The vice-president of ENGINEERING 2010-ARGENTINA and president of the Chapter: Energy and Climate Change, comments on which the main topics to be developed are and offers some insight on the current problem situation that the energy sector is going through.
Question: From your viewpoint, what should be the main topics to be developed at thisWorld Congress following the subject: “Technology, innovation and production for sustainable development” ?
Mario Wiegers: The main topics arise from the Congress’ subject itself. Engineering counts on the Technology to carry out man’s creativity and to supply the elements which are necessary to keep the permanent Innovation in different sectors of Production. The main aspect or key topic of this Congress, which is to integrate the elements in order to achieve the sustainable development, emerges from there.

Question: Taking into account the current problem situation of the energy sector, what will be the most relevant issues to be dealt with in the Chapter you preside?
Mario Wiegers: The focus of the Chapter “Energy and Climate Change” includes present and future of the energy sector and its impact within the climate change phenomenon that is taking place worldwide. The basic elements for the energy sector’s development are the availability of basic resources, of the appropriate technology in order to use them and of the necessary capital for its production and utilization.
The effects of climate change are basically attributed to the green-house effect caused by the environmental pollution resulting from hydrocarbon use. These topics will be analyzed and technologies and methodologies to capture, reduce and mitigate the effect of carbon and other polluting elements will be presented and discussed.

Question: What do you think is the origin of the energy crisis that the energy sector, worldwide, is going through?
Mario Wiegers: The world economic crisis is affecting every productive sector, however, energy consumption, even at a lessened degree, keeps on increasing and supply constitutes a serious problem since the sector requires large investments. Another worrying issue is the worldwide reduction of basic resources reserves, especially of hydrocarbon. But, at the same time, total energy consumption projections for the next 30 years keep a high level rate of hydrocarbon needs. Even though work is being done on developing non-conventional energies which could replace the existing ones, as in the case of biofuels, solar and wind energy, among others, all these new developments account for a low percentage of the world energy needs.

Question: Which, in your opinion, are the factors which had the most influence on these problems and of what nature are they in our country?
Mario Wiegers: As far as our country is concerned, Argentina has a reasonable amount of basic resources; nevertheless, energy supply is going through a critical period. In a few years it has gone from being an exporter of hydrocarbon to being one of its importers, being the latter the ones who cover more than 80% of demand. The main reason is lack of investment in prospecting and exploitation due to low return and producers’ mistrust. For the same reason there haven’t been, since last century, important works in the electricity sector, situation which pushes the system to the limit of its capacity.

Question: Considering the worldwide problem situation that the sector is going through, what solutions could be considered to this issue?
Mario Wiegers: The worldwide solutions arise from what was said before and basically consist in 1) Encouraging investment in the different production and distribution sources; 2) Improving efficiency in the use of energy: increasing the amount of elaborated products and improving comfort by having the least possible energy consumption, which does not imply restricting energy consumption but making an efficient use of it; and 3) Working on technology in order to reduce environmental pollution by capturing and mitigating carbon and other harmless elements’ effects.
The Congress tends to analyze and discuss these topics at a worldwide level and to try to reach the highest possible consensus so as to draw conclusions which will later be useful for the authorities, social organizations and companies related to this sector.