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As citizens of the 21st century, we stand poised on the edge of an energy revolution. Global energy demand is projected to double by mid-century, electricity demand to triple, and world oil production to pass its peak. These shifts will intensify current challenges such as competition for energy supplies, political instability in many oil and gas producing countries, and economic uncertainties driven by volatile energy prices. At the same time, scientific evidence indicates that we must reduce human-generated global greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change. This is no small task for a global economy that consumes an average of 14 terawatts of power annually. To handle just the projected increase in energy demand by 2050 will require the equivalent of a new energy economy equal to the size of the one that exists today.
Unprecedented amounts of low-carbon energy must be developed to meet this challenge. To succeed, we must break through technology bottlenecks via pioneering research and novel engineering, understand human behavior surrounding energy use, and harness an entrepreneurial mindset and can-do spirit. The end-goal: reorienting our energy system to one that fosters lasting economic and environmental sustainability.
The mission of the EI is to play a leading role in addressing the pressing need for innovative solutions to the challenge of renewable and sustainable energy.
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