Looking in the energy future, in the long-term outlook for coming 50 or 100 years, the energy mix will be moving predominantly towards renewable energy sources. The world annually extracts about 2,690 million tons of crude oil, so at current usage we have 50-80 years of oil remaining. As for coal, approximately 8,000 million tons is extracted annually, which leaves us with enough to last for 150 years. We have about 54 years left for natural gas. This is one of the reasons why we need to shift to renewable-based energy future. The switch over to renewables has to be combined with high energy efficiency.
The benefits of renewable energy extend to stimulating the economy and creating job opportunities. The financial resources invested in renewable energy are typically spent on materials and staff that build and maintain equipment instead of importing energy. The money spent on renewable energy stays within the same state or county, where they were invested. Renewable energy helps to become more independent from foreign supplies. The benefits of renewable energy will help to alleviate many issues related to this dependence, and thus to energy security aspects.
There are many benefits of renewable energy to the ordinary citizen and business owner. Householders will reap rewards from using renewable energy, energy-efficient building materials and appliances by saving money in the long run and reducing negative environmental impacts. It also renders us able to fuel our homes independently in many cases. Small business owners will save money on utilities. Even providers of electricity can benefit from selling clean power. There are also many job opportunities for professionals who can invent ways of using renewable energy easily and efficiently in our homes and businesses.

Last but not least - one of the most important benefits of renewable energy is that it is non-polluting or environmentally safe if sustainable criteria are fully applied. Renewable energy has a much lower environmental and health impact than conventional sources of energy.
Renewable energy production and use tend to be more labor-intensive than fossil fuels. Therefore, a transition toward renewables promises employment gains. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency), globally about 2.3 million people work either directly in renewables or indirectly in supplier industries. The wind power industry employs some 300,000 people, the PV sector accounts for an estimated 170,000 jobs, and the solar thermal industry accounts for about 624,000 jobs. More than 1 million jobs are located in the biomass and bio-fuels sector, thereby assisting in rural development.

Changing over to alternative energy sources will take time and financial resources. For instance, the IEA predicts $20 trillion will be invested into alternative energy projects until 2020. Evidently, the energy from renewables still didn't become competitive compared to nuclear energy or fossil energy. Between 1974 and 2002, the nuclear energy got seven times higher subsidy from public budgets than the renewables. However, investment cost of renewable technologies is gradually on the decline. For instance, the Ministry of the Industry and Technologies of Japan supposes the same price of electricity produced by photovoltaic and nuclear electricity in 2030.

It is interesting to note the current situation in the field of renewable energy in the Czech Republic. The share of renewables on the primary energy sources consumption is slightly above 5%. The biggest part of renewables electricity is generated from hydro-power plants, and for heating the most widespread source is biomass. According to an independent study in 2008, the share of renewables on electricity might be up to 38% in 2050. Due to geographical situation, biomass, photovoltaic and geothermal have probably the greatest potential of all renewables.

If we want to meet these targets, appropriate tools must be set for achieving them. Since 2005, there is a feed-in tariff system for electricity produced from renewables. It means that all electricity generated from renewables have to be bought by transmission system or distribution system operators. The producer gets for each megawatt hour such price that guaranteed pay back time of the project of 15 years. A similar system for renewable heating is now under preparation.

To conclude, first of all we need to support gradual replacement of conventional energy sources by the renewable energy sources. There is a huge potential in the field of renewable energy sources - for instance sun-energy in Sahara is well known as project Desertec or large off-shore wind parks situated on the sea. If we would successfully undertake changing over to alternative energy, we will attract the interest of small and big enterprisers, energy-utilities, and entire society in this process.

Secondly, we need to promote and guarantee long-term strategic holistic approach to energy production. We need to use planning when integrating in energy policy, industrial policy, climate change policy, agriculture policy, rural and urban development policy, transport policy, environment policy, fiscal and social policies fully in line with the concept of sustainable development, and under the condition of good governance at global, regional, national and local levels.

Finally, we need to strengthen, improve and coordinate international energy governance; it is currently fragmented, diversified and sometimes very autonomous components are competing each with other. Coordination amongst them, transparent and fair communication, collaboration with governments, transnational corporations, producers and citizens of the earth, and social affordability of energy access - are vital for future energy safety and energy security.