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  • Power to the People with Johan Norberg (2015)
  • Not Rated
    56 min | Documentary
Power to the People with Johan Norberg (2015)
Not Rated
56 min | Documentary
The thirst for energy in developing countries will only grow as economic freedom spreads. People there see how we in the west live and refuse to be left behind. In Power to the People, by Swedish economist and author Johan Norberg explores...See moreThe thirst for energy in developing countries will only grow as economic freedom spreads. People there see how we in the west live and refuse to be left behind. In Power to the People, by Swedish economist and author Johan Norberg explores the incredible challenge this demand presents to man- and woman-kind. As costs rise and concern for climate change increases, these questions loom large: How are we going to maintain our standard of living? How do we reduce our impact on the planet? And how will we get power to ALL the people? Norberg travels the world in Power to the People to peel back the layers of this global challenge, often questioning the conventional wisdom on what works and what doesn't. His journey starts in the Moroccan bazaars of Marrakech, which functioned fine for eons without modern conveniences, but where electric lights, computers, cell phones and credit card readers are now everywhere. Even more telling is Norberg's journey to a remote Berber village in the Sahara Desert. More than half the world still cooks its food over open flames but this is rapidly changing, including here, where women now cook on gas stoves, and some even have refrigerators. The revealing program examines global efforts to solve our energy dilemma-and how even the best of intentions sometimes result in unexpected consequences. For example, Germany's decision to abolish nuclear power and increase the use of renewable energy has sent retail prices soaring, among the highest in Europe. It also resulted in an actual increase in the use of lignite coal-burning plants as the Germans discover that it takes temporary dependence on energy from fossil fuels to build a new clean energy economy. Imposing tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels to protect the German solar industry also slowed things down. In the U.S., Power to the People explores the great debate in a country whose energy consumption is now only surpassed by China. He reveals, perhaps surprisingly, how cities like New York consume far less energy per capita than the rest of the country. The controversy over America's promising new energy source in hydro fracking is also examined, as is the folly of top-down government-imposed solutions. Witness the continued federal subsidies for corn ethanol, which have sent food prices soaring and not produced the promised a renewable energy return. Although daunting, the energy challenge can be met, Norberg believes-especially if governments step back from top-down imposed solutions. From a solar facility in Morocco to wind farms in England, a hydraulic fracking site in Pennsylvania, and a trucking company in Florida that is converting its fleet to natural gas, potential new sources and solutions abound. Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Nuclear, Hydro, Biomass, Wind, and Solar are all in the mix and all come with their own problems. As Norberg finds, the world is overflowing with energy. The sun is shining, the world is turning, the wind is blowing, and water flows downhill. The only bottleneck when it comes to energy is our ability to safely convert, store and pay for it. Written by Free To Choose Media See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Jim Taylor
Writer
Johan Norberg
Producer
Barbara Potter
Cinematographer
Jim Taylor
Editor
Jim Taylor
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Release date
Jan 23, 2015 (United States)

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Cast

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7 cast members
Name Known for
Abubakar Bahaj
Prof. Sustainable Energy, Univ of Southhampton UK (as AbuBakr Bahaj) Prof. Sustainable Energy, Univ of Southhampton UK (as AbuBakr Bahaj)   See fewer
South Today (1974)
Shikha Dalmia
Sr. Analyst, Reason Fdtn. Sr. Analyst, Reason Fdtn.   See fewer
Testing Milton Friedman (2012)
Dieter Helm
Prof. Energy Policy, Oxford Univ. UK Prof. Energy Policy, Oxford Univ. UK   See fewer
Paul Whitehouse: Our Troubled Rivers (2023)
Lynne Kiesling
Dist. Sr. Lecturer, Econ., Northwestern Univ Dist. Sr. Lecturer, Econ., Northwestern Univ   See fewer
Power to the People with Johan Norberg (2015)
Ramez Naam
Futurist and Author, The Infinite Resource Futurist and Author, The Infinite Resource   See fewer
Nexus (I)
Johan Norberg
host - Sr. Fellow, CATO Inst. host - Sr. Fellow, CATO Inst.   See fewer
The Real Adam Smith: A Personal Exploration by Johan Norberg (2016)
Scott Peterson
Sr. VP, Communications, Nuclear Energy Inst. Sr. VP, Communications, Nuclear Energy Inst.   See fewer
Power to the People with Johan Norberg (2015)
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