PLANETARY REFORM
With cities and urban living spaces getting updated and learning to live the ‘smart’ way, it’s about time our planet learnt as well. With issues such as global warming, climate change and finite resources linked with the unemployment rate constantly popping up in the news, we as a society should fight towards creating a future for our planet, rather than relinquishing her of all her resources. From making full use of renewable energy to implementing and enforcing companies to adopt sustainable methods into their business, it has come time for us to pay our dues for this planet, and we can thank technology for easing the transition into changing up our habits for the better.
FEEL THE ENERGIES
Do you ever cringe slightly everytime you hear the news regarding the general degradation of our planet? Maybe you caught the last few minutes of a panel of climate change deniers arguing against scientists, or just a casual perusal through your TV channels shows you a variety of natural disasters going on concurrently across the world, from wildfires in Los Angeles to typhoons hitting Japan. Planet Earth is no longer as healthy as she once was, and if we fight to keep her around longer via sustainability programmes and changing our habits, we might be able to turn around the damage we caused her in the first place.
The global energy demand over the last 50 years have tripled in size, due to the sudden growth of developing countries and nations across the world. This also includes the innovation of technology needed to keep up with this fast track of development. With sudden growth comes a spike in demand, and studies carried out by organisations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA), state that the global energy demand is projected to triple over the next 30 years.
Companies and businesses across the world have already started taking notice, with many pulling up their socks to adhere to the updated code of conduct set to commit to the conversion from non-renewable to renewable energy resources. Hoping to eventually reduce and completely diminish reliance on non-renewable energy resources such as fossil fuels, metal ores and earth minerals, nations such as the United Arab Emirates and China, who were once non- participants in the conversation of clean energy usage, have now become active and thriving members that have come up with a long-term vision of promoting and establishing energy security with renewables.
With the world’s largest solar plant currently being built in Dubai, and the country hosting the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Arab Emirates is pioneering the movement towards a cleaner and greener future like no other. As the world’s leading hub for producing and developing alternative energy sources, the UAE is predicted to have renewables account for 50 per cent of its total energy production in 2050. With its successful track record of an oil-rich country transitioning to renewables, many countries, such as Spain, the United Kingdom and Austria, have aligned themselves with the UAE for assistance in developing projects to tap into alternative energy sources. Despite the more proactive role the UAE is taking towards enabling a sustainable future, there are still hardships ahead that will take a concentrated effort to overcome.
“Transportation poses the biggest problem – how to power air freight, water-based transport methods and heavy industrial loads remains a key issue. Switching to renewable fuel sources such as biofuels is not always the best solution. The harvesting of palm oil for biofuels resulted in massive deforestation – clearly there are better solutions to be found. The issue of energy storage, historically the main barrier to reliance on renewable energy, is currently being solved – this will enable higher prevalence of energy from renewable sources,†says Daniel Zywietz, the CEO of Enerwhere, the first and leading distributed solar utility in the Middle East and Africa.
When asked if the commitment to renewable energy and sustainability would undo the years of damage caused by non-renewables, Mr Zywietz had this to say: “No, of course it is not enough. For example, the EU is a key regulatory body, with numerous regulatory mechanisms in place across many areas including food, health and safety, atmospheric emission levels, etc. Residents in Germany have expressed willingness to pay more for energy derived from renewable resources. If you take this idea across the pond, WTP for renewable energy is not readily expressed. However, there are regional variances in attitude. California is the fifth biggest economy in the world and, this year, its governor signed a measure that requires the state to produce all of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045. Texas also has very high solar potential. Unsurprisingly, price is a key driver.â€
Malaysia, as well, has recently started to aggressively pursue the journey towards sustainable development with the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry setting a target of 20 per cent of the nation’s energy derived from renewable sources by 2030. This comes with the prediction that, in the near future, around 80 per cent of Malaysians will be urbanised. Ensure cities remain environmentally friendly, and keep the nation efficient and sustainable, would require the aid of smart technology and communication devices, and designing the entire grid to run on clean, recyclable energy.
Renewable energy has long since been an idea that many great thinkers and scientist have played around with as an alternative to fossil fuels. Ever since the mid-1700s, when non-renewable resources stepped in as the primary source of energy, scientists had already realised that due to its finite supply, non- renewable energy was not sustainable and many had already started
looking towards solar power as an alternative. The instability of energy security around the world has led to discussions among world leaders that aggressively push for energy sustainability programmes, even if there are some who still trumpet for the return of coal as an energy source. From the environmental damage caused by mining for resources to the copious amounts of photochemical pollution, acid rain, greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, it’s about time for us to get into the clean energy movement.
