Global warming has become a pressing concern for the global community, as developed societies have reached critical levels of environmental impact. As the impact of various industries on the environment has attained a global and barely deniable level, new perspectives have been introduced. More specifically, humanity has come to realize that the comfort and development of the current residents of the Earth must not be achieved at the expense of the future generations.
Thus, the concept of sustainability has acquired a central role across most industries of today. In this context, global warming is one of the most alarming phenomena that reflect the global climate change. Humanity’s growing consumption of energy is said to be the leading contributor to the issue, prompting research in the direction of greener, renewable energy sources. However, a question arises of whether green alternatives will suffice to provide the growing demand for energy conditioned by the ongoing technological development.
This paper argues that green energy in its current state will struggle to meet the humanity’s demand and the development of better hybrid, integrated grids is required. More specifically, most of the existing infrastructure is centered around more traditional sources of energy, and the full-scale implementation of renewable alternatives will require major financial and technological contributions. In addition, such transformations require a major change of the global mindset, as improvements in one part of the globe may be negated by the lack of progress in others. To meet the growing electricity demand, the renewable energy framework is to be considered within a broader context of integrated hybrid technologies that encompass the adjacent industries, as well.
In the current environment, sustainability is a critical concept that defines business strategies and governmental policies to a serious extent. Green energy is one of such areas of expertise that attract the intense interest of researchers and experts across the globe. According to Aghahosseini et al., the global pursuit of sustainability is conditioned and regulated by the presence of several key agreements (187). More specifically, the central initiatives include the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Paris Agreement. Thus, the leading nations of the globe recognize the impact and threat of the climate change through global warming. Green energy has already received increased attention, as humanity seeks to reduce the use of carbon-based and nuclear sources to mitigate their environmental impact.
However, while the use of green energy has been on an increase, the core of the Earth’s grid continues to comprise traditional forms of energy production and consumption. Sarkodie et al. confirm that the implementation of the global sustainability initiatives has led to a decrease in the energy intensity conditioned by the wider use of renewable sources (4). However, the share of the green energy on a global scale remains insufficient to rely on it as the key source of electricity.
In other words, the sustainability regulations enforced in developed countries account for observable progress, which, however, does not imply a complete shift of the paradigm. Most sustainable development initiatives take the period between 2030 and 2040 as the timeframe of reference for the full-scale implementation of renewable energy. Nevertheless, even though more households and enterprises opt for green sources annually, the current pace of development makes it difficult to project a full shift by that period.
On the other hand, the technological development of humanity has been exponential in recent decades, as new advancements emerge at an unprecedented pace. Bhowmik et al. believe that the current environment is highly favorable for the soonest growth of the green energy’s role (796). More specifically, the researchers observe several enablers that make it possible to project a full-scale shift to the sustainable grid in 2030-2050. First of all, the technological capacity of humanity has become more advanced than ever, and the industry is far from reaching its limit of advancements. As such, the prior reliance on carbon-based energy can be considered a sign of technological insufficiency.
In other words, humanity simply lacked the tools and knowledge required by more sophisticated methods of electricity production. The current pace of development has introduced new, previously unseen opportunities. Modern experts can design efficient and sustainable stations that produce the energy by the power of wind, water, and heat.
At the same time, globalization is another key tendency of the 21st century that determines the development of humanity along with progress. For Bhowmik et al., it is the central enabler of sustainable practices on a worldwide level (3). Today, the various parts of the world are rendered closer in terms of physical and informational spaces by the advanced means of communication and transportation. Spoken differently, ideas circulate within the entire global environment, becoming quicker and more precise. The notion of sustainability remains present in the global informational space, fueled by the increasing role of positive values.
Under these circumstances, the pursuit of sustainability becomes the standard to be referenced by the entire global community. Leaders of this race become a role model for other players, providing nations with an additional impetus. In this regard, the pursuit of fully renewable energy transcends the level of local initiatives becoming a matter of the global agenda.
