By Renewable Energy Focus staff

Sarah Ortwein, President of Upstream Research Company, Exxon Mobil USA, told the forum: “Today, the world uses 15 billion BTUs (British Thermal Units) of energy every second. That is the equivalent of 40 light bulbs running continuously for every person on earth. And that includes the 1.2 billion people on earth who do not have any access to electricity.

“The growing economy and the growing population are closely related to growing energy demand. In fact, most estimates of global energy demand predict that we will use about 25% more energy in 2030 than we did in 2005. And, in the year 2030, about 60% of our energy will still come from oil and gas.”

Clean energy

Mark Vachon, VP of Ecomagination, GE USA, added: “Collaboration and the sharing of ideas are key for the future energy industry, and with the right partnerships, innovation will bloom. The key elements to remember are that: clean energy remains a growth industry; it’s about leadership through innovations; it’s about growth, competitiveness and decreasing emissions; big and small companies can win; and partnering can accelerate faster results.

“With these in mind, the world is at a defining moment and we have a unique opportunity to advance the future of renewable energy.”