Renewables will Save us from the Scourge of Fossil Fuels

We need clean sources of energy to replace fossil fuels if we are to avert civilization changing climate change. Renewables are a present day reality capable of meeting both our energy needs and the need to reduce our carbon emissions. We are already moving away from fossil fuels, away from an emissions laden commodity towards a world changing technology.

The transition away from fossil fuels is clearly evident in places which derive a considerable portion of the energy needs from renewables (eg Germany, Denmark and Scotland). However, the growth of renewables is also evident in the US. In 2012, most new electricity-generating capacity brought online was from renewables. In January, March and November 2013, all new US electrical generating capacity was provided by renewables. And as of November, 2014 renewables had provided 47.43 percent of new capacity in the US.

Even oil rich nations know this change is coming. Some like Saudi Arabia appear to be holding a fire sale to sell as much oil as they can before the fossil fuel era comes to an end. Others like Dubai are using their oil wealth to massively invest in renewables like solar (Dubai plans to get 15 percent of its energy from solar by 2030).

The IPCC report has made it clear that to stave off the worst impacts of climate change we must completely end the use of fossil fuels by 2100. We can expect that Fossil fuels will be eclipsed by renewable energy in the coming decades. According to Shell oil's own estimates this will take place by 2060, others like Bloomberg have suggested that this will occur by 2030.

While it is hard to know exactly when renewables will eclipse fossil fuels, we know with certainty this will happen, because it must. The question that we all must ask ourselves is are we working to facilitate a clean future powered by renewable energy or are we mired in a past rooted in a commodity that threatens our very survival.

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