Will renewables stop the climate crisis? | DW Documentary

Mankind is facing the greatest upheaval since industrialization. To stop climate change, the energy system must be transformed worldwide and fossil fuels must be completely replaced. But is this even possible?

Time is running out. If climate targets are still to be met and the survival of future generations is to be ensured, virtually all fossil energy sources worldwide will have to be replaced by renewables by 2050. That leaves us with almost exactly one generation from today to make this massive change. So what needs to happen for the global energy transition to succeed?

Part 1 of this two-part documentary looks at the question of whether it’s even possible to provide enough green energy for the whole world. How can the oil economy be replaced? The film travels to places that could one day become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energies. For example, gigantic offshore wind farms in the North Sea, or the most modern solar fields in Spain. One day, these regions will supply all of Europe with electricity.

However, the globally increasing demand for energy must be met in ways that are both sustainable and affordable. Researchers at the Technical University of Ilmenau in Thuringia are working with a team from the California Institute of Technology on high-tech materials that will make renewable energies more efficient and less expensive than their fossil fuel predecessors.

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[flipperspro]

DW is the premier documentary station of the 21st century!!!! Living in the US but can’t stand the tv programs all full of cars, drugs, attorneys, insurance advertisements every minutes!!!! DW programs are so detailed and you can sit and watch with your kids knowing it will be the right content. It amazes me how rapid they produced richer documentary content. BRAVO!!!!

[SeanLumly]

1) shallow Geothermal (aka. heat pumps) for heating/cooling which reduces electricity demand by ~70%
2) increase wind/solar/geothermal/hydro installation
3) create walkable/bikeable cities (ebikes are most energy efficient method of transportation, including walking)
4) install enough mass-transit (trains, busses), to eliminate the need for the personal automobile

[borealphoto]

This is like the Swiss talking about the problems of chocolate making without a single word on cocoa production.

[quickcinemarecap]

00:10 Renewable energy advancements in China and Denmark
03:23 Renewable energy is crucial for a sustainable future.
08:31 Offshore wind holds potential equivalent to over 200 nuclear power plants.
11:38 Transitioning to renewable energy is crucial for rebuilding industrial structures
18:12 Renewable energy initiatives are leading to economic growth and job creation.
21:10 Particle accelerator aids in advanced materials research
26:48 Singapore's role in advancing renewable technologies.
29:52 Solar energy has seen a significant growth, but more research and new materials are still needed.
35:09 Speed is crucial for achieving a greener future
37:58 Renewable energy from space is being researched.

You Can't Judge A Video By Its Cover. you can by its first few chapters and certainly by its last.

[yellowluma]

How do they come out with hour long professional, well edited and researched documentaries everyday???? I think I’m missing something

[sandponics]

Here in Australia, 22 solar panels on the roof of my house provide me with five times more electrical energy than I can possibly use.

[ResizeFilms]

The entire country of Portugal ran solely on renewable energy for six days in a row.
Portugal produced 1102 GWh of renewable energy from wind, hydropower and sun, surpassing its demand of 840 GWh, which allowed it to even export electricity to Spain. It’s a record.
About 60% of Portugal’s energy comes from renewable sources today and is expected to run 100% on renewables before 2045.

[TheRustyLM]

Nope. All that electricity requires metals & minerals that take millions of tons of fossil fuels to extract, process, smelt, transport.

[avoidantfur]

I actually thought that renewables wouldn't do much... However i am impressed with the advances that were made. If only this was done a long time a go...

[triggaweris]

DW is single handedly carrying the Documentary game forward.I couldn’t phantom the work the team puts in..Thank you DW🙏🏾.Your documentaries have widened my world and my interests!!

[lucacasagrande]

Does someone knows what is the name of the chinese 2GW CSP powerplant they are referring to?

[TrueBluePlus]

Love DW Channels about all Renewables, such a amazing place to learn new things!!!

[tushyranx]

That's Deutsch Welle for you; always exploring all angles

[chrislambaa]

A small comment about the recycling of the windmill blades. The company Vestas came out with news in february that they can now recycle the blades back to virgin materials, through a chemical process, and is working on scaling it up.

[Zatvornik]

Germany is not an authority on this issue, especially given the fact that they voluntarily destroyed their atomic energy industry...

[harukrentz]

I think renewables would only work after we invented better storage, until then only nuclear and geothermal are economically visable.

[Eduard.Popa.]

When German car makers still make internal combustion cars.... when Germans closed perfect functional nuclear power plants... what hope can be ??? NONE.

[veggieboyultimate]

Extreme problems call for extreme solutions

[reverands]

First Rule of Renewable Energy: Do not need as much energy...

It's almost always ignored.

[jonasex]

Yes of course, we just need to pay more taxes! Easy!