Generating or purchasing renewable energy can be one of the most sustainable choices a homeowner, business owner, or local government can make for energy security, reducing their carbon footprint and energy costs.
Energy and the Environment
Seed focuses on solar energy, but other renewable options are wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and bioenergy. There are both economic and environmental benefits to sustainable energy. The most significant advantage of renewables is that they do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming. Conventional energy or fossil fuels release greenhouse gases that pollute the environment and increase the Earth’s temperature. The Paris Agreement created the international goal to decrease the global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) below preindustrial, to prevent the Earth from reaching catastrophic levels. To achieve this, we need to reduce our fossil fuel consumption.
The Downfall of Fossil Fuels
But fossil fuel reserves do have an endpoint. Fossil fuels take millions of years to replenish and are considered non-renewables. We have only been using fossil fuels for about 200 years, but at such a high consumption rate, they are not sustainable. Predictions estimate that fossil fuels will run out, at the current consumption rate, by 2060. Using all these reserves will surpass the 2 degrees Celsius mark.
It makes sense to transition to renewables if fossil fuels run out in the next 40 years? A WEO energy prediction shows a decline in the demand for coal, natural gas, and oil from 2020 to 2050. Luckily renewable energy replenishes at a significantly higher rate.
Energy Security and Costs
By diversifying your energy supply, you reduce your dependence on imported fuels and help create domestic jobs in manufacturing and installation. As seen in the past year, the Russian-Ukraine war halted energy exports from Russia, causing a global energy crisis. Coal, oil, and natural gas exports left lots of Europe vulnerable. In contrast, those with renewable energy were less affected and had lower energy costs. A 2021 IRENA (International Renewable Agency) report showed that the cheapest coal-powered options cost more than two-thirds of renewables installed. It’s no longer economical to consume fossil fuels. Some responses to the energy crisis were the US Inflation Reduction Act, the EU’s Fit for 55 packages, and REPowerEU, Japan’s Green Transformation (GX) programme.
Implementing on-site renewable energy generation has many advantages:
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- The owner has the most direct access to their energy supply.
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- Improved power quality and supply reliability.
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- Lower energy costs
Some things to consider are permitting requirements and access to sources of financing. Our experienced team at Seed will walk you through every step of the process and always be available for questions & technical support after installation.
~By Camryn Iftiger, Intern at Seed solar, Electric and Engineering. Camryn is a 2021 graduate from UVM with a major in Environmental Studies and English.