Sustainable energy: walking the path to the future
Sustainable energy is energy associated with sustainable development, including protecting the environment for future generations.
Sustainable energy (or green energy) is a term that refers, in economics and energy engineering, to a method of producing and using energy that allows for sustainable development. This concept consists of three main components, one from a production point of view (and therefore linked to the production of renewable energy), another linked to its use or efficiency and energy saving, and finally, the last key is linked to the environmental impact in terms of pollution. (minimal, controlled, or zero).
It is therefore a broad approach that relates not only to energy production, but also to its use, and thus fits into a comprehensive perspective of sustainable development and the green economy.
On the front of sustainable energy production, it is clear that the main reference is renewable energy, that is, those sources that by their nature do not “exhaust” on the scale of the human era, such as hydroelectric energy, solar energy, wind energy, wave energy, geothermal energy, tidal energy, and others.
Another key point concerns the production method, which involves an approach on smaller scales that is more sustainable by humans and the environment, thus favoring “distributed” production networks based on microgeneration and cogeneration, rather than large central plants.
Leaving aside the less likely risks of major nuclear accidents, terrorist acts, or other major disasters, nuclear power and nuclear fusion may meet the definition of sustainability, but whether or not they are defined as such for social and political reasons is interesting. Controversial.
As for the rational use of energy, the possibilities are many and impossible to limit, as the areas of potential increase in energy efficiency or energy saving are wide. As just examples - and not at all comprehensive - we can mention thermal insulation of houses, use of low-consumption lamps, exploitation of unavoidable wasted thermal energy/use in the operation of district heating networks, reduction and/or increase of transport efficiency, and so on.
As we can understand, talking about sustainable energy includes technical/scientific, political/social, and environmental aspects.
However, it must be emphasized that there are schools of thought that consider efficiency and savings as “renewable energies” in all aspects, for example in the design, construction, and management phases of green buildings. In this spirit, organizations can introduce an energy management system within themselves, for example, according to UNI CEI EN ISO 50001:2011 standards.
Sustainable energy and environmental impact
Regarding environmental impact, interest in sustainable energy certainly arises from environmental needs such as:
- Reducing emissions of major harmful substances, as a result of the traditional use of fossil fuels of organic origin (oil and its derivatives, gas, coal, etc.), which characterized the main source of energy for most of the twentieth century;
- Reducing pollutants in the atmosphere and hydrosphere (due to substances illegally discharged into aquifers, rivers, lakes, and seas).
Only recently, environmental and public policies in more and more countries have reconsidered the opportunity to see green energy as a new sector to invest in from the point of view of technological development and employment opportunities.
Some of the ways sustainable energy has been defined are:
- Energy supplies that meet the needs of the future without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable energy consists of two main components: renewable energy and energy efficiency;
- Energy that is renewable within one generation and does not cause long-term damage to the environment.
It distinguishes sustainable energy from other renewable energy terms such as alternative energy and green energy, focusing on the ability of the energy source to continue to provide energy.
Requirements such as non-pollution in the definition of sustainable energy can be relaxed, provided that some adverse effects do not prevent intensive use of the resource for an indefinite period.
What is Sustainable energy?
As we said, energy produced from sustainable sources does not cause any harm to the environment. However, energy production can be done using non-renewable and renewable sources.
Non-renewable sources are not sustainable, because it takes millions of years to produce the raw materials. This happens, for example, with fossil fuels such as oil and coal. These are resources that are doomed to be depleted, leading to environmental pollution and harm to human health.
On the other hand, sustainable resources are inexhaustible and capable of being renewed very quickly. Its impact on the environment is very low and for this reason, it represents the ideal energy to protect the planet and combat climate change.
- Here are some examples of sustainable energy:
- Solar energy comes from sunlight;
- Wind energy comes from the wind;
- Marine energy, coming from tides and ocean currents;
- Hydroelectric energy is derived from atmospheric precipitation and the gravitational force of water masses.
Why choose Sustainable energy?
There are many reasons for choosing sustainable energy, but above all let's discover the main reasons for using green energy, the only one that allows you to:
- reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere;
- prevent already limited natural resources from running out;
- contain excessive energy management and transport costs, allowing for effective savings on the bill;
- allow each country to be independent in energy supply, without having to resort to external suppliers.
A model for the future
According to the United Nations, the energy sector is responsible for 60% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, and 3 billion people still depend on raw materials such as wood, coal, or animal manure for heating.
Sustainability is not only an environmental issue but also includes the social and economic dimensions.
When we talk about environmental sustainability we specifically refer to respect and protection of natural resources. When we talk about social sustainability we are referring to protecting people's well-being and good quality of life. When we talk about economic sustainability, we mean the ability to produce income and work for everyone.
The current model of energy production and consumption does not include these concepts. By 2030, the goal is to switch not only to sustainable energy sources but also to enhance access to technologies that allow clean energy production, as well as to double the global rate of energy efficiency.
The world has done a lot in this regard, focusing, for example, on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. The world is committed to developing a more sustainable energy system thanks to the use of green energy produced by the sun.
But there is still a lot to be done to improve and ensure a sustainable future for younger generations on a better planet.
