Rethinking green energy to power a sustainable future

“Some people live in a dream world, some face reality, and then there are those who turn one into the other,” stated British chemist and academic author, Douglas H. Everett.

It’s a fact that even the most difficult situation can be handled deftly when push comes to shove, and in the current climate change scenario, the need is to turn the dream of a clean environment into reality.

Green energy sources are plentiful, but unfolding and channelling them is the key.

Solar energy from the sun, geothermal energy from the heat inside the Earth, biomass from plants, hydropower from flowing water, wind power, ocean tides, and hydrogen — all these are substitutes for finite energy sources including fossil fuels and nuclear power that are destructing the environment and harming human health.

Renewable resources

Lauded for low environmental impact and global accessibility, currently, 29 per cent of energy comes from renewable sources. The path to securing these for future generations is immediate, requiring prudent management, as their viability rests on consumption, social consequences and scientific innovations.

Though renewable energies are inexhaustible, they pose a great challenge for governments to sustain them. However, achievements by some countries are boosting the morale of other nations.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), green energy sources are cheaper than fossil fuels in most parts of the world and it will diminish further due to the technological shift. These sources can augment economic growth, create jobs and reduce poverty.

IEA estimates that in 2060 renewable electricity generation will grow by 60 per cent, reaching over 10,000 TWh annually. The output will increase only up to 34 per cent since fossil fuels and nuclear power will continue to dominate the electricity mix. That’s because electricity is a part of the total energy consumption, including transport, heating and cooling, and industrial use.

Its generation-to-production ratio depends on direct consumption, where fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas are used, and substitute consumption, where nuclear, solar, wind power and ethanol are utilised.

While the direct system counts the primary energy sources without correcting the fossil fuel inefficiencies and biomass conversion, the substitute method corrects these inefficiencies by converting nuclear and modern renewable sources to their equivalent primary energy.

However, there’s a downside to it. Though considered the cheapest forms, solar and wind produce power only when the sun shines, or the wind blows. At other times, a backup system is needed. This makes electricity expensive and reliant on fossil fuels — a reason that may take ages to eliminate them.

The technological spur

Bjorn Lomborg, the president of the Copenhagen Consensus pointed out that advanced economies refuse to fund the much-needed fossil fuel energy in the developing world. They insist that the latter cope with unreliable green energy supplies, which cannot even power water pumps or agricultural machinery to lift the population out of poverty.

Thus, due to the unreliability of solar and wind power, electricity storage becomes essential and costly.

However, some countries have set precedents with technological breakthroughs. Their initiatives have changed the lives of the citizens.

For instance: In African countries, small farmers have adopted biodigesters. While Kenya is a flag bearer in biogas policies, Tanzania is a biofuel-potential leader. Uganda, which launched a four-year Africa Biodigester Component Project in 2022, runs hundreds of biogas plants.

Similarly, Modhera, located in Gujarat, India, is the country’s first solar-powered village. While applauding, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres called it a symbol of “reconciliation between humankind and the planet.”

China has raced ahead in renewable energy by working striving to increase its capacity. The European Union and the US are the next biggest clean energy builders.

This proves that sustainable options are essential to green energy discussions. The quest is no longer optional, it is fundamental to securing a healthy future.

Other alternates

Minerals such as copper, nickel, manganese, cobalt, lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements drive clean energy technologies. They power solar photovoltaic modules, wind turbines, batteries, electrolysers, and fuel cells.

However, their distribution is uncertain due to geological scarcity, social and environmental repercussions and market dynamics.

In several countries, essential mineral mining requires adherence to complex legal procedures. Therefore, generating electricity or heat from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels reduces the countries’ dependence on imports and vulnerability to geopolitical situations.

In its report, the American multinational strategy and management consulting firm, McKinsey & Co. warned about the possibility of a 20 per cent shortfall in nickel and a 70 per cent deficit in dysprosium, a rare earth element crucial for electric motors.

The study listed copper, nickel, and rare earth elements as the most favoured minerals, followed by lithium and graphite. It stressed that the shortage could hamper global decarbonisation efforts, leading to price fluctuations and volatility.

Reasons for the drawback

Unfortunately, a major barrier is the lack of adequate policies, regulations, incentives, and financial support for the transition to green energy. Its production can supplement fossil fuels only if there’s a systematic approach. This means educating societies on the value of energy saving and incentivising individuals for their health initiatives.

This can be tackled through a comprehensive approach, extending it beyond energy source considerations to encompass the technical facets of its production. There’s a need to understand that if the minerals driving these technologies are not guaranteed, the sustainability of natural energy sources like sun, wind, and water cannot be sustained.

In innovation lies the answer. Transitioning to technologies with reduced mineral requirements could mitigate sustainability concerns. This shift towards less reliant mechanisms will provide a viable solution. Therefore, exploring alternative sources alongside diversification and innovation is pivotal to safeguarding supply security and sustainability.

The requirement is such that even small acts by people worldwide could transform the scenario.

As Chinese business magnate and philanthropist, Jack Ma, specified, “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after will be sunshine.”

(The op-ed is an extract from the author’s recently published book Climate Change Enigma: A Delicate Balance)

Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi is Chairman of the Advisory Council of the Emirate of Sharjah