The Pursuit of Sustainable Energy in the Context of Sustainability: Creating High-Level Programs for Developing Energy Solutions

The presentation discusses how leaders and professionals can identify and assess opportunities and challenges pertaining to energy systems and technologies so they can develop innovative programs that lead to sustainable solutions.  Sustainable energy in the context of sustainability involves meeting the needs of today without disrupting or depleting the resources for tomorrow and mitigating and/or avoiding pollution and wastes. It involves a complex array of energy resources, systems, technologies, technological innovations, and advanced science and engineering methods for creating better solutions for people and the natural environment. 

Energy is an essential requirement for human existence and the quality of life. Making decisions about energy involves determining the driving forces and assessing the energy options. Traditional assessments are typically based on information and data that are established in the context of the prevailing realities; however, articulating current realities and ascertaining the long-term needs require multidimensional assessments and creativity in establishing what is desirable and necessary in terms of  human well-being and the natural ecosystems. Multidimensional assessments include diverse sets of perspectives and requirements from the fundamentals of clean air and water to the challenges of climate change. The Pursuit of Sustainable Energy in the Context of Sustainability involves the grand challenges and concerns about energy, socioeconomic aspects, climate change, pollution, wastes, impacts, depletion, degradation, destruction, and disruptions. It also involves creating and managing large-scale programs for making transitions and transformations over the next thirty years to assure that energy systems and solutions in concert with the business environment, human/social world and the natural environment. It involves producing and using energy and resources that are socially responsible, economically viable, technologically advanced, ethically proper, and environmentally sound.