What are the challenges in cutting our dependence on fossil energy?
Perhaps the biggest challenge is to cut our dependence at a time when the world’s population and energy demands are both rising rapidly. Over the next century, world population will almost double to over 10 billion at least. And the standard of living of billions of people will rise as they seek many of the material benefits of the developed nations. This will require lots of energy; rising from today’s energy consumption rate of 10 terawatts (trillion watts) to a rate of over 20 TW by the middle of the century and 40 TW or more by 2100.
