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• ENVIRONMENT

Renewable energy, explained

Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal power can provide energy without the planet-warming effects of fossil fuels.

In any discussion about climate change , renewable energy usually tops the list of changes the world can implement to stave off the worst effects of rising temperatures. That's because renewable energy sources such as solar and wind don't emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming .

Clean energy has far more to recommend it than just being "green." The growing sector creates jobs , makes electric grids more resilient, expands energy access in developing countries, and helps lower energy bills. All of those factors have contributed to a renewable energy renaissance in recent years, with wind and solar setting new records for electricity generation .

For the past 150 years or so, humans have relied heavily on coal, oil, and other fossil fuels to power everything from light bulbs to cars to factories. Fossil fuels are embedded in nearly everything we do, and as a result, the greenhouse gases released from the burning of those fuels have reached historically high levels .

As greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere that would otherwise escape into space, average temperatures on the surface are rising . Global warming is one symptom of climate change, the term scientists now prefer to describe the complex shifts affecting our planet’s weather and climate systems. Climate change encompasses not only rising average temperatures but also extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, rising seas , and a range of other impacts .

Of course, renewables—like any source of energy—have their own trade-offs and associated debates. One of them centers on the definition of renewable energy. Strictly speaking, renewable energy is just what you might think: perpetually available, or as the U.S. Energy Information Administration puts it, " virtually inexhaustible ." But "renewable" doesn't necessarily mean sustainable, as opponents of corn-based ethanol or large hydropower dams often argue. It also doesn't encompass other low- or zero-emissions resources that have their own advocates, including energy efficiency and nuclear power.

Types of renewable energy sources

Hydropower: For centuries, people have harnessed the energy of river currents, using dams to control water flow. Hydropower is the world's biggest source of renewable energy by far, with China, Brazil, Canada, the U.S., and Russia the leading hydropower producers . While hydropower is theoretically a clean energy source replenished by rain and snow, it also has several drawbacks.

For Hungry Minds

Large dams can disrupt river ecosystems and surrounding communities , harming wildlife and displacing residents. Hydropower generation is vulnerable to silt buildup, which can compromise capacity and harm equipment. Drought can also cause problems. In the western U.S., carbon dioxide emissions over a 15-year period were 100 megatons higher than they normally would have been, according to a 2018 study , as utilities turned to coal and gas to replace hydropower lost to drought. Even hydropower at full capacity bears its own emissions problems, as decaying organic material in reservoirs releases methane.

Dams aren't the only way to use water for power: Tidal and wave energy projects around the world aim to capture the ocean's natural rhythms. Marine energy projects currently generate an estimated 500 megawatts of power —less than one percent of all renewables—but the potential is far greater. Programs like Scotland’s Saltire Prize have encouraged innovation in this area.

Wind: Harnessing the wind as a source of energy started more than 7,000 years ago . Now, electricity-generating wind turbines are proliferating around the globe, and China, the U.S., and Germany are the leading wind energy producers. From 2001 to 2017 , cumulative wind capacity around the world increased to more than 539,000 megawatts from 23,900 mw—more than 22 fold.

Some people may object to how wind turbines look on the horizon and to how they sound, but wind energy, whose prices are declining , is proving too valuable a resource to deny. While most wind power comes from onshore turbines, offshore projects are appearing too, with the most in the U.K. and Germany. The first U.S. offshore wind farm opened in 2016 in Rhode Island, and other offshore projects are gaining momentum . Another problem with wind turbines is that they’re a danger for birds and bats, killing hundreds of thousands annually , not as many as from glass collisions and other threats like habitat loss and invasive species, but enough that engineers are working on solutions to make them safer for flying wildlife.

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Solar: From home rooftops to utility-scale farms, solar power is reshaping energy markets around the world. In the decade from 2007 and 2017 the world's total installed energy capacity from photovoltaic panels increased a whopping 4,300 percent .

In addition to solar panels, which convert the sun's light to electricity, concentrating solar power (CSP) plants use mirrors to concentrate the sun's heat, deriving thermal energy instead. China, Japan, and the U.S. are leading the solar transformation, but solar still has a long way to go, accounting for around two percent of the total electricity generated in the U.S. in 2017. Solar thermal energy is also being used worldwide for hot water, heating, and cooling.

Biomass: Biomass energy includes biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel , wood and wood waste, biogas from landfills, and municipal solid waste. Like solar power, biomass is a flexible energy source, able to fuel vehicles, heat buildings, and produce electricity. But biomass can raise thorny issues.

Critics of corn-based ethanol , for example, say it competes with the food market for corn and supports the same harmful agricultural practices that have led to toxic algae blooms and other environmental hazards. Similarly, debates have erupted over whether it's a good idea to ship wood pellets from U.S. forests over to Europe so that it can be burned for electricity. Meanwhile, scientists and companies are working on ways to more efficiently convert corn stover , wastewater sludge , and other biomass sources into energy, aiming to extract value from material that would otherwise go to waste.

Geothermal: Used for thousands of years in some countries for cooking and heating, geothermal energy is derived from the Earth’s internal heat . On a large scale, underground reservoirs of steam and hot water can be tapped through wells that can go a mile deep or more to generate electricity. On a smaller scale, some buildings have geothermal heat pumps that use temperature differences several feet below ground for heating and cooling. Unlike solar and wind energy, geothermal energy is always available, but it has side effects that need to be managed, such as the rotten egg smell that can accompany released hydrogen sulfide.

Ways to boost renewable energy

Cities, states, and federal governments around the world are instituting policies aimed at increasing renewable energy. At least 29 U.S. states have set renewable portfolio standards —policies that mandate a certain percentage of energy from renewable sources, More than 100 cities worldwide now boast at least 70 percent renewable energy, and still others are making commitments to reach 100 percent . Other policies that could encourage renewable energy growth include carbon pricing, fuel economy standards, and building efficiency standards. Corporations are making a difference too, purchasing record amounts of renewable power in 2018.

Wonder whether your state could ever be powered by 100 percent renewables? No matter where you live, scientist Mark Jacobson believes it's possible. That vision is laid out here , and while his analysis is not without critics , it punctuates a reality with which the world must now reckon. Even without climate change, fossil fuels are a finite resource, and if we want our lease on the planet to be renewed, our energy will have to be renewable.

Related Topics

• SUSTAINABILITY
• RENEWABLE ENERGY
• GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
• SOLAR POWER
• HYDROELECTRIC POWER
• CLIMATE CHANGE

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Renewable Energy

Renewable energy comes from sources that will not be used up in our lifetimes, such as the sun and wind.

Earth Science, Experiential Learning, Engineering, Geology

Wind Turbines in a Sheep Pasture

Wind turbines use the power of wind to generate energy. This is just one source of renewable energy.

Photograph by Jesus Keller/ Shutterstock

The wind, the sun, and Earth are sources of  renewable energy . These energy sources naturally renew, or replenish themselves.

Wind, sunlight, and the planet have energy that transforms in ways we can see and feel. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy from the sun to Earth in the sunlight shining on the ground and the warmth we feel when sunlight shines on our skin. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy in wind’s ability to pull kites higher into the sky and shake the leaves on trees. We can see and feel evidence of the transfer of energy in the geothermal energy of steam vents and geysers .

People have created different ways to capture the energy from these renewable sources.

Solar Energy

Solar energy can be captured “actively” or “passively.”

Active solar energy uses special technology to capture the sun’s rays. The two main types of equipment are photovoltaic cells (also called PV cells or solar cells) and mirrors that focus sunlight in a specific spot. These active solar technologies use sunlight to generate electricity , which we use to power lights, heating systems, computers, and televisions.

Passive solar energy does not use any equipment. Instead, it gets energy from the way sunlight naturally changes throughout the day. For example, people can build houses so their windows face the path of the sun. This means the house will get more heat from the sun. It will take less energy from other sources to heat the house.

Other examples of passive solar technology are green roofs , cool roofs, and radiant barriers . Green roofs are completely covered with plants. Plants can get rid of pollutants in rainwater and air. They help make the local environment cleaner.

Cool roofs are painted white to better reflect sunlight. Radiant barriers are made of a reflective covering, such as aluminum. They both reflect the sun’s heat instead of absorbing it. All these types of roofs help lower the amount of energy needed to cool the building.

Advantages and Disadvantages There are many advantages to using solar energy. PV cells last for a long time, about 20 years.

However, there are reasons why solar power cannot be used as the only power source in a community. It can be expensive to install PV cells or build a building using passive solar technology.

Sunshine can also be hard to predict. It can be blocked by clouds, and the sun doesn’t shine at night. Different parts of Earth receive different amounts of sunlight based on location, the time of year, and the time of day.

Wind Energy

People have been harnessing the wind’s energy for a long, long time. Five-thousand years ago, ancient Egyptians made boats powered by the wind. In 200 B.C.E., people used windmills to grind grain in the Middle East and pump water in China.

Today, we capture the wind’s energy with wind turbines . A turbine is similar to a windmill; it has a very tall tower with two or three propeller-like blades at the top. These blades are turned by the wind. The blades turn a generator (located inside the tower), which creates electricity.

Groups of wind turbines are known as wind farms . Wind farms can be found near farmland, in narrow mountain passes, and even in the ocean, where there are steadier and stronger winds. Wind turbines anchored in the ocean are called “ offshore wind farms.”

Wind farms create electricity for nearby homes, schools, and other buildings.

Advantages and Disadvantages Wind energy can be very efficient . In places like the Midwest in the United States and along coasts, steady winds can provide cheap, reliable electricity.

Another great advantage of wind power is that it is a “clean” form of energy. Wind turbines do not burn fuel or emit any pollutants into the air.

Wind is not always a steady source of energy, however. Wind speed changes constantly, depending on the time of day, weather , and geographic location. Currently, it cannot be used to provide electricity for all our power needs.

Wind turbines can also be dangerous for bats and birds. These animals cannot always judge how fast the blades are moving and crash into them.

Geothermal Energy

Deep beneath the surface is Earth’s core . The center of Earth is extremely hot—thought to be over 6,000 °C (about 10,800 °F). The heat is constantly moving toward the surface.

We can see some of Earth’s heat when it bubbles to the surface. Geothermal energy can melt underground rocks into magma and cause the magma to bubble to the surface as lava . Geothermal energy can also heat underground sources of water and force it to spew out from the surface. This stream of water is called a geyser.

However, most of Earth’s heat stays underground and makes its way out very, very slowly.

We can access underground geothermal heat in different ways. One way of using geothermal energy is with “geothermal heat pumps.” A pipe of water loops between a building and holes dug deep underground. The water is warmed by the geothermal energy underground and brings the warmth aboveground to the building. Geothermal heat pumps can be used to heat houses, sidewalks, and even parking lots.

