A look at the benefits and drawbacks of renewable energy DevelopmentAid

The effects of global warming and climate change are being increasingly seen all around the world. Extreme heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and severe droughts are just some examples of the negative environmental changes caused by rising temperatures. Scientists have identified carbon emissions as the primary cause of climate change and the international community has agreed to take the necessary measures to stop and reverse the current negative trends. In this context, renewables are seen as one of the solutions since they represent a ‘cleaner’ alternative to fossil fuels that could satisfy our energy needs.

But what are the costs of renewable energy and what are its true benefits? Is nuclear energy renewable? Check out the answers to these questions in this article.

What are renewables?

Renewables are types of decarbonized, mostly clean energy sources that are replenished from natural processes such as the sun, water, wind, or biomass. Over the last few decades, the energy industry has made great progress in developing technological solutions that are capable of capturing, storing, and using renewable energy at high levels of efficiency. As a result, the share of renewables used in global final energy consumption has grown significantly, reaching 11% in 2019.

Fig.1. Types of renewable energy

Source: Inspire Clean Energy – Types of Renewable Energy Sources.

What are the benefits of renewable energy?

The European Union (EU) is the global leader in capturing and using renewable energy. In 2020, about 22% of all energy consumed at the EU level was derived from renewable sources. This is expected to reach 27% by 2030 if this niche develops following the current trends or 33% should all the available potential be implemented.

The war in Ukraine will affect this process, with several countries already pausing the process of the complete shutdown of nuclear energy plants after Russia threatened to halt gas supplies to EU consumers. But is nuclear energy renewable? Taking into account that it runs on radioactive fuel which is limited, it, therefore, is not. But neither is hydropower which depends on the depth of rivers. At the same time, both are important sources of low-carbon electricity.

The global community has recognized the importance that renewables play in the long-term decarbonization of the international energy system, highlighting the following benefits:

🔹 Renewable energy is good for the environment

The emissions generated by fossil fuels contain many dangerous chemical elements (e.g., mercury, lead, sulfur dioxide) that contaminate the air and water. Short- and long-term exposure to polluted air may lead to a wide range of health problems including respiratory infections, strokes, and other chronic diseases. Renewable energy sources, on the other hand, lower the carbon footprint and help to offset the negative consequences caused by burning fossils.

🔹 Renewables have the potential to stop and reverse global warming

Renewable energy sources do not release any greenhouse gases that warm up the atmosphere and the planet. Moreover, relying on renewables could massively cut carbon emissions and help to mitigate the ongoing processes of climate change.

🔹 Renewables provide autonomy

Renewables could be used to build autonomous energy systems for households, industrial entities, or even communities. Such systems could contribute to stability, reliability, and efficiency making possible the real-time optimization of use. Moreover, there is a lower chance of mass disruptions in case of natural disasters.

🔹 Relatively stable energy prices

In the context of the ongoing energy crisis in the world, and specifically in Europe, renewables could offer access to energy at more stable prices that are not affected by the volatility caused by market conditions or prevalent inflation.

Some drawbacks

Renewable energy sources are also accompanied by several disadvantages that can hinder the rates at which these technologies are developed and implemented. Here are a few examples of such drawbacks:

Higher cost of renewable energy. The initial investments necessary to purchase and install such energy systems are high. As a result, some social groups and small businesses find it very difficult to afford the transition to renewables.
Energy production depends on environmental factors such as wind and solar power. They have a common disadvantage in that add-on technology is required as a backup option.
The storage and transportation of energy are more difficult in the context of renewables compared to traditional fossil fuels.

Ongoing environmental changes will force the global community to quickly identify and transition to ‘cleaner’ energy sources. In this context, renewable types of energy are seen as the most sustainable choice in the long run due to their reliability, availability, and the positive impact on the environment. Nonetheless, before considering these novel energy sources, the associated drawbacks must also be considered.

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