Energy Transitions

Updated November 25, 2019

Smil's deeply researched assessment of what it will take for civilization to transition to renewable energy. We've transitioned from one energy source to another several times before: people to animal, animal to wood, wood to coal, coal to oil.

Here's the tricky part: every transition has been a step up in energy density. Oil to Renewables will be our first step down. Smil looks to natural gas as a means to make up the difference.