In the early 2000s, it was trendy to be an ardent advocate for renewable energy. The promise of harnessing the sun and wind to power our world seemed not only feasible but imperative. The idealistic folk envisioned a future where solar panels adorned every rooftop and wind turbines dotted every horizon, leading us to a sustainable utopia free from the shackles of fossil fuels. This vision was shared by many, and significant investments were made to turn it into reality.
However, as the years progressed, the flaws in this vision became increasingly apparent. One of the most pressing challenges was the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Solar panels, for instance, are at the mercy of weather conditions. In North America, the average solar farm generates meaningful power less than 20 percent of the time. Wind energy is similarly unreliable, fluctuating with seasonal and daily wind patterns. This inconsistency necessitates reliable backup systems, which invariably means fossil fuels or nuclear power must remain part of the energy equation.
Initially, renewable energy advocates pointed to battery storage as the answer. Yet, the reality proved more daunting. Current battery technologies can store energy for a few hours, but storing enough electricity to power entire regions during prolonged periods without sun or wind is not feasible. The sheer scale of storage required presents both technical and economic challenges that remain unsolved.
Moreover, the environmental footprint of manufacturing renewable energy infrastructure cannot be overlooked. The production of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries demands significant mineral resources, leading to increased mining activities. This surge in mining has its own set of environmental and social implications, from habitat destruction to the displacement of local communities. Ironically, in the name of "saving the planet," the renewable industry is causing significant ecological harm while failing to meet energy needs efficiently.
A poignant example is the Wayuu Indigenous community in Colombia's La Guajira region. Plans to develop wind farms on their ancestral lands have been met with resistance due to concerns over environmental degradation and cultural erosion. These communities are being asked to sacrifice their way of life for energy solutions that do not deliver on their promises.
Furthermore, the integration of renewable energy into existing power grids has revealed economic challenges. In Queensland, the cancellation of the Pioneer-Burdekin hydroelectric project, which was intended to store renewable energy, has led to projections of a 60 percent increase in wholesale electricity prices by 2035. This highlights the financial burden of transitioning to a renewable-based energy system without sufficient infrastructure to support it. Across Europe, heavy investments in renewables have resulted in rising energy costs, with countries like Germany facing some of the highest electricity prices in the world.
International dynamics further complicate the narrative. European countries, eager to enhance their green credentials, have turned to North Africa for renewable energy imports. However, this strategy has been criticised for perpetuating energy dependencies and environmental burdens on countries like Morocco and Egypt, which continue to rely on imported fossil fuels. This raises the question: if renewable energy is truly the future, why do so many regions still require fossil fuels to sustain their economies?
At the heart of this push for renewables lies an even larger issue: the assumptions behind climate change policy. The prevailing narrative asserts that fossil fuels are causing catastrophic global warming and that an immediate transition to green energy is necessary. Yet, climate models have consistently overestimated warming projections, and predictions of climate disasters have failed to materialize at the scale once feared. Meanwhile, fossil fuels have played an undeniable role in global economic prosperity, lifting billions out of poverty, enabling industrial progress, and providing the most efficient and reliable energy source humanity has ever known.
If we are truly concerned about energy security, economic stability, and human well-being, then dismissing fossil fuels is not only impractical but reckless. The reality is that renewables alone cannot sustain modern civilization, and fossil fuels will continue to be the backbone of global energy for the foreseeable future. Instead of chasing the illusion of a green utopia, we should focus on improving existing energy systems, investing in cleaner fossil fuel technologies, and acknowledging the undeniable benefits that coal, oil, and natural gas have brought to humanity.
The renewable energy idealism of the past few decades has led us down an expensive and impractical path. It is time to reassess our priorities and embrace an energy policy grounded in realism rather than ideology. The world needs energy solutions that work—not just ones that sound good on paper. Fossil fuels must be with us for the foreseeable future. And that means coal-fired power stations, Albo!
https://democracyjournal.org/arguments/why-renewables-cannot-replace-fossil-fuels/
https://quillette.com/2019/02/27/why-renewables-cant-save-the-planet/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2019/09/04/why-renewables-cant-save-the-climate/