Across the world governments have pledged to reduce carbon emissions and put measures in place to support green technology initiatives. However, at the same time there is increasing demand for electricity generation and distribution across grids that are being pushed to capacity. There are both opportunities and challenges in the transition to a more sustainable future. Getting there will involve some difficult decisions being made.
Energy Production and Consumption
Global energy demand is projected to continue rising during the years ahead, to feed industrial and economic growth. Renewable energy generation is growing in many countries, but coal, oil and natural gas currently supplies a majority of the energy used globally. There are initiatives to increase the energy production from sources such as wind, solar and geothermal, but issues remain in relation to green energy. For example, intermittent availability of sufficient sunlight and wind requires adequate storage to provide a reliable energy supply and in many countries considerable investment in the grid infrastructure will be required. Greater use of insulation and conservation strategies, along with technology such as heat pumps, can also reduce energy consumption.
Baseload refers to the need for a reliable energy source to maintain a minimum level of electricity supply at all times. Traditionally this has been done using an energy source that can be increased or decreased as required, such as coal, oil or gas. Many countries also use nuclear energy, which has technical challenges and can be politically controversial, but delivers the reliable electricity supply that is required for baseload power generation. Moving to a low carbon future, without fossil fuels, will require improvements in generation, storage, distribution and management of renewable energy. Although controversial, due to safety concerns, nuclear power could provide the baseload, to ensure demand is always met.
Green Manufacturing
Terms such as green energy and green technology might sound like they refer to technology that has no carbon footprint of its own and causes no pollution. However, wind turbines, solar panels and all of the other technology required to build a more sustainable economy must be manufactured. This requires raw materials, energy and industrial processes. The aim of green manufacturing is to move towards production methods that reduce their negative impact upon the environment, increase sustainability and help to combat climate change. Strategies employed include powering industry using renewable energy, sourcing sustainable materials, protecting natural ecosystems and recycling of materials and technology, such as batteries, to eliminate waste. Improvements can also be made in the design of products and processes, such as supply chain management, to make their end to end lifecycle more sustainable.
Implementing green manufacturing practices across the industrial sector will be a challenge, but for the businesses involved it can reduce costs, increase profits and improve their environmental reputation. It can also ensure they will comply with environmental regulations. When available, more easily recycled and less carbon-intensive materials can be used. Scientist and engineers are developing new more sustainable materials and there is also considerable investment in green technology, such as carbon capture and green hydrogen. Many people consider sustainability when comparing products and services during the sales process. This could give a business implementing more sustainable practices a commercial advantage over competitors that are not. For example, raising awareness of green credentials in digital marketing campaigns could generate more customer leads and sales.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution
The First Industrial Revolution, during which machine production replaced handmade artisan work, was followed by The Second Industrial Revolution, describing rapid technological developments from the late nineteenth century to the first decades of the twentieth century. The Information Age, driven by the spread of computers and the Internet, is termed The Third Industrial Revolution. The term Fourth Industrial Revolution has been applied to developments taking place in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and biological sciences. It is expected to profoundly alter human society and how people live and work. For individuals and businesses, adapting to such rapid change will be difficult.
Artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing are widely considered to be technologies that will play an important role in building a more sustainable economy. In an effort to increase efficiency, reduce waste and cut costs, many businesses are using, or plan to use, such technology. However, artificial intelligence, along with other digital technologies, consumes large amounts of power. In many countries, lack of a reliable power supply has led to delays in the construction of data centres, which are key elements of the digital transformation plans of many organisations. Although the cost of green energy, from sources such as solar and wind, has fallen during recent years, this highlights the need develop more reliable green energy generation, storage and distribution.
Green Technology and The Future
There are many challenges ahead, that will require good planning and decision making. Building a sustainable future is not only about government, economic and industrial policies, it is something that concerns us all. The rapid rate of technological change is leaving many feeling uncertain about the future. Rather than a sense that change is being imposed upon them, people are more likely to respond well when they feel motivated by being part of something bigger than themselves. If they are going to feel invested in building a better future, people must have good reason to believe that they and their families will benefit with an improved quality of life. As must the communities of which they are a part.
Many of the social, economic and environmental issues that concern us today had their parallels during the first Industrial Revolution. Looking at how people responded to challenges then might help us to navigate our own period of rapid change. For example, The Arts and Crafts Movement emerged in response to the impact of The Industrial Revolution. The movement influenced policy making related to education, manufacturing, housing and the environment that helped to shape the world we live in today. The decisions we make will shape the lives of future generations. They need us to make choices that will ensure the planet we share is a beautiful and sustainable place to live.