Electricity is a crucial part of our modern lives, but it doesn't just appear magically. It has to be created and brought to our homes. However, most modern methods of production involve fossil fuels, a type of energy source that emits greenhouse gases when consumed. These gases effectively trap the heat in the atmosphere since CO2 equivalent molecules vibrate at the same resonant frequency as the Infrared rays coming from the sun. Needless to say, this is bad.
When talking about climate change, the spotlight often shines on renewable energy as a key solution to combat the severe impacts of rising temperatures. Such resources are those that “restore themselves over short periods of time and do not diminish,” as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency puts it.
The benefits of clean energy go beyond just being environmentally friendly. This growing sector not only creates jobs but also strengthens electric grids, widens energy access in developing nations, and helps reduce energy costs. These factors have led to a significant surge in renewable energy use, with wind and solar power achieving new records in electricity generation.
For the last 150 years, humans have heavily relied on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels to power various aspects of our lives, from light bulbs to cars to factories. Fossil fuels are deeply ingrained in our daily activities, and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions from burning these fuels have reached unprecedented levels.
As these greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping into space, average surface temperatures are on the rise. Global warming is just one manifestation of climate change, a term scientists now prefer to describe the intricate shifts affecting our planet's weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only higher average temperatures but also extreme weather events, changes in wildlife populations and habitats, rising sea levels, and various other impacts.
Certainly, renewables, like any energy source, come with their own set of trade-offs and debates. One major debate revolves around the definition of renewable energy. Strictly speaking, renewable energy is what it sounds like: consistently available or, as the United States Energy Information Administration puts it, "virtually inexhaustible." However, "renewable" doesn't necessarily equate to sustainability, as critics of corn-based ethanol or large hydropower dams often argue. Additionally, it doesn't include other low- or zero-emission resources supported by their advocates, such as energy efficiency and nuclear power. However, this is more of the exception than the rule. Renewable sources are often geared to admit lower emissions than conventional non-renewable methods.
Back in 2022, 80% of the world's energy production was brought in by fossil fuels, releasing 38.8 billion metric tonnes of CO2, as found by the International Energy Agency. While "renewable" sounds good, not all renewable sources are equally good for the climate. Biomass, for example, can release carbon dioxide, even though it's considered "carbon neutral" by some. Nuclear power, although not renewable, doesn't produce carbon dioxide, but it comes with its own set of concerns, like safety and waste disposal.
Finite resources mean finite energy production capacity which unfortunately implies that eventually—maybe not today or tomorrow but some day—we will run out of energy, putting our civilization in a cold doom. So, we've been searching for renewable resources for a long time, not just because of climate problems but also because we're using up resources too quickly. Using renewable resources wisely, especially for fuel and electricity, is crucial to solving the climate crisis.
Comments