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The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health crisis that has major implications for world economies, energy use and CO2 emissions. According to the IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2020 report, the immediate effects of the pandemic on the energy system shows expected falls in 2020 of 5% in global energy demand, 7% in energy-related CO2 emissions and 18% in energy investment. Oil consumption is anticipated to decline by 8% and coal use by 7%. However, as with previous crises, the rebound in emissions may be larger than the decline, unless the wave of investments to restart economies is dedicated to cleaner and more resilient energy infrastructure. Decarbonizing energy use in time to avert catastrophic climate change requires increased international cooperation. Recovery measures following COVID-19 pandemic could include flexible power grids, efficiency solutions, electric vehicle charging, energy storage, interconnected hydropower, green hydrogen and other technology investments consistent with long-term energy and climate sustainability.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is a global movement to address these challenges by substantially increasing investment in renewable energy technologies and implementation, doubling the rate of improvement to energy efficiency, and changing user behaviours, with the aim to achieve absolute decoupling between energy consumption and economic growth.
Created a Post in Energy
How much do you know about sustainability? Test your knowledge and win exciting prizes with our fun and informative quiz game! Challenge your friends and learn something new about sustainable living and building practices. Play now and put your knowledge to the test!
Questions about Nuclear Fusion for Power Generation
Nuclear fission and fusion are two paths to clean energy. Fission reactors, which split heavy nuclei to produce energy, have been providing electricity around the world since the 1950s, while fusion reactors, which fuse light nuclei to release energy, are still in the experimental stage. Will fusion machines be practical for producing electricity?
The first law of thermodynamics is known as the conservation of energy. It states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. So we can never get out more than is contained in the fuel we put in. This law raises serious questions about nuclear fusion: Do light elements release more energy than they use for fusion, and where does fusion energy come from?
Nuclear fission machines can produce more energy than they consume because the fission energy of heavy elements like uranium comes from supernovas. As explained by thermonuclear astrophysics, elements heavier than iron are created by the absorption of nuclear energy inside a very large star when it goes supernova.
Could the fusion energy of light elements come from the Big Bang? Since there is a better explanation than the Big Bang theory for what we observe in the cosmos today, this theory is most likely a fictional story.
Before investing in fusion reactors, it is important to know whether light elements release more energy than they consume for fusion, or where the fusion energy comes from.
I work as a Senior Knowledge Analyst at Boston Consulting Group based out of the Houston, Texas office. I am interested in part-time remote volunteering utilizing my topic expertise in low carbon fuels, Hydrogen, Renewable Natural gas. Would appreciate any thoughts, opportunities you know of.
Created a Post in Energy, Industry and Entrepreneurship
Interesting case of employing a renewable energy solution to treat a waste & food security issue.
In East Africa, small-scale farmers who make up most of their agribusiness are often faced with their fresh produce going to waste, due to the lack of electricity supply, cold storage facilities, and general post-harvest management support.
Tanzania has recently come up with an increasingly effective solution to this problem. The country has made visible progress in setting up refrigerating facilities, but powered by solar energy. While benefitting thousands of farmers and traders already, the article raises necessity of scaling financing, especially from the private sector into renewable energy projects to populate such a solution across the Sub-Saharan Africa.
Created a Post in Circular Economy, Climate Change, Energy
Shared Solar Launches to Make Solar Energy More Accessible
Created a Post in Climate Change, Energy, Industry and Entrepreneurship
Are you looking for a future in a sustainable sector? Or do you want to learn how your skills can help the climate? Then look no further & register now for the international #SolarWorksFair, for free! The #SolarWorksFair is a virtual event on 1 December, matching job seekers with a diverse range of solar companies. You will get the unique opportunity to connect with talent recruiters, discover what their current opening are and get advice on how to enter the rapidly growing market. The demand for solar is higher than ever – and we cannot let the shortage of skilled workers hold us back. The sector urgently needs to find talent to install all that solar potential, and they need people with all kinds of skills. #solar
Registration link: https://app.swapcard.com/event/solarworks-fair-1 #SolarWorksFair
Created an Event in Circular Economy, Energy, Industry and Entrepreneurship
Created an Event in Energy, Green Recovery from COVID-19, Industry and Entrepreneurship
Created a Post in Circular Economy, Energy, Industry and Entrepreneurship
All eyes are on COP27 and financing the clean energy transition in emerging economies is high on the agenda.
To build the renewable energy infrastructure the world needs at speed and scale, circular economy will play a vital role like factoring circularity into the design stage. In the transition to clean energy, critical minerals bring new challenges to energy security. According to the IEA, getting to net zero by 2040 will require a six-fold increase in mineral input by 2040, some key metals, such a lithium, could see growth rates of over 40 times, with nickel and cobalt demand growing more than 20 fold.
See the attached image: IEA, Minerals used in clean energy technologies compared to other power generation sources, IEA, Paris https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/charts/minerals-used-in-clean-e…, IEA. License: CC BY 4.0
How can we reshape the renewable energy industry, including EVs and batteries, to reduce the dependence on virgin critical materials in order to stem biodiversity loss and ecological degradation from unsustainable mining?
Created a Post in Climate Change, Energy
Driving an EV in Winter: Many people are keen to start driving EVs but not sure if their winter climate where they live makes them a practical choice. We’ve highlighted some of the main considerations, plus misconceptions, about driving an EV in winter so you can make the best decisions based on your climate and ways to optimise your car’s performance in winter.