Are we ready to pay for tomorrow’s energy?

The statement by Total CEO Christophe de Margerie asserts that the energy transition cannot happen overnight because fossil fuels currently constitute 80% of the global energy mix. Total predicts that oil and gas will still represent half of the world's energy mix by 2035, with gas serving as a critical bridge to support renewable energy. The author emphasizes that meeting a projected 30% increase in worldwide energy demand between 2010 and 2035 will require significant innovation and investment to avoid price spikes. Furthermore, the document warns that the transition will likely lead to short-term price increases for consumers, citing European Commission estimates that electricity prices in Europe will rise until 2030.

• The energy transition is characterized as a long and slow process because fossil energies currently make up 80% of the global energy mix, making immediate decarbonization physically impossible.
• Total estimates that oil and gas will continue to provide 50% of the world's energy mix in 2035, and that gas will become the second most consumed energy source globally due to its abundance and flexibility in supporting renewables.
• Worldwide energy demand is projected to grow by 30% between 2010 and 2035, necessitating massive investment and innovation in oil and gas to prevent skyrocketing prices as production becomes more difficult.
• The energy transition is expected to result in short-term cost increases for the public; specifically, the European Commission's energy roadmap 2050 predicts electricity prices in Europe will rise until 2030.

APA

de Margerie, C. (2014). Are we ready to pay for tomorrow’s energy? World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/future-energy/

Chicago

de Margerie, Christophe. Are we ready to pay for tomorrow’s energy? World Economic Forum, 2014. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/future-energy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=de Margerie |first1=Christophe |title=Are we ready to pay for tomorrow’s energy? |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=22 January 2014 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/future-energy/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{demargerie2014are, author = {de Margerie, Christophe}, title = {{Are we ready to pay for tomorrow’s energy?}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2014}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/future-energy/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }