Over the past three decades, oil has become the foremost important source of energy and electricity. Despite its abundance and comparatively low cost, combustion of oil presents harm for the environment, contributing to the greenhouse effect and, consequently, global warming. In the near future, there is a high probability that renewable and nuclear energy will supplant fossil fuels, owing to their decreasing cost and advancements in technology.
To start with, practically unlimited access to natural resources such as moving water, sunlight, and wind maximizes their chances of having a part of the electricity production transferred to them. One of the main upsides of renewable energy is that no actual consumption is being made; therefore, Earth is not depleted of its resources, and no emissions are present. In the last 25 years, the fraction of these energy sources in the global infrastructure has nearly doubled and is predicted by the experts to continue to rise. Furthermore, in the majority of locations on Earth, at least one of the resources is present: sun, for solar energy, in the southern places; wind and water in the elevated terrain or more cold terrain.
Another noteworthy alternative is nuclear energy. At the moment, this energy source accounts for approximately half of renewable resources production. The primary challenge to the expansion of nuclear energy is the risks associated with its use. For example, failure of a nuclear reactor could lead to a life-threatening explosion leading to long-term environmental damage and health hazards for all surviving people. However, nuclear energy is essentially absent from CO2 emissions. Moreover, it is more reliable than renewable resources, as it is not affected by quickly changing weather conditions. The main advantage of nuclear energy, which contributes to its development, is the efficient use of fuel, as one uranium fuel pellet provides as much energy as 550 liters of oil.
In conclusion, the dominance of fossil fuels is predicted to be shifted by solar, wind, and hydroelectric powers, considering their favorable impacts on environmental conditions, followed by the rise of nuclear energy, due to its efficiency.