Although they are now the world’s second-largest source of electricity, there are still those who believe the misconceptions about renewable energy.
Renewable energy productionis necessary if we are to slow down the climate change and fight for access to power for all the planet’s inhabitants. Renewable resources vary from fossils fuels because they are inexhaustible, diserve and comprised of viable alternatives for all corners of the earth. Yet, most significantly, not polluting renewable energy.
A key 2030 Agenda goals urges decarbonization of the world economy. The installation of clean energy is the only way forward if we want to achieve the objectives set by the Paris Agreement to limit the temperature of the planet to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, for which according to IPCC, carbon neutrality will be necessary in 2050.
Yet there are still people who question the efficiency of clean energy and, while renewables are now the world’s second-largest source of electricity, lend credence to the false theories and rumors about their viability. Below lt’s debunk some of these misleading claims.
1.Renewables energies are expensive. FALSE
Renewables resources are now the cheapest source of electricity, and this will become increasingly the case. Both wind and solar power have improved tremendously from technical point of view – because hydro has been competitive for many years already- and their construction costs have decreased considerably.
Over the past decade, the cost of photovoltaic modules has fallen by 94 %, onshore wind turbines by 37% and lithium batteries for storing electricity by 85%. Today, this two renewable sources are cheaper then conventional sources in most parts of the world.
2.Renewables energies cannot cover all the demand. FALSE
For power we may already be 100% renewable. Power storage technologies have come at leaps and bounds and the technology could sustain a renewable electricity grid of 100%.
The obstacle lies in the willingness of government and authorities to step on the accelerator to achieve energy transition. According to studies, two-thirds of the world’s electricity will be provided by renewable energy midway through this century, 40% of global end-user energy demand will be covered by electricity (compare to 19% in 2017), of which 63% will be generated by solar photovoltaic and wind.
Renewable energy now produce one out of every four kilowatts of electricity on the planet today, and they can generate two out of every three by the midst of this century. Although electricity accounts for just 20% of the world’s energy consumption today, rising electrification would no doubt see it hit 40% by 2050.
3.Manufacturing a wind turbine consumes more energy than the machine will be able to generate. FALSE
For less than a year, a wind turbine absorbs the energy used to make it – so it can operated for over 30 years. Each wind turbine produces enough renewable energy from some 2,000 *homes to fullfill the electric demand. In addition, the emissions generated by the manufactured and dismanting of a wind turbine are about 1% of those that would be avoided during its useful life by replacing output from coal, gas or fuel oil power plants, without taking into account the CO2 released during the construction of those fossil fuel stations or the extraction or transport of fuel to those plants.
4.Wind turbines are very noisy. FALSE
The noise that a moving wind turbine generates at a distance of less than 500 meters, beyond which they are uncommon homes anyway, is no greater than that generated by an electrodomestic device such as a refrigerator or microwave. Wind farms must also comply with locals noice levels laws during the day and night, and can not exceed the limits laid down by statute.
5.Renewable energies rob land from agriculture and livestock. FALSE
The survive area occupied by awind turbine is minimal. In fact, wind farms are perfectly compatible with farming and livestock activities carried out on the same land.
Solar plants are often built on land without previous use, or even in desert areas where they are not competing with livestock or agricuyltural activities. In the other side, there are cases there photovoltaic plants use animals such a sheep and goats to protect the natural land they are built in.
6.Wind turbine are lethal for birds. FALSE
A renewable energy project must followed by an environmental impact assessment before it can be accepted by the competent authorities to assess if the site is compatible with its surrounding nature and to take corrective action to mitigate any adverse effects, e.g. monitoring and control by specialized teams, development of technological solutions sech as repellents (ultrasound, noise, and light) detection and shutdown systems.
Deaths of birds and bats by collisions with wind turbines are much lower than those caused by other human- led behavior such as highways, trains, buildings, or domestic cats, as weel as those caused by the wind power of air pollution help to prevent.
7.Solar panels are made using polluting processe and are not recycle at the end of their useful life. FALSE
It is estimated that state -of the -art photovoltaic panels will produce the energy spent during their manufacture within two years, while their useful life will be more than 25 years, a span in which they will continue to generate clean, free electricity.
Inj addition, silicon, alumunium, glass, copper are the key components of photovoltaic panel, so its manufacture does not presuppose a highly polluting process that’s need security and safety measures beyond those for a traditional industrial plant. If the useful life of the photovoltaic panel is over, the components are listed as noun-hazardous waste and can be recovered at levels up to 95% or higher.
8.Solar energy is useless at night. FALSE
Obviously, solar palnts typically don’t work at night, just as wind turbines don’t work when wind flows don’t. But developments in production of storage technology and failing costs make it possible. When there is no immediate demand, to store and supply the electricity generated later, when it is needed by the consumer, even if it is at night or when there is no wind.
The complimentery of different renewable technology is also one of their main virtues, and they are ideally combinable so that in any case the best solusition can be found.
*Calculated for 2,500 hours of equivalent production per year and 4,000 kWh/Year of average consumption per home.
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