Harnessing abundant clean energy for 10 billion people ..

TED talk by Julio Friedman (Chief Scientist, Carbon Direct, NY based Carbon management firm) on energy.

 https://youtu.be/bwEIqjU2qgk?si=AzctDs2Fup0KvXMA

Julio Friedman's TED Talk starts by highlighting the ten major challenges of the world starting with energy, water, food, environment,  poverty,  terrorism and war, disease, education,  democracy and population.  The first three of water, food and environment again needs energy inputs for desalination, producing fertilizers, vertical farming, carbon capture etc.

Friedman focuses on how to harness energy for 10 billion people of the world by 2050 AD. 

He estimates that the world will need 60 terawatts of energy to meet the needs of 10 billion people, while the current usage is only 26 terawatts (only 8 TW is electricity). This energy needs to be abundant, sustainable, and cheap.  

The Earth receives 163,000 terawatts of energy from the sun every day, 80,000 TW bounces back while the other 83,000 TW is absorbed the earth. He says sun's energy falling on land and water generates, for example, 860 TW of wind energy across the world.

Friedman additionally showcases examples of countries from Southern hemisphere (13% world population) like Chile and Namibia that are making strides towards harnessing abundant clean energy. Chile is using its abundant solar and wind resources (with help from Japan) to produce green hydrogen and ammonia, while Namibia with Japanese help, is developing a massive solar and wind project with the potential to export clean energy to Europe and the rest of the world.

He acknowledges the challenges of infrastructure development, innovation, and investment needed to transition to a clean energy future. 

He proposes solutions like systemic decades long investment mechanisms generating employment and prosperity, long-term off-take agreements, and collaboration between governments and private investors to help provide all the energy needs for the world by 2050 AD.