Pathway to Sustainable Energy

The Energy and Sustainability paradigm embodies all of the services required to continue to improve human, social, and economic well-being while preserving resources and the environment for future generations. Specifically, our approach to sustainable energy implements a least-cost strategy to continue the decarbonization of the global energy system, conserve resources and energy through material recycling and energy efficiency enhancement, increase power reliability and security, and minimize pollution.

Sustainable energy connects three major issues—economy, environment, and security. A comprehensive national and international energy and sustainability policy and matrix are needed to achieve the desired emerging paradigm including: zero-emissions plants and vehicles, “perfect” electricity, sustainable built environment, and full-life-cycle accountability that considers trends toward continued growth in population and energy consumption per capita, continued depletion of oil and gas resources, and the increasingly significant role of environmental issues.

This presentation will discuss short- and long-term issues in the development and implementation of the pathway to sustainable energy paradigm, the role of the distributed renewable energy system in the sustainable built environment, the connection of the stationary and transportation energy distribution systems (e.g., plug-in hybrid vehicles), and the smart-grid concept.