We need renewable energy technologies that make use of energy resources which are both sustainable and non-polluting and we need them fast. The unrestricted and mindless use of fossil fuels have led world to the brink of self-destruction. Global warming and resulting melting of the ice-caps are predicted to raise sea levels dangerously high around the world. This in turn could wipe out many of the major cities of the world that are located along the coastal areas. Global warming and climate change are not the only problems. Pollution is another major worry. But, the biggest worry of all is that we will soon run out of the fossil fuels that we take for granted. Oil and gas are not going to last forever. Coal is available in plenty but it alone can’t sustain our energy requirements. Mining coal itself is cause for major pollution.
Green energy technologies have been of great interest to researchers and scientists for long. Many have invested time and energy in search of the Holy Grail – the perfect renewable energy resource – that is both the cleanest and sustainable energy source. Solar energy has held lot of hope. But, the production of solar panels itself is a very expensive and energy intensive process and is out of reach of many in the developing world. Wind energy generation too was not very efficient and not all areas of the world are blessed with strong and sustained winds needed to produce it at a steady pace. This was the problem faced by governments and researchers a few decades back.
The continued interest and research in renewable energy technologies have led to rapid advances in this field and efficiencies have greatly improved to the point where the commercial exploitation of the solar and wind power on a large scale has become possible. If you look at the investment pattern in the last decade alone over 100 billion dollars were put into renewable energy projects. In the race for investment dollars non-renewable energy projects are falling behind. Europe is the leader in the exploitation of wind and solar power. Several European countries have significant percentage of their electricity requirements met through renewable sources. Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Portugal, Iceland are just few of several European countries that have major solar and wind power projects on their soil.
US is not far behind, it is the world leader in wind energy production. Canada has some of the biggest solar power plants. Many Asian countries are ramping up their renewable energy technologies in order to power their ever increasing need for electricity. China and India are already fast catching up with their Western peers. China in fact is one of the leading suppliers of solar panels and photovoltaic cells. It is also the leading producer and major user of solar water heaters. Many African countries like Kenya and Angola have invested in solar energy technologies in order to help their citizens to break out of vicious cycle of ignorance and poverty. Renewable energy technologies are helping in not only fulfilling the energy needs of these people but also helping their children to study after dark and for businesses to run their stores for longer hours.
The world has not yet reached the stage where they can say goodbye to fossil fuels which are still the mainstay for most countries. But, every country is trying to find ways and means to cut their dependence on oil and gas and invest in green technologies. Result, you see countries like Brazil which uses ethanol – a biofuel derived from sugarcane to fuel its vehicles. The day is not far away when the world dependence on non-renewable energy sources is minimal. Rapid advances in renewable energy technologies make green energy a sustainable and viable option.
