How Renewable Energy Sources Are Better Feasible and Ethical Option for the African Country of Belina - Coursework Example

Ethical Energy Executive summary Africa, one of the largest and also one of the least exploited continents of the world, has a good amount of energyresources, which still remains unexploited and untapped. Among the various forms of energy resources, the renewable form of energy can provide the power starved African countries including fictional African country of Belina cheap, environmentally beneficial and most importantly ethically perfect energy resources. So, this paper will analyze how renewable energy sources are better feasible and ethical option for the African country of Belina, when compared with other energy sources. The paper by analyzing the advantages and limitations of renewable energy sources in relation to the other energy sources will provide the Belinean government the best bid, which can be selected and which will be ethically apt. Introduction Any organization will mainly be judged by the success it achieves. Judged in the sense, the company will be appreciated, feted, discouraged, hated etc, etc… by the success or the lack of success (failure), they get. In today’s world, the success of a company is mostly correlated with its achievement in the form high profits, maximum market share, etc. Even though this perspective is not at all wrong, the bone of contention is, how a company achieves those positive things. Whether, they achieve through ethical means or by the ways of fraud, illegality, etc? The primary focus of any organization is to give a clean management based on preset ethics. If the management and the employees of the company are ethically perfect, they will exhibit good discipline, hard work and thus high productivity. Companies that do not have proper… ethics procedures risk severe damage to their reputation, criminal/legal action and regulatory penalties. The consequences could include loss of customers, reduced share price (Advice on management). This ethical concept applies to energy companies as well. Countries all over the world are facing energy shortages due to the raising demands brought on by the raising population, raising industrialization or raising commercialization. Because of these energy shortages, countries and various government organizations as well private organizations are exploring various options to tap and collect or produce energy. But the catch is, energy organizations while cornering on the energy options should need to focus more on the ethical aspects, giving equal or more importance than the economical aspects. This is a key aspect for energy companies because the various energy sources or options have certain inbuilt weak or danger points. So they have to be taken care to optimally tap the sources and this is what we as part of Karsson team should consider when we advice the Belinean government regarding the choice of energy project. Africa’s energy profile Africa being a large continent with different geographical features and physical features, each part of Africa has different energy profile and energy needs. For example, countries in North Africa is mainly dependent on oil and gas, while South African countries including the economically better off countries like South Africa is mainly dependent on coal and gas. In this widely distributed energy profile, the sub Saharan African countries is said to be mainly dependent on bio mass energy. The reason why the sub-Saharan African countries have started using the biomass energy option is because in that region the oil prices have reached very high ranges and combined with the decreasing share of hydro in power supply, the countries in that region has shifted towards biomass. As far as Belina is concerned, it is in sub-Saharan region of Africa only and so at the outset, one gets the idea that the option of biomass could be a feasible one. The crude oil price all over the world is unstable with prices reaching high ranges and the African countries do not have the economic capability to import oil for energy creation. So, when one views the overall picture, the best option available to African countries would be to focus mainly on renewable resources. The option of renewable resources could favor the African countries not only from the economic angle but also from the ethical angle. That is, as the renewable energy options will not emit any problematic pollutants and importantly will not affect the environment in a maximal way, it appears to be a better option. But, the problem will come in the implementation phase because of limited policy interest in renewable energy options, caused by restricted investments and inferior technical know-how. Technical and financial barriers are one of the main reasons for poor participation by investors and also government in Renewable energy options. Bio-mass energy Biomass means "natural material" and when the natural materials are burned it releases heat, which can be used to produce energy including electrical energy. That is, biomass energy uses many natural materials like trees and plants to make electricity. The bio mass energy systems can be best utilized when biomass is used as a fuel stock, with the production of ethanol as a substitute for petroleum fuel. Biomass offers considerable range for power generation with minimal financial investments. Among the various natural materials that can be used to generate biomass based electricity sugarcane and its waste products holds a major key. In many African countries, Sugarcane is a major agricultural commodity and so it can be used maximally and optimally in biomass energy generation. Already, African countries, particularly countries in the sub-Saharan region are using biomass energy as an important energy resource. They use it mainly of cooking and heating reasons and the below table will vouch that fact. Number of People Relying on Biomass for Cooking and Heating (Millions) 2000 2030 China 706 645 India 585 632 Other Asia 420 456 Sub-Sahara Africa 583 996 Latin America 96 72 Source: (Karekezi and Kithyoma 2008) Hydro power Hydropower or water power is an energy option that is derived from the force or energy of moving water. The water is mainly harnessed with the construction of dams. Africa has the major river Nile and it has many tributaries following through different African countries. So, many African countries have constructed or in the process of constructing many dams incorporating the option to generate hydropower across those rivers. Today many eastern and southern African nations are heavily dependent on hydro electric power. Only 7% of Africa’s enormous hydro potential has been harnessed (Karekezi et. al 2003). The advantage of hydropower is that it can generate high load of power continuously. Even though, hydropower is branded as eco-friendly, it has some anti-environment and importantly anti-ethical features. That is, when the dams are constructed across rivers, there is high possibility of natural areas