Benefits of Renewable Energy - Essay Example

Environmental studies Task Introduction A renewable energy is a source of energy, which originates from natural resources in the environment such as rain, sunlight, wind. These sources are environmentally friendly and sustainable in the sense that they have no negative impact on the environment. Renewable energy such as electricity can be used in the place of gas and oil. Many foreign nations such as the United States, Brazil, China, Canada, etc. are considering switching to renewable sources of energy. On the other hand, the Arab countries’ primary source of energy is oil. Some countries like the Gulf depend on oil to generate electricity. This is due to lack of adequate water supply. The developing cities such as Masdar city, in the United Arab Emirates, primarily rely on the renewable energy to fuel its growth activities. The architectural skills employed by the construction industry within the city are sophisticated and classy. It is anticipated that the rest of the UAE will adopt a similar or more sophisticated architectural skill in the future in order to improve the quality of the buildings and maximize the benefits of the residents. UAE comprises one of the major oil exporters worldwide. Oil has been the major economic pillar in the UAE due to substantial revenue streams from oil export. For decades, the UAE economy has been supported by oil, which has negative consequences to the environment (contributing to global warming). It is time the UAE government considered the exploitation of alternative sources of energy, preferably, the renewable sources. Background Information Abu Dhabi is the richest amongst the seven countries of the UAE. The region owns 7.4 % of the world’s oil resources, 3.2 % of global confirmed natural gas supplies, and more than 90 % of the UAE’s oil and natural gas (Abu-Hijleh& Al-Amir, 2013). Abu Dhabi’s GDP is more than half of the federal’s total, and it is presently planning to use about 175 billion dollars on economic diversification in the next six years. Because of its oil wealth, the region’s long-term economic strategy depends widely on a combination of industrialization and overseas investments in the hydrocarbon sectors and energy-intensive sectors due to the existence of the vast amounts of oil oil wealth. In principle, with Abu Dhabi’s oil reserves anticipated to last until the century’s end, its diversification efforts, have never involved an entire shift away from oil resources (Sgouridis et al., 2013). The UAE can be described as a rentier economy due to its immense fossil-fuel resources, timid national population and a steady and consolidated authoritarian governance. The domestic legality of the ruling class is based on a combination of “neo-traditional” legitimacy and rentier approaches to wealth distribution (Abu-Hijleh& Al-Amir, 2013). Thus, most of the country’s challenges in the future relate closely to the social political system and the rentier economy the country has modelled. The high reliance on oil and other external sources of income for the growing population, the ineffective human-resources-management approaches, high natural resource consumption levels and economic stability that has led to environmental damage, unsustainable resource consumption, global warming and energy crisis (Patlitzianas, Doukas&Psarras, 2006). How Renewable Energy Can Replace Fossil Fuels in the UAE There has been an increase in the number of sustainable renewable energy sources in the UAE. Renewable sources of energy have become the preferred choice for consumers who are not connected to the national grid. The reason is renewable sources such as solar energy are cheaper compared to other alternatives such as oil. However, the situation on the ground, document a slightly different story. For instance, the number of companies that offer public transportation services in Abu Dhabi are very few. The situation lowers the rate of fossil fuel consumption, thus leading to a decrease in the cost of fossil fuel (Mezher, Dawelbait& Abbas, 2011). The government makes a substantial investment toward exploring the renewable energy both locally and internationally. At the same time, the government invests more in oil production by constantly updating the extraction techniques (Global roadmap on renewable energy, 2013). The energy conservation efforts in Abu Dhabi are still ineffective. Without cheap and sustainable energy sources, Abu Dhabi cannot achieve a flourishing economic performance. In addition, the region could not exhaust the investment opportunities in alternative sources of energy to the extent it is currently. Bernard Clement, the Director of the Energy Division of Total, speaking during a renewable energy sensitization session affirmed that policy on climate change remains a significant long-term driver for investment in sustainability (Luomi, 2009). He posted that solar power depends much less on subsidies currently. A large scale manufacturing of solar panels is expected in order to reduce reliance on fossil fuel as a source of energy. Moreover, the transition may also result from technological breakthroughs (Mondal, Kennedy &Mezher, 2014). The city of Abu Dhabi fears no cost when it comes to the exploration of the renewable energy. It is proud