Global energy trends: Demands for scientific innovation
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Commentary Global energy trends: Demands for scientific innovation
Brenda Shaffer, Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia 20037, USA Address all correspondence to Brenda Shaffer at [email protected] (Received 18 February 2018; accepted 7 December 2018)
ABSTRACT Changes in global energy trends and policies affect demands for scientific innovation. This article discusses the major emerging trends in the global energy sphere and the demands they will place on scientists for innovation in the next decade. Changes in global energy trends and policies affect demands for scientific innovation. This article discusses the major emerging trends in the global energy sphere and the demands they will place on scientists for innovation in the next decade. With growing volumes and consumption of natural gas, innovation will be necessary for wider uses of natural gas. With this greater usage, scientists will be asked to find ways to monitor and reduce methane emissions from natural gas production, transportation, and consumption. Renewable energy also has an environmental impact, and with the increase in use of renewable energy, greener forms will need to be developed. Since electricity will be the largest sector in terms of energy demand growth, improvements will be necessary in cyber security of grids, in identifying less energy-intensive technologies for mining materials necessary for the electricity infrastructure, and in developing batteries and other forms of energy storage that do not require or require less rare minerals. Scientists need to think beyond the car and develop completely new transportation systems; great improvements also need to take place in maritime transportation, which is rapidly increasing. Keywords: fossil fuel; thermoelectricity; government policy and funding
DISCUSSION POINTS • T he new natural gas volumes create opportunity for innovation in new uses of natural gas. In the coming years, natural gas will become more prevalent in additional sectors, such as transportation, petrochemicals, materials, and more, and innovation should be developed for their use. • S cientific advances that reduce methane emissions along the natural gas production and supply chain are needed. • R ising use of renewable energy will demand technological advances that lower their environmental impact and the development of new renewable energy forms that have lower environmental impact. In contrast to common perceptions, renewable and green are not the same.
Changes in global energy trends and policies affect demands for scientific innovation. This article discusses the major emerging trends in the global energy sphere and the demands they will place on scientists for innovation in the next decade.
• C urrent mining technologies and the need for rare minerals in batteries undermines many of the potential benefits of the switch from oil-fueled to electricity-powered vehicles. • D espite dramatic changes in almost every sphere of technolo
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