100 Percent Renewable Energy Achievable By 2030: Study

Could the world reach a 100 percent renewable energy goal in less than 20 years? New research says we can.

A report published in the journal Energy Policy claims that by 2030, the world can achieve 100 percent renewable energy if the proper measures are taken.

What exactly are these measures? According to PhysOrg, over 80 percent of our world's energy supply currently comes from fossil fuels. We would need to build approximately four million wind turbines, nearly 2 billion solar photovoltaic systems, and about 90,000 solar power plants. The 5 MW wind turbines needed are up to three times the capacity of most of our current wind turbines. Doable? Perhaps. Formidable? Most certainly.

But Mark Delucchi and Mark Jacobson believe that if the will exists, there is a way. Germany and China have both already built 5 MW offshore turbines. A few dozen utility-scale solar plants already exist. Plus, the researchers believe that all of the major necessary resources are available - the only "material bottleneck" lies in obtaining rare earth materials, supplies which could be increased with more mining or recycling.

Human beings are probably the biggest blockade in achieving a renewable energy goal. As Discovery News explains, "With so many new Republicans on Capitol Hill who don't believe in the science of climate change (which will continue until the year 3000), not to mention many members of the public, it may be a challenge to achieve such a task and get off fossil fuels."

What do you think? Can the world achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2030?

Comments

[Genders]

07:43 PM on 03/26/2011

They should not have left out Biomass, they should have restricted bio mass, to WASTE biomass.

They should not have used so much Geothermal till we learn to deal with the earthquakes and possible cooling of the crusts effects.

But it's yet another proof, we do not need fossil and nukes.

[KarlaElisa]

05:28 PM on 03/24/2011

What do you think? Can the world achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2030?

Yes, it CAN. But it won't. We're going to trash the planet and the planet is going to trash us back.
End of story.

[Genders]

07:44 PM on 03/26/2011

The rest of the world, minus the USA, are racing towards green energy. China is now mass producing 40% solar panels.

[Overtone]

01:30 AM on 03/22/2011

Black Swans are emerging in the energy arena and can greatly accelerate replacement of fossil fuel.

See www.aesopinstitute.org for a few of them such as Cold Fusion as well as diesel at $30/barrel.

The latter is described in Moving Beyond Oil on that site.

We are at the edge of a revolutionary flock of Black Swans - completely unexpected events with huge impact.

A 24/7 program of validation, development and production could sharply boost the economy and provide millions of jobs.

See Green Light on the same website.

[banana republican]

09:52 AM on 03/20/2011

The increase in the availability of renewable energy will result in a decline in the cost of fossil fuel energy. Global competition is such that those who rely on the least expensive energy source will enjoy the most economic success. Tree hugging liberals choosing between two comparble products will choose the less expensive one even when they know they buying the more expensive on is better for the environment.

[Genders]

07:49 PM on 03/26/2011

Fortunately for the first time in history, rooftop pv solar, offshore wind and waste bio char are now cheaper than nukes and "clean" fossils.

[ItsGettingWeird]

01:50 PM on 03/16/2011

Incidentally, where are the usual trolls defending nuclear power? Left or right, no one can dispute that nuclear power is a "booming" industry.

[KarlaElisa]

05:30 PM on 03/24/2011

right, lol...it's positively radiating.

[Genders]

07:50 PM on 03/26/2011

Hottest tech around!

[ItsGettingWeird]

01:45 PM on 03/16/2011

Try to imagine the chaos created by a tsunami that slams into several dozen large windmills located off the coast of Japan. The scope of such a tragedy would make your head spin.

[FrankDrebinnaire]

11:20 PM on 03/17/2011

No chaos with those windmills on the coast of Japan:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-rigg/battleproof-wind-farms-su_b_837172.html

[JB Chandler]

03:09 AM on 03/18/2011

check and mate

[dc2nm]

01:13 PM on 03/19/2011

We don't need to imagine, nothing happened to them.

[Freedom Times]

04:53 PM on 02/26/2011

The Promise of Energy for Everyone

Remaining confined in a tiny, extremely micro sized Energy Definition Box will prove fatal to our and future generations. We have barely glimpsed the full scope of Energy Evolution and applications.

