By Paddy Manning
After an interview with Australian solar energy pioneer David Mills in October, this column previewed a Stanford University study showing that renewable sources - principally wind and solar - could meet all of our energy needs. Its co-author, Mark Jacobson - the university's professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of its atmosphere and energy program - appeared by videoconference at last weekend's Sustainable Living Festival in Melbourne.
He spoke about the findings of his study, which was the cover story in November's Scientific American magazine, which has generated plenty of debate in the United States (and some here, too).
Jacobson and Mark Delucchi, a research scientist at the University of California, compared available world renewable energy resources - wind, water, solar - with maximum forecast energy demand, including transport, of about 16.9 terawatts (1 terawatt equals a trillion watts) in 2030. Today's demand is 12.5 terawatts.