A shift to renewable power is ‘hopeless’ with out efficiencies, environmentalist says

Explorer and environmentalist Bertrand Piccard has referred to as for a renewed deal with slicing power waste, saying it is “hopeless” to shift to renewables with out enhancing effectivity.

Round three-quarters of the world’s power is wasted, Piccard advised an “IOT: Powering the Digital Economy” panel moderated by CNBC’s Silvia Amaro. This estimate is predicated on waste “due to inappropriate behaviour and inefficient systems or infrastructures,” he advised CNBC individually through e mail.

Piccard, who’s founder and chairman of the environmental non-profit group Photo voltaic Impulse Basis, mentioned that “we live in a world of waste.”

“So if we try to replace fossil [fuel] energy with renewables without being efficient, without reducing the consumption, it’s hopeless,” he mentioned.

One other problem Piccard highlighted was that some international locations solely contemplate wind and photo voltaic as various renewable power sources.

Biogas, produced by the breakdown of natural matter equivalent to meals, has been “excluded … from the taxonomy” in Europe, he mentioned, and other people additionally overlook about geothermal power, which makes use of warmth from the earth.

A report printed in October by the European Fee confirmed that whereas bioenergy continued to be the principle supply of renewable power within the EU in 2021 — at round 60% — biogas made up simply 10% of this share. Geothermal power accounted for simply 2.7% of renewable power consumption, whereas wind energy was 13.2% and photo voltaic power was 7.2%. 

“So we focus on producing more, instead of consuming less, and in the production that we want to do, we forget a lot of different types of renewable energies that we don’t take into consideration,” he mentioned.

On account of these points, Piccard mentioned there is a threat that inexperienced power targets could possibly be missed — in addition to the chance to provide cheaper power regionally.

“So every country wants … energy independence, more competitiveness, and they forget that the only way to reach it is by energy efficiency, and renewables,” he mentioned.

There have been growing concerns in Europe and the U.S. {that a} surplus of backed clear power merchandise, together with photo voltaic panels, from China is making it harder for his or her home industries to compete.

Earlier this month, the European Fee launched two investigations into Chinese language photo voltaic panel producers that it mentioned might have benefitted from “potentially market distortive” subsidies.

In the meantime, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen mentioned final week that she wouldn’t rule out possible tariffs on China’s inexperienced power exports.

Piccard mentioned it was additionally essential to think about the potential benefits of Chinese language photo voltaic panels in Europe, nonetheless. For instance, he mentioned that these panels could possibly be used to generate cheaper electrical energy within the area, which might then be used to provide hydrogen regionally.

“I think, instead of fighting against the obstacle, I think you need to use the situation to see how there will be outcomes on the side of the problem that can that can be beneficial for us,” he mentioned.

Piccard added that when he initiated the Photo voltaic Impulse undertaking over 20 years in the past, photo voltaic power was 40 occasions dearer than it’s at this time. Photo voltaic Impulse 2 turned the first solar-powered electric airplane to circumnavigate the globe in 2016.

“So I’m sorry, maybe it’s not politically correct but I’m thanking China for the decrease [in] price of solar energy that has given a wonderful push to renewable energies — we would not be at this point without China,” he mentioned.