Another way to use geothermal energy is with steam. In some areas of the world, there is underground steam that naturally rises to the surface. The steam can be piped straight to a power plant. However, in other parts of the world, the ground is dry. Water must be injected underground to create steam. When the steam comes to the surface, it is used to turn a generator and create electricity.

In Iceland, there are large reservoirs of underground water. Almost 90 percent of people in Iceland use geothermal as an energy source to heat their homes and businesses.

Advantages and Disadvantages An advantage of geothermal energy is that it is clean. It does not require any fuel or emit any harmful pollutants into the air.

Geothermal energy is only avaiable in certain parts of the world. Another disadvantage of using geothermal energy is that in areas of the world where there is only dry heat underground, large quantities of freshwater are used to make steam. There may not be a lot of freshwater. People need water for drinking, cooking, and bathing.

Biomass Energy

Biomass is any material that comes from plants or microorganisms that were recently living. Plants create energy from the sun through photosynthesis . This energy is stored in the plants even after they die.

Trees, branches, scraps of bark, and recycled paper are common sources of biomass energy. Manure, garbage, and crops , such as corn, soy, and sugar cane, can also be used as biomass feedstocks .

We get energy from biomass by burning it. Wood chips, manure, and garbage are dried out and compressed into squares called “briquettes.” These briquettes are so dry that they do not absorb water. They can be stored and burned to create heat or generate electricity.

Biomass can also be converted into biofuel . Biofuels are mixed with regular gasoline and can be used to power cars and trucks. Biofuels release less harmful pollutants than pure gasoline.

Advantages and Disadvantages A major advantage of biomass is that it can be stored and then used when it is needed.

Growing crops for biofuels, however, requires large amounts of land and pesticides . Land could be used for food instead of biofuels. Some pesticides could pollute the air and water.

Biomass energy can also be a nonrenewable energy source. Biomass energy relies on biomass feedstocks—plants that are processed and burned to create electricity. Biomass feedstocks can include crops, such as corn or soy, as well as wood. If people do not replant biomass feedstocks as fast as they use them, biomass energy becomes a non-renewable energy source.

Hydroelectric Energy

Hydroelectric energy is made by flowing water. Most hydroelectric power plants are located on large dams , which control the flow of a river.

Dams block the river and create an artificial lake, or reservoir. A controlled amount of water is forced through tunnels in the dam. As water flows through the tunnels, it turns huge turbines and generates electricity.

Advantages and Disadvantages Hydroelectric energy is fairly inexpensive to harness. Dams do not need to be complex, and the resources to build them are not difficult to obtain. Rivers flow all over the world, so the energy source is available to millions of people.

Hydroelectric energy is also fairly reliable. Engineers control the flow of water through the dam, so the flow does not depend on the weather (the way solar and wind energies do).

However, hydroelectric power plants are damaging to the environment. When a river is dammed, it creates a large lake behind the dam. This lake (sometimes called a reservoir) drowns the original river habitat deep underwater. Sometimes, people build dams that can drown entire towns underwater. The people who live in the town or village must move to a new area.

Hydroelectric power plants don’t work for a very long time: Some can only supply power for 20 or 30 years. Silt , or dirt from a riverbed, builds up behind the dam and slows the flow of water.

Other Renewable Energy Sources

Scientists and engineers are constantly working to harness other renewable energy sources. Three of the most promising are tidal energy , wave energy , and algal (or algae) fuel.

Tidal energy harnesses the power of ocean tides to generate electricity. Some tidal energy projects use the moving tides to turn the blades of a turbine. Other projects use small dams to continually fill reservoirs at high tide and slowly release the water (and turn turbines) at low tide.

Wave energy harnesses waves from the ocean, lakes, or rivers. Some wave energy projects use the same equipment that tidal energy projects do—dams and standing turbines. Other wave energy projects float directly on waves. The water’s constant movement over and through these floating pieces of equipment turns turbines and creates electricity.

Algal fuel is a type of biomass energy that uses the unique chemicals in seaweed to create a clean and renewable biofuel. Algal fuel does not need the acres of cropland that other biofuel feedstocks do.

Renewable Nations

These nations (or groups of nations) produce the most energy using renewable resources. Many of them are also the leading producers of nonrenewable energy: China, European Union, United States, Brazil, and Canada

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Top 10 areas of green energy research

Magesh Ganesan , Scientist, ACS International India Pvt. Ltd.

February 29, 2024

With so much being published on green energy and sustainability, how can you identify the fastest growing areas of research?  Learn how CAS Insights provides a unique view of the green energy research landscape and can help you identify emerging trends sooner.  Subscribe to be the first to know when we publish new scientific insights.

Fossil fuels remain our primary energy source, but their limited availability and negative environmental impact have led to events like the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) to seek green energy alternatives. These are sources that can be replenished in the average human lifespan and have a net zero environmental impact.

Every year, millions of journal articles and patent applications are created, so it can be difficult to identify the signals from the noise. CAS curates, connects, and analyzes the world’s published science inside the CAS Content Collection™ to provide a unique view of the scientific landscape. This enables novel insights that show emerging trends in new research areas. Five broad areas of research were identified that contained the fastest-growing trends: batteries, hydrogen energy, solar cells, new materials, and photothermal energy.

How was the analysis done?

First, CAS identified almost one million indexed documents in the CAS Content Collection™ that were relevant to the green energy space. Then, our researchers analyzed the hidden connections between key concepts using advanced analytics, knowledge graphing, and natural language processing to identify emerging trends in this area. Finally, our expert scientists with dozens of years of experience derived unique insights from the landscape of connections created. Several exciting growth patterns emerged between 2018 and 2022 that are early indicators of opportunities ahead. While many areas of green energy are growing quickly, we identified and prioritized the top ten emerging topics (Figure 1) that will help us reach a more sustainable future.

Batteries, energy storage, and battery recycling

Batteries are the leading method of storing electricity worldwide. Lithium-ion batteries have become commonplace, being used in portable devices and electric vehicles due to their high energy density, while lead-acid batteries are conventionally used for portable and stationary power storage. However, lithium-ion batteries are a fire hazard while lead-acid batteries are notably toxic. This has led to researchers looking for alternate, safer ways to store electricity.

• Aqueous zinc-ion batteries: These batteries are being studied as alternatives to lead-acid batteries because they are naturally occurring, much more environmentally friendly, and notably cheaper and non-toxic.
• Solid-state lithium-ion battery: Standard lithium-ion batteries degrade quickly, are fire hazards, and have high toxicity. However, they are still widely used because of faster charging and easy manufacturing. Solid-state lithium-ion batteries can be charged and discharged many times more than lithium-ion batteries and hold more electricity.

The successful development of these new battery types will make the industry much safer. Not only will solid-state lithium batteries be less of a fire hazard, but the overall pollution will drop, owing to the absence of toxic liquid electrolytes and more sustainable production. Learn more about lithium-ion batteries , the landscape of recyclin g legislation and regulations , and the new breakthroughs  that are driving innovation. 

Hydrogen energy, green hydrogen economy, and hydrogen storage

Hydrogen has emerged as a promising alternative to fossil fuels, being more environmentally friendly, having higher energy per given weight than gasoline, and more applicable in many energy-related fields.

• Liquid hydrogen storage: Hydrogen has three times the gravimetric density of gasoline but only one-fourth of the volumetric energy density. This means liquid hydrogen is considered the most efficient method of storing hydrogen in its base form, and researchers are seeking new ways to take advantage of it. If properly harnessed, liquid hydrogen storage could enable new fuel cell-driven automobiles and decrease costs in petroleum refining, fertilizer production, and more. 
• Water splitting using heterojunction photocatalysts: Photocatalysts have emerged as a sustainable energy source, producing hydrogen using only water and sunlight. The main challenge, however, is identifying or developing them due to low efficiency and unsuitable band positions. Once these hurdles are overcome, the cost of hydrogen is expected to decrease, which could make it the preferred fuel source.   

The benefits of these hydrogen production and storage technologies are immense. Urea oxidation will be dual purpose, cleaning water and providing energy simultaneously. More efficient storage methods could facilitate the utilization of hydrogen fuel cells, revolutionizing commercial products like automobiles. These changes would be further bolstered by new water-splitting methods, which would make accessing the necessary hydrogen for these processes much cheaper. Learn more about photocatalysis and new breakthroughs in the landscape of green hydrogen production.  

Solar cells

Solar cells have seen an increased interest both academically and commercially. As industries look for more sustainable options, there will be more studies on how to optimize this technology for higher efficiency and lower cost.

• Non-fullerene acceptors for solar cells: The performance of organic solar cells has increased, but development is already underway to replace their most used acceptor, fullerene, with an alternative. These non-fullerene acceptors have more tunable properties, higher thermal and photochemical stability, and can lead to longer device lifetimes. This could lead to more stable, longer-lasting, and cheaper solar cells.
• Stable perovskite solar cells: As researchers look to enhance the efficiency of solar cells, one area of interest is perovskite-based solar cells. These easy-to-fabricate, low-cost cells have reported some of the highest energy efficiencies. However, the current materials used are unstable in certain conditions. The advantages of stable perovskite solar cells remain substantial and could diminish manufacturing costs if this challenge is overcome.

The main hurdle that these two innovations could overcome is cost. By cutting out fullerene or developing cells with perovskite, solar energy could be more affordable to many consumers. Learn more about emerging technologies in materials .

Sustainable chemistry, new materials, and greener alternatives

Noble and toxic metals are frequently used in the energy field. While functional, risks and challenges remain, hindering the industry’s progress. This has led studies to examine more sustainable and efficient alternatives.

• Mxenes: These are two-dimensional materials that incorporate a transition metal and a functional group. Their layered nature makes them strong candidates for energy storage applications like capacitors and batteries while their optical and catalytic properties have potential in photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. Mxenes also contain earth-abundant elements, circumventing the risks associated with noble or toxic metals. Any breakthrough with this material could result in significant cost, environmental, and energy storage benefits.
• Covalent organic frameworks: These are two or three-dimensional structures formed by organic precursor reactions. Forming covalently bonded, porous structures, they are being studied for hydrogen/methane and catalytic/electrocatalytic energy storage applications. Successful covalent organic framework applications could lead to many economic and environmental benefits in energy storage, chemical synthesis, catalysis, and gas separation with special interest in the automobile industry.

These materials have many possible applications. Both being made of earth-abundant materials, they will be more available and sustainable compared to other materials. By replacing current materials with covalent organic frameworks and mxenes, there will also be significant environmental and economic benefits across many industries. Learn more about sustainable catalysts , new biomaterials, and carbon nanotubes that can help build upon new opportunities ahead.

