Publications Details
Perspectives on solar energy and the environment
Over the next several decades, it is expected that the use of renewable energy technologies will greatly expand as these technologies mature, as the cost of conventional energy supply increases, and as the environmental impact of fossil fuel usage is better understood. A critical question is whether the impact of renewables, in terms of displaced fossil fuel use and reduced environmental effects, can be significant. Certainly, public policy will have dramatic effects on this question. Given a positive policy environment, renewables have the potential to displace a significant fraction of projected energy use within 30-40 years. For the United States, renewables could contribute as much as 25-55 exajoules of energy annually by the year 2030, or 15-35{percent} of the projected total US energy consumption. 12 refs., 6 figs.