What you don't realise about global energy | Scott Tinker

How does energy shape our world, and what will it take to power the future? In this talk, Scott Tinker explores the vital link between energy, economic growth, and human flourishing, highlighting the challenges of lifting billions out of energy poverty. With a bold vision for the next 50 years, we examine trade-offs, innovations, and the path to a sustainable, high-energy future. Join us as we rethink energy and its role in shaping the 21st century.

__

Reserve your 1st edition copy of our new book, The Best of Our Inheritance.

With the return of the ARC Conference this February, we are launching our first book — a work that encapsulates the values and ideas that shape ARC’s mission. The Best of Our Inheritance brings together fifteen of the sharpest minds of our time to make a bold case for remembering the values of our civilisation. From Barry Straussʼ account of the Classical Tradition, Ayaan Hirsi Aliʼs personal reflections on the values of the West and its Christian roots to Nigel Biggarʼs chapter on human dignity and Joseph Laconte’s call to the artists, reading this book will give you a tangible vision for civilisational renewal.

__

Dr Scott Tinker is a global energy explorer and educator working to address major societal challenges in energy, environment, and economy. His career in industry, academia, and governments underpins his filmmaking, television, and radio programs featured across the US and globe. Scott is CEO of Tinker Energy Associates and Chairman of the nonprofit Switch Energy Alliance.

__

00:00 Introduction – The Importance of Energy
00:23 Everything Depends on Energy
01:03 Energy and Poverty – A Global Perspective
02:15 The Energy Paradox – Security, Affordability, and Trade-offs
03:08 The Evolution of Energy Density
04:37 Energy Access and Global Wealth Disparities
06:16 The Challenge of Lifting 7 Billion People Out of Energy Poverty
07:51 Population Growth and Its Energy Implications
09:32 A 50-Year Energy Vision – Tripling Global Energy
10:52 The Future Energy Mix – Trade-offs and Growth
11:43 Barriers to Energy Transition – The Seven C’s
12:08 A New Path – Security, Growth, and Sustainability
13:02 Conclusion – A Call for Action

__

[etui]

Excellent talk! Here in Germany we urgently need sensible voices to bring the COMMON back into SENSE!!!

[stephenheins]

This is a world class presentation of energy humanism, Scott. Your slides tell a great story.

[Shed_Sorrows]

12:37 This is the perfect circle representing energy security in the world! Very comprehensive and accurate, hats off to Scott Tinker for such an elaborate compilation and description. 👏🏼💯 Thank you.

[gilschiller]

As usual Scott tinker's presentations are very well thought out and very helpful in pointing out energy reality.

[howardmoon]

Pretty good. But it missed a key element which all of us who care about increasing overall energy need to reckon with: debt, both public and private. You might think ‘what does debt have to do with energy?’ Well debt is a promise of future conversions of gpd, and without these you won’t be able to pay the debt back. And as was established, gdp and energy use are highly correlated. In other words, debt is a promise of useful conversion of energy in the future.

Now consider two scenarios: triple the amount of energy in both scenarios, but one with public debt at 10% of gdp, and one with public debt at 100% of gdp. Do you think you will feel equally better off in both scenarios? Do you think taxes will be the same? I hope instinctively you know the answer is no. This should be intuitive: you are probably using more energy now than you did 10 years ago, and yet you feel worse off. Likewise, without labouring the point, companies will have to charge relatively higher prices to service relatively higher private debt levels.

The point: energy increases are good, but you won’t feel the benefits of them if debt outpaces their growth. We must resolve public spending in unison with increasing energy consumption or the plan won’t work

[liquidusblue]

I am your servant and lord at the same time.
Therefore, guard me well
Me, the genius of electricity.

We take so much for granted. Energy is included in the price of everything so let's make it cheap.

[jennwren]

We let companies take advantage of poorer countries and buy the products. If it’s cheap it’s because of this. We need to keep companies in check! What’s the harm in helping countries that made us the wealthiest now by creating clean energy for them as we should also for ourselves x

[rachelbrogniet]

Developing and emerging countries have a similar key problem which is corruption. Here we have too but once caught, we can teach them a lesson.

[imnotanalien]

Almost every country could have energy, if their government wanted it. They say they need it, if U.S. taxpayers will send them money. The U.S. sends aid and loans every year…but every year these governments have excuses why it didn’t work, and then they say they need more. The people in these countries will never flourish until THEY change their government, and change their economic system…to capitalism. Forcing taxpayers in the U.S. to work free for 6 billion people is a fools errand. It is up to each sovereign nation to make changes in their system of government…before there are changes. These nations have never had modern technology, and these nations do not seem to have a population decline. Western nations, the global north, is declining. So who should we really feel sorry for. 🌎

[debrahumphreys]

His mentor was Robin Williams. Love him

[dzcav]

YOU CAN'T END POVERTY WITHOUT AFFORDABLE RELIABLE ENERGY! Remember that and tell it to others.

[Sock]

4:14 that is a seriously interesting chart

Didn't realise batteries were so much less energy dense than even these "archaic" forms of energy storage

[prepperjonpnw]

How about those countries spend money on their people instead of weapons, corruption etc

[armorbearer]

I suppose the question remains on who foots the bill to lift the improvised nations out of energy poverty.

[danielwarton]

We can talk about lifting them out of poverty, but we’ve given billions and billions over the past few decades and what’s changed?
The money get syphoned off either through corrupt governments or corrupt corporations that just take the money themselves.

[billdoodson]

This is one of those presentations were the presenter knows his stuff, but just doesn't get it across as well as it needs to be gotten across. I had a quick think about our primary energy usage. We use about 32, 000kWh of gas a year here in the UK 🇬🇧 for cooking and heating and then about 7, 600kWh of electricity for the oven, lighting and general electricals. Then we use petrol/diesel in the cars, take the bus, trains and the odd planes, so yes I think his 50mWh per year per person is right. But how do you get that amount of energy into the heart of say Africa, cheaply and efficiently?

[chateaudardree]

Common sense is whats lacking and failing us all at all levels, corruption & greed is the other. When I first started the clip I thought it was Robin Williams ( God Bless his soul)on stage, imagine what he would have done if he was the presenter.
Jokes aside, this issue is easily tackled, humility honesty humanity compassion respect and truthfulness, some very basic principles that we all share but have just temporarily gone astray, values we all grew up with practiced and allowed to slip
Get back on track, if you want your species to survive else He will take it all back…, in the blink of an eye, just like how it all started in the first place

[gregstafford]

Following that chart up to 2075, how can we meet the Paris agreement of climate change if the coal and oil consumption is still that high many years from now. Solar, fusion, wind, batteries, hydro, nuclear need to be in much higher percentages in that chart to be better off for the world

[billevans-ug]

Ignoring the societal collapse that would be incurred with global depopulation and aging populations.

[NLL_]

Interesting that South Africa produces over 50 megawatts and yet has millions living below the breadline.