The Renewable Energy Transition: A Short History of a Long Process
Presented by Jonathan Kuiken, PhD
Associate Professor of History and Honors Director
Division of Global Cultures, Wilkes University
With discussions of the looming threat of climate change, skyrocketing energy prices, and the advantages (and disadvantages) of various renewable energy sources splashed across our headlines and news feeds, it seems like questions around the renewable energy transition are a distinctly contemporary phenomenon. Yet, like previous technological shifts, the gradual introduction of renewable and other low-carbon energy technologies has a surprisingly long back story. Some of these technologies have roots that stretch back over a century, and serious policy discussions about the long-term phasing out of fossil fuels were held during the tumultuous energy crises of the 1970s. Join us for a conversation with Jonathan Kuiken about the roots of the renewable energy transition to find out why it started, why it has taken so long, and why we are continuing to argue about it to this very day.
This event is free and open to the Springfield College community.
Questions? Please contact Wendy Franz at wfranz@springfield.edu or (413) 748-3646.
A Wellness Passport Event