Solar energy, photothermal conversion, and green energy sources

As researchers try to find ways of reducing energy’s environmental impact, special interest is placed on renewable sources. Solar is already gaining commercial and industrial popularity, but further breakthroughs could lead to wider adoption.

• Photothermal energy conversion: The conversion of solar energy to heat, which generates steam, can generate electricity without using other sources. Researchers are studying inorganic and polymeric materials to find a suitable photothermal candidate. Success in this area could lead to a drastic energy cost reduction, owing to the sole reliance on solar energy. It would also have a substantial positive environmental impact by ideally removing the need for fossil fuels. 

Unlocking the potential of photothermal energy conversion could lead to immense energy cost savings and cleaner energy sources. Additionally, there has always been a desire to use solar energy to split water atoms for clean hydrogen production. This process of photocatalysis would be critical to using solar energy for clean hydrogen production and could reshape the future for a green hydrogen economy . 

Looking ahead

Green energy will remain a large research focus as we seek a net-zero environmental impact thanks to events like COP28. Suitable alternatives are being examined, but there remain challenges and risks that must be overcome before we see real-world applications. As more green energy advances are made, it can be challenging to keep up with the new developments. Subscribe to CAS Insights™ for unique views and the latest updates on green energy alternatives.

Gain new perspectives for faster progress directly to your inbox.

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116 Renewable Energy Essay Topics

🏆 best essay topics on renewable energy, 🌶️ hot renewable energy essay topics, 👍 good renewable energy research topics & essay examples, 💡 simple renewable energy essay ideas, ❓ renewable energy research questions.

• Solving the Climate Change Crisis by Using Renewable Energy Sources
• How Wind Turbines Convert Wind Energy into Electrical Energy?
• Siemens Energy: Renewable Energy System
• Renewable Energy Technology in Egypt
• Discussion of Renewable Energy Resources
• Wind Energy as an Alternative Source
• Renewable Energy: Why Do We Need It?
• The Use of Renewable Energy: Advantages and Disadvantages Today’s world is dependent on electricity, which is supplied from many different sources such as fossils fuels which emit harmful gases that pollute the environment.
• Full Renewable Energy Plan Feasibility: 2030-2040 The paper argues that green energy in its current state will struggle to meet the humanity’s demand and the development of better hybrid, integrated grids is required.
• Solar Energy: Advantages and Disadvantages Renewable energy sources are being supported and invested in by governments to instigate a new environment-friendly technology.
• Solar Energy and Its Impact on Environment The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of solar energy on the environment. The major positive impact is the minimal emission of greenhouse gases.
• Sunburst Renewable Energy Corporation: Business Structuring The proposed Sunburst Renewable Energy Corporation will function on a captivating value statement in product strategy and customer relationships as the core instruments of sustainable operations.
• Renewable Energy Sources: Popularity and Benefits Renewable fuels are not as pollutive as fossil fuels; they can be reproduced quickly from domestic resources. They became popular because of the decreasing amount of fossil fuels.
• Renewable Energy Usage: Advantages and Disadvantages This treatise attempts to support the statement that there are both advantages and disadvantages to the use of renewable energy with focus on hydroelectric power.
• Discussion of Realization of Solar Energy Company ABC is interested in creating a “solar” project which will fully install and staff solar panels to ensure the safe transformation of solar energy into electricity.
• Utilization of Solar Energy for Thermal Desalination The following research is set to outline the prospects of utilization of solar energy for thermal desalination technologies.
• Solar Power as the Best Source of Energy The concepts of environmental conservation and sustainability have forced many countries and organizations to consider the best strategies or processes for generating electricity.
• Renewable Energy Sources for Saudi Arabia This paper will provide background information on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, its energy resources, and how it may become more modern and efficient.
• The G20 Countries’ Competitiveness in Renewable Energy Resources “Assessing national renewable energy competitiveness of the G20” by Fang et al. presents an assessment of competitiveness in renewable energy resources among G20 countries.
• Environmental Degradation and Renewable Energy The global community relies on the surrounding environment for food production, transport, and economic development.
• Renewable Energy in Japan: Clean Energy Transition Renewable energy in Japan became significantly important after the Fukushima Daiichi tsunami that struck Japan in 2011.
• Renewable Energy: Current State, Enablers, and Barriers The paper discusses the concept of sustainability takes a central role in the global discussion and presents of environment safety plan.
• Future of 100% Renewable Energy This article explores the future of renewable green energy and a review the topical studies related to 100% renewable energy.
• Renewable Energy: Proposal Argument and Mind Map This paper argues that green energy in its current state will struggle to meet humanity’s demand and the development of better hybrid, integrated grids is required.
• Profitability of Onshore and Offshore Wind Energy in Australia Undoubtedly, the recent increase in popularity of campaigns to decarbonize the globe proves renewable energy to be a current and future trend globally.
• Renewable Energy: The Use of Fossil Fuel The paper states that having a combination of renewable energy sources is becoming critical in the global effort to reduce the use of fossil fuels.
• Is Nuclear Power Renewable Energy? Renewable energy is obtained from the naturally-occurring elements, implying that it can be easily accessed, cheaply generated, and conveniently supplied to consumers.
• Solar Energy in China and Its Influence on Climate Change The influence of solar energy on climate change has impacted production, the advancement of solar energy has impacted climate change in the geography of China.
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Utilization This paper aims at expounding the effectiveness of renewable energy and the utilization of energy efficiency in regard to climate change.
• A World With 100% Renewable Energy Large corporations, countries, and separate states have already transferred or put a plan into action to transfer to 100% renewable energy in a couple of decades.
• Renewable Energy Programs in Five Countries Energy production is vital for the drive of the economy. The world at large should diversify the sources to reduce the over-usage of fossil energy that is a threat of depletion.
• Wind Works Ltd.: Wind Energy Development Methodology Wind Works Ltd, as the company, which provides the alternative energy sources, and makes them available for the wide range of the population needs to resort to a particular assessment strategies.
• Installing Solar Panels to Reduce Energy Costs The purpose of the proposal is to request permission for research to install solar panels to reduce energy costs, which represent a huge part of the company’s expenses.
• Renewable Energy: Economic and Health Benefits The US should consider the adoption of renewable sources of energy, because of the high cost of using fossil fuels and expenses related to health problems due to pollution.
• Renewable Energy Systems Group and Toyota Company The application of the Lean Six Sigma to the key company processes, creates prerequisites for stellar success, as the examples of Toyota and the Renewable Energy Systems Group have shown.
• Renewable Energy Sources: Definition, Types and Stocks This research report analyzes the growing interest of the use renewable energy as an alternative to the non-renewable energy.
• Renewable Energy Systems: Australia’s Electricity
• Accelerating Renewable Energy Electrification and Rural Economic Development With an Innovative Business Model
• Renewable Energy Systems: Role of Grid Connection
• Breaking Barriers Towards Investment in Renewable Energy
• California Dreaming: The Economics of Renewable Energy
• Marine Renewable Energy Clustering in the Mediterranean Sea: The Case of the PELAGOS Project
• Differences Between Fossil Fuel and Renewable Energy
• Addressing the Renewable Energy Financing Gap in Africa to Promote Universal Energy Access: Integrated Renewable Energy Financing in Malawi
• Causality Between Public Policies and Exports of Renewable Energy Technologies
• Achieving the Renewable Energy Target for Jamaica
• Economic Growth and the Transition From Non-renewable to Renewable Energy
• Between Innovation and Industrial Policy: How Washington Succeeds and Fails at Renewable Energy
• Increasing Financial Incentive for Renewable Energy in the Third World
• Does Financial Development Matter for Innovation in Renewable Energy?
• Financing Rural Renewable Energy: A Comparison Between China and India
• Alternative Energy for Renewable Energy Sources
• Low-Carbon Transition: Private Sector Investment in Renewable Energy Projects in Developing Countries
• Effective Renewable Energy Activities in Bangladesh
• China’s Renewable Energy Policy: Commitments and Challenges
• Analyzing the Dynamic Impact of Electricity Futures on Revenue and Risk of Renewable Energy in China
• Driving Energy: The Enactment and Ambitiousness of State Renewable Energy Policy
• Carbon Lock-Out: Advancing Renewable Energy Policy in Europe
• Big Oil vs. Renewable Energy: A Detrimental Conflict With Global Consequences
• Efficient Feed-In-Tariff Policies for Renewable Energy Technologies
• Balancing Cost and Risk: The Treatment of Renewable Energy in Western Utility Resource Plans
• Active and Reactive Power Control for Renewable Energy Generation Engineering
• Mainstreaming New Renewable Energy Technologies
• Carbon Pricing and Innovation of Renewable Energy
• Economic Growth, Carbon Dioxide Emissions, Renewable Energy and Globalization
• Figuring What’s Fair: The Cost of Equity Capital for Renewable Energy in Emerging Markets
• Distributed Generation: The Definitive Boost for Renewable Energy in Spain
• Biodiesel From Green Rope and Brown Algae: Future Renewable Energy
• Electricity Supply Security and the Future Role of Renewable Energy Sources in Brazil
• Contracting for Biomass: Supply Chain Strategies for Renewable Energy
• Advanced Education and Training Programs to Support Renewable Energy Investment in Africa
• Domestic Incentive Measures for Renewable Energy With Possible Trade Implications
• Affordable and Clean Renewable Energy
• Catalyzing Investment for Renewable Energy in Developing Countries
• Better Health, Environment, and Economy With Renewable Energy Sources
• Afghanistan Renewable Energy Development Issues and Options
• How Economics Can Change the World With Renewable Energy?
• Are Green Hopes Too Rosy? Employment and Welfare Impacts of Renewable Energy Promotion
• Marketing Strategy for Renewable Energy Development in Indonesia Context Today
• Biomass Residue From Palm Oil Industries is Used as Renewable Energy Fuel in Southeast Asia
• Assessing Renewable Energy Policies in Palestine
• Chinese Renewable Energy Technology Exports: The Role of Policy, Innovation, and Markets
• Business Models for Model Businesses: Lessons From Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
• Economic Impacts From the Promotion of Renewable Energy Technologies: The German Experience
• Key Factors and Recommendations for Adopting Renewable Energy Systems by Families and Firms
• Improving the Investment Climate for Renewable Energy
• How Will Renewable Energy Play a Role in Future Economies?
• What Are the Advantages of Renewable Energy?
• What Is the Term for a Renewable Energy Source That Taps Into Heat Produced Deep Below Ground?
• What Are the Basic Problems of Renewable Energy?
• Why Is Solar Energy the Best Resource of Renewable Energy?
• How Can You Make a Potentially Renewable Energy Resource Sustainable?
• What Is a Possible Cost of Using Renewable Energy Resources?
• What Is the Contribution of Renewable Energy Sources to Global Energy Consumption?
• How Do Renewable Energy Resources Work?
• What Is the Most Viable Renewable Energy Source for the US to Invest In?
• Why Isn’t Renewable Energy More Widely Used Than It Is?
• Is Coal Still a Viable Resource Versus Windpower Being Renewable Energy?
• What Is the Difference Between Non-renewable and Renewable Energy?
• Why Is It Necessary to Emphasize Renewable Energy Sources in Order to Achieve a Sustainable Society?
• Is Aluminum an Example of a Renewable Energy Resource?
• What Fraction of Our Energy Currently Comes From Renewable Energy Sources?
• What Are the Disadvantages of Renewable Energy?
• What Would Have to Happen to Completely Abandon Non-renewable Energy Sources?
• Why Are Renewable Energy Better Than Fossil Fuels?
• How Could a Renewable Energy Resource Become Non-renewable?
• How Have Renewable Energy Resources Replaced a Percentage of Fossil Fuels in Different Countries?
• How Can Water Be Used as a Renewable Energy Resource?
• What Is the Most Practical Renewable Energy Source?
• What Steps Are Necessary to Further the Use of Renewable Energy Resources in THE US?
• Why Is Renewable Energy Use Growing?
• What Type of Renewable Energy Should Businesses in Your Region Invest In?
• How Does Renewable Energy Reduce Climate Change?
• Can the Development of Renewable Energy Sources Lead To Increased International Tensions?
• How Do Renewable Energy Resources Affect the Environment?
• Why Have So Many Governments Decided to Subsidize Renewable Energy Initiatives?

