The Future of Energy and Climate: Rice Alliance Keynote Speech

OpenMinds gave this keynote at the 21st Annual Rice Alliance Energy Tech Venture Forum on September 12, 2024. It frames the Dual Challenge: human flourishing and economic growth require more energy, but the largest sources of energy drive global warming. The talk presents OpenMinds' 'P50' Outlook, a forecast developed and reviewed by industry leaders.

Key points

• The world has warmed 1.2°C since pre-industrial times.
• The outlook expects energy demand to grow 15% by 2035, largely driven by developing economies, while carbon emissions stay largely flat at about 35 Gt.
• Renewables are forecast to rise from about 15% to 25% of the energy mix by 2035, while natural gas holds a ~23% share.
• Among the takeaways: energy demand will continue to grow, new cost-effective technologies will thrive, and Houston can become an epicenter for energy and climate innovation.