Renewable Energy Will Surpass Coal for the First Time
16 Jan 2023
Coal
has long been an important source of energy, and it can be said that it was one
of the key factors that sparked the industrial revolution with all things
having been considered and taken into account. In spite of the fact that this
is the case, it is also one of the most significant sources of carbon emissions
out there, so reducing its usage is essential if we want to prevent the effects
of climate change.
The protests at a coal mine in Germany are just the latest in a series of
attempts to keep coal usage at a bare minimum, and it turns out that renewable
energies are turning into a viable alternative. With all of that having been
said and now out of the way, it is important to note that renewable energies
are on the rise, and they could help make us less reliant on coal than might
have been the case otherwise.
Currently, renewable energy makes up for around 28% of global energy
consumption. This number is expected to rise to 38% by 2027. Meanwhile, coal is
currently responsible for approximately 36.3% person of the energy that we rely
on, and by 2027 this will reduce to just 29.7%. That means that renewable
energy will surpass coal as a source of electricity in about half a decade or
perhaps even sooner.
Switching over to renewable energy is essential because of the fact that this
is the sort of thing that could potentially end up making our energy
consumption more sustainable than it is right now. With Russia invading
Ukraine, natural gas has become less prevalent than it used to be. That has
forced countries like Germany to increase their coal usage in the short term,
although current trends show that this will not do much to change the trend in
the long term.
As renewable energy sources become more and more efficient, we will see fossil fuels
start to give way to them. Solar and wind power along with hydroelectricity
will become important energy sources down the line and help us to keep our
planet safe.