Summary
Highlights
The world consumes 35 billion barrels of oil annually, leading to pollution and a finite supply. Current estimates suggest oil and gas will run out in 50 years, and coal in about a century. Despite abundant renewable sources, they only provide 13% of our energy needs due to challenges in making them inexpensive and accessible.
Our technology is advanced enough to capture ample solar energy, which is 10,000 times our current needs. However, challenges include efficiency and transportation. Solar plants need to be in sunny areas like deserts, far from densely populated regions. Other renewables like hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass also have location-based limits.
A global electrical network could transport power, but the cost is astronomical. Current power lines lose 6-8% of energy due to resistance, meaning longer lines cause more loss. Superconductors could eliminate this, but they currently require cooling to low temperatures, which is energy-intensive. Room-temperature superconductors are needed for this technology to be viable.
The main challenge for liquid fuels is storing renewable energy in an easily transportable form. Lithium-ion batteries, though improved, store 20 times less energy per kilogram than gasoline. For vehicles like cars, and especially larger vessels like ships and planes, much higher energy density batteries are required. Converting solar to chemical energy is a promising solution being explored in labs.
Achieving 100% renewable energy is a complex problem involving technology, economics, and politics. However, there is optimism due to leading scientists working on breakthroughs and significant investments from governments and businesses in renewable energy technologies.