WMO – By 2030, clean energy must double
For the purpose of preventing a rise in global temperatures, Over the next eight years, the quantity of power generated from renewable sources must double. The World Meteorological Organization has released a new multi-agency report that warns that if we don’t take action, severe weather, climate change, and water stress might jeopardise the energy independence and and potentially destroy inexhaustible energy sources .
The yearly State of Climate Services report from the organization was released this year, which incorporates contributions from 26 different organisations, is focused on energy since it is essential to the accomplishment of needed to resolve on climate change, sustainable development, and even environmental health.
Our climate is changing right before our eyes, and time is not on our side. According to Prof. Taalas, the world’s energy system has to be completely transformed.
For the energy infrastructure to be more resilient and to keep up with the demand, which has increased by 30% over the previous 10 years, More and more, Having access to trustworthy weather, water, and climate information and services will be crucial.
A number of encouraging possibilities are highlighted in the 2022 State of Responses To climate change: Energy study. It emphasises the enormous potential for networks powered by green energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance air quality, save water, protect the environment, generate employment, and ensure a bright future for all of us. The research includes case studies from the actual world. Energy supply in Beijing, China, is being protected by early weather forecasts.
The distribution of energy in the Italian Dolomites is being monitored via climate stress testing.
For the purpose of planning hydropower operations, warning systems in Tajikistan provide early notification of dry conditions.
Decision-making in the wind business is aided by localised wind resource information;
In Germany, measurements of solar radiation are in favour of mounting solar panels on noise barriers.
The majority of the world’s electrical demands will be satisfied by renewable energy by 2050, with solar being the single greatest supply source. These needs will continue rising over time as electrification becomes a key tool to achieve Net Zero goals. important market participants 60% of the world’s finest solar resources are found in Africa, but just 1% of installed solar capacity there.
“If we are to retain energy security while speeding the transition to net-zero, we must quickly respond to the rising impact of climate change on energy systems.” Dr. Fatih Birol who is the Executive Director of International Energy Agency, says that in order to stimulate investment, long-term planning and bold policy action are required. These actions, in turn, must be backed by comprehensive and reliable weather and climate data.
“We should move more quickly toward a future powered entirely by renewable energy sources. The likelihood of staying on the 1.5°C road will ultimately be eliminated by anything less than strong and fast action. The energy and climate problems are interwoven, and this has vividly shown the flaws and vulnerabilities of an economy that is highly dependent on fossil fuels.
Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, remarked that accelerating the switch to renewable energy is a strategic choice that will give individuals and communities access to affordable electricity, employment, economic growth, and a resilient environment.
More work has to be done and there is potential for improvement. According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, bold climate action may result in US$26 ,000,000,000 in economic rewards before 2030. However, there is far too little emphasis on the importance of climate services for energy, which is important for both climate change mitigation and adaptation and decisions about how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Investments in clean energy are therefore far too low, especially in developing countries.
Since 2019, This Organization has released annual reports on the state of climate services in response to a UN request for more information on states’ requirements for adaptation. This year’s edition has the most partners contributing than ever before. Among them are the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), UN Energy, ENEL Foundation, Adaptation Fund, Green Climate Fund (GCF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), and other organisations, including businesses and civil society groups.
The Adaptation Fund is pleased to report that it is a founding partner and contributor to this significant publication.
“We have been pleased to see an increasing number of country-driven activities that address the specific adaptation needs of the energy sector at different scales,” says the Adaptation Fund’s Mikko Ollikainen. “The Adaptation Fund supports initiatives that are based on vulnerable developing nations’ top objectives for adaptation.
On October 11, a high-profile event will introduce the study, and on October 13, in Scotland, it will be delivered at the World Energy Council meeting. An interactive digital narrative map is included.
Global energy security is under stake due to climate change.
Energy output, fuel supply, and Climate change has a direct influence on both the physical resilience of the energy infrastructure of the present and the future. Droughts and heat waves are already straining the capacity of current energy production, making it increasingly crucial to cut back on fossil fuel emissions.
