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This page is about energy in 2 main forms: fuel and electricity.
{{banner|There is currently no way to power the world without fossil fuels, until major technological breakthroughs happen.<br /><small>We have to consume less - this is not as hard as it sounds.</small>}}
 
This page is about energy in 2 main forms: '''fuel and electricity'''.


==Energy supply==
==Energy supply==
===The majority of energy comes from [[fossil fuels]] which cause [[climate change]].===
===The majority of energy comes from burning [[fossil fuels]] - the main cause of [[climate change]].===
----
[[File: energy-usage-by-source.png|thumb|World energy by source]]
[[File: energy-usage-by-source.png|border|alt=Energy sources]]
{{minor|Fossil fuels include [[coal]], [[oil]] and [[natural gas]].}}


===Limits to other energy sources===
===What about other energy sources?===
 
{{minor|Main reasons why non-fossil-fuel energy sources aren't being scaled up:}}
{| class='wikitable'
{|class="wikitable" style="margin-top:0"
!Energy source
!<div style="text-align:left">Energy Source</div>
!Limitations
!<div style="text-align:left">Main Limitation</div>
|-
|-
|[[Hydroelectricity]]
|[[Hydro]]
|Only viable in a few parts of the world
|Geography
|-
|-
|[[Geothermal]]
|[[Nuclear]]
|In most parts of the world, is only suited for [[heating]] and [[cooling]]
|Needs uranium-235 which is too scarce*
|-
|-
|[[Solar]]
|[[Solar]]
|1. Intermittant (not available at night)<br />2. Manufacturing is too resource-intensive
|Too many rare metals needed*
|-
|-
|[[Wind]]
|[[Wind]]
|1. Intermittant<br />2. Turbine construction is too resource-intensive<br />3. Requires a lot of space, usually far from where people live
|Geography
|-
|-
|[[Nuclear]]
|[[Biofuel]]
|Limited supply of uranium-235<br />+ Safety concerns
|Causes [[deforestation]] and [[global hunger]]
|-
|-
|[[Biomass waste]]
|[[biomass waste|Waste]]
|Limited supply
|Limited supply
|-
|-
|[[Biofuel]]
|[[Geothermal]]
|Limited supply<br />+ Competes with [[food]], contributing to hunger and deforestation
|Geography - <small>in most parts of the world, it's only suited for [[heating]] & [[cooling]].</small>
|}
|}
Solar and wind are also limited by [[energy storage]].*
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Limitations marked with an asterisk (*) are possible to overcome '''with the right innovations'''.


The intermittency problem of [[solar]] and [[wind]] could be solved with [[energy storage]], if the right innovations happen.
For more details, read the wikipages of each energy source. Links are in the table above.


==Energy demand==
==Energy demand==
[[File: energy-demand-status-quo.png|border|alt=Energy uses]]
[[File:energy-demand-pie1.png|thumb|Pie chart of energy demand, based on countries where precise data is available.]]
Since most energy consumption is bad for the planet, let's look at how it could be reduced - starting with the biggest pieces of the pie.


But this is the ''status quo'', with most of the world currently living in poverty.
{{mbox|Note: These actions are mostly directed at "first-world" countries, which use a disproportionately large amount of energy. In other parts of the world, consumption doesn't necessarily have to be reduced.}}
{{minor|We could probably cut all energy consumption in '''half''', while barely losing any quality of life. It just requires some planning (both individually ''and'' as a society).}}


Suppose everyone lived a "first-world" lifestyle: global energy demand would be more than double:
===Transportation===
Some things that would help:
* [[Walkability]] - <small>organizing neighborhoods so things are in optimal locations, so people don't have to drive as far as often.</small>
* [[Public transit]] done right. <small>Yes, there are plenty of ways for it to be done wrong!</small>
* Working from home - <small>only suited for ''some'' types of work, of course.</small>
* [[Carpooling]] - <small>yes, this takes some effort and coordination.</small>


[[File: energy-demand-if-first-world.png|border|alt=Energy demand if everyone lived a first-world lifestyle]]
===Homes & buildings===
In buildings & homes, [[heating]] is the biggest piece of the pie (and [[cooling]] is the second-biggest). Energy-saving solutions haven't been added to this wiki ''yet''.{{rn}}


Wondering where these numbers come from? Read [[energy demand scenarios]].
A common misconception is that "saving energy" is all about turning off lights, turning off computers, etc. Those actions may be worthwhile but don't actually make a ''big'' difference. '''Other''' personal lifestyle choices do:


===Can this demand (or at least, most of it) be met without fossil fuels?===
===Consumerism===
More than a third of energy demand{{x|commercial vehicles + industrial/manufacturing + ''some'' commercial spaces}} is affected by '''what people buy''', and '''how much''' of it.


Short answer: No.
To deal with this piece of the pie, we need:
* [[Frugalism]] - i.e. '''buying less stuff!'''
* Fighting against: [[business waste]], [[planned obsolescence]] and [[code bloat]].
* Fighting '''for''' [[right to repair]].
* [[Running new software on old computers]], perhaps? {{npn}}


Long answer: Not without [[energy supply scenarios|major technological breakthroughs]].
==See also==
* [[Electric vehicles]]
* [[Labor]] {{light|- another factor that affects quality of life}}
* [[Energy supply solutions summary]]
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