Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Researchers such as Nebojsa Nakicenovic of IIASA and the Technical
University in Vienna have made important contributions to our under-
standing of the underlying processes of innovation in energy systems.
This is a major area of research today, and I can only scratch the surface
of the topic. However, a few remarks will illustrate the nature of the
transition.
6
A good place to start is with the current and prospective costs of
different kinds of electricity generation for the United States, shown in
ability, and the level of maturity of the technology. The generation costs
of existing plants include only the variable costs (since the capital and
Hydro
3%
Other
renewable
8%
Oil
19%
Oil
19%
Nuclear
11%
Gas
19%
19%
Gas
19%
Coal
30%
Figure 38.
Sources of energy used in the United States, 2009.
