Renewable Energy: Towards Climate Safe World

21-Aug-2024

The rapid expansion of the global population eventuates the exponential demand for energy. Human dependence on fossil fuels dates back over 150 years when the Industrial Revolution began. Since then the world has been sourcing and fulfilling its energy demand from fossil fuels, leading to major implications for human health and global climate.  Human reliance on coal, oil and other fossil fuels has resulted in historically high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, consequently increasing the intensity of global warming. On the contrary, renewable energy neither produces the greenhouse effect nor polluting emissions and is considered the guarantor of a safe future for the inhabitants of the planet Earth.

Today, as the world struggles to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change and reduce its reliance on polluting and limited fossil fuels, renewable energy sources have become a critical component and a top solution for staving off the negative impacts of global warming.  Through this article, let us learn in-depth about renewable energy, its various types, and why should the world switch to green energy, and also explore the present and future scope of renewable energy. 

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is energy obtained from naturally replenished sources such as wind, solar, rain, tides, hydropower, geothermal, biomass, etc. They are inexhaustible and do not pollute the environment or produce greenhouse gasses. They are derived from sources that cannot run out or that can be replenished. Most renewable energy are carbon-free and do not emit CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Renewable energy is highly abundant, and diverse and has the potential for use across the planet. Hence, they are a substantial solution for fighting global warming. 

What is the difference between green energy and renewable energy?

Green energy and renewable Energy are often confused as interchangeable terms. It can be confusing as sources of green energy are regarded as renewable. However, both renewable and green energy are distinct concepts and do not mean the same thing. Understanding the difference between them is crucial as they vary in terms of how they are created, their replenishment and their impact on the environment. 

Let us classify and study the two often confused terms by considering three parameters: Creation, Renewal and Impact.

Creation: Renewable energy is created or derived from naturally occurring sources which are naturally and completely replaceable in the span of an average human life. On the contrary, Green energy is sourced from natural resources created to meet the current generation needs, with the smallest environmental footprint. It is a subset of renewable energy. 

Renewal: The sources of Renewable energy are inexhaustible and can be naturally replenished. It has however flow-limited, in the sense that there are limits to how much can be captured over time. Green energy on the other hand comes from renewable energy resources that can be naturally renewed with minimal environmental impact. 

Impact: While the ecological impact of renewable energy is dependent upon how it is processed to create the energy, green energy on the other hand leaves little to no environmental impact. 

Renewable Energy in a Crux

• Comes from naturally occurring, replenishable and inexhaustible sources

• Constantly renewable and sustainable

• Low to zero carbon emissions

Green Energy in a Crux

• Subset of renewable energy and harness the power of nature

• Promotes sustainability and minimizes carbon footprint

• No carbon emission and the lowest environmental impact

Reason to shift from fossil fuel to green energy

For the world to combat the worst impacts of climate change, shifting to energy generation without carbon emission is key. It is in fact, not an alternative but a necessity. The process of energy production through fossil fuels has been the key contributor to global climate change. The consumption of fossil fuels to meet energy demands is growing at an alarming rate and it accounts for 75 per cent of the global greenhouse gas and 90 per cent of CO2 emissions. Transitioning to green energy is the sole pathway to sustaining a safe and healthy environment for now and for the future. Let us discourse on a few reasons why shift from fossil fuels to green energy. 

Green energy is abundant and Ubiquitous

Green energy comes from renewable sources which are available all around the world. The potential of these renewable resources is still yet to be fully exploited. Green energy relies on naturally occurring and renewable resources that cannot be depleted over time. In contrast, fossil fuels are rapidly diminishing. With over 80 per cent of the global population relying on fossil fuels and their countries being net importers of fossil fuels, the global population is at risk of a geopolitical crisis. Green energy offers an excellent way out of these fossil-fuel import dependencies. It opens up abundant avenues for countries to tap into their renewable resources, diversify their economies and secure sustainable and reliable energy generation. 

Cost-effective energy generation

Green energy is the most cost-effective energy option. Green-power plants function without the need for fuels, unlike fossil-fuel plants. Renewable and green energy resources like solar, hydro, wind, etc. thus operate at low cost. Green energy technologies like solar panels efficiently convert sunlight into electricity, and wind turbines generate wind efficiently without exerting additional costs. The arrival of solar panels has also contributed to cheaper electricity which ultimately can aid in decarbonizing 90 percent of the power sector. 

Necessary step to offset carbon Footprint 

There is massive global-scale competition for securing fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas and global fuel costs are escalating rapidly. This expansive use is increasingly impacting global environmental health. Transitioning to green energy will enable the reduction of greenhouse effects and offset carbon footprint. It is a sacrosanct method to protecting and conserving fragile ecosystems, biodiversity and natural habitats. Shifting to green energy translates to mitigating pollution and a healthier environment promoting public health as well as environmental health. 

Green Energy generates jobs and enables economic growth

One of the most significant impacts of transitioning to green energy is the prospect of job creation it presents. The International Energy Agency (IEA) states an overall optimization in energy sector jobs as the world transitions to net-zero emission, with an estimated 14 million new jobs in energy supply by 2030.  The green energy sector has emerged as a major driver for economic growth. It has the potential to revitalize local economies and open doors to innovation in the renewable energy sector. The IEA also projects a workforce requirement of 16 million personnel to take on new roles in innovative renewable technologies like Hydrogen, hyper-efficient appliances, electric vehicle manufacturing, etc. In all, the green energy sector will open up job prospects for over 30 million dispersed around low-emission, efficient, and clean energy. 

