The shift towards renewable energy is essential for ‘Energy Transition’. This movement has significantly accelerated in the last decade. Nations strive to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Despite the clear advantages of renewables, major obstacles continue to impede their widespread adoption. This article delves into the principal challenges that restrict the broader embrace of these sustainable energy sources. It discusses viable strategies to overcome these hurdles. The goal is to hasten our journey towards a more sustainable and cleaner energy future.
Intermittent Nature
Intermittent renewable energy sources (IRES) are energy sources. They are not dispatchable due to their fluctuating nature. Examples include wind and solar power. In contrast, controllable renewable energy sources, such as hydropower and biomass, or constant sources, such as geothermal power. The use of insignificant amounts of intermittent power has a negligible effect on grid operations. Using larger amounts of intermittent power may require upgrades or even redesigning the grid infrastructure. The main option to integrate large shares of renewable energy into the grid is using energy storage. Also, it includes the improved interconnection between different variable sources to smooth out supply such as hydropower.
The penetration of intermittent renewables in most power grids is low. In 2021, Wind power share in global electricity generation was 7% while solar power share was 4%. However, Denmark, Luxembourg and Uruguay generated over 40% of their electricity demand in same year from wind and solar. Characteristics of variable renewables include their unpredictability, variability, and low running costs. These challenging aspects force grid operators to ensure matching supply and demand. Solutions include energy storage, demand response, availability of overcapacity and sector coupling. Smaller isolated grids may be less tolerant to high levels of penetration intermittent renewables.
High Upfront Cost
Many clean energy projects, especially renewable energy generation and larger energy efficiency projects, require significant capital investments. The installation cost of a large-scale solar power system is around $2,000/kW. The installation cost of a small-scale residential system is approximately $3,700/kW. In contrast, a new gas-fired plant costs only $1,000/kW. Project developers may not have enough cash on hand to fund these projects. Residential and commercial end users also lack the necessary funds for the initial installation costs of a clean energy project. This may include project assessment and feasibility, equipment purchases, and project construction. Financing may be essential to amortize the costs over multiple years. This can take the form of a bond, loan, lease, or power purchase agreement.
Future of Infrastructure is Uncertain
In recent years, off-grid technologies leveraging renewable energy have gained significant prominence for their capacity to conveniently electrify remote communities. These technologies are implemented as mini grids. Mini-grids are scaled-down versions of larger transmission grids and serve dozens or hundreds of households. They can also be standalone systems designed for individual homes or small groups. The expansion of the main power grid poses a challenge to these off-grid solutions. Customers often choose the main grid for its reliability and perceived benefits. This shift can undermine the viability of mini-grid developers. It also affects the expectations of sellers of standalone systems. These challenges pose a critical hurdle in the ‘Energy Transition’ towards sustainable energy solutions.
While investing in fossil fuel-based energy has become riskier, there are also unique investment risks with small-scale renewable systems. In developing countries, many sites rely on off-grid or mini-grid electricity. The infrastructure in these sites faces the risk of becoming a “stranded asset.” This is an abandoned infrastructure that no longer holds value and may work against efforts to limit climate change.
Additionally, another issue is that the existing energy infrastructure is built for fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. This existing infrastructure needs urgent reform as it is not capable of handling significant amounts of renewable energy.
Must have Energy Storage
Renewable energy sources often produce electricity at specific times of the day, which may not align with peak demand hours. This intermittency means that renewable energy can’t offer a constant, on-demand power source around the clock. To effectively bridge this gap and support ‘Energy Transition’, various energy storage techniques are essential. These storage solutions are key to balancing supply and demand. They make certain that energy generated from renewable sources can be stored and used when it is most needed.
- Lithium-ion batteries. Best short-term solution; disadvantages – expensive, shorter service life, higher maintenance need and risk of fire.
- Pumped hydroelectric storage. During periods of off-peak electricity demand, pumped hydroelectric storage facilities store energy as water in an upper reservoir. Water is pumped from another reservoir at a lower elevation. This method is considered as the cheapest energy storage method.
- Pumped thermal electricity storage. Pumped thermal electricity storage works by turning electricity into heat using a large-scale heat pump. This heat is then stored in a hot material, for example water or gravel, inside an insulated tank. When needed, the heat is then turned back into electricity using a heat engine.
- Compressed air energy storage. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) is a way to store energy generated at one time for use at another time. At utility scale, energy produced during periods of low energy demand (off-peak) can be stored. It can then be released to meet periods of higher demand (peak load).
- Hydrogen storage. While an excellent medium for renewable energy storage, hydrogen itself is hard to store. Hydrogen has enormous potential and is a leading choice for long-term energy storage in future. Most importantly, hydrogen can replace fossil fuels for all those purposes without emitting carbon dioxide.
Monopoly of Non-Renewable Energy
Governments offer various incentives and rebate programs to promote renewable energy. Solar energy is a particular focus. Despite this, they continue to back the fossil fuel industry. This support significantly impedes the adoption of renewable energy solutions, which are crucial for managing the impacts of climate change. Addressing these challenges is vital for accelerating the ‘Energy Transition’ towards more sustainable and cleaner energy sources.
Lack of Policies and Regulations
The absence of supportive policies and regulations is a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies. The renewable energy sector needs clear and robust policies. It also requires legal guidelines to flourish and attract more private sector investment. Governments need to create and enforce policies that bolster the renewable energy market. Integrating renewable energy into existing power grids is challenging. This demands better coordination among utilities, grid operators, and regulatory bodies. Corporate lobbying poses a significant obstacle. Political pressure is another barrier. Additionally, a deep-rooted reliance on fossil fuels continues to hinder the shift towards renewable energy. Despite these hurdles, advancing the ‘Energy Transition’ involves adopting clean, renewable energy. This signifies a critical stride towards achieving a more sustainable future.
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