Can green energy replace fossil fuels? Is it possible for us to run solely on greener and alternative energy? Read on to find out the answers.
The quick answer to this question is, yes.
It is possible that cleaner and more renewable energy sources can replace fossil fuels, but the transition is not simple and will not happen overnight.
There is a huge dependence on fossil fuels globally and it is this dependence which is causing damage, which is of course something we all know. The transition to renewable energy has already begun, but it is a slow and tricky process.
Why are fossil fuels hard to quit?
It is understandable to question why we can’t just give up fossil fuels quickly, considering we now know how much damage to the environment they cause, but it just isn’t that simple.
First of all, fuel is hugely useful to us, and it isn’t feasible to cut it all off instantly. Human health, the global economy and the way we currently live our lives depends greatly on the use of gas, coal and oil.
There are also many political obstacles to giving up fossil fuels, as much of the responsibility in figuring out alternatives lies in the hands of governments. REN21, an energy policy think tank, said that ‘patience and faith in politicians, who hesitate and waver, is fading’, but some of the biggest players in the game still don’t seem to be taking note. In 2017 President Trump announced that the United States were pulling out of the Paris Agreement, and this became reality in 2020, with the US becoming the first country to pull out of the international treaty on climate change. It wasn’t until Joe Biden took charge of the country that the US returned to the Paris Agreement within hours of him becoming President.
There is of course also corporate opposition to these changes, and their reasons for opposition normally lies with the short-term effects it would have on the economy, job creation and employment, although there would be more job opportunities created in renewable energy as we move towards the switch. At time of writing renewable energy employment worldwide reached 12 million, which is up from 11.5 million in 2019.
The change to alternative energy
So while it may be almost impossible to switch to renewable energy in an instant, we are making progress, but of course this switch does need to be made sooner rather than later.
Wind and solar energy have the potential to meet the global demand of electricity one hundred times over, and the cost of these types of renewable energy are decreasing rapidly. It is possible that the generation of electricity could be pushed aside altogether by 2035, this comes from a report from a UK based non-profit think tank, Carbon Tracker. This report reveals that wind and solar could possibly produce thousands of PWh of electricity each year, while the global demand currently stands at around 27 PWh. If the entire human race was using these sorts of renewable energy sources it would only take up approximately 0.3% of the Earth’s land area, which is less space than what the fossil fuel industry is currently taking up.
Solar energy is one of the few renewable energy sources that is actually on track to meet global climate targets. Some countries are quicker than others to implement it, but it is still on course.
When will the switch to renewable energy happen?
This is a tricky question, and there of course targets but whether we hit the target dates is another matter. The Paris global warming target is to limit the rise in temperature to only 1.5°c.
There are 143 countries that are responsible for 99.7% of C02 emission globally, and the aim for these countries is to use at least 80% of renewable energy by 2030 and 100% renewable energy by 2050. All countries are running at a different pace when it comes to cutting out fossil fuel emissions, this is what makes it difficult to figure out when we will be using 100% renewable energy globally.
Here is a list of a few countries which have banned the exploration and extraction of fossil fuel;
Ireland
This year Ireland has banned any new licenses for gas and oil exploration. Ireland's minister for environment, climate and communications, Eamon Ryan said in a statement that, ‘by keeping fossil fuels in the ground, we will incentivise the transition to renewable energy and put ourselves on the pathway to net zero by 2050.’ He also mentioned that by making this decision, Ireland hoped to send a powerful message to the rest of the world.
Spain
This year Spain has approved a law that will put a stop to the production of fossil fuels across the whole country by the year 2042. Spain is one of the countries that is falling behind when it comes to the reduction of emissions targets, so hopefully this new law is a step forward. This new law will ban all oil, coal and gas exploration, and they aim to generate 74% of their electricity from renewable sources by the year 2030.
Belize
There may be slightly different reasons for Belize to make this decision but it is still a major positive step. They passed legislation in 2018 to stop oil extraction and exploration in all of its water. The Belize barrier reef is the second largest in the world, only behind Australia’s, and is home to over 1,000 different species of marine life. An oil spill near the reef could have catastrophic effects on this habitat, and it could also hugely affect their tourism industry. The country does not produce anywhere near as much oil as some other countries, around 3,000 barrels a day, but it is still a great step forward.
Denmark
Denmark has also banned any new exploration, and has also agreed to end gas and oil production in the North Sea by the year 2050. They were the second country behind France to set a date for the phase out of oil and gas. This is a great move as Denmark is one the largest producers in Europe as they extract more than 7,000 tonnes of oil each year.
Climate minister, Dan Joergensen said, ‘We are now putting an end to the fossil fuel era, and drawing a straight line between our activities in the North sea and the Climate Act’s goal of climate neutrality in 2050.’
France
There is now a law in France that stops any new permits being issued for extracting fossil fuels from 2040 onwards.
Greenland
Greenland has become a hotspot for drilling exploration, and it is estimated that there could be 31 billion barrels worth of oil sitting under their land. This year they have a newly elected government who have made climate change issues one of their priorities, and have banned any new oil exploration from 2050. This is a big change from a country that had ambitions of becoming a huge oil producing country.
So while a number of countries are taking huge steps, other countries are not meeting the same standards and targets. There are even some estimates that suggest 100 years is more likely the minimum amount of time needed to completely overhaul the way we currently use energy and transition to renewable energy only. So there is great progress taking place, and of course alternative energy can replace fossil fuels, but when and how this will happen is impossible to answer with any certainty.