by Mark Z. Jacobson & Mark A. Delucchi (Scientific American Magazine)
A Path to Sustainable Energy
by 2030; November 2009; Scientific American Magazine; by Mark Z.
Jacobson; Mark A. Delucchi; 8 Page(s)
In December leaders from around the world will meet in Copenhagen to try to
agree on cutting back greenhouse gas emissions for decades to come. The most
effective step to implement that goal would be a massive shift away from fossil
fuels to clean, renewable energy sources. If leaders can have confidence that
such a transformation is possible, they might commit to an historic agreement.
We think they can.
A year ago former vice president Al Gore threw down a gauntlet: to repower
America with 100 percent carbon-free electricity within 10 years. As the two of
us started to evaluate the feasibility of such a change, we took on an even
larger challenge: to determine how 100 percent of the world's energy, for
all purposes, could be supplied by wind, water and solar resources, by
as early as 2030. Our plan is presented here.
