Energy Diversity: Options and Stakeholders

Abstract

Energy, climate, food, and economic development are intertwined at regional, national, and global levels. There are large international disparities in the availability of, and demand for, energy which will be exacerbated in the near future as world population increases and per capita demand grows. The traditional energy chains from fossil fuels to electricity, heat, and transportation are being diversified by increased reliance on renewable energy sources, as well as new technologies in varying stages of development. As fossil fuel reserves dwindle, thereby becoming more costly, and carbon and climate considerations grow, diversification to low carbon renewables becomes more attractive and cost-effective. Layers of stakeholders include owner–investors, workers, consumers, and regulators, each with different stakes in different energy chains. Issues of economic, ecologic and aesthetic consequences, footprint, emissions, and costs challenge stakeholders to agree on energy options. Often overlooked in stakeholder discussions, investors play a powerful role in the invention, design, demonstration, and implementation of new technologies. Often undervalued, workers facing health and safety hazards are stakeholders influencing the design, construction, and operation of energy chains. As energy dispersion (rather than large centralized power plants) becomes more popular or necessary, siting issues will confront larger numbers of neighbor stakeholders. Certain groups like the United Nations and the U.S. Department of Energy are positioned to facilitate stakeholder input on the international and national scale, achieving a diversity of energy chains.