A combination of continued technological advances and government policies will be required to address such challenges. Geo-political benefits and considerations Regarding geopolitical issues, international trade, import and export, and sovereignty over resources, renewable energy will have a far lower impact than fossil sources do currently or ever will have in the future. Renewable sources are abundant and every country is blessed with a diversity of renewable energy sources. As noted by the late Hermann Scheer (former German politician and author), no one can own or have a monopoly over the sun’s resources, so there will be no ‘wars over solar energy’. Decentralized harvesting of local renewable energy can benefit communities directly, giving them more control over their energy sources while also creating jobs and contributing to local economic development. However, if renewable energy is harvested in a centralized and extremely large-scale manner, and/or without regard for relevant stakeholders, it may be necessary to rethink this assumption. To ensure security of supply, agreements and transmission lines (particularly those that cross international borders) will need to be “politics-proof”; likewise, it will be important to ensure domestic access to renewable resources and resulting energy services. Similarly, large-scale energy generation at sea could require grids and pipelines that are situated in international waters, calling for international agreements and cooperation. To get READy for the next step Policy makers have the power to pave the way for rapid and sustainable deployment of renewable energy. While breaking down the barriers discussed in this chapter, policy makers need to consider carefully the developments and trends in the international landscape as they design and implement policies. Part II provides examples of policies and policy frameworks that can help to overcome these barriers and analysis of what has worked to date and why.
A combination of continued technological advances and government policies will be required to address such challenges. Geo-political benefits and considerations Regarding geopolitical issues, international trade, import and export, and sovereignty over resources, renewable energy will have a far lower impact than fossil sources do currently or ever will have in the future. Renewable sources are abundant and every country is blessed with a diversity of renewable energy sources. As noted by the late Hermann Scheer (former German politician and author), no one can own or have a monopoly over the sun’s resources, so there will be no ‘wars over solar energy’. Decentralized harvesting of local renewable energy can benefit communities directly, giving them more control over their energy sources while also creating jobs and contributing to local economic development. However, if renewable energy is harvested in a centralized and extremely large-scale manner, and/or without regard for relevant stakeholders, it may be necessary to rethink this assumption. To ensure security of supply, agreements and transmission lines (particularly those that cross international borders) will need to be “politics-proof”; likewise, it will be important to ensure domestic access to renewable resources and resulting energy services. Similarly, large-scale energy generation at sea could require grids and pipelines that are situated in international waters, calling for international agreements and cooperation. To get READy for the next step Policy makers have the power to pave the way for rapid and sustainable deployment of renewable energy. While breaking down the barriers discussed in this chapter, policy makers need to consider carefully the developments and trends in the international landscape as they design and implement policies. Part II provides examples of policies and policy frameworks that can help to overcome these barriers and analysis of what has worked to date and why.