What are the future energy resources in the world and how much does renewable energy contribute to the world?
According to the United Nations Secretary-General in an article entitled "Renewable energy- powering a safer future, " energy is at the heart of the climate challenge – and key to the solution. A large chunk of the greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun's heat are generated through energy production by burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat.
Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, are by far the largest contributor to global climate change, accounting for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions. The science is clear: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, emissions need to be reduced by almost half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. To achieve the goal mentioned above, the world needs to end its reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, affordable, sustainable, and reliable.
Renewable energy sources –available in abundance in all countries, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.
Fossil fuels still account for over 80% of global energy production, but cleaner energy sources are gaining ground. About 29% of electricity currently comes from renewable sources.
These are five reasons why accelerating the transition to clean energy is the pathway to a healthy, livable planet today and for future generations:
1. Renewable energy sources are available in all countries
About 80% of the global population lives in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels – that is, about 6 billion people depend on fossil fuels from other countries, making them vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises.
In contrast, renewable energy sources are available in all countries, and their potential is yet to be fully harnessed. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90% of the world's electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050.
Renewables offer a way out of import dependency, allowing countries to diversify their economies and protect them from the unpredictable price swings of fossil fuels while driving inclusive economic growth, new jobs, and poverty alleviation.
2. Renewable energy is cheaper
Renewable energy is the cheapest power option in most parts of the world today. Prices for renewable energy technologies are dropping rapidly. The cost of electricity from solar power fell by 85% between 2010 and 2020. In the same period, onshore and offshore wind energy costs fell by 56% and 48%, respectively.
Falling prices make renewable energy more attractive all around – including to low- and middle-income countries, where most of the additional demand for new electricity will come from. With falling costs, there is a real opportunity for much of the new power supply over the coming years to be provided by low-carbon sources.
Cheap electricity from renewable sources could provide 65% of the world's total electricity supply by 2030. It could decarbonize 90% of the power sector by 2050, massively cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change.
Although solar and wind power costs are expected to remain higher in 2022 and 2023 than pre-pandemic levels due to generally elevated commodity and freight prices, their competitiveness improves due to much sharper gas and coal prices, says the IEA.
3. Renewable energy is healthier
According to the WHO, about 99% of people in the world breathe air that exceeds air quality limits and threatens their health, and more than 13 million deaths worldwide each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, including air pollution.
The unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide originate mainly from burning fossil fuels. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels caused US$2.9 trillion in health and economic costs, about US$8 billion a day.
Switching to clean energy sources, such as wind and solar, thus helps address climate change, air pollution, and health.
4. Renewable energy creates jobs
Every dollar of investment in renewables creates three times more jobs than in the fossil fuel industry. The IEA estimates that the transition towards net zero emissions will lead to an overall increase in energy sector jobs: while about 5 million jobs in fossil fuel production could be lost by 2030, an estimated 14 million new jobs would be created in clean energy, resulting in a net gain of 9 million jobs.
In addition, energy-related industries would require a further 16 million workers, for instance, to take on new roles in manufacturing electric vehicles and hyper-efficient appliances or innovative technologies such as hydrogen. This means more than 30 million jobs could be created in clean energy, efficiency, and low-emissions technologies by 2030.
Ensuring a just transition, placing the needs and rights of people at the heart of the energy transition, will be paramount to ensure no one is left behind.
5. Renewable energy makes economic sense
About US$5.9 trillion was spent on subsidizing the fossil fuel industry in 2020, including through explicit subsidies, tax breaks, and health and environmental damages that were not priced into the cost of fossil fuels. In comparison, about US$4 trillion a year must be invested in renewable energy until 2030 – including investments in technology and infrastructure – to allow us to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The upfront cost can be daunting for many countries with limited resources, and many will need financial and technical support to make the transition. But investments in renewable energy will pay off. Reducing pollution and climate impacts alone could save the world up to US$4.2 trillion annually by 2030.
Moreover, efficient, reliable renewable technologies can create a system less prone to market shocks and improve resilience and energy security by diversifying power supply options.
