The evolution to the use of cleaner, “greener” energy sources worldwide isn’t a matter of if, but when.
It’s reported that the year 2030 will see a nearly ten-fold increase in the number of electric vehicles on the road relative to current levels. The presence of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology will generate a significantly greater share of electricity than it does today. Another prediction is the sale of electric heat pumps will overtake fossil fuel-consuming boilers for the first time. Plus, 2030 could see three times more investment in offshore wind turbines than conventional coal- and gas-fired power plants.
All of this green activity will result in a significant rise in the global share of electricity generated by renewable sources, a number which currently stands at 29-30% but could nearly double to roughly 50% in the next five years, according to the 2023 World Energy Outlook.
A Historic Transition
Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas are major contributors to global climate change. As explained in a short informative video from the Museum of Science, Boston, data reveals that since the 1960s, atmospheric CO2 has increased 100 times faster in the past 60 years than in all previous natural increases.
By contrast, green/renewable energy generated by naturally replenishable sources emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the atmosphere. (These sources include the sun, wind, water, waste, and the Earth’s own heat.)
Based on the abundance and accessibility of green energy sources globally, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) believes that 90% of the world’s electricity could be generated by renewable energy by 2050. Among its many benefits, green energy is a less-expensive source than fossil fuel-generated electricity. With World Health Organization studies attributing over 13 million deaths globally to air pollution and other environmental hazards each year, green energy is also a far safer and healthier source. According to industry experts, the growth of renewable energy will also drive a wealth of employment opportunities. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that the coming decade will create more than 30 million jobs to support the design and manufacture of green, low-emission, renewable technologies in the coming decade. This figure would significantly offset the five million jobs that may be lost within the waning field of fossil fuel production.
Green Energy Advancements Abound
A wide variety of innovative technologies are helping usher in a new day in the green energy landscape. These include ongoing advancements in solar power and battery energy storage (BESS), developments in the growing field of windmills and wind turbines, and the emergence of smart grid technologies that enable intelligent and efficient two-way monitoring of energy transmission, consumption, distribution, and maintenance.
Additionally, green radio techniques are boosting efficiency and reducing the power consumption associated with modern wireless cellular networks.
A new class of power semiconductors are supporting the drive trains that deliver power from a vehicle’s engine to its wheels in the growing population of electric vehicles.
Furthermore, across many other industries, artificial intelligence (AI) has been identified as “an enabler of cleaner energy deployment.” For example, AI can analyze trends in big data to improve energy output at the generating level, make strategic decisions regarding electric grid planning, and efficiently manufacture the semiconductors that power many green technologies, including autonomous and electric vehicles, mobile phones, laptops, LEDs, and more.
Leading the Way in Green Engineering eLearning
Let IEEE help inform your understanding of climate change and green engineering. The microlearning course, Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable Future, is a great way to get started!
It covers a broad range of timely and critical climate change-related topics, such as intelligent urban networks that can reduce congestion, V2G solutions for distribution system reliability, and hybrid home energy management systems for emission reduction. Other green innovations covered in the course include sustainable Internet of Things (IoT) device development solutions, optimum energy-efficient data center policies for climate control, optimized resource scheduling based on export rates, battery swapping stations for electric vehicles, and more. The course’s informative and highly accessible 7- to 10-minute modules provide learners with a solid overview of the many pressing engineering and sustainability challenges as well as the innovative solutions making headlines in today’s green energy arena.
As a globally recognized organization that plays a significant role in shaping the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, and computer science, IEEE is committed to help combat, mitigate effects of, and adapt to climate change through the coordination and education of engineers, scientists, and technical professionals. In an effort to address growing concerns about climate change and its impact on various industries, IEEE offers eLearning specifically focused on climate change.
Additional IEEE Climate Change eLearning Courses
As a globally recognized professional organization playing a significant role in shaping the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, and computer science, IEEE offers a wide variety of eLearning courses related to climate change. Available courses include:
- An Introduction to Sustainable Green Engineering: Part 1
- An Introduction to Sustainable Green Engineering: Part 2
- An Introduction to Windmill and Wind Turbine Design and Manufacturing Processes
- Engaging Consumers in the Smart Grid Marketplace
- Engineering Ethics: Guidance on Sustainability
- Green Radio Techniques for Improved Wireless Basestation Design
- Introduction and Overview of Wind Turbine Design Challenges
- Introduction to Sustainable Green Engineering System Analysis and Design
- Smart Distribution Systems
- Strong Before Smart
- The Digitized Grid
- Transportation Electrification: Applications of Electric Drive Trains
- Transportation Electrification: Electric Machines in Electric Drive Trains
- Transportation Electrification: Introduction to Power Electronics in Electric Drive Trains
- Transportation Electrification: Power Semiconductors Used in Electric Drive Trains
- Wind Turbine Manufacturing, Assembly, Test and Maintenance Challenges
Interested in accessing these courses for your organization? Contact an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn about the IEEE eLearning Library.
Resources:
(24 October 2023). The Energy World is Set to Change Significantly by 2030, Based on Today’s Policy Settings Alone. International Energy Agency.
Renewable Energy – Powering a Safer Future. United Nations.
Climate Change. IEEE TryEngineering.
(16 March 2021). Fast-Track Energy Transitions to Win the Race to Zero. International Renewable Energy Agency.
Sinha, Sumant. (26 February 2024). AI Can Power The Green Energy Transition. Forbes.
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