Review of Sustainability of "Sustainable" Energy Use: Historical Evidence on the Relationship between Economic Growth and Renewable Energy

Abstract

This review considers economic growth in a renewable energy system. In this review tried to show that economies of the past survived, evolved and even grew within a renewable energy system. Indeed, the key observation is that, in particular locations, industries were operative and dependent on renewable energy sources for centuries and even millennia. The growth in demands does clearly put pressure on resources. For instance, the expansion of the European and Far East Asian population and economy between 900 and 1350 and 1400 and 1800 led to a growth in demand for energy resources. We investigated the 'sustainability' of the use of this 'sustainable' energy that is, how the renewable resource was used over very long periods. This involves considering the availability of resources, the rate of use, the existence of energy crises and the various governments´ attempts to manage demand and supply. In many localities, wood fuel supplies were able to meet the growing demand. This was, in cases considered, the result of government intervention and the promotion of better resource management. Often, they were coupled with efforts to reduce demand and improve efficiency of consumption. Based on the historical evidence, balancing demand and supply was crucial to achieving growth within a renewable energy system. In many circumstances, trade was the solution, importing the necessary resources. Where local energy shortages were a problem, the main cause was due to the high cost of transporting resources, rather than an overall energy crisis. In addition to these, a Future Economy Driven by Renewable Energy, Sustainable Energy Technologies in developing counters, Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Growth have all been included and discussed.