Global Responsibility

Shifting to renewable and green energy is a global responsibility to secure a healthier and safer planet. It should be the mandatory step that every nation must commit to in order to accelerate the global effort of combatting global warming. Transitioning to green energy from fossil fuels is a responsibility, a global movement to render a safer, healthier and sustainable earth for the generations to come. 

Various types of Renewable Energy

Renewable energy as we have learned is a healthier alternative to fossil fuels and transitioning to obtaining energy from renewable resources is a global emergency that every country must act upon. Let us explore the various types of renewable energy and learn in-depth about how it is generated from diverse sources. 

Renewable energies are inclusive of the following:

• Wind Energy: Energy derived from the wind.  The US, China and Germany are the top producers of wind energy. Wind energy can used in generating electricity through wind turbines. It harnesses the kinetic energy of moving air. Wind turbines are often installed onshore (on land) or (offshore) in sea or freshwater. 

• Solar energy: Energy generated from the sun by use of technologies like solar photovoltaic (using sunlight) and solar thermal (by using the sun's heat). Solar energy is the most abundant resource available among all others and can even be exploited in cloudy weather. Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy and can be used for heating, cooling, electricity, and power hosts of other applications. 

• Hydroelectric or Hydropower Energy: Also called Hydraulic energy, it is obtained from reservoirs, rivers and freshwater currents. The energy is obtained by harnessing the energy from the flow of the river. Hydropower today stands as the largest source of renewable energy and delivers multiple uses like providing potable water, irrigation supply, energy supply, controlling flood and drought, etc. 

• Biogas and Biomass: This type of energy is derived from organic materials like wood, dung, charcoal, etc. 

• Geothermal Energy: They are heat energy extracted from beneath the earth's surface. To extract energy, geothermal reservoirs are built and heat is extracted through wells and other means. There are hydrothermal reservoirs that are naturally hot and permeable and reservoirs that are hot but enhanced by exerting hydraulic stimulation and are known as geothermal systems.

• Tidal Energy: This type of energy is obtained from the natural tidal movements caused by the gravitational interaction of the sun, moon and the earth. 

• Wave Energy: They are generated from ocean waves. This entails using technologies that harness the thermal and kinetic energy of waves, water and currents and convert them into electrical energy or heat. 

• Bioethanol: This type of energy is obtained by fermenting vegetation. 

• Biodiesel: These are organic fuels extracted from vegetable oils, animal fats, used cooking oil and yellow grease.

Which renewable energy is the best?

All renewable energies are ideal and present a superlative option for sustaining the world with a healthier ecosystem. Among the renewable energies, the following energy are considered to be the most efficient:

• Solar

• Wind

• Geothermal

• Hydroelectricity

• Biomass

The efficiency of these renewable energies is measured by taking into account their costs of production, fuel and environmental impact. Among the diverse renewable energies, wind energy ranks top as the leading alternative to fossil fuels. In the US, the Wind energy sector is projected to produce 35 per cent of electrical production. 

Which country invests the most in renewable energy?

While there is positive momentum surrounding investments in clean and renewable energy, there is disparity amongst countries. In the race to adopt clean energy, some of the advanced countries are topping the global ranking. With global investment accelerating and the allocation of over USD 1.7 trillion earmarked for clean energy by global policymakers, the path to transitioning to renewable energy is well on its way.  The global investment in clean energy is projected to edge USD 320 Billion by 2024, which is 50 per cent higher since 2020. 

According to the International Energy Agency, the top investing countries are:

• China with $899 Billion*

• The United States of America with $559 billion 

• Germany with $339

• Italy with $176

• France with $150

• Spain with over $89 Billion 

The key areas of investment included:

• Support for low-carbon electricity generation

• Low or no-emission transport

• Energy-efficient Buildings 

• Energy-efficient Industry

(Sources: *Carbonbrief & WeForum.org)

Present and Future Scope of Renewable Energy

Following the report and analysis brought forth by IEA, the world today is in the middle of an energy crisis. This heightened pressure on electricity prices is the causal effect of the rise in prices of coal, oil and gas, bringing the realization that heavy dependence on non-renewable energy is unsustainable. This has driven the need for the world to transition to clean energy. Evidently, there has been a drastic shift towards the generation of wind energy and the usage of solar photovoltaic cells. IEA reports of initiatives towards clean energy and investments doubling in 2023. 

Looking forward, the future of renewable energy looks promising in developing countries. There are instances of several key opportunities opening up, including:

• Off-grid solutions:  Enabling rural areas of developing countries to gain access to mini-grids and decentralized solar systems, which have been otherwise absent or are limited. 

• Renewable Technology Innovations: To attain a reliable, efficient and affordable renewable energy system, introducing innovative technologies like smart grid systems, and energy storage systems will yield excellent and prospective results.

• Governmental Investment: Investments at the government level and supporting renewable energy initiatives through supportive policies are key to attaining growth in renewable energy initiatives. Countries particularly developing countries, can only accelerate theri shift towards clean energy by making increased investments and taking up capacity-building initiatives. 

Conclusion: The world can save energy and lead a healthier and safer life by adopting renewable energy at its fullest. They are omnipresent and offer easy means of harnessing through the use of appropriate technology. To save the earth from the grave danger of global warming, transitioning to renewable energy is a necessary step every country must prioritize. 

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