How Clean is ‘Clean Energy?

¿Toda la “energía limpia” es realmente limpia? Quizás la generación y consumo de este tipo de energía no genere emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, pero dados los insumos para su generación y almacenamiento para utilizarla de manera diversificada, y no para uso doméstico, como en vehículos, ¿cuánto contamina? ¿Y en qué sentido? Además, en cuanto a la disposición final de los productos utilizados para generar los insumos, como paneles solares y baterías, entre otros, ¿qué tan dañinos son para el medio ambiente? ¿Qué tan preparados estamos para enfrentar todo esto? Estas son sólo algunas de las preguntas que deberíamos plantearnos antes de generalizar y especular que la transición energética, tal como se está manejando, es la solución a los problemas que enfrentamos. 

En el sector minero, dada la contaminación del agua que produce la minería en los países donde se explotan los minerales necesarios para sostener energías limpias, ¿es esta fuente de energía la más adecuada?

Habiendo llegado al punto de no retorno en muchos aspectos ya a pesar de la amenaza del cambio climático y de una inminente crisis del agua y lo que esto implica si no se hace algo al respecto, la humanidad se enfrenta a una crisis importante. Parece más importante amasar riqueza, cueste lo que cueste, y el precio que estamos pagando por este consumismo es demasiado alto. Si bien algunas regiones del mundo han evolucionado más rápidamente y han liderado el camino en la evolución de las fuentes de energía, desde el fuego hasta el carbón derivado de la madera, el uso de carbón mineral, el uso de combustibles fósiles y ahora el incipiente. uso de energías renovables (“limpias”). energías”), otros continúan quemando madera para uso elemental como lo hacían hace millas de años.

The point is that we are already here, in a situation that affects not only humanity, but all species on the planet. Yet, there does not seem to be a fundamental change underway regarding how  those we have chosen as leaders and those who manage the greatest wealth on the planet and the population in general speculate with information that is so limited or just enough but limited in scope or biased toward where they want to take us. Similarly, even if we had enough information, it would be too difficult to change a lifestyle that has taken centuries of cultural evolution to forge.

The demand for energy to support the subsistence of the human species is what has set the pattern for energy production. The effort has led to a productive infrastructure that has evolved over years based on these sources of energy, without considering the damage it could cause to the environment in the long run. However, energy is no longer consumed in some parts of the world as a means of survival, with an awareness of collective well-being. In some regions, energy is consumed because people can simply  pay for it, while in other parts of the world there are people who do not even have access to the basics. We will all pay the bill for these excesses that will impact both those who have and those who do not have, and worse, the other species that cohabit the planet.

How far will the foolishness of a portion of humanity go, since there is another portion that only knows about climate change because they suffer from it and whose energy consumption is elementary. Even though more and more nations adhere to the commitment of zero emissions by 2050, the actions in favor of the commitment of zero emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere are not so evident. There are four main strategies: the generation of electricity without emissions, the use of equipment and vehicles that work with electricity instead of fossil fuels, making the use of energy more efficient and the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, at present, there is a paradox because fossil fuels are required for the construction of engines for solar and wind plants, for their maintenance and for their final disposal after their useful life. In mining, fossil fuels are required for operations. Additionally, there are activities that still cannot be done with renewable energies, such as heavy transportation by sea and land, industrial agriculture, aviation, steel and cement production, as well as petrochemicals, among others. To rationalize the use of energy, a socially and environmentally sustainable energy transition is required, which implies a radical culture change for the next generations.  As for the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it would be necessary to consider all the possible scenarios that could impact aquifers and the atmosphere if there were leaks of sequestered carbon dioxide.

Es un gran desafío para toda la humanidad y en los próximos años seremos testigos de las voluntades de los pueblos de la Tierra. No necesitamos que los extraterrestres nos invadan para unificar y salvar la especie, ya que el enemigo está en nuestro comportamiento como especie dominante en el planeta. ¿Seremos capaces de revertir las tendencias que nosotros mismos hemos provocado?