As the years fly by, it's becoming increasingly clear that the countries around the world are scrambling to adopt renewable energy tech instead of fossil fuels.
And rightly so. Renewable energy is much cheaper than coal and has a plethora of other benefits. Some of the big issues associated with the use of fossil fuels are environmental pollution and climate change. Regardless of what I might personally believe about climate change and the role of fossil fuels in it, I won't get into this subject as it's a pretty controversial one.
The major reason is that fossil fuels are limited. The world's energy use is doubling rapidly, and if necessary changes and adjustments are not made to adopt renewable energy than it would lead to absolute chaos. It is speculated that it this rate we might end up exhausting all of the fossil fuels in a few hundred years time. That might seem to be enough to last us our lifetimes but when you really think about it, a few hundred years are not that long. In fact they are not that long enough at all.
However, this fear is not recent. Prior to the 1800s, all of the energy ever used was renewable. But in the mid-1800s the development of coal as an energy source began and soon the whole world started using it. During those very years, scientists feared that mankind would end the supply of coal. In the late 1800s and the early 1900s, the development of solar energy and solar engines began which continued up until the outbreak of the first world war. In an article published in Scientific American during this time, it was written that,
In the far distant future, natural fuels having been exhausted, [solar power] will remain as the only means of existence of the human race,
And today, more than a hundred years later, scientists and people around the world harbor the same sentiments and fears.
According to the principle of supply and demand, as the fossil fuels run out the prices will skyrocket. Food, gas, and other basic human necessities will become luxuries and it would be the survival of the fittest. Or I guess the survival of the richest would be more fitting.
That are some of the major reasons why the nations and superpowers around the globe are quickly integrating renewable energy.
In this regard, the countries that deserve a shoutout are definitely China and India.
Electricity production by renewable energy sources is expected to rise to 50% by 2040. And that's a huge step forward. Not only for India, but for all of the human race as well. India aims to continue the support for renewable energy while simultaneously reducing the use of coal and other fossil fuels for the production of electricity, resulting in cheap and clean energy production AND possibly a myriad of jobs. Ambitious goals!
China has made impressive progress in this game too. Not only China is making good on it's Paris Climate Agreement pledges but also striving for renewable energy. In fact, China is has the largest production of electricity by renewable energy sources, which is almost double of the US's electricity production by renewable energy.
According to a report published by Reuters, in January 5 China's National Energy Administration (NEA) announced that it would invest 361 billion dollars in the renewable energy sector, over the next three years, potentially creating 13 million jobs in the green energy sector. The Chinese are ahead of the curve, they are not only helping the global environment but also making progress in their own country. While US President Donald Trump seeks to create coal jobs, US could probably do better if the same time and effort was invested in green energy.
I mean, it's simple right? By investing in renewable energy sources, we are basically securing a pollution-free, safe future for our children, and our children's children. Millions of jobs are created and people are finally able to provide for themselves and their families. Everybody wins.
On the other hand, if we do the opposite without any precautions whatsoever, we might find that we have dug our own graves a bit too deep.