Tuesday, September 29, 2015

100% Renewable Energy by 2050? Why wait?

Blogpost by Shuk-Wah Chung

A new Greenpeace report shows how the world can move to 100% renewable energy by 2050. The bad news? It needs political will. The good news? It's already happening!







Gemasolar, a 15 MW solar power tower plant. Gemasolar employs molten salt technologies for receiving and storing energy. Its 16-hour molten salt storage system can deliver power around the clock. It runs the equivalent of 6570 full hours out of 8769 total. Gemasolar is owned by Torresol Energy and was completed in May 2011.

Climate change deniers and investors take note. Renewable energy is here and it's growing. From large corporations to village Eisenstein's, the growing interest, investments, and inventions into clean energy is this century's "goldrush".
Don't believe the hype? Here are 7 signs that give us hope the Energy [R]evolution is already on its way!

1. 2014 was the biggest year for solar in the US - an increase of 30% from the previous year.

Alamosa Solar Generating Plant in Colorado, a 30 megawatt concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) power plant near Alamosa owned by Cogentrix Energy. It was called the largest CPV facility in the world when it came operational in May 2012. The 500 dual-axis CPV Amonix 7700 tracker assemblies cover a 225-acre plot. Each tracker is 70 feet (21 meters) wide and 50 feet (15 meters) tall. Each has 7,560 Fresnel lenses that concentrate sunlight by a multiple of 500 onto multijunction gallium arsenide photovoltaic cells.The Alamosa Solar Generating Plant in Colorado

2. Renewable energy in the UK took over coal for the first time during this last quarter.

New wind turbines are constructed at the Butterwick Moor Wind Farm. The site, which consists of 10 turbines with a total power of up to 30MW, is being developed by E.ON.Construction of new wind turbines in the United Kingdom

3. And in his recent US visit, President Xi Jinping made a landmark commitment to put a price on carbon.

Dafeng Power Station is China's largest solar photovoltaic-wind hybrid power station, with 220MW of grid-connected capacity, of which 20 MW is solar PV. Located in Yancheng, Jiangsu province, it came into operation on December 31, 2010 and has 1,100 annual utilization hours. Every year it can generate 23 million KW-h of electricity, allowing it to save 7,000 tons of coal and 18,600 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.Dafeng Power Station in China
According to the report, if we continue in an upwards trend we could reach 42% renewables by 2030, 72% by 2040, and 100% in 2050. What's more, the renewable energy sector will produce more jobs and because of all the fuel cost savings it can all be done at no extra expense.
But why wait till 2050 or for political will to kick in? The energy revolution is already happening!

4. Greenpeace India's Dharnai village project has provided electricity to more than 2,400 people!

This includes 450 households and 50 commercial establishments, including two schools, a training centre and a primary healthcare centre.
Children sit under solar panels at Bishunpur Tolla, Dharnai village. A solar-powered micro-grid is now supplying electricity to the village.Children in Dharnai Village in India

5. Renewable energy farms are appearing on land and water.

 

6. South Africa's biggest solar plant is powering 80,000 homes and helping to beat blackouts.

Solar Installation in South AfricaInstallation of solar panels in South Africa

7. And activists are giving the finger to coal plants in Romania.

Greenpeace Romania launches a project offering solar panels to the local school of the coal town in Rovinari. The event engages the school students and the local community. The solar panels on the school rooftop are part of the Greenpeace campaign to support the transition towards a future based on renewable resources. Renewable energy sources have a reduced impact on the environment, health and economy and supports the fight against climate change. The 40 solar panels installed on the local school in Rovinari have a capacity of 250 W each and they will supply 25% of the school's energy needs. The photovoltaic installation on the school will supply electricity also to the national system.Installation of solar panels on school rooftop in Romania

It's clear that this is a type of power that's proving to be unstoppable.  If you're smart about it, you'll already be jumping on that bandwagon.
Take action. Join the Energy [R]evolution!
Shuk-Wah Chung is a Content Editor at Greenpeace East Asia.
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