Renewable energy is energy that has been derived from earth's natural resources that are not finite or exhaustible, such as wind and sunlight. Renewable energy is an alternative to the traditional energy that relies on fossil fuels, and it tends to be much less harmful to the environment. Renewable energy sources, especially solar photovoltaic and wind power, are providing an increasing share of power capacity. From 2011 to 2021, renewable energy grew from 20% to 28% of global electricity supply. Use of fossil energy shrank from 68% to 62%, and nuclear from 12% to 10%. Renewable energy in the future is predicted that by 2024, solar capacity in the world will grow by 600 gigawatts (GW), almost double the installed total electricity capacity of Japan. Overall, renewable electricity is predicted to grow by 1 200 GW by 2024, the equivalent of the total electricity capacity of the US. Globally, renewable made up 29 percent of electricity generation in 2020, much of it from hydropower (16.8 percent). A record amount of over 256 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally during 2020. India is also embracing the power of renewable energy. It has already announced its aim to reach net zero emissions by 2070. Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Power, the country is likely to meet 62% of its electricity requirements with 500 GW of non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. The share of natural gas in total primary energy grows in all scenarios, increasing from 5% in 2019 to 7-11% in 2050, supported by industry and heavy road transport demand. Renewable energy grows strongly in all scenarios, at an average of 4-6% a year. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world's electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050. Increasing renewable capacity to 500 GW by 2030, Meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewable and reducing cumulative emissions by one billion tonnes by 2030, and reducing emissions intensity of India's gross domestic product (GDP) by 45% by 2030.However, renewable excluding hydroelectricity will contribute only 5-6% in India's energy mix by 2031-32 (Planning Commission). India has an enormous potential for renewable energy across the various sources and greater reliance on renewable energy sources offers enormous economic, social, and environmental benefits. However, renewable excluding hydroelectricity will contribute only 5-6% in India's energy mix by 2031-32 (Planning Commission). India has an enormous potential for renewable energy across the various sources and greater reliance on renewable energy sources offers enormous economic, social, and environmental benefits. By 2050, the research estimates that coal will be down to just 16 percent of global power generation (from 41 percent now) and fossil fuels to 38 percent (from 66 percent now). Overall, though, coal, oil, and, gas will continue to be 74 percent of primary energy demand, down from 82 percent now.
The future energy resources in the world are expected to be dominated by renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal. These sources are abundant, clean, and sustainable, and they are becoming increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), renewable energy accounted for 28% of global electricity generation in 2021, up from 26% in 2020. The IRENA also projects that renewable energy will account for 60% of global electricity generation by 2050.
The following are some of the key future energy resources:
- Solar energy: Solar energy is the conversion of sunlight into electricity or heat. It is the most abundant renewable energy source on Earth, and it is becoming increasingly cost-competitive with fossil fuels. Solar energy is expected to play a major role in the future energy mix, and it is projected to account for 22% of global electricity generation by 2050.📷Opens in a new window📷amigoenergy.comSolar energy future energy resource
- Wind energy: Wind energy is the conversion of wind power into electricity. It is a clean and renewable source of energy that is becoming increasingly popular. Wind energy is expected to account for 14% of global electricity generation by 2050.📷Opens in a new window📷amigoenergy.comWind energy future energy resource
- Hydropower: Hydropower is the generation of electricity from the power of moving water. It is a mature and reliable source of energy that has been used for centuries. Hydropower is expected to account for 7% of global electricity generation by 2050.📷Opens in a new window📷www.energy.govHydropower future energy resource
- Geothermal energy: Geothermal energy is the heat energy that is stored in the Earth's crust. It can be used to generate electricity or heat homes and businesses. Geothermal energy is a clean and sustainable source of energy that is becoming increasingly popular. Geothermal energy is expected to account for 3% of global electricity generation by 2050.📷Opens in a new window📷www.nrel.govGeothermal energy future energy resource
- Biomass energy: Biomass energy is the energy that is produced from organic matter. It can be used to generate electricity, heat homes and businesses, or produce transportation fuels. Biomass energy is a renewable source of energy that can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass energy is expected to account for 5% of global electricity generation by 2050.📷Opens in a new window📷www.mdpi.comBiomass energy future energy resource
In addition to these renewable energy sources, other future energy resources that are being explored include nuclear fusion, hydrogen energy, and ocean thermal energy conversion. These sources are still in the early stages of development, but they have the potential to play a major role in the future energy mix.
The transition to a clean and renewable energy future is essential to mitigate climate change and ensure a sustainable future for our planet. Renewable energy is the key to this transition, and it is expected to play a major role in the world's energy mix in the years to come.
The simple answer has been and remains the "energy mix" or more balanced energy resources ensuring less energy poverty around the world, or in a positive manner, more energy security. While my academic work and career were in the realm of fusion-based energy - the alternative energy wave of the mid to late 70's - I have invested about 35 years of my career in the oil and gas industry, the last decade of which was focused on interacting with leading universities globally on advancing the cause of developing diverse energy resources, including geothermal, solar, wind, wave, etc. while ensuring more ecologically responsible exploration and production of all resources and not only oil & gas. Keeping in mind that every one of these resources has its challenges as much as it offers in terms of opportunities to boost the economic development of the world.
