Sustainable Energy

Extracted Attributes

• Definition

  Energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

• Government Role

  Funding research, development, and demonstration of new clean energy technologies; building infrastructure for electrification and sustainable transport; encouraging clean energy deployment with policies such as carbon pricing, renewable portfolio standards, and phase-outs of fossil fuel subsidies.

• Elon Musk's View

  Most viable long-term solution to climate change, especially solar energy, surpassing fusion energy and the oil and gas industry.

• Assessment Criteria

  Environmental, economic, and societal impacts (greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, energy poverty, toxic waste).

• Primary Renewable Sources

  Wind, hydro, solar, geothermal, biomass, low-impact hydroelectricity, wave, tidal.

• US Natural Gas Share (2023)

  43% of total U.S. electricity (1,809 terawatt-hours), up 6.5% from 2022.

• US Hydropower Production (2023)

  239 terawatt-hours.

• US Wind Power Production (2023)

  428 terawatt-hours.

• People Lacking Electricity Access

  Around 790 million in developing countries.

• US Zero-Carbon Power Share (2023)

  41.1% of U.S. electricity output (all-time high).

• Controversial Non-renewable Sources

  Nuclear power, natural gas.

• US Coal-fired Generation Share (2023)

  15.8% of total U.S. power generation (all-time low).

• US Total Renewables Production (2023)

  972 terawatt-hours (1% increase).

• Estimated Annual Deaths from Pollution

  7 million (from cooking with biomass plus fossil fuel pollution).

• Global Fossil Fuel Consumption (Current)

  85% of world's energy consumption.

• People Relying on Polluting Fuels for Cooking

  2.6 billion.

• US Solar Generating Projects Production (2023)

  237 terawatt-hours (utility-scale and rooftop solar).

• Investment Needed for 1.5°C Goal (IPCC Estimate)

  2.5% of world gross domestic product (GDP) each year between 2016 and 2035.

• Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Energy System

  76% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Timeline

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 2.5% of world GDP would need to be invested in the energy system each year between 2016 and 2035 to limit global warming to 1.5°C. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2016-01-01

• Wind and solar market share grew to 8.5% of worldwide electricity. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2019-01-01

• Zero-carbon power (renewable energy generation plus nuclear power) accounted for an all-time high of 41.1% of U.S. electricity output. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-01-01

• Coal-fired generation fell to an all-time low of 15.8% of total U.S. power generation. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-01-01

• Natural gas remained the largest source of U.S. electricity, providing 43% (1,809 TWh), up 6.5% from 2022. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-01-01

• Total U.S. power generation decreased by an estimated 0.9%. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-01-01

• The contribution of all renewables in the U.S. (including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, waste-to-energy and wind) rose 1%, producing 972 TWh. (Source: Web Search)

  2023-01-01

• The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that renewable energy will surpass coal to become the world's top source of electricity. (Source: Web Search)

  2025-01-01

Sustainable energy

Energy is sustainable if it "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Definitions of sustainable energy usually look at its effects on the environment, the economy, and society. These impacts range from greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution to energy poverty and toxic waste. Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar, and geothermal energy can cause environmental damage but are generally far more sustainable than fossil fuel sources. The role of non-renewable energy sources in sustainable energy is controversial. Nuclear power does not produce carbon pollution or air pollution, but has drawbacks that include radioactive waste, the risk of nuclear proliferation, and the risk of accidents. Switching from coal to natural gas has environmental benefits, including a lower climate impact, but may lead to a delay in switching to more sustainable options. Carbon capture and storage can be built into power plants to remove their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but this technology is expensive and has rarely been implemented. Fossil fuels provide 85% of the world's energy consumption, and the energy system is responsible for 76% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Around 790 million people in developing countries lack access to electricity, and 2.6 billion rely on polluting fuels such as wood or charcoal to cook. Cooking with biomass plus fossil fuel pollution causes an estimated 7 million deaths each year. Limiting global warming to 2 °C (3.6 °F) will require transforming energy production, distribution, storage, and consumption. Universal access to clean electricity can have major benefits to the climate, human health, and the economies of developing countries. Climate change mitigation pathways have been proposed to limit global warming to 2 °C (3.6 °F). These include phasing out coal-fired power plants, conserving energy, producing more electricity from clean sources such as wind and solar, and switching from fossil fuels to electricity for transport and heating buildings. Power output from some renewable energy sources varies depending on when the wind blows and the sun shines. Switching to renewable energy can therefore require electrical grid upgrades, such as the addition of energy storage. Some processes that are difficult to electrify can use hydrogen fuel produced from low-emission energy sources. In the International Energy Agency's proposal for achieving net zero emissions by 2050, about 35% of the reduction in emissions depends on technologies that are still in development as of 2023. Wind and solar market share grew to 8.5% of worldwide electricity in 2019, and costs continue to fall. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that 2.5% of world gross domestic product (GDP) would need to be invested in the energy system each year between 2016 and 2035 to limit global warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). Governments can fund the research, development, and demonstration of new clean energy technologies. They can also build infrastructure for electrification and sustainable transport. Finally, governments can encourage clean energy deployment with policies such as carbon pricing, renewable portfolio standards, and phase-outs of fossil fuel subsidies. These policies may also increase energy security.

