The New Renewable Energy Economy

June 17, 2014

The conversion to green energy resources is critical for mitigating climate change. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the United Nations urges acceleration of geothermal, solar and other renewable resources to avoid global warming. However, renewable energy is intermittent. The wind doesn't always blow and the sun doesn't always shine. To ensure grid stability, energy storage such as batteries and thermal storage are needed to help accelerate use of renewables by storing renewables such as wind for later use or kicking on when the sun isn't shining. Thermal storage is particularly useful for summer peak demands mainly caused by air-conditioning.

Renewable Energy Economy
By addressing global warming with renewables and energy storage, it is possible to slash the impact that energy resources have on sea level rises, fuel usage and dangerous chemical compounds that result from burning traditional types of power sources. Implementing renewables and storage can also cut the pollution-induced effects traditional fuel resources have on the planet such as mercury contaminated fish, asthma and oil spills.

By 2100, Bloomberg Businessweek stated that it's possible there will be a complete switchover to renewables and energy storage. This transition, however, to a Renewable Energy Economy needs to happen sooner in order to ensure that the current global warming impact can be reduced. It is feasible as The Science Daily reported, that renewable energy paired with storage could fully power a large electric grid 99.9 percent of the time by 2030 at costs comparable to today's electricity expenses. For this to occur, the grid would need to draw from energy storage during periods when there wasn't enough renewable electricity. During times of more renewable energy than what was needed, the grid would first store energy before letting any excess energy get wasted.

Switching to renewables and energy storage
Switching to energy storage and 100 percent clean energy through renewable options is achievable and can happen sooner depending on where there's support for increasing amounts of renewable energy resources and energy storage.

Organizations aiming to help mitigate global warming may look to certifying their buildings under more sustainable criteria including considering options for generating and storing power onsite. There is also a growing number of federal and state governments that have announced incentives or renewable energy and energy storage targets.