Energy
This page is about energy in 2 main forms: fuel and electricity.
Energy supply
The majority of energy comes from fossil fuels which cause climate change.
Limits to other energy sources
| Energy source | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Hydroelectricity | Only viable in a few parts of the world |
| Geothermal | In most parts of the world, is only suited for heating and cooling |
| Solar | 1. Intermittant (not available at night) 2. Manufacturing is too resource-intensive |
| Wind | 1. Intermittant 2. Turbine construction is too resource-intensive 3. Requires a lot of space, usually far from where people live |
| Nuclear | Limited supply of uranium-235 + Safety concerns |
| Biomass waste | Limited supply |
| Biofuel | Limited supply + Competes with food, contributing to hunger and deforestation |
The intermittency problem of solar and wind could be solved with energy storage, if the right innovations happen.
Energy demand
Categorized by end use:
Can this demand (or at least, most of it) be met without fossil fuels?
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Not without major technological breakthroughs.
Even worse: Most of the world is currently living in poverty. Suppose every country was as developed as western countries: Global energy demand would be more than double:
But there is good news
If we did things differently, then...
- Everyone on the planet could have a decent quality of life, and
- Energy consumption would be just a fraction of what it is today.
- Plus, people would be less overworked.
This might actually be the most viable route to net-zero carbon emissions.