Topline
Tesla CEO and world’s richest man Elon Musk on Monday backed increased drilling for gas and oil in the near term, in line with his recent efforts to use Non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels and nuclear energy.
Tesla CEO Elon Ma Elon Musk looks up as he addresses guests at the 2022 North Sea Offshore (ONS) conference … [+] in Stavanger, Norway.
NTB/ AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
According to Reuters, Musk told a conference in Norway that if the world stops using oil and gas, he called for continued Drill and explore for fossil fuel resources and “civilization will collapse”.
The transition to green energy will take decades, the billionaire suggests, while Fossil fuels are required.
Last week, Musk, who has promoted renewable energy, called for increased nuclear power generation and criticized Environmentalists who oppose nuclear power plants are “anti-human”.
In a Business Insider interview earlier this year, Musk expressed support for reopening Nuclear power plants shut down globally, saying they are “the fastest producing energy” and claiming they pose no risk in areas less prone to natural disasters.
With global crude prices soaring due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Musk called for an immediate increase in oil and gas output, adding ” Sustainable energy solutions simply cannot respond immediately” to supply shortages in Russia.
Contra
in 2015 Appearing on astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s podcast, Musk used language similar to the one he used in Norway on Monday to describe the issue of fossil fuel use. At the time, Musk called the use of fossil fuels “the dumbest experiment in history to date.” He then warned that if the world cannot find a solution to burning fossil fuels, the economy and society will “go to a dead end”.
Main background
Musk has previously slammed the fossil fuel industry for disinformation about him, but his stance on oil and gas has changed in recent years soften. In Acceptance The New York Times Last year, the billionaire said he was “a little bit sad about hating the oil and gas industry” because the people who founded these companies didn’t know the impact of fossil fuel use. Before that, Musk appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and said “we’re going to need to burn fossil fuels for a long time,” adding that he was “not in favor of demonizing the oil and gas industry.” Instead, the billionaire has called for a carbon tax to encourage more people to switch to renewable energy. Musk’s softening of his stance on non-renewable energy comes as the billionaire publicly signaled a shift in political allegiance to the Republican Party, which is more supportive of the continued use and exploration of fossil fuels.
Notes
At the event in Norway, Musk said that Tesla plans to make its Autopilot system fully operational by the end of the year , and hopes to release widely in the U.S. and Europe, subject to regulatory approval. Tesla’s self-driving technology has been the subject of much debate after multiple accidents. This prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a detailed investigation into Tesla’s “Autopilot” system.
Forbes valuation
$257.3 billion. According to Forbes
Further reading
Elon Musk says world still needs oil and gas (Reuters)
Elon Musk says shutting down nuclear plants is “crazy” for national security and “against humanity” (Business Insider)
