What If Renewable Resources Completely Replaced Fossil Fuels?

Emerging Tech Debates

What would it take to power the entire planet with nothing but renewables—no coal, no oil, no gas? In this episode of Emerging Tech Debates, we unpack the bold vision of a world fully fueled by solar, wind, hydro, and emerging clean tech. Could we realistically replace fossil fuels—still responsible for 83% of global energy—with renewables by 2050?

We dive into the numbers, the infrastructure demands, and the science behind making intermittent energy sources reliable at scale. How far can storage solutions go? Can we build a stable grid on fluctuating inputs alone?

But the conversation doesn’t stop at technology. We examine the geopolitical shake-ups such a transition could trigger—new mineral dependencies, shifting power dynamics, and whether decentralized energy systems could finally deliver true energy independence.

Is renewable energy really “clean”? We’ll confront the environmental costs of extraction, manufacturing, and the fossil-fuel fingerprints behind so-called green tech—raising the uncomfortable question: Are renewables just fossil fuels in disguise?

From the social and economic fallout of phasing out legacy industries to the promises (and perils) of nuclear fusion and carbon capture, we tackle the full spectrum of what this transition could mean. Job losses, energy equity, and the urgent need for a Just Recovery—all on the table.

Is a post-fossil-fuel future a utopian fantasy, or the only sustainable path forward? Join us as we debate what’s possible, what’s probable, and what it will really cost to cut the cord on fossil fuels for good.