Renewable Energy: Part Three




The momentum for use of renewable energy is there but not every part of the world is in total agreement.

 But as I also mentioned earlier, fossil fuels account for 80% of the energy used on Earth excluding biological processes.

 Now the last article specialized on the relationship between different fuels and climate change. I am going to extrapolate a few of the points in different directions.

 Strictly speaking, hydrogen, nuclear and hydropower are renewable energies but in certain circles, renewable energy means solar and wind energy. These last two are viewed as having the least ecological effects and are therefore ‘clean energy’.

 Hydropower for example usually involves ecological destruction because entire riverine forests and arable lands are flooded. With the destruction of these forest areas, comes the destruction of an ecosystem together with its services as well as the problems with destroying people’s livelihoods.
Of the said renewable energies,

Wind power is intermittent. That is, the turbines only turn in windy conditions and if there’s no wind then there’s no power generated.  Also the wind cannot be a gale because the turbines would suffer from wear and tear for being too fast. Indigenous communities also have issues with proper compensation for their land. That is why most wind farms are offshore.

 Solar power can only be generated during the day, in areas with plenty of sunlight and also when there is little or no cloud cover.

 Another disadvantage of solar energy is space. Where is the space for extensive solar farms especially in areas where demand for land is growing exponentially? Desert areas like in the Northern Frontier have capacity.
As compared to the two above, thermal power plants can be fired at any time of the day.

 Biofuels is another area which has a lot of potential. Jatropha is one of the plants that has been touted as a source plant.

 Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel having the highest amount of carbon dioxide released per unit. In falling order types of coal in carbon content are; anthracite followed by bitumen which is followed by lignite and finally peat. By the way Kenya is exploring coal deposits in Kitui, Kwale and Kilifi areas. There were plans to build a coal fired power plant in Lamu but residents of the beautiful coastal island were up in arms. For veritable reasons. The project was suspended.

 Petroleum oil follows coal with the next highest carbon content.  Natural gas has the lowest and lightest amounts of hydrocarbons. Due to this fact, it has been deemed as more attractive than either coal or oil but there is an emerging environmental concern in fracking. Fracking is a process of drilling deep into the earth and fracturing shale rocks using water and thus forcing natural gas and oil to float to the surface (BBC, 2015). Pause.

 Are we as human beings ready to do anything to this planet in order to fulfill our selfish needs? How long will this last? Aren’t we undermining the structural integrity of the planet?
fracking - courtesy of daily mail
Anyway, the water mixture contains chemicals (some which could cause cancer when they seep into groundwater) and sand. Fracking has been opposed by many environmentalists because it is usually practiced in areas of ecological sensitivity like places with high wildlife numbers. It in essence destroys delicate ecosystems on the land. It also uses huge amounts of water.

 Did you know that some oil exploration companies in Turkana are looking for fracking experts? Turkana has a huge aquifer which is so extensive as to provide water for the next 100 years. If fracking takes place, the entire groundwater source will be poisoned. That will gravely affect both human and environmental health for ages to come. Does the National Environment Management Agency have in-depth knowledge about fracking? There is a shortage of knowledge about the whole issue, especially about the effects.
fracking ; before and after. - image courtesy of frackhecw



 Now why are fossil fuels so significant? Because crude oil determines the cost of living. The world’s economy is fuel controlled. Let’s pick on a sector.

Transport - Vehicles use oil in the forms of gasoline, petrol, and diesel. Airplanes also use oil. So do ships. So if the oil prices go up, the fare and tickets go up.

 Generally, a lot of the foodstuff in the world is transported from country A to B in export and import. 

 Water transport is the cheapest as it allows ships to carry things in bulk. Most commercial ships unlike submarines or military ships use oil. The latter use nuclear fuel. The rule of thumb is that in business, one passes additional cost onto the consumers. So if ship oil is expensive, then the foodstuff it carries will have its prices adjusted upwards. Food then becomes expensive.

 In manufacturing and in factories, machines are powered by electricity which in most countries is from the direct burning of coal or from diesel powered plants.

Also some common products like commercial fertilizers and plastics (polyethylene) are made from some derivatives of petroleum oil and natural gas. So if oil price goes up, so does everything in the chain.

 Financial institutions also provide services to companies dealing with oil. That means that the ability of the banks to make returns from their investments will depend on the profits that the said companies are making. If for example there’s a glut in the market, then prices go down and losses are made. 
Those losses are carried all the way to the apex companies.

 Developing countries find coal, oil and gas easier because it is cheaper and more established. The technology for drilling and use is also readily available. It’s the tried and tested way.

 Renewable energy including solar on the other hand is more expensive in terms of installation and maintenance and also the technology is still not readily available to everyone or accessible especially for industrial use.

But that is changing.

 In developing countries, what renewable energy would do is to reduce dependence on oil for economic growth. This would then free up the country’s economy and ensure faster, reliable and nontraditional growth.

 Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is aiming to add721 MW to the national grid from geothermal and wind sources.

 Now for Africa, what happens if we embrace renewable energies is that there’s every possibility of leapfrogging other countries. We will develop way way much faster and be at par with other developed countries in a much shorter time.

 This of course will have thousands of implications socially, economically, politically etc.

 Renewable energy will go as far as shifting geopolitics and the balance of power in the world. No longer will economic might depend on crude oil deposits and so neither will politics.

 Just you wait and see.

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