Can 100% renewable energy power the world? - Federico Rosei and Renzo Rosei

TED-Ed
7 Dec 201705:54
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe world is heavily reliant on fossil fuels like oil and gas that pollute the environment and will eventually run out. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are abundant but face challenges around efficiency, storage, and transport before they can fully replace fossil fuels. Though the transition is complex, top scientific minds are making advances like improved batteries and solar conversion methods. With further innovation and the right economic incentives, an all-renewable energy future may be achievable.

Takeaways
  • 😟 We rely heavily on fossil fuels, which pollute the Earth and will run out in the foreseeable future
  • 😲 Renewable energy currently meets only 13% of our energy needs, as cheap and accessible renewable energy at scale remains a challenge
  • 😵 Reaching 100% renewable energy requires overcoming technical, economic and political hurdles
  • 😀 We have ample renewable energy sources like solar, water and wind to meet our needs, if harnessed efficiently
  • 🤔 There are limitations in efficiently capturing renewable energy due to location, transportation and storage issues
  • 🤯 Building a global energy network for transporting renewable power faces astronomical costs without new technologies
  • 😫 Batteries today lack the energy density of fossil fuels, hindering their use to power major transportation
  • 🔬 More efficient energy capture, storage and transportation demands new materials and technological breakthroughs
  • 😊 Top minds globally are making advances in renewable technologies, energy storage and conversion
  • 🙂 Many governments and businesses are investing in harnessing renewable energy all around us
Q & A

  • What percentage of the world's energy needs are currently met by renewable sources?

    -Renewable energy currently provides about 13% of our energy needs.

  • Why is transporting renewable energy over long distances an issue?

    -Transporting renewable energy over long distances leads to energy loss through resistance in power lines. Superconductors could help address this, but they currently only work at low temperatures.

  • What are some of the limitations of hydroelectric, geothermal and biomass energy sources?

    -They have limits based on availability and location. They may not be available in densely populated areas where energy demand is high.

  • Why are batteries still limited for powering transportation compared to gasoline?

    -The best lithium ion batteries today store about 20 times less energy per kilogram than gasoline. We need batteries that can store much more energy without added cost.

  • What kind of battery would be needed to power a cross-Atlantic flight?

    -To power a cross-Atlantic flight, we'd need a battery weighing about 1,000 tons with today's technology.

  • What is a promising potential solution for renewable transportation fuels?

    -Converting solar energy into chemical energy is a promising potential solution. This is happening in labs but current efficiency is too low.

  • Why are deserts good locations for solar power plants?

    -Deserts receive lots of consistent sunshine year-round. This maximizes the efficiency of solar power generation.

  • What would a global renewable energy network require?

    -It would require power lines crisscrossing the globe to transport energy from where it's generated to where it's needed. This faces extremely high costs currently.

  • What might room temperature superconductors enable?

    -Room temperature superconductors could enable long-distance energy transportation without dissipation losses.

  • Why should we remain optimistic about the renewable energy transition?

    -Top scientific minds globally are making breakthroughs in renewable technology all the time. Governments and businesses are also investing heavily in renewable energy solutions.

Outlines
00:00
😯 The Challenges of Transitioning to 100% Renewable Energy

This paragraph discusses the challenges involved in transitioning to 100% renewable energy to meet the world's energy needs. It talks about how renewable energy currently meets only 13% of global energy demand due to issues like efficiency, energy transportation/storage, and high costs. Key challenges highlighted include transporting solar energy from sunny regions like deserts to high demand areas, building an expensive global energy grid, developing better technologies for efficient energy capture and transport, and finding ways to store renewable energy at the density of fossil fuels.

05:00
🤔 Reflections on Solving the Multifaceted Energy Transition Problem

This closing paragraph reflects on the transition to renewable energy as a complex, multifaceted problem involving technology, economics, and politics. It expresses optimism that solutions can be found through the work of scientific minds worldwide and increasing investments, but notes that assumptions and priorities differ based on how the problem is framed.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡fossil fuels
Fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal are non-renewable energy sources formed over millions of years from plant and animal remains. The transcript points out our heavy dependence on fossil fuels is polluting the earth and these sources will eventually run out in around 50-100 years at current usage rates. It contrasts fossil fuels with renewable sources like solar, wind and water that won't run out.
💡renewable energy
Renewable energy comes from natural sources that are constantly replenished like sunlight, wind, water flow etc. The transcript notes renewable energy is key to transitioning from finite fossil fuels to sustainable energy, but currently only provides 13% of our needs because the technology needs advancement to be inexpensive and accessible.
💡efficiency
Efficiency refers to the ratio of useful energy output to total energy input in any system. The transcript points out that to maximize efficiency, solar plants need abundant year-round sunshine so should be located in deserts, but these are far from populated areas of high energy demand.
💡energy transportation
As renewable sources are often located far from demand centers, transporting the generated energy becomes key. But the transcript notes building long distance grid networks to transport renewable electricity would be extremely expensive.
💡liquid fuels
Liquid fuels like gasoline and diesel derived from oil are essential for transportation in vehicles, ships and planes. The transcript contrasts the ease of transporting liquid fuels with the difficulty of storing renewable energy in similarly convenient liquid form for transportation.
💡battery storage
Batteries that can store renewable energy are highlighted for their potential to replace liquid fuels. But even the best batteries today have much lower energy density than gasoline, so advancing battery tech for greater capacity at lower cost is a major area discussed.
💡chemical energy
The transcript mentions converting renewable electricity into chemical energy carriers as a promising solution comparable to liquid fuels. But currently the conversion efficiency to produce these solar fuels/chemicals is too low to be economically viable.
💡superconductors
Superconducting materials that transport electricity without any losses are suggested in the transcript as a potential solution for long distance power lines to cut down on energy dissipation over long distances. But usable superconductors currently only work at impractically low temperatures.
💡energy density
This refers to the amount of energy stored per unit volume or mass, crucial for compact energy sources. The transcript compares the high energy density of gasoline to even the best batteries today, showing the gap that needs to be bridged.
💡global energy network
The transcript envisions a globally connected electrical grid network transporting renewable energy from source regions to demand centers worldwide. But constructing this on such a vast scale currently faces massive financial and technical barriers.
Highlights

We've pondered using 100% renewable energy for decades, yet it still only provides 13% of our needs.

Reaching 100% renewable energy requires sources that are inexpensive and accessible, representing a huge scientific and engineering challenge.

Global energy use is a complex system, and different elements require their own solutions.

There's an ample supply of renewable energy like solar, but hurdles exist around efficiency and energy transportation over long distances.

A globally connected electrical grid could transport renewable energy worldwide, but faces extremely high infrastructure costs.

New superconducting materials that work at room temperature could eliminate energy dissipation in power lines.

The best lithium-ion batteries store much less energy than fossil fuel equivalents, limiting transportation applications.

Efficiently converting solar energy to chemical energy could enable renewable fuel production.

The transition to renewable energy involves technology, economics and politics with many open questions.

Scientific breakthroughs on renewable energy challenges are happening continually.

Many governments and businesses are investing in renewable energy technologies.

Reaching 100% renewable energy is a complex, multifaceted problem requiring creative solutions.

The renewable energy transition needs powerful incentives and innovation.

Assumptions shape approaches to the renewable energy challenge.

There are reasons to be optimistic we can fully transition to renewable energy.

Transcripts

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