May 1, 2011

Solving the Challenges of Growing Energy Demand

By Brandon C. Bethards

The electric power generation landscape in both America and the rest of the world is poised to undergo a fundamental transformation in the next several decades. Global energy consumption is projected to rise dramatically by 2035, and the methods by which we generate electricity and the fuels we choose to use will begin to change as well.

Richard Newell, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) administrator of the Energy Information Administration, testified in February 2011 before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, predicting that global energy consumption—including electricity and oil for transportation—will grow by 50% over the next 25 years, with much of that growth occurring within developing nations.

America’s energy demands will also increase, and while the U.S. will continue to rely on fossil fuels for power generation, Newell pointed out that America will increasingly turn toward using cleaner sources of energy such as nuclear power, renewables, and natural gas. Meanwhile, large developing nations such as China will increase their use of coal and other fossil fuels dramatically.

These predictions create some distinct challenges in meeting the rapidly increasing power demands of the world. Among those include managing global competition for limited energy resources and developing alternative and affordable methods for power generation while safeguarding our environment. The approach we take to confronting energy challenges in the next several years will shape our future for generations to come.