Physical Society Colloquium

Energy for the 21st Century World Economy: Problems and Opportunities

Wolfgang Bauer

Michigan State University

Humans currently use approximately 16 TW of power, and this number is projected to double in the next 30 years. More than 80% of this power is generated from fossil fuels, which is unsustainable. But there are alternatives (solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, and nuclear). In this presentation I will review their costs and benefits.