Energy: Going green and clean

In recent years, there has been much talk about increasing the use of “clean” energy and even more preferably “green,” clean energy. Demand for use of clean and green energy has been spurred by the raised global consciousness about the dangers posed by use of non-renewable fossil fuels: petroleum, natural gas and coal to power industries, transportation and homes. Except for the so called climate change deniers, majority of the world’s population is in agreement that something needs to be done urgently in order to reduce emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and to forestall global warming that has resulted in the climate change being observed today.

For many people however, the quest for countries to increase the proportion of energy in use from a mix dominated by fossil fuels to one with more clean and green energy raises the question, what is green energy and what is clean energy? Many people use the phrases “clean energy” and “green energy” interchangeably.

Respected internet site, Mother Nature Network (www.mnn.com) defines green energy as the type which comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, plants, algae and geothermal heat. These energy resources are renewable, meaning they are naturally replenished. The other attribute of green energy is that it is derived from sources that are readily available all over the world, including remote rural areas.

However, the main distinction between clean energy and green energy is that there are types of energy that are “clean” but not renewable. An energy source is regarded as being clean if it does not cause pollution of the atmosphere. When understood that way, it is possible to make non-renewable fuel, including fossil fuels, cleaner by ensuring that the pollutants resulting from their use do not find their way into the atmosphere. An example is the so called “clean coal”. Coal is a non-renewable fuel that has been used since advent of the industrial revolution. Like petroleum, burning coal results in production of carbon dioxide as a by-product. Technologies have now been developed that enable the carbon dioxide produced by burning coal to be captured and stored away from the atmosphere by being buried permanently deep into the ground.

The other relatively clean non-renewable source of energy if nuclear energy. Nuclear energy is produced when atoms of certain elements such as uranium are split. The process, known as nuclear fission, transforms those atoms of the “fuel element” and in the process emits high amounts energy in the form of heat. The heat is then used to boil water, resulting in steam that powers nuclear turbines that produce electricity. The process results in nuclear “waste” made up of the transformed “fuel elements” which is properly and safely stored does not result in pollution of the atmosphere. However, safely storing nuclear waste can be an expensive undertaking, hence most developing countries may not be able to harness nuclear energy.

Countries that are party to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), most of which have signed the Paris Agreement, have made commitments to reduce emission of GHGs. Rich industrialised countries including the European Union and China have taken the frontline in setting themselves targets for reducing GHGs as way of climate change mitigation. In addition, they have made commitments to support developing countries to take measures towards adaptation to climate change, some of which involve increasing the use of clean energy.

According to Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2017 produced by UN Environment and Frankfurt School-UNEP Collaborating Centre for Climate and Sustainable Energy Finance, the new renewable sources of wind, solar, biomass and waste, geothermal, small hydro and marine accounted for 55.3% of all new power generation added worldwide in 2016. More solar energy was added than of any other technology for the first time. The main reason given was that setup costs for solar power have gone down drastically as more countries take measures to increase generation of clean energy in line with the Paris Agreement. The Report notes. “The world’s problem with emissions would be significantly worse if these green power assets had not been built.” The other benefit of increasing share of energy produced from renewable sources is that this reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere helping countries to fulfil their commitments to reduce emissions and therefore mitigate climate change.