Extreme weather, water, and climate events are already having an impact since they are occurring more frequently and intensely.
For instance, around 700 000 people in Buenos Aires, Argentina were impacted by widespread power disruptions in January 2022 as a result of a severe heatwave. The Russian Federation’s Far East in November 2020, freezing rain covered power wires, knocking off energy for many days to hundreds of thousands of residents.
In the quest to achieve net zero emissions, concerns regarding the effects of global temperature rise on energy security are crucial (NZE).
When worldwide CO2 removals over a predetermined time period equal global CO2 emissions from human activity, net zero emissions are reached. Carbon neutrality is another name for net zero CO2 emissions.
Water is a limited resource.
Water availability was a direct determinant of 87% of the world’s thermal, nuclear, and hydroelectric power output in 2020. In contrast, in locations with substantial water stress, the locations of 33% of the thermal power plants that require access to freshwater for cooling. Additionally, 15% of nuclear power reactors that are now operational fall into this category; in 20 years, this percentage is predicted to rise to 25%.
Additionally, 11% of hydroelectric power is situated in areas with severe water shortages. And in river basins where there is now a medium to high danger of water shortage, around 26% of hydroelectric dams that are already in place and 23% of dams that are slated to be built.
In addition to relying on water for cooling, nuclear power facilities are frequently sited in low-lying coastal locations, making them potentially vulnerable to flooding brought on by extreme weather. For instance, in the upcoming decades, The Florida (United States of America) nuclear power plant at Turkey Point, which is situated at sea level, will be at risk. According to International Atomic Energy Authority, routine adjustments to operating procedures and developing regulatory requirements may significantly lower output losses at nuclear power plants caused by bad weather.
According To WMO – Throughout the world, energy security is at stake due to climate change
Fuel availability, energy production, and the physical durability of present and future energy infrastructure are all directly impacted by climate change. It is even more crucial to cut emissions of fossil fuels since heatwaves and droughts are already stressing the capacity of current energy production.
The effects of increasingly severe weather, water, and climate events are already evident.
For instance, around 700 000 people in Buenos Aires, Argentina were impacted by widespread power disruptions in January 2022 as a result of a severe heatwave. In the Far East of the Russian Federation in November 2020, freezing rain covered power wires, knocking down energy to hundreds of thousands of residences for many days.
In the quest to achieve net zero emissions, concerns regarding the effects of global temperature rise on energy security are crucial (NZE).
When CO2 emissions from human activities are globally matched by CO2 removals over a predetermined time period, net zero emissions are attained. Carbon neutrality also refers to net zero CO2 emissions.
Water is in Short Supply
Water availability was a direct determinant of 87% of the world’s thermal, nuclear, and hydroelectric power output in 2020. Meanwhile, 33% of the thermal power plants that depend on the presence of freshwater for cooling are situated in high water stress regions. Additionally, 15% of nuclear power reactors that are now operational fall into this category; in 20 years, this percentage is predicted to rise to 25%.
Additionally, 11% of hydroelectric power is situated in areas with severe water shortages. And in river basins where there is now a medium to high danger of water shortage, around 26% of hydroelectric dams that are already in place and 23% of dams that are slated to be built.
According to the International Atomic Energy Authority, routine adjustments to operating procedures and developing regulatory requirements may significantly lower output losses at nuclear power plants caused by bad weather.
Energy needs must be prioritised in climate action initiatives
Despite these dangers, only 40% of the government-submitted climate action plans to the UNFCCC give the energy sector a high priority for adaptation, and funding is therefore minimal.
If the world wants to reach net zero by 2050, the supply from low-emissions sources must quadruple by 2030.
Due to the fact that solar and wind energy utilise far less water than more conventional power plants, such as those powered by fossil fuels or nuclear energy, the switch to renewable energy will help ease the rising worldwide water crisis.
The amount of carbon reductions required by 2030, however, is 70% higher than what has now been pledged by nations, falling well short of the goals set forth in the Paris Agreement.
