Sustainable energy is energy that is capable of satisfying current growing demand without compromising the demand of people who require it in the future . All renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, wave and tidal energy are forms of sustainable energy. These energy sources have existed for many centuries and still exist and will continue to do so. Renewable energies have a low environmental impact, and above all they are available and replenished naturally.
At Reforma y Ahorra we are specialists in renovations and adapting homes to help improve the health of their occupants, for this reason we explain in detail what sustainable energy is and what it is for.
What demands should sustainable energy follow?
An energy source can be considered sustainable if it meets the following 3 demands :
- Energy can be replenished naturally.
- Technology must improve energy efficiency.
- Long-term availability
The energy used in the world needs to grow as quickly as our technology does . Changes in technology have given rise to many other alternative sources of energy, which can be harnessed through different modern techniques.
There is still a lot of work to do. Since the population uses modern electronic devices a lot, which makes the need for energy increasingly greater. To address this need, energy companies must be very enthusiastic in striving to make energy accessible to people and available to people at all times.
Sustainable Energy, How Sustainable Is It Really?
Fossil fuels have served humanity for many years. They have made our life simple, since we can always have what we want and when we want it. The big question that arises now is: to what extent can these fossil fuels be used? To answer this we must remember that these They will soon disappear from our lives .
On the other hand, some serious environmental problems related to global warming and climate change have made people aware of the brutal consequences that not switching to clean, green energy can have. This has caused many to use alternative or renewable energy sources.
Large investments were made by different countries for the development of wind farms, solar parks, dams along rivers and tides. Undoubtedly, dependence on fossil fuels has been reduced to some extent, but reducing our dependence to a considerable degree may take almost a decade.
This fact is often overlooked and is partly because people tend to use fossil fuels more. And in reality fossil fuels cannot meet the world’s need for energy. It is even something that, if not stopped, will leave irreparable environmental consequences and the consequences that we see now are too great to be ignored.
Large infrastructures for renewable energy require enormous capital and have so far produced only a small amount of the world’s energy consumption . But local self-consumption facilities (distributed generation) are no longer as expensive as before and can supply a single-family home or the common services of a neighborhood community.
A while ago, it seemed impossible to achieve this due to the increasing cost of raw materials, complex machinery and due to the increasing cost of fossil fuels, but currently these local renewable energy projects are being implemented more and more every day.
The components and raw materials used in these projects are designed and made in fossil fuel supply factories, which are transported to the power plant via road or rail network. The personnel who work there use vehicles to transport themselves to the workplace. Trucks loaded with large machines, such as excavators and turbines, small and complex parts, generators, transformers, and power cables, all largely powered by fossil fuels. It is unsustainable.
Once the solar power plant, hydroelectric power station or wind power plant has been installed and commissioned, little amount of fossil fuel is required to perform maintenance, repair, adjustment, replace or refurbish various spare parts.
Ongoing maintenance is required when the plant is producing energy. If any major failure occurs due to missing gearbox, turbines, transformer, generator, wind turbine blade, solar panels or due to any natural disaster; The amount of fossil fuel used will increase as it will require Engineers to travel to the remote site and replace or repair the defective part.
In short, renewable energy is here to stay, but ongoing projects are being carried out in remote areas and maintenance will be difficult in the future due to the decline in oil supply.
Difference between Sustainable and Renewable Energy
Rising fuel prices, pollution and shortages have forced scientists to look for alternative fuel sources. All energy sources that can be replaced naturally are considered renewable energy sources.
Most of the time these two terms are used interchangeably . Some believe that all renewable energy sources are sustainable and there is no difference between the two terms. However, that is not true.
Renewable energy includes all those sources that do not cause any damage to the environment and that have a minimal impact on the environment around us. Sustainable energy can be defined in a broader term and includes all types of energy sources.
Energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, waves, tides and hydrogen are renewable, as well as sustainable, since they have a minimal impact on the environment, but the same does not happen with nuclear energy. , since it is not considered renewable because it pollutes the environment, but it is sustainable. This is the only reason why it is said that all renewable energy sources are sustainable but not all sustainable energy sources are renewable.
Other sources of sustainable energy
If we analyze the oil exploration of many companies, we realize that industrialization is increasing. The number of industries and the energy consumption associated with them will be greater than the energy produced in the future. This will lead to catastrophic consequences, since along with energy shortages come unimaginable consequences such as food shortages, fuel shortages, just to mention a few consequences. These types of things have to be avoided.
In order to avoid such consequences, it is necessary to keep in mind that an energy is needed for today’s world. We have to make sure that the energy used meets our needs and learn not to waste it. This requires exploring other energy sources to meet future needs.
Fossil fuels have produced energy for many years, but they will soon run out. This is one reason why solar energy is a more reliable and also more sustainable source of energy.
Judging from the fact that solar energy has existed since the beginning, exploiting this energy source will have a great advantage for our energy production and consumption. The sun feeds our houses during the day with its light. All that needs to be done is for light to be converted into heat and for that heat to be used to satisfy our energy needs. It cannot be depleted and is therefore a sustainable source of energy.
The other positive point is that solar energy can meet the world’s energy needs as it gives light to everyone. This energy can work in our industries, our vehicles and homes, and in many other fields. Therefore, it is advisable that all necessary precautions be taken to ensure that things go as needed. It is the best thing that can be done to avoid further affecting our environment.
In fact, you can use solar energy to do everything you need. You just have to have the right tools to benefit . Sustainable energy is health .