You have probably heard a lot about the concept of energy transition lately. Although it is not a current term, there have been several over time, such as, for example: in the 19th century, society experienced an energy transition when moving from wood to coal, or in the 20th century, when oil began to be used as an energy source. However, today, there is an urgent need for a new energy transition towards more environmentally friendly energies and the investment and development of more efficient technologies.
If you want to know what the energy transition is and why it is so important for the fight against climate change, be sure to read this interesting article from EcologíaVerde in which it will be explained in detail.
What is the energy transition or energy transition?
Energy transition is nothing other than the change that energy systems undergo in the long term, which may be related to one factor or a combination of several factors, such as the economic scale, energy policy or the structure of the system.
They have already occurred in the past and continue to occur today. A clear example is when the transition was made from the pre-industrial system (renewable energy and traditional biomass) to the industrial system (use of coal and steam energy).
Differences between non-renewable and renewable energies
Most of the energy we consume comes from non-renewable energy sources and, to a lesser extent, from renewable energy sources. But what is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources?
- Renewable energies are generated from renewable resources , that is, they are renewed at a faster rate than they are exploited and can be found in large quantities (water, wind or sun). However, non-renewable energies are produced from resources that are regenerated in a shorter time than they are exploited, thus being limited (oil or coal).
- The cost of obtaining non-renewable resources is higher than that of renewable resources.
- Renewable energies are more beneficial for the environment than non-renewable energies, however, sometimes their infrastructure can create an environmental impact, as is the case with wind farms or hydroelectric plants.
Here you can read more about Renewable and non-renewable energy: examples and summary .
Advantages of renewable energy
The promotion and development of renewable energies are the foundations for an energy transition towards an environmentally friendly energy model thanks to the advantages they offer. The advantages of this type of energy are:
- In general, non-renewable resources to produce renewable energy can be found all over the planet.
- Do not generate greenhouse gases.
- Non-renewable resources for generating renewable energy are inexhaustible, since they are regenerated over a longer period of time than they are exploited. An example of these resources is wind or sun, which produce wind and solar energy.
To find out more, you can read this other article from Green Ecology on What are renewable energies .
Energy transition in Spain
Spain has defined three strategic axes of the Energy Transition , these are: sustainable mobility, energy rehabilitation and efficiency, and the development of renewable energies. These three axes are focused on achieving the following decarbonisation objectives:
- By 2030, 70% of the electricity generated is expected to come from renewable sources.
- Improving energy efficiency by reducing primary energy consumption by at least 35% compared to the baseline in accordance with Community regulations for 2030.
- Achieve 35% renewable energy in energy consumption by the end of 2030 and 100% in the generation of the national electrical system by 2050.
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030 and 100% carbon neutrality by 2050.
We encourage you to read more about renewable energy in Spain in this other post.
Energy transition in other countries
More and more countries are in favour of an energy transition with the aim of stopping climate change . Among them and some of the existing initiatives we find:
- Brazil is increasingly investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
- Argentina is a country in which the Renewable Energy Development Fund appears as the main financing mechanism for the development of projects that invest in renewable energy.
- Uruguay is among the most advanced Latin American countries in the energy transition, thanks to the wide availability of natural resources.
- The UK is electrifying transport, making industries sustainable, using hydrogen and investing in energy efficiency.
- China has had its strong point in the electrification of the transport sector.
- Much of the European Union is based on the implementation of the European Green Deal, which has as its main objective the promotion of a clean, circular and climate- and competition-neutral economy.