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This essay topic collection was updated on December 28, 2023 .

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Innovations in Battery Technology for Renewable Energy Storage

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Innovations in battery technology for renewable energy storage have become crucial due to the increasing deployment of intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. Efficient energy storage solutions are needed to store and distribute the excess energy generated during favourable conditions for later use. Significant advancements have been made in battery technologies such as lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, solid-state batteries, and redox flow batteries. These innovations aim to improve energy density, cycle life, safety, and scalability while reducing costs. Lithium-ion batteries have gained prominence due to their high energy density and fast charging capabilities. Flow batteries, utilizing liquid electrolytes in external tanks, offer scalability and longer-duration storage options. Solid-state batteries, replacing the liquid electrolyte with a solid counterpart, show promise in terms of safety and performance. Redox flow batteries, with their separated power and energy capacity, are gaining attention for their scalability and long cycle life. The goals of this Research Topic are to enhance knowledge of advanced battery technologies for renewable energy storage and their importance in achieving efficient and sustainable storage. The articles submitted aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of battery technology, assess their strengths, limitations, and market readiness by considering parameters such as energy density, cycle life, cost, safety, scalability, and environmental impact. Additionally, the Research Topic seeks to explore recent innovations in this field: • Assessing current battery technologies for renewable energy storage involves understanding their strengths, limitations, and market readiness. Parameters such as energy density, cycle life, cost, safety, scalability, and environmental impact are evaluated. • Identifying challenges and gaps in existing battery technologies involves pinpointing barriers and limitations to enhance renewable energy storage. This includes addressing issues such as energy storage capacity, efficiency, charging rates, materials availability, and system integration. • Exploring emerging battery technologies involves researching and evaluating promising options for renewable energy storage. This includes assessing their feasibility, performance characteristics, and potential for commercialization. Technologies like solid-state batteries, flow batteries, and advanced electrode materials are among those considered. • Investigating innovative approaches to enhance battery performance: This includes studying novel approaches, materials, and designs that can improve the performance of batteries for renewable energy storage. • Assessing the economic and environmental sustainability of battery technologies: It includes conducting lifecycle assessments, cost-benefit analyses, and considering factors such as resource availability, recyclability, and end-of-life management. • Providing recommendations for future research, development, and deployment: Based on the findings and analysis, the research aims to provide recommendations for further research, development, and deployment of battery technologies for renewable energy storage. • Advances in battery materials and designs for renewable energy storage: Manuscripts on novel materials, electrode designs, and architectures that improve battery performance, energy density, and cycle life for renewable energy storage. • Emerging battery technologies for renewable energy storage: Manuscripts on new and promising battery technologies like solid-state batteries, flow batteries, redox flow batteries, and innovative approaches that enhance efficiency, scalability, and safety. • System integration and optimization for renewable energy storage: Manuscripts on integrating battery systems with renewable energy sources, grid infrastructure, and energy management systems to maximize utilization and effectiveness of renewable energy storage. • Sustainable manufacturing and life cycle assessment of battery technologies: Manuscripts on environmentally friendly manufacturing processes for batteries and life cycle assessment studies evaluating their environmental impacts. • Economic and policy considerations for battery adoption in renewable energy systems: Manuscripts addressing the economic viability, cost-benefit analysis, and policy frameworks supporting the widespread adoption of battery technologies for renewable energy storage. We are delighted to accept a diverse range of manuscripts for this research topic, including Original Research Articles, Review Articles, Mini Review Articles, Perspective Articles, Technical Notes, and Reports. Kindly note that the aforementioned list comprises the manuscript types that we enthusiastically welcome for this research topic.

Keywords : Battery materials and designs; Emerging battery technologies; System integration and optimization; Sustainable manufacturing and life cycle assessment; Economic and policy considerations.

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Renewable Energy Dissertation Topics

Published by Carmen Troy at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On May 16, 2024

Renewable energy refers to sustainable energy that can be constantly replenished. These energy sources include solar energy, wind energy, and thermal energy, which are naturally replenishing.  In simple words, renewable energy is the energy extracted from natural sources.

Renewable energy has become the need of the hour and has potential repercussions on the climate. While many used to claim in the past that the emergency of climate change was false, the obvious changes today evidently ratify its importance. If not for climate change, renewable energy is essential for increasing the longevity of the earth and, thus, the species living on it.  Therefore, it is a matter of high significance to make some painstaking efforts and ensure the availability of renewable energy resources to all.

Suppose you are aiming to centralise your dissertation on a renewable energy-related theme. In that case, you can look at some of the current, striking, and potential topics suggested by our PhD scholars at ResearchProspect.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting a brief research proposal from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an introduction to the problem, research question, aim and objectives, literature review, and the proposed methodology of research to be conducted. Let us know if you need any help in getting started.

Check our example dissertation to get an idea of how to structure your dissertation .

You can review step by step guide on how to write your dissertation here .

Topic 1: Exploring the economic benefits of increasing biomass conversion – a case study of the UK renewable energy industry.

Research Aim: The present study aims to explore the economic benefits of increasing biomass conversion referring to the case study of the UK renewable energy industry.

Objectives:

• To share a preliminary concept of biomass conversion and its benefits.
• To describe the economic benefits of increasing biomass conversion based on the context of the UK renewable energy industry
• To identify challenges in biomass conversion along with figuring out strategies to eradicate these challenges.

Topic 2: Inspecting the advantages of using solar energy and its role as a solution to the global threat i.e. Climate change.

Research Aim: The present study aims to investigate the benefits of using solar energy and the way it is resolving the problem of climate change.

• To elucidate the benefits of using solar energy and its growing use in different sectors.
• To explain how solar energy can be a solution to a global threat like climate change.
• To provide a stringent set of recommendations for the best possible use of solar energy to eradicate the problem of climate change.

Topic 3: Examining the strategy of embracing renewable energy by the UK retail organisations to fulfil the environmental sustainability goals.

Research Aim: The present study aims to evaluate the strategy of using renewable energy in the UK retail sector to fulfil environmental sustainability goals.

• To express the way renewable energy sources are being relevant in the UK retail industry.
• To analyse how retail organisations in the UK are using renewable energy to fulfil their environmental sustainability goals.
• To share effective ideas about how renewable energy sources can be used properly by UK retail organisations to fulfil environmental sustainability goals.

Topic 4: Critical assessment of growing concern for sustainability in UK construction industry which is driving renewable energy consumption.

Research Aim: The present study aims to assess the growing concern for sustainability in the UK construction industry that drives overall renewable energy consumption.

• To explain the increasing concern for sustainability in the UK construction industry.
• To examine how renewable energy consumption is increasing in the UK construction industry along with the growing concern for sustainability.
• To recommend that organisations in the UK construction industry improve the use of renewable energy sources, aiming to achieve sustainability goals.

Topic 5: Evaluating the impact of solar energy in sustainability practices in the UK agriculture industry.

Research Aim: The present study aims to evaluate the impacts of using solar energy in sustainability practices in the UK agriculture industry.

• To demonstrate the concept of solar energy consumption and its impacts on sustainability practices.
• To contextualise the use of solar energy in the UK agriculture industry as a part of sustainability practices.
• To provide recommendations for improving the use of solar energy thereby gaining its advantageous effects in the UK agriculture industry.

Renewable Energy Research Topics For Research

Topic. 1: renewable energy: prospects and problems today.

Research Aim: The main aim of the research will be to identify the significance of deploying renewable energy to the masses and its implications in the long run. The research will also discuss whether or not the world is facing challenges in ensuring the availability of renewable energy; if yes, what would be the solutions or alternatives?

Topic. 2: Renewable energy for sustainable development in Africa

Research Aim: Africa leads ahead of all other regions of the world in terms of the least access to renewable energy. According to one report, around 600 million people do not have access to electricity in Africa, while  900 million lack access to clean water. This research will study and evaluate how providing renewable energy can foster sustainable development in the region by advancing economic development, improving access to energy, and mitigating climate change.

Topic. 3: Implications of COVID-19 on the biofuel market

Research Aim: COVID -19 posed precarious implications for global markets as it dismantled people’s buying capacity . It was noted that during the pandemic, the prices of biofuel plummeted dramatically as the consumer need was minimal. Keeping that in mind, you can base your research on what shifts are expected to occur in the bio-fuel market when the pandemic ends.

The prime aim of the research will include studying the impact of COVID-9 on the biofuel market and understanding its influences on biofuel policy support by policymakers.

Topic. 4: Geothermal energy; an untapped abundant energy resource

Research Aim: Geothermal energy is usually viewed as a recent form of alternative energy. It is cheaper than other green energy sources and is clean and sustainable.  It is derived from the earth’s core and is more eco-friendly than other fossil fuel sources. In this research, you can explain geothermal energy, its abundance, and how it can be leveraged and supplied to the masses to help escape the energy crisis.

Topic. 5: The Future of Wind Energy

Research Aim: The main aim of the research will be to identify the prospects of wind energy by evaluating the current and prospected policies regarding its utilisation worldwide. The research can also be based on modern and future technologies to expand the utilisation and outreach of wind energy.

