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Future of Energy Debate

December 1, 2020
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Future of Energy Debate

Be it resolved, the future of energy is renewables.

The lowest oil prices in history thanks to stalled economies in lockdown. A President Elect and a Green New Deal that promises a carbon neutral America in a decade. Governments pledging to make the internal combustion engines illegal within a decade. It seems like the way we have powered our civilization for two plus centuries, using hydrocarbons, is on the way out as we welcome an energy revolution to combat climate change and environmental degradation. Fossil fuel proponents say that this is wildly wishful thinking that doesn’t take into account renewable energy’s infinitesimal contribution to current global demand. Moreover, most green energy is incredibly difficult to store and transit in the ways modern economies need, raising questions about whether hype has replaced common sense about replacing hydrocarbons as our dominant energy source.

“Wind prices at grid parity in Europe.  Battery costs down by a factor of ten over the last decade. Solar now the cheapest electricity in history. The end is in sight for fossil fuels.”

– Ramez Naam

“For the foreseeable future we are going to see a grid that has lots more wind and solar but will depend on gas, coal, and oil fire generation for a very long time.”

– Mark P. Mills

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