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Weekly Short
28 October, 2022
We’re living through a period of extreme energy insecurity. The current crisis has further reinforced the need for a speedy transition to renewable energy, and yet it often feels like the pace of change is frustratingly slow.
However, there is a light(bulb) at the end of the tunnel and it’s much closer than we thought. Recent research has highlighted how, year on year, the growth of solar and wind energy capacity has consistently exceeded expectations. Renewable energy has been growing exponentially due to the fact that the greater the proliferation, the better we become at harnessing it. Not only does technological innovation increase, but the more renewables spread, the cheaper they become.
Analysis by the think tank RethinkX has found that 100% clean electricity from the combination of solar, wind, and batteries is both possible and economically affordable across the majority of the global population by 2030. Their report sets out how this rapid growth of renewables has the same kind of disruptive potential on society as the advent of the internet, where the barriers to information and connection were drastically reduced over time. The spread of renewables does not simply mean a transition to clean energy usage, within our current systems, but a total shift in how we view energy as a whole. It’s an exciting shift in mindset as conservation in the new system will mean maximising rather than minimising energy use, where an abundance of cheap, green energy can open the door to a countless innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities.
We would highly recommend RethinkX’s report; it’s a fascinating and inspiring read especially in our current context. They set out a bold vision for the future of society, but it’s a future that might be just around the corner…
By Jessie Smith