Group8_D | SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

 

Introduction:

Energy has been the foundation for the development of civilization since the beginning of time. Humans have been doing wonders using this single tool of power that was provided to us by our environment. Starting form mere fire that helped us to save our lives at night and cook our meals, that encouraged us to give up the life of a nomad and settle down, that marked as the beginning of a civilization to the present era where energy is no more confined to what we touch or feel but beyond that, we, as a species have come a long way.

But all of this came at a cost. Our evolution in terms of intelligence gave us means to exploit the resources available to us but the same intelligence compelled us to strive more to a point that this requirement changed from a need to greed. We grew in numbers, civilizations expanded into nations, technological advancements led to large metallic machines pumping out oils from the breasts of earth and we started to grow at a rapid pace. But there was not end to it. Eventually, the symbiotic relationship broke, and things started to deteriorate. Following is what we witnessed:

1. Temperatures continue to rise
2.  Forest fire seasons
3. Changes in precipitation season
4. More draughts and heat waves
5. Hurricanes will become stronger and more intense
6. Sea level rising

And many more…… This is what we created along with all the amazing creations. Energy was out currency and we inflated it such levels that it was bound to collapse.

However, all hope is not lost. We woke up late to this disaster and thus we have a responsibility now to understand the causes of it and thus mitigate them by the using the same intelligence and technology that brought us here. So, let us begin our journey with understanding the current scenario.

 

“The world urgently needs to put a laser-like focus on bringing down global emissions. This calls for a grand coalition encompassing governments, investors, companies and everyone else who is committed to tackling climate change.”

Dr Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director

Excluding the effects of pandemic in the recent months (which we will analyze a bit later), this was the statement published by the executive director of IEA in 2019. Let us break down this statement and understand the notions behind it.

The energy demand is rising at a rate of 1.3% compounded annually. This are not met with the improvement in efficiency altogether. While the same is well below the demands in previous years, it is still on a relentless upward march and the strain is on all the aspects of energy security.

The situation is further aggravated when we investigate the stated data and find out that the energy demand as per the records is 1% per year to 2040. Although this figure change might not seem much but when we see the compounded effect over such a large consumption, it almost as creating a whole new nation’s worth energy demand.

Here we must understand that most of this demand is met out by the non-renewable sources of energy. Below is a graph that shows the progress towards the installed power generation capacity by sources:

Till 2020 the dependence on coal and gas has been the highest. Although the predictions show a promising scenario in the future but that is when we get conscious about the same and start using clean sources of energy and save that we have as non-renewable sources.

Another thing to understand here is that most of this energy comes from coal which has a limited reserve in nature. Not only that, but it is also majorly responsible for the carbon emissions in environment and that should be the primary reason why we should shift from such power sources to clean ones. Following graphs depict the age of current reserves of coal as well as the CO2 emission scenario till date and after we induce sustainability methodologies in our system:

All of this is not because we do not have enough ways to generate renewable sources of energy. If we investigate the situation then it is quiet opposite. The potential of wind power is mostly untapped as shown by the below graph:

 

Similar thing goes for the biogas reserves:

 

After having the clarification on all of these, now we are able to understand what clean and affordable energy is.

From 1990 to 2010, the number of people with access to electricity has increased by 1.7 billion, and as we move towards a more technological dependent world and the global population continuing to rise, the demand for cheap energy is likely to go up. A continued trend in the global economy being reliant on the fossil fuels would lead to a massive increase of greenhouse gas emissions which in turn would create drastic changes to our climate system. This is having a visible impact on every continent.

As we keep on polluting the earth with the greenhouse gases, there is an imminent need to switch to clean and affordable energy. This means to invest in clean energy sources such as solar, wind, thermal, etc., and to adopt cost-effective standards for a wider range of technologies, which could reduce the global electricity consumption by buildings and industry by 14 percent. Expanding the current infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean energy sources in all developing countries is a crucial goal that can both encourage growth and help the environment.

For example: In Bolivia, a food security and nutrition programme is promoting the use of solar energy in the food production. This led to farmers being able to produce at lower costs and also control their CO2 emissions.

 

First and foremost, it is highly economical in the longer run. Not only does it run on low maintenance, but it is also going to help us reach a stage where non-renewable sources are not relied upon, which are anyway going to touch sky high costs in the future as demand increases and supply decreases, naturally.

The international body of UNDP has kept a target of reaching SDG 7 by the year 2030. Thus, it is furthermore important for all the nations, at least most of them, to abide by the principle of gradually, but constantly, making the use of affordable and clean energy. Sustainable power can likewise help the economy. They give a lower danger of fuel spills, less dependence on imported fills for energy and enormously strength our energy security. The spotless energy industry is substantially more work escalated than conventional fuel sources and makes occupations even more without any problem.

With the ever-increasing population and the use of energy in industries and other areas of the public sector, it is of paramount importance to shift to clean energy sources which will be crucial even on a country’s standpoint, to gain an edge over the late starters, because anyway, everyone will have to adapt at some point or the other. With pollution being a major problem, affecting the well-being of humans and animals, it becomes even more necessary to understand the cause of it and shift to clean energy sources.

