Name: A reality check on renewables
Uploaded: 2012-05-26T14:31:37Z
Duration: 18 min 18 s
Description: How much land mass would renewables need to power a nation like the UK? An entire country's worth. In this pragmatic talk, David MacKay tours the basic mathematics that show worrying limitations on our sustainable energy options ... and explains why we should pursue them anyway.

David MacKay: A reality check on renewables

A reality check on renewables

How much land mass would renewables need to power a nation like the UK? An entire country's worth. In this pragmatic talk, David MacKay tours the basic mathematics that show worrying limitations on our sustainable energy options ... and explains why we should pursue them anyway.

Replacing fossil fuels with renewables demands a scale few realize—covering up to a quarter of the UK with wind farms or solar parks just to meet current needs. Renewable energy sources are much more diffuse than fossil fuels or nuclear, so their land demands are enormous. Simple calculations show biofuels alone would require verges as wide as eight kilometers along every road. Building a sustainable energy future means making tough, fact-based choices about technology, land use, and consumption.