Veterans in Advanced Energy Profile: Taylor Searcy
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taylor searcy, 2020-2021 Veterans advanced energy fellow. click the button below to learn more about the fellowship.
Taylor Searcy, a 2020-2021 Veterans Advanced Energy Fellow, was surprised to see the power go out every night in the capital city of East Timor on his Navy tour. Ensuring reliable and affordable access to abundant energy resources around the globe has helped drive his post-military career in advanced energy. He recommends other veterans bring their unique perspectives to the table in the clean energy transition. As told to Leah Emanuel.
Why did you join the military and what was your role?
My family has a long history of military service. My grandparents, great grandparents, my dad, and my uncle all served, so there’s a family component. My dad was in the Navy which is why I chose Navy. The other piece is that I consider the military both challenging and an adventure. In high school, I wanted to deviate from what most of my peers were doing by embarking on something that I personally found challenging and that would provide me with an opportunity to travel and see the world.
I was a Surface Warfare Officer. I graduated from the Naval Academy in 2008 and spent five and a half years–two tours of duty–as a Surface Warfare Officer stationed in Japan. I had various roles, but primarily I was working in the engineering department of ships and squadrons.
How did the military influence your career trajectory into energy?
I’ve always been interested in supporting something much bigger than myself and helping other people around the world. I thought the military was a good option. Travelling around southeast and northeast Asia while serving in the Navy’s Seventh Fleet opened my eyes to the disparities in the world.
One of my first tour visits was in Dili. That’s the capital city of East Timor, and they had to shut off their power grid at 8:00 pm every night. It was astonishing to me that a capital city went without power each night. That is when I began to truly understand the significant inequality in energy access throughout the world. After the Navy, I really wanted to find a career where I could help people get better access to energy, more affordable energy, and support the global transition to clean energy in general.
What are you most excited about in advanced energy developments and what are you most concerned about?
photoS provided by TAYLOR SEARCY. ABOVE: Surface Warfare Officer pinning ceremony aboard USS Lassen (2010)
I’m most excited about two things. One is green hydrogen or hydrogen technology and how that applies to very hard-to-abate sectors, such as the maritime sector for international shipping or some of the large industrial processes like cement and steel production. There are tremendous opportunities and significant challenges there, but that’s what I think is very exciting. The second component is the broader challenge of energy justice. I’m very excited and passionate about helping people who might live in underserved communities gain better access to clean energy at an affordable price.
At a very high level, my biggest concern is that humanity will not move quickly enough towards achieving carbon neutrality nor enable a clean energy transition in time for future generations. I have two children and a third on the way. That’s what I’m concerned about: the future of humanity and the global challenge we face.
Why is energy important to U.S. national security?
Every single thing we did in the Navy depended upon a strong fuel supply chain. We had underway replenishments all the time at sea. The logistics to meet the operational requirements, that are 100% dependent on energy sources, are really eye opening. Our entire national security apparatus, the defense of our country, depends on reliable energy. If something goes down in that giant supply chain it can disrupt our national security. I think it's of paramount importance that our Department of Defense focus on clean energy and alternative solutions.
Our entire national security apparatus, the defense of our country, depends on reliable energy. If something goes down in that giant supply chain it can disrupt our national security.
SEARCY SAILING with an international team of junior officers through the Strait of Magellan aboard the Chilean Navy’s BE Esmeralda (2008)
Do you have advice you would like to share with other veterans?
Don’t sell yourself short. My advice would be to reflect on your service in the military and how that is extremely unique and provides you with a perspective that most people don’t have. That can be very critical to finding a rewarding career, especially when it comes to clean energy.
What is your greatest take-away from the Veterans Advanced Energy Fellowship?
This fellowship made me reflect on my experiences and understand that I do have a voice, my opinion matters, and there’s a lot that veterans can bring to the clean energy transition. The fellowship helped me see that I’m not just another cog in the wheel—I really have something unique to bring to the table.
Military service makes you very mission-driven. You’re given a task, and you have to get that done. You might not necessarily see the bigger picture at first but have a drive to succeed and get your job done. It’s something that is very unique to veterans. Veterans also form strong bonds in close-knit teams by working under very difficult situations in arduous situations and work environments. We have to be flexible and adaptable. No challenge is too great that we would turn away. The clean energy transition is one of the biggest challenges that we face for the planet. While it might seem insurmountable for someone else, veterans can find this challenge suitable for them to tackle.
The clean energy transition is one of the biggest challenges that we face for the planet. While it might seem insurmountable for someone else, veterans can find this challenge suitable for them to tackle.