Topic. 6: Home wind energy: How valuable it is?

Research Aim: Recently more and more people have found it an excellent idea to install our very own wind turbines and produce clean energy to power homes. But doing that does not come without challenges. The research can discuss the significance of wind energy, check for its practicability, and evaluate its benefits and downsides.

Topic. 7: Economic and environmental benefits of Renewable Energy

Research Aim: We are all aware that renewable energy has vast benefits, ranging from economic to environmental. The main aim of the research will be to thoroughly discuss the economic and environmental aspects that are facilitated the most. You can study how countries are thriving economically and structuring workable policies to mitigate climate change and present a model to follow.

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Topic. 8: Why it has become more important than ever to focus on renewable energy

Research Aim: The aim of the research will be to identify the key reasons behind the much-needed attention that must be given to renewable energy. It is prime time to focus on renewable energy to ensure sustainable development and handle climate change quickly.

Today, as the world is swiftly transitioning into a technologically driven lifestyle, there are still a lot of people with no access to drinking water and electricity. Moreover, the consumption of artificial resources is responsible for curtailing the longevity of the earth and thus the species living on it. It is essential to take significant steps to help the earth and the people living on it.

Also Read: Environmental Engineering Dissertation Topics

Topic. 9: Is financing Renewable energy costly?

Research Aim: The pivotal aim of the research will be to examine the costs that it would take to finance renewable energy for the masses. Many countries around the world still have no access to clean drinking water, electricity, and therefore technology. These are the main reasons why the countries are underdeveloped, and their inhabitants are below the poverty line.

Topic. 10: Mitigating climate change; can renewable energy help?

Research Aim: The research will evaluate the impact of renewable energy in helping mitigate climate change. It will analyse all key factors that can impeccably play a role in controlling the biggest problem posed to humans.

As the years pass by, the population of humans is also growing. More people means more land acquisition, more pollution, and more requirements for resources. In such a scenario, what is suffering the most is the climate. If it is not addressed today, it will become such a big problem that it will be impossible to handle it easily.

Topic. 11: Living Green: How many have access to Renewable energy

Research Aim: With time, the energy costs are increasing, so are the effects of global warming. It has become more important than ever to ensure living green: Using renewable energy. The main aim of the research would be to do a quantitative analysis of how many people have access to renewable energy.

Topic. 12: Understanding differences between renewable and alternative energy technology

Research Aim: Many people confuse renewable and alternative energy technology and therefore question if there is such a thing as renewable energy technology. The research can explain and evaluate the differences between renewable and alternative technology so that people can use them without any doubt in their minds. Renewable energy can be constantly replenished, while alternative energy is an alternative energy source used instead of fossil fuel.

Also Read: Technology Dissertation Topics

Topic. 13: Is solar energy the way forward

Research Aim: There is a persistent controversy on the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. While some believe that it is of great benefit, it is the other way around for others.

The aim of the research will be to examine solar energy, and weigh its pros and cons, and evaluate if it is going to predominate in the future. A qualitative analysis that includes surveying people’s opinions on social energy helps clear this ambiguity.

Topic. 14: Approach towards renewable energy in 2030

Research Aim: The research will study the current national and international policies on renewable energy to sketch a draft of the approach towards renewable energy in 2030.  Qualitative discourse analysis can help figure out the key indicators that will prompt or prohibit a change in the upcoming years.

Topic. 15: Cost of solar energy in comparison to other renewable energy

Research Aim: The research will conduct a financial analysis on solar energy and draw a comparison against other renewable energy, i.e. hydro, biomass, tidal, and wind energy. It will evaluate the costs against different parameters and on different levels of technology.

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Topic. 16: Trends in Renewable energy

Research Aim: It is necessary to keep an eye on the current trends to make speculations about the future. The researcher can study the trends in renewable energy in 202o or 2021.  The research can also draw a comparison of the renewable trends in 2020 and 2021.

Topic. 17: Renewable energy and COVID-19

Research Aim: The research will study and explore the impacts of COVID-19 on renewable energy. It will also explain if the pandemic posed any systematic changes to trends and prospects of renewable energy.

Topic. 18: How does Geothermal energy work?

Research Aim: The research will provide a thorough explanation of how geothermal energy works and why it is more eco-friendly, economical, and valuable than fossil fuels . The researcher can describe the steps from scratch until they are utilised as alternative energy.

Topic. 19: Effects of renewable vs non-renewable energy

Research Aim: The researcher will empirically study the small and broad long-run effects of using renewable and non-renewable energy to create a comparison between them.

Topic. 20: A review of tidal energy technologies

Research Aim: Tidal energy is among the most efficient energies; however, it is less common as it is harnessed from tides. The aim of the research will be to study technological advancement and development regarding their use as an alternative for energy. The research can list different methods, devices, and technologies that are used to harness tidal energy, and which of them can be the most viable to meet our annual needs.

List Of Top Trending Dissertation Topics For Renewable Energy

• The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Optimising Energy Production from Renewable Sources
• Life Cycle Assessment of Emerging Renewable Energy Technologies: A Comparative Analysis
• The Socio-Economic Impacts of a Large-Scale Transition to Renewable Energy
• The Integration of Renewable Energy into the Existing Power Grid
• Policy Frameworks for Accelerating the Adoption of Renewable Energy Technologies
• The Potential of Hydrogen Energy as a Clean and Sustainable Fuel Source
• Public Perception and Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Technologies
• The Impact of Renewable Energy on Energy Security and Geopolitical Dynamics
• The Role of Financial Incentives in Driving Investment in Renewable Energy Projects
• The Ethical Considerations of Renewable Energy Development: Land Use, Resource Extraction, and Social Justice
• Cybersecurity Threats to Renewable Energy Infrastructure
• Smart Grid Technologies for a Renewable Energy Future: Enabling Two-Way Communication and Demand Response
• The Role of Blockchain Technology in Decentralised Renewable Energy Systems
• The Potential of Geothermal Energy for Baseload Power Generation
• The Economic Viability of Renewable Energy Microgrids for Remote Communities
• The Use of Big Data and Analytics to Optimise Renewable Energy Production and Distribution
• The Role of Consumer Behavior in Accelerating the Transition to Renewable Energy
• The Potential of Renewable Energy for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
• The Impact of Trade Policies on the Global Deployment of Renewable Energy Technologies
• The Role of Research and Development in Advancing Renewable Energy Technologies
• The Impact of Renewable Energy on Air Quality and Public Health
• The Role of Education and Public Awareness in Promoting the Adoption of Renewable Energy
• The Potential of Renewable Energy to Reduce Energy Poverty in Developing Countries
• The Impact of Renewable Energy on Energy Security in a Geopolitically Unstable World
• The Role of International Cooperation in Accelerating the Global Transition to Renewable Energy
• The Role of Renewable Energy in Decarbonising the Transportation Secto

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How Republicans view climate change and energy issues

Just 12% of Republicans and Republican leaners say dealing with climate change should be a top priority for the president and Congress.

Growing share of Americans favor more nuclear power

A majority of Americans (57%) say they favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity in the country, up from 43% who said this in 2020.

Why Some Americans Do Not See Urgency on Climate Change

As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, climate change remains a lower priority for some Americans, and a subset of the public rejects that it’s happening at all. To better understand the perspectives of those who see less urgency to address climate change, the Center conducted a series of in-depth interviews designed to provide deeper insight into the motivations and views of those most skeptical about climate change.

What the data says about Americans’ views of climate change

Two-thirds of Americans say the United States should prioritize developing renewable energy sources over expanding the production of fossil fuels.

How Americans view electric vehicles

About four-in-ten Americans (38%) say they’re very or somewhat likely to seriously consider an electric vehicle (EV) for their next vehicle purchase.

Majorities of Americans Prioritize Renewable Energy, Back Steps to Address Climate Change

Large shares of Americans support the U.S. taking steps to address global climate change and prioritize renewable energy development in the country. Still, fewer than half are ready to phase out fossil fuels completely and 59% oppose ending the production of gas-powered cars.

Home solar panel adoption continues to rise in the U.S.

While residential solar power generates just a fraction of the country’s overall electricity, it has continued to grow rapidly.

Americans support incentives for electric vehicles but are divided over buying one themselves

Overall, two-thirds of Americans support providing incentives to increase the use of electric and hybrid vehicles.

A Majority of Americans Favor Expanding Natural Gas Production To Export to Europe

Yet renewable sources, like wind and solar, remain Americans’ overall priority for domestic production.

Americans Largely Favor U.S. Taking Steps To Become Carbon Neutral by 2050

Majorities of Americans say the United States should prioritize the development of renewable energy sources and take steps toward the country becoming carbon neutral by the year 2050. But just 31% want to phase out fossil fuels completely, and many foresee unexpected problems in a major transition to renewable energy.

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How renewable energy serves as a catalyst to broader social change

Renewable energy boosts livelihoods worldwide Image:  Unsplash/VD Photography

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Jennifer Rosen

.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;color:#2846F8;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1nk5u5d{font-size:1.125rem;}} Get involved .chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

• From fostering innovation to job creation, renewable energy solutions drive progress towards a more equitable and sustainable world.
• Many renewable energy solutions create opportunities for economic development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Here are some examples of how renewable energy solutions are changing lives all over the world.

Renewable energy solutions mitigate climate change and promote a healthier environment and they often serve as catalysts for broader social change. From fostering innovation and job creation to promoting gender equality or making civic participation more accessible, renewable energy solutions drive progress towards a more equitable and sustainable world.

With support from the Skoll Foundation, the Solutions Insights Lab (SIL), a new initiative of the Solutions Journalism Network (SJN), created What’s Working . This is a searchable portal that combines published solutions journalism and interviews with a wide array of leaders whose work has been supported by the Skoll Foundation over the past 20 years to uncover insights that can help address social problems worldwide.

Have you read?

A new study reveals how renewables could power africa by 2040.

The SIL is a targeted research and analysis service focused on identifying and interrogating what’s working and what’s not in a particular sector or field. It employs interviewing techniques drawn from the solutions journalism approach but is not a work of journalism and is appropriately separated with a firewall from SJN’s core journalism work.

The interviews are not works of journalism themselves. The interviewing approach was standardized and the over 200 individuals interviewed were specifically selected as part of a project supported by the Skoll Foundation. They do not represent any form of endorsement by SJN, which is an independent, non-partisan organization that does not advocate for any particular approach to social change.

The interviews follow a solutions framework to explore how successful approaches work. They look at evidence of impact and replicable insights and their limitations. We analyzed these interviews, in combination with relevant stories within SJN’s Solutions Story Tracker , to distil the lessons learned by those doing this work on the ground and surface insights related to the role renewable energy solutions play in mitigating climate change and making progress on several other Sustainable Development Goals, from eradicating poverty to achieving gender equality.

