Epilogue

The Path Forward

For most of known history, humans have relied on renewable energy sources—sun, wind, geothermal energy, hydropower, and biomass—to fuel their activities. The low energy density of these sources and the direct utilization technologies served the primarily agrarian societies well until the dawn of the Industrial Revolution nearly three centuries ago. The Industrial Revolution, possibly the single most important event in the history of humankind, enabled societies to transition from a livelihood based on agriculture to one based on industry. The standard of living in industrial societies increased exponentially, and concomitantly these societies experienced an unprecedented growth in populations. These developments were made possible because of the availability and exploitation of highly energy-dense non-renewable fossil energy sources—first coal and then oil and natural gas. Transitioning to these cheap, abundant energy resources was the key to unlocking other resources that made these developments possible.

The world is now on the cusp of another energy transition, driven by decreasing availability of affordable nonrenewable energy sources and the need to arrest and counter the damages to the ecosystem caused by climate change associated with the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their use. The complexity of the energy transition is exacerbated by the fact that global energy supplies will need to grow at a rapid rate for the foreseeable future due to increasing energy demands from the vast majority of the world’s population whose energy consumption is effectively at minimum subsistence levels.

Fortunately, a limitless supply of renewable energy is available on earth, with each type of renewable energy source having the capacity to fulfill the energy needs of the world many times over. The key challenge is in accomplishing the transformations of the primary renewable energy forms into the energy carriers and currencies—electricity, transportation fuel, heat, and so on—efficiently, economically, and in an environmentally responsible manner.

The scientific and technological fundamentals of these energy transformations, as also of the energy storage technologies and hybrid energy systems that will be integral parts of the future energy systems, have been discussed in the preceding chapters of the book. The principles of techno-economic analysis, including environmental impact assessment and the role of public policy in catalyzing the transition to renewable energy systems, have also been presented.

These discussions should lead to identification of technology development needs, as well as the need for a consistent, transparent, and impartial comprehensive analysis of the renewable energy systems. Governments and relevant authorities can then make an informed decision to institute a responsive public policy to guide the efforts and investments facilitating the transition to renewable energy systems in an expeditious and economic manner.

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