At the nexus of these life-improving advancements and routine behavior, however, stand conventional energy sources, especially oil.

FORBES: Tarballs And Fouled Ecosystems Are Awful But Oil Is Here To Stay

The primary argument against taking advantage of our affordable conventional energy sources is the emissions from conventional power plants.

FORBES: Obama Unites Global Warming Alarmists, Skeptics In Presidential Debates

India is unusual in having a Ministry for Non-Conventional Energy Sources.

ECONOMIST: The sunny side of India

Much of this increase in demand will come from the transportation sector and largely in the developing world, where poorer people will use oil and other conventional energy sources to improve their living standards.

FORBES: Tarballs And Fouled Ecosystems Are Awful But Oil Is Here To Stay

Some experts say new investment, in both alternative energy and conventional sources, will boost supply and could cut prices in half.

CNN: Behind high gas prices: The refinery crunch

On the one hand, with its near-zero emissions, it stacks up favorably against conventional, polluting sources of energy.

FORBES: Hydroelectric Revolution: A River Runs Through It

This means that if energy is required on a constant basis then the system needs to be backed-up by conventional sources of power 73% of the time, and there are days when the back-up system is required for more than 90% of the time (In Germany, the industry association insists that renewables uptime averages 10%).

FORBES: Why "Green Fossils" Matter So Much To Africa's Energy Future