The energy crisis in Europe also has a positive side. Inevitably, the continent has accelerated the spread of solar energy and is poised to surpass even the most optimistic pre-war projections. The World Economic Forum reported that 18 of the 27 European Union countries set new records in solar power generation between May and August this year . Of course, expanding solar power alone isn't enough to solve the continent's devastating energy crisis, but it's a promising and financially sound development, both for the economy and for the climate.
This year's annual review from Norwegian renewable energy company Statkraft predicts that European solar capacity will increase by an average of 45 GW to 52 GW by 2030 . The post-occupation estimate is much higher than the 2021 growth estimate of 33 gigawatts per year. The report continues to forecast the continued explosion of solar energy, which is expected to account for almost 80% of global energy production by 2050.
Massive increases in solar power have already saved European countries $29 billion in the summer months alone, according to an analysis of data from the Ember Energy Research Center . Without this additional addition to the energy mix, money could have been spent on expensive natural gas imports, the report says.
Natural gas and energy prices were already high as Europe and the rest of the world struggled to recover economically from the pandemic, then Russia's illegal incursion into Ukraine sent prices skyrocketing due to supply chain disruptions and Kremlin sanctions. Tsunami in the energy of the world. Experts have warned for years that Europe's growing lifelong dependency on Russian natural gas (Germany, for example, buys more than half of all natural gas from Russia) threatens the continent's energy security. very correct.
The push for solar energy promises not only that Europe can weather this winter, but that the energy future is no longer dependent on Russian fossil fuels and thus no longer subject to Putin's influence or weakness. Europe will have a very difficult winter, maybe two years of very difficult adjustment and many economic problems. But then Europe will actually become more independent and diverse,” Agatha Desmares , director of global forecasts at the Economist Intelligence Unit, recently quoted CNBC as saying the bloc's dependence on Russia is “nearly over ”.
However, there are some concerns that Europe is shifting from supporting one resource-rich authoritarian regime to another as the continent turns to China to meet its growing demand for photovoltaic technology, and solar panels in particular. "The figures reflect the activity of national photovoltaic companies," wrote the Global Times . For example, Tongwei Group announced on Friday that its revenue for the first three quarters rose 118.6% year on year to 102.084 billion yuan (US$14.09 billion). Recently, the EU, deeply aware of the dangers of over-reliance on allies in good weather for critical power generation hubs, is trying to "distance itself from China's PV supply chain," including Chinese solar panels. cheap to ignore.
This does not mean that every country should be energy self-sufficient. On the contrary, there are strong arguments for building and maintaining strong economic relationships with other countries . The ultimate lesson from the current energy crisis is diversification. Resilience is like diversity and redundancy, and energy security depends on having a variety of alternative energy sources and technologies that can be relied on, not when an impact occurs, but when. While solar power is a particularly cost-effective, efficient and climate-friendly option, business relationships with many exporters of other renewable and clean energy technologies need to be developed alongside solar power to meet climate targets and support energy security.
Halle Zarimba Parmesan Oil
Other important dates from Oilcludes:
