Powering the planet: The future of energy in the world

Abstract

This presentation describes and evaluates the tech., political, and economic challenges involved with widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies.First, the available fossil fuel resources and reserves are estd., based on data from the World Energy Assessment and World Energy Council. A comparison of the price per unit of energy of these sources to those of renewable energy technologies is presented. Next, the level and timescale of Research and Development investment that is needed to produce the required quantity of carbon-free power by the 2050 timeframe is evaluated, to support the expected global energy demand for carbon-free power. Then the energy potential of various renewable energy resources will be assessed to ascertain which resources are adequately available globally to support the projected global carbonfree energy demand requirements. This is followed by an evaluation of the challenge to the chem. sciences to enable the cost-effective prodn. of carbon-free power on the needed scale by the 2050 timeframe. Finally, the effects of a change in primary power technol. on the energy supply infrastructure will be discussed and the impact of such a change on the modes of energy consumption by the energy consumer will be presented.

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