Growth in clean energies is unstoppable, as reflected in statistics produced annually by the International Energy Agency (IEA): the share of renewable in global electricity supply will increase from 28.7% in 2021 to 43% in 2030, and they will provide 2/3 of the increase in electricity. Globally, renewable made up 29 percent of electricity generation in 2020, much of it from hydropower (16.8 percent). A record amount of over 256 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally during 2020.Renewable energy in the future is predicted that by 2024, solar capacity in the world will grow by 600 gigawatts (GW), almost double the installed total electricity capacity of Japan. Overall, renewable electricity is predicted to grow by 1 200 GW by 2024, the equivalent of the total electricity capacity of the US. India has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of the nation's economy by less than 45% by the end of the decade, achieve 50 percent cumulative electric power installed by 2030 from renewable, and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. India aims for 500 GW of renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. Renewable energy supplies reduce the emission of greenhouse gases significantly if replaced with fossil fuels. Since renewable energy supplies are obtained naturally from ongoing flows of energy in our surroundings, it should be sustainable.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/electricity-sources-by-fuel-in-2022/Apologies for the delayed comments. Recently I came across a visual map of the 2022 energy by source (see: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/electricity-sources-by-fuel-in-2022/). It has encouraging facts about renewables growth, but still a discouraging fact about the continued dependency of the world on coal!
Yes, the whole world can run on renewable energy sources, but it is going to take time, with some countries having an easier time transitioning than others. One encouraging study in Finland said that even oil-dependent countries like Saudi Arabia can transition to a 100% renewable energy system by 2040. One of the most important sources of energy is the sun. The energy of the sun is the original source of most of the energy found on earth. We get solar heat energy from the sun, and sunlight can also be used to produce electricity from solar (photovoltaic) cells. New resources that are being researched or developed include hydrogen, nuclear fusion, ocean thermal energy conversion, and tidal and wave energy. (Solar, wind, and geothermal energy are dealt with in separate fact sheets). One fuel that has the potential of being widely used in the future is hydrogen gas (H2). Recent technology with high expectation is a power generation technology which utilizes hydrogen as a secondary energy. In this concept, hydrogen is extracted from lignite or natural gas, and then is used as a fuel to generate power. Fortunately, India is blessed with a variety of environmental friendly alternatives renewable energy- sources such as biomass, solar energy, wind energy and small hydro power. Fortunately, India is blessed with a variety of environmental friendly alternatives – renewable energy- sources such as biomass, solar energy, wind energy and small hydro power. In total, in 2022 non-bioenergy renewable sources accounted for almost 30% of electricity generation. Solar PV has been the fastest growing technology by capacity additions in recent years and is aligned with the NZE Scenario. Solar PV accounted for 4.5% of total global electricity generation, and it remains the third largest renewable electricity technology behind hydropower and wind.The share of renewable in the global power mix has increased by 10 percentage points since 2010 to nearly 30%. In 2022, the share of renewable in the global power mix increased again (+1.5 pt.) to 30%, i.e., 10 pts. Paraguay, Iceland, Sweden, and Uruguay, for example, get more than 95% of their electricity from these sources. France gets more than 90%. However, many other countries are still strongly reliant on fossil fuels, with only a few percent being low-carbon. The land of fire and ice has unique access to a range of renewable resources. In 2015 a combination of hydropower and geothermal power provided almost 100% of Iceland's electricity production. Renewable forms of energy are those sources that cannot be used up, such as water, wind, solar, and biomass. About 85 percent of our energy comes from nonrenewable fossil fuels oil, natural gas, coal. Hydropower currently is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector. The same report shows the largest producer of “clean” energy is Norway, where 98.5% of the energy produced comes from renewable sources. Brazil, with 89.2% of renewable energy, surpassed New Zealand (which fell one position compared to 2021 and currently ranks third with 86.6%) and takes second place.
