Slide 5. Electricity Options

In the coming century, the world will most likely transition from vehicles that run on liquid fuels to vehicles that run on something else—perhaps electricity or hydrogen—and electricity will represent an ever-increasing percentage of end-use energy consumption, exceeding 50% in the next decade. Options for base-load electricity-generation fuels today include coal, nuclear, natural gas, and to some degree hydro, which combined represent over 95% of present-day electricity generation fuels. Other non-fossil options for electricity generation include wind, solar, biofuels, tides, and hydrothermal. Each of these fuels has challenges, as outlined on the figure before you.

A grand challenge in the power sector is the efficient storage and transmission of electricity. Substantial government research investment in these areas would then allow the markets to work in terms of determining “clean” and affordable generation options.