The Promise of Energy for Everyone - A Power Point Introductory Presentation

(When power point opens click on ‘view’ then ‘slide show’ for best results)

http://www.relaxspa.net/TheRadiusOfCurvature12-28-10PPShow2003.pps

Clearly innovation and education are in desperate need of upgrades. Corn (or wind solar tide geothermal biological) for the next energy base, ladders to space, umbrellas to shield earth from global warming, conserving the Infinite?? (i.e., energy), will not lead the world in new clean energy technologies.

A Timely Question - How long should America put its future on hold? President Obama “I do not accept second-place for the United States of America”…… State of the Union key points summary from the White House http://www.examiner.com/social-justice-in-national/state-of-the-union-key-points-summary-from-the-white-house

[RyanCSmith]

11:04 AM on 02/15/2011

If there was the will to make it happen in Washington then I'd have no doubts.

Unfortunately the GOP seems to think that the Bible is a science textbook.

[Genders]

07:52 PM on 03/26/2011

And the Obama DLC admin lobbied for nuclear and clean coal.

[Kenz300]

02:10 PM on 02/13/2011

Wind, solar, wave energy, geothermal and second generation biofuels are the future.

The cost of oil and coal are going up.

The unit cost of wind and solar are coming down.

The time to transition is NOW before PEAK OIL raises the cost
of oil and damages the world economy. Rising demand for oil from China and
India will soon exceed the world supply raising the price of oil for all.

We saw what $147/barrel oil did to the economy in 2008.

[Genders]

07:53 PM on 03/26/2011

Yes, but make sure you add WASTE to bio fuels.

[aligatorhardt]

06:58 PM on 02/05/2011

I think that renewable energy installations will snowball to rapid development once the installations are seen by people and their contribution is documented. Now only a few are using renewable power and false skepticism is being provided by existing power structure sponsored propaganda campaigns. But when people can see the savings and lack of pollution, they will get on board. The superiority of renewable power compared to systems that are dependent on constant refueling, is undeniable. All that is needed is some stability in policy and incentives and tax structures so investors can accurately predict costs.  I recently saw an article about plans to build 15 MW turbines using sub zero cooled super magnets, that would allow half the size and weight of conventional designs. For offshore use in proven high value wind zones the mega-turbines are projected to improve efficiency compared to large numbers of smaller units, all with foundations that make up a large part of installed costs. Boeing Corp. has recently announced passing 41% efficiency in a silicon solar cell. Thin film technology has passed the 15% efficiency goal. Already some solar power installations are getting under a ten year payback period, with earnings from power after that. Compare that to the present system where electric bills always go up and pay off is never achieved.   Visit  www.renewableenergyworld.com for news and reports.

[macewan]

01:13 PM on 01/31/2011

If you think big oil will allow this you are drreeaaammmmmiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggg.

[martinfrosa]

12:05 PM on 01/31/2011

This is a joke right? The authors of the study list the following needed investments for this to happen:

3,800,000 5 MW wind turbines,
49,000 300 MW concentrated solar plants
40,000 300 MW solar PV power plants,
1.7 billion 3 kW rooftop PV systems,
5350 100 MW geothermal power plants,
270 new 1300 MW hydroelectric power plants,
720,000 0.75 MW wave devices, and
490,000 1 MW tidal turbines

Ths cost of the first 3 items on the list is a cool $159 Trillion dollars compared to world GDP of $67 Trillion in 2007. Why don't these people learn some grade school math instead of blowing their credibility on such a naive forecast. And shame on you HuffPo for publishing this garbage without a little fact checking.

This is totally unachievable.

[codycap]

01:13 PM on 02/09/2011

link please

[OHwhatcouldabeenin2000]

04:52 PM on 03/16/2011

you just made that all up

[ancientuno]

12:02 AM on 01/29/2011

Possible maybe, left up to corporate America doubtful at the very least unaffordable.

[tribilin219]

11:53 AM on 01/28/2011

How nice, But how did Wall St. and the Banks get Trillions in just a week?

[Genders]

07:38 PM on 01/27/2011

rooftop pv solar, offshore wind, and waste bio char can supply all the worlds energy needs, cheaper, faster, cleaner, and forever.