Agreed that the transition to an energy mix may take a longer time period and hence more investments in R&D will be required, as well as the need for consumption behavioral changes to be taken more seriously and to take effect. thanks
The share of renewable in the global power mix has increased by 10 percentage points since 2010 to nearly 30%. In 2022, the share of renewable in the global power mix increased again (+1.5 pt.) to 30%, i.e., 10 pts. Accordingly, the share of renewable in global electricity generation jumped to 29% in 2020, up from 27% in 2019. Renewable energy accounted for only 12.3% of total energy. India's total renewable energy capacity, excluding large hydro and nuclear plants, reached 122 gigawatts in February 2023, the latest monthly report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) showed. Renewable sources accounted for 20.5 percent of India's electricity generation in 2022, up from 15.2 percent in 2010. India anticipates meeting its targets of a 50 percent non-fossil fuel energy share and a renewable energy capacity of 500 gigawatts (GW) before 2030. In 2022, renewable energy consumption in China reached 13.3 exajoules, more than any other country in the world. Renewable sources such as geothermal, wind, solar, biomass, and waste were included in this measurement, while cross-border electricity trade was not taken into account. The whole world can run on renewable energy sources, but it is going to take time, with some countries having an easier time transitioning than others. One encouraging study in Finland said that even oil-dependent countries like Saudi Arabia can transition to a 100% renewable energy system by 2040. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that 90 percent of the world's electricity can and should come from renewable energy by 2050. Cheap electricity from renewable sources could provide 65 percent of the world's total electricity supply by 2030. It could decarbonize 90 percent of the power sector by 2050, massively cutting carbon emissions and helping to mitigate climate change.New resources that are being researched or developed include hydrogen, nuclear fusion, ocean thermal energy conversion, and tidal and wave energy. (Solar, wind, and geothermal energy are dealt with in separate fact sheets). One fuel that has the potential of being widely used in the future is hydrogen gas (H2).
On the genesis of the Global Anthropogenic effect idea. Hereafter an Excellent text extracted from the paper by Wallenhorst, N., & Wulf, C. (released 9 days ago) "Human Beings: Bridging Nature and Culture" "...In 1778 the French naturalist, Count Georges-Louis Leclerc de Buffon published an article in Des époques de la nature, saying that the whole face of the Earth today “bears the imprint of the power of man”. In particular, this makes humanity capable of changing the climate by impacting their environment – “Man can change the influences of the climate in which he lives, and finally set the temperature at the point that suits him” (Buffon, 1778, 237). A few centuries earlier, in July 1494, Christopher Columbus already sensed the capacity of humanity to affect the climate based on the management of deforestation - he is pleased that humans are able to control the climate. After that, between 1830 and 1833, the British geologist Charles Lyell defined the contemporary epoch in Principles of Geology as the “human epoch”; 20 years later the English geologist and philosopher William Whewell wrote that “the Human Epoch of the earth’s history is different from all the preceding Epochs” (1853, 88). In 1854, the Welsh geologist and theologian Thomas Jenkyn was the first person to identify a geological epoch marked by humanity (1854) which he defines as “the human epoch”. Two years later the English intellectual William Adams described his geological epoch based on his intuition of there being traces of human activity in sediments: “The Modern or Human epoch is illustrated by alluvial deposits, which are the effects of atmospheric and other more powerful causes: these still continue in operation, embedding remains of man and inorganic matter.” (1856, 247) About a dozen years later, in 1865, the Irish Reverend Samuel Haughton published his Manual of Geology, in which he defined the Anthropozoic epoch as the “epoch in which we live” (138). From the 1880 edition of his manual, Federau (2016, 64) picks up on one of the consequences that Haughton draws from this geological power: “Humans should be at the ‘head of the system of life’, because of their spiritual nature and their power to progress indefinitely [578–579]”. In 1863 the American geologist James Dwight Dana also published a Manual of Geology in which he referred to “The Age of Mind and the Era of Man” (130). Then the Italian geologist and priest Antonio Stoppani also described his contemporary period in the same way (1873), using the expression “Anthropozoic Era” (1873, vol. 2, 732). Next, the Russian geologist Aleksei Pavlov (1854–1929) towards the end of his life (the late 1920s), used the expression “Anthropocene” or “Anthropozoic Era” when speaking of his epoch, as mentioned by Vernadsky or Shantser (1973, 140)."
The paper is available on:
https://recherche.uco.fr/sites/default/files/fichiersbibliographiques/fichier-203-8648-3617-.pdf
See also:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Adaptation_and_Resilience_to_Climate_Change_Temporal_Paradox_versus_Chronology_Protection_Conjecture/36
Several publications indicate that Coal exploitation and Trade is a sector with substantial opportunity for corruption, especially as it expands into new International Markets. The paper by Setyawati D., 2022, "Injustice and environmental harm in extractive industries and solar energy policies in Indonesia. International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. 11(1): 14-27" is, as such, instructive. One may read there: "...the persistent enthusiasm for coal energy and the ambitious deployment of renewable energy may have led to injustices in the energy system , short-sighted corrupt practices, and environmental harm...". The author arrives at a more general conclusion: he demonstrates "how the marginalization of rural communities and production of environmental harm has been perpetuated by powerful figures, reinforced since colonialism, and escalated by the demands of the Global North..."
Read on:
https://20.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/journals/IntJlCrimJustSocDem/2022/3.html
See Also:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Energy_Renewable_Energy_and_Levelized_Cost_Of_Energy_LCOE_Paradoxes
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