RECONSTRUCTION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE NEW WORLD ENERGY REALITY
RECONSTRUCTION, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, AND THE NEW WORLD ENERGY REALITY
In today's rapidly evolving global landscape, the intersections of reconstruction, sustainable development, and the emerging energy paradigm are becoming increasingly crucial. This article delves into the intricate relationship between these three pillars, shedding light on their significance in shaping the future of our world.
Reconstruction, the first pillar, represents the process of rebuilding and revitalizing communities and economies in the aftermath of various crises, such as conflicts, natural disasters, or economic downturns. In a world marked by ever-increasing uncertainties, the need for resilient and adaptable reconstruction strategies cannot be overstated. Sustainable development, the second pillar, complements this notion by emphasizing the importance of long-term, environmentally friendly solutions that prioritize the well-being of both current and future generations.
The nexus between reconstruction and sustainable development is where innovation truly thrives. By integrating sustainable practices into the reconstruction process, we can catalyze positive change that extends far beyond immediate recovery efforts. This includes adopting eco-friendly building materials, promoting renewable energy sources, and fostering green infrastructure that not only rebuilds but also fortifies communities against future challenges.
However, the linchpin that holds these two pillars together and propels us towards a more resilient and sustainable future is the new world energy reality. Energy is the lifeblood of modern societies, powering economies, industries, and households alike. The transition from conventional, fossil-fuel-based energy sources to cleaner and more sustainable alternatives is paramount to addressing global challenges, such as climate change and resource depletion.
The new world energy reality envisions a landscape where renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower, play a central role in meeting our energy needs. This paradigm shift is not only environmentally responsible but also economically advantageous, creating jobs and fostering innovation in the renewable energy sector. Moreover, energy efficiency and conservation strategies are essential components of this new reality, reducing waste and promoting responsible energy consumption.
In conclusion, the intricate interplay between reconstruction, sustainable development, and the new world energy reality offers a blueprint for a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable future. By aligning these three pillars, we can not only recover from crises but also build a world that thrives in harmony with our planet's finite resources. As global citizens, it is our collective responsibility to embrace this transformative journey, ensuring a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come.
The Reconstruction and Sustainable Development of the Nation, in addition to addressing aspects related to the consequences of
· three lost decades since 1992-1993 with the stoppage of the development programme designed and undertaken by Dr Miguel Rodríguez in 1989, with the excellent results obtained
· the fracture of democracy with which the scene was set for the subsequent loss of the Republic in the late 1990s
· the process of destruction of the productive apparatus and services, as well as the platform of all basic services for the maintenance of the standard of living of the population,
It will necessarily have to consider the new world energy reality, especially in our case, due to the loss of importance that oil has experienced.
For some time now, the boom and expectations about the future use of oil as a fuel have declined, mainly due to the problem derived from the generation of carbon dioxide emissions, one of the main sources of atmospheric pollution that contributes to increasing the greenhouse effect.
Currently, the burning of oil is responsible for 30% of the carbon dioxide emissions in the air. In short: we are in a period of transition, and the decline of the oil and gas sector is at stake politically.
The energy industry itself is on the move. Oil companies like BP, Shell, Equinor, Total and ENI, though not so much the US oil majors, are investing in renewables, responding to pressure from consumers and investors.
These decarbonization policies that affect our traditional largest source of income, the hydrocarbon industry, make proper attention to the Guayana Region even more imperative as it has enormous potential to support the National Economy, especially its Aluminum Industry.
Paradoxically, these global measures that affect the hydrocarbon industry and fossil fuels in general, favorably impact the aluminium industry supported by clean energy, as our case in Venezuela.
Guayana is current evidence that it should once again be a Development Pole, and reinvigorate the electrification, iron and steel, aluminium, wood, buffalo, fish farming programmes, among other productive and service sectors.
DECARBONIZATION AND CLEAN ENERGIES IN THE WORLD
In its history, humanity has experienced various energy transitions during its evolution, basically through wood, coal, oil, natural gas, which have been driven mainly by aspects related to competitiveness, without any provision for selection. fuel due consideration of the magnitude of its environmental impact.
Currently in all countries, facing the global climate crisis, there is a substantial shift towards renewable energy sources as an environmentally sustainable alternative for power generation.
