With the number of deliberations and initiatives taking place across the globe, the impending energy crisis is no new news to anyone. Conventional energy sources are limited, and there is a dire need of alternatives before we run out of our current reserves. Not to mention the pollution and drastic climate change caused by the use of fossil fuels, ironically adding fuel to the fire.
It is rejuvenating to see efforts taking place towards a cleaner and sustainable future. We have already taken many steps toward sustainable energy such as Solar power, hydropower, geothermal, and biogas, to name a few. Many vehicles also run on electricity as well. However, there is a dimension that seems to get lost in the narrative of cleaner and sustainable energy. A factor that is challenging to achieve, but cannot be overlooked in the grand scheme of things – Affordability.
Energy sources should not be just sustainable and clean, but also affordable to the masses. After all, what’s the point of working towards all the research and development in creating clean and sustainable energy, when the majority of the people find it hard to afford? One of the biggest problems in the energy sector is providing power to all. Even with the current fossil fuel-based energy systems, there is still a shortage of energy in many parts of the world. People still struggle to have light in their homes 24/7. In such a scenario, introducing expensive and hard to implement means is not only impractical but in some cases, almost impossible.
Take solar energy for example. While progress is being made to make solar panels cheaper and more efficient, currently most commercial solar panels have an efficiency of 15-20%. The area of solar panels needed to produce 1KwH of electricity is approximately between 6 sq. meters to 8 sq. meters. Considering that the household electricity consumption per capita in India amounts to 206.7 KwH in 2016. This implies that to power one household in India, we would need about 1000sq.meters to 1648sq.meters. In a country already lacking space, affording proper solar energy for all households is not only costly but impractical. Of course, that in no way means that solar energy isn’t used at all, but we are still far away from a future where solar energy is affordable to all.
This issue doesn’t stop at solar energy. Hydropower requires the building of dams, which again is costly to build, not to mention the environmental damage caused by building a dam. Geothermal power is unreliable since geysers are not present everywhere on earth. And wind energy is really only effective in places with the consistent wind flow.
Therefore, while it has been acknowledged that there is a need to switch to sustainable means of energy production, and while steps have taken place towards it, we also need to focus on the affordability dimension as well to ensure that everyone is able to make the switch to completely sustainable means without any hassle or any discomfort.
Author – Utkarsh Dev (Writer, House of Yotun, blogger)
Co-Author – Dr. Richa N. Agarwal, Area Chair (HR/OB) SOB