Less than half of what is required is covered by promises for renewable energy. 7.1 TW of renewable energy capacity must be added by 2030, according to data referenced in the paper, in order to achieve the long-term global temperature objective set forth in the Paris Agreement.
Globally, there will be a significant gap between now and 2030 when it comes to fulfilling SDG 7’s target of ensuring that everyone has access to modern, affordable, dependable, and sustainable energy.
The World Bank reports that Africa, South America, and Asia continue to have the least amount of the required laws and regulations to allow for decarbonization in the energy industry. Additionally, the acknowledgement of the need for services to support renewable energy is notably low in national contributions made under the Paris Agreement.
By 2050, investments must tripled in renewable energy
According to data used in the paper, investments in renewable energy must treble by 2050 in order to put the globe on a net zero trajectory. The East Asia and Pacific area, including China and Japan, saw the most investments in renewable energy in 2019–2020. Western Europe and North America came in second and third.
When it comes to obtaining renewable energy financing, developing nations are underrepresented.
For the second year in a row, public international financial flows to developing countries that encourage the use of renewable energy and the attainment of SDG 7 fell to US$ 10.9 billion in 2019. This level of assistance was 23% less than the US$ 14.2 billion given in 2018, 25% less than the average between 2010 and 2019, not to mention less than half of the record of US$ 24.7 billion in 2017.
Africa may play a significant role in the renewable energy industry
Despite having contributed the least to the issue, Africa is already experiencing significant repercussions from climate change, such as extreme droughts.
A tremendous potential exists for Africa to fill the gap in the demand for renewable energy as a result of the declining costs of clean technologies. By more than tripling energy investment this decade and significantly increasing adaption, Africa can meet its energy and climate targets. Africa received just 2% of the clean energy investments during the past two decades. It will need an annual investment of $25 billion, or about 1% of the current global energy investment, to provide all Africans with access to modern electricity.
Climate services offer trustworthy information
In order to support choices on site selection, operations, maintenance, and management, renewable energy systems must be weather- and climate-dependent, hence the switch to clean energy necessitates enhanced climate information and services.
Production and transmission of pertinent, reliable, and practical climatic information are considered to be climate services. Using weather services is something the energy sector has done a lot. However, more must be done to incorporate climate information into decision-making in order to improve energy efficiency and strengthen the resistance of energy systems to shocks connected to the climate.
There is a lot of opportunity for improvement. Less than 50% of WMO Members offer products specifically designed for the energy industry, highlighting the untapped potential of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and the work necessary to meet the changing demands.
Why do we require services for climate?
Climate change and weather unpredictability have an impact on the planning and operations of the energy industry. It is obvious that the information flow from weather and climate data and predictions has to be appropriately included into decision support systems as energy systems grow more and more dependent on weather changes.
Although weather predictions up to 15 days are frequently used in the power sector, employing climatological data is less common.
A more efficient use of climate data will not only support the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure but will also advance the effectiveness of the clean energy sector and climate resilience. To do this, there has to be a consistent increase in expenditures in such services, supported by improved policies that recognise the need for such services.
Studies in the energy industry have shown the economic importance of extremely short-term, sub-seasonal, and seasonal predictions (for things like temperature, wind speed, stream flow, etc.) for fuel purchase choices, demand and generation forecasting, and system planning. Managers can more correctly predict peak loads thanks to temperature predictions, which also help them design the best possible schedule for their power plants so they can satisfy demand more cheaply. Forecasts for streamflow and precipitation on a daily, monthly, and seasonal basis are useful for hydropower operations and can assist to streamline processes.
For instance, the use of streamflow projections boosts the energy output from the main Columbia River (United States) hydroelectric dams by 5.5 TWh/year, generating an average gain in annual income of around US$ 153 million.
Comparatively, using predictions to manage hydropower operations in Ethiopia results in cumulative decadal gains of between US$ 1 and US$ 6.5 billion, as opposed to a climatological (no forecast) strategy.
The Global Framework for Climate Services can help with both adaptation and mitigation via the creation and use of tailored climate products and services.
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