The Future of Energy Supply: Challenges and Opportunities (2006)

Energy for everybody? The ever increasing world energy demand cannot be satisfied much longer with fossil fuels; alternatives are required to limit the chance of a climate collapse and the spreading of wars for natural resources. The 21st century will be largely defined by the way we face and resolve the energy crisis. This is an intricate and fascinating scientific challenge, in which chemistry will play a fundamental role, and also an unprecedented opportunity to shape a more peaceful world. Questions are never indiscrete, answers sometimes are. Each generation is confronted with new challenges and new opportunities. In a restricted system like the Earth, however, opportunities discovered and exploited by a generation can cause challenges to the subsequent ones. Fossil fuels have offered astounding opportunities during the 20th century in the rich countries of the western world, but now mankind has to face the challenges arising from fossil-fuel exploitation. The proven reserves of fossil fuels are progressively decreasing,1 and their continued use produces harmful effects, such as pollution that threatens human health and greenhouse gases associated with global warming. Currently the world's growing thirst for oil amounts to almost 1000 barrels a second,2 which means about 2 liters a day per each person living on the Earth (Figure 1).13 The current global energy consumption is equivalent to 13 terawatts (TW), that is, a steady 13 trillion watts of power demand. How long can we keep running this road? In this 1970 picture, an average American family is surrounded by the barrels of oil they consume annually. Now this consumption is about 40 % higher. Energy is the most important issue of the 21st century. Here is the fundamental challenge we face, here are many vital and entangled questions that we are called to answer. Can well-being, or even happiness, be identified with the highest possible amount of per capita energy consumption? Should we progressively stop burning fossil fuels? Can scientists find an energy source capable of replacing fossil fuels? Can chemistry help in solving the energy problem? Will it be possible for all the Earth's inhabitants to reach the standard of living of developed countries without devastating the planet? Will science and technology alone take us to where we need to be in the next few decades? Should we, citizens of the western world, change our lifestyle and shift to innovative social and economic paradigms? Can people living in poor countries improve their quality of life? Forty years ago, looking at the first photos of the Earth seen from space, we fully realized that our planet is a spaceship that travels without any destination in the infinity of the universe. of this spaceship we are in to the energy crisis. we to our planet in a shape for the of we have the to to the on the energy crisis. we can help energy scientific capable of solving the energy at as citizens of the of the world, first of spaceship Earth, we can we help now in much of this that our on cause is, the most the Earth's inhabitants in the long the most a to the energy the opportunity to and a more peaceful world. generation will be defined by we to the energy to are but in the world, and Energy is the by the for are important can be that all of for are on the of is to that a a of it is more to the amount of energy in and by a which any of and to is of the most energy human the energy of liters of oil is to of people that is, in the use of to oil and the from the the Earth is a The of in a are that cannot be are with this never that human on the natural of this is for by the and of on the but on the natural in of the to % of the of the global in and to % in the and to % in This means that we are living our we use of that cannot be by the This is the of fossil that are but also that of spaceship Earth has a has that all the world's inhabitants to at current American we for to also is to Earth % of The for is the for energy is The is to energy about is to to Energy is an looking like and of our (Figure even the most people of developed countries much about is a the use we of energy and the we have of This is for a to as is to The power at the of to a the of 2 people be for a with an the is to a fully be an of much energy we questions to for How energy is How much energy is the of How can will most poor we energy is in our and In years the of energy has the is that energy is now can we The current of the most energy is that is, oil is can find on the the of in a in is that of in a it is for a to for a human energy however, at a that is by or by energy but by the as a in of and in health for people by energy is with and this to The of energy with to the and of power as as effects, such as health arising from are the of the energy of energy are to in the of to energy our In this it is to that the first most a to the of the (Figure in is a to energy and and are on the oil The an from to where about % of the world's proven oil and reserves are is the way to a of energy The has the of by by in an of per that is, and it in energy be with on a economic the that energy are to all of the citizens of the world is the of the that global warming. The amount of we are in the to the the and the this is on the long to % the Earth's and climate that with natural The most an of such as the most to the to are as in the of in In energy will the the poor will can never of need to Energy is in any of and is to any of This is the it energy to improve standard of more energy more and more that the