Why are numerous wars waged in the world? Definitely, there is a variety of reasons, including the fight for minerals and above all, the for energy carriers. Unless the economy and people’s lives are dependent on gas and oil, it is hard to expect that the states would not offer their citizens to sacrifice to seize these goods from one another. Moreover, thanks to the same resources, many of the totalitarian and strictly authoritarian regimes survive; the kings, sheiks, oligarchs and the “leaders” are the so-called “sitting on the oil pipeline”, provide more or less tolerable life of their citizens, keep them dependent and do not allow them to develop, and are not interested in developing other sectors of the economy.
Because of the same oil and gas, more progressive and democratic regimes have to tolerate and even “make friends” with brutal and inhuman regimes. The classic example of it is the relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia. The same factor also allows Russia to blackmail the European countries that are forced to turn a blind eye to this country’s current policy in order to get warm in winter with the Russian gas.
However, I assume that the gas-oil era will live its sunset still in our lives. We are not talking only about the coal gas, which can change the ratio of “gas countries’” forces. We are talking about fundamentally new technologies, which are primarily created in Japan and the United States.
This year, late in April, American famous entrepreneur Elon Musk introduced his Powerwall home battery to the market (the current price is high – 3.5 million USD), which can store the electricity from solar and wind. Recharging such three batteries once, you can have a capacity of 30 kWh, which is the average family’s daily consumption. Thus, the humanity is standing at the threshold of receiving a powerful renewable electricity, which will be used in both vehicles and industry. According to Musk, 2 billion batteries that he plans to produce will solve the problem of renewable energy for humanity.
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In addition to ecological and many other advantages, these revolutionary technologies will provide the most important thing to people – the independence. My current at home will no more be dependent on the incompetent electricity networks. My country’s electricity will no more be dependent on gas or oil pipes coming from any country. This, in my opinion, is not a scientific fiction, but a quite realistic prospect.
In the 21st century, people have started selling not the gas, oil or minerals, but the technologies, ultimately, their knowledge. And here we, Armenians, have our word to say.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
