The conflict in Ukraine and the repercussions for the world, particularly EU energy supplies and the escalating effects of climate change, have been the main focus of this year’s headlines in the global news. We’ve heard about the fluctuation in the prices of energy globally, as well as concerns about the possibility of the shortage of fuel in winter and record droughts affecting the production of agricultural products when food prices were already increasing.
The two are inextricably linked. If we were able to replace fossil fuels with plentiful renewable energy sources, it would reduce costs for energy, decrease emissions and decrease the risk of climate change, including the effect on food production.
Moving away from the fossil past
Fossil-based fuels, including gas, oil, and coal, are composed of decomposed plant and animal leftovers that were transformed into their present forms throughout millions of years within the Earth’s crust and its layers. They contain chemical energy that is released and other pollutants when burned.
In contrast to electricity, which can be produced from renewable sources like wind and solar power but is a bit difficult to store, fossil fuels are much easier to store and transport to the end-users. The technology and infrastructure for energy created since the Industrial Revolution have depended mainly on using fossil energy sources.
Recently, EU policies have set ambitious goals to speed the transition to renewable energy sources. These have begun to bear fruit, with an increasing portion of Europe’s energy demands being fulfilled through sustainable energy sources.
In 2021 in 2021, over 22 percent of the total energy consumed by the EU was generated by renewable sources. However, the proportion of renewable energy as part of the overall energy mix differs significantly across the EU. In Sweden, it’s around 60%; for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, and Latvia, more than 40%; and in the rest of Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, and the Netherlands, between 10 and 15, between 10 and 15 percent.
Infographic: Electricity generated from renewable sources
According to Eurostat figures, wind power and hydropower together account for more than two-thirds of all electricity generated by renewable sources (36 percent and 33 percent, respectively) across the EU in 2020. The remainder was made up of solar power (14 percent) as well as solid biofuels (8 percent) along with other energy sources (8 percent).
Renewable energy is endless, however …
Natural resources like wind, solar and geothermal generate more energy than our planet requires today. But, their potential is lower than the current capabilities. One of the challenges is setting sufficient capacity to take power from, for instance, sunlight or wind and convert it into a proper format, such as electricity. Another issue is transportingthat energy to the place it’s required or saving it to use later.
A new energy technology must be resilient and able to deal with the inevitable effects caused by climate change, including heatwaves, droughts, and storms. As the proportion of solar and wind power rises, it is also necessary for the system to be able to function even if the wind isn’t blowing or the sun doesn’t shine.
A flexible power system will ensure a constant energy supply and help reduce the energy consumed by peak demand. In addition to guaranteeing diversification of points, this system could be enhanced, for instance, by improving energy storage, integrating intelligent transport, heating, and industry sectors, and responding to peak demand with smart grids or dynamic pricing and appliances.
Solar and wind projects throughout Europe
Several recent European projects have begun to showcase the immense power of renewable energies. In August 2022, Spain, Iberdrola opened its most potent solar power station in Europe, which has around 1.5 million solar panels. It has a 590 megawatts capacity to generate enough power to power over 330,000 homes.
The 49 wind turbines that makeup Horns Reef 3 in the Danish offshore wind farm Horns Reef 3 have a capacity of 407 megawatts. They are expected to supply the annual power needs of 425,000 Danish households.
Portugal has been building Europe’s largest solar park floating in the Alqueva reservoir, comprising 12,000 solar panels. On the first day of April, Greece launched a megawatt solar farm featuring bifacial panels that can capture sunlight from both sides.
Its REPowerEU plan to speed up the shift to renewable energy and decrease dependence on Russian fossil fuels is designed to increase the number of projects. This EU Solar Energy Strategy is expected to double solar power in 2025. The European Solar Rooftops Initiative will create an obligation to put solar panels on more significant commercial and public buildings and, gradually, on new residential structures. The process for obtaining permits for large renewable projects is also expected to become more efficient.
What do you think of the grid? What about storage?
The difficulty of converting to renewable energy sources is about more than just production capacity. Power plants must connect to grids to take on the ever-growing production capacity and deliver it to consumers.
To ensure a steady power supply, encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources, and cut down on the costs of electricity transmission, a few regions have urged businesses or homeowners to transform into producer-consumers prosumers who generate electricity through solar panels, using some of it, and supplying the surplus power into the grid.
A recent EEA research report concludes that European prosumers can already take advantage of many opportunities that could benefit their households and society. Through investing in energy storage or production, prosumers could make savings on their energy bills, speed up the transition to energy in Europe, and cut down on carbon emissions. Furthermore, these possibilities will grow over the next few years thanks to more efficient and less expensive technology and new policies.
Several electricity providers have encouraged households to reduce their energy consumption to keep up with production. This is made possible by variable pricing based on the times of day and changes between hours. In the event of surplus production, consumers could receive electricity for free that is used, for instance, charging electric vehicles.
Green energy for the circular economy
Making more wind turbines or solar panels can also pose some challenging questions. Can we obtain enough of the minerals used for wind and solar power? Where can we put wind farms? What are the ways that these power plants impact wildlife? How can we ensure that the resources like rare Earth minerals utilized in their creation remain in the market?
The EEA’s analysis has demonstrated that the increase in renewable energy has helped to reduce many global environmental and climate-related pressures and that targeted actions can minimize specific negative impacts, including the ecotoxicity of freshwater and land use. With an increasing amount of renewable projects being developed, it is essential to consider the implications of these projects for ecosystems and habitats will be vital.
The Energy and Industry Geography Lab, created in collaboration with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, is a new tool that addresses specific issues. It is a tool that Lab could be utilized to determine the most suitable areas for solar and wind projects, for instance, locations that do not have protected areas or routes for birds that are known to be migratory.
Developing a cleaner electricity supply will require expanding the capacity of generation and changes in the infrastructure. This will mean increased solar panels and wind turbines, both on the demand end and a more connected smart grid and — most importantly– the smartest consumers who are aware of the efficiency of energy. Any decisions we make have to be based on these longer-term effects