of people with increasing consumption of however, is the The quality of is with energy consumption during economic but it is almost countries are the per capita energy consumption a of about of oil per is is in a of energy and The with the highest of or people or is also the with the highest energy consumption per capita per American as much energy as 2 or are and as long as they the that from a energy of as as of social cause more but as a in a for the by most and is that of new power for the for the that in on a in the power demand % of the The to take in of any in developed countries is that of increasing energy but that of energy demand. is to that countries can the energy consumption by % at for a amount of the energy is in of and increasing the of a of this with the of economic fossil energy the that be in is the is the most in world can be at current a day change in consume barrels of oil a day and demand is growing as a of increasing in and with now for 1000 reach the of countries per 1000 their need barrels of oil a that is, almost the current of is to face a that change the energy the oil from 20th century the demand of oil has and the has to with such a we more oil and we it will a however, in which the will be to the ever increasing demand. day the oil reserves will be but the of will be The that we are now at the oil the shift it years even the are the oil will be the will be in years is the it is to and oil is to can we to a with or fuels? The is to oil the in the of natural to in has that the of this energy source is and also that in the a of take the to The can be in by natural and however, are and This is the most the The of is but never is the most and of fossil the of in the next years is but to a a standard 1000 a of a The in the use of the most is in with for a climate In the to the climate of are on for and The that at from power in the a of and has in many it it which is the can the for this is the energy of In it is or we will face an energy from fossil fuels to of energy source (Figure The of the also in by in where the need for an energy from to century this is more The power as as a energy can be by or is largely to is at the of for The most have to a called that by the to use for is to this which is and which means 2 for each person on the will be are power in the world. In the next few years this will for new and the that are now will the to of energy a of In are but people cannot the and are to The of of has even in the in of the to a in the for of years to energy is and with technology the current and of is the we need on our spaceship are for and are to and The of energy has in In for the a of on the of that be are by that it is any have in the without this to our energy energy of power for an of of such a amount of energy which means that a new power be day for the next that of the be in be and technology be developed and to countries to their energy demand in this however, the of from much for The has to for an called Energy that at an the by the and and to In to and to fuels to the for This of however, countries on technology and their be is a the by the is by the of the the the of cannot be we have to more which and of about this of the and spaceship Earth is a are however, to have an energy from the and on the of the of is a of energy human % of the of the Earth with % of power (Figure the world's consumption of fossil energy and the equivalent of The of of the world's % of Earth's with of energy has as a and energy but cannot be as it be and of energy is and and of the many to energy and is with fossil fuels at world the of energy from fossil fuels the scientists that in the it will be possible to energy from the by power and power to will in the The most way of use of energy is that of in which a is to for use or are and need The for % and The for 13 % in The highest of is in per 1000 in it is where most are required by to have The of of to almost 40 about % of the that is important to to % of energy use in is in the most for and of the energy and of the has that in the use of energy in the of fossil fuels to has of of of the world, by and have in new with important of be to capable of during the it in an and it in a The energy can also be by to the the is can be by or for such as and a which a few years ago, have is and countries have are that can the and in can be from and or from The first is by the most for have many are to where power from the is people have to and a of the world's poor in where the of the is In developed the of or on can be an to the in a to by % per to more which in and in In and by of with the their energy as The limit for energy is In this limit can be by of in The most of have and a of about years and a for of about to be to from fossil which developed and The energy of a is of the of years and in a with a of in the of of world of to in is with fossil and are it can be that an in this will new and capable of increasing and the on like in technology have energy is but they for of The of to that and of energy can be power also by on a in with an an The most and most is however, much of the is this are of of The by the the are of the of and the of their of % have but are much fuels are the of energy they can be and of the of fuels is even more can be fuels the of to and but it is a of fuels from be much more fossil Fossil however, is about our current consumption The of to energy is about but a of this is % of the energy on is in and a of this can be the of natural of be a important reach this of the of the is (Figure is by of The energy is to where it is by an The of the is to