What Energy Is Better Than Fossil Fuels?
Fossil fuels are finite resources
Fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal are non-renewable resources formed over millions of years from the remains of plants and animals. Once these finite resources are extracted and burned, they cannot be replaced on a human timescale. According to Hubbert’s peak theory, global oil production is expected to peak and start declining around 2030 or earlier (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubbert_peak_theory).
Based on current proved reserves and rates of consumption, some predictions for how long fossil fuels will last are: Oil – 53 years (https://www.zmescience.com/feature-post/how-long-fossil-fuels-last-43432/), Natural gas – 54 years, Coal – 114 years according to one estimate (https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-estimated-reserves-of-oil-natural-gas-and-coal-How-long-do-you-think-they-ll-last-us-at-current-rates-of-consumption). However, as easier to access supplies run out and consumption continues to grow, extraction costs will increase and supplies will dwindle faster than linear projections predict.
The finite nature of fossil fuels means they will inevitably become more scarce and expensive. This makes transitioning to renewable energy sources critical for ensuring future energy security and affordability.
Fossil fuels are major contributors to climate change
The burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. According to the EPA, the combustion of fossil fuels accounted for about 76% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 (Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions | US EPA). The UN reports that CO2 emissions from fossil fuel use increased by over 1% per year between 2010-2019 (Causes and Effects of Climate Change – UN).
Coal burning accounts for over 40% of CO2 released from fossil fuel combustion. Oil provides 34% of CO2 emissions from fossil fuels, while natural gas accounts for 22%. Without drastic reductions in fossil fuel use, CO2 concentrations are projected to continue rising and could double pre-industrial levels by 2100. This would cause an additional 1.5°C to 4.5°C of global warming by the end of the century, with devastating impacts on people and ecosystems.
Renewable energy sources are infinite
Renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal can provide endless clean energy because they are replenished naturally and will never run out. The sun continuously produces an enormous amount of solar energy through nuclear fusion reactions. As long as the sun shines, the potential solar energy available to us is limitless (1). Winds are generated by temperature and pressure differences on the earth due to solar heating, Earth’s rotation, and surface features like mountains and oceans. As long as these forces exist, wind energy will be an infinite resource (2). The heat within the earth’s core, mantle, and crust produces geothermal energy. As radioactive decay occurs continuously within the earth, the geothermal energy available for extraction is constantly renewed.
In contrast to fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas which take millions of years to form and only exist in finite quantities, renewable sources are replenished naturally in relatively short time spans. The renewable energy fluxes from the sun, wind, and earth’s heat are endless compared to human timescales. While the amount that can be captured and converted by technology is constrained by efficiency limits, the natural energy flows that renewables harness will continue indefinitely, making them essentially infinite resources.
(1) https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office
(2) https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/how-do-wind-turbines-work
Renewables produce little to no emissions
Unlike fossil fuels, most renewable energy sources create electricity without releasing greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Renewables like solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal produce either very low or zero emissions during their operational lifetime (Setting the Record Straight About Renewable Energy, https://www.wri.org/insights/setting-record-straight-about-renewable-energy).
According to the UN, the lifecycle emissions from renewables can be up to 200 times lower than fossil fuels (Renewable energy – powering a safer future, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy). In the US, renewable energy sources created 434 million megawatt-hours of electricity in 2019 with less than 100 million metric tons of CO2 emissions. In comparison, fossil fuels generated over 2 billion megawatt-hours but released over 1.5 billion metric tons of emissions (Renewable Energy vs Fossil Fuels: 5 Essential Facts, https://amigoenergy.com/blog/renewable-energy-vs-fossil-fuels/).
Switching from fossil fuels to clean renewables is one of the most effective ways to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. According to researchers, transitioning to 80% renewable electricity worldwide by 2030 could reduce CO2 emissions by over 20 billion metric tons per year (Setting the Record Straight About Renewable Energy, https://www.wri.org/insights/setting-record-straight-about-renewable-energy).
Costs of renewables are decreasing
The costs of renewable energy such as solar and wind have decreased dramatically over the past few decades. According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, between 2010 and 2019, the costs of solar photovoltaics decreased by 85% and the costs of onshore wind decreased by 56% (https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/net-zero-and-energy/data-point-clean-energy-costs-are-falling). Another analysis by the UN found that prices of large-scale solar photovoltaics decreased by 89% between 2009 and 2019 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinero/2022/09/14/renewable-energy-costs-have-dropped-much-faster-than-expected-but-theres-a-catch/).
As a result of these cost decreases, renewables are becoming highly cost-competitive with fossil fuels. In many parts of the world, solar and wind energy can now be generated at a lower cost per kilowatt-hour than coal and natural gas. The decreasing costs are driving a rapid growth in renewable energy deployment. According to projections, renewables will make up 90% of new power generation capacity added between now and 2026 (IEA). The falling costs and increased competitiveness of renewables make them an extremely attractive alternative to polluting fossil fuels.
Renewables are creating jobs and economic growth
The renewable energy industry is a major source of job creation worldwide. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are over 8 million jobs in renewable energy globally as of 2022, with over 500,000 jobs added just in the past two years.
