Professor Alan Brent is Chair in Sustainable Energy Systems at the School of Engineering and Computer Science, Victoria University of Wellington. Alan also holds the position of Extraordinary Professor at Stellenbosch University and is an executive committee member for The Sustainability Society, NZ.His research interests encompass engineering management and sustainable systems, and as an expert in systems thinking, Alan brings a wealth of knowledge to this conversation as we discuss the various pros and cons of the current renewable energy options.As always, things are not quite as straight forward as they first appear - renewable energies aren’t always sustainable options. So, should we all be putting solar panels on our roofs and buying Teslas? Take a listen to find out! We hope this episode helps our listeners become more critical, mindful consumers.In this episode we discuss:• Alan’s background and journey from engineering to sustainable energy systems• Renewable energy – what it means, what role it currently plays and where we are headed• The importance of systems thinking approach• Alternative energy options and the potential benefits and pitfalls of each• Storage issues of sustainable energy systems • Electric vehicles vs conventional vehicles vs hybrids – what’s the better choice?  • Renewable energies vs habit change• Solutions into the futureWe hope you enjoy this important conversation and would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to tag @TheLentilIntervention and help us reach more people by liking, reviewing, subscribing and sharing this episode with your friends and family.Please support our work and enable us to deliver more content by buying us a coffee.