The Big Surge

The Scarcity of Electricity

Newton's law dictates that energy cannot be destroyed nor created; he never said anything about manufacturing. Electricity is a renewable resource, but, like any resource, scarcity arises when demand outpaces production. The world is ready to manufacture energy to meet its growing energy needs. We consume electricity for various purposes much faster than we produce, as energy is extracted rather than manufactured. Fusion energy is no longer the holy grail we thought we would never reach; fusion energy is here, and the commercialization of such is imminent. We need technologies like fusion energy to sustain our growing global energy needs. Not only do developed nations need to increase capacity significantly to avoid electricity scarcity, but undeveloped countries are starving for energy consumption for access to clean water, reliable plumbing and infrastructure, and many other needs.

Inventions such as the steam engine and the modern-day factory catapulted the Industrial Revolution. We extracted nonrenewable resources from the ground to manufacture energy but could not create or destroy it. Centuries later will still rely on either work done by Mother Nature eons ago or remain victim to intermittent weather patterns. It is time for the world to advance in this industry by going from extracting to manufacturing. Sitting around waiting for the sun to shine, the wind to blow, and the Earth to reveal more oceans of oil underground is no way to sustain our current energy needs, let alone support our growing energy needs. As an old Chinese proverb professes, "Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still."

Global Electricity Use in the Past Century

The 20th century marked a significant shift in the way humanity harnessed energy. The advent of electricity transformed societies, powering industries, lighting homes, and becoming a cornerstone of modern life. This essay explores global electricity use over the past century, highlighting key trends and implications. Electricity consumption has been on a steady rise since the early 20th century. In 1980, the world consumed around 5,000 terawatt-hours of electricity. By 1990, this figure had doubled to approximately 10,000 terawatt-hours. The upward trend continued into the new millennium, with consumption reaching around 15,000 terawatt-hours in 2000. By 2010, global electricity consumption had increased to approximately 18,753 terawatt-hours; by 2020, it was about 23,966 terawatt-hours. As of 2022, the world's electricity consumption was around 25,530 terawatt-hours (Ritchie et al., 2020).

This electricity consumption growth is primarily attributable to industrialization and increased global electricity access. As countries industrialized, their energy needs grew, leading to an increase in electricity consumption. The efforts to expand access to electricity to remote and underprivileged areas have led to a rise in global electricity consumption. With an increasing population and growing affluence, the electricity demand surges. Nevertheless, this rise in electricity use poses formidable challenges. The growing dependence on fossil fuels makes it more challenging to transition to low-carbon energy sources.

Despite these challenges, the world has made significant strides in increasing energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy sources. The growth rate in global energy consumption is slowing, averaging around 1% to 2% per year (Ritchie et al., 2020). This slowing implies that the transition to renewable energy sources and the efforts to enhance energy efficiency are making an impact.

The past century has seen a dramatic increase in global electricity use, driven by industrialization and increased access to electricity. While this has brought many benefits, it also presents significant challenges as we strive to meet growing energy demands while transitioning to low-carbon energy sources. The coming years will undoubtedly require innovative solutions and concerted efforts to ensure a sustainable energy future.

Key Points and Facts

Evidence of Future Electricity Shortages:

• Independent system operators have warned that electricity shortages could potentially cause blackouts.
• New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley may face electric reliability problems and generation shortages starting in 2025 due to generation plant retirements.
• Significant portions of the U.S. are now at a "high" or "elevated" risk of electric power shortfalls during peak summer electricity demand.

Current Global Electricity and Energy Needs:

• Electricity accounts for about 20% of the world's total energy consumption.
• According to projections, global electricity demand will increase by nearly 5% in 2021, followed by a projected growth of 4% in 2022.
• The IEA predicts that electricity demand worldwide will experience an annual increase of 3% from 2023-2025.
• In the 'Stated Policies Scenario' ('STEPS'), global energy needs will increase by about 26% by 2050, and global electricity demand will nearly double (IER, 2022).

These points highlight the importance of developing sustainable and reliable energy sources to meet the growing global demand for electricity. It is a complex issue that involves balancing the need for energy with the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. It also reminds us of the importance of energy efficiency and conservation in our daily lives.

References

Hannah Ritchie, Pablo Rosado, & Max Roser (2020). - "Energy Production and Consumption" Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption' [Online Resource]

IER. (2022, May 17).?Electricity Shortages: Brace for Impact. IER.?https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/electricity- shortages-brace-for-impact/