The United States has experienced rapid growth in renewable energy jobs, with a 4% increase adding over 100,000 new jobs in 2022 alone. Major sectors for job creation include solar, wind, hydropower, biofuels and geothermal energy [1]. Studies estimate the U.S. could add up to 5.7 million additional renewable energy jobs by 2035 as the transition away from fossil fuels accelerates [2].
The European Union has also seen major job growth in renewables, with over 1.5 million people employed in renewable energy. Countries like Germany, France and Italy lead Europe in renewable energy job creation. China and India have also invested heavily in renewables, adding millions of new jobs in solar, wind and hydropower [3].
The renewable energy transition promises substantial long-term job growth as countries continue to move away from fossil fuels and expand their renewable energy portfolios.
Challenges and limitations of renewable energy
While renewable energy sources offer many benefits over fossil fuels, they also come with some challenges and limitations that need to be addressed. One key challenge is intermittency, or the variability in energy production that comes with relying on sources like solar and wind. As the UCSUSA points out, solar energy can only be harvested when the sun is shining, and winds are not constant either. This intermittency can make it difficult to integrate high levels of renewables onto the electric grid without making major upgrades to energy storage and transmission infrastructure.
To overcome intermittency issues, significant improvements still need to be made in energy storage technology according to RegenPower. While battery storage has improved dramatically in recent years, existing battery technology is still not adequate for grid-scale energy storage needed to balance intermittent renewable sources. Other storage solutions like pumped hydro and compressed air energy storage come with geographic limitations. More research and development is required for economically viable grid-scale storage.
It’s also important to have realistic expectations about the limitations of renewable energy currently. While costs have fallen rapidly, renewables are still more expensive per megawatt-hour than conventional sources like coal and natural gas in most cases, as noted by the Sustainable Review. And despite remarkable growth, renewables still only account for around 11% of total U.S. energy consumption. So while the future is bright, renewables still have a long way to go before they can fully displace fossil fuels.
There are challenges in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables, including integrating intermittent renewables into the grid and a reliance on more storage capacity. However, there are solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Overcoming the challenges with renewables
One major issue with solar and wind is their intermittent availability – they only produce energy when the sun is shining or wind is blowing. This creates a need to balance supply and demand. Solutions for dealing with the variability of renewables include upgrading transmission infrastructure, regional coordination, forecasting renewable generation, and using demand management to shift usage to times of high renewable output (Overcoming Barriers to Renewable Energy, 2021). Energy storage like batteries and pumped hydro can also help manage fluctuations in renewable supply.
Places like Denmark, South Australia, and Iowa have successfully integrated high levels of wind energy through strategies like expanding transmission capacity and using forecasting tools (Five ways to jump-start the renewable energy transition now, 2021). As technology improves, issues managing variability will further decline. Emerging innovations like advanced forecasting, virtual power plants, and vehicle-to-grid integration can enable higher renewable penetration.
With smart policies, grid modernization, and new technologies, the challenges associated with renewable intermittency can be overcome. The experiences of renewable leaders demonstrate these obstacles are surmountable through solutions like transmission upgrades, storage, and demand response.
Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewables
The transition from a fossil fuel-based energy system to one based on renewable energy is imperative to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. However, this shift needs to be done in a thoughtful, just way so that fossil fuel-dependent communities are not left behind (1). A “just transition” ensures that workers and communities affected by the phase-out of fossil fuels will have their livelihoods protected through re-training, new economic opportunities, and social support (2).
Enabling an equitable transition requires policy and economic changes. Governments can phase out fossil fuel subsidies and implement carbon pricing to reflect their social and environmental costs. The revenue from carbon pricing can fund worker retraining programs and investments in renewable energy infrastructure, especially in marginalized communities (3). Loan guarantees, tax incentives, and feed-in tariffs can accelerate renewable energy deployment while creating new jobs in manufacturing, construction, and operations.
Some places like Denmark and Germany have successfully decoupled economic growth from carbon emissions through ambitious policies for energy efficiency, renewable power, and electrified transport (4). Their examples demonstrate that with proper planning and political will, transitions to renewable energy can happen rapidly while ensuring social equity.
(1) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy-transition
(2) https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/06/28/what-americans-think-about-an-energy-transition-from-fossil-fuels-to-renewables/
(3) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy
(4) https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/raising-ambition/renewable-energy-transition
The future with 100% renewable energy
A future powered entirely by renewable energy is not just a dream, but an achievable goal that would bring tremendous environmental and economic benefits. Studies by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) show that 100% clean electricity in the U.S. is possible by 2035 through rapid deployment of wind, solar, hydropower and other renewables along with storage technologies and grid upgrades.
Phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to 100% renewables would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. It would also reduce other pollutants from fossil fuels that contribute to smog, acid rain and health problems. Environmentally, the planet would be much better off.
Economically, renewable energy is already creating jobs and growth. The NREL study shows a transition to 100% renewables could provide over 500,000 jobs in construction, operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants. Households would save money on electricity bills. The U.S. economy would benefit from not having to import fossil fuels.
Reaching 100% renewable energy will require commitment and the right policies at local, state and federal levels. But as cities like Los Angeles aim for 100% renewables by 2045, it shows that with the technology we have now and continued innovation, 100% clean energy is an achievable goal for the nation’s future.