In order to reduce CO2 emissions and limit the rise in global temperatures, decarbonizing the energy system involves replacing the fossil fuel energy sources currently used – coal, oil and natural gas – with energy sources that emit a lot. less carbon dioxide as are wind and solar energy. Hydrogen as an alternative fuel can be stored in a gaseous or liquid state and distributed through gas pipelines, and can be a substitute for natural gas, and it does not emit greenhouse gases during its combustion.
Carbon energy use can also be reduced through the large-scale use of electric vehicles in conjunction with "cleaner" technologies. Decreasing carbon intensity in the energy and transportation sectors will help meet emission reduction targets in accordance with government standards.
Phasing out carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use is a critical aspect of managing the global greenhouse gas problem.
Energy-Related Carbon Dioxide Emissions Around the World
The transportation sector accounts for about 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and this figure continues to rise.
Global carbon dioxide emissions by sector
This energy transition is essential to mitigate climate change, protect human health and revitalize the economy.
GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION
Electric technologies as a key to decarbonization
The development of renewable energies is creating a new space for innovative technologies that allow heating and processing products only through electricity. These technologies are helping decarbonization by offering the same results with a fossil- and emission-free process.
Unlike fossil-based systems, electricity-based solutions can be independent of fluctuating gas and coal prices, and with the rapidly declining cost of renewable energy sources, this approach becomes a viable strategy. increasingly competitive for decarbonization.
As a result, global companies are reviewing their sustainability strategies to move away from fossil fuel consumption and seek solutions to electrify their processes.
Natural gas substitution
The thermochemical conversion of biomass and waste results not only in the production of biochar, but also in caloric synthesis gas that can be used as an energy source. This is the reason why in many cases the production of solid products is carried out directly on the industrial site, which allows the energy by-product to be used to produce heat, steam, or industrial energy. Thanks to this advantage, operators can reduce their carbon footprint by replacing traditionally used gas fuels.
CLEAN ENERGIES IN THE WORLD
According to a report published by the International Energy Agency
the most advanced nations in this field are China, United States, Brazil, India and Germany.
However, this does not mean that they are the most sustainable. For example, in the case of India, only 35% of the energy they obtain comes from inexhaustible sources. Different is the case of countries such as Norway, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Iceland, which generate practically 100% of electricity in a sustainable way.
CLEAN ENERGIES IN NORWAY
Since the late 1800s, Norway has generated most of its electricity from environmentally friendly hydropower. The same thing happens today. More than 99% of electricity production in mainland Norway comes from 31 GW hydropower plants (86 TWh reservoir capacity, storing water from summer to winter). The average hydroelectric power is 133 TWh/year.
Although hydroelectric power is dominant in Norway, the planning of production processes and services is not only focused on their immediate basic needs, but also on making the most of all the opportunities, potentialities and possibilities offered by their country, and on the innovative capacity of its people, in this case, to develop other renewable energies, and the technology to make them work at their optimum level. Norwegian companies are pioneering technologies in other areas: solar energy, marine energy, bioenergy production from wood, and energy storage.
Renewable energy flows through Norway
https://www.theexplorer.no/stories/energy/renewable-energy-flows-through-norway/
Onshore wind and floating offshore wind
Onshore wind power is one of the most important renewable technologies in the world. Although wind energy production comprises only a small segment of Norway's renewable energy production, progress has been made rapidly.
After nearly five years of construction, Fosen Vind, Europe's largest onshore wind power facility, came online in 2021. Currently, two hundred and seventy wind turbines generate enough electricity to power all industrial production in Trøndelag county, one of Norway's main industrial regions.
Floating solar power
Although solar energy is clean and almost inexhaustible, building solar farms requires vast areas of land. This makes it difficult to build solar power plants near cities, where space is often in short supply. Generating solar energy in the water can be the solution to this problem.
In addition, Norwegian and other energy companies building hydroelectric power plants around the world can increase their output by using hydroelectric power reservoirs to generate power with floating solar power. These companies have the advantage of already having a transmission infrastructure in place.
Hydro will invest around BRL 1 million (€156,000) in research with the Federal University of Pará (UFPA) in Brazil on floating solar panels at the Paragominas bauxite mine.
