Energy Transition

‘Energy Resources’ include fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) and renewable energy flows such as wind and solar energy.

Energy Resources are turned into ‘Energy Carriers’ such as electricity or gasoline.

Energy carriers are then supplied to ‘Energy Converters’, such as compact fluorescent lightbulb or an automobile.

Energy Converters are used to provide ‘Energy Services’ such as lighting or transportation.

Energy Transition refers to a particularly significant set of changes to the patterns of ‘Energy Use’ in a society, which can affect any step in the above chain, and which often affects multiple steps.

If so, then, which ONE of the following remains to be more evocative as of July 2024?

(A)    The recent hallmark of an energy transition has made a significant impact on society, quality of life, and the economy, and in turn, the changes in resources, carriers, services, or converters have really constituted an energy transition.

(B)     By considering energy transitions in the context of global warming, “energy resource transitions” remain to be more relevant as on date – due to the fact that the selection of energy converters does not determine greenhouse gas emissions.

(C)     From a climate perspective, we care more about the resources use, which requires a reconsideration, because, “from the point of view of the user, what matters most is the energy service not the energy source”, and hence, there is a definite bias towards energy resources.

(D)    Technology has not significantly improved, because, an increasing amount of energy services should have been provided with a relatively small amount of fuel, which has not happened so far, and hence, there is no energy transition as such, while the contributions from renewable energy resources definitely amounts to ‘Energy Addition’.

(E)      Since, countries differ in their specific choice of energy services demanded, the very high levels of energy use, by few countries, beyond the threshold limit do not produce any greater benefits in human welfare, and in turn, the concept of energy transition need not to be @ global-scale.

Suresh Kumar Govindarajan Professor (HAG)    IIT-Madras

https://home.iitm.ac.in/gskumar/

https://iitm.irins.org/profile/61643

18-July-2024