In general, sustainable energy is a kind of energy that can get a passing score from the three factors of environment, social acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. In simpler terms, sustainable energies are those energies that can meet the current needs of human societies and at the same time do not jeopardize the ability of future generations to meet their needs from different energy sources.
The term renewable energy is sometimes used instead of sustainable energy, and this analogy is not necessarily correct. Of course, it should be noted that renewable energy sources such as solar, hydropower and wind energy are widely considered to be part of sustainable energy. However, this does not mean that all renewable energy sources can be considered sustainable energy sources. For example, energy from biofuels or biomass is a renewable energy source, but its energy extraction requires deforestation to produce these fuels, which in the long run can lead to environmental damage even worse than some fossil fuels. In the following, we will briefly introduce three indicators that determine the sustainability of an energy source:
If an energy source wants to be in the category of sustainable energy, it is necessary to cause the least possible damage or the least possible change to the environment. For example, solar energy does not cause much damage to its environment and can pass the filter of this factor. However, renewable energy such as biomass can not be considered a source of renewable energy due to the damage it does to the vegetation of an area.
In order to consider a sustainable energy source, it is necessary that the source has the minimum base and the necessary social acceptance. Nuclear energy, for example, is widely used in countries such as France and Italy and is accepted as a source of clean and renewable energy. In Germany, however, the use of nuclear energy has by no means received the same social acceptance and has recently been abandoned. In order to have social acceptance, it is necessary to use energy resources according to the culture of that region or to pave the way for using other resources by raising awareness.
Perhaps the most important factor in choosing a renewable energy source is its cost-effectiveness. For example, before dye-sensitized solar cells were made, traditional silicon based solar cells were widely used, which was not very cost-effective for consumers due to their low energy density, but now with the development of solar extraction technology and increasing equipment efficiency it can be considered a completely sustainable energy source.
By 2010, coal was the most widely consumed fuel in the world, followed by natural gas and crude oil. The annual consumption of these resources in 2010 was 10,000 million tons equivalent to crude oil, 6,000 million tons equivalent to crude oil, and 4,000 million tons equivalent to crude oil. There is currently no sustainable or renewable energy source that can completely replace fossil fuels. Only some renewable energy sources can gradually replace fossil fuel energy sources. Among the important reasons why many measures are being considered to replace non-renewable fuels with sustainable energy sources are the following:
The concept of sustainable development was first described in 1987 by the The United Nations Brundtland Commission in its 1987 report, Our Common Future. The book’s definition of “sustainability”, which is now widely used, was: “A development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In that report, the Commission describes four key elements of energy sustainability: the ability to increase energy supply to meet growing human needs, energy efficiency and saving, public health and safety, and the protection of the biosphere and the prevention of indigenous pollution.
According to the available data, if sustainable energy resources development planning is done purposefully and responsibly in developed countries, ways can be found to provide people with universal access to electricity and even healthy cooking, drinking water and sustainable energy sources. One of the main goals of sustainable development is to reduce the problems created by the use of energy sources such as biomass, coal and other fossil fuels. However, according to reports released by the International Energy Agency, despite the plans for sustainable development, by 2030, about 660 million people will live without access to electricity. Efforts to improve people’s access to clean fuels for cooking have hardly kept pace with population growth, and current and planned policies will keep 2.4 billion people in 2030 without access to cooking fuel or even the power needed for a cooking stove. Historically, several countries have made rapid and progressive economic gains through the use of coal, especially in Asia. However, for many poor countries and regions, there is little opportunity for investment. Of course, these countries, especially those with limited natural and energy resources, can reduce or even eliminate their dependence on fossil fuels by developing their energy systems based on sustainable energy sources with adequate international investment and knowledge transfer.
Zirsakht Tadbir Arian Company is trying to find its foothold in these energy sources with the help of top experts in the field of sustainable energy and to serve the sustainable development of various industries.
News & Press Release
