Our planet’s search for energy will bring about significant transformations in the coming decades. This quest is driven by many factors, including the probability of global warming and the changes to which it will gradually lead – and which have yet to be clearly defined; the inevitable dwindling of high-carbon fossil fuels; decreasing access to hydropower resources; the nuclear emergencies in the wake of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents and the fear and rejection that ensued; new possibilities for generating renewable energy; the increased energy demand and requirements of developing and growing countries; and the ecological goals of rich countries.
Although the energy transition concerns us all, there is an inevitable divide between North and South, rich and poor, small and large countries, where approaches to this issue are very different, if not completely opposite or, at least, difficult to reconcile.
Significant technological progress is within reach for all energy sources. These considerable assets are still too often underexploited.
Should we start – or continue – to defend one energy source rather than another or should we, on the contrary, seek optimised solutions for an adjustable energy mix that must be tailored to the needs and economy of different countries? We must clearly move away from ideology and embrace pragmatism and those technologies that show the greatest promise for the future.
Energy transition must be about adopting a wise and responsible attitude which, rather than favouring one energy source over another, makes the best possible use of all sources to enable the different stakeholders to reach goals, such as those defined under COP 21.
These attitudes lead each stakeholder in each country to make specific choices suited to their needs.
Access to expertise, experience, know-how and funding at all levels is the key to the success of a genuine, pragmatic energy transition.
EVOCATI-Alliance and its network provide the openness, maturity and expertise required to study, select and implement the most suitable solutions.