Nevertheless, despite the evident progress and favorable environment for positive change, it remains difficult to project a full-scale transition to renewable energy by 2030-2040. First of all, growth and capacity of technological means are negated by the lack of experience with broad and comprehensive renewable grids. According to Kaufman, the re-orientation of the global energy framework toward full sustainability is technologically and economically demanding matter. Until the present, green sources have simply complemented the traditional carbon and nuclear core of the energy sector. While their share has been on a continuous increase, it is still impossible to state at least a regional reliance on renewable energy.
Thus, experts pose a logical question of whether existing sustainable practices will be able to meet the growing demand for electricity exhibited by communities and industries. Kaufman believes that the green energy sector in its current state will be unable to accomplish this mission. The existing solutions are not designed for a full-scale grid capable of providing a large developed country, such as the United States, for example, with electricity on a similar level as now.
In addition, the economy of such a transition poses more reasons for concern. Aghahosseini et al. remind that the untimely pursuit of fully renewable energy may undermine the sector’s cost-efficiency, thus leading to the elevated prices for the end consumer of electricity (200). The noble mission of reducing the environmental impact of the energy sector should not cast a shadow on the economic aspect of the matter, as the increase in costs would compromise the availability of energy, as well as the economic sustainability of the sector.
Accordingly, the development of an effective solution to the discussed problem requires a considerable amount of subsequent research and preparations. The prospects of fully renewable energy in the short term possess many variables that may alter the outcome significantly. For example, the simulation model by Aghahosseini et al. demonstrates how various frameworks, varying from fully centralized to fully decentralized grids, lead to substantial variations in the price of a MWh (201). In addition, Narayanan et al. associate the future of fully renewable energy with advanced hybrid approaches that combine the best practices of today with projected development of the future. Moreover, sustainable grids cannot be centered around the energy sector exclusively.
A broader model is needed that will introduce meaningful changes in light of the adjacent industries, such as transport, heating and logistics. Finally, Kaufman states that overcoming economical and technological barriers will not suffice for the optimal result. At present, the pursuit of fully renewable energy is associated with a fear of social and political drawback. Certain conservative groups and entire states remain unconvinced of the short-to-mid-term feasibility of sustainable grids. Thus, the implementation of these transformations will be a challenging endeavor that will need to redefine the global philosophy in this regard.
Ultimately, the pursuit of sustainability remains a topical matter for the entire humanity. Climate change and global warming have become the objective reality and continue to pose increased risks for life on Earth. In this context, the world’s leaders aim to accelerate the transition to renewable energy to mitigate this industry’s impact on the environment. Many scholars believe that the present age is perfect for the long-awaited transformation of the energy production and consumption.
Indeed, globalization and technological progress become major enablers in this regard. However, the current state of green energy’s development makes it difficult to project a full shift to sustainability in the upcoming decades. The economic aspect of the matter is equally serious, as sustainability should come at the expense of social benefits and progress. A balanced approach to the matter is required that will take humanity to green energy at a correct pace. Furthermore, a major change of the paradigm of thought is required for the change to be truly global.
Works Cited
Aghahosseini, Arman et al. “Analysing the Feasibility of Powering the Americas with Renewable Energy and Inter-Regional Grid Interconnections by 2030.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 105, 2019, pp. 187-205.
Bhowmik, Chiranjib et al. “Optimal Green Energy Planning for Sustainable Development: A Review.” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 71, 2017, pp. 796 – 813.
Kaufman, Leslie. “Is 100% Renewable Energy Feasible? New Paper Argues for a Different Target.” Inside Climate News. 2017. Web.
Narayanan, Arun et al. “Feasibility of 100% Renewable Energy-Based Electricity Production for Cities with Storage and Flexibility.” Renewable Energy, vol. 134, 2019, pp. 698 – 709.
Sarkodie, Samuel Asumadu et al. “Econometrics of Anthropogenic Emissions, Green Energy-Based Innovations, and Energy Intensity across OECD Countries.” Sustainability, vol. 13, no. 8, 2021, pp. 1 – 18.