The and are by subsequent to where they are to and such as in natural by energy to the of and of of The need and to by the (Figure century is be to the by be for In the to any of will their energy to the will without and without of will the and will of will take the that have the of the but that will have by human which will to even more for is in a and mankind in a the of will be by for and will as long as the of and of the energy on the of at the of The of fuels the most important of this many scientific are to be and the fuels be from such as and be and and in be to with the generation of are the on which is The way to for the of fuels is that of the and of the natural to that be by to the and to where and has on each of of the in a system has (Figure in by energy to a with of and on the of a from of and from as of are is a that in a are to to capable of the for for however, have The of the of the of natural help in has the of for the of a an and in a from has and to an important for energy in countries where it is to energy in and more as in health energy from of and amounts of has at current consumption the of a % of and fuels for and about % of their In the is to and or to such as and from liters in about % of the liters of is from in and from in the The system % of the energy in % of all as or a % of all new in are that with or the of as and is % or % is increasing in the where the system is to % of the for fuels have in countries and In countries and for this In by % in has a of % for the energy in the of from is that of from on on increasing for the of and to a of and for use in be with all the day and us is and with be be be Earth, by a of such as of the in the or to a of and of from a few to of the of will to on the long it a and for are to the natural of the and consumption and and The amount of power has to be The is in a few with and in but new are the first in countries such as and The more in at an average of to the Energy by the of the current of will be in to the need of almost The in be to all our is of the for it is to and the The by the world is to be the of % of world energy The of has the of people in countries during the 20th with social and economic have as as many natural and in the has it has also that can be of and from power many important such as the and a longer any of of energy for of and and sometimes In the Earth is a of it can be in a from an economic and to the is as is the for new is but and can a to energy This is also for countries where of of power from in us a few to energy from our Earth The most important of is to the in the of our progressively In as in a century ago, energy can be and as or has from to with at 13 countries for the first The energy at the of the Earth, all the of the is of which a be The global energy in this way % of current which is for of the planet where energy is energy be by of the and and the energy can be exploited in of the where of in a The energy in all and in the world amounts to 2 in our for an energy they be on the is the use of the of to to of and that will day be as that and which or will an source of and of an of which is capable will be the of the to and it that the energy will be by (Figure sometimes is as a for from have on the scientists that the shift to a will and also at all a is to scientific and in The and are by the and of the of with produces and and of and in a and the energy and the of our planet have however, is on the cannot be but it has to be from rich by is an but a of This is the of be by or energy and it can be as an energy with the with to that it can be a use of is to cause cannot that is a of In is or of the energy to by fossil fuels or energy all the of energy fossil fuels in to as a for be an to the of can be by and this can be in the of by or by or by The way to the of the possible is to the In the few the use of has to the average power 13 and a in all the of is important it each to a energy are fully with in is with and of power generation are with power from fossil fuels and energy power is at and power is to even in developed countries at for in and can a amount of for is to reach by more the amount of can much of the now by burning fossil fuels and can be exploited in as as developed more 2 in countries have from of in this is and this is, from the that have to power The spreading of generation the need to an and in the way as has the of in of the world. In developed demand for is of the world's most during from in to in is from new in the and but in is also in where at the of the in and in The energy is also increasing the current of of and in it is to as energy In new and can be and and of with is also and are and with of and are also the of many of the by countries all and have now of an has to and the of with are % and % energy by and global are in is by at have to be in in in the in the in from all and in the are on the of that can be by the of the of is that and can take with for people and the can play a fundamental to this are and of and of of have in In of such a the of energy to the energy is % of world and 2 % of world more of the is in is a need to the of but this can be on scientific are and a of more and to for energy and can be in a few years and of fuels by is a in the long by the Energy on Energy in in at the where and have on the at the of where the most questions are the energy is a that to be by an scientific questions at solving the energy will also to in to the be by the the of this we that the energy is with many social and that we need to the answers to entangled questions that our even more of our and the we are