them for lunch instead.
It wasn’t exactly my plan. I had carefully planned my questions so no one would realize I’m not an expert in nanotechnology. I feel an insecurity sprout inside me. Is this a good idea? Am I at all capable of chitchatting with highly educated men like them?
I must admit that I had a hard time understanding their presentations, and I sat there regretting that I didn’t pay more attention in the scientific courses in school.
But I say yes, and now here I am having lunch with associate professor Thomas Klassen, professor Andreas Borgschulte and associate Professor Torben R. Jensen
At first I don’t know what to say, but half way through the smoked salmon a lot of issues have already been discussed, and I feel more comfortable.
All three are experts work within the field of hydrogen as a future energy carrier and are among other things working to find eco-friendly solutions for transportation. But they are not very optimistic for the future.
The human behavior problem
“I must admit that I’m quite pessimistic when it comes to a reduction in the human CO2 emissions,” says Jensen.
He doesn’t believe that alternative and renewable energy sources will be successful before fossil fuels are gone. The renewable energy sources are already a realistic alternative, but according to Jensen we are not willing to sacrifice effort and money in changing our habits.
“The human behavior is the big problem,” says Borgschulte, who doesn’t believe it is possible to force anyone to change their behavior. He adds that people will only do so if they find it profitable or have the impression that they are making their choices by free will.
Klassen has a more positive outlook.
“I need to be optimistic or else working in this field wouldn’t make any sense to me,” he says.
Klassen says he does believe it is possible to change people’s lifestyles by making them think about their CO2 emissions and learn how to use green alternatives.
Half an hour later, after the plates are empty, we begin to go our separate ways, and I leave with a feeling of knowing more.
By Sofie Skamris Pedersen
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