The Future Energy

When you think of energy now and in the future, you think renewables. These are energy resources that abound now and will never be depleted in the future. They are the best of all energy options into a low carbon transitioning.

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources which are naturally replenished. These renewable energy resources include; solar energy, wind, hydropower, biomass, ocean energy, geothermal, and waste to energy [1]

Solar power is one of the best renewable energy sources available because it is one of the cleanest sources of energy. It is the conversion of sunlight into electricity either directly by using photovoltaics or concentrated solar power.[2] Wind energy is sourced from wind- air in the environment through installed wind turbines.[3] They produce zero emissions.

The Earth naturally by itself creates Geothermal heat. The geothermal energy potential in the 10 km of the Earth’s crust amounts to 50,000 times the energy of all oil and gas resources in the world.[4] Hydropower also known as water power is harvested from the energy of falling water or fast running water for useful purposes. Flowing water produces energy that can be captured for electricity consumption. This is referred to as hydroelectric power or hydropower.[5]

“The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir”.[6]

Biomass is a promising renewable energy resource. It is the feedstock used to produce bioenergy Bioenergy is a general term for energy derived from materials such as straw, wood, or animal wastes. These waste materials are burned directly to produce heat or power, and also can be converted into liquid biofuels.

The cleanest form of energy we can get is from renewables. With the current agitations on the emission GHG which contributes immensely to climate change and the call to make the world green, renewable energy investment should be a must for all countries. The energy and environmental activity of one country affects the wellbeing or otherwise of another. Therefore, nations must promulgate policies that promote clean energy transition. Any energy policy that contains no provision for renewables is a step in the wrong direction.

All nations must transition to clean energy to save man and his environment. Gloria Reuben puts it succinctly; “a transition to clean energy is about making investments in our future.” These investments I believe, are ‘life investments’ for man and his environment.

The fact that renewables are infinite answers the question of availability and make sustainability of energy possible across all generations, unlike non-renewables which could be present in one generation and absent in another. However, proper human systems must be in place to properly facilitate the sustainability of energy with renewables. The advantages of renewables are enormous and every country must aspire to lead with renewables. James Cameron said, “the nation that leads in renewable energy, is the nation that would lead the world”.

Reference

Dr. Shiva Gorjian Mechanical & Biosystems Eng. Dep. Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) Tehran, Iran.  An Introduction to the Renewable Energy Resources. June 2017. Availaible at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317561674_An_Introduction_to_the_Renewable_Energy_Resources. Accessed 5^th September, 2020.

[1] Dr. Shiva Gorjian Mechanical & Biosystems Eng. Dep. Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) Tehran, Iran.  An Introduction to Renewable Energy Resources. June 2017. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317561674_An_Introduction_to_the_Renewable_Energy_Resources. Accessed 5^th September 2020.

[2] ibid

[3] ibid

[4] ibid

[5] ibid

[6] ibid

About Ayodeji (Contributor)

Ayodeji Adekanbi is a graduate of Physics from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. He is a social and energy enthusiast whose heart is keen on seeing an eruption of Renewable Enegy alive in Nigeria and Africa. A current postgraduate fellow of Renewable Energy at the Prestigious university of Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria. He is a staunch advocate of the SDGs and believes they are largely achievable by 2030, given our individual, and mutual contribution in our respective sectors and mode of living.

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