Solutions for multiple problems

We’ve consistently seen that changemakers can and do successfully design solutions to address more than one issue. This is perhaps most evident among renewable energy solutions that seek to create opportunities for economic development while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Bringing affordable and clean renewable energy to rural and underdeveloped communities benefits the health of their environment and their economy, creating jobs and providing resources that foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Lifeline Energy , for example, designs, manufactures and distributes solar-powered and wind-up media players across sub-Saharan Africa to connect communities to important information. Classrooms can listen to school lessons, farmers can listen to agricultural radio broadcasts about pesticides, frontline health workers can listen to pre-recorded health content and villagers can access information that allows them to participate in their communities in more informed ways.

Moving to clean energy is key to combating climate change, yet in the past five years, the energy transition has stagnated.

Energy consumption and production contribute to two-thirds of global emissions, and 81% of the global energy system is still based on fossil fuels, the same percentage as 30 years ago. Plus, improvements in the energy intensity of the global economy (the amount of energy used per unit of economic activity) are slowing. In 2018 energy intensity improved by 1.2%, the slowest rate since 2010.

Effective policies, private-sector action and public-private cooperation are needed to create a more inclusive, sustainable, affordable and secure global energy system.

Benchmarking progress is essential to a successful transition. The World Economic Forum’s Energy Transition Index , which ranks 115 economies on how well they balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability, shows that the biggest challenge facing energy transition is the lack of readiness among the world’s largest emitters, including US, China, India and Russia. The 10 countries that score the highest in terms of readiness account for only 2.6% of global annual emissions.

To future-proof the global energy system, the Forum’s Centre for Energy & Materials is working on initiatives including Clean Power and Electrification , Energy and Industry Transition Intelligence, Industrial Ecosystems Transformation , and Transition Enablers to encourage and enable innovative energy investments, technologies and solutions.

Additionally, the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) is working to assemble public and private partners to further the industry transition to set heavy industry and mobility sectors on the pathway towards net-zero emissions. MPP is an initiative created by the World Economic Forum and the Energy Transitions Commission.

Is your organisation interested in working with the World Economic Forum? Find out more here .

The more of these solutions I looked at, the more I saw that their benefits often have third and fourth layers. They are improving women’s lives and reducing gender inequalities, for example, or making it easier for communities to access information and services, like healthcare. Solutions that address multiple needs are the most powerful and cost-effective. They also bridge the silos that so many solutions exist in.

How to finance the transition to climate-smart agriculture

Earth day: we are almost certainly all eating plastics, says report, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week, powering up gender equality.

Barefoot College International , for example, uses clean energy to promote socio-economic development, protect the environment and improve women’s lives. Its theory of change places women at the centre as key changemakers. CEO Rodrigo París told us that putting resources towards women is key because “Women have roots in the communities, they have the knowledge... They have a good understanding about the past, about family and the roots, but they have a clear vision on how to solve problems.”

The organization trains mostly older women with little to no formal education in over 90 countries to install, repair and maintain solar lighting units in their villages. Women like Jullietta, a 69-year-old mother of seven and grandmother of 30 in Guatemala, receive the skills and resources they need to electrify homes and schools with solar energy. In doing so, they earn an income for themselves, better the environment and expand economic development opportunities for their entire village.

As one of the 20 trained 'solar mamas' in Guatemala (there are over 3,500 across the world), Jullietta brought power to 35 families in her village and is helping increase the status of women more broadly. The women’s new skills and financial independence puts them at the centre of important community-wide changes too and give them more agency to impact decision-making.

Global Gender Gap Report 2023

Transforming agriculture.

Almost 10,000 miles away, a group of women farmers in Harpur, India purchased and installed solar pumps that use affordable and clean energy to irrigate their crops. The pumps have increased their yields and enabled more diverse crops, which has led to greater profits. They also make a profit by selling irrigation services to others.

Despite facing discrimination, their increased financial independence and greater self-reliance has challenged gender norms in the traditionally male-dominated village. The women report deciding how to use the money they’ve earned and having more control over their economic well-being. The state government in Bihar has also used solar-operated pump projects as a means to improve livelihoods among rural women and is looking to replicate the model in other districts.

Solar lights, in particular, have expanded opportunities for women to improve their livelihoods. From women in Kenya leaving the sex trade once they had lights to fish at night to women in a rural Pakistani village being able to earn money making pottery after the sun goes down and women in Mali creating cooking solutions that don’t produce harmful indoor pollutants , renewable energy solutions have expanded choices and resources for women across the world.

Improving access to healthcare

Other renewable energy solutions seek to alleviate poverty by increasing access to information and services, like healthcare, which also impact women. To reduce high maternal mortality rates among women in rural Zimbabwe, Mobility for Africa uses Hambas , electric three-wheel tricycles that run on rechargeable batteries. Hambas transport pregnant women and new mothers to health facilities for pre- and post-natal care. The clean and renewable energy source mitigates harm to the environment.

Many solutions use renewable energy to expand health services, which is a foundational step in reducing poverty. From the Selco Foundation using solar panels to increase treatment capacities of rural health facilities to using mini solar grids for lighting homes to avoid venomous snake bites , these creative solutions address multiple issues in a single package.

An important aspect of the solutions framework is acknowledging the limitations of a solution. While renewable energy solutions have the potential to provide benefits across three or more areas of people’s lives, they are not without challenges. The biggest hurdle is the upfront costs of purchasing and installing the infrastructure, as well as ensuring there is a system in place to maintain it.

Renewable energy sources, such as solar, can also be less reliable than traditional energy sources, so the power may be more intermittent. But solutions that combine renewable energy with other important issues clearly play important roles in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals, from climate action to eradicating poverty to achieving gender equality. Clean, affordable and renewable energy stands as a pivotal solution with the potential to create a more equitable and healthy future for all.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Carbon-Capture Batteries Developed To Store Renewable Energy, Help Climate

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are developing battery technologies to fight climate change in two ways, by expanding the use of renewable energy and capturing airborne carbon dioxide.

This type of battery stores the renewable energy generated by solar panels or wind turbines. Utilizing this energy when wind and sunlight are unavailable requires an electrochemical reaction that, in ORNL’s new battery formulation, captures carbon dioxide from industrial emissions and converts it to value-added products.

ORNL researchers recently created and tested two different formulations for batteries that convert carbon dioxide gas, or CO2, into a solid form that has the potential to be used in other products.

One of these new battery types maintained its capacity for 600 hours of use and could store up to 10 hours of electricity. Researchers also identified, studied and overcame the primary challenge, a deactivation caused by chemical buildup, that had been an obstacle for the other battery formulation.

“The Transformation Energy Science and Technology, or TEST, initiative at ORNL is precisely the kind of effort needed to address climate change. We are excited that ORNL is investing in innovative ideas and approaches that can transform the way we think about storing energy beyond lithium-ion batteries and other conventional electrochemical energy storage systems,” said Ilias Belharouak, an ORNL Corporate Fellow and initiative director. “What a fantastic scenario: Using free electrons to store CO2 and converting it to revenue-generating products is a concept I never would have imagined 10 years back, but this is just a start.”

Batteries operate through electrochemical reactions that move ions between two electrodes through an electrolyte. Unlike cell phone or car batteries, those designed for grid energy storage do not have to function as a portable, closed system. This allowed ORNL researchers to create and test two types of batteries that could convert CO2 from stationary, industrial sources.

For example, CO2 generated by a power plant could be pumped through a tube into the liquid electrolyte, creating bubbles similar to those in a carbonated soft drink. During battery operation, the gas bubbles turn into a solid powder.

How it works

Each component of a battery can be made of different elements or compounds. These choices determine the battery’s operational lifetime, how much energy it can store, how big or heavy it is, and how fast it charges or consumes energy. Of the new ORNL battery formulations, one combines CO2 with sodium from saltwater using an inexpensive iron-nickel catalyst. The second combines the gas with aluminum.

Each approach uses abundant materials and a liquid electrolyte in the form of saltwater, sometimes mixed with other chemicals. The batteries are safer than existing technology because their electrodes are stable in water, said lead researcher Ruhul Amin.

Very little CO2 battery research has been conducted. The previously-tried approach relies on a reversible metal-CO2 reaction that regenerates carbon dioxide, continuing to contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. In addition, solid discharge products tend to clog the surface of the electrode, degrading the battery performance.

However, the CO2 batteries developed at ORNL do not release carbon dioxide. Instead, the carbonate byproduct dissolves in the liquid electrolyte. The byproduct either continuously enriches the liquid to enhance battery performance, or it can be filtered from the bottom of the container without interrupting battery operation. Battery design can even be tuned to create more of these byproducts for use by the pharmaceutical or cement industries. The only gases released are oxygen and hydrogen, which do not contribute to climate change and can even be captured to produce energy or fuel.

ORNL researchers used an almost completely new combination of materials for these CO2 batteries. The few similar previous designs worked for only short periods or incorporated expensive metals.

Pros, cons and challenges overcome

The sodium-carbon dioxide, or  Na-CO2, battery was developed first  and faced some obstacles. For this system to function, the electrodes must be separated in wet and dry chambers with a solid ion conductor between them. The barrier slows the movement of ions, which in turn slows down battery operation, reducing battery efficiency.

One significant challenge for this Na-CO2 battery is that after prolonged use, a film forms on the electrode surface, which eventually causes the battery to deactivate. Amin’s research team used highly specialized microscopes and X-ray techniques to examine the battery cell when it failed and at various stages of operation.

Studying how the film formed helped researchers understand how to break it down again. They were intrigued to realize the battery could be reactivated, or prevented from deactivating at all, simply through operational changes in the charge/discharge cycle. Uneven pulses of charging and discharging prevented film buildup on the electrode.

“We are reporting for the first time that the deactivated cell can be reactivated,” Amin said. “And we found the origin of the deactivation and activation. If you symmetrically charge-discharge the battery too long, it’s dead at one stage. If you use the protocol we established for our cell, the chance of failure is very slim.”

A second design for long-term storage

Next, researchers focused on the design of the aluminum-carbon dioxide, or Al-CO2 ,  battery. The team experimented with various electrolyte solutions and three different synthesis processes to identify the best combination. The result was a battery which provides enough storage for more than 10 hours of electricity to be used later.

“That’s huge for long-duration storage,” Amin said. “This is the first Al-CO2 battery that could run with stability for a long time, which is the goal. Holding just a few hours of stored energy doesn’t help.”

