In the United States, almost 99 percent of people breathe air that exceeds health standards. This pollution threatens human health and is a contributing cause of more than 13 million preventable deaths worldwide. Fossil fuels cause unhealthy levels of nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter, which are harmful to our health. In 2018, fossil fuel air pollution caused an estimated $2.9 trillion in health costs – an average of $8 billion a day. One way to solve this problem is to switch to clean energy.
Clean Energy
One of the primary benefits of clean energy is a cleaner environment. Clean energy technologies are free of air pollution, water pollution, geothermal emissions, and biomass emissions. While clean energy technologies do emit some air pollutants, they are far lower than those produced by coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, renewable energy sources don’t require large amounts of transportation. Lastly, they help the environment because their prices are stable.
In the U.S., clean energy is seen as the way to combat climate change and lower the price of gas. It is also free of CO2 emissions once it has been set up. Many environmentalists see renewable energy as playing a central role in the clean energy transition and climate change mitigation. This article will discuss some of the most promising examples of clean energy. Clean energy is a viable long-term solution to rising gas prices.
Economic Efficiency
The IRENA paper builds on the International Energy Agency’s report Perspectives for the Energy Transition. This study shows that the combination of renewables and energy efficiency can help reduce carbon emissions and lower overall costs while simultaneously decarbonizing the energy system. The report also examines policies that can promote the use of renewable energy efficiency. The two are closely related, with each improving the other. The study also identifies synergies between renewables and efficiency.
While the public is flooded with arbitrary slogans and binary choices, the technical and policy instruments necessary to realize these goals are rarely well defined. The public is often left confused, and the weighting of announced means and instruments changes at a speed unrelated to investment timeframes. The current state of renewable energy research is not encouraging. Further, the lack of financial support continues to be the determining factor for their implementation. This paper aims to provide a more precise definition of economic efficiency and its impact on environmental health.
Climate Change Mitigation
Growing environmental concerns have spurred the use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Increasing temperatures are negatively affecting both humans and the environment, making it vital to find new ways to address the problem. By promoting renewable energy production, we can reduce emissions and improve access to modern energy services. The power sector accounts for 41 percent of the energy sector’s CO2 emissions, making it an important frontier in the fight against climate change. USAID is working to help partner countries develop clean energy technologies by leveraging private sector expertise.
Although solar and wind energy has increased 46-fold since 2008, renewable energy still only contributes about 4% of U.S. energy consumption. As a result, the need for renewable energy is increasing rapidly. The European Union is pursuing the “Green Deal” to put climate change mitigation at the core of recovery efforts. By 2030, it is projected that renewable electricity will account for nearly 70% of the nation’s electricity supply, which would lead to a net 55 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. The goal of climate neutrality would be achieved by 2050. However, increasing renewable power supplies will not be without impact. In some cases, the process may shift environmental burdens in ways that don’t reduce the overall pressure on the environment.
Environmental Impact
The environmental impact of renewable energy technologies varies. The intensity of environmental impacts depends on the type of technology and location. Biomass energy generation can have a large environmental impact in areas with limited land availability and a lack of water resources. In addition, technologies requiring large amounts of water may strain scarce resources. Ultimately, careful decisions about the deployment of particular technologies must be made. This chapter highlights the major environmental concerns raised by renewable energy technologies.
While renewable energy can generate large portions of the nation’s electricity needs, its environmental impact is difficult to quantify. In 2018, for example, 36.4% of the electricity generated in Kansas came from wind and solar power. Likewise, the benefits to public health from the use of renewable energy are often difficult to quantify. Yet, it is clear that this type of energy is an important strategy in combating climate change and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.