Renewable energy sources are particularly topical at the moment as there is a global shift away from the likes of coal and other fossil fuels. This is a particularly relevant topic for South Africans who are looking to make investments into renewable energy projects, through funding mechanisms via the likes of the Black Industrialist Scheme.

On the JSE, we have seen the likes of Hulisani and Renergen capture the imagination of investors interested in this as a growth market.

But is renewable energy the solution to our problems? Not everybody agrees.

With over 1.1 million views since it was published in January 2019, this TEDx talk gives some food for thought.

Environmentalists have long promoted renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind farms to save the climate. But what about when those technologies destroy the environment? In this provocative talk, Time Magazine “Hero of the Environment” and energy expert, Michael Shellenberger explains why solar and wind farms require so much land for mining and energy production, and an alternative path to saving both the climate and the natural environment.