Renewable energy sources powering the Earth

Powering Tomorrow: Navigating the Future of Renewable Energy

Lena Voss in Climate & Environment August 2025 • 5 min read.

"A look into the resources and challenges of meeting global energy needs with renewables by 2050"

The quest for sustainable energy solutions has never been more critical. As the world grapples with the impacts of climate change and the limitations of fossil fuels, renewable energy (RE) stands as a beacon of hope. The transition, however, is complex and fraught with challenges. This article explores the feasibility of relying on renewable resources to meet global energy demands by 2050, examining the potential, limitations, and technological advancements needed to achieve this ambitious goal.

In 2017, the United Kingdom marked a symbolic milestone: its first coal-free day in centuries, signaling a shift away from traditional energy sources. Historically, the Industrial Revolution was fueled by coal, with global primary energy use around 20.35 EJ in 1800. Today, the energy landscape is dramatically different, with total primary energy consumption reaching 574 EJ, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Renewable sources account for only a fraction of this, primarily biomass used for heating and cooking in developing nations.

Despite growing awareness and efforts to promote renewable energy, its share of the global energy mix has been slow to increase. The future of energy hinges on overcoming significant obstacles and harnessing the full potential of renewable resources. As we look ahead to 2050, the path to a renewable energy future requires careful consideration of resources, technologies, and the environmental and economic factors at play.

The Renewable Energy Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges

Renewable energy sources powering the Earth

The potential of renewable energy sources is vast, but their effective utilization requires addressing several critical factors. Solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal energy each offer unique benefits and face distinct challenges. While solar energy boasts an almost inexhaustible resource base, its intermittent nature necessitates advanced storage solutions. Wind energy, despite significant growth, is constrained by resource limitations and public opposition to turbine placement. Hydroelectricity, a mature technology, is largely exploited in developed countries, leaving untapped potential primarily in Asia, Africa, and South America.

Biomass energy, a leading renewable source, faces competition from other essential uses, such as food production and forestry. Its sustainability depends on balancing energy needs with the imperative to protect ecosystems and biodiversity. Geothermal energy, while offering a stable and reliable source, is limited by specific geographical requirements and high initial costs. Each renewable energy source must be carefully evaluated to ensure its long-term viability and minimize environmental impact.

Key considerations for expanding renewable energy include:

Improving energy storage solutions to address intermittency.
Balancing biomass energy production with food security and ecosystem preservation.
Overcoming geographical limitations for geothermal and hydroelectric power.
Reducing costs and improving the efficiency of solar and wind technologies.

One of the most significant challenges is the energy return on energy invested (EROEI). As high-quality resources are depleted, tapping into lower-quality sources reduces energy output for a given energy conversion device. This trend affects all renewable sources, potentially overestimating their actual contribution. Most global estimates for renewable energy sources have not adequately considered EROEI values, leading to inflated assessments of their potential. The intermittent nature of wind, solar, and wave energy requires efficient and cost-effective storage solutions, further complicating the transition to a renewable energy-dominated future.

Looking Ahead: A Sustainable Energy Future

The path to a fully renewable energy future by 2050 is challenging, but achievable. Success depends on overcoming technical and economic barriers and adopting sustainable practices that balance energy needs with environmental and social considerations. As technology advances and costs decrease, renewable energy sources are poised to play an increasingly vital role in meeting global energy demands. A high global carbon price is likely to be in place, with the price having progressively risen over time. In 2016, fossil-fuel use was still increasing globally. The coming decades will be critical in shaping the future of energy, requiring collective action from governments, industries, and individuals to drive the transition towards a sustainable and resilient energy system.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/b978-0-12-814104-5.00006-5, Alternate LINK

Title: Global Renewable Energy Resources And Use In 2050

Journal: Managing Global Warming

Publisher: Elsevier

Authors: Patrick Moriarty, Damon Honnery

Published: 2019-01-01

Everything You Need To Know

What was the significance of the UK's coal-free day in 2017, and how does it relate to the global energy landscape?

The UK's coal-free day in 2017 was a symbolic event, representing a significant move away from traditional energy sources like coal. Coal was the primary fuel of the Industrial Revolution, but now renewable energy sources are being explored to combat climate change and fossil fuel limitations. This shift indicates a willingness to transition to more sustainable alternatives, even though the global energy mix is still dominated by non-renewable sources.

What are the unique benefits and challenges associated with different renewable energy sources like solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal?

Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, biomass, and geothermal each possess unique advantages and disadvantages. Solar energy's intermittency necessitates advanced storage solutions, while wind energy faces resource limitations and public resistance. Hydroelectricity is well-established but geographically limited, and biomass must be balanced with food production and ecosystem preservation. Geothermal, while stable, is limited by location and high initial costs. The challenge lies in optimizing the use of each resource while mitigating its specific environmental and economic impacts.

Why is Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI) such a critical consideration when evaluating the potential of renewable energy sources?

Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI) is a critical consideration because, as high-quality resources are depleted, tapping into lower-quality sources diminishes energy output. This issue affects all renewable sources and can lead to overestimations of their potential contribution. Current global estimates often don't adequately factor in EROEI values, resulting in inflated assessments. Efficient and cost-effective storage solutions are also essential to address the intermittency of wind, solar, and wave energy, further complicating the renewable energy transition.

What are the key factors that will determine whether we can achieve a fully renewable energy future by 2050?

A sustainable energy future depends on several key factors, including overcoming technical and economic barriers, adopting sustainable practices, and balancing energy needs with environmental and social considerations. Technological advancements and cost reductions will enable renewable energy sources to play an increasingly significant role. Moreover, implementing a high global carbon price could further incentivize the shift towards renewable energy and away from fossil fuels. Collective action from governments, industries, and individuals is crucial to achieve this transition.

How does the current contribution of renewable energy sources to the global energy mix compare to historical trends, and what are the main obstacles to increasing this share?

While the potential of renewable energy sources is significant, their actual contribution to the global energy mix is growing slowly. Historically, biomass dominated renewable energy, mainly for heating and cooking in developing nations. Increasing the share of renewable energy requires overcoming challenges like intermittency, geographical limitations, competition with other essential uses (e.g., food production for biomass), and the need for cost-effective storage solutions. Successfully addressing these obstacles is essential for achieving a sustainable energy future.