Renewable technologies- the future for sustainability

We all know how renewable energy is the cleanest energy source that calls for utilization in this need-of-the-hour crisis where fossil fuel and other sources are either emitting pollution or nearing scarcity. Today, there is an increase in the demand for renewable technologies, and that’s because of the hike in fuel prices and extermination of the same. Industries are moving towards renewable technologies as they are cheaper, environment friendly, and efficient. As the concern for global warming and climate change is increasing at an alarming rate, there is a need to revolutionize energy production by using a sustainable source.

Here are a few renewable technologies to get started with the practice of a sustainable future:

Solar photovoltaic technology:

Solar energy is the most abundant, inexhaustible, and clean source of energy to date. Over the past decade, there has been an 85% cost decline, making solar photovoltaic (PV) systems the most cost-competitive energy resource in the market. The countries that have added the most solar PV capacity are China (30,100 MW), the United States (13,300 MW), and India (9,900 MW).

Green Hydrogen:

Green hydrogen stands out as the clean fuel source and has been acclaimed as “fuel of the future .”Hydrogen is one of the abundant chemicals in our atmosphere but is mainly present in water and hydrocarbons. As the energy is generated without any greenhouse emissions, this way of producing electricity can be an alternative to fossil fuels. The only setback of hydrogen fuel is the high cost of its production. Presently green hydrogen costs the US $10-15 per kg depending on the accessibility. Hydrogen production costs are expected to decrease by around 50% through 2030 and then continue to fall steadily at a slightly slower rate until 2050.

Hydropower – wave power:

Today, only 9% of the energy that powers grids comes from fluctuated renewable sources like the sun, wind, etc., because the grids need a predictable energy source to generate power. Ocean waves contain tremendous energy and are a predictable entity. The estimated energy potential of waves in the United States is 2.64 trillion kilowatt-hours which are equivalent to 66% of US power generation.

Electricity is produced by ocean waves with wave energy converters or WEC devices. These devices convert the energy possessed by the wave (potential or kinetic energy) to electrical energy. Developing just a third of the available wave energy near the Pacific states with the U.S-made equipment could support 33,000 jobs and meet up to 30% of West Coast electricity demand.

It is generally estimated that if we burn fossil fuels at the current rate, we will run out of them in this century. It is predicted that oils can last up to 50 years, natural gas up to 53 years, and coal up to 114 years. It’s high time we acknowledge this alarming fact and switch to energy production methods that reduce emissions of harmful gasses to create job opportunities, thus developing a country’s economy.