Current scenario of clean energy

Coal is the prevalent fuel hotspot for power creation in India, producing inexact ly 70% of absolute homegrown power. Energy interest in India is required to increment throughout the following 10-15 years; albeit new oil and gas plants are arranged, coal is relied upon to remain the predominant fuel for power age.

Starting at 27 November 2020, 38% of India's introduced power age limit is from sustainable sources (136 GW out of 373 GW). As per the 2027 plan, India expects to have 275 GW from sustainable power, 72 GW of hydroelectricity, 15 GW of atomic energy and almost 100 GW from "other zero discharge" sources.

India was positioned fourth in wind power, fifth in sunlight-based force and fifth in inexhaustible force introduced limit starting at 2018. India positioned third in EY Renewable Energy Country Attractive Index 2019. Introduced inexhaustible force age limit has expanded at a high speed in the course of recent years, posting a CAGR of 17.45% between FY14-FY20. Force age from sustainable power sources in India arrived at 127.01 billion units (BU) in FY20. The environmentally friendly power will represent 55% of the all-out introduced power limit by 2030.

As of October 31, 2020, the introduced sustainable power limit remained at 89.63 GW, of which sun oriented and wind contained 36.31 GW and 38.26 GW, individually. Biomass and little hydropower comprised 10.14 GW and 4.74 GW, separately. By end of 2019, 15,100 megawatts (MW) of wind power projects were given, of which, activities of 12,162.50 MW limit have just been granted.

The New and Renewable Energy ministry, under the oversight of the Government of India, has illustrated an activity intend to accomplish a complete limit of 60 GW from hydropower and 227 GW from different RES by March 2022; this incorporates 114 GW from sun-based force, 67 GW from wind power, 10 GW from biomass force and 5 GW from little hydropower. The Government intends to set up an environmentally friendly power limit of 500 GW by 2030. This is ending up being the significant pushed for the area as the market players have enough motivation to move to clean source. The Government is planning to accomplish 225 GW of sustainable power limit by 2022, much in front of its objective of 175 GW according to the Paris Agreement. Under Union Budget 2019-20, the Government assigned Rs. 4,272.16 crore (US$ 611.26 million) for network intelligent sustainable power plans and ventures, and Rs. 3,004.90 crore (US$ 416.48 million) for the improvement of sun- based force projects, including lattice intuitive, off-matrix and decentralized classifications. A sum of 42 sun-oriented parks were affirmed to come up by May 2019.

As India hopes to satisfy its energy need all alone, which is required to arrive at 15,820 TWh by 2040, sustainable power is set to assume a significant job. By 2030, sustainable sources are relied upon to help meet 40% of India's force needs.

Environmentally friendly power sources make up 26% of the world's power today, yet as per the IEA its offer is relied upon to arrive at 30% by 2024. The resurgence follows a worldwide stoppage a year ago, because of falling innovation expenses and rising ecological concerns. The report predicts that by 2024, the world's sun-oriented limit will develop by 600 GW, practically twofold the introduced absolute power limit of Japan. What could be compared to the complete power limit of the US.

Wind and hydropower frequently expect clients to live in explicit areas, however sun powered offers more opportunity; the sun rises and sets on an anticipated timetable, and it is not as factor as running water or wind. Private sun-based force is relied upon to extend from 58 GW in 2018 to 142 GW by 2024, and yearly limit increases are required to dramatically multiply to more than 20 GW by 2024. China is relied upon to enlist the biggest introduced private sun-based limit on the planet by 2024, with the most grounded per capita development in Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria. Sunlight based offices will keep lessening their fluctuation rates by putting away power during the day and running around evening time. In any case, progressed sun-oriented plants will work on higher DC to AC proportions, which means they will convey more predictable help for longer terms.

Energy saved is energy preserved. We should try to switch to green power. It would be difficult to manage initially but we will eventually get used to it. Switching to solar energy can be the first step in our way to make more use of green power. Tapping into earth’s geothermal energy and replacing the fossil fuels with biomass energy can be followed.

The world does not seem to stop using energy and to satisfy that need, we are continuously exploiting the scarce resources available. It is high time that we as humans think about our future generations and make use of alternative sources of energy in order to create a sustainable future not just for themselves but also for us.

Citations:

1.       IEA, Installed power generation capacity by source in the Stated Policies Scenario, 2000-2040, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/installed-power-generation-capacity-by-source-in-the-stated-policies-scenario-2000-2040

2.       IEA, Coal-fired capacity, existing and under construction: 2250 GW, 2018, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/coal-fired-capacity-existing-and-under-construction-2250-gw-2018

3.       IEA, Offshore wind technical potential and electricity demand in selected countries, 2018, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/offshore-wind-technical-potential-and-electricity-demand-in-selected-countries-2018

4.       Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all https://www.sdgfund.org/goal-7-affordable-and-clean-energy