Nathan Lewis Presentation Reflection

Nathan Lewis gave a well structured presentation that was consistently supported by facts. There were many points throughout his presentation that specifically captured my attention, most notably was the global energy consumption in one year. The world uses about 13TW (terawatts) of energy a year, the U.S. using 3 of those 13TW. I am finding it difficult to visualize what 13TW looks like. When I hear 13TW all I imagine is a number.

Solar energy is the best alternative, carbon-free energy source for the future. During his presentation, Nathan Lewis discussed that solar energy was the most likely candidate for a future fuel source because the amount of energy that the sun emits is far greater than the amount of energy that we use. One of the biggest obstacles on the pathway towards a more solar energy reliant future is the current cost of solar energy vs. the current cost of energy generated by coal. Solar energy is stuck at a crossroads of what is most environmentally friendly and what is most economic. Solar energy will not replace coal until it becomes a more cost effective source of energy.