Testing found that the ORNL battery could operate more than 600 hours without losing capacity, Amin said – far more than the only previously reported Al-CO2 battery, which was only tested for eight hours of cycling.

The cherry on top is that this battery captures almost twice as much carbon dioxide as the Na-CO2 battery. It can be designed for the system to operate in a single chamber, with both electrodes in the same liquid solution, so there is no barrier to ion movement.

The challenge for the Al-CO2 battery is to bring it closer to scale-up, Amin said. Even so, the team will continue systematically studying its properties to extend the operating lifetime and capture CO2 more efficiently. For the Na-CO2 battery to be competitive, the team will focus on developing a very fine, dense, mechanically stable ceramic membrane to separate the battery chambers.

Other ORNL scientists who contributed to the project include Marm Dixit, Mengya Li, Sabine Neumayer, Yaocai Bai, Ilias Belharouak, Anuj Bisht, Yang Guang and former ORNL researcher Rachid Essehli. The research was funded through the ORNL Laboratory Directed Research and Development, or LDRD, program. The sodium-CO2 battery research utilized the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a DOE user facility at ORNL.

UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challCourtesyenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.

Courtesy of Oak Ridge National Laboratory .

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Using AI to improve building energy use and comfort

University of Waterloo researchers have developed a new method that can lead to significant energy savings in buildings. The team identified 28 major heat loss regions in a multi-unit residential building with the most severe ones being at wall intersections and around windows. A potential energy savings of 25 per cent is expected if 70 per cent of the discovered regions are fixed.   

Building enclosures rely on heat and moisture control to avoid significant energy loss due to airflow leakage, which makes buildings less comfortable and more costly to maintain. This problem will likely be compounded by climate change due to volatile temperature fluctuations. Since manual inspection is time-consuming and infrequently done due to a lack of trained personnel, energy inefficiency becomes a widespread problem for buildings.  

Researchers at Waterloo, which is a leader in sustainability research and education and a catalyst for environmental innovation, solutions and talent, created an autonomous, real-time platform to make buildings more energy efficient. The platform combines artificial intelligence, infrared technology, and a mathematical model that quantifies heat flow to better identify areas of heat loss in buildings.

Using the new method, the researchers conducted an advanced study on a multi-unit residential building in the extreme climate of Canadian prairies, where elderly residents reported discomfort and higher electricity bills due to increased demand for heating in their units. Using AI tools, the team trained the program to examine thermal images in real time, achieving 81 percent accuracy in detecting regions of heat loss in the building envelope.  

"The almost 10 per cent increase in accuracy with this AI-based model is impactful, as it enhances occupants' comfort as well as reduces energy bills," said Dr. Mohamad Araji, director of Waterloo's Architectural Engineering Program and head of the Symbiosis Lab, an interdisciplinary group at the university that specializes in developing innovative building systems and building more environmentally friendly buildings.  

The new AI tools helped to remove the element of human error in examining the results and increased the speed of getting the data analyzed by a factor of 12 compared to traditional building inspection methods. 

Future expansions to this work will include utilizing drones equipped with cameras to inspect high-rise buildings. 

"The hope is that our methodology can be used to analyze buildings and lead to millions in energy savings in a much faster way than previously possible," Araji said.  

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• Energy Technology
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• Sustainability
• Energy and the Environment
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• Pyroelectricity
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• Hadley cell
• Evaporation from plants

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• Ali Waqas, Mohamad T. Araji. Machine learning-aided thermography for autonomous heat loss detection in buildings . Energy Conversion and Management , 2024; 304: 118243 DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118243

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More and faster: Electricity from clean sources reaches 30% of global total

Solar panels work near the small town of Milagro, Navarra Province, northern Spain, Feb. 24, 2023. (AP Photo/Alvaro Barrientos)

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Billions of people are using different kinds of energy each day and 2023 was a record-breaking year for renewable energy sources — ones that don’t emit planet-warming pollutants like carbon dioxide and methane — according to a report published Wednesday by Ember, a think tank based in London.

For the first time, 30% of electricity produced worldwide was from clean energy sources as the number of solar and wind farms continued to grow fast.

Of the types of clean energy generated last year, hydroelectric dams produced the most. That’s the same as in most years. Yet droughts in India, China, North America and Mexico meant hydropower hit a five-year low. Research shows climate change is causing droughts to develop more quickly and be more severe .

People used more electricity than ever last year, about 2% more, an increase of about as much as Canada uses in a year. Some of this new demand was for heat pumps , which are an efficient way to both heat and cool buildings, and for electric vehicles . It was also for electrolyzers, special machines used to get hydrogen out of water, for energy. These are all technologies that provide solutions to climate change.

Other increased demand was for electricity to feed new data centers and for air conditioning as places around the world become hotter.

Solar made up the biggest share of new clean energy last year. More than twice as much solar power was added as coal power. It was the 19th year in a row that solar was the fastest-growing source of electricity generation. A surge in solar installations happened at the end of the year and the report predicts 2024 will see an even larger jump.

China added more renewable energy than any other country last year — 51% of the new solar power and 60% of the new wind power globally. China, the European Union, the United States and Brazil together accounted for 81% of new solar generation in 2023.

Yet China was also responsible for 55% of coal generation globally and 60% of China’s electricity generation came from coal. The International Energy Agency says coal is the most carbon-intensive of the fossil fuels.

Scientists say emissions from burning fuels like coal must ramp steeply down to protect Earth’s climate, yet there was an increase in electricity made from burning fossil fuels. China, India, Vietnam and Mexico were responsible for nearly all of the rise.

The report said some countries burned coal to make up for the loss of hydroelectric power they experienced when drought caused their reservoirs to dry up. This is an example of a vicious cycle — when climate change prompts the use of more of the substances that cause climate change in the first place.

Despite all the growth in clean energy, fossil fuels still made up the majority of global electricity generated last year, causing a 1% rise in global power sector emissions. Scientists say even if we slashed all greenhouse gas emissions today, the planet would continue to warm for years because of the amount of pollutants already added to the atmosphere.

Analysts expect the world to use even more electricity in 2024. But renewable energy generation is forecast to grow even faster. That could mean a 2% drop (333 terawatt-hours) in energy generated from fossil fuels.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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FYI... Renewable energy sources behind 30% of the world's electricity in 2023

It ain't all sunshine and windmills – and guess who's in the lead china.

Thirty percent of the world's electricity in 2023 was generated by renewable energy sources, according to a think tank.

The data comes from the Global Electricity Review 2024 report [PDF] authored by Ember Climate. While the 165-page document covers lots of topics, the headliner was the share of global electricity created by renewables, which for the first time ever was just above 30 percent last year.

Hitting that percentage mark was thanks to continued expansion in wind and solar energy, which represented 13.4 percent of energy generated in 2023, up from 11.9 percent in 2022. The EU, US, and Brazil accounted for much of the boost in wind and solar, but China was by far the leader, having created 60 percent and 51 percent of new sources of wind and solar respectively.

Although a new milestone has been reached for the renewable energy sector, the figures apparently fell short of expectations. Growth in wind energy declined for the second year in a row; 2021 saw wind energy increase by roughly 250 TWh while 2023 clocked in a relatively small 206 TWh boost. The combined energy rise from wind and solar at 513 TWh was just slightly lower than the 517 TWh gain seen in 2022.

In the case of solar energy, though, there are some caveats. China saw less sunlight in 2023, which limited the impact of its new solar panels, and some countries underreported their expansion of solar energy. The report says these are temporary factors, and had they not occurred, the actual increase for solar could have been around 387 TWh instead of 307.

Additionally, hydro power fell to a five-year low, dropping its share of global energy to just 14.3 percent and offsetting some of the gains made by wind and solar. Although new dams were brought online in 2023, droughts continue to make hydro energy collection much less efficient. Mexico was hit especially hard, seeing 42 percent of its hydroelectric power drop.

Wind, solar, hydro, other renewables, and nuclear together now make up 39.4 percent of the world's electricity supply. It might not be too much longer until most energy in the world is generated by low-carbon sources.

Renewable energy can't meet all of new demand

The Ember report also points out that while renewable and other clean energy sources made substantial gains in 2023, it wasn't quite enough to satisfy demand, which stood at an additional 627 TWh. The lower-than-expected growth in wind and solar, the decline in hydroelectric power, and the small gain in other sources like bioenergy meant a 135 TWh increase in fossil fuels was necessary to meet demand.

This was despite the fact that the relative increase in power demand in 2023 was just 2.2 percent, a little lower than the 2.5 percent average seen from 2012 to 2022.

The vast majority of increased demand came from China, at 606 TWh, well ahead of India at 99 TWh. Meanwhile, power demand in the US, EU, Asia-Pacific, and Africa fell somewhat. Of course, China also built lots of wind and solar infrastructure to meet its own demand.

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2023 may have seen a drop in global carbon emissions if wind and solar had met expectations, if there hadn't been droughts, or if demand was lower. A small increase in coal and natural gas usage resulted in 1 percent higher emissions in 2023. However, both fossil fuels saw their relative usage decline slightly as clean energy grew much more, and 2023 did see a 1.2 percent decline in the carbon intensity of power generation.

The beginning of lower carbon emissions

Ember predicts 2023 was the high watermark for the fossil fuel industry, and that from here on out emissions will fall, assuming that wind and solar continue on their current trajectory. The report predicts for 2024 that solar energy will rise to 600 TWh, wind 289 TWh, hydro 332 TWh, and nuclear and others a combined 80 TWh. This would be far more than the projected 968 TWh of demand for the year, leading to a fall in fossil fuel energy generation.

The prediction is optimistic, something the report acknowledges. If droughts persist and demand is even higher than Ember forecasts, both of which it says are a possibility, then a decline in fossil fuel energy could turn into another slight increase. AI datacenters could certainly throw off predictions, if the warnings about power usage prove to be true.

In the longer term, Ember forecasts that tripling renewable energy by 2030 would nearly cut emissions in half. This would add 14,000 TWh to the global power supply, more than meeting the predicted 9,000 TWh of demand. Combined with additional power from nuclear and cutting-edge hydrogen power generation, fossil fuel power could drop by 37 percent, most of which would be coal, thus dropping emissions by 45 percent.

A doubling of renewable energy might be more realistic, however, as the report notes: "Ember's research shows that government plans to 2030 already align with a doubling of global renewable capacity." These plans would need to be updated for tripling renewables by 2030 to be a possibility.

