Sustainability: According to the United Nations (the United Nations Brundtland Commission popularized the term in 1987), sustainability is defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. True sustainability is when everyone, in each and every part, can meet their basic needs forever.
Using the above definition of sustainability, sustainable energy is energy that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy consists of finding clean and renewable energy sources, that is, sources that renew themselves, rather than sources that can be depleted.
Sustainable energy is a form of energy that meets our current energy demand without putting it at risk of expiration or depletion and that can be used over and over again. Sustainable energy should be widely promoted, as it does not cause any harm to the environment and is widely available free of charge. Any and all renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and oceanic, are sustainable because they are stable and abundantly free.
The sun will continue to give sunlight until the moment we are all on earth, the heat caused by the sun will continue to generate winds, the earth will continue to generate heat from the interior and it will not cool down soon, the movement of the earth, the sun and the moon will not stop, and this will continue to generate tides.
The evaporation process will evaporate water that will fall as rain or ice that will pass through rivers or streams and will melt in the oceans and will be used to generate energy through hydroelectricity. This clearly indicates that each and every one of these renewable energy sources is sustainable and will continue to provide energy for generations to come.
There are many forms of sustainable energy sources that can be incorporated by countries to move away from fossil fuels. Sustainable energy does not include any source derived from fossil fuels or waste products. This energy is replenishable and helps us to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and does not cause any harm to the environment. If we are going to use fossil fuels at an incessant rate, it will soon expire and cause unfavorable effects on our planet.
Fossil fuels are not considered sustainable energy sources because they are limited, cause enormous pollution by releasing harmful gases and are not free throughout the Earth. Fossil fuels generally include lignite, oil and natural gas. Measures must be taken to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, as they pose a risk to the environment. Most countries have already begun to take steps to use alternative energy sources.
Today, about 20 percent of the world's energy needs come from renewable energy sources. Hydropower is the most common form of alternative energy used worldwide.
There are multiple forms of energy that can be considered sustainable. Apart from the most widely considered sources - wind, solar and hydro - there are also bioenergy and geothermal energy. Bioenergy is the process of creating energy from biological masses such as straw, manure and other agricultural by-products. Geothermal energy is energy from the Earth's internal energy sources, such as geysers.
Energy sustainability can also be achieved through improved energy conservation and efficiency.
It is true that the most commonly used energy sources can meet our current needs, but at the rate we use our current sources, such as lignite and natural gas, we will exhaust them (no pun intended), leaving none for our children. Future generations will be forced to do what we could already be doing: finding new ways to produce energy.
Sustainable energies are not only part of the renewable energy sources, but they are also the energy sources that can best be used to power homes and also industries without any detrimental effects. This is the only reason why many people recommend the use of these forms of energy in everyday life. And that is because their effects on the environment are purely advantageous.
Solar energy is the best form of sustainable energy. This energy manifests itself in 2 forms. There is light and heat. Both forms are equally essential to us in our day to day lives and in other forms of life. For example, plants need light to thrive and produce foodstuffs, while humans need heat energy to sustain their anatomical temperature and nourish their homes and industries. This means that it is the major form of sustainable energy.
It can be used a couple of times with greater results as needed. This only serves to produce confidence and ensure that we live as we wish without causing further damage to the environment.
According to activists, they represent the future of energy. Evidence of the intensive use of this alternative energy source can be seen everywhere. There are many companies that are manufacturing solar panels to harness this energy for use in the home or in industry. Therefore, the energy is also used for commercial purposes in many fields, such as household nutrition in power grids. All you have to do is to get the solar panel and also install it in the house or commercial property. Throughout the summer periods, energy costs can be reduced.
Energy Storage Systems (ESS) are key to the decarbonization of energy systems, as they are a very versatile tool for providing system flexibility. A greater participation of renewable energies also implies greater solar photovoltaic and wind generation. These variable technologies require greater flexibility in power systems to maintain a continuous balance between generation and demand. In this sense, the role of the EDCs is very important, since they can act as a load or as a source of electricity in an alternating manner, to compensate for variations in both generation and demand.
They can also improve cost efficiency and postpone investments in the expansion of energy transmission and distribution networks by reducing the peak demand of the networks. Globally, the penetration of EDCs is still at an early stage. Their full use depends to a large extent on regulatory frameworks that enable their participation in markets to provide these electricity services, recognize their economic value and remunerate them adequately.
As noted above, there are two main factors preventing the rapid deployment of storage in Mexico: an inadequate regulatory framework and a lack of political support.
Companies such as Quartux, which develop storage projects tailored to end users, are taking advantage of regulatory schemes that already exist (such as net billing and net metering) to offer solar plus storage solutions that 1) present a clear business case with an economic benefit to the user; 2) free up the transmission grid and eliminate transmission losses (which account for 15% of total generation); 3) can be highly scalable (given the high connectivity of the Mexican grid) and could be interconnected through smart control to drastically reduce generation emissions.
Wind is a sustainable source of energy. It is naturally free and can be harnessed to generate large amounts of energy that can be used in many ways and in many places. For example, sailors harness this energy to assist the ship to propel itself in its various directions towards distant shores for trade. Today, these energy sources are commercialized. There are many companies that have invested heavily in electrical grids and windmills to harness this energy source.
The energy generated can be sold to other people to power their homes and also industries. In the near future, sustainable energies such as wind energy will be a huge industry and the exploration of fossil fuels will stop and will cease to be used.
