Alternative and renewable energy - the way to the future

Dr. Ruwantissa Abeyratne

The threat of global warming persists relentlessly, causing the international community to seek remedies to halt its devastation.

Recently, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) reported that the Antarctic Peninsula, which has shown a growing vulnerability to global warming, was further jeopardized when an ice shelf the size of Jamaica broke off due to gradually warming temperatures in the region and drifted away.

UNEP’s claim was supported by satellite pictures which clearly showed that the Wilkins Ice Shelf’s link to the coast had a crack at its thinnest point, threatening the 40 kilometre ice bridge that could be severed. This fragmentation of the Antarctic Peninsular ice shelf did not happen suddenly.

The thawing was seen from 1990 and got progressively worse. UNEP has reported that over the past 50 years, the average annual temperature in the region has risen a considerable 2.5 degrees centigrade causing the ice shelf to separate and form icebergs. The end result of these developments could only be that the layer of Antarctic Ocean ice will be more exposed to the intensity of the sun.

Global warming is mostly caused by what are called Greenhouse House Gases which are emitted by fossil fuels. One of the most effective measures to respond to the problem would be through the introduction of alternative energy.

The United Nations publication ‘Our Planet’ reports in one of its recent issues that a prominent and major economics journal had posed a challenge to senior German executives to name the business with the greatest future potential. The majority had unequivocally responded that it was renewable energy.

The German government stands at the forefront of legislation in this regard, having adopted the Electricity Feed Act of 1991. This was followed by the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) of 2000. Recently, 15 new solar module factories have been deployed by the German Government at an investment of around 15 billion Euros.

The results of these legislative and investment measures have been nothing short of spectacular. In 2007, renewable energy usage saved Germany over 115 million tones of carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation, transport and heat supply. The EEG’s contribution was a saving of 57 million tones of the gas.

The EEG is aimed at connecting all renewable energy to the electricity grid and priority purchase of the electricity generated. This involves a fixed feed in tariff system applying to different types of renewable energy over a period of ten years and a clear, reliable and long term target for shared energy consumption by renewable energy.

Another good example is India, which is using solar energy - the primal source of energy and the fastest growing in the sector of alternative and renewable energy sources - to its advantage. India has adroitly used the intensity and duration of the Sun on its landmass to harvest its energy as an alternative and renewable source of energy. UNEP has reported that just one percent of India’s land area can meet its entire electricity requirements for the next 20 years.

In June 2008, India’s Prime Minister launched the country’s first national action plan on climate change, a prominent segment of which involves the country’s national solar mission.

This Plan is calculated to veer India away from its dependence on fossil fuels and make it self-sufficient in alternative and renewable sources of energy. The end result of this far-sighted measure would incontrovertibly be the reduction of costs and increase of energy. More importantly, the Plan is targeted at combating the challenge posed by climate change.

China, which relies heavily on coal for its energy, is almost lock-step with India. In 2005, the country passed its Renewable Energy Law, which became effective in 2006. This law requires strategic targets, policy and plans from the Government. The Chinese have placed heavy emphasis on wind power, which is another alternative energy source and ranks as the most mature clean energy technology.

Wind power has placed China at fifth place among the largest users of this energy source. The use of bio fuels is also included in the Plan and has now been extended from its traditional use in rural homes to commercialized industry.

Yet another alternative energy source in China is hydro power, which amounts to two thirds of China’s current energy consumption. Its growth has been a remarkable 2-6 percent annually from 2002 to 2006. Another prudent measure of China has been to recognize and harness its solar hot water capacity which amounts to two thirds of the world’s capacity, enabling more than one in every ten thousand households to use this source for bathing purposes.

Renewable energy, which has become a strategic energy source in China enables the country to obtain 7.5 per cent of its primary energy from sources of renewable energy, which could well be up to 15 per cent by 2020 if China’s strategy in this regard goes according to Plan.

Taking our attention from the ‘giants’ and proceeding towards Small Island Developing States (SIDS) we see many small States which are paradises from a tourism perspective, going the same route.

SIDS have already set targets of development, although their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are negligible compared to the rest of the giants in the world. Jamaica has a reckonable wind farm and countries such as Guyana, Grenada, Dominica and Barbados have already taken the first step toward developing alternative fuel source generating measures.

This essay would not be complete without a discussion on bio fuels. As a source of renewable energy, the issue of bio fuels deserves careful consideration. To most, bio fuels provide an answer to our dependence on fossil fuels. To others, bio fuels threaten the world food supply, bringing to bear a serious dichotomy between energy and life sustenance.

They maintain that the social and environmental price we pay for bio fuels is too high and wonder whether bio fuels can be a truly sustainable source of energy. The main consideration in this issue should be that, although only around one per cent of the world’s arable land would be used to produce bio fuels, we must be aware of the ultimate economic sacrifice we make in cultivating crops for bio fuels.

If one were to be asked “what would the most intelligent economic plan be for the future”? The answer would inevitably be protection of the climate. It is the defining human development issue of the current generation and the next one. Granted - it initially costs money. The long term results are invaluable, though. Export of renewable energy is the business of the future. Germany already exports 70 percent of its energy harnessed from the wind.

Climate change and global warming is not an apocalypse yet to come. It is an existing and gnawing reality. The present generation and that of the future share the same dreams and aspirations of a sustainable abode for the world. There is no room for doubt that we have to apply the range of our knowledge to the depth of our curiosity to meet this challenge.