getting destroyed. When the dam is constructed and water flows, it could destruct many forests, trees, wild animals, etc. So, hydropower based energy option has negative environmental implications. More than this, because of hydropower generating dams, people are losing their lands to the dam’s coverage area, thereby their house or infrastructure, their agriculture, shelter, etc. This is a major ethical problem all over the world, with many people rising in protest against the construction of these dams. Also, problems like silting of dams in the dam site will reduce electricity generation over time. Importantly, with Africa particularly sub-Saharan countries lying in the equatorial region of the world, there will be minimal rains or water resources and maximal droughts. In that case, many nations have ruled out the possibility of these constructing dams for power generation. Solar energy Solar Energy can be tapped by using solar photovoltaic cells, which when installed facing the sun, can convert the Sun’s rays or energy into electrical energy. Although this type of solar energy has been continuously used by different segments of the population from cooking to drying, it use to generate electrical energy is being exploited optimally now only. That is, as mentioned above, many of the African countries are situated in the equatorial region and so they get exposed to good amount of sun’s energy. This tapping of sun’s energy to generate electricity is a considerable option because it a environment friendly one, with minimal or no environmental damages. But, throughout the world, the solar energy is mainly used in the domestic level, with applications in industries and large firms only happening in minimal manner. Also, the high initial capital cost that may arose when installing the photovoltaic cells and other infrastructure. Nuclear energy Nuclear energy is one of the fastest emerging energy generation options all over the world. As nuclear energy can provide an abundant amount of power, it is being used all over the world, with the industrialized or developed nations leading the way. Also as it can provide power with minimal direct pollution, it is being used widely. But, there are many against this form of energy, especially from the ethical and environment point of view. That is, the nuclear power stations, which generate the nuclear and electrical energy, are not that disaster free. Many nuclear power stations have faced breach or malfunction and it has lead to loss of human lives, for example the disaster at the Soviet Unions Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986. Also, when analyzed from the African perspective, nuclear energy with the ability to emit radiations could affect the already drought and disease stuck Africans, further causing health problems. That is, apart from the disasters that could befall the African people, continuous exposure to the radiations will affect and cripple the people as well as the unborn, raising serious ethical concerns. So, even though nuclear energy is a feasible option, it is problematic when viewed from the ethical perspective. Selecting the best BID Among the various bids received by the Belinean government from various firms, the selection will be based on the cost, efficiency and importantly safety to the local people and eco-friendliness. The first and the sixth bid, EUROGEN and MINIGEN, from nuclear energy generating company, appears to be a feasible one from the financial and the productivity point of view. But, when the disadvantages of Nuclear power generation is analyzed and how it could affect the African people, these two bids can be avoided. Both the bids are unviable when analyzed from the ethical and environmental standpoint. The bid no.2, Windiber, which provides energy generation through wind energy, can be avoided at the outset itself because all the African countries do not experience good wind. That is, most of the countries are land locked and its geographical position prevents occurrence of consistent wind speeds, which will not be sufficient for power generation. Bid No 3 RelRose and Bid No 4 of Atishi, both of which is based on the conventional oil-fired system, is also unfeasible for African countries including Belina. As both these bids are the higher side from the financial point of view, it will drain the Belinean government’s financial resources. It will affect its total economy both in the short as well as in the long run. So, this bid can also be avoided. Feasible and best Bid The feasible and best bid for the Belinean government when viewed from the cost factor, efficiency factor, importantly ethical and environmental standpoint is the Bid No 5 of NATFUEL. This bid floated by a European consortium, specializes in developing biomass systems for power generation. According to the bid details, NATFUEL can install systems which can generate up to 100MW units. The generation of biomass based power will mainly help the local population. That is, as this system needs “natural material” to generate power, the local population can be involved in collecting and assembling those materials. So, along with providing them power, this bid will also provide employment to the local people of Belina. This labour intensive option would generate employment opportunities even to illiterates. Belina’s uneducated or even the literates will benefit a lot as the power generation system will provide them livelihood in addition to the comfort of electricity. Apart from this two-in-one feature, NATFUEL’s bid is the safe and the eco friendly bid of all. As Biomass power generation does not emit any pollution causing agents, it will not affect the environment. And importantly, as it does not affect the people living nearby with any radiations and all, it is safe to the people and thus ethically viable. The biomass generation is a simple “natural materials” based system, without any dangers. With the future energy requirement of Belina will also increase due the raising population, the bid has to have long term viability. In that aspect also, NATFUEL’s biomass generation is quite effective. As NATFUEL will have surplus supply of “natural materials”, there would not be any shortages or blockages in power generations due to resources shortage. So, with NATFUEL fulfilling all the important criteria, Belinean government can go ahead in choosing it as the builder of its power generation facility. With this decision, Belina can improve a lot both economically and ethically, as its people will get employment, economic benefits and comfort, along with safe living. References Karekezi, et al, 2003. Overcoming the Barriers to the Use of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Systems in the Reforming Power Sector of Eastern Africa - Background Paper for East African Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership Regional Consultation Workshop. Karekezi, S and Kithyoma, W, 2008, Biomass Energy & Geothermal Options for Africa, Climate Change and Energy Access. . Read More