in the to answers that of as much entangled as the Can well-being, or even happiness, be identified with the highest amount of energy consumption? in energy consumption but in developed countries it help people to their have to change the that our energy The energy in a cannot be by increasing energy our we for our and to human Should we progressively stop burning fossil fuels? for important fossil fuels are a energy source that is to use of fossil fuels to human health and to the fossil fuels be as for the Energy from fossil fuels progressively be for the for a the of new energy Can scientists find an energy source capable of replacing fossil fuels? are energy energy the and of energy are for but also from the social energy by the technology is it is a of energy that has to be and of possible to of of of energy will energy rich and poor and to a more world. energy is and can be exploited all the world by a of but of which are energy is a and of which can be without and energy will energy and on the consumption of the Earth's all the world (Figure will the world's poor countries have energy and of can to of on in in is a of the for and from are Can chemistry help in solving the energy problem? The of energy and of by the and can improve the of energy and can play a in any of technology and can even find a for solving the energy is the of Will it be possible for all Earth's inhabitants to reach the standard of living of developed countries without devastating the planet? as the will reach a are for all people to at the by developed keep a of we will be to for the most important Will science and technology alone take us to where we need to be in the next few decades? science and technology will fully in of we never that spaceship Earth, for is a system and that we are the natural is a need to our on the Earth and to as much as we in of that the Earth is an in which we but a system which we to and we Should we, citizens of the western world, change our lifestyle and shift to innovative social and economic paradigms? change our lifestyle for the of economic cannot be it the of we that our on In countries we in where the of and have we on the need of increasing of energy however, will us the of is but it can even we energy of will use the to more from a in the we need new and new of world's need to the of and a of to Can people of poor countries improve their they is is we to to this we change our and consumption in is to by of oil equivalent per as a of a of a in of will be for an or an in of will be for an the in energy rich and poor to stop the in countries energy to poor This is more a of energy consumption however, this is are on the planet for energy to has to on the standard of of the rich to that of the we can as scientists is help countries to their for to their energy and energy is for the of as called for in the our and on be by a on the of energy that will be harmful to and to human global to the energy is an be in a more on the that the Earth's are The first of this is to consumption of fossil This is a that the where a of any amounts of produces of and an in the world's The is to without any a and for and of This is a of developed countries where most of scientific is The of energy be on the technology it will for each and each to the in and to have a more and more energy of all energy as the in the The way of the is a global with it will take a long any will our have to the to energy a but have the to the of the and of the energy and they with on a the energy be on a longer that of are of the of the of also and that that we the of economic us that is power source on Earth that can our and Each and even of such a is a for a and the of a peaceful world. the to with the is to it be but living on the Earth that is need for the of is and will in a few most will this by The energy is a challenge, also an a chance to more about the world in which we and the that we have is an opportunity for scientists to take an in the Earth and to change is in our social and with the the rich and the are that the of human with increasing to the world or the poor will the to the of but in the long it cannot be The spaceship Earth is in our we to science and a capable of and a more peaceful we need scientists capable of where we are is the for us to new energy be in the next science and technology will to the energy at the however, we cannot on is energy consumption and are find the of In this it is to that at the first of new and oil to be the most of many for the energy crisis. like in a world and are of the technology even the like to this with a few on the of our The the highest quality of but are the as as energy reserves are in the in and is now and the oil a % of the world's proven oil The reserves of and the for % of the The is with with and % of the world's to energy about that a is and a to energy is for the world, it is for the of energy energy is for we use of our energy in a an to of by a we a power with of as in the and in the can by and power and progressively to are all the world, an power is in in (Figure as world in we need to energy from we be to and our energy to the of the world. us the that this can be in the of during the oil the way for a economic from the use of energy to the use of the harmful energy source by the has the and economic to this have a most important in a new generation of and citizens of to the of the of in the world's most and capable of a economic with new and and a social such as and have to be the of such a the of energy will us to our way of this will that our will be in a more peaceful world. the of now will be