What Is Sustainable Energy?
According to the United Nations, sustainable energy is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. It is related to carbon emissions and potential harm caused to the environment in the short and long term. Carbon emissions are a product of burning fossil fuels, such as carbon dioxide, and harm the earth’s atmosphere.
Renewable energy sources are the prime sources of sustainable energy. The United Nations states that renewable energy is “energy that is derived from natural processes (e.g. sunlight and wind) that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed”. As the statement suggests, wind turbines and solar panels are the most developed sources of sustainable energy.
Why is Sustainable Energy Important?
Sustainable energy is important because it is energy produced that can be used for the long term without damaging the environment, making it eco-friendly. Many energy sources currently have environmental issues which are affecting climate change, air pollution and biodiversity loss.
Amazingly 91% of the world lives within areas of the world the exceed the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommended limits. The harm of this shocking statistic is non-visual and affects the health of the majority of the world’s population.
Sustainable energy prevents the development of such statistics. The United Nations has produced sustainable development goals (SDG) to reduce the use of non-sustainable energy, preventing those shocking statistics from worsening.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The Sustainable Development Goals were developed by the United Nations as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. In total, there are 17 goals with sustainable goal 7 called “affordable and clean energy”. Sustainable energy technologies and assessments have been developed to help track the goals.
Sustainable Development Goal 7
Goal 7 aims to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” as per the United Nations. 5 goals provide the basis of sustainable development goal 7, which have been set a target of 2030 to reach the goal. 3 of the goals are: Universal access to modern energy; increase the global percentage of renewable energy; double the improvement in energy efficiency.
The other two targets are “promote access to research, technology and investments in clean energy and expand and upgrade energy services for developing countries”. These final two goals are means of achieving the first three.
Unfortunately, at the current rate of progress, the targets will not be met by 2030 meaning more effort needs to be put into sustainable energy from the world.
Types of Sustainable Energy Sources
The most popular types of sustainable energy are renewable energy sources. These are:
- Solar energy
- Wind energy
- Hydro energy
- Tidal energy
- Geothermal energy
- Biomass energy
Solar and Wind Energy
Solar energy and wind energy are well publicised and documented. Solar energy utilises the thermal energy from the sun using a solar panel, and wind energy harvests electricity from the kinetic energy of the wind.
Hydro Energy
Hydro energy works on a similar principle to wind energy as it utilises kinetic energy. Hydro energy uses the kinetic energy of water. To maintain a constant flow or stream a dam or obstruction fixture is assembled. The fixture manipulates the flow path of the water allowing the creation of electricity from the kinetic energy.
Tidal Energy
The ocean has natural kinetic energy in the form of tides – the rise and fall of the ocean. Like hydro energy, the kinetic energy of the water is used to generate electricity.
Geothermal Energy
There is a natural heat source below the earth’s surface that can be used to heat homes directly or generate electricity. However, in the UK geothermal energy is minimal as it is not readily available. A country that does utilise geothermal heat is Iceland, as it is readily available.
Biomass Energy
Biomass energy is the conversion of solid fuel made from plants to electricity. Although the process involves burning, burning biomass fuel is a lot more sustainable.
Future Of Sustainable Energy
There is a need and a desire for greater use of sustainable energy moving forward into the future. Unfortunately, the current usage is not enough to prevent harm to the environment and more must be done.
Further development in technologies will help make sustainable energy sources more efficient and effective. Further development will increase their attractiveness as an energy source and help nations contribute to the SDG.
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