16. A single oil event - a pipeline explosion in Iraq, political
unrest in Venezuela, a bellicose exchange between the
Russian and Saudi oil ministers sends shockwaves
through the world energy order pushes prices up or
down and sets off tectonic shifts in global wealth and
powerâ.
So as a true engineer â and therefore as a fair national
wealth distributor and a driving force for a higher living
standard for my people and nation - I cannot sit idle
watching out there: looking for every way and turning
every rock to lessen this dependency is an obligation and
no longer an option. Being at the crossroads between en-gineering,
environmental activism and wealth creation is not within anyoneâs reach. In combining all these
components, I am more than sure that I would already pave the way to push forward towards not only the
well being of my people but also of humanity as a whole!
Although motivation and commitment are good things, I may still need to reinforce my technical know-how
and experience in the field of green energy in order to successfully found such start up. As an engi-neer,
I have to understand the nuts and bolts of everything I step into. Maybe some further academic stud-ies
will get along and since my vision is an industry-oriented and applied one rather than research-oriented,
a master program in energy management, building systems and renewable energy integrated building sys-tems
would be just the right thing for me. As it involves Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechan-ics,
Energy Conversion, Economics and a lot of other disciplines I have already been taught during my in-terdisciplinary
curriculum in Tunisia Polytechnic School in La Marsa, I think Iâve already a good launch
pad and that what is missing is a just a little bit of application, of more on-site visits, of an internship
within a big company where I can put my acquired knowledge into practice and where I can get an invalu-able
hands-on experience.
However challenging the technical aspects of energy conservation and management may seem, I think
that convincing policy makers to fund projects such as integrating Renewable Energy or implementing
building retrofits whenever possible remains the most challenging task even in developed countries. That is
why once and once again I have to step up from behind the drawing board and sell myself as a brain able to
think outside the box and to make the best out of my negotiation and communication skills . With the
Kyoto convention entering into effect this year, our national energy policy witnessing deep but positive
changes and an increasing public awareness about the environment, I see few reasons why one should
dither about pursuing a career in green energy and energy efficient management. I hope that within a few
years, Iâll be able to be up and running and keep going: Going Green! Going Solo! Going Global!
Let me end here by a quote from the book The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson âWe have entered the
century of the Environment, in which the immediate future is usefully conceived as a bottleneck: science
and technology, combined with foresight and moral courage, must see us through it and outâ. I hope that
through my quest for being an entrepreneur, Iâm gaining both : knowledge and courage!
Par Slim
Business Plan
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Going Green! Going Solo! Going Global!
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