The Energy Transition Won’t Be Linear

The Transition is Not Linear

Power generation from coal is up 9% this year.

There’s a sentence we didn’t think we’d ever type again. 

Energy demands are increasing, and countries are looking for ways to, first and foremost, supply power, with sustainability concerns taking a back seat. 

When there’s a power supply shortage, we go back to the production methods we know—and have infrastructure for. That’s why coal, oil, and gas production is up, even as new sustainable energy production methods expand. 

It’s not a “turn fossil fuels off today, turn green energy on tomorrow” situation. That’s why it’s called a transition. 

The bottom line: the transition will be complex, winding, and ongoing for the foreseeable future. 

It’s like weight loss. We look at the trendline, not individual measurements.

There will be ups and downs, we’re going to mess up, and we have to be committed for the long term.