Ownership, Citizens Participation and Economic Trends

Renewable energy is still young; technology and tariff problems have found reasonable solutions in generally acceptable organizational structures for decentralized ownership for the common good as well as part of the transition process. Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies: First-generation, which are already mature and economically competitive, include biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal power and heat. Second-generation include solar heating, photovoltaics, wind power, solar thermal power stations, and modern forms of bioenergy. Third-generation require continued R&D efforts in order to make large contributions on a global scale and include advanced biomass gasification, bio-refinery technologies, hot-dry-rock geothermal power, and ocean energy. Once the renewable infrastructure is built, the fuel is free forever. When the world makes a clear commitment to shifting toward renewable energy, the volume of production itself will sharply reduce the cost, while adding yet more incentives for additional research and development.