Energy Perspective
“Act now on Australia Power System or pay more later”. Was the title of a recent article on an Energy forum, The Conversation. This could as well be a paraphrase of President Jimmy Carter who in 1977 addressed the American people saying “Tonight, I want to have an unpleasant talk with you about a problem unprecedented in our history. With the exception of preventing war, this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes. The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly.”
Since the time of President Carter and current times, the issue of efficient and sufficient energy has continued to be a major challenge to all communities in the world, with recent global surveys indicating that the rapidly rising electricity costs are the biggest concern of most urban households from Australia to Kenya.
Besides the definition of energy as the ability to do work, with the economic term constituting goods and services, and the associated transportation, and hence the GDP, the 4th dimension in this equation has emerged as the Carbon Foot print, which is the side effect of this GDP process. As such, future climatic changes and the effects of carbon dioxide will have impacts on the preferred energy sources, with the most efficient and with least environmental impacts providing cost effective advantages and strategic strengths.
Overreliance on Fossil fuels energy sources is faced with a challenging future, not only from their finite nature, but also the associated environmental impact. Safety of the Nuclear energy is an issue currently on the table, while wind, geothermal and solar sources are breaking the new dawn across the globe. A number of States and Countries including Tasmania and Djibouti have adopted a plan for 100% Renewable Energy Sources by 2020. Completion of 168 MW Musselroe Wind Farm in Northwest Tasmania is a step towards reaching this Renewable Energy goal.
Germany’s renewable energy generation has increased from 3% in 1990 to 22% in 2012 and 27% in 1st quarter 2014, which is double approx 13% of U.S. , assuring the European Nation the first among the nations as a renewable energy leader.
In China, the Renewable Energy Law has facilitated deployment of 161 gigawatts (GW) of hydro, 45GW of wind and 11GW of nuclear power since 1990, whilst US$55 billion has been invested in power transmission. Targets are for an additional 93 GW of hydro, 55GW of wind, 30GW of nuclear and 28GW of solar by 2015. This is alongside an ultra-high-voltage network to provide a unified strong and smart grid.
The 100MW Shams 1 solar plant in Abu Dhabi is an indication of how Oil producers are diversifying into sustainable energy.
In many Countries in Africa including Kenya, wind, solar and geothermal energy plants are being implemented together with revamping of the much needed distribution grids. It’s now a familiar sight where wind power plants dot the rural hillsides, and solar farms spread on the plains side by side with the grazing communities. Kenya has set a target to generate 50% of the energy need form Solar by 2016 and has embarked on $ 1.2 bn projects towards this end.The Turkana Wind Power Project including a new 428 Km Transmission Line , scheduled to commence in June 2014, will generate 130MW when completed, and is billed to be the biggest single wind power scheme in Africa.
California has USD 2.2 Billion solar energy program to diversify away from gas-fired generation. California’s shift to greater resilience and energy security has involved a number of overlapping policy measures. These are now starting to deliver greater diversity of supply and energy security. Recent analysis of the roll-out of renewable energy in the EU concludes that well-adapted feed-in-tariffs are effective support schemes for diversification to renewable energy. Australia has focused on its Renewable Energy Target to deliver diversified energy
Austica’s Role.
As the energy story unfolds, just like the Volvo’s creative Solar Panels for the V 60, Austica is well equipped with the necessary expertise and tools to offer innovative solutions to a sustainably energised future.