Web Search Results

• The Role of the Sustainable Energy Transition in Tackling ...

  The sustainable energy transition is the process of transitioning from environmentally harmful sources (like fossil fuels) to sustainable ones. Sustainable energy emphasizes energy sources that fulfill current needs, reduce environmental harm, and set up future generations for success, unlike green and renewable energy which prioritize only the current environmental impacts. [...] | Green energy is acquired from the natural world without harming the environment. | Renewable energy is any energy source that can be naturally replenished over a relatively short period of time. | Sustainable energy comes from sources that fulfill current needs without future negative impact. | [...] The sustainable energy transition refers to the transition from unsustainable energy sources to those that are sustainable, renewable, and/or “green,” such as geothermal, wind, solar, hydropower, and biomass. While there is overlap, these sources have their own nuances in terms of how these sources are acquired and how they are managed. | Green vs. Renewable vs. Sustainable Energy |

• 2024 Key Trends - Business Council for Sustainable Energy

  Among renewable technologies, the 153 GW wind power fleet produced 428 TWh of electricity in 2023, followed by hydropower with 239 TWh and solar generating projects (utility-scale and rooftop solar) with 237 TWh. Zero-carbon power (renewable energy generation plus nuclear power) accounted for an all-time high of 41.1 percent of U.S. electricity output in 2023. Coal-fired generation fell to an all-time low of 15.8 percent of total U.S. power generation. [...] Total U.S. power generation decreased by an estimated 0.9 percent in 2023. Natural gas remained the largest source of U.S. electricity – providing 43 percent of the total – with 1,809 terawatt-hours (TWh) of production in 2023, up 6.5 percent from 2022. The contribution of all renewables – including biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, waste-to-energy and wind – rose 1 percent, producing 972 TWh in 2023. A drop in hydropower and wind output was offset by strong solar generation. [...] The 2024 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, produced annually by BloombergNEF in partnership with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, tracks energy market and policy trends in the United States. The Factbook examines how clean energy sectors performed in 2023 and over the past decade. ### Learn more and download the 2024 Factbook here: Download the 2024 Factbook ## Clean Energy Transition Thrives, Boosted by Federal Policies # 1

• Top Renewable Energy Trends | IBM

  To develop renewable energy technology, governments are turning to various public policy measures. The European Union’s Green Deal Industrial Plan, India’s Production Linked Incentives (PLI) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US are all policies designed to further stimulate the integration of sustainable energy. Supportive economic policies in China have accelerated onshore wind and solar photovoltaic energy projects there, helping the country surpass national 2030 targets years [...] Explore Environmental Intelligence Explore sustainability solutions [...] In a warming world, the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is heating up. Global capacity for renewable power generation is expanding more quickly than at any time in the last thirty years, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The agency predicts (link resides outside ibm.com) that by 2025, renewable energy will surpass coal to become the world’s top source of electricity. Wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation are forecast to exceed nuclear power

• Local Renewable Energy Benefits and Resources

  Solar (photovoltaic, solar thermal) Wind Biogas (e.g., landfill gas/wastewater treatment digester gas) Geothermal Biomass Low-impact hydroelectricity Emerging technologies - wave and tidal power Local governments can lead by example by generating energy on–site, purchasing green power, or purchasing renewable energy. Using a combination of renewable energy options can help meet local government goals especially in some regions where availability and quality of renewable resources vary. [...] Purchasing renewable energy from an electric utility through a green pricing or green marketing program, where buyers pay a small premium in exchange for electricity generated locally from green power resources.

• Renewable Energy Trends: A Summary of Our 2025 Solar Research ...

  Perovskite solar cells for their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Green hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel to decarbonize industries. Advanced storage solutions like solid-state and flow batteries for safer and more efficient energy storage. Floating solar farms and bifacial panels for increased energy production without land use. Wind energy innovations like floating turbines for expanded offshore potential. AI, digital twin technologies, and blockchain for optimized energy systems.

• Instance Of

  Q5633421