5 reasons to be optimistic about clean energy in 2023
There are many definitions of clean energy, but at its core, clean energy includes any technology or resource that has a significantly lower environmental impact than traditional energy sources. This can include renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as more efficient ways of using traditional energy sources like natural gas and coal.
What are the benefits of clean energy?
There are many reasons to be optimistic about clean energy. Here are five of the most important benefits:
1. Clean energy is good for the environment.
This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of clean energy. By using less-polluting energy sources, we can help reduce our overall impact on the environment. This is especially important as we strive to meet our international climate goals.
2. Clean energy is becoming more affordable.
One of the biggest barriers to the widespread adoption of clean energy has been its cost. However, this is changing rapidly. The cost of solar power, for example, has fallen by more than 90% over the past decade. As costs continue to fall, clean energy will become increasingly affordable for individuals, businesses, and governments.
3. Clean energy creates jobs.
Another important benefit of clean energy is that it creates jobs. In the United States alone, there are now more than 3 million jobs in the clean energy sector. This is expected to grow to more than 8 million jobs by 2030.
4. Clean energy improves public health.
Another often-overlooked benefit of clean energy is that it can improve public health. This is because cleaner energy sources lead to fewer emissions of harmful pollutants like particulate matter and ground-level ozone. These pollutants have been linked to a range of health problems, including respiratory illnesses, heart disease, and cancer.
5. Clean energy strengthens national security.
Finally, clean energy can also help to strengthen national security. This is because relying less on imported fossil fuels reduces our vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions. It also helps to diversify our energy mix, which reduces our overall risk.
Reasons to be optimistic about clean energy in 2023
- The world is becoming increasingly aware of the need to transition to cleaner sources of energy: In 2017, the International Energy Agency estimated that investments in renewable energy totaled $279 billion, up from $214 billion in 2015. This trend is only expected to continue as the world becomes more aware of the need to combat climate change.
- The cost of renewable energy is dropping: The cost of solar photovoltaic panels has fallen by more than 75% since 2010, while the cost of wind power has dropped by 50%. This trend is expected to continue as technology improves and more companies enter the market.
- The growth of electric vehicles is accelerating: Global sales of electric vehicles reached a record 1.1 million in 2017, up from just over 500,000 in 2015. This trend is expected to continue as the technology improves and more countries adopt policies to promote electric vehicles.
- The energy storage market is growing: The global energy storage market is expected to grow from $2.5 billion in 2015 to $19 billion by 2025, according to GTM Research. This growth is being driven by falling costs and the need for grid flexibility.
- Countries are committing to ambitious clean energy targets: A number of countries have committed to ambitious targets for increasing the share of renewable energy in their power mix. For example, China has pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to 20% by 2030, while the European Union has set a target of 27% for renewable energy by 2030.
What are the environmental reasons why we should shift to clean energy?
Global warming is one of the primary environmental reasons to shift to cleantech energy. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that we need to take “unprecedented” action to cut greenhouse gas emissions if we are to avoid catastrophic temperature rise. Changes in the pattern of weather, floods, droughts, and heat waves are happening all over the world due to global warming.
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun’s rays inside the Earth’s atmosphere causing the Earth’s average temperature to rise. This process is known as the greenhouse effect.
The main greenhouse gases released by human activity are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). CO2 is released when we burn fossil fuels for energy, while CH4 and N2O come from agricultural activities like livestock farming and the use of fertilizers.
How much would it cost to make the switch to clean energy?
The cost of shifting to clean energy will vary depending on the country and the specific policies adopted. A recent report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found that the global average cost of switching to a low-carbon power system is $4.20 per person per year until 2050. This represents a 0.5% increase in the world’s average electricity bill.
In terms of specific investments, the IRENA report found that the global cost of transitioning to a low-carbon power system by 2050 is $2.60 trillion. However, this investment would be offset by $4.20 trillion in fuel savings, resulting in a net saving of $1.60 trillion.
What are the economic reasons why we should shift to clean energy?
There are a number of economic reasons for shifting to clean energy. First, it would create jobs in the renewable energy sector. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that the global renewables industry employed 9.8 million people in 2016, and this is expected to grow to 24 million by 2030.
Second, it would reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels. This would be a particular benefit for countries that are currently heavily reliant on imported oil, such as the United States.
Third, it would help to diversify our energy mix and make us less vulnerable to price fluctuations in the global fossil fuel markets.
These are just some of the reasons to be optimistic about the future of clean energy. With the world becoming more aware of the need to transition to cleaner sources of energy, the costs of renewable energy falling, and countries committing to ambitious targets, there is no doubt that clean energy will play an increasingly important role in the years to come.
Conclusion
There are a number of reasons to be optimistic about the future of clean energy. With the world becoming more aware of the need to transition to cleaner sources of energy, the costs of renewable energy falling, and countries committing to ambitious targets, there is no doubt that clean energy will play an increasingly important role in the years to come.