[Ted Talk] A reality check on renewable by David Mackay

resource: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_mackay_a_reality_check_on_renewables

In this pragmatic talk, David Mackay, information theorist and computer scientist, tours the basic mathmaics that show worrying limitation on our sustainable energy options and explains why we should pursue them anyway.
This talk is thought-provoking. Many of us have come to believe that biomass/renewable are the long-term solutions to the renewable conundrum we are in. The information and mathematical calculations provide compelling arguments that a paradigm shift will be needed to sustain our continued population growth and consumption patterns. To wit, if we continue with our current patterns (increasing population, increasing longevity, accrued use of resources, in the east and continued heavy use in the west, a tipping point will (or already has) occurred.