Longer-term plans like US cities transitioning to green power by 2050 are already on the rocks, so it's not guaranteed by any means that Ember's hypothetical 2030 will become reality. ®

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Ripple-Type Control of Networked Physical Systems

• Power Systems Engineering
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• NREL/PT-5D00-89926
• first controllable device
• minimum output parameter value
• networked system
• output parameter

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T1 - Ripple-Type Control of Networked Physical Systems

AU - Cavraro, Guido

AU - Bernstein, Andrey

AU - Singh, Manish

N2 - Techniques for ripple-type control of networked physical systems such as power systems, water systems, and others are provided. As one example, a device includes at least one processor configured to determine, for a first controllable device in a system, based on a measurement of an output parameter and a minimum output parameter value, an output violation value for the first device. The processor is further configured to determine, based on a present input value for the first device, the output violation value, and an assistance requisition value corresponding to a second device, a target input value for the first device. The processor is further configured to cause the first controllable device to modify operation based on the target input value and a maximum input value for the first controllable device.

AB - Techniques for ripple-type control of networked physical systems such as power systems, water systems, and others are provided. As one example, a device includes at least one processor configured to determine, for a first controllable device in a system, based on a measurement of an output parameter and a minimum output parameter value, an output violation value for the first device. The processor is further configured to determine, based on a present input value for the first device, the output violation value, and an assistance requisition value corresponding to a second device, a target input value for the first device. The processor is further configured to cause the first controllable device to modify operation based on the target input value and a maximum input value for the first controllable device.

KW - first controllable device

KW - minimum output parameter value

KW - networked system

KW - output parameter

M3 - Patent

M1 - U.S. 11,982,979 B2

Y2 - 2024/05/14

PB - National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

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• Published: 11 January 2021

Climate change impacts on renewable energy supply

• David E. H. J. Gernaat   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4994-1453 1 , 2 ,
• Harmen Sytze de Boer   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-7376-2581 1 , 2 ,
• Vassilis Daioglou   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6028-352X 1 , 2 ,
• Seleshi G. Yalew   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7304-6750 2 , 3 , 4 ,
• Christoph Müller   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9491-3550 5 &
• Detlef P. van Vuuren   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-0398-2831 1 , 2  

Nature Climate Change volume  11 ,  pages 119–125 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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An Author Correction to this article was published on 18 February 2021

This article has been updated

Renewable energy resources, which depend on climate, may be susceptible to future climate change. Here we use climate and integrated assessment models to estimate this effect on key renewables. Future potential and costs are quantified across two warming scenarios for eight technologies: utility-scale and rooftop photovoltaic, concentrated solar power, onshore and offshore wind energy, first-generation and lignocellulosic bioenergy, and hydropower. The generated cost–supply curves are then used to estimate energy system impacts. In a baseline warming scenario, the largest impact is increased availability of bioenergy, though this depends on the strength of CO 2 fertilization. Impacts on hydropower and wind energy are uncertain, with declines in some regions and increases in others, and impacts on solar power are minor. In a future mitigation scenario, these impacts are smaller, but the energy system response is similar to that in the baseline scenario given a larger reliance of the mitigation scenario on renewables.

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Data availability.

Source data are provided with this paper.

Code availability

The code that produced the renewable energy potentials and cost curves can be found at https://github.com/davidgernaat . PBL holds the proprietary rights to the IMAGE computer code; extensive documentation is provided ( https://models.pbl.nl/image ).

Change history

19 february 2021.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-021-01005-w

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Acknowledgements

A. Righart is acknowledged for editing part of the manuscript. The research leading to these results has received funding from EU’s Horizon 2020 Navigate (no. 821124). We thank the JPI Climate initiative and participating grant institutes for funding the ISIpedia project.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

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David E. H. J. Gernaat, Harmen Sytze de Boer, Vassilis Daioglou & Detlef P. van Vuuren

Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands

David E. H. J. Gernaat, Harmen Sytze de Boer, Vassilis Daioglou, Seleshi G. Yalew & Detlef P. van Vuuren

Faculty of Technology, Policy, and Management, Technical University of Delft, Delft, The Netherlands

Seleshi G. Yalew

Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

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Contributions

D.E.H.J.G. and D.P.v.V. developed the idea. D.E.H.J.G. designed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. S.G.Y. managed all climate input data. C.M. conducted model simulations and provided bioenergy yield data. V.D. calculated the bioenergy potential. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the manuscript.

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Correspondence to David E. H. J. Gernaat .

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Extended data

Extended data fig. 1 gcm model mean for historical 30-year (1970–2000) average climate data used as input to calculate energy potentials..

a , Solar irradiance (kWh m −2 day −1 ) (global horizontal). b , Temperature (°C). c , Wind speeds (m s −1 ). d , Runoff (kg m −2 s −1 ). e , Sugar cane and maize yields (crop selected with highest yield per cell) (%). f , Lignocellulosic crop yields (switchgrass and Miscanthus, or trees) (crop selected with highest yield per cell) (%).

Source data

Extended data fig. 2 gcm model mean change of climate patterns and yields in rcp2.6..

a , solar irradiance (%) (global horizontal). b , temperature (%). (%). c , Wind speed (%). d , Runoff (%). e , Sugar cane and maize yields with CO 2 fertilisation (crop selected with highest yield per cell) (%). f , Lignocellulosic crop yields (switchgrass and Miscanthus, or trees) with CO 2 fertilisation (crop selected with highest yield per cell) (%).

Extended Data Fig. 3 Schematic illustration showing how climatic parameters can change the design discharge and load factors of a hydropower system.

a , The purple line shows a typical historical discharge pattern at a hydropower location with a wet and dry season. The yellow line shows how new climate-change-induced precipitation patterns influence the discharge pattern, in this case with a wetter wet season and a prolonged dry season. Ordering the yellow line data into a flow duration curve, as illustrated in b , changes the design flow and design load factors. b , The flow duration curve with the new discharge pattern. The new discharge pattern (yellow line in a ) forms a new flow duration curve with new design flow (defined as the fourth highest discharge month) and new design load factor (note that the months have shifted, too). The grey lines represent the old climate, the black lines illustrate the new.

Extended Data Fig. 4 Multi-model mean change of technical potential in RCP2.6.

a , Utility-scale PV and rooftop PV. b , Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). c , Onshore and offshore wind energy. d , Hydropower. e , First-generation bioenergy with CO 2 fertilisation. f , Lignocellulosic bioenergy with CO 2 fertilisation.

Extended Data Fig. 5 The global mean changes in technical potential per renewable technology under RCP2.6.

a, Absolute change in technical potential compared to the historical situation (EJ y −1 ). b, Relative change in technical potential compared to the historical situation (%).

Extended Data Fig. 6 Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) assumptions for IMAGE.

a , Global population (million) for SSP1-3. b , Economic development for SSP1-3 (GDP trillion USD 2005 y −1 ). c , Global final energy demand per sector for SSP1-3. d , Global primary energy use per energy carrier for SSP2 and SSP2-RCP26.

Extended Data Fig. 7 The direct and indirect effect of climate impacts on cumulative primary energy in SSP2-RCP60-CI without CO 2 fertilisation (2070–2100).

The top row shows the combined ( a ), direct ( b ) and indirect ( c ) mean change between a run with and without climate impacts on renewables in cumulative energy production (2070–2100) per technology group (%). The bottom row shows the uncertainty using the combined (d), direct (e) and indirect (f) absolute and relative standard deviation of the data shown in the top row.

Extended Data Fig. 8 The direct and indirect effect of climate impacts on cumulative primary energy in SSP2-RCP60-CI with CO 2 fertilisation (2070–2100).

The top row shows the combined ( a ), direct ( b ) and indirect ( c ) mean change between a run with and without climate impacts climate impact in cumulative energy production (2070–2100) per technology group (%). The bottom row shows the uncertainty using the combined ( d ), direct ( e ) and indirect ( f ) absolute and relative standard deviation of the data shown in the top row.

Extended Data Fig. 9 The combined relative effect of SSP2-RCP60-HRES climate impacts on cumulative primary energy supply per IMAGE model region.

a , The mean change (over the GCMs) of the cumulative primary energy supply in the period 2070–2100 per technology. b , The absolute (shown in orange gradient) and relative (shown in grey dot size) standard deviation of the data shown in a.

Extended Data Fig. 10 The combined relative effect of SSP2-RCP26 climate impacts on cumulative primary energy supply per IMAGE model region.

Supplementary information, supplementary information.

Supplementary Texts 1–3, Tables 1–5 and Figs. 1–12.

Source Data Fig. 1

Model mean (GFLD-ESM2M, HadGEM2-ES, IPSL-CM5A-LR and MIROC5) historical (1970–2000), RCP2.6 (2070–2100) and RCP6.0 (2070–2100) climate input data: Solar irradiance (kWh m −2 per day) (global horizontal), temperature (°C), wind speed (m s −1 ), runoff (kg m −2 s −1 ), sugar cane and maize yields (t ha −1 yr −1 ) and lignocellulosic crop yields (switchgrass and Miscanthus , or trees) (t ha −1 yr −1 ).

Source Data Fig. 2

Technical potential per GCM for the historical (1970–2000) period, and the future RCP2.6 (2070–2100) and RCP6.0 (2070–2100) periods: utility-scale PV and rooftop PV, concentrated solar power (CSP), pnshore and offshore wind energy, hydropower, first-generation bioenergy, and lignocellulosic bioenergy with and without CO 2 fertilization.

Source Data Fig. 3

Technical potential per region, GCM and RCP for: utility-scale PV and rooftop PV, concentrated solar power (CSP), onshore and offshore wind energy, hydropower, first-generation bioenergy, and lignocellulosic bioenergy with and without CO 2 fertilization.

Source Data Fig. 4

Primary energy supply (2071–2100) based on historical, RCP2.6 and RCP6.0 climate with and without CO 2 fertilization (PJ).

Source Data Extended Data Fig. 1

Model mean (GFLD-ESM2M, HadGEM2-ES, IPSL-CM5A-LR and MIROC5) historical (1970–2000), RCP2.6 (2070–2100) and RCP6.0 (2070–2100) climate input data: solar irradiance (kWh m −2 per day) (global horizontal), temperature (°C), wind speed (m s −1 ), runoff (kg m −2 s −1 ), sugar cane and maize yields (t ha −1 yr −1 ) and lignocellulosic crop yields (switchgrass and Miscanthus , or trees) (t ha −1 yr −1 ).

Source Data Extended Data Fig. 2

Source data extended data fig. 4, source data extended data fig. 5, source data extended data fig. 7, source data extended data fig. 8, source data extended data fig. 9, source data extended data fig. 10, rights and permissions.

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Gernaat, D.E.H.J., de Boer, H.S., Daioglou, V. et al. Climate change impacts on renewable energy supply. Nat. Clim. Chang. 11 , 119–125 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00949-9

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Received : 13 May 2019

Accepted : 15 October 2020

Published : 11 January 2021

Issue Date : February 2021

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00949-9

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