to host the prominent sustainability showcase- Masdar City (Reiche, 2010). Masdar City, also referred to as the “city of the future” that is constructed adjacent to Abu Dhabi airport is expected to be the pace setter for the “smart cities” in the rapidly-growing economies that are conscious of the creation of sustainability (Reiche, 2010). Masdar city has increased the awareness in an area, which is generally not known for showing considerations to climate change, renewable energy or energy efficiency. The buildings of the city are well designed. The construction design of the buildings is climate friendly. For instance, some buildings are erected in a posture that prevent direct sunlight and improves air circulation . The energy consumption in the newly constructed buildings are more that 60% less than the buildings in Abu Dhabi. A Mega Watt solar PV installation in Masdar city generates electricity used within the city. The federal-funded Masdar firm invests hundreds of millions of dollars in projects aimed at exploring the renewable energy globally. The city also hosts to IRENA, (the International Renewable Energy Agency), a worldwide UN-acknowledged promoter of investments in renewable energy. The city has received constant encouragement from the body to explore the renewable energy opportunities (Madichie, 2011). On the same note, more advancements are expected as another product is also available, the second-generation biofuels, which is jointly being explored by Boeing, Masdar Institute alongside Etihad Airways, and Honeywell (Reiche, 2010). According to Boeing, studies have shown that the cultivation of plants (halophytes) which thrive in hostile conditions such as in salt water and deserts is possible. Therefore, based on the study, the production of biofuel is a feasible project with immense possibilities. The director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Adnan Amin, said that “despite the likely conflict of interest for the oil-based UAE economy, there is a need to support the long-term shift to renewable energy” (Patlitzianas, Doukas&Psarras, 2006). Mr. Amin said that if countries such as the UAE developed renewable energy, it could increase exports or divert fossil fuel to extremely valuable petrochemicals. There are attempts being put forward to ensure that regions within the gulf areas pursue the immense potential of renewable energy (Patlitzianas, Doukas&Psarras, 2006). The Benefits of Using Renewable Energy in UAE Policies which promote renewable energy can concurrently address environmental, economic, and social objectives. A major part of rethinking renewable energy is for policy makers in the UAE to take a more holistic tactic to charting the energy future of the region. There is a mutual view that whereas renewable energy sources are more environment-friendly, they are too costly (Abu-Hijleh& Al-Amir, 2013).An effective analysis of the benefits and costs of different energy forms should consider a much wider perspective of economic development than is currently the case, comparing industrial development, the balance of trade, and improvement in the GDP, employment,and health and energy access in the UAE (Abu-Hijleh& Al-Amir, 2013). UAE is a major oil-exporting country, and with subsidized domestic fuel rates, the deployment of renewable energy can minimize the demand for fossil fuel in the domestic market thus reduce the consumption rate and increase the amount available for export. Abu Dhabi is hot, especially in the afternoon. During that period, a research shows that electricity consumption is at its highest due to the wide usage of air conditioners (Mondal, Kennedy &Mezher, 2014). During the hot weather, the increase in electricity consumption is met through a supplementary electricity generation process involving the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) (Abu-Hijleh& Al-Amir, 2013). The application of renewable energy sources will culminate in the trade balance in positive ways. A policy that increases the imports of renewable energy equipment such as solar panels produced overseas should be formulated and implemented. Moreover, the development of domestic renewable energy industries within Abu Dhabi can assist localise value-adding actions such as the manufacturing of relevant equipments that facilitate the undertaking of renewable energy projects, thus, reduce the reliance on imports. For instance, in Masdar city, projects on renewable energy are supposed to be undertaken by the local stakeholders. That is, local project designers, managers and contractors should be involved. The seven emirates in the UAE can offer significant domestic value through the setting up and preservation of renewable energy systems (Patlitzianas, Doukas&Psarras, 2006). Various policies are formulated and implemented in the country with the primary reason to strike a balance between benefits that are narrower but immediate with those that are wider but long-lived. The deployment of renewable energy sources will increase the UAE’s GDP. The dependence on sustainable energy positively affect the GDP, especially where the renewable energy used is cheaper than substitutes (Lund, 2007). The UAE’s transition to an energy system, which is more sustainable, could culminate in net positive economic