Renewable energy is generally defined as energy that is
collected from resources which
are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves,
and geothermal heat.[2] Renewable energy often provides energy in
four important areas: electricity generation, air and water
heating/cooling, transportation,
andrural (off-grid) energy services.[3]
Based
on REN21's 2016 report,
renewables contributed 19,2 percent to humans' global energy consumption and 23,7 percent to their generation
of electricity in 2014 and 2015, respectively. This energy consumption is
divided as 8.9% coming from traditional
biomass, 4.2% as heat energy (modern biomass, geothermal and solar
heat), 3.9% hydro electricity and 2.2% is electricity from wind, solar,
geothermal, and biomass.
Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$286
billion in 2015, with countries like China and
the United Statesheavily
investing in wind, hydro, solar and biofuels.[4]
Renewable
energy resources exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated in
a limited number of countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency is resulting in significant energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic
benefits.The results of a recent review of the literature [concluded that as greenhouse gas(GHG)
emitters begin to be held liable for damages resulting from GHG emissions
resulting in climate change, a high value for liability mitigation would
provide powerful incentives for deployment of renewable energy technologies. In
international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable
sources such as solar power and wind power.[7] At the national level, at least 30 nations
around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20
percent of energy supply. National renewable energy markets are projected to
continue to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond.[8] Some places and at least two countries,
Iceland and Norway generate all their electricity using renewable energy
already, and many other countries have the set a goal to reach 100% renewable energy in the future. For example, in Denmark the government decided to switch the total
energy supply (electricity,
mobility and heating/cooling) to 100% renewable energy by 2050.[9]
While
many renewable energy projects are large-scale, renewable technologies are also
suited to rural and remote areas and developing countries,
where energy is often crucial in human development.[10] United Nations'
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the
ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity.[11] As most of renewables provide electricity,
renewable energy deployment is often applied in conjunction with further electrification,
which has several benefits: For example, electricity can be converted to heat
without losses and even reach higher temperatures than fossil fuels, can be
converted into mechanical energy with high efficiency and is clean at the point
of consumpion. In addition to
that electrification with renewable energy is much more efficient and therefore
leads to a significant reduction in primary energy requirements, because most
renewables don't have a steam cycle with high losses (fossil power plants
usually have losses of 40 to 65%).[14]
0 Komentar untuk "Renewable Energy"