As per experts, sustainable energy technology means technologies, products, or services are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Sustainable energy technology aims to use resources and technology to provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy for human needs.
The goals of sustainable energy technology means energy production from renewable sources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting energy conservation. Sustainable energy technologies are the ones that improve energy efficiency and utilize it to reduce energy waste and optimize energy performance, such as smart grids, energy storage, and demand response.
The renewable energy sources that are countable to be sustainable energy technology are solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and biomass energy.
Sustainable energy technology is mainly important due to the following reasons:-
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is possible by mitigating climate change from fossil fuels.
- By using a diversified energy supply, energy security is enhanced, and also dependence on imported fuels can be reduced.
- Economic development is promoted by creating jobs and innovation is stimulated.
- Social equity can be improved by providing access to electricity.
- It also improves the lifestyle of millions of people by the clean cook.
However, the move to sustainable energy from fossil fuels dependence is not easy and it requires fundamental changes and innovations that are affecting the world’s energy landscape.
It has been seen that with new energy technologies, better awareness can be created by shifting to cleaner solutions.
Examples of sustainable energy technology are:-
- Solar energy: Converting sunlight into electricity with solar panel are mainly used to power homes and businesses.
- Wind energy: Wind turbines are used by this technology to convert kinetic energy into mechanical power or electricity. It is also one of the fastest-growing and cheapest renewable energy sources in the world.
- Geothermal energy: The natural heat is used by the technology from the earth’s crust to produce electricity or heat buildings. The energy can be extracted from hot springs, geysers, volcanoes, or deep underground reservoirs.
- Biomass energy: Organic matter is used by technology such as wood, crops, or waste to produce electricity, heat, or biofuels.
- Natural gas: It is a cleaner-burning fossil fuel used for electricity generation.
- Smart grids: Digital communication and control systems are used by the technology to monitor and manage the electricity flow from various sources and loads. The reliability, efficiency, and flexibility of the power system can be improved by smart grids that enable demand response and prevents blackouts.
- Energy storage: Various devices or materials are used in the technology to store excess amounts of electricity for later use. It also helps in balancing the supply and demand of electricity and increasing the integration of renewable energy sources. Battery energy storage, flywheels, pumped hydro, compressed air, and hydrogen are some examples.
- Demand response: It also works with technologies to reduce peak demand, lower electricity cost and increase grid stability to adjust the electricity consumption.
- Waste-to-energy: It converts waste into energy by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and generating electricity.
- Tidal energy: The plant generates electricity by harnessing the power of ocean tides.
As we can see, the results are unlimited and the use of such technologies is also beyond our control but how far the energy is efficient and reliable, needs to be analyzed based on the following data and need to be thoroughly checked that it is a foundation for strong future to be built upon.
Sources:- RTI international, Energy digital, KnowHow, IEA