impacts, and job creation. The renewable energy projects such as installation and maintenance of solar panels create job opportunities for members of the community (Lund, 2007). The use of renewable energies will further lead to a reduction in environmental effects. Consumers within the UAE are aware of the environmental impact of the consumption of fossil fuel. The UAE federal government is keen to lessen their concerns by investing heavily in renewable energy projects in order to create and increase the supply of renewable energy. Based on that the UAE will be able to address the negative environmental effects associated with greenhouse gas emission (Lund, 2007).The use of renewable energy will reduce the unemployment rate by creating jobs. The activities such as the installation of wind turbines and solar panels will create several job opportunities in the country (Mezher, Dawelbait& Abbas, 2011). Conclusion Renewable energy sources will generate power and offer a substitute for fossil fuels such as natural gas and wind-generated electricity. The UAE is a strong rentier nation due to its immense fossil-fuel resources, timid national population and steady and consolidated authoritarian government. The city of Abu Dhabi has exerted serious efforts in creating a sustainable energy for current and future use. Masdar is a “smart city” in the fast-urbanizing world, thus, is expected to create a sustainable world. The city has raised awareness within an area, which is generally not known for showing considerations to renewable energy or energy efficiency. Policies adopted to promote renewable energy have immense potential to address environmental, economic, and social objectives. The deployment of renewable energy can minimize domestic fuel consumption and increase the amount fossil fuel available for exports.The deployment of renewable energy sources will also increase UAE’s GDP and will furthermore lead to a reduction in negative environmental effects. Therefore, based on the benefits of using renewable energy, the UAE government should constantly invest in renewable energy projects in order to increase the supply of clean energy and achieve sustainable growth. References Abu-Hijleh, B., & Al-Amir, J. (2013).Strategies and policies from promoting the use of renewable energy resource in the UAE. Renewable and sustainable energy reviews, #26(1), 660-667. doi:10.106/j.rser.2013.06.001 Global roadmap on renewable energy. (2013). Environmental Policy and Law, 43(1), 41. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1326755516?accountid=45049 Lund, H. ( 2007).Renewable energy strategies for sustainable development. Energy, 32 (6), 912-919. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2006.10.017. Luomi, M. (2009). ABU DHABIS ALTERNATIVE-ENERGY INITIATIVES: SEIZING CLIMATE-CHANGE OPPORTUNITIES. Middle East Policy, 16(4), 102-117. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203747841?accountid=45049 Madichie, N. O. (2011). IRENA - masdar city (UAE) - exemplars of innovation into emerging markets. Foresight : The Journal of Futures Studies, Strategic Thinking and Policy, 13(6), 34-47. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/14636681111179582 Mezher, T., Dawelbait, G.,& Abbas. (2011).Renewable energy policy options for Abu Dhabi:Drivers and barriers. Energy policy,42(1), 315-328.doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2011.11.089 Mondal, M. A. H., Kennedy, S., &Mezher, T. (2014). Long-term optimization of United Arab Emirates energy future: Policy implications. Applied Energy, 114, 466-474. Patlitzianas, K. D., Doukas, H., &Psarras, J. (2006). Enhancing renewable energy in the Arab States of the Gulf: Constraints & efforts. Energy Policy, 34(18), 3719-3726. Reiche, D.( 2010). Renewable Energy Policies in the Gulf countries: A case study of the carbon-neutral “Masdar City” in Abu Dhabi. Energy policy, 38(1), 378-382. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2009.06.028 Sgouridis, S., Griffiths, S., Kennedy, S., Khalid, A., &Zurita, N. (2013). A sustainable energy transition strategy for the United Arab Emirates: Evaluation of options using an Integrated Energy Model. Energy Strategy Reviews, 2(1), 8-18. DRAFT ESSAY GRADING INTRODUCTION (10) 6 clear thesis is there a hook navigational tool background information COMMENTS strengthen the thesis so that it works as an organizational tool for the paper. MAIN BODY (50) 25 clear topic sentences supporting evidence concluding sentences for paragraphs coherence clear argumentation COMMENTS the main issue here is that you have copied quite a large amount of text from another source (see my comments). Hopefully this is just because you didn’t paraphrase correctly – please fix this as currently the text is plagiarized. Think about your transitions and topic sentences. CONCLUSION (20) 5 restated thesis completed/unified discussion COMMENTS -you need to deepen the thesis. GENERAL (30) 20 style, tone, sentence structure, wordiness mechanics (punctuation grammar) APA in-text and end-text citation COMMENTS check your punctuation in particular in relative clause Where does your survey fit into the paper – please include it as you have done the work on it. TOTAL 56 This is a good start Abdulfattah, but please be careful with your citations. Read More