Geothermal energy allows energy to be obtained from underground. For this purpose, geothermal power plants are installed that can harness the heat coming out of the earth's interior and use it to produce electricity. The temperature underground, at about 10,000 meters, is so high that it can be used to boil water. Geothermal energy cannot be harnessed in every part of the ground, as the high temperature is needed to generate steam to drive turbines.
It can be used in areas with high seismic activity and prone to volcanoes. They are environmentally friendly and can generate power throughout the day, but their ability to generate power in convenient areas prevents us from using them on a considerably larger scale.
The size of the oceans on the planet is enormous. About 70 percent of the earth is covered by water. The potential of ocean energy to produce energy is considerably greater than that of any other energy source. This sustainable energy can be harnessed in three ways: waves, tides or ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). Tides have enormous power that, if harnessed effectively, can produce a lot of energy and be used to power millions of homes.
The waves produced in the oceans can be used by ocean thermal power plants to transform the kinetic energy of the waves into mechanical energy in turbines which, in turn, can be transformed into electrical energy by generators. The installation of large plants in the ocean can cause ecological imbalance and alter aquatic life.
Biomass energy is generated from the combustion of wood, landfills, municipal and agricultural waste. It is fully renewable and does not generate harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, which is primarily responsible for increasing global warming.
While carbon dioxide is generated by embracing these products, it is offset in the same way when plants take up this carbon dioxide and generate oxygen. It also helps reduce landfill, but is not as efficient as fossil fuels.
On the other hand, there are rivers or waterfalls whose energy from moving water is captured and can turn turbines to produce power. This is generally known as hydroelectric power. It is very common today and is powering most of the planet and one of the major forms of alternative energy in use today.
There are many companies and countries that export this energy to other countries that cannot harness it on their own due to lack of resources or precise conditions. The energy is generally transported in the form of power lines to multiple parts of the country and even outside of it.
Hydrogen is the simplest and most abundant factor on Earth, consisting of a single proton and an electron. Hydrogen is a clean comburent that can store and manage usable energy, but it does not usually exist on its own in nature. It is generated from compounds that possess it. When consumed in a fuel cell, it only gives water, electricity and heat.
Hydrogen and fuel cells can play an essential role in our national energy strategy, with the potential for use in a wide range of applications in almost all areas, such as transportation, commercial, industrial, residential and portable.
Hydrogen and fuel cells can manage energy for use in a variety of applications, including distribution or combined heat and power; backup power; systems to store and enable renewable energy; portable power; power to support trucks, airplanes, trains and ships; unique automobiles, such as forklifts; and passenger and freight automobiles, such as cars, trucks and buses.
Because of their high efficiency and zero- or near-zero emissions operation, hydrogen and fuel cells have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in many applications.
They are the best examples of sustainable forms of energy that are projected for the planet in the near future. They are highly sustainable and, consequently, have no environmental impact. Their inability to be depleted and their lack of effect on the environment make them an ideal candidate for future energy needs.
In ancient times, wood, firewood and waste products were the only essential sources of energy. In short, biomass was the only way to obtain energy. When more technology was developed, fossil fuels such as lignite, oil and natural gas were discovered. Fossil fuels turned out to be a blessing for mankind, as they were widely available and could simply be harnessed.
When these fossil fuels began to be widely used in each and every country on the planet, they brought about the humiliation of the environment. Lignite and oil are two of the main sources that generate countless amounts of carbon dioxide in the air. This caused an increase in global warming.
Let's take a look at the benefits:
Renewable energies emit little or no greenhouse gases in the energy generation process, making them the cleanest and most viable solution to avoid environmental humiliation. Globally, the increase in fossil fuel-based road transport, industrial activity and power generation all contribute to higher levels of atmospheric pollution. Renewable energies emit little or no air pollutants. That is better for our health.
Renewable energy is energy derived from natural resources that are replenished over a period of time without depleting the Earth's resources. These resources also have the benefit of being abundant, of being free to a certain extent almost everywhere, and of causing little or no damage to the environment.
The energy of the sun, the wind and the thermal energy stored in the earth's crust are examples of this, making them an essential factor in a sustainable energy system that allows current development without jeopardizing that of future generations.
Evolving energy markets and geopolitical insecurity have brought energy security and the resilience of energy infrastructures to the forefront of many national energy strategies.
The indigenous nature of clean sources gives advantage to local economies and gives meaning to the term "energy independence". Dependence on fossil fuel imports results in subordination to the short-term economic and political objectives of the supplying country, which can compromise the security of energy supply.
There is a renewable resource, be it wind, sun, water or organic matter, free worldwide to generate energy in a sustainable manner.
Renewables are now the most cost-competitive source of energy in many parts of the world, and renewable energy has accounted for more than half of each and every capacity addition in the global energy mix since the last decade. Actions on these fronts are well underway, as evidenced by the announcements presented.
The leading renewable technologies, such as wind and solar photovoltaics, are dramatically reducing their costs and are fully competitive with conventional sources in a growing number of locations. Economies of scale and innovation are already making room for renewables to become the most environmentally and economically sustainable solution to keep energy costs at affordable levels.
The resolutions adopted at COP21 are beneficial to renewable energies. The international community has understood its obligation to consolidate the transition to a low-carbon economy in order to ensure a sustainable future for the planet. The international agreement in favor of the "decarbonization" of the economy forms a very convenient framework for the promotion of clean energy technologies.
Most renewable energy investments are spent on materials and labor to build and sustain the facilities, rather than on expensive energy imports. Renewable energy investments tend to be spent on the continent, often in exactly the same country, and often in exactly the same city. This means that the money citizens pay on their energy bills stays at home to create jobs and nurture the local economy.