Making Energy Technology Choices: Dead Ends or Stepping Stones?

Where in the world will our energy come from? What would it take for the world to get away from fossil fuels and switch over to renewable energy? It takes more than willingness to buy a Prius or to have solar panels installed on your roof. If we want to use wind, solar thermal, solar electric, biomass, hydroelectric and geothermal energy it will take a lot of planning, and willingness on the part of governments and industry. It takes R&D investment, a favorable price per unit of energy to get anyone to produce alternative energy, and plenty of resources to create those energy sources. Lewis will discuss these and other hurdles-technical, political, and economic- that must be overcome before the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies.