A renewable energy future: Why we need it

It's imperative: The world needs to move from its current unsustainable energy paradigm to a future powered entirely by clean, renewable energy--coupled with substantial energy conservation and resource efficiency. Only this transition will avoid the very worst impacts of climate change.

Increasingly, governments and businesses are questioning old-world, "business as usual" energy scenarios. This path, from the past, leads only to increasing risks of energy security, pollution, price volatility and catastrophic climate change. There are better options already available, and we must pursue these realistic alternatives. The world can no longer afford to hang on to its old energy paradigm, and its dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

The Energy Report, produced through a collaboration between WWF and energy consultancy Ecofys, breaks new ground in the energy debate. The report attempts to articulate a feasible future scenario in which all of the world's energy supply is provided by renewable and sustainable sources by mid-century.

A new pathway for the future

Most of the answers are already at our disposal. For example, if we were to annually insulate 2 percent of existing buildings using "low energy house" standards, energy demand would be significantly reduced, making it much easier to close the energy gap with renewable energy options. Is this even possible"old" paradigm for the energy industry and articulate a new pathway for the future. The Energy Report provides a meticulously researched scenario into a truly alternative vision for the energy future, and what such a scenario implies for society at large.

The 2050 scenario in a nutshell

In 2050, the dominant form of energy available to the consumer, wherever he or she lives, will be electricity. This highest value form of energy can be transported and applied relatively easily. Efficient electricity transmission will, however, mean investment in new, more efficient, "intelligent"--electricity grids--"smart grids".

Maximum energy efficiency will be the rule for all economic and social activities. We will also have to change the way we live. This may include making better, low-impact, transport choices; adapting the heating and cooling temperatures in our buildings; Changing our diets to include less meat (for those high meat consumers among us)--which will "free-up" land for sustainable bioenergies; or setting and applying strict efficiency standards for all of our appliances and processes.

Because The Energy Report scenario only makes use of currently available technologies, it leaves considerable optimism for an even brighter future with the benefits of further innovation and research and development. Technologies for liquid fuels, for example, could advance significantly from where they are today. We still haven't overcome the challenge of powering large ships or airplanes with electricity, which means we still need liquid fuel. Assuming continuous growth of this mode of transport, the only real renewable option available to us is biofuels. But are there better alternatives Investment returns Does it pay off financially"start-up"' funding could come from diverting funds currently used for fossil fuel subsidies--which amount to an estimated 500-700 billion euros per year depending on market fuel prices.

Conclusion

The decision time is now--if we want to see real positive results by 2050. Climate change is an escalating problem with more and more greenhouse gases accumulating in the atmosphere every day. There is no time to lose. Every new investment decision made for the wrong type of energy infrastructure today locks the world into a flawed energy scheme for decades to come.

The Energy Report is not about predictions. It's about articulating a calculated and ambitious pathway towards a possible, positive future--taking into account the necessity to act rapidly and decisively on climate change. It is realistic in its conservative approach, its reliance only on existing technologies, and its clear identification of the challenges ahead. It is also optimistic because it shows that with manageable effort, we can transform our energy system in a third industrial revolution for the benefit of all. 

By: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)