Physics and Natural Sciences
Renewable energy in the fight against Climate Change
Climate change is already making substantial negative impacts across regions in the world. If the trend continues, the negative impacts in the future will be vast, and it will be expensive to manage it compared to preventing it. One of the decisive steps to tackle climate change is transforming global energy utilization. Energy accounts for 60% of total emissions globally, and thus, addressing the emissions is prudent in climate change mitigation. Energy is also a significant driver of economic growth and prosperity. Many nations consider it a priority policy area both domestically and outside their respective borders. Therefore, there is a potential synergy between the proper utilization of energy and climate change. One energy policy change is the increased use of renewable energy, which includes Windpower, hydroelectric energy, and solar energy. Renewable energy, such as solar energy, hydroelectric energy, and wind power, plays a significant role in providing energy services sustainably hence reducing climate change and its effects.
Wind energy is a crucial climate change driver in terms of providing renewable energy. While many perceive wind power as not being reliable, advancements in technology continue to beat this notion. With better wind turbines that have bigger rotors, higher towers, and lighter blades, the creation of wind power becomes efficient by the day even with variable wind speeds. Wind power is also very cost-effective, especially for regions that do not have high energy consumption levels. These regions can easily build the new infrastructure needed for the creation of wind power that will have no greenhouse gas emissions. Areas with energy infrastructure that produces energy from coal, nuclear, or gas power may find it hard to bring in new infrastructure for wind energy. However, the costs incurred in moving into the renewable source of energy are offset in the long run. Entities must start thinking beyond the profits and operating expenses also to make a positive impact in the world that includes mitigation of emissions to reduce climate change.
Modern-day economies seeking to achieve sustainable development through reduced dependency on energy from fossil fuels should look into solar energy sources. The use of solar energy will reduce climate change, specifically global warming, due to reduced emission of greenhouse gases. The source of solar energy, the sun, is enough to achieve the reliability of the electric grid. While providing both resilience and reliability, the rates of solar heating on the earth and atmosphere are reduced while changing the cloud forming processes. Economies will not only become secure with solar energy natural disasters, and powerful storms caused by the change in climate will reduce. To this effect, solar energy needs to take priority in policies focused on mitigating climate change.
Conclusively, the fight against climate change will take key stakeholders bringing in critical policies to change the way things are done to impact the environment positively. These policy changes include the consumption of energy from renewable sources. Wind power and solar energy are consistently proving to be proper sources to meet the demand needs for both the developed and less-developed regions. With technological advancement, these sources will have the best running equipment to ensure that energy is produced maximally for everyone to come on board. This will lead to the mitigation of climate change and its effects.
Bibliography
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Masson, Valéry, Marion Bonhomme, Jean-Luc Salagnac, Xavier Briottet, and Aude Lemonsu. “Solar panels reduce both global warming and urban heat island.” Frontiers in Environmental Science 2 (2014): 14.
Moomaw, William, Francis Yamba, Masayuki Kamimoto, Lourdes Maurice, John Nyboer, Kevin Urama, Tony Weir, et al. “Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation: Renewable Energy and Climate Change.” (2011).
Toke, David, and Sevasti-Eleni Vezirgiannidou. “The relationship between climate change and energy security: key issues and conclusions.” Environmental Politics, 22, no. 4 (2013): 537-552.
