There is an energy crisis in the world. Unfortunately, we barely produce enough energy to meet our demands, and traditional energy sources like fossil fuels are quickly running out. As a result, the focus has shifted to renewable sources of energy. Here are the top reasons to accelerate the shift to green energy.
Capacity
Many skeptics question whether green energy can meet the global energy demand. The answer is yes. Approximately 170,000 terawatts strike the Earth’s surface continuously from the sun. This is more than 10,000 times the current global energy use. Unfortunately, we only tap a small fraction of the solar energy available.
On the other hand, wind energy has grown over the years to produce around 2.5% of the global electricity demand. This is equivalent to 200 nuclear power plants. In countries like Denmark, Spain, and Portugal, the government has invested heavily in wind energy, and currently, it accounts for around 20% of the national energy production.
Other high-capacity green energy sources include biomass, hydroelectric power, and geothermal energy.
Clean
Green energy is clean energy. Renewable sources of energy don’t produce any greenhouse gases. As a result, they are great for the environment.
Green energy is currently the best option for energy production owing to the prevalence of climate change. It may not reverse climate change entirely, but at least it will prevent it from worsening.
Furthermore, there is a close relationship between diseases and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, respiratory conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are prevalent in urban areas with high emissions. Therefore, going green is healthy.
Safety
Renewable sources of energy are generally safer than non-renewable sources. For example, nuclear energy is responsible for one of human history’s most devastating power plant accidents. The Chornobyl disaster caused around 30 deaths from the initial explosion and over 7 billion dollars in losses. Currently, the area remains uninhabitable due to radiation exposure. Another example is the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion. On 20th April 2020, an oil rig exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 11 people and causing the largest oil spill. The spill lasted three months, and the loss accrued was estimated at 65 billion dollars.
Sustainability
Unlike non-renewable energy, green energy is sustainable. The energy supply from the sun, wind, and water is inexhaustible and readily available. On the other hand, fossil fuel and gas energy reserves are decreasing daily as energy production tries to meet the demand. Unfortunately, the reserves are not replenishable. Therefore, non-renewable energy is not sustainable. The energy deficits are already causing global market problems, and economies that rely on green energy are the only ones weathering the storm.
Access
Access to green energy is unmatched. Wind, water, and solar energy are available across the world. However, some areas have a higher capacity to generate power. For example, the Sahara desert has long sun-hours and minimal cloud cover. It’s also expansive, making it the ideal location for solar power plants. Experts say a solar farm covering only 1% of the Sahara is enough to power the entire world.
Cost
Price is a product of demand and supply. The supply of green energy exceeds the total global demand; therefore, it follows that the price should be low.
As the world overcomes production challenges, renewable energy costs have decreased over time. As a result, governments have poured more investments into green energy as a cheaper alternative to fossil fuels, gas, and nuclear power. Furthermore, projections indicate that the cost of production from green energy will decrease further as we explore new ways to harness the power.
The Technology
The technology in green energy has come a long way in the last two decades. Technological advances have improved our capacity to harness electricity from renewable energy. As a result, modern solar farms generate more power and solar batteries have improved storage capacity. Moreover, hydroelectric power plants and wind power stations are generating more electricity due to efficiency improvements. Therefore, we need to accelerate the transition to green energy to start enjoying the benefits of the new technologies.
The transition to green energy is inevitable. Since we are in an energy crisis, it’s prudent to shift quickly.
