It is unquestionable that renewable energy needs to be part of the solution to climate change. With many countries committing at COP26 to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, renewable energy infrastructure is set to scale rapidly.
New onshore wind power capacity added in 2020 was twice that installed in 2019 and the US, Europe, China and other countries have laid out plans to ramp up investments in renewables. These have been further accelerated by Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating, “The quicker we switch to renewables and hydrogen, combined with more energy efficiency, the quicker we will be truly independent and master our energy system.”
However, while vital to reach a net-zero ambition, the renewable energy industry is not without its challenges. In early 2020, images of diggers burying rows of decommissioned wind turbine blades against a picturesque mountain range in Casper, Wyoming, captured headlines. The coverage gave credence to renewable energy skeptics who question the environmental credentials of current renewable technologies, with detractors labeling the turbines “Not so green energy.” Read more…
