Saturday 3 February 2018

Renewable Energy; Access and Sustainability (A call to action by Busayo Ogunbiyi.




FACTS: Did you know that Currently 1.3 billion people – one in ve globally – lack any access to electricity. Twice that number – nearly 40 per cent of the world’s population – relies on wood, coal, charcoal, or animal waste to cook their food (IEA 2010a) (UN Environment Green Economy)


Over the decades, we were happy and excited with the minerals we found to give us electrical energy. As time went on, there was an incessant need for renewable energy as minerals across the world are depleted or maybe it was due to the pollution in the air across nations and/or climate change. However, presently, in this time and day, as at 9:17pm 02/18, there is a need for not only renewable energy but also sustainable and accessible energy.

Science Daily defines Renewable Energy as an energy resource that is replaced rapidly by a natural process such as power generated from the sun or from the wind.

According to UN Environment, The Rio+20 Outcome Document, “The Future We Want” (UN 2012a, paragraphs 125-129), highlights the importance of transition to renewable and accessible energy and emphasises
“the need to address the challenge of access to sustainable modern energy services for all... [including through] increased use of renewable energy sources and other low emission technologies” This they believe will solve some of the world's pressing issues.

As much as I would love to quote some accomplished people/companies, there is no need as the situation is what we can see for ourselves on a daily basis.


I loved this area of discussion so much because when I heard about it first in 2009 under the topic 'URBAN REGENERATION' in Leslie's class (as there are no aunties or uncles or Mr's or Mrs in the UK), it appealed to my creative mind: come up with an energy source that is renewable, not harmful to environment or man and sustainable. In the class as a 16 year old, we were taught wind water sun as energy sources and also how carbon dioxide (Co2, the air we breathe out) can be used in creating clean energy.
2009 is a long time from now but we can see companies striving to be more eco friendly either by reducing their carbon print, recycling or making use of cleaner energy sources. So what is the issue?

The problem is that countries such as the one I live in are not even crying out enough for renewable energy but rather accessible energy. We pay the government NEPA (PHCN/IE) bills and get electricity that destroys out electrical appliances as light is provided for 5 minutes and taken the next 3 and given the next 2 minutes and taken in 1 minute and given the next 4 minutes and then taken for the next 5 days. The major issue here is accessibility to energy, affordable and sustainable energy.


Wind, Sun, Water and Carbon dioxide conversion are super cool ways to living a pollution free life however they are expensive energy, I would rather bear the smell and sound of a generator than pay for these energy sources with blood because that is what it would entail.


An answer I see to these questions quick efforts by the government of our nation's to provide renewable energy sources for their citizens at not only a subsidized rate but a functioning distribution grid. Another solution I see is where we all come together and stop playing eye service games and strive to help each other as neighbours or fellow country men. I may be wrong but then it is only my opinion and suggestion.

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