Floating Solar Power
GREEN HYDROGEN
This technology is based on the generation of hydrogen through an electrochemical process known as electrolysis. This method uses electric current to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in the water, so if that electricity is obtained from renewable sources, we will produce energy without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
In Norway, as part of Hydro's strategic direction to strengthen its position in low-carbon aluminum and explore new growth opportunities within new energy sources, a green hydrogen company was established earlier this year 2021 that will enable the change from gas to hydrogen based on renewable energies in several of Hydro's aluminum complexes, in addition to developing and serving the foreign market.
https://www.hydro.com/en-NO/media/news/2021/hydro-names-its-green-hydrogen-company-hydro-havrand/
URUGUAY: LEADER IN THE USE OF RENEWABLE SOURCES IN LATIN AMERICA
Uruguay has had a structural and cultural change since 2007 by betting on energy generation from renewable sources. This modification contributes to the environment and provides economic benefits and greater well-being to citizens.
Due to its peneplain landscape and hundreds of miles of oceanic and fluvial coastline, Uruguay has an ideal location for the generation of solar, wind and hydraulic energy, and in the last decade it has positioned itself as one of the countries with the best energy transition towards renewable sources, both in the region and in the world.
In April 2021, the country was, for the second consecutive year, the best positioned Latin American nation in the global index prepared by the World Economic Forum and the consultancy firm Accenture. At the end of 2019, the International Energy Agency (IEA) rated Uruguay as leader in Latin America in energy production and fourth in the world in terms of levels of electricity generation with wind and solar sources.
Wind, solar and biomass energy began to play a highly relevant role in Uruguay and in 2019 they reached high shares in the total offered. According to the balance of the National Administration of Electric Power Plants and Transmissions (UTE), 55.6% corresponded to hydraulic energy, 33.6% to wind power, 6% to biomass, 2.8% to photovoltaic energy and 2% to thermal. In 2005, neither wind nor solar energy contributed to production.
Renewable energies represented 98% of the total energy matrix in 2019, while in 2005 they were 37%, according to the 2019 Energy Balance of the National Directorate of Energy of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining.
In relation to international exchanges, it is highlighted that commercial exports during that year to Brazil totaled 600 GWh and to Argentina 2,391 GWh. In addition, assistance was provided with electricity to Argentina and Brazil in emergency situations in these countries, as established in its 2019 Annual Report.
The combination of its privileged natural resources, legislation with a vision of the future and significant investment in infrastructure is the basis for the change in the Uruguayan energy matrix.
Uruguay develops a policy of freedom of energy generation, which has encouraged significant investments from the private sector, and annually invests around 3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in energy infrastructure. The report "Renewables Global Status Report" prepared by REN 21, placed the country in fifth place in the world in terms of investments in renewable energy as a percentage of GDP.
With an electrical network of 83,277 kilometers that includes low-voltage and home distribution lines, Uruguay has an electrification rate that covered 99.8% of households at the end of 2020.
In less than 8 years, the same amount of wind power installed as the pre-existing hydroelectric power was developed, but sustainable biomass generation plants and photovoltaic solar plants were also installed.
THE NEW ENERGY MATRIX OF CHILE
Cerro Dominador is a clear example of how technology is advancing, being the first solar thermal plant from Latin America
The share of renewable energies in Chile during January and February 2021 reached 25.8 percent. 23,516 MW of installed power total renewable energy projects between solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, marine, hydraulic energy.
The consolidation of clean energies
In the last ten years, the development of clean energies has been significant in Chile, going from 540 MW of installed capacity of non-conventional renewables in 2011, to 6,113 MW at the end of 2020 in the National Electric System.
Already in 2020, the installed capacity of photovoltaic solar plants and wind farms exceeded that of coal-fired thermoelectric plants. And although solar energy is the one with the highest installed capacity, in July 2021, wind power was the one that injected the most energy into the Chilean network.
There are solar, wind, and hydroelectric projects, allowing greater decentralization, greater regional development, generating new job opportunities, and in areas that used to be agricultural or forestry, there is now a third industry: the renewable industry.
Chile is today a country rich in energy. But not in oil, or coal, or natural gas, but in clean energy.
During the second week of May 2021, Chile approved the first green hydrogen project (H2V) with the installation of a fuel production plant based on this resource that would begin construction in 2022.
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